Preaching Engagements & Seminars
A major aspect
of Sola Scriptura Ministries is taking opportunities to preach
the Word to God’s people on various subjects, as well as the presentation of
seminars on the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. While Pastor Watson’s
full time responsibility is the shepherding the flock god has given him, he
does take occasional engagements elsewhere, as time allows. We presently offer
the following.
“The Five Solas of the Reformation” Series
This six-part
message series, which is actually posted elsewhere
on this site, is meant to be a challenge to God’s people to embrace, defend,
and proclaim these key tenants of the Reformation and Christianity itself.
Other Preaching Subjects
From his
expositions of Ephesians, Psalm
119, and other series, Pastor Watson does take a limited number of outside
preaching opportunities for the edifying of God’s people.
Seminar 1
“Sola Scriptura: A New Call to Biblical Authority”
26-inch sword (19-inch blade) used by the Roman
legionary from the inception of the iron blade until the early part of the
first century AD. "The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God"
(Eph. 6:17).
There is in our
day a serious lack of Biblical authority in virtually every area of
Christianity. Since the Reformation, never has there been a time of such low
regard for Scripture or less emphasis on Its absolute authority and
sufficiency. The Reformers called this doctrine Sola Scriptura
(Scripture Alone).
This
seminar is designed to present the doctrines of biblical authority and
sufficiency in a practical way. It is very flexible in length. Depending upon
the needs of the audience and available number of sessions, some or all of the
following topics can be presented:
1. Introduction:
Why a New Call?
2. The Need for
Doctrine (II Tim. 1:13)
What is Doctrine? •
Why is Doctrine Important?
3. The Wonders
of the Bible (II Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12)
Unique Authorship •
Complete Unity • Central Theme • Written in Superior Languages Unmatched in
Sale and Circulation • Prophetic Accuracy • Archeological Authentication
Scientific Accuracy • Timeless Age • Indestructibility
4. The
Inspiration of Scripture (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:19-21)
The Fact of
Inspiration • The Force of Inspiration • The Finality of Inspiration
5. The Inerrency
and Authority of Scripture (Matt. 5:18; II Pet. 1:19)
6. The
Canonicity and Textual Reliability Of Scripture (II Pet. 1:19)
7. The
Interpretation of Scripture (II Tim. 2:15)
The Reverence
Principle • The Diligence Principle • The Plain Principle • The Grammatical
Principle • The Historical Principle • The Contextual Principle • The
Comparison Principle • The Outline Principle • The Progressive Principle • The
Illumination Principle • The Paradox Principle • The Practical Principle
8. A Return to
Biblical Authority (Ps. 119:11; II Tim. 2:2)
The Word on the
Word • Men of the Word
9. Biblical
Authority and the Home (Eph. 5:22-6:3)
An Issue Concerning
Women • An Issue Concerning Children • An Issue Concerning Parents
10. Biblical
Authority and the Church (Matt. 16:18)
Issues Concerning
Pastors • Issues Concerning the Church and Ministry
11. Biblical
Answers For Today’s Issues (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 4:30)
Abortion • Birth
Control • Capital Punishment • Crime • Civil Disobedience • Education •
Homosexuality • Politics and Political Activism • Psychology and Counseling •
Race • Answering Other Questions
12. The King
James Version Debate: A Plea for Authority
The Westcott and
Hort Textual Theory • The Traditional (Majority) Text Theory • Bible Versions •
A Plea For Authority • Conclusion [An abbreviated version of the next
seminar]
13. Conclusion:
A Final Plea
Call or write
for details and scheduling. Meetings, tapes, and books are on a love-offering basis.
Contact Information
Back to
Home Page
“The King James Version Debate: A Plea for Authority”
A seventh century Greek Lectionary (ancient church
service book) showing Luke 24:23-25
What this Seminar is NOT:
·
This seminar is not of the divisive nature that is often
characteristic of this issue.
·
This seminar is not of the uninformed nature that is often the
case with some "King James Only" teachers.
·
This seminar is not of the "ultra-technical" nature
that often confuses God’s people.
To
reemphasize, I received an email from one visitor that said, “How sad, you’re
just another King James Only website.” That distressed me deeply, because it
could not be further from the truth. The typical KJV only advocates are of the
above attitudes. This is not our platform. As stated below, we believe in the
evidence and attitudes from the scholars who have dealt with this issue but who
have been ignored by most of the typical view of today. All we ask is that we
not be lumped in with the “Peter Ruckmans” who are neither scholarly, fair, nor
gracious.
What this Seminar IS:
·
This seminar is a kind, gracious presentation of the
facts regarding a controversial issue.
·
This seminar is a thoroughly researched presentation from Scripture,
history, and the works of scholars such as: Dean John Burgon, Herman Hoskier,
Edward Hills, Wilbur Pickering, and others.
·
This seminar is a clear presentation of this issue in language that
God’s people can understand.
The Issue
One symptom of
today's lack of Biblical authority in Christianity manifests itself in the
debate over Bible translations and the Greek and Hebrew texts that underlie
them. No longer do most evangelicals and fundamentalists contend for the words
of Scripture. Rather they are content with only the concepts or thoughts
of Scripture, as many modern translations boldly and proudly claim.
Additionally, they have traded the pure Greek and Hebrew texts that have been
preserved in the majority of manuscripts for a text tainted by heretics in the
early Church.
This issue is
divided into two camps. In very simple terms, one camp (the Traditional or
Majority Text camp) follows the vast majority of manuscripts to support their
Greek text of the NT. While the manuscripts themselves do not date before the
5th Century, this majority comprises 80-95% of over 5,000 extant manuscripts,
and essentially agree among each other. It is this manuscript tradition that
forms the basis of the Authorized Version. In dramatic contrast, the other camp
(the Critical Text camp) follows a very small number of early manuscripts that
date from the 3rd-5th Century; these manuscripts, however, not only do not
agree with the ones in the majority, but often don’t even agree among
themselves. It is this second camp that has dominated the so-called scholarly
world for over a century, and it is this camp that has produced almost all of
the modern translations.
The Seminar
This seminar is
a study of the King James Version debate from a Biblical, historical, and
divinely providential perspective. Using overhead transparencies and lecture
format, it is intended to be a scholarly presentation of this issue in language
that God’s people can understand. The eight-hour seminar is divided into six
parts:
·
Part 1: Defending the Words of God
·
Part 2: The Westcott and Hort Textual Theory
·
Part 3: The Traditional (Majority) Text Theory
·
Part 4: Crossed Swords: A Comparison of the Teachings in the Textus
Receptus and the Critical Text
·
Part 5: A Look at Bible Versions
·
Part 6: A Plea For Authority
The Presenter
As the seminar presenter, I am not a textual critic or textual scholar. I am a researcher, a theologian, a pastor, and a teacher who is committed to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. As a theologian I’m convinced that training in Theology provides important insight and discernment into this issue because Theology is at issue. With this background, as well as several years studying and researching textual criticism, the pastor and teacher in me motivated this seminar. About the Founder and Contact Information
Call or write
for details and scheduling. Meetings, tapes, and books are strictly on a
love-offering basis.