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[A] = summary lessons
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A Mini-Series is a small subset of lessons from a major series which covers a particular subject or book. The class numbers will be in reference to the major series rather than the mini-series.
2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference

2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference

March 2013

Biblical Priorities for Church Ministry

The theme for the 2013 conference was Biblical Priorities for Church Ministry with an emphasis on understanding the contemporary Christian worship controversy. Scott Aniol, the keynote speaker and author of "Worship in Song", a book we highly recommend, provided critical insight into understanding that there is biblically consistent music and music that contradicts a Christian worldview.

Tens of thousands of churches have almost identical doctrinal statements. However, when attending them they may seem vastly different. That difference is what is usually called the “philosophy of ministry” and basically describes the priorities and emphases of any given church or ministry. Sadly, apostasy, division, and church splits are more often the result of differences in how to “do church”, than in what we believe, and few churches ever articulate their philosophy of ministry.

One of the most divisive areas of philosophy of ministry today is not only the meaning of the word “worship”, but its exclusive identification with music. Our keynote speaker, Scott Aniol, is exceptionally qualified to address this topic and has written and spoken much about this over the years. Other significant areas that must be addressed relate to the priority of Bible teaching in a local church, what it means to be a pastor, ministry to men, and ministry to children, along with many other day-to-day activities of a local church.

The men teaching at this conference combine decades of experience in numerous different venues of church ministry. Each is committed to the sufficiency of Scripture and the prime directive of Scripture to “feed the sheep,” “teach the Word,” and to do the work of an evangelist. But we also need to think through how these priorities shape the day-to-day operation and decision making in the local church.

Hosted by West Houston Bible Church from March 4-6, 2013, the speakers at the conference also included daytime speakers Charles Clough, Robert Dean, Bruce Einspahr, Bryan Hult, George Meisinger, Jim Myers, Mark Perkins, David Roseland, Paul Schmidtbleicher, Jeremy Thomas, and Andy Woods.

To view all video Bible studies in the 2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference series, click here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube).

Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Series: 2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 14 mins 31 secs

These sessions involve a a critique of a movement that you may not know anything about if you are over the age of 40. This movement that I am speaking of is the emergent church.

In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul warned that the last days of the church would be characterized by apostasy. What I would like to share with you in these sessions is really the next wave of apostasy which is coming and in fact is already here. It is called the emergent church. You may not be familiar with it at all because it is targeted towards the young. All you have to do to validate what I am saying is to go to Google and type in the words "emerging church" or "emergent church," and you will find a plethora of emergent websites, all targeting the young.

Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Series: 2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 19 mins 14 secs
Robert Dean facilitator, Scott Aniol, Charles Clough, Bruce Einspahr, George Meisinger, Mark Perkins, and Paul Schmidtbleicher
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Series: 2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 20 mins 26 secs

“Whereas in 1820 Protestants had thought about children’s religious experiences primarily in terms of family and church, by 1880 it was impossible to conceive of them without reference to the Sunday school. During the nineteenth century, this new institution became the primary locale – outside of the family – for religious indoctrination of Protestant youth. In the annals of church history the saga of Sunday school was unique, involving not only the creation of a new institution to fulfill functions previous entrusted to parents and pastors…”

Has it been successful? At present the church is facing a mass exodus of its young people into the hands of the culture. Conservative Seminaries, Bible churches and men well-prepared for the pastorate are shrinking by quantum leaps. In light of the present distress one response is to reconsider our manner of discipling the next generation. Sunday school has been the order of the day for the last 200 years in America and Youth Ministry programs were added 50 years ago as the primary means of discipling young people. And yet with the escalation of these programs the departure from the church among young people has only escalated.

Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Passage: 1 Peter 1:13-19
Series: 2013 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 33 mins 45 secs
The missional church movement has significantly influenced evangelical churches in recent years, especially through its philosophy of evangelism and worship. Missional advo­cates argue that the church is part of the missio Dei—the mission of God—and thus it must see its ministries as fitting within that mission. Essential to the accomplishment of that mission is embedding the church in its target culture, which missional authors call “incarnation.” In order to evangelize a culture, they argue, churches must contextualize the message of the gospel in the culture. According to the grandfather of the missional movement, Lesslie Newbigin, contextualization is “the placing of the gospel in the total context of a culture at a particular moment, a moment that is shaped by the past and looks to the future.”