There are a number of seminars being presented at the 41st Presbyterian Church in America General Assembly. Some are general “how-to” seminars: General Assembly for Rookies, The Book of Church Order, Planting a Church: Who and How? Others are on topics of interest to pastors: Wise Planning. . .Looking to the Future, Can Your Church Pay This Bill?, The Emotional Life of the Pastor, Counseling Couples When a Husband Struggles with Pornography. A full list of the seminars and their descriptions is available here. A printable schedule is available here.

Last year, Dr. Gregg Davidson gave a seminar on the age of the earth from an old earth perspective:

Dr. Davidson explained that his purpose in the seminar was to equip the pastors and elders so that they can better minister to their congregations. According to Dr. Davidson, there are many in the church who are taught that the evidence for an old earth is weak and that to be faithful to Christ one must hold to a young earth. This can become a stumbling block to the faith for many, especially young believers, who grow up and are then challenged when they discover that the evidence for an old earth is very strong. The evidence that Dr. Davidson presented in the seminar is designed to help prevent this potential crisis of faith.

This year, Dr. Jason Lisle, Director of Research at the Institute for Creation Research, will give a seminar on Astronomy and creation from a young earth perspective:

Critics of the Bible have often attempted to use the methods of science to persuade others that the Bible is not trustworthy. We are told that the universe is a cosmic accident—a “big bang” followed by billions of years of evolutionary processes. However, these attempts to discredit biblical creation do not stand up to rational scrutiny. The science of astronomy confirms that the Bible is true. In this highly visual presentation, astrophysicist Dr. Jason Lisle shows powerful scientific evidence that confirms that our universe is not an accident, but has been designed and created by God as the Bible teaches in Genesis. The Christian can be encouraged that the Word of God is absolutely trustworthy on all matters. This includes not only matters of theology and morality, but matters of science and history as well.

Here are other seminars being offered:

Rediscovering Biblical Manhood
Seminar Speaker: Rick Phillips, TE, Second Presbyterian, Greenville
Dr. Gary Yagel, Forging Bonds

There is a crying need in the church today for men to be men, but competing visions for what a man is to be—some growing out of pop culture and others arising from flawed teaching in the church—are exacerbating the problem. This seminar addresses what our men and young men need to hear about God’s calling to men. It is led by TE Richard Phillips, author of The Masculine Mandate, and Dr. Gary Yagel, author of the PCA seminar, Rediscovering Biblical Manhood.

Pesky Verses or the Power of God: Romans One and Homosexuality
Seminar Speaker: Dr. Peter Jones, Director of truthxchange

We’ll look at the claim that Romans 1:26-28 can be ignored as peripheral to the Bible’s essential message, and seek to show that that these verses are an integral part of Paul’s logical and theological development, especially his insight into the nature of the Fall and the necessity of the Fall for the preaching of the Gospel as the power of God unto
salvation.

Prizes and Consumables: The Super Bowl as a Theology of Women
Seminar Speaker: Dr. Matt Vos, Professor of Sociology, Covenant College

The Superbowl is the most watched event in American culture. Along with millions of other Americans, Christians make elaborate plans for watching the event. Despite its popularity, the Superbowl—both the action on the field and in the surrounding activities and advertising—sends the message that American culture is for men only. The roles for women are limited to those that serve the interests and desires of men. This seminar will consider the ways that the Superbowl reinforces and extends an American understanding of the value of women. It will also ask what role the church should be playing in counter-narrating the convictions and values advanced by this central event in American life.

Loving Communication
Seminar Speakers: Dr. Mike Ross, Senior Pastor, Christ Covenant Presbyterian, Matthews, NC
Dr. George Robertson, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Augusta, GA
Rev. James Kessler,Associate Pastor, Northwest Presbyterian Church, Dublin, OH

Three generations of PCA pastors will discuss how to implement “The Law of Love” in the life of our Church. Mike Ross, George Robertson and James Kessler will discuss the issues of civility, generational differences, communication, and how to make the PCA a safer and more civil place. Each man will speak for about 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time for
questions and dialogue. The seminar will be divided into three parts:

1. How We Got to Where We Are (Mike Ross)
2. A Word to the Older Men (George Robertson)
3. An Exhortation to the Younger Men (James Kessler)

This seminar will be rooted in Paul’s command of Romans 12:9-10: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Commending and Defending the Total Truthfulness of Scripture
Seminar Speakers: Dr. Ligon Duncan, III, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson
Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

One of the distinctives of the evangelical Protestant resurgence that began in the mid-twentieth century and continues today is a high view of Scripture. Indeed, it is arguable that one key factor in the spread of Reformed influence in the larger evangelical world today is that during the so-called “Battle for the Bible,” Reformed theologians (think Packer, Sproul, Boice, Schaeffer, Henry, Carson, et al) came to be known as the most able and faithful defenders of the inerrancy of Scripture. And, that during the era of the recovery of expository preaching, Reformed preachers (think Piper, Alexander, Ferguson, Chapell, Keller, Begg, etc.) have come to be known as the most able and faithful practitioners of robust, textual, exegetical, Christ-centered preaching. In short, we came to be known and trusted as “the Bible guys.” But we have now entered a new era with new challenges to the nature of Scripture (even from within evangelicalism). We need solid, steady, informed, happy, confident, humble Reformed re-engagement on this issue. This seminar aims to chart a course for commending and defending the total truthfulness of Scripture in a context increasingly undermining of and skeptical about the Bible’s truth claims.

Working Together in the PCA to Address Our Cultural Moment
Seminar Speaker: Dr. Ligon Duncan, III, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson
Dr. Tim Keller, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian,New York

What are the deep challenges of our cultural moment? Where is the culture going? What will it look like in 25 years? Is the evangelical influence in our culture in decline? Does that matter? Should we be addressing or engaging culture at all, and if so, how? What does it mean to engage culture? What are we trying to accomplish? Should we “contextualize,’”or is that a denial of the “ordinary means of grace”? What are the unique opportunities for Reformed Christians in general, and the PCA in particular, to contribute to the advance of the Gospel in our time and situation? What are the PCA’s resources—and what can we do in particular? There seems to be disunity and disagreement within the PCA, particularly over the issue of culture and how to address it. How can we work together despite our differences?

[Editor’s note: One or more original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid; those links have been removed.]