The OOC

This is a deeply disturbing story. What does everyone think?

http://keenspot.blogspot.com/2006/03/afghan-convert-may-be-unfit-for-trial.html

In case you missed it, Covenant Seminary is offering beaucoup des courses online, free of charge. That’s right, high-quality seminary-course material, free for the download. I’m currently listening to the legendary Dr. David Calhoun teach Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, a real treat. So far, it’s the only class that the site provides with a podcast feed. However, Nate reminded me how easy it is to create one’s own feed, so I went ahead and did so for another fab course taught by a fab prof, Jerram Barrs’s Apologetics and Outreach. Here’s the feed:

• http://oldorchardchurch.org/podcasts/podcast-cts-apologeticsoutreach.xml

The sound quality for that one won’t be as good as the Institutes class, because the Sem is still in the process of remastering the digital files. Here’s a note from Ann Copeland, the Seminary’s web master:

We will be podcasting all the courseware, but currently do not have the other courses’ audio produced with a sample rate that plays well on a non-iPod MP3 player. Until AV Services can re-sample all the other courses, I don’t want to advertise a feed for files that sound like somebody talking underwater when you play them on some MP3 players. All the files should be OK to play on a computer, though.

Be aware of that issue if you choose to post a feed to any other course than Calvin’s Institutes at this time. I will be posting feeds as the re-sampled audio becomes available.

I know I can’t wait, so I may try to make a few more feeds in the meantime.

This is truly an outstanding development for the church worldwide, as people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to access the fine teaching at Covenant can now do so. While it may not have the same impact as the Gutenberg Bible, it certainly is a gesture in the same direction, and Covenant should be lauded for the efforts.

 Sunday worship service: Moment for Missions

Hans Beyer, Associate Professor of New Testament, Covenant Seminary, previews his and Ken Harris’s trip March 27 – April 1, to Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary and University of Latvia in Riga, Latvia, teaching on “The Letters of Paul.”

Sunday sermon (Matthew 5:1-3)

(Sermon Series on Matthew) The Beatitudes:  Becoming Subversives for the Sake of the Kingdom. Financial bankruptcy is a shame and dishonor in our society, but when we admit that we are spiritually bankrupt, we begin to understand who we are and who God is.
Ron Lutjens, senior pastor, preaching.

Sunday sermon (Matthew 4:18-22)

(Sermon Series on Matthew) The Calling of the First Disciples. Not every Christian is called to be a missionary, but being a believer means sharing Jesus’s priority to reach out to people in need of him. It almost always comes at a cost — it did for the first disciples. What will you need to give up in order to follow Jesus?
Ron Lutjens, senior pastor, preaching.

Sunday sermon (Matthew 5:1-12)

(Sermon Series on Matthew) The Beatitudes. What is Jesus teaching his followers and what is he expecting of them? Pastor Tucker looks at who we are to be on the inside as well as the outside as he discusses Jesus’s Beatitudes.
Mark Tucker, associate pastor, preaching.