To Goshen young men,
I am planning to launch another study/discussion series this winter-spring. Since we just finished going through an “old” book last fall (J. G. Machen, Christianity and Liberalism, 1923), I am open to considering a new book next (so I guess this is the inverse of C. S. Lewis’s counsel, he said, “It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between”). The new book I have in mind is one I finished reading in December only to hear that it had just been named the “Book of the Year” by Christianity Today. The book is: Gavin Ortlund, What It Means to Be Protestant (Zondervan, 2024).
I can see why this book has been so highly acclaimed. Ortlund writes in a clear, readable, winsome manner, and yet in this book he takes on topics of major theological and historical concern for the church. On the one hand, it’s a book about the nature of the Reformation and what was at stake. On the other hand, beyond issuing certain challenges to the non-Protestant church traditions (especially Roman Catholicism), this book is a rich resource on the substance of the gospel and the long story of faithful Christian leaders laboring to preserve and present the biblical message on which the NT church was founded. And so, in contrast to claims that Protestantism was an innovation that disrupted and divided the worldwide church, Ortlund contends that it is in fact the non-Protestant church traditions that have strayed from the gospel in such ways. The implications of this work are far-reaching.
Well, enough said by way of introduction of this book. I have found it to be very enriching, informative, and encouraging in my faith-walk with Christ. And I’d be delighted to go through the book, chapter by chapter, with you!
So, here is my proposal: eight Saturday morning meetings (8:00-9:30 a.m.) from Feb. to May, meeting at Goshen. Specific dates are: Feb. 1, 15; Mar. 1, 15, 29; Apr. 12; May 3, 17.
The format of our meetings this time would be a little different than the way we went through Machen’s book. This time I’d like to ask you to help lead the discussions. Here’s how it would work. I’d lead the first and the last sessions (i.e., Feb. 1 and May 17): in the first I’d overview the Introduction in Ortlund’s book and also introduce you to him via a few video clips from his YouTube channel, “Truth Unites” (and let me add here, there is a LOT of helpful and interesting content available on his channel); and in the last session I’d lead discussion on insights and applications we will have gained from reading the book. But for the other six meetings, I’d be looking to YOU to volunteer to lead discussion of a given chapter (we’d cover 2 chapters per Saturday, so I’ll seek to line up two men for each date). I’ll follow up in the near future to ask who would like to lead which specific chapters, and at that time I’ll offer some suggestions for how to go about doing so.
But for now, my first priority will be to see “who’s in” for this study/discussion series. So please contact me and let me know if you’d like to participate.
As before, if you expect you’ll need to miss a session or two, no problem. But if you think you’d have to miss most of the meetings, best to take a pass on this opportunity.
Also, if you know of other young men at Goshen who might like to plug in with this series, feel free to let them know about it and ask them to contact me. Or let me know about their interest and I’ll reach out.
All for now. Holler if any questions.
Peter
