“…And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” –1 Cor. 6.11

First United Reformed Church of Chino, California will be hosting a conference on the Topic of ‘Growing Reformed Churches’ on April 23-24, 2010

Our justification is on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone. We remain ourselves still sinners. And yet we have also been changed. We are new creatures in Christ. The New Testament consistently calls us to holy living based on the gracious salvation we have received. We are to continue to die to sin and live to righteousness. (Rom. 6.1ff; Tit. 2.11-12; 1 Pet. 1.14-16).

Our Reformed heritage has carefully preserved this biblical teaching. And yet an honest look at our churches would suggest that we are falling far short of the biblical pattern. In fact, the challenge of our modern and postmodern times may be seen to have precipitated a crisis in Reformed piety or spirituality. On the one hand, we have cultivated a retreat from worldly influences that mistakes a certain conservative cultural conformity for true godliness, and leaving us insular and with a diminishing impact on our world. Nor has such separatism succeeded in providing safety from ungodliness. For at the same time, unbiblical thinking and lifestyles of the surrounding culture have infiltrated our churches at an alarming rate. We often seem unable to compete with the massive influence of a post-Christian world, particularly on our young people.

Is there a robust and genuinely biblical Reformed spirituality that can respond to this crisis? Can we rediscover a godly piety that is not a separatist or fundamentalist pietism? Can traditional Christian practices of family worship, prayer, Bible reading, and reverent Lord’s Day worship withstand the onslaught of postmodernity? Can we recover the Spirit’s power for faithful living in a hostile world? And will the promises of our new life in Christ impel us to understand and care for the people around us, rather than only remaining in our comfortable Christian circles? Can we be in the world, but not of it?

This conference will confront these questions with challenging historical, biblical and theological reflection. Let us come and be encouraged that God is at work among his people and in his church both to make us holy and to make us instruments of his love in a world hungering for true spirituality.

Speakers for the conference will be:

Dr. W. Robert Godfrey’s scholarly career is both long and distinguished. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, and a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He then returned to Stanford, where he earned a second Master’s degree and his PhD. He has taught at Gordon-Cornwell, Stanford, and Westminster Theological Seminary. Currently, he is President of Westminster Theological Seminary, Professor of Church History, and an ordained Minister in the United Reformed Churches. He has authored numerous books and articles.

Dr. Dennis E. Johnson served three tenured terms as Academic Dean of Westminster Theological Seminary in California. He earned Master’s Degrees in both Divinity and Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary, and his PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has preached and taught in Africa, Central America, Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Ukraine, and pastored churches in New Jersey and Los Angeles. For 16 years, Dr. Johnson taught New Testament. He now uses his expertise in Biblical Studies to focus on practical issues: homiletics, ministry, the church, and culture. He has authored many books, articles, and reviews. Dr. Johnson has also edited Foundations of Christian Education, containing addresses from Van Til and Berkhof.

Dr. Nelson Kloosterman began his academic career in the U.S., but continued his education in Europe, earning two Doctor of Theology degrees from the Theological University of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Dr. Kloosterman has been an ordained minister since 1975, and currently is Professor of Ethics and New Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary. He is a regular contributor to Christian Renewal and co-editor of Mid-America Journal of Theology, as well as a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. Dr. Kloosterman’s passions include training ministers, elders, and deacons, New Testament exegesis, and worldview training.

How Christianity is expressed in “broader cultural contexts” is Dr. Russ P. Reeves passion and interest. He began his academic career studying music, but switched majors to History and Bible. Following his undergraduate work, Dr. Reeves earned a Master’s degree in History from Cal State Fullerton. He then moved on to the University of Iowa, where he earned a PhD in the History of Religious Thought. For five years, while finishing his dissertation, he served as Assistant Professor of History at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. Currently, Dr. Reeves is the Academic Dean at Providence Christian College. He teaches classes in Church History, Theology, and the Humanities.

Dr. Scott A. Swanson is Associate Professor of Biblical/Theological Studies at Providence Christian College. While living in Israel for seven years, he studied ancient Semitic languages at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In addition, he spent a year in France and Switzerland, studying at the Faculté de Théologie Réformée and L’Abri, where he met Francis Schaeffer. Dr. Swanson holds a Master’s degree from Westminster Theological Seminary. He received his PhD from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. His doctoral work in Hebraic and Cognate Studies focused on the history of early Jewish and Christian biblical interpretation.

Reverend Rankin Wilbourne is Senior Pastor of Pacific Crossroads Church. Prior to entering full-time ministry, Rev. Wilbourne worked in corporate banking for five years. However, God led him to Princeton Theological Seminary where he graduated in 2000. He spent another five years as Minister of Teaching and Missions at First Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, TN. In 2006, Reverend Wilbourne moved to Los Angeles and has since grown to love the city that “turns around the idea of story and the need for a redemptive ending.” Mature believers, new and young believers, as well as skeptics, comprise his flock. Under his faithful preaching and teaching, PCC has experienced 400% growth since 2006, with approximately 1000 attendees.

For registration info and more details go to: http://www.chinourc.org/