Good Things in Louisiana

Just returned from my weekend eschatology conference in Slidell, Louisiana.  It was a wonderful trip.

A couple of things of note.

If any of you live in the Slidell area (or know someone who does), I would heartily recommend Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) to you.  The pastor (Todd Smith) is a solid guy, the church is vibrant, healthy and loves God's word.  They have a great liturgy, they sing Psalms and they study the Westminster Standards!  They are exceptionally friendly as well!  Imagine that, friendly Calvinists!

For those of you still wondering, CD's from the conference can be ordered by calling Trinity Presbyterian (985-641-1507) or emailing them (trinity@datastar.net).  If you email them, please put "eschatology conference" in the subject line.  The price is very reasonable--$5.00 for the CD of the entire conference, plus whatever postage is required.

One of the highlights of the trip was that I finally got to meet a White Horse Inn pen pal (Brian Davilla) with whom I've corresponded off and on for some fifteen years.  Brian is now a member of Trinity Presbyterian in Slidell and is another great reminder of how Mike Horton's vision to take the Reformation to the radio has borne so much wonderful fruit.  The White Horse Inn has not only been a blessing to those of us who host it, when you meet people like Brian, you realize that it has been a blessing to so many of you.   Its easy to forget that when you sit behind a mic in a studio.

If you ever get to Louisiana (and New Orleans) you must see the World War Two Museum (formerly the D-Day Museum).  It is a wonderful tribute to the greatest generation.  The D-Day portion of the Museum movingly depicts the cost paid on a personal level by so many to defeat Nazi totalitarianism.  There is now a Pacific campaign section as well.  The exhibits are wonderful and there is a good collection of original weapons and equipment.  I even saw "Ruppert" (you D-Day affectionados will know what I mean).

Finally, we also saw some of the damage from Katrina (especially visible in the East New Orleans area and along Lake Ponchatrain).  Trinity PCA was hard hit, with 42 inches of water in their sanctuary (it is now rebuilt and repaired).  Several members of that church lost their homes and some are still in FEMA housing.  As you leave New Orleans for Slidell driving along Interstate 10, there were literally miles of trees--broken in half, bent over, dead.  In East New Orleans, you can see block, after block, after block, of relatively-new apartments, homes, condos, strip malls and shopping centers abandoned and in complete decay.  What was especially striking were the giant piles of appliances and damaged building material heaped everywhere. It will take a long time for this area to recover.  The more the federal and state government "helps", I am certain the longer the recovery will take.

But there is good news as well.  When we arrived at Trinity, the pastor pointed out a number of trailers and RVs parked behind the church.  They were Christian Reformed world-relief teams.  People everywhere commented that the churches saved the day and have done yeoman work for many in distress (demolition, tree-trimming, housing) without charging a dime.  That was very encouraging to hear!  In an age of scandal and apathy in the church, Christian mercy is still very much alive and visible and is a great witness to that entire region.

BTW, since I know you will ask, we did see a "gator" -- but it was dead on the highway.

Off to Slidell!

Just a reminder, for those of you who live near Slidell, Louisiana, I'll be speaking @ Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) this coming Friday (September 21), Saturday (September 22) and Sunday (September 23).

The subject?  Eschatology, of course.

Here's the schedule:

Friday September 21st at 7 PM: Session #1: The Millennial Positions

Saturday September 22nd: Session #2: 4-5:30 PM:  The Covenantal Context of Old Testament and New Testament Eschatology

Supper: 5:30 PM-6:45 PM

Session #3: 7-8:30 PM:  The New Creation, the Israel of God and the Suffering Church

Sunday September 23rd: Session #4: 10:50 AM:  The Blessed Hope: The Second Coming Of Christ

For more information, call Trinity Presbyterian Church @ 985-641-1507

Update on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 02:29PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Lord willing, I'll be back on Monday, so there will be no blogging over the weekend, unless I get a good picture of a gator!  Actually, I hope to get over to the D-Day Museum.  My wife wants to do the swamp tour.  Maybe we'll squeeze in both. 

A couple of you asked about cds/mp3s from the conference.  I'll let you know if they are available and post the information.

Also, don't forget that the Academy resumes on September 28.  Click here: Christ Reformed Info - Schedule of Academy Classes and Author's Forums

Some of you asked about the continuation of my series on the New Perspectives on Paul.  Because of a unique White Horse Inn taping schedule (some Friday-Saturday sessions--its all Rod's fault!) and due to Ken Samples' book tour several weekends in September and October, I wasn't able to fit it in this time.  I'll have to do it in the Spring. 

Life Is Good!

Got to take in last night's Angels - Yankees game at Anaheim Stadium.  Not only did the Yankees win the game (its a good thing we didn't go on Tuesday when the Yanks got crushed), but we got to see a couple of our favorite pitchers (Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera--both Christians, by the way).  Joe Torre passed Casey Stengel for second place on the all-time Yankees win list (a huge milestone) and we also got to see the Yankees' rookie phenom Joba Chamberlain strike out the side, including Vlad Guerrero on three pitches, one a very nasty slider.

I say "we" because my son David took me to the game for my birthday present!  This is a real milestone in my life.  David scored the tickets on his own (Yankees tickets are tough to get in Anaheim), and he paid for parking!  He even offered to buy me a hot dog!  Nice to watch your sons grow into honorable men. 

Meanwhile, my youngest son (now 17) has been paying close attention to my hints about what else I want for my birthday (like the Dream Theater official bootleg album in which they play the Deep Purple "Made in Japan" set).  So I'll make out all the way around . . .

Life is good!  Now, if only the Yankees can muster enough starting pitching over the next 30 games to make the playoffs! 

Christ Reformed Invades the Eastern Sierras

Well, its that time of year again.  A bunch of folks from Christ Reformed Church will make their way from Anaheim to the Eastern Sierras for a week of fun and relaxation.  Most years we camp, but this year we will be "condoing."  My wife is especially thrilled about this, since it is much harder to encounter a bear from the second story of a condo, than it is in a campsite--which is a common occurrence for us even though there are bear boxes and we are careful campers!

We'll be hitting all the tourist sites in and around Mammoth Lakes this week, so if you happen to be at the Hot Springs, the Postpile, the Village, Lake Mary, Angel's, Perry's, Roberto's or the Stove, or even up on Tioga Pass, you just might run into some of us. 

The Riddleblog will be quiet for the next week (unless I post a few pictures from the trip), so enjoy some of the sermons, academy lectures and other things posted here in days past.  You might even want to go back and look at some of the old posts from way back.

Thanks to all of you who stop here to read the latest post.  Your comments are thoughtful, intelligent and witty.  I haven't had near the problems with blog trolls in the comments sections that other bloggers have had.  I truly appreciate you guys!

Back next week, Lord willing, perhaps with a "bear raiding a condo" story! 

Update on Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 09:10PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Our gang is having a blast here in the Eastern Sierras!  Some of our group made it to the top of Pothole Dome in Tuolumne Meadows (in Yosemite).

Update on Friday, August 10, 2007 at 04:24PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Here are a few of us at the Consolidated Mine at Mammoth.  Some of us went fishing, some just relaxed, and some of us took the kids up to see a real gold mine.

Back from Synod

I'm back home from the 2007 URCNA Synod, which was held at Trinity Christian College (in Palos Heights, IL).

Like the three other URCNA synods I attended, the week was absolutely grueling.  Since we meet as a synod once every three years (which is fine by me), there is always a long and full agenda.  This time we started at 8:00 a.m. and several days worked as late as 11:00 p.m.  My butt can only take so much sitting, and my brain can only take so many motions, so like many of those attending, I found myself lurking in the back of the auditorium trying to clear my head and stretch out my aching back.  But for those of you who attend Synods and General Assemblies, you know that lots of good stuff gets done at the back of the hall during the meetings.

Unlike the three previous synods I attended, this time there was the profound sense that the URCNA is developing its own ethos, and despite the differences of opinion among us about how soon we will merge with the Canadian Reformed Churches, there was a strong and growing camaraderie among the ministers and delegates.  After ten short years of existence, the URCNA is starting to come into its own.  That's a good thing. 

The highlight of synod was the voice vote associated with justification.  When the agenda item reached the floor to affirm that "`Scriptures and confessions ... teach the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, based upon the active and passive obedience of Christ alone.' Affirmed “that the Scriptures and confessions teach that faith is the sole instrument of our justification apart from all works,” the nearly two hundred delegates unanimously answered with great zeal, "aye."  When the call came forth, "all those opposed," there was dead silence.  It was absolutely glorious.  I wish you could have been there to have witnessed it.  Since I know that we are sinful and that we will find some way to screw this up, I'll enjoy the moment!

Among the other highlights were the approval of moving to phase two fraternal relations with the OPC--to all you OPC'ers who read this, "you are now stuck with us!"--we clarified (or at least tried to) our on-going efforts to move to full federative merger with the Canadian Reformed Churches, and since we are growing so fast, we split our classis and formed a new one (classis Pacific Northwest).  All in all, it looks like we are moving in the right direction.  May God grant us the grace to continue this progress.

My personal highlight was the Westminster Seminary California alumni dinner.  There are at least twenty URCNA pastors from WSC, and it was great to eat together.  Dr. Godfrey (who is well-loved and greatly esteemed by all us) was in fine form.  It was a great night!

Now . . . its back to researching and writing until I resume my regular pastoral duties at the end of August! 

URCNA Synod 2007

I'm off to Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL--a suburb of Chicago--for the sixth synod of the URCNA.  Synod opens on Tuesday (July 10) and convenes on Saturday (July 14).

There are a number of important matters before our synod, most of them dealing with ecumenical relations with other churches (most notably the Canadian Reformed Churches).  There are proposed changes to our church order, an overture calling for the formation of a new classis in the Pacific Northwest (thankfully our church is growing), and an overture which recommends accepting the RCUS' 2004 report on Norman Shepherd's teaching on justification, which concludes that Shepherd teaches "another gospel" (Click here: REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO STUDY JUSTIFICATION IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT JUSTIFICATION CONTROVERSY).

As you can see, these are important issues for the life of our church, and I would ask you to please pray for the success of our synod.

I'll be gone for the next week or so--I won't burden you with a "live blog" of what happens during Synod 2007!  But I may have a report for you when its all over . . .

New URC Forming in the Washington, DC Area

For anyone interested, there is a new URC congregation forming in the Washington, DC area.  Here's their website if you want more information. Click here: www.urc-dc.org.

If you know anyone in the DC area looking for a confessional "Three-Forms" church, please let them know about this new work.  The church planter is a good friend, and has long been associated with Modern Reformation magazine and the White Horse Inn.  Here's his bio:  

Dr. Brian J. Lee has worked as an editor and writer for Modern Reformation Magazine and the White Horse Inn, a nationally syndicated radio program. A founding member of Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, California, he led evening worship and taught adult education courses as a seminarian. He is licensed to preach in the United Reformed Churches in Michigan. He holds degrees from Stanford University (B.A.), Westminster Seminary California (Masters) and Calvin Theological Seminary (Ph.D.). He has taught at the Washington, DC and Atlanta campuses of Reformed Theological Seminary, as well as Calvin College and Calvin Seminary, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

Some Memories of Meredith Kline

Upon hearing the news that Meredith Kline had died (Friday, April 13), came that all-too familiar bittersweet reaction.  On the one hand, I was saddened but not really surprised, since I knew that Dr. Kline had been ill for some time.  On the other, I recalled the words of Psalm 116:15:  "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."  I would ask you to pray for Dr. Kline's wife and children (one of whom, Meredith M., was my Hebrew teacher), especially that our gracious God will comfort this family with the promise of Jesus Christ's victory over death and the grave.

I didn't know Dr. Kline very well, if at all.  In fact, I was one of twenty or so students who had him for a course in Peneteuch and then for another class in the Old Testament section of our hermeneutics class.  This was back in the days when Westminster Seminary California had just opened its doors in San Marcos, before the current Escondido campus was ready for students. 

When I was a student at Westminster--back in 1982-84--I was a five-point Calvinist, but was still a functional dispensationalist and adamantly rejected paedobaptism.  I sat through Dr. Kline's lectures struggling to make sense of them, and trying to understand why everyone else felt that it was such a privilege to study under him.  I was just plain lost.  If you've read Kline, you know what I mean.

At the time, my primary theological interest was apologetics.  So, I was especially interested in Dr. Kline's lecture on the documentary hypothesis (JEDP).  I was dismayed when Kline called our attention to JEDP by drawing the letters on the board.  He then drew a red circle around these letters, and dramatically added a slash across them.  And that was it!  I thought he'd go through the evidence point by point which showed this critical reading of the Old Testament to be fallacious.  Instead, Dr. Kline went on to lecture about the fact that the Book of Deuteronomy was structured along the lines of an ancient near-eastern Suzerainty treaty, and made the case that if Deuteronomy was such a treaty document, it must have been written in the middle of the second millennium B.C.  If true, this absolutely destroyed JEDP, by demonstrating that the "D" source was written at one time, nearly a thousand years before the time of Josiah, when critical scholars claim that Deuteronomy was written.  That places one of the books of the Pentateuch back in the days of Moses.  I have used that argument ever since. 

Therefore, it troubles me greatly when some who disagree with Kline's "framework" hypothesis about the creation days (which is a debatable issue), unjustly imply he was some kind of closet liberal.  Kline defended inerrancy loudly and often in class, and his lecture on JEDP was among the most profound and decimating arguments against critical methodology I have ever seen!

And then there was the day when Dr. Kline was late to class.  From the room in which we met, we could look out the window and see off in the distance the freeway off-ramp which people took to exit the freeway and enter the industrial park where the seminary held classes.  Someone noticed a CHP officer giving a ticket to a very unhappy motorist who was gesturing emphatically. You guessed it, it was Dr. Kline.  By the way, his lecture that afternoon was on "cult and culture" and the "two kingdoms."  Dr. Kline didn't think it very funny, but we giggled through the whole lecture.

On another occasion, John Gernster came to lecture on his version of classical apologetics.  Dr. Gerstner said something about Cornelius Van Til, with which Dr. Kline took great umbrage.   Although it was a friendly debate, Dr. Kline was so upset that someone had misrepresented Dr. Van Til (he believed), that his hand was shaking visibly as he raised it to challenge Gerstner's assertion.  Right then and there I understood the influence that Van Til had upon the Westminster faculty.

Upon my graduation from Westminster, I went back and read and then re-read (and then read again) Kline's Structure of Biblical Authority, Kingdom Prologue, and a host of journal articles Dr. Kline had written on eschatology and various biblical passages.  And if you've read my stuff and heard my sermons, you know how Kline has influenced me in so many areas.  Although I didn't really know him personally, I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to sit at his feet, even though it took a while for me to realize the value of what I had heard. 

How many times I have wished that I could go back and take those same courses over again . . .  But at least I have his books and journal articles.  So, even in death, Dr. Kline still speaks.
 

Conference Photos

                                                                                              Photo # 1 -- Ken Jones (from the White Horse Inn), chatting with Dr. Dennis Johnson of Westminster Seminary California.

Photo # 2 -- Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Photo # 3 -- Dr. Kim Riddlebarger again (hey, it's my blog)

Photo # 4 -- Wideshot of packed-out sanctuary.  Who says amillers don't go to prophecy conferences?

Photo # 5 -- Dr. Steve Baugh from Westminster Seminary California.

Photo # 6 -- Dr. Greg Beale, author of a stellar commentary on The Book of Revelation (Eerdmans)

Photo # 7 -- Drs. Beale and Johnson spar over the mic during the Q & A.

(BTW--thanks to Mike Dees for the photos!)   

My TV Interview

Time for Hope has posted the schedule and stations for my recent interview with Dr. Crews dealing with my book, The Man of Sin.  The first program airs on December 6, the second on December 13.  It is on just about everywhere in the country, except in Orange and Los Angeles counties (drat!).

Funny, I look older and balder on TV than I do on radio . . .

Click here: Time for Hope: Show Schedule

Update on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at 09:37AM by Kim Riddlebarger

Time for Hope is running a short clip from my interview, both this week and next.

Click here: Time for Hope: A Weekly Faith-Based Mental Health Talk and Interview Television Show

Update on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 10:35PM by Kim Riddlebarger

Time for Hope has posted the entire interview . . .  You have to register, but its free and you'll get the second blessing if you watch it!

Click here: Time for Hope: Registration