Thoughts on the Up-Coming Free Grace Alliance Conference
Hi Folks,
October 4 - 6 the Free Grace Alliance will be having their annual conference. I just overlooked their tentative schedule. It promises to be "the best conference in Free Grace history" says the FGA president, Fred Chay. That is an impressive prognostication! Certainly this conference will have much to contend with given the many years that the Grace Evangelical Society has enjoyed them.
I must say there is much to look forward to. I do hope they will be recording the plenaries and workshops as I wish to procure the mp3s.
Jody Dillow spoke at the 2009 Grace Evangelical Society's Annual Conference. At it he hinted concerning major revisions to his ground-breaking work, "The Reign of the Servant Kings". In response to what Dillow calls "Neo-Legalism," Jody continues to re-examine key Sermon on the Mount texts, paralleling the thought of the millennial-exclusionists of yesteryear (yet not fully adopting their interpretations), and providing ample fodder for thought. I did enjoy his plenary address, and it seems as though he is continuing on this vein with his discourses entitled, "Entering the Kingdom is Based Upon Works," and "Entering by the Narrow Door - Matt. 7". Surely he will raise a thunderstorm of controversy with the Duluthian Antagonists, whose key publication has recently released an article entitled, "Unraveling a Confusing Verse: 'Another Look at "Inheriting the Kingdom of God"'" 1.
It seems to me that the Free Grace Alliance is willing to fellowship with all types of Free Grace Theology except as biblically expounded by the late Zane Hodges and the present-day Grace Evangelical Society. Or possibly after the conference, the FGA will make disclaimers against the theology of those who believe that works play a real and substantial role in the Christians' accountability at the Bema and their subsequent position (or presence) in the coming Millenial and Eternal Kingdoms due to pressure from dissidents. We will see.
From the cursory view I took of the proposed schedule, three presentations stuck out to me:
1) Dr. Fred Chay, “FGA: Who We Are, Where We Are & Where We Are Going”
2) Sam Sacco, “Essentials of the Free Grace Message”
3) Jeremy Vance, “Getting the Offer Right: The Gospel Offer Defined”
I cannot wait to dialogue and comment on these three discourses, oh, and as well as those by Jody Dillow.
Controversy will not cease in the Free Grace community so long as there are vocal dissidents who make papal-like condemnations on their brethren. This is a time for Free Grace Theology proponents to unite, to exhort and edify, and to convince with superior biblical arguments in humility, grace, and love.
I pray for a blessed conference for those attending, and I hope that Free Grace Theology as a whole is benefitted.
Oh, by the way, in the upcoming weeks I will be providing verbose, yet slightly edited, text versions of my two workshops at the 2009 GES Conference. I hope to stimulate comment and cogitation by incrementally posting these helpful and thought-provoking dialogues in their full.
Free Grace Alliance, I wish you the best for your conference, and I pray that Christ is exalted and His grace admired and proclaimed. I look forward to reviewing the messages that come from it.
xaris soi kai eirene,
Antonio da Rosa
1. Dennis Rokser, The Grace Family Journal, Winter 2009
October 4 - 6 the Free Grace Alliance will be having their annual conference. I just overlooked their tentative schedule. It promises to be "the best conference in Free Grace history" says the FGA president, Fred Chay. That is an impressive prognostication! Certainly this conference will have much to contend with given the many years that the Grace Evangelical Society has enjoyed them.
I must say there is much to look forward to. I do hope they will be recording the plenaries and workshops as I wish to procure the mp3s.
Jody Dillow spoke at the 2009 Grace Evangelical Society's Annual Conference. At it he hinted concerning major revisions to his ground-breaking work, "The Reign of the Servant Kings". In response to what Dillow calls "Neo-Legalism," Jody continues to re-examine key Sermon on the Mount texts, paralleling the thought of the millennial-exclusionists of yesteryear (yet not fully adopting their interpretations), and providing ample fodder for thought. I did enjoy his plenary address, and it seems as though he is continuing on this vein with his discourses entitled, "Entering the Kingdom is Based Upon Works," and "Entering by the Narrow Door - Matt. 7". Surely he will raise a thunderstorm of controversy with the Duluthian Antagonists, whose key publication has recently released an article entitled, "Unraveling a Confusing Verse: 'Another Look at "Inheriting the Kingdom of God"'" 1.
It seems to me that the Free Grace Alliance is willing to fellowship with all types of Free Grace Theology except as biblically expounded by the late Zane Hodges and the present-day Grace Evangelical Society. Or possibly after the conference, the FGA will make disclaimers against the theology of those who believe that works play a real and substantial role in the Christians' accountability at the Bema and their subsequent position (or presence) in the coming Millenial and Eternal Kingdoms due to pressure from dissidents. We will see.
From the cursory view I took of the proposed schedule, three presentations stuck out to me:
1) Dr. Fred Chay, “FGA: Who We Are, Where We Are & Where We Are Going”
2) Sam Sacco, “Essentials of the Free Grace Message”
3) Jeremy Vance, “Getting the Offer Right: The Gospel Offer Defined”
I cannot wait to dialogue and comment on these three discourses, oh, and as well as those by Jody Dillow.
Controversy will not cease in the Free Grace community so long as there are vocal dissidents who make papal-like condemnations on their brethren. This is a time for Free Grace Theology proponents to unite, to exhort and edify, and to convince with superior biblical arguments in humility, grace, and love.
I pray for a blessed conference for those attending, and I hope that Free Grace Theology as a whole is benefitted.
Oh, by the way, in the upcoming weeks I will be providing verbose, yet slightly edited, text versions of my two workshops at the 2009 GES Conference. I hope to stimulate comment and cogitation by incrementally posting these helpful and thought-provoking dialogues in their full.
Free Grace Alliance, I wish you the best for your conference, and I pray that Christ is exalted and His grace admired and proclaimed. I look forward to reviewing the messages that come from it.
xaris soi kai eirene,
Antonio da Rosa
1. Dennis Rokser, The Grace Family Journal, Winter 2009
posted by Antonio at 7:35 PM
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