Excellent Audio Resources

The following sermons and conference addresses are very powerful. I suggest you take the time and download these to your MP3 Player and listen and be challenged and be edified.

Church Planting Evangelism by Mark Dever. Given at an Acts 29 Boot Camp in Chicago.

I have listened to this talk about four times so far. This talk has great application regardless of whether you are a church planter or not.

Adoption by C.J. Mahaney. Preached at Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

This sermon opened my eyes to the significance of this truth and the joy to be found in this truth. I do not recall hearing enough sermons on this topic.

Pastoral Character and Loving People by C.J. Mahaney. Given at the National Resurgence Conference titled Text and Context.

Mahaney in this address gives great application in how to look for God's presence among church members.

How My Pastoral Ministry Shapes My Pulpit Ministry by John Piper. Given at the National Resurgence Conference titled Text and Context.

In the first part of the address, Piper gives examples of how the Bible and Theology shape his pulpit ministry. Then he gives pastoral care examples that shape his pulpit ministry. Many of these are extremely moving.

Calvinism: A Cause for Rejoicing, A Cause for Concern by Jeff Noblit. (Just scroll down to the appropriate message) Given at the Building Bridges Conference sponsored by The Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and The Founders Organization.

I have also listened to this address multiple times. This is not only a good address for those who share Noblit's theological convictions, but would be great for those who know little about Calvinism, maybe those who have only heard negative comments by others and have done no research themselves.

The Role of Men, Part I
The Role of Men, Part II
The Role of Men, Part III by Matt Chandler. (Just scroll down the 2007 sermon archive to find these three sermons) These sermons were preached at The Village Church.

These sermons are great for engaging men, which the church so desperately needs today.

Note: Most of these sermons may still be located on ITunes.

Building Bridges: Southern Baptists & Calvinism

The Building Bridges Conference was recently held at Ridgecrest November 26-28. Here were the speakers and topics:

Session - Calvinism and SBC Leadership: Key Findings and Evangelistic Implications; Nov. 26, 2007 By Ed Stetzer

Session - The Historical Record; Nov. 26, 2007 By David Dockery & Tom Nettles

Session - Calvinism: A Cause for Rejoicing, A Cause for Concern; Nov. 27, 2007 by Malcolm Yarnell & Jeff Noblit

Session - The Atonement: Its Design, Nature and Extent; Nov. 27, 2007 by Sam Waldron & David Nelson

Session - Theological Stereotypes: Let's Be Fair and Honest with Each Other; Nov. 27, 2007 by
Chuck Lawless & Nathan Finn

Session - Election and Calling: A Biblical/Theological Study; Nov. 27, 2007 by Ken Keathley & Greg Wealty

Worship Sessions - James Merritt, Albert Mohler, J.D. Greear, Steven Wade, Donald Whitney

Panel Part 1 (Akin, Finn, Yarnell, Ascol, Nelson, Keathley, & Welty)

Panel Part 2 (Akin, Finn, Yarnell, Ascol, Nelson, Keathley, & Welty)

Session - Working Together to Make Christ Known; Nov. 28, 2007 by Daniel Akin & Tom Ascol

The first speaker in the session is a non-Calvinist Southern Baptist and the second speaker is a Calvinist Southern Baptist. You can find the audio of this conference at three places. You can find it at Lifeway (with the exception of James Merritt, Albert Mohler, J.D. Greear, Steven Wade, and Donald Whitney messages). You can also find them at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel Webpage (just scroll down). You also can find them on ITunes under Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, messages 47-67.

Reasons for the Resurgence of Reformed Doctrine

Dr. Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, has just finished his series titled, "Where'd All These Calvinists Come From?" Dever lists ten reasons for the present day resurgence in Reformed Doctrines among evangelicals. The following are his 10 reasons for Calvinistic growth:

Charles Spurgeon, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Banner of Truth Trust, Evangelism Explosion by D. James Kennedy, Southern Baptist Convention Inerrancy Controversy, Presbyterian Church in America, J.I. Packer's book, "Knowing God," R.C. Sproul & John MacArthur, John Piper, the rise of secularism and decline of Christian nominalism.

You can find the entire series here. Over the past seven years my theology has drifted toward reformed doctrine. When I began my studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in January 2001, I believed in the sinfulness of man and the eternal security of a Christian believer. I came from a Southern Baptist Church, with a very faithful and biblical preacher, who is not reformed in his soteriology. So terms like unconditional election, irresistible grace, and limited atonement were not preached either for or against (to my knowledge).

So my first introduction to reformed doctrines was at Southern Seminary through the teaching of particular teachers, teacher recommendations of books, and student conversations. It was at that point that I learned of Dr. John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Since my introduction to the preaching and books by Piper, my drift toward the reformed doctrines has grown significantly. My understanding of man's sinfulness has grown. I have moved from believing in the sinfulness of all men, to the total depravity of mankind. I have moved from using phrases like "once saved, always saved" to "but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved (Mark 13:13)." I have come to believe in doctrines like unconditional election and irresistible grace as articulated by John Piper in particular.

I am still laboring over the doctrine of definite or limited atonement in all its preciseness. But in conclusion, I would fit into Dever's list under the categories of John Piper and the SBC Inerrancy Controversy due to its push to focus Baptists on the true and faithful teachings of the Bible and its fruits that are evident now at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.