Passing-Thought

2004 OKC Conference on Reformed Theology (w/Jim Elliff) (Oct 29-30)

I recently posted my pictures from 2004 OKC Conference on Reformed Theology w/Jim Elliff (October 29-30, 2004).

I found the conference refreshing to my spirit, especially the first two lessons. One dealing with the relationship between the Spirit's sovereignty in our understanding of the truth of the gospel, and the second dealing with true faith as shown by the Spirit's activity in working true repentance in the heart and mind. True repentance is happy to leave sin vs. a sorrow that is no more than sorry for sin or a confession that is merely naming sins. Some things I really needed to hear! The lectures are available now online, and will continue to be a blessing to those who are able to hear them.

By the end of the conference, however, I wondered if his presentation of sanctification could have been strengthened by emphasizing its Christ-shaped goal. Not only is holiness a doing away with sin, but a growing up in the image of Christ, individually and as a community. The work of Spirit in the life of the church is the same Spirit who worked through Christ's life, death, and resurrection. As it stands, the conference seemed to be four separate sessions about the work of the Holy Spirit, without an attempt to fit those sessions into a more unified picture, of summing all things up in Christ. Likewise, the word "gospel" was used several times, but was not defined or fleshed out in a way that concretely related the work of the Spirit with its content.

The final session "The Method and the Mystery" was perhaps the most challenging pastorally, drawing fresh implications from the book of Acts for evangelism. For instance, he suggested, that pastors being "devoted to the ministry of the word" in Acts means more than locking oneself up in one's study only to preach on Sunday. The elders didn't have time to look after the physical needs of widows because they were too busy preaching the word! Another application he drew was an analogy between Paul's habit of teaching in the synagogue, and our need to bring the gospel into liberal churches.

Now, in general, I am skeptical of making modern applications from the book of Acts, assuming that the foundational experiences of the church remain normative for us today. The book seems clearly redemptive historical in character, at pains to show that all that Jesus promised to do through the apostolic witness, this He did. Nevertheless, I think we all still struggle with how its once-for-all foundational character remains normative for His building project upon that foundation. Shouldn't the book, afterall, be used for the shaping and governing of our ministry? Jim's radically challenging suggestions thus warrant our consideration.

If I had to guess, I would say that Jim's favorite session was "The Spirit and Divine Visitation" which drew from the history of revivalism, especially among puritan reformers like Jonathan Edwards, in order to encourage us to look for similar outpourings of the Spirit and what we should expect them to look like. I must admit, I was most skeptical of his conclusions in this session. Does the Bible teach that we should expect cycles of future outpourings or baptisms of the Spirit (like those experienced in Acts)? I tend to think that we simply should pray that God would work powerfully through preaching, sacraments, and prayer, and trust that He is answering that prayer, even when there no spectacular display to behold from Sunday to Sunday. The next spectacular display given for us to expect is Christ's physical return in glory.