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May 31, 2019:
ANDY WOODARD, Lead Pastor @ New Covenant Church NYC
will address:
“A Vision For A REFORMED SEMINARY in NEW YORK CITY”
Live from the historic parsonage of the 19th century gospel minister George Norcross in downtown Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It's iron sharpens iron. This is a radio platform in which pastors Christian scholars and theologians address the burning issues facing the church and the world today.
Proverbs chapter 27 verse 17 tells us. Iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. Matthew Henry said that in this passage We are cautioned to take heed with whom we converse and directed to have in view in conversation To make one another wiser and better.
It is our hope that this goal will be accomplished over the next two hours. And we hope to hear from you the listener with your own questions. And now here's your host Chris Arnzen.
Good afternoon, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Lake City, Florida and the rest of humanity living on the planet Earth who are listening via live streaming at iron sharpens iron radio .com. This is Chris Arnzen your host of iron sharpens iron radio wishing you all a happy Friday on this 31st day of May 2019 I hope that you all were enjoying the reruns of iron sharpens iron radio while I was away.
Many of you may remember especially if you listen to iron sharpens iron radio regularly that I had been Advertising a pastor's lunch, which I do twice a year. This is a lunch of free pastors luncheon That was really conceived By my dear precious late wife Julie in the 1990s.
She recognized that I Had an unusually high percentage of friends who are pastors largely due to my having been employed in Christian radio for the majority of my adult life and She said why don't we?
Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts to each other. Why don't we start having a Christmas lunch for your pastor friends and treat them to a nice time of rest and relaxation where you perhaps can invite in a speaker and get publishers to donate free brand-new books so that every pastor can leave with brand-new books and That I agreed to that and I that caught on.
We continue to do that every year at that time. I was doing it once a year near Christmas and my precious wife went home to be with the Lord in 2011 and I four years later after I Completed a hiatus of higher sharpens iron due to very serious depression over the loss of my wife.
I relaunched the radio show as you know From Carlisle, Pennsylvania after relocating from New York to Carlisle and I relaunched the pastor's luncheons in honor and tribute and memory of my precious late wife Julie, so we have been Conducting them nearly every year since 2015 here in Carlisle and now I do them twice a year one in the winter sometime between between the weeks before Christmas and The early weeks in January and then we also have one in the springtime, which we just had on May 23rd.
It was a wonderful time. Dr. Tony Costa did a phenomenal job giving a PowerPoint presentation on how the Dead Sea Scrolls Vindicate the reliability of the Bible. We had a good turnout and it seemed that all who approached me afterwards, which were most of the people I think that were in attendance were raving about how blessed they were by dr. Costa how amazing he is how brilliant he is How well prepared he is and how fascinating he is and I look forward to using dr Costa for many more events in the future.
I followed dr. Costa to Long Island, New York From Friday the 24th of May through Sunday the 26th of May where I arranged Speaking engagements for him at New Hyde Park Baptist Church on Long Island Wading River Baptist Church in Suffolk County, Long Island and Hope Reform Baptist Church in Coram, Long Island and Ridge Missio Church in Ridge Long Island and dr. Costa did a phenomenal job as expected at all of those churches and was very warmly received and all that attended appeared to be riveted to everything he was saying as Can be Attested to by the fact that most people stayed after the events for long periods of time to ask questions and so on that's always a good sign that people enjoyed themselves and were blessed and edified and educated and So then from there I went to the banner of truth conference in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.
And that was a phenomenal time as it always is and one of the people that I see every banner of truth conference I've ever attended in fact, I Think I've seen him at nearly every reformed church. I I'm sorry reformed conference that I have attended.
But he is our guest today Andy Woodard is lead pastor at New Covenant Church NYC in the heart of Manhattan he's not only the lead pastor, but he's the founding pastor of that church and Today we are going to Address the theme of vision for a reformed seminary in New York City.
And it's my honor and privilege to welcome you back to iron sharpens iron radio pastor Andy Woodard.
Hey Chris, thanks so much for having me on. Yes, I I do the conferences that I go to I promise.
Well, I don't go to every conference either but it seems that every conference I go to you go to I think I think we.
Have similar taste in conferences.
Well tell our listeners who have not heard you from your interviews before Something about New Covenant Church, obviously. If our listeners Today who are tuning in listen with any regularity they must have heard Something about New Covenant Church NYC in an abbreviated form because dr Stephen J Lawson a friend of yours was actually your professor at one time does the voiceover for The ad on iron sharpens iron radio for New Covenant Church NYC, but beyond what the commercial tells us From the lips of Stephen J Lawson tell us about New Covenant Church NYC.
Yes, so we um, we second will be a weekly service the first year. We were a house church. Just lack of funds to rent any space and we really didn't need to rent a space either. Then the one-year anniversary to the day the first Sunday of July last year.
We started renting public space. We've met in a dance studios yoga studios gym all over the place. So now we have around 40 people last Sunday and we have 27 members right now.
Wow, that is very impressive for a very new Reformed Baptist Church, especially because of the fact that even though reformed theology is growing in popularity It is still a tiny minority in the landscape of Christian theology.
Yeah, yeah. And who is that.
Yes, I know Gary and I'm glad to see that he is now elevated to the position of elder.
Yep. Yeah, he was our treasure to the flocks and we gladly take that recognize them and Affirm them through and watching observe we do a Formal ordination. Gary's ordination was back and in my interest our book our listeners that Gary is a Jewish believer.
Which some folks Think it's an oxymoronic to be reformed theologically and Jewish, but it's not at all. I think it is actually more in harmony With understanding how God has always had a chosen people Throughout the history of the scriptures and the nation of Israel were a chosen people a chosen race in the physical sense and God has always had his chosen people his elect that he has chosen before the foundation of the world in a spiritual sense in a more significant and important infinitely more important sense, which includes Gentiles and Jews and it's always a Thrill to know that another Jewish believer has embraced The doctrines of sovereign grace in addition to of course infinitely more importantly Jesus Christ as his Lord God Savior and King.
So that's just a bit of trivia because as we know Jewish Reformed Baptists are about as rare as a Bigfoot sighting. So But It's always a pleasure to have fellowship with Gary as well so If anybody I'm hoping to remember to repeat this later on and I'm sure I will but New Covenant Church NYC if you want to find out more about this congregation go to NCC dot NYC very easy website to remember NCC for New Covenant Church dot NYC for New York City, and it's interesting how the websites are developing and Becoming easier to remember with different letters available after the dots.
So Just just remember that website and If you are visiting Manhattan, which a lot of people do from all over the world and we have listeners all over the world please Put it on your somewhere in your your where you're never going to forget some kind of pad that you have that you travel with a daybook a calendar.
But NCC dot NYC so you'll know to visit New Covenant Church NYC when you visit Manhattan and if you know folks that already live in Manhattan and you're Looking to recommend a good church for them, which you should be Just remember that address NCC dot NYC and let me also give the Email address for our listeners who want to ask questions chris arnzen at gmail .com.
Chris arnzen at gmail .com. Chris arnzen at gmail .com and please give us as always at least your first name your city and state of residence in your country of Residence if you live outside the USA before we go into our subject at hand a vision for a reformed seminary in New York City.
Gary give us some of your thoughts and reflections upon the banner of truth conference. I really enjoyed it very much. In fact there is a possibility that in the spring of 2020 I may have one of the speakers at the banner of truth conference as my iron sharpens iron radio Spring pastors luncheon speaker Chad Vegas whose name I have Mentioned before I love his name I and if I could switch my name with anybody else that would be Chad Vegas because I Would pretend to be a movie private detective because I think it's a quintessential name for a private detective Chad Vegas private I but anyway, he he gave some phenomenal messages and in particular the last one.
Which was the final message of the conference actually? Immediately drove me to the idea of inviting him and he when I approached him. He was thrilled with the idea and said that he would be very excited and honored to to do that.
And we just have to make sure our schedules match and by the way there's also a strong likelihood that the Next iron sharpens iron pastors luncheon before that which would be in January of 2020 Justin Peters has expressed A very strong interest in doing that he's already agreed to do that as long as we can match our schedules together.
So keep that in prayer as well, but tell us your own reflections on the banner of truth conference.
The banner of truth and Gary and I agree. This is our favorite conference that we you you just spend a lot of various locations and trying to find your breakout seminars. And it's all very complicated and overwhelming and exhausting.
But the this banner conference is not like that it's it's hosted on a college campus with dining hall and chap dorm accommodation, so you don't have to Run all over. It's also not huge in the attendance.
There's just a couple hundred pastors. Maybe 300 that are really that's that's all you think we're there. I thought it was closer to like 500 maybe Maybe four out of 50 for some of these deceive people there's so many.
Also the pastor or the preaching is incredible and for me they they're typically guys I've never heard of before like the quote-unquote a list celebrity preachers tremendous and It never heard of who would do well to go and look them up on sermon audio and download their sermon.
Listen, let me let me just put in my own two cents regarding that description. I would call them a Humble men with humble churches that are not megachurches typically. But I don't know if I would call them average pastors because yeah, they are extraordinary in their gifts typically.
Yeah, yeah, I didn't mean average in that sense, but.
Not mega churches, right, right, right. And of course, you know, we do have some exceptions of men who are Absolutely superb that have large very large churches like John MacArthur and others. Yeah, but it is good to know that you don't have to be some kind of a super celebrity to be worthy of speaking at a major conference and and all of the men that I've ever heard at the banner of truth conferences are excellent and You can especially if you are reformed like we are.
You can just be you can rest assured That you're going to have solid meat and biblically Orthodox content not that every single person Who is published by the banner of truth is in lockstep identically there.
They do represent a variety of reform backgrounds from Reform Baptist to Presbyterian to Anglican to Reformed Congregationalist even Calvinist Methodist so you do have a variety of backgrounds of men that the banner of truth publishes and also invites to speak at their events, but In spite of any minor different disagreements that even people in their own congregation might have with one another.
You can be really rest assured if you if you buy a book from banner of truth. Or if you visit a banner of truth conference, you're not going to be led astray by some crazy teaching. And so I strongly urge everybody listening to go to banner of truth org.
Banner of truth org we put on an email list or mailing list of some kind so that you can keep in touch with them about events they're having and also so that you can Investigate their their their catalog because they just have the you know exquisite theologically sound information for you from from writers and pastors and men of God from not only the past great heroes of the faith going back centuries, but also current-day men like Sinclair Ferguson and others who are Extraordinary men of God that are still alive and with us now.
So that's banner of truth org. Banner of truth org and now we are going to delve into a theme that you Wanted to discuss today. It is a vision you have for a reformed seminary in New York City. You are Intending it right off the bat Right out of the gate to view this as something that you are fairly Convinced is going to take perhaps even decades to accomplish.
It's always better to View things that way than to expect something to happen quickly and then be sorely disappointed when it doesn't. Which is one thing that we all have to learn to be anxious for nothing and Not to be impatient about things to be patient with the Lord and his sovereignty over things and his providence but tell us why you came up with this theme to begin with and why you think that the We don't want to disrespect or insult anyone involved in the higher education system in Manhattan that exists there already but What it would specifically are you looking for in fact, are you Intention intending to create if God enables you to in regard to a reformed seminary in New York City.
Yeah.
In in Manhattan currently here are are either an extension center butter in their scope. But that doesn't it's not the same vision. It's not the Residential program where you have professors who live here.
They're the professors tend to fly in and they're more like guests begin class. Things of that nature. So that's the specific vision. It's just a residential seminary like Southern Seminary Louisville or the Master's Seminary Which I'm currently a student at in California.
There's nothing like the vision. No, what are the primary?
Reasons a Person would enter into a seminary who happens to be Blessed enough already to be going to a biblically sound church Where they are fed the Word of God Weekly by men who are Thoroughly acquainted and literate when it comes to the scriptures.
They have elders and they have others in the church that may leads Bible studies that Thoroughly have grounded them for many years in the Word of God. And if historically we know that there are men Who have raised have been raised up by God in very prominent positions in church history?
Who are highly respected even by the most brilliant scholars today? Like Charles Adams Spurgeon, for instance who had no formal education at all in a religious sense that I'm aware of. And there are others as well.
I believe that dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones Was educated in the field of medicine, but I'm not sure if he had formal Theological training other than what he had learned in church in his own study. But what would be the compelling reasons why even a gifted? person well grounded in the faith Fed properly in his church.
What would be the the reason why he should seek seminary training?
But on the other hand, it's not in today's world or Martin Lloyd-Jones. Most Most people are not that and that gifted and even that discipline so they need instruction of walk with them through Systematics and the church history and the Old Testament New Testament and Greek and Hebrew.
Most most people are not inclined to pick up a Greek book on their own without Lloyd-Jones who they were self much of his Reading as in his childhood in his I think it was grandfather's library. So he read he read the stuff.
He read the material. It just wasn't in a Academic type pastor to get theological training. But then on the other hand, it's kind of the exception if you look around the world most pastors on the earth today theological training most of them have never sat in a seminary because most of them are in places like African Asia South America where there are very very few and Gary is just now starting seminary.
But his his call to be a pastor in the church was not dependent on him being in seminary because of how well he's the exception you desire to be pastors or elders, but they They need more structured guidance.
Then.
What Gary has needed to them they would really need more to be to be as equipped as he is. So I think that most people if they have the opportunity would benefit great training. And we see this in in doctoral studies.
Probably half of the class are international students that places like South Africa and Zambia. And the enormous value of sitting under the likes of Steve Lawson and John MacArthur and Derek Thomas and Sinclair Ferguson and Alistair Begg and You know, these are the professors that are teaching just being honest with you those things and I am.
And so if people in My church have the opportunity to study under those guys I would I would urge them to do many times more able to train pastors Than I am. That's the vision behind bring in some of the world's leading Scholars to train.
I don't know how long we have.
We're actually gonna get on our first break right now, but you can can continue your train of thought when we come back. Yeah, and if you could Whatever mouthpiece or microphone or phone receiver or whatever you're using if you could speak closer into it because you would naturally have a quiet voice to begin with and We need as much amplification of your voice as possible because you do sound very quiet.
So That would that would help. So if anybody wants to join us on the air, there are a couple of people waiting to have their questions answered already. But if you would like to join them and get in line our email address is Chris arms in at gmail .com.
Chris arms in at gmail .com and please as always give us your first name city and state and country of residence if You live outside the USA and here's a message to start with from a seminary Who helps keep iron sharpens iron radio on the air?
We would be amiss not to promote this a wonderful institution that is reformed Baptist and a seminary located in Mansfield, Texas, so please listen carefully for their information and We look forward to hearing from you and your questions at Chris Arnzen at gmail .com.
For our guest Andy Woodard right after these messages.
Hello, my name is James Renahan and I'm the president of IRB s Theological Seminary in Mansfield, Texas. The Word of God says if a man desires the office of an overseer he desires a good thing. Do you have the desire to serve Jesus Christ in pastoral ministry?
20 years ago the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies at Westminster Seminary, California was born. For those two decades these institutions work together to train men for ministry in Reformed Baptist Churches.
It's been a wonderful partnership now. We have advanced our school into an independent seminary offering a full program of courses leading to the Master of Divinity degree. This is IRB s Theological Seminary.
We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired and inerrant Word of God. That Jesus Christ is God in the flesh who came to save sinners by his life death and resurrection.
And that the task of the church is to honor and serve the triune God in all things. IRB s Theological Seminary is dedicated by God's grace to preparing godly ministers who will be committed to these doctrines.
Do you sense a call to serve Jesus Christ in his church as a pastor? Why not consider IRB s Theological Seminary? You'll find more information at IRB s seminary org. That's IRB s seminary org two s's in the middle.
I hope to hear from you soon. God bless you.
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My name is Steve Lawson founder and president of one passion ministries as well as teaching fellow for Ligonier ministries. I serve as professor of preaching and oversee the doctor of ministry program at the Masters Seminary in Los Angeles.
I would like to recommend the church where one of my preaching students Andy Woodard serves as the pastor. It's called New Covenant Church NYC. They are a reformed Baptist Church that meets in midtown, Manhattan.
You can find their service times and location on their website, which is www .ncc .nyc. They believe in a sovereign God who commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. If you're looking for a church that believes in expository preaching, which is simply biblical preaching in New York City I'd like to recommend that you visit New Covenant Church, NYC.
Again their information can be found at www .ncc .nyc.
Have a great day, and we have the pastor of New Covenant Church, NYC As our guest today on iron sharpens iron radio. If you just tuned us in his name is Andy Woodard and we are discussing a vision for a reformed Seminary in New York City.
If you'd like to join us on the air with a question of your own our email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com chris ar n z and gmail .com. As always, please give us your first name city and state and country of residence.
If you live outside of the USA and only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal and private matter. Before we go on to anything further that you'd like to say Andy. We do have a listener Ronald in Eastern Suffolk County, Long Island, New York and Ronald says as wonderful as seminary education is and a glorious gift from God that he has trained up men and given them the ambition and Desire and ability to form these great institutions of higher learning.
Isn't it very dangerous if we begin to act as if this is some kind of a biblical requirement of? Men for the pastoral ministry. One of my Disagreements with my dearly beloved Presbyterian friends is that some of their denominations actually require this.
For someone to be ordained Into the pastoral ministry in their denominations when the Bible never makes any kind of requirement like that.
What are your thoughts whether you got it? You got to really speak up because we could barely hear you. I'm sorry. Okay, yeah, um, yeah, I see that I think that there have been many godly wonderful pastors throughout history.
The God is used and as as I mentioned my co-pastor doesn't have a seminary degree and it does a fine job. So we're not at creating this pure regulation. I just see that that it is a Great help that many many people do need.
Thrown on the inside a little bit when I see Certain organizations requiring that a man must have an end live in order to be With them and I have. I have seen those and as you mentioned, I believe the PCA requires it to be ordained.
But you know why they do it. It's because not that likely to pick up on your own and they want to ensure that you have it. The original language is one of them. Yeah. Yeah, you have to take Greek and Hebrew and Honestly, very few people are going to do that on their own so that's that's one of the major values.
In fact, I have heard from Greek scholars that sometimes having some Knowledge of Greek and Hebrew but not enough can make you more dangerous if you didn't have it. Yeah, and but I I do know as you keep reiterating as far as Gary Rosenblatt your co-pastor Not having formal seminary education my late wife's Late pastor who's now in heaven with her Don blend.
He I'm not even 100 sure he completed a high school education. I know that he did not go to college of any kind. He was a postal worker Until he retired but the man had an Encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible and he had nearly a photographic memory as far as I could tell.
Just an amazing man, even though I didn't agree with him on everything that he believed or taught. He was a Calvinistic Baptist, however but he he was just a remarkable man a very knowledgeable man who when you brought up a subject he could immediately allude to Scriptural references without even opening up a Bible very often.
He would just know them by heart. But so but but the the in some sense If a person who is in the pastoral ministry has the means To enter into seminary if he had not already been educated like that in that depth and Not only as the means but the time and so on the support.
There is a certain level and I have to be careful, but this I'm not I'm not broad-brushing pastors who don't have seminary educations, but there is a certain level of Pride that may exist among some That do not believe that they need any further education.
In fact historically there have even been denominations that divided Over this there were some denominations that thought it was a sin to even create a seminary because it wasn't a biblical concept in the New Testament to have a seminary, but Don't we have to be all of us?
But especially perhaps those that are going to be shepherding God's flock have to be careful about not having pride as a reason for not going to seminary. If they if they can go if they can afford to go either because they are Already financially well off enough to do that or if they have been provided the opportunity By others who are generous and willing to give and they have enough time to do that Even before they enter into the ministry You know It's they have to just be careful that pride isn't one of the reasons they forgo that and are you in agreement with that?
Yeah, yeah, there has been no Christianity before I arrived and now Saints who've gone before us and we would be fooled to not learn from the people that God has given to us to learn from. Ephesians says there's their gifts to us to learn from through the teachers.
So I think that we need to we need to study to show ourselves improved under God and obviously that doesn't have to look one. Certain way, but but there is a way to do that and we call that center. Oh, by the way, I want to give a shout-out.
To the congregation that was pastored by the late Don blend my wife's Congregation where she was a member before we were married a First Baptist Church in Lindenhurst, Long Island I just want to give a shout out to them since they were on my mind and Pastor Depresso has taken up the mantle after my dear friend Don blend entered into eternity not long ago.
So I just hope all is going well with you folks. There at First Baptist Church of Lindenhurst, Long Island we have An anonymous listener Who says unless you're picking the right seminary cannot entering into a seminary being one of the very worst decisions a young man Aspiring to be a pastor can make because of the fact that there seems to be so few Christian so-called seminaries in existence that are actually still faithful to the Word of God and many young men have their minds polluted and wind up returning home as heretics and Polluting the churches where they wind up shepherding.
Seminaries are denominations have. That a man must have an image in that a man have an MD or it's equal five years from now in ten years from now. The need is there. Man desires to be a fair training.
Which will training because residential I've experienced in residential is much much better than simply an online class. We know your professor ride an area that is here in North America and the most liberal city.
Arguably perhaps in the world the most religiously and ideologically diverse and ethnically diverse City in the world perhaps a place that is really in great need not only for biblically faithful churches.
But for institutions of higher learning like a good solid reform seminary. It's amazing in a city that huge. That there are not more congregations in existence that are theologically sound when when people Ask for referrals from me to churches in New York City.
I'm very thankful that I now have New Covenant Church NYC. To include amongst a tiny handful of churches that I could really with a good conscience recommend. I'm assuming that you would agree with me that there are few and far between in this huge city churches that are truly and consistently faithful and loyal to the actual teachings of the God-breathed scriptures.
Yes, I would definitely want you to do that when we return from our midway break.
Which we have to go to now, so just remember that if you want to write it down or something so you don't forget. Okay, and if anybody else would in fact we still have some people waiting to have their questions asked and answered.
So be please be patient. We're going to our longer than normal station break right now because grace life radio 90 .1 FM in Lake City, Florida requires of us a longer break in the middle of our show because they by FCC regulations They have to localize on your sharpens iron radio and their programming content to Lake City, Florida.
So they air their own commercials and public service announcements During this longer station break while we air our own commercials, which are heard globally. So please be patient with us as we take this longer than normal break.
But also, please use this time wisely and do two things for me. Write down all the information provided by our advertisers So that you can more frequently and successfully patronize them whenever possible because we rely upon our advertisers To exist we cannot exist without the financial support of our advertisers.
So the more frequently you patronize them the more likely they are going to continue Advertising with us and also use this time to write down questions for Andy Woodard on his vision for a reform seminary in New York City and That email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com.
Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Don't go away. God willing we're gonna be right back after these messages from our sponsors with more of Andy Woodard and His vision for a reform seminary in New York City.
My name is Steve Lawson founder and president of one passion ministries as well as teaching fellow for Ligonier ministries. I serve as professor of preaching and oversee the doctor of ministry program at the Master's Seminary in Los Angeles.
I would like to recommend the church where one of my preaching students Andy Woodard serves as the pastor. It's called New Covenant Church NYC. They are a reformed Baptist Church that meets in midtown Manhattan.
You can find their service times and location on their website which is www .ncc .nyc. They believe in a sovereign God who commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. If you're looking for a church that believes in expository preaching, which is simply biblical preaching in New York City I'd like to recommend that you visit New Covenant Church NYC again, their information can be found at www .ncc .nyc.
Have a great day.
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I'm dr. Gary Kimbrough. Patch of Bethlehem Baptist Church and Laurel, Mississippi. God tells us in James 127 that pure non-defiled religion is a visit the fatherless and widows and their affliction and the providence of God.
Three years ago. I discovered a poor small church outside Lusaka, Zambia in a township called Cabanana who are taking care of 24 orphans. I found them just at the time when they had lost all their funding.
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Hi, I'm buzz Taylor frequent co-host with Chris Arnson on iron sharpens iron radio. I would like to introduce you to my good friends Todd and Patty Jennings at CV BBS. Which stands for Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service?
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Inspired by yours truly because they're giving away my favorite of all biographies it is a Pastor in New York. The life and times of Spencer Cohn. Spencer Cohn was a reformed Baptist pastor in Manhattan in the 19th century.
Back then they called themselves particular Baptists and He has a life that is so fascinating That it should be made into a major motion picture or at least a documentary. I am just utterly fascinated by this man, and I loved reading this book by John Thornberry a Highly respected and greatly loved Baptist historian and retired pastor.
This beautiful hardback published by evangelical press Is just an amazing book that I urge you to read. I cannot imagine if anybody listening loves church history. They love reading about men of God that have been greatly used.
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It's quite tragic. He was a he was very well known and highly respected in his day in the 19th century. But today he is virtually unknown and that is Really a serious tragedy in my opinion. And I am trying to get more and more people to discover this great man of God.
Well, he was a school teacher. He was a lawyer. He was a stage actor in the 19th century in the theater. He was a war hero in the War of 1812. He was as I said a pastor in New York City facing all kinds of controversies theological and otherwise surrounding him being a firmly committed particular Baptist pastor in Manhattan and His reaction to the passing of his wife who he dearly loved Moved me beyond words being a widower myself.
The way that this affected the life of Spencer Cohen when his wife went home to be with the Lord. I just strongly urge you to get this book and you can get it for free if you purchase a minimum of $50 worth of merchandise at cvbbs .com.
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And you can do it that way at 800 6 5 6 0 2 3 1 800 6 5 6 0 2 3 1 Monday through Friday between 10 a .m. And 4 30 p .m. Eastern Time before I return to My friend Andy Woodard. Oh, by the way, let me a bit of trivia I forgot to mention is that Andy Woodard and Gary Rosenblatt and I orchestrated a couple of years ago a major event in Manhattan at the First Baptist Church of New York City the same church where Spencer Cohn was the pastor.
We had a conference with dr Tony Costa professor of apologetics in Islam at Toronto Baptist Seminary and It was a really blessed event that we had there. But that's just a bit of trivia that I thought I'd mentioned before I return to my guest Andy Woodard, I just have a couple of announcements in regard to upcoming events that you should be aware of.
Another event in New York City that I love attending and it was actually the very first place that I met Andy Woodard that is the foundation's conference a conference of sermon audio in the heart of Manhattan and this Year, the conference will be held Thursday and Friday December 19th and 20th in Manhattan.
The roster includes a phenomenal lineup of speakers. Including dr. Stephen J Lawson whose voice you hear every day promoting New Covenant Church, NYC the dr. Lawson was a professor of our guest today Andy Woodard and he was eager to help Andy promote this church when he learned of the Opportunity to do the voiceover for the commercial, but he is on the roster.
He is the founder of one passion ministries Paul Washer who is an extraordinary pastor and preacher as well. Actually, he's not a pastor at this point. He's a tenor evangelist and author. What an extraordinary preacher he is.
Reverend Jeff Thomas now retired from the pastoral ministry in Everest with Wales Alfred Place Baptist Church is where he pastored for over half a century and He is also a truly profound and extraordinary preacher and teacher.
He just recently wrote a glowing commendation for iron sharpens iron radio, which I am eager to get posted on the website. Reverend Armin Tamasian who has become one of my favorite preachers. He's a young man and has been used powerfully of God.
He has gifts and abilities and wisdom far beyond his youth. Reverend arts Armin Tamasian. I keep reminding you that I believe he's gonna be a household name over the next decade amongst reformed Christians.
So you don't want to miss him? The other two pastors on the roster Richard Caldwell jr. And Andrew Quigley. I have not yet heard them preach, but I am confident that they are excellent. Because sermon audio would not have selected them to be a part of their conference if they were not so a sermon audio is very Finicky in a right way in an appropriate way.
So I'm glad that I can count on them for having high quality and biblically sound preachers at their conference. So if you want to go I will be there and look for me if you register go to the foundations conference calm the Foundations conference calm you'll have all the information that you need for this conference Thursday and Friday December 19th and 20th in Manhattan and keep in mind that their venue holds less than 200 people.
So register as soon as you can before they are completely full then after that. In January, I am packing up my bags again and heading down to Atlanta, Georgia. More specifically College Park, Georgia a suburb of Atlanta.
I'm going to the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park for the 2020 g3 conference. The g3 conference is one of my very favorite conferences and I have always been blessed. Profoundly not only listening to people speak and preach there but also because I set up an exhibitors booth there and they have over 5 ,000 people in attendance and it has always been Tangibly a blessing to my radio program because I have not only gained Advertisers by being there, but I've gained new listeners and I've gained new Speakers guests on the program and I have been given a lot of encouragement by people who already listen to iron sharpens.
I'm radio from all over the world. Who come to my exhibitors booth to encourage me to let me know how much they love this show so it is a wonderful event and As I said it is go. I actually didn't say it yet.
It's going to be held Thursday, January 16th through Saturday, January 18th At the Georgia International Convention Center and as always they have an extraordinary lineup of speakers. Kosti Hinn is one of these speakers.
Kosti Hinn many of you may not be familiar with him yet. I believe that you will be Over the next few years, especially because he is not only a profound and humble man of God rare combinations to have excellent speaker.
But he is the nephew of the world-renowned heretic and charlatan Benny Hinn. Kosti has renounced the word of faith heresies that he was raised in. He has become not only a reformed Baptist but a cessationist and one of his life's missions.
Not only to first and foremost spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. But also to expose men like his uncle and others in the word of faith heresy. Because of the seriousness of their deadly and damning false doctrines.
So Kosti Hinn is on the lineup. David Miller is another speaker on the lineup who is one of these extraordinary old-fashioned preachers that. It's a it's a dying breed of men that preach the good old gospel like David Miller does and I'm sure you will be blessed by him if you love God's Word and you love the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Derek Thomas who is a name very familiar to reformed Christians. I'm sure everybody who is reformed Knows that name from his books and from his preaching my very dear friend. Dr. James R White of Alpha Omega Ministries is on the roster.
Joel Beeky another dear friend who I've known since the 1990s is on the roster. Josh Bice the founder of the g3 conference. Once again, we have Paul Washer and Stephen Jay Lawson on the roster at this conference.
My friend. Dr. Tom Askell who I've known for many years. He is the executive director of founders ministries, which is the Calvinistic Ministry within the Southern Baptist Convention. With a passion to return the Southern Baptist Convention to its biblical and theologically reformed roots every single person every single minister that founded the Southern Baptist Convention was a Calvinist and Dr. Askell longs to see that to become the the primary Theology of that convention.
He is on the roster and Vodie Balcombe is another extraordinary man of God that I love to hear preach every time I have the opportunity if you want to register for the g3 conference and once again, once again, it's January 16th through the 18th in 2020 go to g3 conference .com g3 conference .com and If you have a business or a parachurch organization or a church that you want to promote I Strongly urge you to register not only to attend as an individual or as a family or church.
But I would register for an exhibitors booth as well while they still have room. Because as I said, typically they have well over 5 ,000 people attending this conference and it's an ideal place to have an exhibitors booth.
That's g3 conference .com. G3 conference .com last but not least if you love iron sharpens iron radio. You appreciate the the guests and the topics that we address every day some of Which are never heard anywhere else.
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You could donate instantly with a debit or credit card. By doing so if you want to advertise with us. Send me an email to chrisarnson at gmail .com and put advertising in the subject line. We are an urgent need for your advertising dollars as I was mentioning before dr. Tony Costa of Toronto Baptist Seminary flew out to the United States to be involved in my pastor's luncheon and also other speaking engagements and the airfare was more than triple of what it cost to fly him out here last time because the the Soviet Socialist Republic of Canada has put a carbon tax on airfare and so it really Overtripled the cost so we need your help more than ever.
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You love this show. You tell everybody that you know about the show. You don't want it to go away. Then please go to iron sharpens iron radio .com click support. Then click click to donate now an address will also appear on the screen for those of you who prefer a snail mail and you can mail us a check made out to iron sharpens iron radio and To remind you now our email address for our guest Andy Woodard if you have a question for our guest Andy Woodard the pastor of New Covenant Church NYC is Chris Arnson at gmail .com.
Chris Arnson at gmail .com. We are discussing a vision for a reform seminary in New York City, of course. Since Andy is a pastor you can broaden that theme for your questions to anything in regard to Christian theology and doctrine and so on.
But the main theme we are discussing is a vision for a reform seminary in New York City. That's Chris Arnson at gmail .com. Chri s a r n z e n a gmail .com and pleases always give us your first name city and state.
Country of residence if you live outside the USA and only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal and private matter so Andy if you could pick up where you left off on some more reasons why we need or especially how why you and your fellow citizens of New York City need a reformed seminary.
All right, so city being the highest hill it is the most influential city and There's a reason the Pope called it the center of the universe and there is very much a sense in which. So, let's say America is kind of the leader of the free world and So at the lead in the direction of much of us we see in America New York is very much the kind of the financial leader the cultural and America and then of New York, it's really New York City and Manhattan that set the pace when we see this in history.
We see this even recently such a York City changed the entire world.
Are you you kind of cut out there for a second? So I'm not sure I get the full train of thought that you had. You can you repeat what you just said?
Yeah that we see this even recently with in 9 -11 9 -11 changed the world. Though that was that just happened here. But now the entire world is impacted. You also see the economic. But we've seen as well as the religious impact of New York impacts the whole world.
Historically, we know the revival of 1857 that revival spread throughout the world such that there's a book that banner of truth is telling called Spurgeon's revival year sermons from 1859. That was the revival that started in New York City as it became a global revival.
Now this impact. There there are dangerous religious trends that come from New York and make their way.
Really that shocks me. The.
World as well and the type of evangelicalism that is in New York Impacts the rest of the world as well. So the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention points to Tim Keller and says that he is his most influential Preacher and pastor in his in his thinking if you listen to him preach.
If you listen to J .D. Greer preach. You'll hear Tim Keller in his voice. So there's there's a certain type of here in New York and that.
Impacts the rest of the country and I take it from your tone of voice that you don't. You're not happy with that.
If you it's not whether I'm happy or not, that's Completely irrelevant. The issue is that this is a type of church ontologically different on funded by. Like it's being propped up by external source. It's not like if God Disappeared if God was not here.
Most of evangelicalism in New York City would not notice because when believe in God they acknowledge God in some way. But when it comes down to it, they're not really looking to him For much of anything.
I think in marketing and hiring your musicians. We heard we heard at the banner conference and that is the driving force of Manhattan evangelicalism and The result is it impacts?
Yeah, it seems that even when you look at very historically Conservative denominations and fellowships and brotherhoods within Christendom When they have an arm or a representation in New York City They tend and I have to be very careful not the broad brush.
They tend to be a lot more liberal than those same denominations or fellowships or brotherhoods Have in the rest of the United States or the world for that matter and it seems there is a desire to be culturally relevant.
Where liberal elitism is King there perhaps even if it's unconscious a Desperate attempt to win over people that are a reflection of the liberal Tendencies of many residents of New York City judging from who they elect into office very frequently.
So There there is it is a problem where you have churches struggling desperately to survive. They there's a greater temptation perhaps than many other places in the world To accommodate to trends within liberalism.
Am I making myself clear and do you agree with what I'm saying?
Yeah, that's the evangelical Mind, I think. And then oh mind and his it's not that there is no mind in evangelicalism it's that there is no evangel in evangelicalism that the gospel itself has been lost and we observe city that they're not truly preaching the gospel and they are effectively being built on the backs of unconverted church members.
And. The pastors tell small group leaders Listen, you can't you can't confront false teaching in your small group. Or else the people of my own church members told me When he left his previous church he left.
Because of those types of these problems are I'm assuming that one of the reasons why you.
Believe a Solid Institution of higher learning Is is a desperately needed thing in New York City Especially since we are reformed and you are reformed that you'd want it from a reformed perspective. Obviously is because The the theological competition if you will very often especially in places like Manhattan appeal to the academic realm and to the intellectual elite and to the Ivy League arena of education and people think that these prestigious schools Because of the long histories they have and because of the perhaps brilliant yet heretical or lost faculties that they have that in spite of Their being far from biblically faithful People tend to think that they must have the real answers to the the most vital and serious issues That face all of us.
So having a reformed and biblically sound institution of higher learning gives more Credibility to what the Bible actually teaches and I'm not saying that we should cater to what lost men think Is the most appropriate route to take in life or what makes What what impresses the world but at the same time there there are People in academia that need to be challenged and even in the form of formal debate in other ways that just because they may have many letters of The proof of their higher education and accomplishments in life does not mean they're They even know the first thing about what the Bible teaches even if they've memorized the Bible Doesn't mean that they know what it actually teaches.
Am I making sense here?
Yeah, definitely. I think that we see that issue educated at Cambridge and Oxford. They had they had the highest and they used that training as errors and the highest Heresies that were being promoted and I think that that's why it would be such a benefit and would rather than Scraping the bottom of the barrel and saying well this person know their theology doesn't really know the word.
Oh, but he sure is a nice guy. You know, we need to be well and we're not trusting in our minds and our our knowledge. But there is the reality that we are a truth based religion. We are a word-based religion, so we must know our stuff and goes out and does public evangelism in Union Square with Evangelical gospel tracts evangelism conversations and open-air preaching and Every heretic and their brother comes out and sets up and these are all kinds of false religions that you know most of us have never heard of before we run into them there and To be able to they must be able.
Time is this year for us to dig deeper and lean in instead of being more Casual in our approach. That's what you just said about Union Square reminded me of.
Speakers Corner in London, England, not that I've been there, but I've heard about This area of London England where you have all kinds of religions and philosophies and ideologies representatives of those those different trains of thought Who gathered together and very often are shouting over each other and and so on.
I don't know if that shouting part is the what's going on in Union Square, but it just it just reminded me of it. Yeah, well, I don't know if you have another reason for New York needing a seminary. New York City needing a seminary, but we do have a listener, which would you like to do first?
Okay, we have John and Bangor Maine who asks From your knowledge of the history of the city of New York. Are you aware of any? institutions of higher learning from a theological point of view that have ever existed there that were truly biblically faithful, you know, like a seminary a Bible College that from the history of Manhattan New York City the five boroughs where.
It perhaps.
It had been known generally to the Christian community at large even nationally as a as a center for higher learning that was theologically reformed biblically accurate.
Scripturally faithful, etc. I'm not aware of. That's an interesting point there and liberals don't start seminaries. They corrupt. And I think we have to be careful also not to give the impression.
That there are no schools that are run and By by truly born-again people and who have a faculty of evangelicals and so on. We're speaking of a specifically reformed school. Not reform school where teenagers who are delinquents and criminals go.
I mean reform reformed school. I know for instance, you know, we have King's College. We have New York School of the Bible. There are other places where there are evangelicals who are truly wonderful people and at times brilliant people, but the schools are not uniformly and specifically reformed.
Yeah. Right and there are even Roman Catholics on the faculty and so. And there's a New York Divinity School that had a different name before that and yeah, and I know President wonderful man, but it's not specifically unilaterally a reformed institution.
Egalitarian as a unilateral. Teaching that must be held by faculty or just that that there are some that are egalitarian or perhaps even women themselves who teach there. Then of course we do have some of our reformed institutions of higher learning that have females in the faculty, but they're not teaching homiletics or something that would be Specifically pastoral in nature.
Yeah, and of course, I guess there's debate over that as well amongst complementarians, but. But we have to go right now to our final break and then you said you had one more thing that you wanted to address regarding New York City's need for a Reformed seminary if anybody wants to join us on the air with a final question, or should I say a question before we?
Run out of time. Our email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris a RN z en a gmail .com and please as always give us your first name. Your city and state and your country residence if you live outside the USA.
And only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal and private matter. Don't go away. We'll be right back with Andy Woodard and a vision for a reformed seminary in New York City right after these messages from our sponsors.
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He wrote the test for the National Board of Trial Advocacy and Currently his firm has over 100 cases that have settled for 1 million dollars or more. And in approximately 10 different states in Illinois.
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Consultations are free. There is no fee unless you win Dan but a few goes number is one eight hundred six six nine four eight seven eight one eight hundred six six nine. Four eight seven eight. Or email me for Dan's contact information at Chris Arnzen at gmail .com.
That's Chris Arnzen at gmail .com.
We meet at the Ascension Lutheran Church facility 33 Bayshore Road in Deer Park, New York. At the haven You'll find God's saturated singing gospel-rich ministry and great commission opportunities. Learn more about us at the haven Li .com and join us this Sunday at 4 30 p .m. 33 Bayshore Road, Deer Park, New York.
Did you know that all believers are priests and first Peter chapter 2 verse 9 the Apostle Peter describes Christ Church as comprising a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for God's own possession.
So that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So if you're a Christian, you're also a priest now. You can find the newest styles in Reformed and Protestant apparel at citizenpriest .com.
Citizenpriest .com specializes in Christian themed t-shirts and clothing, especially for Reformed Christians. Citizenpriest .com's merchandise is purposefully scripture-based and meant for the edification of the Saints and the furtherance of the gospel.
Let everyone know that you stand firm on the doctrines of the Reformed faith by wearing apparel in citizenpriest .com. Visit citizenpriest .com today.
Paul wrote to the church at Galatia for am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Or am I trying to please man. If I were still trying to please man? I would not be a servant of Christ. Hi, I'm Mark Lukens pastor of Providence Baptist Church.
We are Reformed Baptist Church and we hold to the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. We are in Norfolk, Massachusetts. We strive to reflect Paul's mindset to be much more concerned with how God views what we say and what we do Than how men view these things.
That's not the best recipe for popularity. But since that wasn't the Apostles priority, it must not be ours either. We believe by God's grace that we are called to demonstrate love and compassion to our fellow man and to be vessels of Christ's mercy to a lost and hurting community around us and to build up the body of Christ in truth and love if You live near Norfolk, Massachusetts or plan to visit our area.
Please come and join us for worship and fellowship. You can call us at 508 -528 -5750. That's 508 -528 -5750 or go to our website to email us listen to past sermons Worship songs or watch our TV program entitled resting in grace.
You can find us at Providence Baptist Church Ma .org that's Providence Baptist Church ma .org or even on sermon audio .com. Providence Baptist Church is delighted to sponsor iron sharpens iron radio.
Every day at thousands of community centers high schools middle schools juvenile institutions Coffee shops and local hangouts Long Island Youth for Christ staff and volunteers meet with young people who need Jesus.
We are rural and urban and we are always about the message of Jesus. Our mission is to have a noticeable spiritual impact on Long Island, New York by engaging young people in the lifelong journey of following Christ.
Long Island Youth for Christ has been a stalwart bedrock ministry since 1959. We have a world-class staff and a proven track record of bringing consistent love and encouragement To youths in need all over the country and around the world.
Help honor our history by becoming a part of our future Volunteer. Donate pray or all of the above. For details call Long Island Youth for Christ at six three one three eight five eight three three three, that's six three one three eight five eight three three three or visit liyfc .org.
That's liyfc .org.
I would like to recommend the church where one of my preaching students Andy Woodard serves as the pastor. It's called New Covenant Church, NYC. They are a reformed Baptist Church that meets in Midtown, Manhattan.
Again, their information can be found at www .ncc .nyc. Have a great day.
Hello, my name is James Renahan, and I'm the president of IRBS Theological Seminary in Mansfield, Texas. The Word of God says if a man desires the office of an overseer he desires a good thing. Do you have the desire to serve Jesus Christ in pastoral ministry?
20 years ago the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies at Westminster Seminary, California was born. For those two decades these institutions worked together to train men for ministry in Reformed Baptist Churches.
It has been a wonderful partnership. Now we have advanced our school into an independent seminary offering a full program of courses Leading to the Master of Divinity degree. This is IRBS Theological Seminary.
We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired and inerrant Word of God that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh who came to save sinners by his life death and resurrection and That the task of the church is to honor and serve the triune God in all things.
IRBS Theological Seminary is dedicated by God's grace to preparing godly ministers who will be committed to these doctrines. Do you sense a call to serve Jesus Christ in his church as a pastor? Why not consider IRBS Theological Seminary?
You'll find more information at IRBS seminary .org. That's IRBS seminary .org. Two S's in the middle. I hope to hear from you soon. God bless you.
I'm Pastor Billy Linhart of Sovereign Grace Particular Baptist Church of San Angelo, Texas. And I'm thrilled to have joined the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio family of sponsors. We fully subscribe to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith as a faithful summary of the most vital biblical truths.
After Sunday services join us for a fellowship meal followed by our Ladies Fellowship in our Children's Sunday School class. If you're looking for a church in West Texas that's serious about the Word of God and worship that pleases Him Come visit us.
For details about Sovereign Grace Particular Baptist Church of San Angelo, Texas email sgbcsa at gmail .com or visit us at sgbcsa .com. That's s g b c s a dot com.
Thriving Financial is not your typical financial services provider. As a membership organization We help Christians be wise with money and live generously every day. And for the fourth year in a row We were named one of the world's most ethical companies by the ethosphere Institute a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation Advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics.
Contact me Mike Gallagher financial consultant at seven one seven two five four six four three three again Seven one seven two five four six four three three to learn more about the thriving difference.
Lending faith finances and generosity. That's the thriving story Linbrook Baptist Church on 225 Earl Avenue in Linbrook, Long Island is teaching God's timeless truths in the 21st century.
Our church is far more than a Sunday worship service.
It's a place of learning where the scriptures are studied and the preaching of the gospel is clear and relevant.
It's like a gym where one can exercise their faith through community involvement.
It's like a hospital for wounded souls where one can find compassionate people in healing. We're a diverse family of all ages enthusiastically serving our lord. Jesus christ in fellowship. Play and together.
Hi, i'm pastor bob waldeman. And I invite you to come and join us here at linbrook baptist church and see all that a church can be call.
Linbrook baptist at five one six five nine nine nine four zero two. That's five one six five nine nine nine four zero two or visit linbrookbaptist .org. That's linbrookbaptist .org. Have you been blessed by iron sharpens iron radio?
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Listening to christian radio can be a big gamble spiritually. Even many of the major christian networks that include excellent biblically faithful teachers on their lineup Sadly often also include the worst of doctrinally dangerous heretics.
If you are a lover of the doctrines of sovereign grace, you need not fear listening 24 hours a day to firstloveradio .org. They feature christ-centered programming from reformed pastors and teachers.
You can rely upon for theological soundness and biblical faithfulness such as dr. W. R. Downing. Dr Peter masters pastor joe jackowitz pastor robert gifford al martin edward delcour and more. Firstloveradio .org.
Also live streams my iron sharpens iron radio program daily. Please stick around on firstloveradio .org. After iron sharpens iron radio is over to continue being blessed by the unwavering proclamation of the gospel of sovereign grace.
Spread the word about firstloveradio .org. And I strongly recommend again, uh pastor joe jackowitz what a Phenomenal preacher he is if you haven't stayed tuned after iron sharpens iron radio is over. He is typically Uh the person that you will hear preaching immediately after this show.
He is not only the founder and president of first love radio and first love publications and first love missions. But he's also the pastor of christ bible church in dublin, california. And I just highly recommend him excellent preacher.
And by the way, I have the excellent news That I just recently heard from my dear friends at hope reform baptist church of quorum long island new york my friend A pastor rich jensen who i've known for many years also my new friend his co-pastor christopher mcdowell uh, and some folks on the board there like anthony euvenio of new york apologetics.
And uh, my friend jerry smith. Uh, well, they let me know that they have decided to be new Financial supporters of iron sharpens iron radio. And you'll be hearing ads about that church shortly. And I just thank god for them coming to the rescue during our need financially our urgent need and their website.
Uh, so you could jot that down if you live in the quorum long island new york area or if you're visiting there. Or if you have family friends and loved ones in that area hope reformed li .net. It's hope reformed li for long island dot net and that's hope reformed baptist church of quorum long island new york.
Well, we are now back with andy woodard the pastor of new covenant church nyc. And we are discussing the need for a reform seminary in manhattan. And if you could Uh pastor andy conclude with your final point on this of how why uh, we need such an institution in new york city.
Um, yeah, um, so you've got your mind your affections and then the outward action. Um, obviously the mind involves the core testament history apologetics. Um things of that nature, but then there's have a backbone.
Uh, I think that was mentioned at the conference with that courage struggling sheep both having the courage and right now. Um, there's a lot of you shall not say anything bad about anything bad.
And.
We need to train past and that problem a lot. So that's why they avoid getting straight. Well, if anybody wants to help.
Pastor andy see this dream could become Realized. Go to ncc .nyc. That's the website for new covenant church nyc Ncc .nyc. We're out of time now. I want to thank you pastor andy for being our guest today.
I want to thank you and your church for this faithful financial support that you have provided for a number of months now. Uh, I want you all to have a blessed safe and happy weekend, especially A wonderful glorious god honoring lord's day this sunday, but I want you all to always remember for the rest of your lives That jesus christ is a far greater savior than you are a sinner.