Read the entire chapter from William Cunningham’s Historical Theology: A Review of the Principal Discussions in the Christian Church Since the Apostolic Age (1863). Or, listen to the audio here.
Archive for the ‘Audio Resources’ Category
Cunningham on the Jerusalem Council
Posted in Articles, Audio Resources, Catholicity, Christ & the Church, Church of Scotland, Church Order & Discipline, Connectionalism & Conciliarism, Ecclesiology, Free Church of Scotland on May 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Exclusive psalm-singing
Posted in Audio Resources, Church of Scotland, Psalmody, Worship, True & False on May 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The first installment of my series on the distinctives of the Presbyterian Reformed Church, or the old Scottish Presbyterian doctrine, worship, government, and discipline. Below is a very lightly edited transcript (special thanks to sister Susan!).
* * * *
Psalm 78:5 – Our Testimony, Part 1: Psalm Singing
Turn with me to Psalm 78 and verse 5, in which we read the words, For he [that is the Lord] established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children…
The Seventy-eighth Psalm opens with the words that concern the passing along, the faithful passing along, of the fear of the Lord, the right worship of God, the doctrine that had been revealed to the people of God from one generation to another. It is, as we have not too terribly long ago considered, the way of the Lord to deal through generations. Yes, he saves individuals, and there is none who are saved but individuals; and yet individuals find themselves planted by the hand of God, more oftentimes than not, within families. Indeed, we are all children of fathers and mothers, and so it pleases the Lord that, by and large, within his church there should be families, one generation succeeding the other.
Well, it was commanded Abraham that he should teach his children in the ways of the Lord and the Lord said, I know Abraham that he will command his children after him that they may keep the way of the Lord, that God might fulfill his promise that he had for them. Joshua, that courageous and valiant man, he had become old and gray-headed, and he stood before the congregation at a crossroads, when one generation was to succeed the other and he charged them: If the Lord be God then serve him, or if these other gods of the nations, if they be true, then go your ways, but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Well, Psalm 78 is a psalm in which these themes are captured, the concept of the receiving of the the truth, and passing that along to the next generation. We have a responsibility – fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters in Jesus Christ, to hold onto what God has given us; in the words of Psalm 78:5, that testimony, that witness to the truth, and to pass it along to the next generation – which means two things: We must maintain what we have received, and not let it slip though our fingers, not grow lax and careless, and we must then impart them to the next generation, that they may be faithful in the Lord.
(more…)Retaining children & aggressive missions
Posted in Articles, Audio Resources, Contemporary Parochialism, Covenant Theology, Experimental Religion & the Cure of Souls, Family Religion, Fatherhood, Gospel Proclamation, Gospel Tactics, John Murray, New England Puritanism, Parish in American Context, Parochial Strategy, Pastoral Theology, The Kingdom of God, Visitation Evangelism on April 26, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I try to avoid promoting my own sermons very often. But after giving a short, three-part series on the doctrine of hell, I continued with a second short series on the subject of biblical, Reformed church growth, something very near my heart. Specifically, I spoke from Matthew 16:18 about building up the church from within by training up, winning over, and thus retaining our baptized, covenant children. We must promote and encourage Christian child-bearing and so helping populate the (visible) Kingdom through these “federally holy” sinners, a mission field in its own right. (More on that subject here.) Then, I laid out in the final messages a call and battleplan for aggressive, local and regional missions. As Prof. Murray said when personally engaging in church-planting in New England, we must “go where the people are, not where you hope they will come.”
I have been serving in New England and now New Jersey for 18+ years. Let us pray earnestly and labor believingly for the extension of confessional Presbyterianism here in our northeastern “Samaria.” It may be spiritually ‘rocky soil,’ but God can create sons of Abraham from these stones. He did it before! If things go from bad to worse, a strategic retreat is possible. But let us not give up the Messiah’s ground without a fight! And who knows? Perhaps the Lord will make this “desert to blossom as the rose” again, and restore the pure worship of our godly Puritan forbears.
Do you live in the northeast—in New England, New York, or New Jersey? Are you committed to the old paths of the Puritans and Presbyterians? Do you long for a Third Great Awakening today? Would you be interested in hosting special meeting in your area? Please get in touch with me at 515-783-5637 or michael@reformedparish.com. [Note, 7/25/24: we would seek to do so in a collaborative way with area NAPARC and other more faithful churches, where possible.]
And if you don’t live in the northeast, would you pray for us? And maybe even consider joining us, if Providence opens a door?
Chalmers primary sources
Posted in Audio Resources, Uncategorized on August 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Below is an alphabetically arranged catalogue of several of Thomas Chalmers’ primary sources with the digital files made accessible. Where I’ve audio-recorded the resource, the title has been hyperlinked. So click to listen away, all you multi-taskers! [A work in progress here; and starting with his material directly or indirectly related to his advocacy of parish missions.]
A short catechism on confessions
Posted in Audio Resources, Catechesis, Confessional Subscription, Ecclesiology, Ministerial Fidelity on July 6, 2021| Leave a Comment »
While reading through a dissertation treating confessional subscription among Presbyterians prior to the Adopting Act of 1729, I came across a discussion of the English Presbyterian Daniel Wilcox. Apparently, the influence of Enlightenment thinking regarding authority and toleration was infiltrating English Presbyterians at that time in a big way, and even Arianism began to rear its ugly head. If I’m not mistaken, this would be the caldron from which Unitarianism basically took over Presbyterianism in England.
During this intermediate period, Wilcox published a short justification for confessions and the practice of confessional subscription. Very interestingly, he puts it in the form of a catechism! Just recorded it, which you can access here.
And the original text is here:
Audible Auld Kirk!
Posted in Articles, Audio Resources, Church of Scotland on June 15, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I recently added a tremendous sermon by Thomas Halyburton (1674-1712), representing some of the best of the old, venerable Old Church of Scotland. Explore further recorded sermons at WPE Audio!
Dr. Beeke below gives an introduction to Haylburton, who was buried next to Samuel Rutherford:
WPE Audio: Thomas Chalmers
Posted in Audio Resources, Church of Scotland, Free Church of Scotland, Thomas Chalmers on November 10, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Welcome to the “Chalmers Audio Library,” a collection of sermons, essays, and works by the great 19th century Scottish preacher and social reformer, Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847). These are presently being hosted on SermonAudio here.
See all WPE Audio resources. And if you’ve found these recordings a blessing, could you possibly help me?
Chalmers is regrettably a rather forgotten figure both in his own country and even within the confessional legacy to which he belonged, historic Presbyterianism. Yet in his day, he drew high praise for his churchmanship, his social vision and activity, and perhaps above all, his preaching.
(more…)WPE Audio: Old Princeton
Posted in Articles, Audio Resources, Biblical Theology, Old Princeton on November 1, 2020| Leave a Comment »
This expanding collection of audio resources includes sermons, discourses, and articles by the great theologians of Old Princeton (1812-1929), the American bastion of Calvinist orthodoxy of the 19th century. As with the other collections, I’m attempting to develop a Reformed audio library of higher-quality, amateur recordings to fill gaps and so assist church officers and others who have narrower margins of time to sit and read. And visit the complete WPE Audio library here.
Archibald Alexander (1772-1851)
Archibald Alexander Hodge (1823-1886)
Samuel Miller (1769–1850)
Geerhardus Vos (1862–1949)
Benjamin B. Warfield (1851-1921)
Don’t see something here you’d like to see added? Leave a comment!
[links updated 1/9/25]
RPM: ‘Localization’ segment
Posted in Audio Resources, Locality & the Law of Residence, Missiology, Parish in American Context, Parish Theory & Practice, Parochial Strategy, Reformed Parish Mission (RPM) Posts, Theology of Place, Thomas Chalmers on September 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Just preparing for another Reformed Parish Mission (RPM) slideshow presentation, this time at my good friend Rob Ventura’s church, Grace Community Baptist in North Providence, R.I. Many thanks to him and the dear brethren there for allowing me the opportunity to share about the work!
As I’ve had to trim things some to make sure it fits in the allotted time, here is a segment that may be of interest to anyone who wants to learn about how Thomas Chalmers proposed for ‘general,’ non-local congregations gradually to transition to the parochial plan. I made this rough-cut video of the segment – maybe someday I’ll update with a cleaner version. For now, ‘What I have recorded I have recorded.’
Also, if you think your church or group would like to host an RPM presentation (30 minutes plus Q&A) drop me a note! I’ve also done it remotely by Zoom, so that is an option too.
The duty & art of pastoral catechizing
Posted in Audio Resources, Care for the Youth, Catechesis, Church of England, Locality & the Law of Residence, Parish Theory & Practice, Puritans & Puritanism, Richard Baxter, Transgenerational Faith on April 28, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The following chapter entitled, “The Parson Catechizing,” is taken from George Herbert’s (1593-1633) classic of pastoral theology, A Priest to the Temple, or, The Country Parson his Character and Rule of Holy Life. Herbert, a celebrated English poet, was a minister in the Church of England. Though a conformist, his work surely merits serious attention by the heirs of nonconformity – a definitely pre-Baxter Baxterian. May the lost duty & art of pastoral catechizing be revived and stimulated by this rich contribution! [Recorded in audio here.]
* * * *
The Country Parson values catechizing highly: for there being three points of his duty; the one, to infuse a competent knowledge of salvation in every one of his flock; the other, to multiply, and build up this knowledge to a spiritual temple; the third, to inflame this knowledge, to press, and drive it to practice, turning it to reformation of life, by pithy and lively exhortations; catechizing is the first point, and but by catechizing, the other cannot be attained. Besides, whereas in sermons there is a kind of state, in catechizing there is an humbleness very suitable to Christian regeneration; which exceedingly delights him as by way of exercise upon himself, and by way of preaching to himself, for the advancing of his own mortification; for in preaching to others, he forgets not himself, but is first a sermon to himself, and then to others; growing with the growth of his parish.
He useth, and preferreth the ordinary church catechism, partly for obedience to authority, partly for uniformity sake, that the same common truths may be every where professed, especially since many remove from parish to parish, who like Christian soldiers are to give the word, and to satisfy the congregation by their catholic answers.
(more…)
West Port Experiment 