Well, my old friend and roommate, Ron Giese arrived just after midnight last night. we chatted for well over an hour before turning in. Christian friends, especially long standing ones, are precious gifts from the Lord!

The day started at 7:20 AM, but our special breakfast plans were thwarted (a local Papa John’s advertised “breakfast pizzas” delivered to the hotel) when no one answered the phone.

SESSION ONE — Ligon Duncan…
There is a growing suspicion and disdain for doctrine in American evangelicalism. Yet, Duncan says, systematic theology is necessary, important and unavoidable in Chrisitian living and ministry. He went through several NT passages to show this connection.

One reminder he mentioned was this: People do systematic theology all the time in our churches, when someone asks a question such as “what does the Bible say about ____?” (any topic works, such as ‘angels’ or ‘vocarions’ etc) The answer will be one form of doing systematic theology. Whether the answer is a good one (or not) depends on one’s grasp of the Bible.

At another point, as he taught from Acts 18, we learned that refutation of false doctrine actually encourages the brethren! This encouraged me, since we’ve invested several Sunday nights at CPCC on the series, “Critical Concerns for the Church.”

After the panel discussion we broke for dinner. Enjoyed some fish & chips in Louisville.

SESSION TWO – Thabiti Anyabwile on our Identity in Christ.
Very powerful stuff. (more soon).