SCRF Retreat and Some Thoughts

The retreat, according to the Facebook forum of the SCRF, was a success. I don't think that it wasn't; I just wish it was a little different. Friday night, I got to meet most of the people that arrived that night. More arrived later, obviously—but the main one's that I talked to were Blake (who was consequently from Boise, Idaho) and Stephanie (I think that was her name). She was interesting…very cordial. Blake was chill. There was something very interesting about him. He was very quiet and, in a way, carried a melancholy with him. I would like to see how he interacts with his friends. As we began conversing about his hometown, he told me about the friends he has back at home. He categorized his social strata into categories of two: LDS or drugsters. Though it seems unfair for him, especially since his church should be considered a chapel (he goes to an old school Dutch church), he really doesn't have the luxury of meeting kids his own age, making really difficult to meet people.

Then there were the messages. Dr. Gary Johnson did most of the speaking. He was definitely an enthusiastic speaker, and he has a fervent heart for the gospel and theology (New Testament theology). I was able to get to know the man. He studied under Greg L. Bahnsen. He also said that it was Greg (he called him that) lead him to the Reformed faith. It seems that Bahnsen has that influence on people. I think God really has used Bahnsen to bring people to the faith, specifically the Reformed faith. Dr. Johnson told me that Greg took him to Westminster East to see Van Til. Van Til, I heard gave Dr. Johnson all his works when they went to see him in his study (Machen Hall). My pastor, Rev. Ronald Gleason Ph.D., had received something of a similar gratuitous cordiality when he met Van Til as well. I was actually in his study as I surveyed the voluminous works of Cornelius Van Til. I myself have been devoting myself to the study of the pioneer of the so-called Presuppositional approach to apologetics. But back the point. Dr. Johnson shared with me all the wonderful times he had with Greg. I thought it was amazing. He even complimented me in my learning of Reformed theologians. Though I wish I knew more and understood more, I thought that the compliment was honorary, since he himself is a graduate of a strenuously scholarly seminary. During dinner he also shared with me all the works he has published. He's done so much for Christian education that I'm almost willing to become a teacher for that sole cause. Amazing man!

The messages were all amazing. They were all based on the book of Galatians. The first night was purely diagnostic self-examination. The next morning we looked at how the cross of Christ exposes all the filth within the church. And I was sadly late to the Lord's Day sermon on the last day. I slept in—well, after the fact that I had to nap after lunch (or was it breakfast?). I'm going to try and post most of the sermons, at least the outlines, on here for people—my readers—to see.