Established to train and encourage men and women in the field of counseling within a biblical framework, the Austin Harrington Counseling Lectures will take place Friday, April 17, 7–9 p.m., and Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m., in Rayburn Chapel on the Covenant Seminary campus.

The theme for this year’s lectures is Christ-Centered Counsel: Spiritual and Virtue Formation for Transformative Practice. Dr. Scott will explore what it means to be a Christian who counsels, examining how faith and virtue shape both personal formation and professional practice. Participants will engage with key Christian virtues that undergird life and counseling work, learn how these virtues influence clinical decisions and outcomes, and examine practical tools and approaches for ongoing counselor formation, growth, and effectiveness. 

Dr. Paul Loosemore, Associate Professor of Counseling and Director of the Counseling Department and Counseling Center at Covenant Seminary, noted, “Having known Dr. Scott as a friend and colleague for several years, I am excited to have him with us for this year’s Austin Harrington Lectures. His expertise in the areas of faith integration, worldview formation, and counselor identity, and his extensive experience in clinical practice give him unique insights that will greatly benefit anyone who seeks to counsel others wisely and well.” 

Registration for the lectures is now open. General admission is $39 per person; $79 for those seeking counseling Continuing Education units. Admission is free for Covenant Seminary students, with attendance required for those in the Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) program. See more details here.

Dr. Kapic has written or edited over fifteen books. His most recent volumes, (Zondervan, 2025) and (Brazos, 2025), each received awards from The Gospel Coalition and The Southwestern Journal of Theology. His 2022 book was named Christianity Today’s Book of the Year in the category of Theology (Popular) and won The Southwestern Journal of Theology’s award in Applied Theology/Ethics. In 2014, Dr. Kapic received a Templeton Grant to be part of The Center for Christian Thought, studying the topic of Psychology and Spiritual Formation. He has also served as part of ongoing Templeton-funded studies, including being on the Core Team for “Project Amazing Grace” and “Christian Meaning-Making, Suffering, and the Flourishing Life.”

The David C. Jones Theology Lectures are named in honor of the late Dr. David C. Jones, long-time professor of systematic theology and ethics at Covenant Seminary, who passed away in 2017 (see more about Dr. Jones here). They are intended to honor Dr. Jones’s teaching and influence on generations of our students and to highlight the Seminary’s Reformed theological heritage by focusing each year on a particular area of theological study with presentations by a contemporary academic authority in that area. The lectures were reinstituted in 2024 after a hiatus of several years (see more about the Jones Lectures here).

Dr. Kapic’s Jones Lectures will focus on the foundational centrality of Christ and the importance of corporate worship for forming and shaping the Christian life.

• Lecture 1, “The Singing Savior: Christ as the Center of Christian Life,” explores how Jesus the Messiah is not merely the object of our worship but also the chief worshiper. Drawing from both Scripture and historical theology, the lecture demonstrates that Christ, in his full incarnate life, loves the Father for us, weaving our fragmented prayers and imperfect praise into his own perfect faithfulness, thus providing a steady foundation for our uneven faith and life.

• Lecture 2, “The Ecclesia and the Arc of Christian Life,” argues that corporate worship both reflects and shapes Christian life by applying Augustine’s totus Christus hermeneutic to the basic movements of the liturgy. In dialogue with patristic and Reformation sources, and engaging contemporary warnings about the dangers of Christian practice, the lecture demonstrates how each element of worship operates along christological, ecclesiological, and personal dimensions, showing that Christian life moves in the rhythm of call and response.

The lectures will take place in Founders Hall, room 342, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, February 20. The event is free and open to the public.

Questions about the lectures may be directed to Dr. Robbie Griggs, Chair of Theological Studies and Dean of Faculty, at robbie.griggs@covenantseminary.edu.

The grant will not only bless Covenant Seminary, but also positively impact the entire PCA and future generations of pastors and churches. This award comes in response to countless prayers and is the result of a year-long, coordinated effort of Covenant Seminary and the PCA’s , , , , and , along with , a Christian college governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.

Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, said, “We are living in a time of profound cultural polarization and skepticism about the institutional church. Despite these headwinds, though, the Lord has continued to give both the PCA and Covenant Seminary growth and influence. I could not be more excited that God is blessing us with this opportunity to lead a joint effort focused on issues affecting the overall spiritual well-being and flourishing of the church. We thank Lilly Endowment for their generous support of this endeavor, and we covet everyone’s continued prayers as it unfolds over the next several years.”

Though the scope of the grant is expansive, its central objective is straightforward in seeking to address three key challenges to pastoral education today: (1) the fact that fewer candidates are entering the pipeline for ministry training, (2) the need for enhanced ministry preparation for those who have entered seminary, and (3) the need for greater support and training for those in pastoral ministry so they can flourish over the long haul. Among the most important initiatives sponsored by the collaborative grant are:

• The funding of new scholarships for future MDiv students at Covenant Seminary so we can seek to allay student debt and ensure a sustainable transition into fulltime vocational ministry.

• The relaunch of the Seminary’s Center for Ministry Leadership, the mission of which will be to strengthen pastoral leaders for the work of leadership in the church and to support churches as they negotiate leadership challenges.

• The strengthening of current and sponsoring of new efforts focused on pastoral wellbeing for the long-term health and fruitfulness of pastors.

• The creation of the Pathways to Vocational Ministry program to identify high school and college students who are gifted and called to ministry, and to encourage and equip them through a streamlined BA/MDiv combination program.

In addition, the grant will fund several related initiatives focused on addressing the three challenges noted above. These include: expanded summer internship opportunities for students; the expansion of the Seminary’s student cohort program; the development of training opportunities for lay ministry leaders, especially ruling elders; the creation of an Executive Pastor Graduate Certificate program; the development of leadership training materials for campus ministry leaders; the creation of a Leadership Track for the Seminary’s MDiv program; the creation of educational podcasts by MNA’s Hispanic Ministries and African American Ministries aimed at reaching and recruiting more potential ministry students; and many more.

Representatives of the Seminary’s partner organizations had this to say about their collaboration in this initiative:

We are delighted to partner with Covenant Seminary in this grant and grateful for the opportunities it presents to further clarify, develop, and strengthen important areas of our own mission that intersect with that of the Seminary.

– Mr. Steve Dowling, Interim Coordinator, Mission to North America

What a blessing to RUF and to the PCA as a whole for us to be involved in this process with Covenant Seminary! We are looking forward to working with them on through the Center for Ministry Leadership and developing new RUF and pastoral training opportunities.

– Mr. Andrew Rein, Coordinator, Reformed University Fellowship

It is a privilege to partner with the pastor-scholars at Covenant Seminary in this initiative. Our part of the project is especially close to my heart—developing training for ruling elders in the church. I’m eager for us to provide solid theological content in a way that promotes effective pastoral ministry.

– Rev. Dr. Stephen T. Estock, Coordinator, Committee on Discipleship Ministries

Geneva Benefits Group is thankful for the opportunity to join Covenant Seminary in this important endeavor, and we look forward to working together to enhance existing efforts at fostering pastoral wellbeing and developing new ones that will bless both the PCA and the broader church.

– Rev. Dr. Ed Dunnington, President, Geneva Benefits Group

Covenant College and Covenant Seminary began side-by-side in St. Louis, and this grant allows us to strengthen that historic bond in new and meaningful ways. Through this partnership, we are developing a BA/MDiv pathway that will streamline the preparation of gifted young ministry leaders, equipping them to serve Christ, his church, and a world in need.

– Dr. Brad Voyles, President, Covenant College

It is a privilege to be asked to join Covenant Seminary’s initiative to create expanded pathways for ministry training. We are excited to work with them on the streamlined BA/MDiv option and blessed by the opportunity to learn and grow together for the sake of Christ’s church.

– Dr. Melinda Stephens, Provost, Geneva College

Dr. Jay Sklar, Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Seminary and the institution’s administrator for the Lilly grant, noted, “It has been a joy working with all our partners over the last year to develop the details for this proposal. We are thankful to all of them for their support and willingness to participate, and we look forward to the ongoing collaboration as we implement the grant. And of course, we are immensely grateful to Lilly Endowment for seeing the potential in this proposal and agreeing to fund it. This will be a great blessing for the church.”

Launched in 2021, Lilly Endowments’ Pathways for Tomorrow is designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face in preparing leaders for Christian congregations now and in the future. Since its inception, the program has provided grants totaling more than $700 million to support 163 theological schools in strengthening their educational and financial capacities, and to assist 61 schools in developing large-scale collaborative endeavors.

Dr. Jim Carter, Executive Director and Ecclesiastical Endorser for PRCC, notes that “Chaplaincy is a calling that places you on the frontlines. Whether it be on the battlefield, in hospitals, corporations, prisons, sports, or other settings, you will serve in a cutting-edge ministry that is action oriented.” 

Thus, the MDiv Chaplaincy Track provides courses taught by experienced chaplains and PRCC endorsers that engage specifically the calling and practice of chaplaincy. In addition to the standard MDiv curriculum, Chaplaincy Track courses include:

• Introduction to Chaplaincy — Presents the theological and practical foundations of chaplaincy ministry to help students develop a biblical understanding of calling to this mission field and ministry and to become knowledgeable about the domains of chaplaincy and the skills required for faithful chaplaincy ministry.

• Institutional Ministry for Chaplains — Explores what it means to make an impact in challenging mission environments like war-fighting institutions, law enforcement, or hospitals; how to develop a language and topics to facilitate evangelization in these secular environments; and how to deepen trust in God in all aspects of life as an ambassador for Christ.

The Chaplaincy Track is available in either residential or hybrid formats. The residential option offers ample opportunities to take advantage of the Seminary’s location in a region rich with churches, ministries, hospitals, and other settings in which to serve. The hybrid option can be completed without relocating to campus, but includes at least six visits to St. Louis or other cities for week-long intensive coursework. Students will complete three-fourths of their required field education hours at an approved chaplaincy site. Financial aid is available to help students in the Chaplaincy Track graduate with little or no student debt.

“Covenant has a rich history in chaplaincy, and we count it a privilege to build on this legacy and commitment to seeing the gospel make its way into these unique ministry settings,” said Rev. Charlie Dey, Associate Director of Administration for PRCC.

Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, added, “The need is great for chaplains who minister the love of Christ in military and other institutional settings. But chaplaincy has its own unique challenges and blessings, so we are excited to work with PRCC to raise up workers prepared especially for this rapidly growing mission field. We pray for the Lord’s blessing on the Chaplaincy Track and look forward to seeing how he will use graduates of this program to bring the hope and healing of the gospel to those in need.”

For more details and a complete course overview, visit the Chaplaincy Track webpage.

Rev. H. B. Charles Jr. has served at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville since 2008. Prior to that he led Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles for almost eighteen years, having succeeded his father as pastor there at the age of seventeen. In addition to his ministry at Shiloh, Rev. Charles speaks regularly at churches, conferences, and conventions around the country and hosts the On Preaching podcast, dedicated to helping pastors preach faithfully, clearly, and better. He is the author of several books, including It Happens After Prayer, On Preaching, On Pastoring, The Difference Jesus Makes, and others, and writes about life, preaching, church, books, and other things at .

Dr. Charles’s theme for the lectures is The Preacher’s Life, Labor, and Leadership. Individual lectures expound on each of those topics:

• Session 1: The Preacher’s Life

• Session 2: The Preacher’s Labor

• Session 3: The Preacher’s Leadership

Dr. Thurman Williams, Director of Homiletics for Covenant Seminary, noted, “We are excited to have Rev. Charles with us for this year’s Preaching Lectures. Beginning with our founding President, Dr. Robert G. Rayburn, and continuing on up to the present day, the Seminary has held a strong focus on training preachers as a central means of pastoral ministry. These annual lectures, which bring in notable preachers from a variety of backgrounds and styles, serve not only to instruct but also to inspire and motivate our students, by God’s grace, to excel at this vitally important gift to the church. We look forward to the blessing of experiencing Rev. Charles’s own gifts as a biblical expositor and renowned communicator of God’s Word.”

The Preaching Lectures are just one element in Covenant Seminary’s ongoing mission to prepare pastors for Christ’s church who are faithful to the Scriptures, true to our Reformed confession, and rooted in God’s grace for a lifetime of faithful ministry. The Seminary is working to expand and enhance its training in the area of preaching with the assistance of a recent $1.19 million Compelling Preaching Grant from Lilly Endowment. The grant is enabling the school to develop additional training opportunities as well as a website devoted to preaching and preaching resources.

Doors will open for the Preaching Lectures at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and refreshments available. The lectures will begin at 9 a.m. and end at approximately 3:30 p.m. The main theme and individual lecture topics, along with a full schedule for the day, will be available soon.

 The revised 24-hour ThM is designed to help recent MDiv graduates as well as pastors, chaplains, missionaries, teachers, and others with an MDiv or equivalent degree prepare for further academic study, such as a PhD, or simply to deepen their exegetical and research skills for use in a ministry setting. Students may pursue the ThM either in residence at Covenant’s St. Louis campus or via a modular plan comprised of advisor-guided research, independent studies, and several week-long intensive courses on campus. The degree is not available through online study.

The ThM offers two degree tracks:

• The ThM in Exegetical Theology is designed to help students sharpen the exegetical skills they obtained in a previous degree, develop advanced research skills, and potentially test a calling to further academic study. This track requires a written thesis in exegesis, biblical theology, hermeneutics, or biblical languages.

• The ThM in Biblical and Pastoral Theology focuses on integrating applied theology, biblical theology, and other theological disciplines to the research of an issue in pastoral theology or practice from a biblical perspective. This track culminates in a contextualized writing project unique to the student’s own ministry setting.

Dr. Robbie Griggs, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the ThM Program at Covenant Seminary, noted, “God has always graciously blessed his church with pastor-teachers and other scholars to help his people better understand his Word and his ways. As a stepping-stone along that path, the ThM provides additional focused training for those the Lord has gifted for this task. We are excited about this revised iteration of the degree and believe the recent changes will make it an even more helpful tool for those who lead and teach God’s people.”

The revised ThM is available beginning with the fall 2025 academic year. For more details on the program requirements, course overviews, and other information, visit our ThM webpage or .

In addition to his campus ministry, Dr. Rishmawy, who holds a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, is a frequent contributor to The Gospel Coalition and a fellow with the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. His FSI Conference lectures will delve into the tumultuous nature of the time in which we live—characterized by political vibe shifts, intensive pluralism, the rise of AI, transhumanism, plummeting levels of social connection, religious entrepreneurship, and a seeming revival of questions around the place of Christianity within Western culture. Amid the alienation, many are experiencing a deep religious hunger. In the swirling chaos, they seek meaning and rootedness, a connection to the transcendent, the real, and the sacred. These impulses drive people in a variety of spiritual directions, many of which can arguably be understood as varieties of Paganism.

How can the church be a powerful and effective witness for truth within this cultural context? Dr. Rishmawy argues that a renewed and revitalized focus on the holiness of God must be central to our own lives as Christians and central to our witness to those around us. It is in God’s holiness that we find the deepest source of all spiritual longings and the wellspring of the theological understanding that enables us to pursue our life together as God’s holy people in the midst of a watching world that is desperate for real hope.

All are invited to join us for the conference as we explore this theme and its implications for our current cultural moment. Individual tickets are $59; couples are $89. Students receive the special rate of $25.

See more information and the full conference schedule here.

Dr. Brad Matthews, currently Associate Professor of New Testament and Dean of Faculty, will step into the role of Vice President of 91���� in July, taking over that position from Dr. Jay Sklar, who has decided to return to full-time teaching and writing after nearly a decade in the VP role. Dr. Sklar will continue as Professor of Old Testament. Meanwhile, Dr. Robbie Griggs, currently Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the ThM Program, will move into the Dean of Faculty role vacated by Dr. Matthews. Dr. Griggs will continue to oversee the ThM program.

Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, commented: “We are extremely grateful for all of these men and the ways God has used them to further his Kingdom through their work here at Covenant. We are especially thankful for Dr. Sklar’s years of dedicated service in his many roles here, and we are excited that he will be able to give even more of his time, attention, and expertise to teaching and training our students for ministry. The entire Seminary community has been greatly blessed by each of these dedicated faculty members. We look forward to seeing the fruit the Lord brings forth from their ongoing ministries.”

Dr. Brad Matthews joined our faculty in 2008. He served as the Director of Field Education from 2009 to 2017 and has been the Dean of Faculty since 2021. He began his professional life as a mechanical engineer before discerning the Lord’s calling to ministry in the church and academy. His doctoral research was completed under the supervision of Dr. Stephen Barton and Prof. John Barclay on the nature of Christian maturity. He has presented papers and published on the topics of Christian maturity and interpretive issues in Colossians. He is currently working on a popular version of his thesis as well as an expository commentary on 1 Corinthians that he is co-authoring with Dr. Dan Doriani. Dr. Matthews’s deep love for the church led him to serve in several different roles in the past between youth ministry, campus ministry, and small-group ministries. More recently, he served as an Interim Pastor at South City Church in St. Louis and now remains on staff as an Assistant Pastor. He holds a PhD in New Testament Studies and an MA in Theological Research from Durham University, an MDiv from 91����, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Robbie Griggs joined our faculty in 2016 and has been an invaluable player on the Covenant team in many ways. He serves as Faculty Advisor for the student-led Theological Fellowship at Covenant Seminary (along with Dr. Bob Yarbrough and Dr. Brian Aucker), facilitator of the Systematic Theology Reading Group for students, a member of the board of the student-produced The Common Table magazine, a member of the Seminary’s Chapel steering committee, oversees the revitalized David C. Jones Theology Lectures, and is active in ministry at the local church and presbytery levels. He is currently working on a revision of his dissertation for publication. Dr. Griggs holds a PhD in New Testament from Durham University, an MDiv from Covenant Seminary, and a BA in philosophy and a BS in finance from the University of Missouri–Columbia. Prior to his work at Covenant, Dr. Griggs served as a pastor at Central Presbyterian Church in St. Louis for eight years.

Dr. Jay Sklar joined our faculty in 2001, serving as Assistant (2001–2006), Associate, (2006–2012), and Professor (2012–present) of Old Testament. He also served as Dean of Faculty from 2012 to 2020 and has been VP of 91���� since 2017. His doctoral research at the University of Gloucestershire was completed under Dr. Gordon Wenham and focused on the sacrificial system in Exodus through Numbers, resulting in the book Sin, Impurity, Sacrifice, Atonement: the Priestly Conceptions. He has continued to focus his work on the Bible’s first five books, writing a commentary on Exodus (ESV Expository Commentary, Crossway), two on Leviticus (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament, Zondervan; Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, IVP), and one on Numbers (Story of God, Zondervan). He has also co-authored a Leviticus Bible study and written supplementary books on Exodus (Additional Notes on Exodus) Leviticus (Additional Notes on Leviticus) and Numbers (Additional Notes on Numbers). He served as one of three general editors for Crossway’s ESV Expository Commentary series (for which he also wrote the Jonah commentary) and offers a helpful collection of resources for preaching and teaching on the Pentateuch at . Dr. Sklar can often be found writing, speaking at church and college events, and helping with theological education overseas. He has been a frequent teacher at Faculté Jean Calvin in France.

Please join us in prayer for Drs. Matthews, Griggs, and Sklar as they move into their new roles. And please pray for all our faculty and staff as we continue working to glorify our triune God by training his servants to walk in God’s grace, minister God’s Word, and equip God’s people—all for God’s mission.

• The Robert G. Rayburn Homiletics Award is given annually to a graduating student who has demonstrated special zeal and competence in the field of homiletics. This year’s prize has been awarded to Mike Caponigro. Graduating from Covenant with a Master of Divinity, Mike will return to his home state of Illinois to plant a church through the Presbytery of Northern Illinois (PCA) in Bloomington, IL.

• The J. Oliver Buswell Theology Prize is given annually to a graduating student who has demonstrated special zeal and competence in the field of historical or systematic theology. This year’s award goes to Rebekah Marsh. Graduating with a Master of Divinity, Bekah hopes to serve the local church through teaching, discipleship, and leading in worship.

• The Exegesis Prize is given to a graduating student who has demonstrated special zeal and competence in the field of biblical exegesis. This year’s recipient is Coleman Greene. Graduating with a Maser of Divinity, Coleman has received a call to serve as a Campus Minister with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at Wofford College (pending presbytery approval).

• The Belz Christian Education Award is given to a graduating student who has demonstrated special zeal and competence in the field of Christian education. The 2054 award goes to Annalisa Smith. Graduating with a Master of Arts in Ministry (Educational Ministries emphasis), Annalisa will continue to serve as Family Coordinator for Covenant Seminary, look for ways to equip others in ministry to children, and write a follow-up volume to her recently published Bible study Nurtured: God’s Tender Care for New and Expectant Mothers.

• The Grant for Graduate Theological Studies is a grant given to a graduating student to be used toward tuition in a graduate program of theological studies. This year’s recipient is Arabella Susie Ahn.  Graduating with a Master of Divinity, Susie will continue ministry as the Education Director at Korean United Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She begins a PhD in educational studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School this summer to be further equipped to provide and rethink transformative theological education.

Coursework for this 11-credit-hour program will engage students in the content and structure of the Bible, the process of interpreting the Bible, and designing lesson plans and talks to faithfully communicate the Bible. The GC in Leading Bible Studies is open to both men and women and will be especially helpful for men’s or women’s ministry leaders, church elders, or anyone who simply wants to learn how to better read and understand the Scriptures.

“We’re thrilled to be launching this accessible new certificate program at Covenant Seminary,” said Vice President of 91���� Dr. Jay Sklar. “Our goal for this program is that it would serve the local church well by training both ministry and lay leaders to read and interpret the Old and New Testaments faithfully, and to understand the foundational principles of learning so that they can apply these principles in communicating and teaching the Bible to others.”

The certificate can be completed residentially or fully online. For students who wish to pursue further study, credits for the program are transferable to any master’s degree program at Covenant Seminary but would most easily transition into the Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM) or Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MATS) degree programs. The Graduate Certificate in Leading Bible Studies will be available to start online in the summer 2025 term, or residentially in the fall 2025 term.

To learn more about this and other certificate programs, visit or .

Dr. Drake, a Nebraska native, holds a BA in History, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Classics, and Latin from the University of Nebraska; an MDiv from 91����; and a PhD in Historical Theology from Saint Louis University, earned under the supervision of Dr. Michael McClymond. His scholarship focuses on historical and systematic theology, particularly the Reformation, Reformed Christology, and sacramental theology. He is the author of (OUP, 2021) and has published in peer-reviewed journals such as Westminster Theological Journal, Calvin Theological Journal, Journal of Reformed Theology, and Presbyterion, as well as in a variety of popular theological platforms. Dr. Drake served as a Ruling Elder in PCA churches in Missouri and Ontario before being ordained as a Teaching Elder in Central Indiana Presbytery in 2024. He is active in the PCA at both the presbytery and denominational levels, having served on the credentials committees of three presbyteries and on the PCA Theological Examining Committee, which he has chaired since 2023. Dr. Drake is married to Heather.

Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, noted, “We are excited to have Dr. Drake stepping into this new role with our faculty. His history with the PCA, his expertise as a Reformation scholar, theologian, and teacher, and his own personal experience with and understanding of the Covenant Seminary ethos make him an outstanding fit for our team of pastor-scholars. He will be a great blessing to us and to our students as we continue to focus on forming and shaping the next generation of pastor-minded ministry leaders for our churches.”

Of his new appointment, Dr. Drake said, “Joining the faculty of 91���� is an honor. The school’s emphasis on integrating theological formation with practical ministry training was an immense blessing in my own development, and I look forward to collaborating with the faculty and staff to pass this vision on to the next generation of students. I am eager to continue Covenant’s legacy of training pastors and ministry leaders for the PCA and the broader church by equipping students who are deeply rooted in Scripture and Reformed orthodoxy, and who can minister effectively to the contemporary world to the glory of the Triune God. As I take up this ministry, prayers for humility, faithfulness, and wisdom are greatly appreciated.” 

Please pray with us as Dr. Drake transitions into his new role this summer.

Funded by a recent Moving Forward in Mission Grant from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), the event brought together church planting leaders to explore opportunities for Covenant Seminary to partner with church planting networks to equip future church planters through theological education. Attendees were able to discuss current challenges and opportunities in church planting, hearing from Mission to North America (MNA) Executive Coordinator Dr. Murray Lee (MDiv ’06) about championing a vision for planting churches in the PCA and learning about Covenant Seminary’s Church Planting Track and newly restructured Church Planting Track Scholarships.

Later in the day, network leaders sat in on Dr. Robert Kim’s Church Planting Foundations class and had opportunities to meet and engage with current Church Planting Track students who plan to serve as church planters and planting team members.

“We were thrilled to be able to host this event at Covenant Seminary,” said Rev. John Chung, Vice President of Enrollment. “Not only was this a wonderful opportunity to bring PCA church planting leaders together in one place to explore challenges, ideas, and resources, but it helped to expand our relationship with sister PCA agencies such as MNA, whose vision for church planting and revitalization we share at such a deep level.”

“I valued seeing a generation of pastor-minded students with a deep love for Jesus and a desire to serve.”

– Rev. Randy Draughon
Senior Pastor, Midtown Fellowship (PCA), Nashville, TN
Church Multiplication Committee, Nashville Presbytery

“Covenant is intentional about raising up and equipping the next generation of church planters.”

– Rev. Joel Yoon (MDiv ’11)
Pastor of Missions and Outreach, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA), Encinitas, CA

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dr. Joe has had a calling to serve Persians ever since his first trip to the Middle East in 1993. After pastoring a PCA church in California for several years, he and his wife, Hyeyoung, and their son moved to Europe in 2006, where he pastored a Persian church. The Joes then returned to the US for further study and then moved to the Middle East where Dr. Joe taught and trained international church leaders. In 2017 they returned to the US for his PhD studies while continuing his ministry to Persians overseas. He holds a PhD in Intercultural Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, a Master of Professional Studies in Persian from the University of Maryland, a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a BA in International Studies from Muhlenberg College.

Covenant Seminary President Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs commented, “Dr. Joe’s many years of experience in global missions and his heart for reaching the unreached with the message of the gospel make him an ideal choice to be the first to fill the Kooistra Chair and carry on the legacy of Dr. Paul D. Kooistra, whose influence on our institution and on the PCA and beyond has been enormous. Dr. Joe’s appointment gives the Seminary our first full-time missiology professor in more than a decade. We are immensely grateful to have him with us. We are grateful as well for the input and guidance of MTW Coordinator Dr. Lloyd Kim and his staff as we sought the right person for this position.”

Named in honor of Dr. Paul D. Kooistra, third President of Covenant Seminary (1985–1994), former Coordinator of Mission to the World (1994–2014), former President of Erskine College (2014–2016), and a former Moderator of the PCA General Assembly (2008–2009), the endowed Paul D. Kooistra Chair of World Missions was completed in 2022 with funds raised as part of the Seminary’s $43 million Hope for the Future capital campaign and in partnership with MTW. Dr. Kooistra’s emphasis on the doctrines of grace and desire to train future church leaders to share the Reformed faith in a warm and gracious way profoundly shaped the culture of Covenant Seminary. The establishment of the Kooistra Chair ensured that Dr. Kooistra’s legacy of training gospel-centered, mission-minded pastors and ministry leaders will continue for generations to come.

MTW Coordinator Dr. Lloyd Kim noted, “We are thrilled for Covenant Seminary to name Dr. Joe as its Paul D. Kooistra Chair of World Missions. Richard and his wife, Hyeyoung, have served faithfully as missionaries with Mission to the World for many years in some challenging contexts. He will bring not only academic expertise to this role, but also invaluable field experience. We are excited for the seminary and the many students Dr. Joe will equip, train, and inspire for global missions.”

Of his new position, Dr. Joe said, “I remember receiving Dr. Kooistra’s invaluable training in MTW as he laid a foundation of gospel-centered grace for every missionary. For the past twenty years, it has been my privilege and joy to serve as a missionary with MTW. I believe this new position will be very strategic in raising up and equipping many new missionaries, church leaders, and scholars to engage in God’s mission. God has used 91���� to train generations of Christian leaders to make an impact for his Kingdom, and the creation of the Paul D. Kooistra Chair of World Missions reflects Covenant’s ongoing commitment to take that impact to all the nations and to the ends of the earth. I am deeply honored, and I humbly ask for many prayers, as I serve in this new position.”

Please pray with us for the Lord’s continued blessing on Dr. Joe and his ministry as he helps prepare a new generation of mission-minded pastors, church planters, and missionaries.

On March 26, Covenant Seminary held its annual chapel service of lament. The Seminary inaugurated this tradition last year with the purpose of bringing faculty, staff, and students together for a season of lament, grieving the fallenness of this world and the sorrows of life and bringing them to God, who promises to hear and comfort his people.

As a special part of this year’s service, the Seminary dedicated a new installation on campus: the Garden of Lament and Hope. Located between Rayburn Chapel and the J. Oliver Buswell, Jr., Library, the garden is a place for students, faculty, staff, and other visitors to the Covenant Seminary campus to acknowledge the reality of loss, sorrow, and spiritual warfare, to bring laments before the Lord, to remember that he is near to those who call on him, and to look forward to the day when he will reconcile all things to himself. The garden is also meant to remember and lament the many stories of loss that have affected the Seminary throughout its history.

“Seminary does not insulate us from the hardships common to life,” said Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary. “Stories of lament and grief are as much a part of life as stories of praise and hope—and God uses all of them to shape his people for the ministries to which he calls them. This garden will be a place of memorial and meditation where anyone in the campus community can come to remember and reflect on the griefs we all share and seek rest in the hope we all claim in Christ.”

At Wednesday’s service, our community was led in prayers of lament by faculty and staff. Dr. Gibbs preached a sermon entitled “Jesus Wept” on the resurrection of Lazarus from John 11:28–44, reminding us that we have a Savior who joins us in our sorrows, but who will also one day make all things new. Attendees processed outside, where Dr. Gibbs dedicated the garden to the glory of God before offering the benediction.

More details about the garden will be made available in the coming months. As we bring our grief to the Lord, we are thankful for this place on our campus that will remind us of his never-failing compassion.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

Psalm 130:1–2

The Harrington Lectures will take place Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, in Rayburn Chapel on the Covenant Seminary campus. Dr. Moon will explore the theme of Stimulating Spiritual Formation: Helping One Another Thrive over the course of three lecture sessions:

• Session 1, Friday, 7 – 9 p.m., “Introduction to Spiritual Formation as Shaping the Person for Our Telos,” will introduce the work and impact of Dallas Willard as a thought partner, model, and guide, examining how his work relates to counseling and ministry by understanding who God made us to be and how we respond.

• Session 2: Saturday, 8:45 – 10:30 a.m., “Stimulating Spiritual Formation: 7 Questions, Part 1,”will cover the first three questions related to spiritual formation and their practical implications.

• Session 3: Saturday 11 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., “Stimulating Spiritual Formation: 7 Questions, Part 2,”will cover the final four questions and their practical implications.

Registration for the lectures is now open. General admission is $39 per person; $79 for those seeking counseling Continuing Education units. Admission is free for Covenant Seminary students, with attendance required for those in the Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) program. For more information or to register, see the link below.

Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, said, “Jack’s teaching and many other professional and personal contributions to the life of this institution have had a profound impact on generations of our students and alumni, as well as the broader church. I personally am deeply grateful for Jack’s influence on my own ministry journey and for the blessing of knowing him as a friend and colleague. I am grateful as well for his wife, Diane, who has been an integral part of Jack’s life and ministry, and of the life and ministry of Covenant. We’ll miss having them around campus as often, but we look forward to staying in touch as they plan to remain in the area after Jack’s retirement.”

Dr. Collins joined Covenant’s faculty in 1993 after several years as a church planter in Spokane, Washington, serving first as Assistant (1993–1995), then as Associate (1995–2000), and finally as Professor of Old Testament (2000–2025). He has chaired the Old Testament department since 2005. His many books and journal articles focusing on themes of science and faith and how to read the Bible well have helped many to better understand the Scriptures, especially the early chapters of Genesis. His work as chair of the Old Testament committee for the ESV translation of the Bible and as general editor for the Old Testament portion of the ESV Study Bible helped produce one of the most important and influential modern Bible versions.

Dr. Collins’s background in science (he holds a BS and an MS from MIT, in addition to his MDiv from Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary and a PhD in Hebrew from the University of Liverpool) and his deep interest in linguistics and hermeneutics have informed his teaching ministry from the beginning. This, combined with his reputation as a thoughtful and careful scholar, has resulted in several notable opportunities along the way: a Templeton Foundation grant for developing and teaching a graduate-level course on science and faith, a Research Fellowship from the Discover Institute’s Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture, and a stint as a Senior Research Fellow at the Carl Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity International University.

Among the abundant fruit of these opportunities were some of Dr. Collins’s best-known books: (Crossway, 2003), (Crossway, 2000), and (Zondervan, 2018). In addition, the countless seminars, conferences, and other speaking and teaching engagements he has been part of over his long career have been major blessings to the church. (For a more detailed look at Dr. Collins’s many ministry milestones, see the CV on his faculty page.)

Dr. Jay Sklar, Vice President of 91���� for Covenant, summed up nicely the feelings of many who have known and worked with or studied under Dr. Collins: “I have been teaching alongside of Jack for going on twenty-five years now. Throughout that time, he has been a faithful mentor and friend. And “faithful” is indeed the word to use, for if there’s one thing Jack has modelled for me it is his faithful care and commitment to his friends. I’m so grateful for that friendship and for the many, many ways he has taught me to read the Bible better. God bless you, brother!”

Please pray with us in gratitude for Dr. Collins and his wife, Diane, and for the Lord’s blessing on them as they finish out this final semester with Covenant and prepare to begin a new chapter in their life and ministry together.

Dr. C. John Collins: A Select Bibliography 

Below is a sample of some of the many publications Dr. Collins has produced over the years. For a fuller list, see his CV.

Books

• “Psalms,” in , by Collins et al. (Wheaton. IL: Crossway, 2022), 21–696.

• . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018.

• . Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011.

• . Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008. Old Testament editor and contributor.

• . Wheaton, IL: Crossway. English text editor.

• . Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2006.

• Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003. Russian translation, 2005.

• The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001. Chairman, Old Testament Committee.

• . Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2000; Leicester: Inter-Varsity, 2001.

• Holman Christian Standard Bible. Broadman-Holman. Initial translator, Psalms 102–105.

Articles, Book Chapters, and Conference Papers

• “How Old is the Earth? Anthropomorphic Days in Genesis 1:1–2:3,” Presbyterion 20, no. 2 (Fall 1994): 109–30.

• “From Literary Analysis to Theological Exposition: The Book of Jonah,” Journal of Translation and Textlinguistics 7, no. 1 (1995): 28–44.

• “Reading Genesis 1:1–2:3 as an Act of Communication: Discourse Analysis and Literal Interpretation,” in Did God Create in Six Days?, ed. Joseph Pipa Jr. and David Hall (Taylors: Southern Presbyterian Press, 1999), 131–51.

• “Discourse Analysis and the Interpretation of Genesis 2:4–7,” Westminster Theological Journal 61, no. 2 (1999): 269–76.

• “What happened to Adam and Eve? A Literary and Theological Reading of Genesis 3,” Presbyterion 27, no. 1 (Spring 2001): 12–44.

• “What the Reader Wants and the Translator Can Give: 1 John as a Test Case,” in Wayne Grudem, et al., (Wheaton: Crossway, 2005), 77–111, and in All for Jesus: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of 91����, ed. R. A. Peterson and S. M. Lucas (Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2006), 333–59.

• “The Refrain in Genesis 1: A Critical Review of its Rendering in the English Bible,” The Bible Translator 60, no. 3 (July 2009): 121–31.

• “Adam and Eve as Historical People and Why It Matters,” Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 62, no. 3 (September 2010): 147–65. Originally presented at the annual meeting of the American Scientific Affiliation, August 2, 2009.

• “Always Alleluia: Recovering the True Purpose of the Psalms in the Old Testament Context,” in , ed. Richard Wells and Ray Van Neste (Nashville: B&H, 2012), 17–34.

• “Reading Genesis 1–2 with the Grain: Analogical Days,” in , ed. J. Daryl Charles (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2013).

• “The Christian Worldview and the Early Chapters of Genesis,” in The Worldview Study Bible, ed. David Dockery and Trevin Wax (Nashville: B&H, 2017).

• “How to think about God’s action in the world,” in , ed. J. P. Moreland, Stephen Meyer, Chris Shaw, and Wayne Grudem (Wheaton: Crossway, 2017).

• “Inerrancy studies and the Old Testament: ‘Ancient Science’ in the Hebrew Bible,” Presbyterion 44:1 (2018), 42–66. Presented at Evangelical Theological Society, November 2017.

• “Freedoms and Limitations: C. S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer as a tag team,” in Firstfruits of a New Creation: Essays Honoring Jerram Barrs (Oklahoma City: White Blackbird Books, 2019), 185–209, ed. Doug Serven, and Theofilos 12, no. 1 (2020): 166–83.

• “Psalms 111–112: Big Story, Little Story,” Presbyterion 46, no. 2 (Fall 2020): 89–98. Originally presented for Encourage One Another and Build One Another Up, 2020 Francis Schaeffer Lecture Series at 91����.

• “An Exegetical Response to William Lane Craig, In Quest of the Historical Adam: A Cost-Benefit Analysis,” Presbyterion 48, no. 2 (Fall 2022): 32–47.

• “Biblical Authority and Human Origins: Reading the Hebrew Bible,” Presbyterion 50, no. 1 (Spring 2024): 19–42.

We praise God for Dr. Benton’s many years of pastoral ministry, twenty of which were at Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, not far from the Seminary. We are grateful for his love and support of Covenant over the decades, from sharing his wisdom and expertise as a preacher and pastor with our students as an adjunct homiletics professor and Doctor of Ministry instructor, to serving as a faithful friend and mentor for countless Covenant faculty, staff, and alumni. His involvement with and support for the Seminary’s Center for Ministry Leadership in the early 2000s helped refine and sharpen the institution’s focus on preparing strong pastors and other leaders for Christ’s church. Dr. Benton’s influence on Covenant and on our denomination have been profound.

Of his own experience of Dr. Benton, Covenant Seminary President Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, said, “As a student, I was in awe of Dr. Benton’s command of Scripture and his gift for delivering sermons that stirred our minds and moved our hearts. Over the years, though, what I came to most appreciate about Wilson and Pam was their warm hospitality and commitment to faithfully shepherding those the Lord put in their path. Wilson was a giant in the PCA, and he will be missed by all of us.”

notes that a Celebration of Life service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Christ Presbyterian Church, 2323 Old Hickory Blvd., in Nashville, Tennessee. For those unable to attend, a livestream will be provided the day of the service at the church’s website: .

Gifts in Dr. Benton’s honor may be made to Reformed University Fellowship, PO Box 890004, Charlotte, NC 28289-0004, or DonorServices@RUF.org.

Dr. Sanders has taught in Torrey Honors College since 1999 and with the Los Angeles Bible Training School since 2009. He is co-founder of the annual Los Angeles Theology Conference, is an amateur historian of Biola university’s institutional history, and maintains an active internet presence via X (formerly Twitter) and his blog (at fredfredfred.com). He is the author of several books, including (Baker Academic, 2025), (Crossway, 2023), (Zondervan, 2016), and (Crossway, 2013), and editor or co-editor of several others.

The David C. Jones Theology Lectures are named in honor of the late Dr. David C. Jones, long-time professor of systematic theology and ethics at Covenant Seminary, who passed away in 2017 (see more about Dr. Jones here). They are intended to honor Dr. Jones’s teaching and influence on generations of our students and to highlight the Seminary’s Reformed theological heritage by focusing each year on a particular area of theological study with presentations by a contemporary academic authority in that area. The lectures were reinstituted in 2024 after a hiatus of several years (see more about the Jones Lectures here).

Dr. Sanders’s lectures will focus on the doctrine of the Son of God, exploring the trinitarian context of Christology and the modes of the Son’s presence in the history of salvation—specifically considering his sending in terms of invisible mission and visible mission 

• Lecture 1, “The Invisible Mission of the Son,” rehearses the doctrine of the inseparable operations of the Trinity and introduces the doctrine of trinitarian missions according to which the Son and Spirit are properly present to us. In a gracious and revelatory extension of his eternal generation from the Father, the Son himself can be glimpsed before the incarnation and also known in Christian experience today.     

• Lecture 2, “The Visible Mission of the Son,” focuses on the incarnation of the Son, exploring why it matters that the Son in particular took human nature to himself. The whole Trinity causes human salvation as the one person who is the Son of God wields human nature as an instrument of redemption.

The lectures will take place in Founders Hall, room 342, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7. The event is free and open to the public.

Questions about the lectures may be directed to Joel Hathaway, Director of Alumni and Career Services, at joel.hathaway@covenantseminary.edu.

The grant, part of the ATS Organizational and Educational Models Project, will provide additional support for Covenant’s recruiting efforts in part through the creation and distribution of enhanced print, audio/visual, and digital marketing materials specifically for its Church Planting Track. Additionally, the grant will enable the Seminary to explore new recruiting pipelines by supporting attendance at national conferences dedicated to church planting, as well as hosting such a conference on the Seminary campus.

Dr. Robert Kim, Associate Professor of Applied Theology and Church Planting, and Philip and Rebecca Douglass Chair of Church Planting and Christian Formation at Covenant, notes, “Preparing church planters has long been a part of Covenant’s pastoral training mission. A good number of qualified graduates each year end up planting churches through Mission to North America (MNA), the PCA’s church-planting agency, or with other similar organizations or ministries. But the need for new churches—and well-trained planters to lead them—is great. To help address this need, the Seminary a few years ago instituted the Church Planting Track, a specialized series of courses and related internships for the Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Master of Arts (Biblical and Theological Studies) (MABTS) degree programs. Covenant is one of only two ATS-accredited Reformed seminaries to have such a track. The ATS grant will significantly enhance our ability to recruit appropriately gifted and interested students specifically for church planting.”

The grant not only helps the Seminary fulfill part of its overall purpose to “glorify the triune God by training his servants to walk in God’s grace, minister God’s Word, and equip God’s people—all for God’s mission,” but also dovetails nicely with several pillars, or priorities, of the school’s recently implemented Strategic Plan titled Centered on Christ’s Mission to Train the Next Generation.

Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, elaborated: “One priority is to increase enrollment of pastor-minded students by building on relationships with influencers, alumni, and prospective students. This grant will increase the Seminary’s ability to reach and recruit students with an intentional focus on church planting. Other strategic priorities are to strengthen local, intercultural, and global mission, and to steward well the Seminary’s relationship with our denomination. The grant will help here by fostering deeper partnerships with sister PCA Agencies, other church planting agencies and networks, and global mission ministries to see church planters prepared and sent around the United States and the world. The grant will also help to further institutional financial sustainability, central to which is growing our student body base, especially in the MDiv and MABTS program, to which the Church Planting Track is connected. In all of these ways, the grant will help the Seminary keep moving forward in mission. We are immensely grateful for the work of ATS and for this grant, and we look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to build his church through it.”

Watch Covenant Seminary’s blog and social media throughout the coming months for more information and stories related to church planting.