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Grace Immanuel Bible Church

The Expositors Seminary

Courageous Churchmen

Ekklesia exists to instruct Christians in the inseparable truth of Christ’s Church and His gospel so they would passionately serve and commit to both with lifelong conviction.

Sanctification by Faith

This is the 500th anniversary of Luther’s 97 & 95 Theses. He and other reformers articulated afresh the doctrine of justification by faith with powerful preaching and writing. This doctrine can never be overemphasized, but unfortunately this banner has been waved by those who neglect sanctification at the same time. Church leaders commonly describe grace as radical, unconditional, free and scandalous.

Grace is not the freedom to sin but the power not to. God’s grace is not only undeserved, but also instructive in godliness and righteousness. Without a real and increasing holiness, those who profess Christ lack the assurance that they actually are justified. This year, join us at Ekklesia as we open up God’s word and look at how God’s grace produces Sanctification by Faith.

Speakers

Jon Anderson

Jon received a BS in Bible/Theology from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. He received a Masters of Divinity from The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, CA. During seminary, he led an on-campus ministry at USC for Grace Community Church. Jon has served as a pastor at Grace Immanuel Bible Church in Jupiter, FL for the past…

Rick Holland

Rick Holland is the Pastor/Teacher for Mission Road Bible Church in Prairie Village, Kansas. His writings include journal articles on the topics of homiletics and ethics. He wrote Uneclipsing the Son, and has contributed to Right Thinking in A World Gone Wrong (2009), Fool’s Gold: Discerning Truth in an Age of Error (2005), and Five Paths to the…

Phil Johnson

Phil is the executive Director of Grace to You, a Christian tape and radio ministry featuring the preaching ministry of John MacArthur. He is also a board member of The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust in England, and a member of the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE).

Paul Lamey

As an elder, Paul devotes his primary attention to the preaching ministry of the church and training leaders. He is the lead pastor for the Huntsville campus of The Expositors Seminary serving as faculty member and with the board of trustees. Paul completed his formal training at The University of Mobile (B.A.) and The Master’s…

Paul Shirley

Paul served on staff at a church in his hometown from 2003 to 2011 as the Youth Pastor and then the Associate Pastor. After completing seminary Paul went on to receive further training in church planting at the Grace Advance Academy in California. It was through Grace Advance that Paul was brought to Grace Community Church…

Matt Waymeyer

After graduating from The Master’s Seminary and being ordained at Grace Community Church in 2003, Matt became the pastor of Community Bible Church in Vista, California, where he served for the next seven years. Matt began teaching as an adjunct professor at TMS in 2010, and from 2011 to 2015 he taught there full-time as…

Jerry Wragg

Jerry has served as Senior Pastor at Grace Immanuel Bible Church in Jupiter, Florida, since 2001. Prior to his ministry in Florida, Jerry served for many years as Sr. Associate Pastor and Personal Assistant to Dr. John MacArthur at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA. He serves as Board Chairman and a faculty member of…

Smedly Yates

Smedly has served as a pastor and elder at Grace Bible Church, Tempe, Arizona, since March of 2008. He enjoys teaching hermeneutics, and the biblical languages in the leadership development and pastoral training for Grace Bible Church. His book, Wait: Waiting on God in a World that Doesn’t, was published earlier this year. Prior to serving in…

Friday

6:00-7:00p Registration

Check-in at the church lobby for all online registrants.
7:30-9:00p Session 1

Speaker: Jerry Wragg
“Sanctified by Faith or Feelings?
The Problem and Its History”
9:00-10:00p Coffee and Dessert

…in the Fellowship Hall

Saturday

8:00-8:45a Breakfast

…in the Fellowship Hall
9:00-10:15a Session 2

Speaker: Matthew Waymeyer
“Sanctification as Worship”
(Romans 12:1-2)
10:15-11:00a Refreshments

…in the Fellowship Hall
11:00-12:15p Session 3

Speaker: Rick Holland
“What is the Role of Faith?”
(James 2:14 & Romans 4)
3:30-4:45p Session 4

Speaker: Paul Shirley
“Sanctified by Sermons –
Preaching as a Means of Grace”
5:00-6:30p Session 5

Panel discussion
6:30-7:30p Dinner

…in the Fellowship Hall
7:30-9:00p Session 6

Speaker: Smedly Yates
“Becoming What You Are –
The New Man and Sanctification”
(Romans 6:1-14)

Sunday

9:00-10:15a Session 7

Speaker: Paul Lamey
“Revived by the Law?
Learning to Delight in His Commands”
(Psalm 119)
10:15-10:45a Refreshments

…in the Fellowship Hall
10:45-12:00p Session 8

Speaker: Phil Johnson
“What Grace Teaches?”
(Titus 2:11-15)
3:00p Session 9

Speaker: Jonathan Anderson
“The Faith that Justifies, Sanctifies”
(Galatians 2:11-3:5)

The final session of Ekklesia each year is a baptism service, which is a powerful and fitting conclusion to the conference. Registration is not required, and seating in the main sanctuary is usually available to all attendees.