An Interview with Vern Poythress By Marco Gonzalez

Dr. Vern Poythress teaches New Testament studies at Westminister Theological Seminary. With his strong objective thinking from his studies in mathematics, professor Poythress has published some of the finest works on the New Testament. He has published books on Christian philosophy of science, theological method, dispensationalism, biblical law, hermeneutics, Bible translation, and Revelation. Some of his works include: a book on Revelation, The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1995), and Understanding dispensationalism Dr. Poythress has a close relationship with Dr. John Frame and they both co-share a website togeather http://www.frame-poythress.org/

1. Can you share with us some background information on yourself?

I was born in 1946 in Madera, California, into a Christian family, and grew up on a farm. I have one older brother, Kenneth. When I was nine years old I placed my trust in Christ at a church camp, and made an initial public commitment to Christ. Over the years my parents and my brother and I were members of several Bible-believing American Baptist churches in California. My first exposure to Reformed theology was in college, when I read John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. I majored in mathematics at Caltech, and then did a Ph.D. in mathematics at Harvard University.

My Diane and I have two children, Ransom and Justin, who are presently in college. I am an ordained teaching elder in the Eastern Pennsylvania Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America. I do not pastor a congregation, but teach as Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

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An Interview with John Frame By Marco Gonzalez

John Frame (b. 1939) - Is a Reformed Presbyterian, superb theologian and a theology professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando (formerly at WTS). At RTS he teaches Apologetics & The History of Philosophy and Christian Thought. The content of his works include in-depth explorations of biblical doctrine while remaining easily accessible for the average reader. Many of his students appreciate his charitable spirit and willingness to take a hard look at both sides of the issue. He is known for treating the opposing view fairly before demolishing it. His arguments against libertarianism are particularly effective. Rev. Frame is a musician, media critic and is committed to the work of ministry and training pastors. Important titles include: Apologetics to the Glory of God; No Other God: A Response to Open Theism; The Doctrine of God & The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God. Frame's passion is in seeing the Lordship of God in every aspect of Christian life and thought. We appreciate his willingness to be interviewed by us.

1.Many people are unaware of your background, could you please give us a short biography of your life?

I was born (1939) and raised in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, came to know Christ personally around age 13 or 14 through the ministry of Beverly Heights UP Church and of some Christian friends. The church’s youth and music ministries were equally influential in bringing me to faith. Since then, I have always been involved in the music/worship ministry of the church; that has been a large part of my life. I play piano and organ.

I did my undergrad work at Princeton University (AB in Philosophy), then went to Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. At Westminster I studied with the “old faculty:” Van Til, Young, Stonehouse, Woolley, Murray—plus some young guys like Kline and Clowney. Then I spent some years at Yale, finishing with an M. Phil. degree. I never finished my dissertation there (my fault, not theirs).

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John Hendryx Interviews John Samson, Pastor of Faith Community Church

Occasionally ReformationTheology.com would like to do interviews of those in the community who will be contributing to the content of the site or others in Christ with whom we have doctrinal solidarity. Below I interview John Samson, soon to be a regular contributor to the blog.

John Samson is the pastor of Faith Community Church an Arminian turned Reformed community of believers in Phoenix, Arizona. John is both big-hearted and brilliant, a first class teacher and writer. We met over the Internet quite some time ago and have developed a warm friendship in Christ. John's presentation of the historic faith, and his application of it in contemporary evangelicalism, is characterized by tender pastoral care and a firm commitment to the truth; qualities, unfortunately, often out of balance in many contemporary pastors. But John is not your usual Calvinist, being involved in a growing movement that many of us are completely unaware of. That is, while fully embracing the TULIP, the Five Solas and divine monergism in regeneration, he also continues to maintain charismatic distinctives, something I will let him explain in the interview below. John is the host and Bible teacher on a 30 minute daily radio broadcast, "the Spirit of Faith," covering central Arizona on KPXQ 1360AM. He also teaches in Churches, Conferences and Bible College settings on a variety of subjects. Originally from England, John and his wife Cathy (who is from Australia) were led by the Lord to move from England to start Faith Community Church in Phoenix, Arizona in March 1993. They have four children, David, Kelly, Casey and Kyra.

I asked John for a biographical introduction, and then I asked questions about his ministry, his take on Reformed Theology, the radical changes that took place in his own church, and the state of evangelicalism today.

BIOGRAPHY:
I was born and raised in Chester in England. My father was a Baptist Evangelist and yet I never really grew up in Church. My Dad used to travel extensively to preach, and that meant that my mother and I seldom went with Dad to Church. That was until my Dad became the pastor of a local Church.

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