Issue #111 | September 1, 2011 |
ANN
UAL RTS/JACKSON WORLD MISSIONS CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 6-8
The 2011 RTS World Missions Conference will be held on the Jackson campus in Grace Chapel on September 6-8 from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. The speaker this year is Rev. David Robertson, minister of St. Peter's Church in Dundee, Scotland, where Robert Murray McCheyne was minister. He is also the editor for the Free Church of Scotland's Monthly Record and author of the well received Dawkins Letters and Awakening: The Life and Ministry of Robert McCheyne.The conference is open to the public and there is no charge.
RTS ON ITUNES U HAS NEW OFFERINGS
Earlier this summer, 10 classic seminars were released that have been recorded over the years. RTS on iTunes U is highlighting three of those collections this month. The first comes from Ken Myers, famous for his Mars Hill Audio Ministry, and is titled "Loving Neighbors in a Post-Human Culture." Here, Myers looks at the effects of postmodernism on human society, and how we can biblically respond to the disconnect it has created.
"Lectures on Prophecy from Dr. Richard Pratt" is the second highlight this month. In this collection, Dr. Pratt examines the prophets of the Old Testament with a particular interest in guarding against the most common mistakes that are made upon approaching prophetic biblical literature.
The third seminar released is on "Open Theism" with esteemed RTS/Orlando professor Dr. John Frame. Dr. Frame closely examines this theological position, showing the dangers of emphasizing certain attributes of God over others. Subscribe to the RTS on iTunes U newsletter by going here.
NEW BOOK BY RTS CHANCELLOR-ELECT DUE IN SEPTEMBER
Songs in the Night by Dr. Michael Milton is scheduled for release in late September. Click here to pre-order the book or check with the RTS bookstores in Orlando, Charlotte and Jackson. Here is a collection of warm, pastoral messages filled with personal illustration, that helps the broken-hearted Christian locate the God of all comfort in the center of all pain. We are not left there, either; Dr. Milton takes us a step further to see how the gospel actually transforms our private pain into personal praise. So read and discover how God uses the things that seek to destroy us as the very things that bring us salvation, bring us hope, bring us to prayer, bring us together and ultimately bring us to heaven.
DR. DEREK THOMAS TO SPEAK AT FALL BIBLE CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA
Ortega Presbyterian Church will host a fall Bible conference in Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct 7-9. Dr. Derek Thomas is the main speaker and will teach an enlightening, four-part exposition of Romans 8. Dr. Luder G. Whitlock, former president of RTS/Orlando, will round out the event by preaching on Sunday at 10:45 a.m. on "The Greatness of God." Click here for the brochure.
NEW BOOK ON MARRIAGE BY MARK DRISCOLL DUE IN DECEMBER
In 1996, at the age of 25, pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife Grace, started a small Bible study at their home in Seattle, which at the time was the least churched city in America. Since that time, the church has exploded with upwards of 19,000 people meeting across 13 locations in four states (Washington, Oregon, California, and New Mexico). Mars Hill has been recognized as the 54th largest, 30th fastest-growing, and 2nd most-innovative church in America by Outreach magazine. Along with being the co-founder of the Acts 29 Network, which has planted over 400 churches in the US and in 13 other nations, Driscoll has recently written another book and this one is titled Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together. The book comes out in December. Pre-order the book here.
FAITH FOR LIVING TV - THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!
Faith for Living with Michael Milton is an outreach ministry of Reformed Theological Seminary that exists to glorify God through preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ through every means possible to as many people as possible. There is now an App for Faith for Living that is available on the iPhone, the iPad and the Android. Watch or listen to the show and also have immediate access to Dr. Milton's blog and his albums and also the latest news and info about RTS. Faith for Living with Michael Milton is also broadcast nationally through the NRB TV Network, DirecTV channel 378, regularly on Mondays at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. The program also currently airs Sundays at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
SEND THE MINISTRY & LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE TO A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER
Are you receiving the Ministry & Leadership magazine? If you are, you know about all of the insightful articles, interesting news and inspiring stories. Share it with a friend for free by sending their name and address to Stephanie Hartley at shartley@rts.edu in our RTS/Jackson office or use the envelope enclosed in the magazine to send the names of friends. Or, sign yourself up for free. See past issues here. Recent articles included a devotional from Dr. Charles Frost, special assistant to the chancellor for planned giving, titled "Confidence in the Midst of Change" about going through changes in your life. Then, Dr. John Yeo and Dr. Bruce Lowe, professors at RTS/Atlanta, tackle an interview titled "Scripture, Interpretation and Science." Learn about some of our alumni planting churches in New England, and so much more! Find out where the faculty of RTS travel and speak, and what new books and articles they have written. Sign up today and learn more about Ministry & Leadership!
KKHT INTERVIEWS RTS'S LYN PEREZ AND TIM MCKEOWN
We apologize that the link given on the last RTS E-Newsletter expired, so we have placed it on our Web site if you wish to listen. Rev. Lyn Perez, president of the RTS Foundation and CDCO, along with Rev. Tim McKeown, executive director of RTS/Houston, recently interviewed with radio host Sigmund Kramer of 100.7 The Word KKHT in Houston, Texas. Lyn and Tim discuss the Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) degree offered at RTS/Houston. Listen to the interview here (scroll down to the heading "various files" and you will see the interview there.)
CAMPUS EVENTS
Fall Term is in session.
RTS/CHARLOTTE
Sept. 17 - Couponing Breakfast
Sept 19, Oct. 3 - Roundtable Discussions with the Culbertsons
Sept. 20 - Dr. Mark Ross is the speaker for the fall lectures on Sept. 20. He is associate dean and associate professor of systematic theology at the Columbia campus of Erskine Theological Seminary and director of the Institute for Reformed Worship.
Oct. 28 - Fall Festival for RTS Community
RTS/HOUSTON
Oct. 9-11 - Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Houston) and RTS/Houston are sponsoring a Marriage Enrichment Weekend led by Dr. Jim Coffield.
RTS/JACKSON
Chapel is now on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m.
Sept. 6-8: Rev. David Robertson, senior pastor of St Peter's Free Church (previously the pulpit of Robert Murray McCheyne), Dundee, Scotland, is the speaker for the World Missions Conference which is free for students and for the community.
Sept. 9 - International Dinner
RTS/ORLANDO
Aug. 31: President's Forum Community Lunch at 12:00 in the fellowship hall. Dr. Don Sweeting will hold a Q&A with Dr. Richard Pratt, founder and president of Third Millennium Ministries. The topic is "Third Mill: Theological Education for the Global Church."
Sept. 29: Preview Day for prospective students. Contact Tom Nelson at tnelson@rts.edu.
RTS/VIRTUAL
Upcoming date for the Orientation Seminar is October 24-26.
ALUMNI SNIPPETS
Do you have an alumni snippet to share? Have you published a new book? Send it to the editor, here.
Richard Aguilar (M.Div. '97) (pictured right, standing) is the pastor at Christ Redeemer Church in Ecuador, South America. He and his wife Cindy were invited to speak and translate for a congress of indigenous leaders, pastors and pastor’s wives from Riobamba alongside other special guests including Cindy’s mother Carmen, in Riobamba, in August. They have four sons: Ricky (in college), Pablo (pray for his vocation in outdoor leadership that God would open doors for him), Josue and Michael (pray for the new school year and costs involved). They are currently looking for office space for the church and office equipment for the ministry as they get more involved in conferences and retreats in their community.
Ken Aldrich (M.Div. '95) has been called by Covenant Life Church in Sarasota, Fla, to be their senior pastor. He and his wife Amy and their two sons and daughter will move from Virginia, where he pastored Covenant Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg, for the past 9 years. Read more here.
Tim Allyn (MFTC ’09) and his wife Beverley (MFTC ‘08 ) and son Jonathan, are living and working in Dundee, Scotland, UK. Tim works as an administrator for a Christian charity known as Solas (Centre for Public Christianity). Solas is the Gaelic-Scottish word for “Light.” His work as administrator includes organizing events, updating the website, fundraising, accounting, and producing the Fleabytes videos. Tim also volunteers as a counselor a few hours each week.
Ryan Burns (RTS Orlando student) created a website to help prospective seminary students discover the seminary opportunities available to them. He is asking students and alumni to leave a review of their campus at this site. Click here to access the site.
Tiina (Malkamaki) Bynum (MACE) and her husband, former RTS student Joe Bynum, moved back to her home country in 
Finland for about 2 years to honor her FORTS scholarship requirements. Joe is currently learning the Finnish language and Tiina is teaching at a private kindergarten. They are actively involved in a local Bible study and different ministries related to it. They ask for prayer as they live in a very secular environment and the theology of most churches is very liberal. They do not know of any other reformed Christians in the area and they also ask for prayer as they witness to the glories of God's grace in his Word. Also, they ask for prayer that God will provide the funds for them to return to RTS by 2013 for Joe to finish his M.Div. degree.
Thomas Carpenter (M.Div. ‘04 ) (pictured right with his family) lives in London, England, and works on the Isle of Dogs in East London for London City Mission (LCM). He serves as a team leader to an LCM ministry centre called Café Forever. They are also working to plant a church called City of Peace.
Eric J. Cook (M.Div. '91) moved to Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2009, and serves as pastor of adult ministries at Remembrance Church in Wyoming, Mich.
David Correa (MABS ’99, D.Min. ‘11) serves in Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico, and has been the pastor of Jesus Presbyterian Church (a congregation of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico) for almost 20 years. He also served as professor of biblical studies and practical theology at San Pablo Theological Seminary in Merida, Yucatan. Currently, he is the director of the Youth Ministry Institute (San Pablo Seminary) which he founded last year. This institute seeks to provide sound theological and pastoral training for youth pastors and youth leaders.
Justin M. "Jay" Denton (M.Div. '10) and his wife Bet, have been in Raleigh, NC, for a year. They are anxiously awaiting the birth of their first little girl due in September. They are serving at Midtown Community Church. Bet is helping lead a women's fellowship team.
Geofrey Gathairu (MAMis. ‘02, D.Min. ‘07) is a senior pastor in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, St. Andrews Church, in Nairobi, Kenya. He and his wife Jane have two grown up daughters and three sons. His son Nelson will start at RTS/Jackson in the fall.
Lalzuala Khiangte (MA.Mis. ‘86) has held several positions over the years with the Presbyterian Church of India. He was field secretary in the southern part of Mizoram, bordering with Bangladesh and Burma. Later in 1990, he was selected to be the moderator of the Presbyterian Church Synod. This is the highest position in the church in Mizoram, India. Between 1992-96 he was senior pastor in the central city of Aizawl having 8900 members. In 1997-99 he was elected to be the general secretary of the mission board of the Presbyterian Church of India. In that capacity he was looking after more than 1200 missionaries outside Mizoram. In 2001-2004 he worked as the general coordinator in Central India. He worked as the secretary junior and senior in the general assembly, Presbyterian Church of India.
During that time he was the executive member of the Council for World Mission based in London, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore attending. He now works as the director/secretary of Set Free Ministries, India. He says it is very challenging. Also, at the same time he is the newly elected chairman of All Mizoram Mission and Evangelism Network there.
Jong Ho Kim (M.Div. '00) was ordained in October 2000 in the ARP church, and went back home to South Korea in Feb. 2001 to start working with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, Korea. He is now stationed in Seoul, at the National Office of Inter-Varsity, and his role as president will officially begin in August this year for a three-year term, which can be extended another term. He is pictured (right) with his wife Amy and their three daughters.
Sam (last name withheld) (M.Div.M. '06) and his wife asked for special prayer in mid-August, for an area in Africa, another family, and them. A second wave of protests, and possible violence, was expected to break out soon all over the country to protest the absence of fuel, foreign currency, electricity, and many other hardships. He says "On July 20 major riots erupted all over the country with millions of people turning out in the protests. Though only 15 were killed and the nation returned to peace after two days, many peaceful places were looted and burned and dangerous precedents were set." They trust the Lord for His mercy and protection and know that He will deliver them. Still, they know He delights in the prayers of His people. They would thank you for considering them as you go to the throne of grace.
Valery Morozov (MABS ‘99) is serving with his wife Janna with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Russia. About 30 people from Russia attended their annual introductory seminar in February. Valery serves as director of Wycliffe Russia and Janna is the personnel coordinator. They love to work on their small piece of land planting flowers and bushes and growing vegetables. They have a daughter Anna who just finished 7th grade.
J. Michael Shannon (D.Min '95) is the professor of preaching at Cincinnati Christian University.
Joelouis L. Songate (D.Miss. ‘99 ) (pictured right), is serving as the executive secretary at the church headquarters for the Independent Church of India. Their churches are located in the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, New Delhi, Punjab and Orissa.
Stephen Spanjer (M.Div.TS '04) was ordained in the PCA as pastor evangelist in the Southeast Alabama Presbytery. He is currently planting a church in Southwest Germany, called Neuenburg International Church. He started playing baseball there in the German baseball leagues 14 years ago with a friend and it slowly turned into a Bible study with some of the German players and now has turned into a church plant of 35-45 on a given Sunday.
Ken Wells (M.Div.E. ‘00) and his wife RuthAnn have been doing church planting in Italy since 2005 with Saints Equipped to Evangelize (S.E.E.). They are currently located in Udine. Ken and his wife are pictured (right) with their children: (l to r) Olivia, Adam, Jared, RuthAnn, Ken, Abigail, Peter and Hannah.
Correction: Well you can never have enough Daniel Roses, but we are extremely sorry for the error in our last e-letter. So, let's clear this up. Daniel "J." Rose (M.Div. '00) is planting High Desert Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visit highdesertpca.com.