Fresh Picked Daily (23 May 2011)

The Monday edition of "Fresh Picked Daily" is about pastoral education, evangelism, church membership and church history. Enjoy!

On Choosing a Seminary: Over at Reformation 21, William B. Evans of Erskine College provides some wisdom for those called to ministry considering pastoral education... "Prospective students choosing a seminary need to recognize that schools differ, that there is no such thing as 'generic seminary education.' Just as students need to be concerned about 'fit' when they choose a college or university, so also they need to pay close attention to the distinctives of the seminaries they are considering." It is the task of institutes devoted to pastoral education and training to balance theology and practice, catechesis and critical thinking, and ecumenical breadth and confessional depth.

Its a Matter of Time: At The Gospel Coalition, Petar Nenadov of Lakeside Christian Church in Akron, Ohio recently interviewed Rico Tice of All Souls Church in London, England on the subject of evangelism. Tice, who is known for his book entitled "Christianity Explored" (a Christological study of Mark's Gospel) explains the importance of evangelism and prayer in the life and preaching of the pastor, collective relational evangelism, and balancing church work (administration) with the work of the church (making disciples).

Church Membership: In the latest issue of 9Marks' E-Journal, Matt Chandler of The Village Church in Highland Village, Texas examines what the Bible says about church membership. Starting with Hebrews 13:17, he poses a number of questions regarding pastoral responsibility (care & discipline) and the obedience/submission of believers under elders. Next, Chandler provides biblical evidence for the need of fellowship and service for the sake of building up the body of Christ and postulates a divine mandate for membership in a local church.

Historical Theology: I have created a resource page for the study of church history. My plan is to have pages dedicated to Systematic Theology, Biblical Theology, Exegetical Theology, Pastoral Theology and Apologetics. I hope to update the pages regularly with links, books, PDFs, articles, etc. If you have any books, articles or online resources to share... I would love to hear from you!

That does it for "Fresh Picked Daily"... make sure to follow me on Twitter and find me on Facebook for updates. I am also on The City. Soli Deo Gloria!