Equipping Faith Lectures

Tom Schreiner concludes his series by showing that justification by faith is not merely a legal doctrine—it profoundly shapes the Christian life. He outlines five pastoral benefits flowing from being declared righteous in Christ. 1. Justification produces praise. Because salvation rests entirely on God’s grace—not human achievement—believers respond with joy, gratitude, and worship. Understanding...

Tom Schreiner argues that the New Testament consistently teaches that Christians must persevere in faith to be finally saved. Contrary to some evangelistic clichés (“You’re saved no matter what you do now”), Scripture never assures converts this way. Instead, early Christian leaders—Barnabas, Paul, Peter, Jude—regularly exhorted believers to continue , stand firm , keep themselves in God’s love ,...

Dr. Tom Schreiner argues that justification is central to the Christian gospel and historically was the key point separating Protestants and Roman Catholics . The Reformers saw justification as the doctrine on which the church stands or falls. Though recent ecumenical statements (like Evangelicals and Catholics Together and the Joint Declaration on Justification ) sought unity, their definitions o...

Eric Ortlund argues that the Book of Job addresses a specific kind of suffering: a Job-like ordeal —extreme, inexplicable, and not caused by sin or intended for spiritual growth. Job suffers not because he is guilty, but because God allows his integrity to be tested before the accuser. The central question is: Will humans love God for God’s sake, even when all earthly blessings are stripped away?...

Jim Hamilton argues that the Book of Psalms is not a random anthology , but a carefully arranged, unified book that tells a coherent, biblical-theological story from David to the Messiah and the salvation of the world. Like the narrative paintings of the Sistine Chapel, the Psalter has been intentionally shaped—originating with David, expanded by those who understood his vision, and finalized in a...

Kevin McKay reflects on how biblical theology has transformed his preaching and pastoring. Early in ministry, though he believed in the power of preaching, his sermons were often information-heavy and unclear—like “a mother bird regurgitating” facts from commentaries. What he lacked was a grasp of how the whole Bible fits together. Learning biblical theology changed everything: it gave power both...

Matthias Lohmann shows from 1 Corinthians 10 that the Old Testament was written for us —for the instruction, warning, and perseverance of Christians today. Paul recounts five profound experiences of Israel during the Exodus: the cloud, the Red Sea, baptism into Moses, spiritual food, and water from the rock. These were genuine blessings, even typological anticipations of Christ, yet “with most of...

Derek Bass opens by explaining why he has long preached Psalm 137: it is one of Scripture’s hardest texts, especially the violent final verse. Many reject the God of the Bible because of passages like this, but Bass insists that psalmic judgment must be understood in context , within the whole canon and ultimately in light of Christ . Psalm 137 is a communal lament from Israel’s exile. The people...

Jim Hamilton walks slowly through Genesis 3 to show how the Bible’s central plot conflict —the war between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent—begins in Eden. He highlights the literary interconnectedness of Genesis 1–3: the serpent’s “craftiness” echoes the couple’s “nakedness,” and the created order (God → man → beasts → woman) is inverted as the beast challenges God through the wo...

Kevin McKay turns to Exodus 4 to encourage discouraged pastors by showing where true ministerial confidence must come from. Moses, called to lead Israel out of Egypt, responds with a cascade of excuses rooted in fear, insecurity, and unbelief. McKay notes that modern pastors often face similar doubts—people question not only the truth of Christianity but also its goodness; congregations often live...

Matthias Lohmann reflects on Jesus’ encounter with the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35) to show how Christ turns sadness and confusion into joy through a right understanding of Scripture. The disciples know the facts about Jesus’ death and the empty tomb, yet their hopes are shattered because they misinterpret those facts. Jesus rebukes them—not for failing to recognize Him, but for...

Derek Bass argues that Matthew’s use of Hosea 11:1 (“Out of Egypt I called my son”) only seems puzzling when readers misunderstand Hosea’s own inner-biblical interpretation. Hosea himself reads the first exodus typologically , using it as a pattern to interpret Israel’s present and future. Bass shows three major ways Hosea does this. 1. Idolatry as a replay of the golden calf. Hosea describes Isra...

Jim Hamilton explains that to understand the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament, Christians must grasp biblical typology —patterns intentionally placed in Scripture by the human authors under the Spirit’s guidance. He begins with 1 Peter 3 , where Peter says that baptism corresponds to the flood . This is not arbitrary; the New Testament cannot contradict the Old Testament, because the same...

Derek Bass argues that Hosea is a deeply self-conscious biblical theologian whose preaching depends on the Torah—especially Deuteronomy —and who interprets Israel’s history through a redemptive-historical, typological lens. Communication always works by borrowing known concepts, and Hosea does the same: he “borrows” Scripture to proclaim covenant truth to his generation. 1. Hosea’s use of Deuteron...

Jim Hamilton begins by praying that God would free believers from the expressive individualism of modern culture and reshape them by Scripture. He defines biblical theology as “the attempt to understand and embrace the interpretive perspective of the biblical authors.” Christians should see the world the way Moses, Isaiah, Paul, and John saw it—understanding reality, history, and themselves throug...

Tim Savage asks what the future of the gospel in Europe will be amid deep secularism, and instead of offering opinions, he turns to Jesus’ words in Luke 10 . Jesus sends out the seventy-two two by two , showing that gospel work is never done alone but in partnership, prayer, and church community. Crucially, Jesus declares: “The harvest is plentiful.” Savage argues this promise is timeless—Europe m...

Tim Savage opens with humor and warmth, but quickly turns to the good news of the gospel , which he argues is far better and more powerful than the cynicism of the modern world. Preaching from Colossians 1–3 , he shows that the gospel comes in two parts . Part 1: What Christ does to us. Paul describes Jesus as the image of the invisible God , the One in whom the fullness of God dwells. Through Chr...

Collin Hansen humorously contrasts American church-growth strategies with the biblical vision of the church. Instead of targeting niche groups with tailored teaching, music, and programs built on the assumption that “people like to be around people like themselves,” Hansen argues that the post-corona church must rediscover a fellowship across differences . The world builds community through exclus...

Collin Hansen explains why contextualization —communicating an unchanging gospel in changing cultures—is central to the mission of The Gospel Coalition. Drawing on missiologists like Harvie Conn and Lesslie Newbigin , he argues that Western Christians must learn to “think like missionaries” in their increasingly post-Christian societies. Every culture reflects both truth and idolatry; therefore ev...

John Piper defines Christian preaching as “expository exaltation” —the faithful explanation of biblical meaning combined with the preacher’s heartfelt joy in the truth he proclaims. He distinguishes exaltation (with a u ) from exaltation (with an a ): the preacher is not merely praising God, but exulting over the glory he sees in Scripture. Preaching, he argues, must both show the people what the...

This session highlighted the mission of 20Schemes , a ministry committed to bringing the gospel to Scotland’s most deprived communities. Attendees were encouraged to pray, give, or join the work. The conversation then shifted to a Q&A with John Piper, flowing from his earlier message on APTAT —Admit, Pray, Trust, Act, Thank – as a model for living and preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit....

Brian Croft, pastor and founder of Practical Shepherding, teaches that a pastor must care for three interconnected areas: his soul, his ministry, and his family . In this session he focuses on the pastor’s soul, drawing from Acts 20:28 where Paul commands elders to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock.” Many pastors devote themselves to caring for others while neglecting their...

John Piper begins by praising the work of 20schemes and explaining that true preaching is humanly impossible —it can only happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. Natural eloquence, rhetorical skill, or emotional persuasion cannot open blind eyes or create genuine spiritual understanding. The heart of preaching, Piper says, is to lead people to see , savor , and show the glory of Christ—someth...

Keith Getty opens by expressing gratitude for the heritage of Scottish and Irish hymnody and for long-standing friendships with churches and leaders connected to the event. He reflects on the rich legacy of hymn writers such as Henry Francis Lyte and Robert Murray M’Cheyne, noting how their work continues to shape worship today. Getty then prays, thanking God for past generations who passed down t...

Mez McConnell opens by reading Ephesians 3, emphasizing that Christian worship cannot be separated from God’s Word or from the local church. He reminds listeners that Jesus loves the church—He built it with His own blood, nourishes it, cherishes it, and designed it as central to His purpose in the world. Regardless of culture’s dismissal of the church, believers must see it as precious to Christ a...