A Tour of Theologies
The Tour of Theologies initiative is a ten month program designed for those who desire to become apprised and conversant biblically and theologically, The syllabus covers ten major areas of theology that perennially occupy the church. Compiled especially for those whose life situations preclude them from pursuing expensive and time consuming degrees, these studies look to allow disciples to become aware and theologically articulate as they ply their ministries.
There will be no burdensome writing assignments. There will, however, be required selective readings for each month. Those who complete the course will receive an acknowledging certificate from OFN. A firm commitment of at least nine of the ten months participation is required.
Limited to ten participants, the course involves two live ZOOMS per month. The ZOOMS will involve instruction and dialogue. Each participant will be able to have at least one hour of personal time with Jack Groblewski which will be theologically focused. The timing of the ZOOMS will be dependent upon the composition of participants. The course will run from February to December with a break through the month of July.
Pastors Jack (“Grubby”) and Trish (“Mama G”) Groblewski
Jack and Trish Groblewski founded New Covenant Christian Community Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1982, and faithfully pastored for 40 years. In 2022, they transitioned the leadership to the next generation but continue to serve at NC4 with the same love and commitment. Jack holds a Bachelor’s Degree from King’s College and a Masters of Theology from Moravian Theological Seminary. Jack, a gifted Bible teacher, also serves on the Executive Leadership Team of the OneFocus Network of Churches. Trish leads NC4’s prophetic ministry and offers counsel to many. Married 54 years, they travel, ministering prophetically, equipping leaders, and encouraging churches and families worldwide. They are the proud parents of four children, grandparents of eleven, and reside in Center Valley, Pennsylvania.
There will be an introductory ZOOM in which there will be Q&A. The ZOOM will be available on Sunday, January 4 at 3PM EST.
Month 1:
The Road to Nicaea: The path from the death of John to The Creed
The first four centuries - The identification of the trinity. The clarification of Incarnation. Governance and the path from presbyter to priest; from synagogue to temple. What is the temple? Where is the temple? Who is the temple? The formation and closing of the Canon of Scripture, the TANACH and the NT. Jerome vs. Augustine.
Month 2:
The Three Phases of The Presence of God and His Attendant Glory
Moses on the Mountain / Jesus on the Mount - Identification of Presence vs. Glory. Exodus 33. The definition of glory. The omnipresence of God and creativity. The sacramental presence of God: sanctification, spiritual growth, authority. The manifest presence of God: experience and power. The role of the Trinity in each phase. Identifying each in church spiritual life and management of church.
Month 3:
Ecclesiology: The Holy Spirit and the Church
The Creation and the Birth of the Church: John 20 and Acts 2 differentiation and consequential understanding. The role of the Holy Spirit in the Church: pneumatology begets ecclesiology. The theology of sacramentality and liturgy vs “free” worship. Is rite right and free really free? The various modes of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Month 4:
The Church and the Kingdom: How are they different/the same? How are they inseparable?
Is the church in the kingdom or is the kingdom in the church. Matthew 16 and 18, Jesus institutes the Church/church. The church: the requisite authoritative individual believer; the necessity of universality. The church: the requisite authoritative community; the necessity of identifiable local church.
Month 5:
Soteriology: How does the Cross of Christ save us?
The current evangelical soteriology gap: Is John Piper just piping and/or Is N.T. Wright right? What do they say and why does it matter? Romans and Galatians and the Apostle Paul? Is sanctification an experience (Wesley) or a process (Augustine/Aquinas). Does a covenant community have a biblical role in our salvation? Are we mostly saved from hell or mostly saved for the new creation? Penal substitution in the West and in the East.
Month 6:
Evil, Hell, and the Fall of Humankind
The problem of the existence of evil. The origin of evil. The roll of God and the roll of humankind in the existence and destiny of evil and its cohorts. The destiny of hell, demons and the devil. Jesus vs. “Things that go bump in the Light.” The role of angels. The church vs. principalities, powers, thrones and dominions.
Month 7:
The Theology of Man (Humankind)
Are we tri-plex beings indivisible body, soul and spirit?Or are we binary beings merely consisting of soul and spirit. What is flesh vs what is body? What is a soul and what is a spirit? What is a heart? What is a mind? How do biblical categories of our being interact with modern psychological categories of human diagnoses. What is the jeopardy of the biblical theology of man being displaced by modern psychological and sociological categories especially as it relate to pastoral ministry.
Month 8:
Resurrection, Ascension, and all Those Things to Come
The importance of the Ascension to the early church and the modern churches ignorance of the doctrine of ascension. Bodily resurrection and its essentiality for the new heaven and the new earth. Exegeting apocalyptic literature. Is Ezekiel in the temple or is the temple in Ezekiel? The meaning of the millennium. The Parousia the rapture and the Coming. The nature of final judgement.
Month 9:
The doctrine of the Word
Why a word anyway? How is Jesus the Word and the word is the Word Inspiration/ Revelation/ Inerrancy. Unconscious neo-Orthodoxy in the church. How is the bible authoritative? When do we have a version of the bible and when do we really have a mere version of the truth...not the same? How can anyone do original language study responsibly?
Month 10:
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
NT gifts: charisma/dorea/doma. Designer People: the five-fold ministry/ministries and the church/the distribution. What is an apostle? Who is an apostle? And what is the nature of the apostolic. “Do not forbid prophesying.” Why has the prophetic been controversial? Who is prophetic and who is a prophet? Prophetiquette in the local church. The never ending leveraging of word and spirit in charismatic worship.