Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Equipping preachers, pastors, & churchmen for Christ's Kingdom

2020 Spring Theology Conference Video and Audio Recordings Now Available Online

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All video and audio recordings of the messages delivered at our 2020 Spring Theology Conference (The Church: Mother of God’s Children) are now available on YouTube and SermonAudio.

Tune in to hear and learn from C.N. Willborn (GPTS, Covenant Presbyterian Church), Joseph A. Pipa Jr. (GPTS), Breno E Roberta Macedo (GPTS, Messiah’s Independent Reformed Church), Ian Hamilton (GPTS, Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Banner of Truth, EPCEW), Peter Van Doodewaard (Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church), Guy Prentiss Waters (Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson), A. Craig Troxel (Westminster Seminary California), and L. Anthony Curto (GPTS, OPC Foreign Missions).

GPTS Prayer Points 8(1) – March 2019

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Curt Straeter delivers his Senior Sermon in chapel during the Fall semester in this still from the Seminary’s new promotional video, due to release later this Spring.

Our second PrayerPoints dispatch of 2019 is now available in printable-PDF format here.

This document is designed to be a resource to our friends around the world. We compose it with church prayer meetings in mind.

In this second edition of 2019, we are requesting prayer for the following:

  • Our “Amazing Grace” Spring Theology Conference speakers, Dr. Ian Hamilton, Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., Dr. Ryan McGraw, Dr. L. Anthony Curto, Dr. Jonathan Master (Cairn University), Pastor Daniel Hyde (Oceanside URCNA), Pastor Phil Proctor (Sterling Orthodox Presbyterian Church), and Pastor Jeff Kingswood (Grace ARP).
  • Our Seminary faculty, staff, and students, who are laboring diligently in preparation for next week’s conference.
  • Our guests to the conference as they travel to the Upstate and join us for a week of preaching, teaching, fellowship, and singing.
  • Our Admissions Team (and especially Mr. Jonathan Bartlett) as we host 10 prospective students for GPTS EXPLORE next Monday and Tuesday, leading into the Conference.
  • Our Advancement Team as we host our 2019 Spring Scholarship Banquet on March 14, benefiting our International Student Scholarship Fund (which is 40% funded so far this fiscal year).
  • Faculty Spotlight on Dr. C.N. “Nick” Willborn, who teaches Church History and pastors Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN.
  • Recent graduates and current seniors who have received calls to congregations around the country: Mr. Stephen Richman, Mr. Stephen Spinnenweber, Mr. Bennie Castle, and Mr. Rick Appleton. Pray especially for Mr. Spinnenweber, Mr. Castle, and Mr. Appleton as they continue to work through their respective presbyteries exams.

Thank you for praying for our faculty, staff, and students.

GPTS PrayerPoints 6(2) – December 2018

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Please visit www.gpts.edu/PrayerPoints/December2018B.pdf for the second of this month’s biweekly “GPTS Prayer Points.” This document is designed to be a resource to our friends around the world. We compose it with church prayer meetings in mind.

In this last edition of 2018, we are requesting prayer for the following:

  • Our students’ extracurricular ministry activities during the winter break, and specifically Greenville-area church internships and evangelism opportunities
  • Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., President and Professor of Systematic & Homiletical Theology
  • Rollout of new website, now available at gpts.edu
  • Spring Theology Conference (March 12-14) Preparations, including for the Spring Scholarship Banquet and GPTS Explore
  • Year-End “Our Enduring Reformation 2018” fundraising campaign, which is now just over 60% funded toward our goal of $300,000.

Thank you for praying for our faculty, staff, and students.

2018 Spring Theology Conference in Review

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“This is an assertion of glory,” Dr. Pipa declared as he preached on Christ as King during the Wednesday evening session of this year’s Spring Theology Conference. “Because Jesus Christ eternally rules over us and all things in majesty, power, and victory, we then are to serve Him in holiness according to His Word,” he continued as he proposed the main idea of his selected text, Psalm 93.

Through the course of ten main sessions, two panel discussions, one pre-conference lecture, and a multitude of small gatherings and individual interactions, the glories of Christ were extolled, and His Name was exalted among over 370 conference attendees. Preachers and teachers from a selection of faithful churches and premier seminaries expounded upon various aspects of Christ’s Person and Work.

Dr. G.K. Beale and Dr. Jonathan Gibson of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania presented the full humanity of Christ in His Incarnation and Humiliation. Dr. Joel Beeke and Dr. Michael Barrett of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan showed forth the perfection of Christ in His Deity and Beauty. Dr. Richard D. Phillips of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina touted the impeccability and obedience of Christ as the spotless Lamb of God.

Dr. Ian Hamilton, Greenville Seminary Trustee and pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of England and Wales preached two sermons, one on Christ as Prophet, and another on His Resurrection. Pastor Ryan Speck (MDiv ’05) of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Columbia, Missouri proved the significance of Christ’s Ascension and Session to sit at the right hand of God the Father in Glory. Joseph Pipa and Ryan McGraw preached on Christ as King, and on His promised return, respectively.

During one panel discussion, a question was raised as to the necessity and benefit of seminary experience for young men aspiring to pulpit ministry. Nearly ever participant of the seven-member panel provided an answer to the question! Dr. Benjamin Shaw (Hebrew & Old Testament, Greenville Seminary) pointed out, “Your time in seminary is part of forming you for ministry – it’s part of who you are.” The other members of the panel echoed the sentiment, which exemplifies our emphasis on cultivating experimental piety – that is, truth applied to all of life – as part of the ministerial formation of our students.

Faculty, students, and staff were deeply encouraged to see so many alumni returning to the South Carolina Upstate to be a part of the conference this year. During the annual Alumni Association meeting, Association President Jim Stevenson (MDiv ’12), who pastors Providence Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, exhorted his fellow alumni to refer aspiring ministers to Greenville Seminary, saying, “Send people here because the church needs biblical and faithful pastors and preachers.” During the three-day midweek conference, the experience that produces such ministers was made available to hundreds of guests from around the world.

In addition to guests from across the United States and Canada, the Seminary community welcomed visitors from John Wycliffe Theological College in Randburg, South Africa, which serves as an extension campus for the Seminary. There were also attendees from South Korea and Great Britain (in addition to Dr. Hamilton), not to mention the foreign students enrolled at the Seminary this semester. The Admissions Department was pleased to host a group of prospective students for the GPTS Explore Open-House during the week, as well. Fifteen organizations took part in the conference as vendors and exhibitors: the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, the Biblical Worldview Student Conference, Erskine College, Frontline Ministries, the Geneva Institute of Christian Thought, Ligonier Ministries (Reformation Bible College), Lutheran Hospice, Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship, Providence Christian College, The Rafiki Foundation, SermonAudio, Wrath & Grace, Mission to Italy, Banner of Truth, and Reformation Heritage Books.

By the final message on Thursday, the gathering received gladly from Dr. McGraw a word of encouragement relating to Christ’s Return: “We have a great hope to impel us forward.” As we fix our eyes on Christ, and meditate upon His goodness toward us, the God-given sense of that hope is intensified. If you would like to purchase audio or video recordings of any (or all) of the messages, please contact Mr. Andy Wortman at awortman@gpts.edu for ordering information.

2018 Spring Theology Conference Registration is Open!

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Early-bird registration for our 2018 Spring Theology Conference is open! Visit www.gpts.edu/conference for more details about the conference and how you can register. Be sure to register before February 3rd, the end of our early-bird registration period! Here is our Conference “blurb” for your review:

In the Institutes, Calvin emphasized the necessity of union with Christ for salvation. Christ alone is the ground of our salvation.

“First we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us. Therefore, to share with us what he has received from the Father, he had to become ours and to dwell within us.”

Therefore it is Greenville Seminary’s pleasure to focus the subject of our 2018 conference on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our aim is to shape the discussion in a practical way that will benefit all who attend. We hope you will join us on March 13-15 in Simpsonville, SC.

For more information, please contact us. Contact Us