This is the ninth lesson in Dr. Daniel Ragusa’s Reformed Academy course, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God with Us.

This lesson covers the following topics:

0:00 An Eternal Happily Ever After

2:49 New Jerusalem

9:42 Living in Light of Eternity

Register for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress, download supplemental materials, and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to twenty-five additional five-hour video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedforum.org/courses/ful... Your donations enable us to provide free Reformed resources for students like you all across the world: https://reformedforum.org/donate/

 #biblicaltheology #Immanuel #reformedtheology

In this special episode of Christ the Center, we commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) with special guests Dr. Maynard Koerner and Wayne Johnson.

Dr. Koerner and Mr. Johnson take us on a historical journey through the origins, theological developments, and challenges that have shaped the RCUS over the past three centuries. From the church’s humble beginnings in colonial Pennsylvania, through the Mercersburg controversy, to the influx of Volga German immigrants, we explore how the RCUS has maintained a steadfast commitment to confessional Reformed theology.

We also discuss the upcoming tricentennial celebration in Rapid City, South Dakota, and reflect on the church’s present and future, its global mission work, and its deep connections with other Reformed bodies, including the OPC and Westminster Seminary.

Wayne Johnson is the Provost of City Seminary of Sacramento. He served as the editor of Leben Magazine from 2008–2018 and retired as CEO of Gateway Media in 2019. He has a BA in European History from Purdue University.

Dr. Maynard Koerner is the President of Heidelberg Theological Seminary and Associate Pastor of Trinity RCUS in Sioux Falls.

Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 03:32 The Tricentennial Celebration
• 04:50 The Colonial Era
• 11:06 Ecclesiastical Ties and Ministerial Training
• 20:07 Organization in 1747
• 28:23 The Mercersburg Controversy
• 38:46 The Volga/Black Sea German Immigration
• 42:31 The 1934 Merger
• 52:25 The RCUS Today
• 1:02:16 Conclusion

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob discuss Louis Berkhof’s little book, Summary of Christian Doctrine. On today’s episode, under the larger section, “The Doctrine of the Last Things,” we a conclude our discussion of chapter XXX, the last chapter “The Resurrection, the Last Judgement, and the Final State.”

This is the eighth lesson in Dr. Daniel Ragusa’s Reformed Academy course, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God with Us.

This lesson covers the following topics:

0:00 The Son of God Coming in the Fullness of Time

1:44 The Holy Spirit Indwells His People

5:40 The Great Commission

10:43 Sharing in Christ's Anointing

Register for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress, download supplemental materials, and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to twenty-five additional five-hour video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedforum.org/courses/ful... Your donations enable us to provide free Reformed resources for students like you all across the world: https://reformedforum.org/donate/

#biblicaltheology #Immanuel #reformedtheology

In this episode, we explore the biblical and historical foundations of Presbyterian church government through the lens of the three-office view—minister, ruling elder, and deacon. Joining us are two distinguished guests: Mark R. Brown, editor of Order in the Offices, and Gregory Edward Reynolds, contributor to the volume and editor of Ordained Servant: A Journal for Church Officers.

Together, we discuss the scriptural and theological arguments for distinguishing the minister of the Word from the ruling elder, why this distinction matters for the health of the church, and the modern challenges facing Presbyterian polity. Brown shares insights from his decades-long defense of the three-office view, while Reynolds unpacks his essay, "Democracy and the Denigration of Office," explaining how cultural influences have shaped and distorted church governance.

Whether you're a church officer, seminarian, or simply interested in Reformed ecclesiology, this conversation offers a compelling case for recovering the historic Presbyterian model of church leadership.

Mark R. Brown is a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. He is a graduate of Geneva College and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. After completing his seminary education in 1977, he planted Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, where he faithfully served as pastor for forty years until his retirement in 2017.

Greg Reynolds is a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church who has served as a church planter and pastor in both New York and New Hampshire. Before entering the ministry, he worked in the field of architecture. In addition to his pastoral work, he is the editor of Ordained Servant: A Journal for Church Officers, where he has contributed numerous essays on ecclesiology and pastoral ministry. Reynolds is the author of The Word Is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age, which explores the impact of media on preaching and worship. His academic background includes studies at the Boston Architectural College, the L’Abri Fellowship, Covenant College (BA, 1975), Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, 1979), and Westminster Seminary in California (DMin, 2001)​.

This is Christ the Center episode 899 (https://www.reformedforum.org/ctc899)

This is the seventh lesson in Dr. Daniel Ragusa’s Reformed Academy course, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God with Us.

 This lesson covers the following topics:

0:00 Shift from Promise to Fulfillment

2:24 Jesus as the True Temple

8:28 The Resurrection and Ascension

13:22 Being Drawn Heavenward by Christ

Register for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress, download supplemental materials, and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to twenty-five additional five-hour video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedforum.org/courses/ful... Your donations enable us to provide free Reformed resources for students like you all across the world: https://reformedforum.org/donate/

#biblicaltheology #Immanuel #reformedtheology

In this episode we welcome Dr. Jean Decorvet and Dr. Kenneth Stewart to explore The Geneva Réveil, a significant yet often overlooked nineteenth-century evangelical revival that reshaped French-speaking Protestantism and left a lasting global impact. We discuss the origins, theological dynamics, and international reach of this movement, featured in the new volume, The Geneva Réveil in International Perspective.

Dr. Decorvet shares personal insights, including his family’s connection to Adolphe Monod—known as “the voice of the revival”—while Dr. Stewart highlights the fascinating transatlantic ties between the Réveil and American Presbyterianism. The conversation considers the blend of warm piety and Reformed orthodoxy that fueled the movement, its influence on hymnody, social reform (including the founding of the Red Cross), and the broader currents of nineteenth-century evangelicalism.

Listen to discover how the Geneva Réveil not only revitalized Francophone Protestantism but also shaped the course of global missions, theological education, and the enduring legacy of Reformed thought.

Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:05:32 Familiarity with the Genevan Reveil
• 00:11:31 European Roots of the Evangelical Free Church
• 00:12:50 Historical Background and Context
• 00:17:52 Unique Aspects of the Genevan Reveil
• 00:22:02 Pietism and Calvinist Orthodoxy
• 00:28:53 The Reveil and Theological Liberalism
• 00:31:33 The Far-Reaching Effects of the Reveil
• 00:38:12 Roman Catholicism and the Reveil
• 00:44:17 American Presbyterian Influence on the Reveil
• 00:50:41 Louis Gaussen’s Influence
• 00:58:49 Looking to the Future
• 01:01:59 Conclusion

This is the sixth lesson in Dr. Daniel Ragusa’s Reformed Academy course, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God with Us.

This lesson covers the following topics:

0:00 In the Days of Kings

4:14 God Sends His People into Exile

9:55 Promises of the New Covenant, New Jerusalem, and New Temple

16:09 Return from Exile

Register for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress, download supplemental materials, and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to twenty-five additional five-hour video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedforum.org/courses/ful... Your donations enable us to provide free Reformed resources for students like you all across the world: https://reformedforum.org/donate/

#biblicaltheology #Immanuel #reformedtheology

In our weekly livestream for March 7, 2025, Camden Bucey first speaks with Jonathan Master about the upcoming Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary conference focused on pastoral ministry. They explore the theological significance of the pastoral office and the communal aspects of the conference.

In the second segment, Bucey speaks with David Noe, Tyson Watson, and Joan Crist about an innovative project centered on Calvin's Latin Bible. The panel details their collaborative work to make this important historical text more accessible to contemporary readers. They address the challenges of translation, their quality control processes, and the technological solutions they've developed.

Joan Crist shares her personal journey to Reformed theology and explains how their project includes resources for learning Latin while engaging with Reformed theological traditions. The conversation highlights the enduring importance of liturgy and Latin in theological education, while offering insights into future developments of their digital platform.

To learn more:

• GPTS Conference: The Pastor: His Call, Character, and Work
• Calvin's Latin Bible: Latin Per Diem
• Video Introduction: YouTube

In this episode we turn to Geerhardus Vos’s discussion on divine fatherhood as presented in Biblical Theology (pp. 365–369). Vos masterfully traces the theme of God’s fatherhood from the Old Testament to the New, demonstrating both its continuity and the profound transformation it undergoes in Jesus’ teaching.

We explore key theological distinctions, including:

• The development from a national to an individual application of fatherhood
• The redemptive, rather than universal, nature of divine sonship
• Jesus’ unique relationship with the Father and its implications for believers
• The eschatological significance of adoption into God’s family

Along the way, we challenge modern misconceptions about the fatherhood of God and discuss why Vos firmly rejects the notion of universal divine fatherhood. Join us as we uncover the richness of this biblical doctrine and consider its implications for the Christian life.

Watch on YouTube and Vimeo.

Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 05:31 The Divine Fatherhood of God
• 10:37 Biblical References to God as Father
• 14:13 God as a Father to the Nation of Israel
• 17:26 The Scope of Divine Fatherhood
• 21:38 Divine Fatherhood Is Not a Macro-Attribute
• 24:26 The Redemptive and Eschatological Nature of Divine Fatherhood
• 29:45 God Relating to Believers as Father
• 34:23 Clarifications on Alleged Universal Fatherhood
• 38:37 Expansion of the Concept in the New Covenant
• 43:50 The Practical Import of Divine Fatherhood
• 46:59 Conclusion

This is Christ the Center episode 897 (https://www.reformedforum.org/ctc897)

What happens when you leave the people of God and venture to a far country? And when tragedy strikes there, is there any hope that God’s grace can restore what sin has devastated? Welcome to the book of Ruth, where we find curse and death but also God’s amazing grace. Ruth reveals the power of God’s grace in Christ to bring fullness where there was emptiness.

This is the fifth lesson in Dr. Daniel Ragusa’s Reformed Academy course, Fullness of Joy: A Biblical Theology of God with Us.

This lesson covers the following topics: 

0:00 Introduction

2:53 Entering the Promised Land

6:17 King David and the Tabernacle

9:29 Temple in Jerusalem Built by Solomon

14:54 Looking Forward to the New Jerusalem

Register for this free on-demand course on our website to track your progress, download supplemental materials, and assess your understanding through quizzes for each lesson. You will also receive free access to twenty-five additional five-hour video courses in covenant theology, apologetics, biblical studies, church history, and more: https://reformedforum.org/courses/ful... Your donations enable us to provide free Reformed resources for students like you all across the world: https://reformedforum.org/donate/

#biblicaltheology #Immanuel #reformedtheology

In this livestreamed conversation, Camden Bucey, Lane Tipton, and Dan Borvan discuss various topics including the recent Reformed Forum seminar in Oklahoma City, office tchotchkes, the announcement of a new book, and the pressing issue of ministerial training and the shortage of pastors in the Reformed community.

They explore the implications of these challenges and share insights on how to address them moving forward. In this conversation, the speakers discuss the evolving landscape of ministry, focusing on the reluctance of young men to relocate for vocational opportunities, the changing mindset towards ministry, and the need for proactive measures in raising future church leaders. They explore the challenges faced by churches in declining areas, the potential solutions such as merging congregations and bivocational ministry, and the future of ministerial education and credentialing.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 05:04 Reflections on the Oklahoma City Seminar
• 09:33 Office Items and Fun Conversations
• 15:30 Announcement of New Book and Upcoming Conference
• 17:24 Discussion on Ministerial Training Crisis
• 26:31 The Reluctance to Relocate for Ministry
• 29:18 The Changing Mindset of Ministry Aspirants
• 33:24 Raising Up Future Leaders in the Church
• 39:22 Challenges of Supporting Ministers in Declining Areas
• 44:08 Exploring Solutions: Merging Churches and Bivocational Ministry
• 50:04 The Future of Ministerial Education and Credentialing