The Importance of Biblical Theology for the Church

Recorded before a live audience at Cahaba Park Church during Discovering Christ in All of Scripture, a Reformed Forum seminar hosted in conjunction with Birmingham Theological Seminary, Camden Bucey moderates a panel with Dan Ragusa, Derrick Brite, and Lane G. Tipton on the importance of biblical theology for the life of the church. The panel defines biblical theology in the tradition of Geerhardus Vos, explains its organic and progressive character, and shows how the whole history of special revelation reaches its center and goal in Jesus Christ.The conversation turns to preaching, discipleship, the unity of the covenant of grace, Christ-centered interpretation, practical resources for reading the Old Testament, and the need for churches to recover the accomplishment of redemption as the great context for every biblical passage. In the audience Q&A, the panel also addresses ministry in small and struggling churches, church revitalization, and the pilgrim ethic needed for faithful pastoral service.LinksEpisode pageBirmingham Theological SeminaryReformed AcademyChapters00:00 Introduction and panel03:55 Why biblical theology matters09:28 Defining biblical theology15:39 Derrick Brite’s formation and pastoral ministry22:20 Dan Ragusa and the Dutch Reformed tradition26:09 Biblical theology in a diverse congregation30:09 Avoiding moralism and subjectivism31:27 Hermeneutical foundations35:56 The trans-testamental gospel40:24 Christianity, liberalism, and supernatural history43:54 God’s redemptive words and deeds48:37 Christ, the one mediator51:11 One gospel for Abraham and the church52:56 Audience questions53:23 Lane Tipton’s conversion and call to ministry58:40 Teaching people to see Christ in the Old Testament63:25 The exodus at the Transfiguration67:16 Reading passages within the history of salvation73:56 Christocentrism and Christotelism77:11 Biblical theology and small-church ministry82:58 The pastoral shortage and a pilgrim ethic88:10 Conclusion