Bringing Understanding Back to the People

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Reclaiming the Mind for Christ
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Outline

1. What is TTP?
2. Why is TTP needed?
3. Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?
4. Why Do Theological Programs Fail?
5. Why do Theological Programs Succeed?
6. Values of TTP

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• What is The Theology Program?

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Introduction to the Theology Program

• The Theology Program is an intense theological
  studies program, designed for busy people who may
  never go to seminary but who want deep
  theological training. While there are many great
  subjects, biblical and spiritual, that Christians
  can and need to study, our focus is on seven
  specific courses of systematic theology. Our
  desire is to teach people how to think by opening
  their minds to diverse views, learning from
  history, wrestling with difficult issues, and
  graciously engaging an increasingly relativistic
  and postmodern world.

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Introduction to the Theology Program

• Mission Reclaiming the mind for Christ by
  equipping people and churches to understand and
  defend the faith.
• Goal Our goal is not so much to teach good
  theology, as important as that is, but to teach
  people to think.

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Introduction to The Theology Program

• What makes The Theology Program different?
• Intensity in studies
• Irenic theology
• Intentional program design
• Comprehensive coverage
• Doing theology in community

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Intensity in Studies

• The Church must have an avenue of intense,
  interactive Christian education through a program
  which gives people an opportunity to learn at a
  level that other venues cannot provide. TTP
  endeavors to be this avenue.

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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/ Sunday School
Sermon
Interactive Classroom
Low Commitment
High Commitment
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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/ Sunday School
Sermon
Interactive Classroom
Low Expectations

• High Expectations
• Attendance
• Assigned readings
• Books
• Papers
• Case studies
• Memorization of Scripture
• Grades

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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/ Sunday School
Sermon
Interactive Classroom
Devotional (Brings encouragement for the week)
Foundational (Builds theology for a lifetime)
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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/ Sunday School
Sermon
Interactive Classroom
Short-term life change
Long-term life change
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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/ Sunday School
Sermon
Interactive Classroom
Exhortation
Education
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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/ Sunday School
Sermon
Interactive Classroom
The education program of the Church needs to
include all of these in balance.
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Irenic Theology

• Key Terms
• Irenic Theology Theology that is done peaceably,
  accurately representing all views, even when you
  oppose them.
• Polemic Theology Theology that is done in a
  warlike manner inside the Church, prophetically
  speaking against those with whom there is
  disagreement.
• Apologetic Theology Theology that is done to
  defend the faith against those who oppose outside
  the church.

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Irenic Theology
Irenic
Peace
War
Defense
Polemic
Apologetic
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Intentional Program Design
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Comprehensive Coverage

• In the courses, we will address all the relevant
  major issues, current and historic, of which we
  think people need to be aware.

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Doing Theology in a Community

• We believe that truth is not found in
  Spirit-illuminated individuals, but in a
  community of Spirit-illuminated individuals.
  Therefore, we believe that the Body of Christ,
  both alive and dead, must come together to
  understand theology, shaping it from many
  perspectives and differing experiences. This is
  doing theology in a community.

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Notice how the draft is incomplete and erased at
places. This illustrates how our theology is
never finished in this life, but is always
undergoing change and development.
The T stands for Theology in The Theology
Program.
The tablet upon which we construct our theology
is broken. This represents an imperfect people,
broken by sin, doing our best to understand God
in our state of imperfection.
The column represents a pillar, communicating
that our theology creates a strong foundation
upon which our life, purpose, and actions exist.
Notice how the draft goes outside the lines at
times. This represents how our theology, while
having a great respect for tradition, must break
with tradition at times. This is the Reformers
principle of semper reformanda (always
reforming).
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What TTP is Not

1. It is not an accredited seminary or college, and
   we do not seek to become one.

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What TTP is Not

1. It is not a typical lay-institute. We are better
   called a lay theological education program.

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Where TTP Fits into SCC Ministries

• Theological Studies Department.
• Theological Studies Program (TTP)
• Teacher Training
• Leadership Training
• Continuing theological education for staff

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Why is TTP needed?
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Why is TTP Needed?

1. The need within the local church for an
   intentional and comprehensive theological program
   designed for laypeople.

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Why Is TTP Needed?

1. The influx of the anti-intellectual mind-set of
   the culture and church.

We live in what may be the most
anti-intellectual period in the history of
Western civilization. . . We must have
passionindeed hearts on fire for the things of
God. But that passion must resist with intensity
the anti-intellectual spirit of the world. R.
C. Sproul
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Why Is TTP Needed?
Ignorance is not a Christian virtue if those
virtues mirror the perfections of Gods own
character. J. P. Moreland
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Why is TTP Needed?

1. The postmodern adherence to subjectivity and
   relativity needs to be understood and challenged
   by the body of Christ.

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Why is TTP Needed?

• Recent polls indicate that the majority of
  evangelical students entering into the colleges
  and universities do not believe in any absolutes.
  Parents are at a loss as to how to intellectually
  defend against postmodern epistemology.

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Why is TTP Needed?

1. The lack of training in theological methodology
   and doctrine both in the church and in the
   schools.

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Why is TTP Needed?
The scandal of the evangelical mind is that
there is not much of an evangelical mind . . .
Despite dynamic success at the popular level,
modern American evangelicals have failed notably
in sustaining serious intellectual life. They
have nourished millions of believers in the
simple verities of the gospel but have largely
abandoned the universities, the arts, and other
realms of high culture. . . . The historical
situation is . . . curious. Modern evangelicals
are the spiritual descendants of leaders and
movements distinguished by probing, creative,
fruitful attention to the mind. Mark Noll
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Why Are Theological Programs are Neglected?
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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

1. The local churchs over reliance on public and
   private schools and the universities to take care
   of the academic side of learning.

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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

• In the past, subjects relevant to the education
  of Body of Christ were taught in schools and
  universities
• Theology
• Bible
• Philosophy
• Logic
• Greek
• Latin
• Rhetoric

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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

• Now schools and universities teach
• Comparative religions
• Evolutionary Science
• Deconstructionalism
• No Theology
• No Bible
• No Philosophy
• No Logic
• No Greek
• No Latin
• No Rhetoric

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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

• We face two tasks in our evangelism, saving the
  soul and saving the mindthat is, converting
  people not only spiritually but intellectually as
  welland the church . . . is lagging dangerously
  behind in this second task.
• J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig

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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

1. A misunderstanding of faiths relationship to
   reason.

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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

1. Lack of understanding the importance of knowing
   why you believe what you believe.

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Why Are Theological Programs Neglected?

1. The prevalent view that theology is divisive and
   should not be taught.

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Why Do Theological Programs Fail?
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Why Do Theological Programs Fail?

1. Lack of educated teaching.

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Why Do Theological Programs Fail?

• Lack of excellence in teaching
• The Bible gives record of many teachers who
  sought to teach truth with diligence and
  accuracy. All of the teachers were uniquely
  dynamic, engaging, gracious, transparent,
  creative, and persuasive. Therefore, we follow
  this model of teaching, seeking leaders who have
  all of these qualities bringing the people to
  Gods truth with great passion.

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Why Do Theological Programs Fail?

1. Lack of intentionality in the program.

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Why Do Theological Programs Fail?

1. Lack of credentials.

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Why do Theological Programs Succeed?
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Why do Theological Programs Succeed?

• High standard in teaching.
• Competent
• Gracious
• Dynamic
• Engaging
• Committed
• Creative
• Persuasive

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Why do Theological Programs Succeed?

1. Intentional program design.

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Why do Theological Programs Succeed?

1. Confidence in the students desire and ability to
   learn theology.

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Why do Theological Programs Succeed?

1. High standard of excellence in all that is done.
2. Commitment to truth and Gods word.
3. A profound understanding of the importance of the
   development of a systematic theology for every
   believer.

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What are the Values of TTP?
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Values of TTP

• Diligence in pursuit of the knowledge of God
  (ethic)
• We believe that the diligent pursuit of the
  knowledge of God through the revelation of God is
  the first pursuit of order that makes all other
  pursuits justified and fruitful to Gods glory.
  This pursuit is of utmost importance for every
  believer.

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Values of TTP

• Hosea 46 My people are destroyed for lack of
  knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I
  also will reject you from being my priest. Since
  you have forgotten the lack of your God, I also
  will forget your children. 
• (See also Ezra 710 Ps. 12 Prov. 910 2
  Tim. 25)

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Values of TTP

• Development of a biblical worldview (essence)
• People who think and act biblically are
  exceptional in todays world. Peoples
  understanding of lifes most important questions
  (How did the world come into being? What is life
  about? What is my purpose? What does the future
  hold? Whos in control?) constructs their
  worldview. Therefore, we lead people in the
  development of a biblical worldview by seeking
  out what the Bible has to say in answer to these
  and other questions.

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Values of TTP

• Romans 122 And do not be conformed to this
  world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
  mind. 
• (See also Jn. 1714-17 2 Cor. 318 Col.
  39-10)

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Values of TTP

• Commitment to objective truth through Gods
  revelation (rule) 
• We adhere neither to the modernist assumption
  that man can know all things nor to the
  postmodernist assumption that man can know
  nothing. We believe that the sovereign God has
  revealed many things to man, and, as well, has
  chosen to withhold many things from him.
  Therefore, we are diligent to discover objective
  truth through the revelation that God has given
  to us. We are committed to the Bible as the
  primary source of objective truth because it is
  the only infallible standard that God has made
  available to us.

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Values of TTP

• Deuteronomy 2929 The secret things belong to
  the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong
  to us and to our sons forever, that we may
  observe all the words of this law.
• (See also Jn. 1717 Ps. 119 2 Tim. 316-17)

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Values of TTP

• Construction of a comprehensive theology (scope) 
• The scriptures address a wide range of
  theological concepts. It is important that the
  believer pursues and diligently studies all these
  concepts because of their interdependence.
  Therefore, we value a holistic understanding of
  Gods revelation through systematic study.

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Values of TTP

• 2 Tim 316-17 All scripture is inspired by God
  and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
  correction, for training in righteousness so
  that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for
  every good work. 
• (See also Eph. 411-13)

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Values of TTP

• Doing theology within community (audience)
• God has constructed the Body of Christ in such a
  way that all members need each other for growth
  to occur. We believe that theology should not be
  developed in a vacuum. If theology is done alone,
  it will be limited by each individuals
  perspective. Therefore, when constructing
  theology, we value the input of the entire Body
  of Christ, both living and dead.

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Values of TTP

• Phil 21-2 Therefore if there is any
  encouragement in Christ, if there is any
  consolation of love, if there is any fellowship
  of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
  make my joy complete by being of the same mind,
  maintaining the same love, united in spirit,
  intent on one purpose.
• (See also Rom 1216 1 Cor. 110)

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Values of TTP

• Excellence in teaching (standard)
• The Bible gives record of many teachers who
  sought to teach truth with diligence and
  accuracy. All of the teachers were uniquely
  dynamic, engaging, gracious, transparent,
  creative, and persuasive. Therefore, we follow
  this model of teaching, seeking leaders who have
  all of these qualities bringing the people to
  Gods truth with great passion.

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Values of TTP

• Acts 1824, 28 Now a Jew named Apollos, an
  Alexandrian by birth, a man with eloquent and
  convincing speech, came to Ephesus and he was
  mighty in the Scriptures . . . He powerfully
  refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the
  Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
• (See also Ecc. 910)

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Values of TTP

• Irenic Approach (style)
• Truth cannot be communicated when it is not
  represented fairly and accurately. We understand
  that people hold to alternative positions in
  theology for reasons that vary in relevance.
  Therefore, it is our purpose to evaluate and
  critique the all theological positions with grace
  and accuracy, believing that truth will
  ultimately be more persuasive when greater
  understanding of all the positions are given. We
  also understand the necessity of such an approach
  in a world that is increasingly relativistic and
  disillusioned with the common dogmatic approach
  represented by many traditions.

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Values of TTP

• Satisfying power of biblical truth (result) 
• We believe that a person with the Spirit of God
  residing in them has no greater thirst than to
  learn deeply of the object of their affection. We
  also believe that there is nothing more
  satisfying to this thirst than the learning of
  biblical truth. Therefore, we seek to bring
  people to the fountain from which we all long to
  drink through the teaching and open discussion
  that takes place in the courses.

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Values of TTP

• John 414 Whoever drinks of the water that I
  will give him shall never thirst but the water
  that I will give him will become in him a well of
  water springing up to eternal life.
• (See also Psalm 421 631 Jer. 3125 Ps.
  1436)

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What Are Students Saying About TTP?
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I . . . wanted to let you know that your class
has truly been a blessing to me. I have never
taken any type of Theology course before and am
really even a novice at studying the bible (I've
read it through twice, but have never really
studied it). Now having taken your class, I can
honestly say it is the most interesting class I
have ever taken. I am more excited than ever to
continue studying the bible and learning through
the CBS courses.
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Thanks for the great instruction in the Intro to
Theology class. "Doing theology" has been an
eye-opener. Forcing myself to understand and
defend those beliefs I've long held has been so
beneficial. It's impossible to convince others
of truth if one can't convince themselves!
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I am taking both your Intro to Theology and
Bible Study Methods courses. Just wanted to let
you know that I think this program is fantastic.
I am young in my spiritual journey (although I am
33 years old!!) and this program is growing me
faster than I ever imagined - and we've only just
begun the program.
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I just wanted to let you know that I am really
enjoying your class. Not having had any formal
theological training, I am really soaking this
up. It has personally been very thought
provoking. . . . I feel like I am one of those
persons who has a rudimentary understanding of
their salvation (sufficient enough - I hope), yet
my eyes are now being opened as I better
understand what distinguishes my theology and
ultimately my salvation from those around me.
While I have no aspirations (or calling) to be a
professional theologian, I feel this will help me
be able to better understand and verbalize my
faith and therefore more adequately present,
promote and defend it. I appreciate what you're
doing.
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I am really enjoying this class. It's an
awakening for me. I am so filled with folk
theology and totally unaware of it till now. I
have never questioned some of the things I
believe or that have just sort of attached
themselves to me, like-- you mean that Peter
really isn't going to be standing at the Pearly
Gates?? Well all right then. I guess I can deal
with it. Seriously though I am really enjoying
the class. I think this class is going to help
me to figure out what I believe and why and make
me more aware of the influences going on around
me. Right now I feel like we are taking
everything apart and looking at it and then we're
going to put it all back together again, and it's
going to be more solid this next time around.