Life and Links

The past few weeks have been intense, with wedding planning and all the little details that go with my senior year. Tomorrow I get the pleasure of hearing the Beggster at Harbison Chapel in the morning and evening for our Christian Life Conference. I know many friends who are coming from around the area and some peers parents are coming as well. A grand time indeed.

City Journal - good academic perspective on urban living

Wired Magazine - fun and odd columns on our perpetual culture

instructables - you have to see it to know what I mean

Sam Desocio is the new assistant pastor at City Reformed (PCA) in Pittsburgh

Smalltime presbyterian confessionalism annoys me

Joe Thorn's ministry paradigm on 1 page of paper

Abraham Piper on why pastors should blog

Tim Keller interview with ByFaith (PCA Mag) and with Monergism
[personal note: I am reading his the reason for God and it is excellent, highly recommend it]

Around the web

.:. New issue of Reformation 21 is up!
.:. Darrin Patrick (Acts 29 VP) on the Emerging Church
.:. Carl Trueman on various and sundry things, and The Person and Work of Christ
.:. New Sovereign Grace Music Website
.:. Christ Saturated Quotes

Biblical Womanhood
.:. At Resurgence a four part series on the Ideal Women by Wendy Alsup

Gospel Living
.:. Pray at every inclination - Martin Lloyd Jones at the Irish Calvinist
.:. Get back to the Gospel - Justin Buzzard

Christian Maturity
.:. John Piper on young adults not acting their age.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

“The paradox is amazing. The Creator assumed the human frailty of his creatures. The Eternal One entered time. The all-powerful made himself vulnerable. The all-holy exposed himself to temptation. And in the end the immortal died.”

- John Stott

Westminster Theological Seminary is really growing on me over these past few months. For starters they have Carl Trueman there - very good writer and discerning historian. I greatly appreciate his perceptive writing. Also they have professors following in the footsteps of Harvie Conn, Van Til, all the while emphasizing the eternal word and redemptive history. And to top it off, WTS finally redid their website. And it looks good.

Specifically I admire their Biblical Counseling (Christian Counseling Education Foundation) and their new Gospel and Culture Project.

Around the web this weekend.

-- the new edition of Reformation21 is now up
(Phil Ryken on justification and our union with Christ; Trueman on the priorities in ministry; and sweet book reviews.)

-- watching sports for the glory of God
[Irish Calvinist]

-- the value of hanging out
[Between 2 Worlds]

-- Tim Keller being at the Evangelist Conference in Britain

-- John Frame on Christ and Culture

In Cyberspace today...

I discovered some really sweet things.  

RTS offers a myriad of their courses online, and are of extreme value (i.e. John Frame's Apologetics class).  As does Covenant Theological Seminary with Covenant Worldwide - they only offer 20 courses but it is fantastic.  You can get them through iTunes University.  Combine both seminary's apologetics class lectures and you have a great class. 

Mark Driscoll is writing more books.  

I'm wrestling with Piper's statement, "The greatest sin that was ever committed in the history of the world... was planned by God, namely the death of His Son." [HT: Pure Church] 

On the Desiring God Blog... 

If it's our inclination to deny church membership to genuine believers, we should put ourselves in the shoes of the one being rejected, and make our decision from that perspective. If we feel loved and accepted in our church, we are hardly the ones who have the right to say that being shunned is no big deal because we can still be united in Christ. You will not feel "united" with other believers when you live your life trying to be in fellowship with them and they continue to refuse to accept you as a member.  [read the whole thing]

Relentless Grace's 100th Post

(its so exciting I can't think straight, so here is a modern day hymn by the Getty's, which by the way sums up the blog.)

IN CHRIST ALONE my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My Comforter, my All in All,

Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save:

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied

–For every sin on Him was laid;

Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain:

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His and He is mine

–Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me;

From life’s first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

Fun Websites

Monergism - the treasure trove of the world wide web. Challies did a massive overhaul of this treasure chest not too long ago and now it is more accessible for everyone. This site addresses ever major topic in Christian theology (and then some). Filled with great quotes, excellent articles, and lots of cool pictures- it is a great instrument for theological studies for everyone.

Sermonspice - full of great humor for your soul that brings a smile to your face, but also tears to your eyes as you think about the decadent state of Christendom today. Even the feeble attempt of this website is sad, as they say "5063 ways to spice up your sermon!" Man cannot spice up the sermon, we can make it more entertaining but the more we do that- we take away the gospel of Christ.
Watch MeChurch for a taste

Who makes the better multi purpose tool? Leatherman or Swiss Army ... let me know

About...

::about the site

Thank you for stopping by Relentless Grace. It is my desire that as you read these words on this site, you will be encouraged in your own personal walk with Christ, if you do not have one - I hope that you may come to know Christ more fully and deeply in a way that you can only experience when He is your lover and savior. May Christ be glorified and may you see the Cross and the relentless grace shown to sinners.

::about me

My name is Robbie Schmidtberger, and am the worst sinner that I know. Living in the Pittsburgh area is an eye opening experience as I learn daily of how much mankind needs redemption. My fulltime job is a student at Grove City College as a religion major. On the side I am an assitant to Dr. Iain Duguid, who is one of the best preachers I have ever heard. A lot of what you read on this site are ideas from books (textbook and fun books), sermons, classes and daily experiences as I seek to know Christ more fully and trust in His precious work, along with a personal twist of my life. (movies, friends and job related things)

::about the name

Admittingly I got the phrase from one of Dr. Duguid’s book titles. (Living in the Grip of Relentless Grace, published by P&R) As I read the book and studied God’s word I came to see God’s love for His people as relentless. He pursues us and His commitment to His bride is unwavering, even after she runs away and worships money, sex and pride. He holds me in His hand and refines me very carefully that I may be a reflection of His being and character.

This grace that God gives us is amazing. God bestows Grace upon those He loves and the manner in which He does is like a hound chasing a boar in a great medieval hunt, this grace that is shown to unworthy men and women, of which I am one of them… this grace is nothing less than Relentless. Welcome to Relentless Grace.