# Advice for a New Reformed Convert?



## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

If you have a new convert(Reformed) in your Church what advice will you give him in these respects?
1. Books he could read?
2. Studies that he can do?
3. What Websites he can visit?
4. Trustworthy Authors(Biblical Reformed teachers)?
5. Authors to avoid that may confuse him in his "new conversion" to the Reformed faith.

Thank you in advance.


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## Herald (Feb 19, 2012)

Ronny,

Great question. Before I would suggest solid Reformed resources I would make sure the individual establishes strong relationships within the church that can help guide him. Having a mentor(s) is invaluable. Media resources can certainly augment beneficial relationships, but they are secondary to them.


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## jwithnell (Feb 19, 2012)

I agree with with one difference: I do believe listening to sermons from solid reformed folks can be extremely beneficial, not only from a doctrinal position, but because someone coming from outside the reformed tradition may never have heard exegetical preaching.


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## Zach (Feb 19, 2012)

jwithnell said:


> I agree with with one difference: I do believe listening to sermons from solid reformed folks can be extremely beneficial, not only from a doctrinal position, but because someone coming from outside the reformed tradition may never have heard exegetical preaching.



I agree with everything Bill and JWithnell have said. Having a mentor is crucial and getting to hear expository preaching is key to growth in Christ.


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## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

Zach said:


> jwithnell said:
> 
> 
> > I agree with with one difference: I do believe listening to sermons from solid reformed folks can be extremely beneficial, not only from a doctrinal position, but because someone coming from outside the reformed tradition may never have heard exegetical preaching.
> ...



Thank you very much for all the feedback, Lets say there is no "mentor" available(In a country where reformed teachings and living(true Christian living) are not to be found anywhere). Like South Africa where I live, You get hundreds of denominations but non of them truly Reformed.

How will you help him then?


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## Tim (Feb 19, 2012)

The Catechisms!


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## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

Tim said:


> The Catechisms!



Where can you finds(download) these? I got a lot of stuff for the "WCF" but some has been edited and changed. Where can I find the real thing?
Thanks in advance


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## Edward (Feb 19, 2012)

Zork said:


> Where can you finds(download) these? I got a lot of stuff for the "WCF" but some has been edited and changed. Where can I find the real thing?



Historic Church Documents at Reformed.org


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## KMK (Feb 19, 2012)

Here is a great resource: Westminster Shorter Catechism Project


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## JP Wallace (Feb 19, 2012)

I'd say the catechisms and then what may be a slightly strange choice for a book - Prof Edward Donnelly's ' Heaven and Hell' especially if they are a new convert in the full sense of the words - i.e. new Christian.


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## py3ak (Feb 19, 2012)

Zork said:


> If you have a new convert(Reformed) in your Church what advice will you give him in these respects?
> 1. Books he could read?
> 2. Studies that he can do?
> 3. What Websites he can visit?
> ...



A lot would depend on where any given person is with regard to their enjoyment of reading and their previous level of knowledge. Ideally someone would be able to obtain and understand:

King James (AV) Bible
Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms with additional documents
Matthew Henry Commentary
John Bunyan: The Pilgrim's Progress
Robert Shaw: The Reformed Faith
William Guthrie: The Christian's Great Interest
Walter Marshall: The Gospel Mystery of Justification
John Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion
Thomas Goodwin: Christ Set Forth & The Heart of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth
Augustine: The Confessions

I think all of these can be obtained online - Google books, archive.org, ccel.org: there are also inexpensive print editions of all of these.


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## ThyWord IsTruth (Feb 19, 2012)

Praise God for his salvation! You have all that you NEED. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God! When a man has his eyes opened to see and his ears open to hear, he is thrown to his knees by the glorious truth of God's grace and providence, he has seen his sin for what it is and is humbled by the grace of God and repentance comes forth. Now he can go through the scriptures anew and see that from Genesis to the book of the Revelation God chooses and His will be done. True regeneration by the Holy Spirit shows God's providence over His creation in all aspects and takes the free-will doctrine of man and tramples it under the feet of an almighty God. Salvation is of the Lord!


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## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

5-Point Baptist said:


> Praise God for his salvation! You have all that you NEED. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God! When a man has his eyes opened to see and his ears open to hear is thrown to his knees by the glorious truth of God's grace and providence, he has seen his sin for what it is and is humbled by the grace of God and repentance comes forth. Now he can go through the scriptures anew and see that from Genesis to the book of the Revelation God chooses and His will be done. True regeneration by the Holy Spirit shows God's providence over His creation in all aspects and takes the free-will doctrine of man and tramples it under the feet of an almighty God. Salvation is of the Lord!



Hay Beloved Brother. Thank you for this insight. I agree we have all we need in Christ.

Just one question to everyone, Do we read the Bible only?

Personally I am not intelligent enough to do that. (Without WCF. etc I would not understand the deeper things of GOD)

---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:41 PM ----------




py3ak said:


> Zork said:
> 
> 
> > If you have a new convert(Reformed) in your Church what advice will you give him in these respects?
> ...



Awesome, This is what I needed. 
What do you think of these Authors?

Christopher Love
George Gillespie (1613-1648)
John Owen
Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661)
Thomas Watson
Williams Ames
George Whitefield
Martin Lloyd Jones
J.Knox
HC Spurgeon

This is some of Authors I have resources on in my "Christian Database Folder" that I share with new converts.


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## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

py3ak said:


> Zork said:
> 
> 
> > If you have a new convert(Reformed) in your Church what advice will you give him in these respects?
> ...



Awesome, This is what I needed. 
What do you think of these Authors?

Christopher Love
George Gillespie (1613-1648)
John Owen
Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661)
Thomas Watson
Williams Ames
George Whitefield
Martin Lloyd Jones
J.Knox
HC Spurgeon

This is some of Authors I have resources on in my "Christian Database Folder" that I share with new converts.


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## ThyWord IsTruth (Feb 19, 2012)

I would recommend as additional reading:
"Reformed Doctrine of Predestination" by Loraine Boettner
"Systematic Theology" by Louis Berkhoff
"Absolute Predestination" by Jerome Zanchius


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## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

5-Point Baptist said:


> I would recommend as additional reading:
> "Reformed Doctrine of Predestination" by Loraine Boettner
> "Systematic Theology" by Louis Berkhoff
> "Absolute Predestination" by Jerome Zanchius



Thank you very much.


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## py3ak (Feb 19, 2012)

Zork said:


> What do you think of these Authors?
> 
> Christopher Love
> George Gillespie (1613-1648)
> ...



They are all worthy to be read, and there is much to be learned from each of them. If you are still thinking of people with no background in theology some of Owen, Gillespie, and probably all of Rutherford except his _Letters_ is going to be pretty difficult for them. Whitefield was a great man of God, but even one of his great admirers, Dr. Lloyd-Jones, asserted that while you would always get great preaching from him you wouldn't necessarily get a great sermon. Speaking of Dr. Lloyd-Jones, he has been an incalculable blessing to many, myself included, but there is a definite Methodist emphasis and some idiosyncratic interpretations that move him, on certain topics, out of the mainstream of Reformed theology. 
Spurgeon is a prodigy of eloquence, and his wit, sense, and geniality all make him extremely attractive, and he is almost invariably heart-warming; but I haven't found that his sermons tend to help me towards a better understanding of the text they are taken from, and he makes some curious choices - for instance, to note his omission of all remarks concerning the eternal generation of the Son from the Treasury of David in the comments on Psalm 2:7. But that said I can't express how much poorer we would be if he hadn't written that commentary, or engaged in the rest of his work. Here is my current favorite from his preaching:
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols31-33/chs1943.pdf


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## Zork (Feb 19, 2012)

py3ak said:


> Zork said:
> 
> 
> > What do you think of these Authors?
> ...




Thank you very much.


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## Christopher88 (Feb 19, 2012)

Zork said:


> 1. Books he could read? *God of Promise Michael Horton, Holiness of God by RC Sproul, What is Reformed Theology by RC Sproul, (Easy to read and gets basics down) *
> 2. Studies that he can do? *Covenant Theology (A must for any true proclaimers of Reformed theology) *
> 3. What Websites he can visit?* Puritan Board, Mongerism, Ligioner *
> 4. Trustworthy Authors(Biblical Reformed teachers)? *Sproul, Horton, Plamer Roberson (Author of Christ of the Covenants), Owen, Watson. Baxter, Spurgeon, etc. (Piper thou keep in mind he is not reformed but holds to most orthodox teaching)*
> 5. Authors to avoid that may confuse him in his "new conversion" to the Reformed faith.


 *John MacArthur, (Heavy Dispensational. guy) Douglas Wilson (Only on the claims I heard he may be FV. I have not read any of his books to confirm*)


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## Scott1 (Feb 19, 2012)

Westminster Standards

A. Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) loose leaf pages for blue notebook.
Includes the Westminster Confession, Larger and Shorter Catechism with Scripture proofs at the bottom of each page) plus an excellent concise historical summary of the Reformation. Often, 2/3 or more of the page is Scripture.
CEP Bookstore - WESTMINSTER COF & CATECHISMS W/SCRIPTURE LOOSE L

B. The Blue notebook binder: (also designed to contain the PCA Book of Church Order, both the Westminster Standards and BCO are the constitution of the PCA):
CEP Bookstore - BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER BINDER

Orange booklet (postcard size) by The Banner of Truth Trust of the Shorter Catechism with Scripture proofs
Amazon.com: The Shorter Catechism, Vol. 10 (9780851512655): Westminster Assembly: Books



Westminster Standards Study Guide

GI Williamson
CEP Bookstore - WESTMINSTER CONFESSION FOR STUDY CLASSES


Practical Christian Living:

Joseph Pipa, The Lord’s Day
bookschristian.com

Oswald Chambers, If You Will Ask
Amazon.com: If You Will Ask: Reflections on the Power of Prayer (OSWALD CHAMBERS LIBRARY) (9780929239064): Oswald Chambers: Books



Eschatology:

Kim Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism

Christianbook.com: A Case for Amillennialism: Kim Riddlebarger: 9780801064357


Reformed Theology Books

Calvin Know Cummings, Confessing Christ
[short booklet]
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - Confessing Christ (020060) Cummings, Calvin 9780934688048

Edwin Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism
: Christianbook.com

JI Packer, Concise Theology
Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs :: Systematic Theologies :: Doctrine/Theology :: Monergism Books :: Reformed Books - Discount Prices - Free Shipping

JI Packer, Knowing God
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - Knowing God (Paperback) Packer, J. I. 9780830816507

RC Sproul, The Holiness of God
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - The Holiness of God (Paperback) Sproul, R. C. 9780842339650

RC Sproul, What is Reformed Theology?
Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - What Is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics Sproul, R. C. 9780801065590

On-line video series "What is Reformed Theology?"
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/what_is_reformed_theology/

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion [Abridged softcover edition convenient for reading]

https://store.ligonier.org/product.asp?idDept=B&idCategory=TH&idProduct=INS02BP

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion [classic, 2 volume edition for study and reference]

https://store.ligonier.org/product.asp?idDept=B&idCategory=TH&idProduct=INS04BH


Covenant Community 

Adams, Jay, Handbook of Church Discipline-A Right and Privilege of Every Church Member
Amazon.com: Handbook of Church Discipline: A Right and Privilege of Every Church Member (Jay Adams Library) (9780310511915): Jay E. Adams: Books


Covenant Theology

McMahon, C. Matthew, Covenant Theology Made Simple
Covenant Theology Made Easy by C. Matthew McMahon in Christianity

Barrett, Michael Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea (The Gospel in the Old Testament)

Westminster Bookstore - Reformed Books - Low Prices - Flat Fee UPS Shipping - Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea (The Gospel According to the Old Testament) (Paperback) Barrett, Michael P. V. 9781596380752

http://www.faithbibleonline.net/MiscDoctrine/DispCov.htm

Covenant Theology vs. Dispensational Theology 



theologue.org - Biblical and Theology Studies


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## Andres (Feb 19, 2012)

Something like this list might be helpful: Westminster Seminary California Recommended Reading List. 
The list is broken down into categories and in each category titles are given that are considered introductory, intermediate, and advanced. 

I think the thing I would recommend most after Scripture though is for them to study the Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity. A person who is well studied in these will have a most solid theological foundation.


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## dudley (Feb 19, 2012)

I would recommenfd Danny Hydes book "Welcome to a Reformed Church."


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## jogri17 (Feb 19, 2012)

1. Books he could read?
ESV Study Bible / The Reformation Study Bible
Concise Theology by JI Packer 
Louis Berkhof's systematic theology (slowly and as a reference at the beginning)
2. Studies that he can do? 
Download some courses from Westminster, RTS, etc... from ITUNES (HIstory and theology of the PUritans by JI Packer)
3. What Websites he can visit?
Monergism.com
The Puritan Board
Reformed Forum
4. Trustworthy Authors(Biblical Reformed teachers)?
RC Sproul
Louis Berkhof
Herman Bavinck
Greg beale 
Carl Trueman 
Joel Beeke 
Mark Dever (A Calvinistic Baptist, but a very gifted historian, pastor, theologian, practical-theologian, preacher)
Iain Murray
******GET HIM BANNER OF TRUTH BOOKS. 
5. Authors to avoid that may confuse him in his "new conversion" to the Reformed faith.
Norman Geisler
R. Scott Clark 
Michael Horton 
Daryl Hart

I have been Reformed for about 7 years. Confessionally Refomed 4.5. At the beginning these were the books that have been most useful for me.


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## py3ak (Feb 19, 2012)

With regard to RC Sproul it should be noted that he does not hold to the Westminsterian view of the 2nd or 4th Commandments. Surely this is as grave as holding to a co-ordinate rather than sub-ordinate republication of the covenant of works on Sinai.


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 19, 2012)

Sadly Dr. Sproul is not trustworthy as far as confessional views on worship; WSCal certainly more trustworthy.


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## Zork (Feb 20, 2012)

NaphtaliPress said:


> Sadly Dr. Sproul is not trustworthy as far as confessional views on worship; WSCal certainly more trustworthy.



What Authors can be trusted? (Totally in line with Reformed teachings)


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## py3ak (Feb 20, 2012)

Many authors have some area of idiosyncrasy. If you are looking for living authors whose written works are readily available, Sinclair Ferguson and Joel Beeke come to mind. Someone can correct me if I've overlooked it, but I haven't come across departures from their confessional tradition in either man.


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## Zork (Feb 20, 2012)

Scott1 said:


> Westminster Standards
> 
> A. Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) loose leaf pages for blue notebook.
> Includes the Westminster Confession, Larger and Shorter Catechism with Scripture proofs at the bottom of each page) plus an excellent concise historical summary of the Reformation. Often, 2/3 or more of the page is Scripture.
> ...




Nice, Thanks a Lot. I can get a lot of these.
Very Helpful


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## Jim L (Feb 21, 2012)

I think All of Grace by Spurgeon is a fundamental book that should be read by the "convert" to reformed theology. to discern how his new found understanding influences the gospel message that is proclaimed. I would give him Ian Murray's Forgotten Spurgeon and encourage him to read chapters 3 and 4 to understand that his or her new found understanding not only shapes the interpretation of scripture but more importantly the message on the way of salvation and what savlation is. I would give him puritan sermons as well to read. Spurgeon gems is a good source if out of country and access to printer. All of Grace is available in a Spanish translation as well.


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