The Hillsdale County Log College
Course Handbook for 2010

Introduction

In the early 1700s, William Tennent Sr. started a log college for training ministers in a 20-foot by 20-foot building near Neshaminy, Pennsylvania.  By the time George Whitefield toured America, the college had produced about seven graduates, who were serving the Lord in a mighty way.  One graduate, Tennent’s own son Gilbert, provided great impetus to the Great Awakening, and later toured with Whitefield.  Eventually, the colonial Presbyterians had about one hundred of these “log colleges” scattered across the eastern seaboard, training ministers of the word for the next generation.

It is our hope to do the same thing right here in Hillsdale County.  Rather than sending men elsewhere to receive their Bible knowledge and ministerial training, we hope to train a new generation of ministers of the word right here, in the context of a network of local churches, enabling these men to remain active in ministry and to be mentored by active pastors and elders.  This is an old tradition extending back to the apostle Paul, who taught daily for two years in the Ephesian school of Tyrannus, with the result that “all Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:9-10).  Later, Paul passed this same vision onto Timothy and Titus, as outlined in the Pastoral Epistles.

The Vision of the Pastoral Epistles

Near the end of his life, in his second letter to Timothy, Paul outlined what would be necessary under God to sustain a faithful ministry of the word long-term:

1.    A foundation of “all Scripture” (2 Timothy 3:16).

This is the content of “the word” in the command “preach the word,” as well as the means for being adequate for whatever the ministry may entail (4:2; 3:17).

2.   A knowledge of the sovereign-historical Gospel (2 Timothy 1:9-11).

To endure according to God’s power, Timothy needed a firm grasp on God’s sovereignty in salvation as well as the progression of God’s saving work in history.  (Interestingly, in systematic theology, dispensationalism and Reformed theology are usually opposed to one another.)  This theological component is the most important component, for without the knowledge of God, there is no possibility of true worship, nor of true spiritual growth in grace (2 Peter 1:2-3).

3.    A warm heart of personal piety (2 Timothy 1:13).

In order for Timothy to guard the deposit of the Gospel (1:14), which Paul was confident would be kept safe by God until the Day of Christ (1:12), Timothy needed the “faith and love” which are in Christ (1:13).  A minister should never stop feeding his own soul (1 Timothy 4:6).

4.    A personal mentor (2 Timothy 3:10-15).

Paul’s example, known well to Timothy (3:10-11) encouraged Timothy to “continue” in the Gospel.

5.   A philosophy of ministry (1 Timothy; Titus).

While the letter of 2 Timothy focuses on the minister, the other letters focus on the ministry.

By adhering to these five means of grace, Timothy would be strong enough to transmit the faith to “faithful men” who, in turn, would be able to “teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2).  In training Timothy, Paul had his eye on three generations–Timothy, the “faithful men,” and the “others also.”  We too hope to maintain the longevity of a faithful ministry of the word in Hillsdale County for many generations to come.

Prerequisites

The participant must exhibit a strong fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom and the basis for a teachable spirit.  In addition, he must possess a familiarity with the word of God, having not only read the Bible through at least once, but also having completed a thorough survey of the entire Bible.  Though the original languages are not a prerequisite, the participant is strongly encouraged to obtain a reading ability in both Hebrew and Greek at some point.

Goals

Based on the vision laid out in the Pastoral Epistles, the Log College aims at the following goals.  By God’s grace, a student who has been trained in this course will be able to:

1.    Exegete a passage of Scripture from any genre, and then give an expository message.

It is not enough to give a commentary; the minister of the word should have a message from God for the congregation derived from the word of God.

2.    Give a succinct statement of his own Gospel, usually in the form of a doctrinal statement.

3.    Continue a lifelong habit of nourishing his own soul through a healthy diet of God’s word and good books, as well as through regular devotions consisting of prayer and song.

4.    Replicate this model of training, networking with other ministers and mentoring new trainees for church leadership.

5.    Develop his own philosophy of ministry, being able to interact with the larger issues of his own day.

The ultimate goal is not a diploma, but ordination.  Because the local church supervises ordination, the specific requirements will vary from place to place; however, the bare minimum will involve a desire to serve as pastor, elder, or preacher; a character beyond reproach; the ability to manage a household and to teach under fire; as well as an orthodox doctrinal statement and a sound philosophy of ministry.

Objectives

To achieve the broad goals stated above, the Log College will utilize a hidden curriculum and an open curriculum.

Hidden Curriculum – The Form of the Training

A hidden curriculum trains a person through how something is taught, in contrast to an open curriculum that trains through what is being taught.  The following ideals express our ambitions for a hidden curriculum:

1.    A mentor will model effective ministry and interact often with the trainee.

2.    The God-seeker group will encourage habits of networking and seeking counsel.

3.    Meeting for prayer will demonstrate that the goal of learning theology is a personal knowledge of God.

4.    The reading assignments will seek to instill good habits through the following ideals:

(1)        Study the Bible and read healthy books concurrently.
(2)        Read one book at a time, and study one book of the Bible at a time.
(3)        Alternate reading: old and new, devotional and technical.
(4)        Slowly read through large works of theology and biography (cf. advice from John Piper).
(5)        Read one book per week.
(6)        Regularly read at least one sermon or important tract per week.
(7)        Write thoughts as you read (pick posies) and journal at the end (press the posies in an essay).
(8)        Emphasize primary source reading–get the facts directly from the source.
(9)        Pray regularly and learn hymns by heart.
(10)      Become familiar with and use the historic confessions of faith.

Open Curriculum – The Content of the Training

The course consists of three terms–eight months in all–of scheduled reading, followed by group discussion and prayer in a God-seeker group (cf. Psalm 119:2; see the reading schedule below).  The final term focuses on the rest of the Psalms, Christian biography in China, and anything the mentor may assign during internship.Schedule

Weekly Schedule

The God-seeker group will meet for four-and-a-half hours on Monday afternoons, from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m.  The first two hours will allow time for each participant to share key insights from his journal, after which the group will devote at least one hour to prayer, praising God and seeking Him for the future.  Then, after a coffee break, the group will examine a portion of Scripture together, followed by an introduction to the next week’s reading.  To provide the most benefit for all, each participant must come to the group fully prepared, having read the assigned readings, and having written in a journal whatever insights (“posies”) the Lord graciously granted, about matters both doctrinal and personal.  From time to time, the mentor will check if participants are making adequate headway on the doctrinal statement and on reading in Charnock.  (The doctrine of God should be formulated by the end of the spring term.)

In addition to the reading assignments, participants are expected to walk with God daily, taking time for devotions and seeking His will for ministry opportunities.  Each week, progress should be made on the doctrinal statement.

Participants should expect to commit thirty hours per week to this training, consisting of:

4½ hours – the God-seeker group
1½ hours – meeting one-on-one with a home-church mentor
18 hours – reading (three hours per day for six days)
6 hours – active ministry

Since thirty hours per week is a hefty commitment, it is expected that participants will adjust their work schedule to make this training a priority, either through financial sponsorship, scholarship, savings, or a direct leading of the Lord to trust Him for unforeseen provision.  Note: Meditative reading requires an alert mind and a calm heart; therefore, cramming is strongly discouraged.  It would be better for a participant to wait a year instead of committing himself half-heartedly to a pursuit of God in this group.  This year will make demands, but by God’s grace the labor will be well-worth the investment.

Yearly Schedule

The year is broken up into four terms: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.  The first three terms consist of five weeks of discussion, followed by a week off.  The God-seeker groups begin the first week of the year and end the week before Labor Day weekend.  In all there are thirty group sessions, spanning a total of thirty-five weeks.  The last term is spent in a local church different from the home church, being mentored by a minister of the word skilled in a particular area of interest, such as counseling or music, and in developing a philosophy of ministry.  The final three weeks are for debriefing and for final preparation for ordination under the advise of the home-church mentor.

Cost

The organizing committee thought it best to charge a nominal fee for this course, thereby increasing the personal investment in the course as well as remunerating the instructors and mentors (cf. Galatians 6:6).  The exact fee is to be determined by the host church, or waived if thought best for the participant involved.

Location

Discussion groups will meet at Open Door Bible Church in Hudson, Michigan.

Sponsoring Churches

Countryside Bible Church, Jonesville, Michigan – contact Pastor Rob Stewart (517-610-9708)
Open Door Bible Church, Hudson, Michigan – contact Pastor Bob Snyder (517-448-7329)

Log College Network – Book List    2010 Reading Schedule

Winter Term – Romans
Spring Term – Matthew
Summer Term – Messianic Psalms

Total: 35 weeks (five books cover two weeks)

Fall Term – Internship

Main Texts (Winter-Spring-Summer)

Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (2 vols.)
The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, and The New Hampshire Confession of Faith

Winter Reading – The Letter to the Romans

1.  John Piper, The Supremacy of God in Preaching; C. S. Lewis, “An Experiment in Criticism” (article)
2.  C. J. Mahaney, Humility, and The Cross-Centered Life; Alexander Strauch, Leading with Love
3.  A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
4.  Athanasius, On the Incarnation of the Word (introduction by C. S. Lewis)
5.  C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (two weeks)
6.  Timothy George, The Theology of the Reformers
7.  Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will
8.  Francis Schaeffer, Escape from Reason, “The Secret of Power and the Enjoyment of the Lord” (article), and “No Little People, No Little Places” (sermon)
9.  John Owen, Pneumatologia: The Reason of Faith; J. I. Packer, “John Owen on Communication from God,” in A Quest for Godliness
10.  John Owen, Pneumatologia: The Causes, Ways, and Means of Understanding the Mind of God, and The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer; D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation (two weeks)

Spring Reading – The Gospel of Matthew

1.  R. A. Torrey, How to Pray
2.  John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus
3.  G. Campbell Morgan, The Crises of the Christ, and “The Authority of Christ” (sermon)
4.  J. Gresham Machen, Christianity & Liberalism
5.  A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve (two weeks)
6.  Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man; George Whitefield, “A Letter to the Rev. Mr. John Wesley in “Answer to His Sermon Entitled ‘Free Grace’” (booklet) and “The Method of Grace” (sermon)
7.  Jonathan Edwards, “God Glorified in Man’s Dependence,” A Faithful Narrative, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” “A Divine and Supernatural Light,” and Charity and Its Fruit (selections)
8.  John Piper, The Pleasures of God
9.  Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ; Ed Welch, When People Are Big and God Is Small
10.  J. C. Ryle, Holiness; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Prayerbook of the Bible (two weeks)

Summer Reading – The Messianic Psalms

1.  Eugene Peterson, Engaging with God (selections); C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
2.  Jay Adams, The Theology of Christian Counseling
3.  Derek Kidner, Love to the Loveless: The Message of Hosea (emphasis on marriage)
4.  J. I. Packer, The Quest for Godliness (selections), and Knowing God (selections)
5.  Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices (two weeks)
6.  John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress, and “The Heavenly Footman” (sermon)
7.  Richard Baxter, Reformed Pastor (chapters one and two); William Still, The Work of the Pastor
8.  Iain H. Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon; C. H. Spurgeon, “Baptismal Regeneration” (sermon)
9.  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures
10.  Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church; Alexander Strauch, “Biblical Eldership” (booklet)

Fall Reading – Internship

C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David (with morning devotions)
Paul Hattaway, Back to Jerusalem (introduction to China)
Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor in the Early Years & Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission

Soli Deo Gloria