Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions about yourself and your new book , Raised With Christ.

First of all, tell us a little about yourself. We know that you are nearing forty years of age and are a medical doctor as well as a preacher. Beyond that, I know very little about you other than this book and your blog ( http://adrianwarnock.com ). Perhaps you could tell us a little of your background, how you came to Christ, and how you as a medical doctor became a minister of the Cross.

I grew up in a Christian home. My grandfather was a tent preacher and we were told stories of God’s miraculous provision for his family. One Easter I asked my father why Good Friday was called “good” if it was the day Jesus died. He explained the gospel, and after saying “but why isn’t it “Good Sunday” and “Bad Friday”, I made a response. By God’s grace I have never really looked back. I somehow instinctively knew that without the resurrection the cross could not be good news.

This makes your question about being a “minister of the cross” interesting. In fact that phrase is not a biblical one as far as I can tell. The Apostles were, instead, described as witnesses of the resurrection. Indeed, unlike most preachers today their sermons assumed the cross and emphasized the glorious good news that Jesus is risen.

Over the last fifteen years I have gradually become more and more involved in serving in the leadership team of my local church and preaching regularly. All my training has been on the job and via day release courses. Even today I am not full-time in church work.

What is your main goal in life?

As John Piper puts adjusted an old statement, “the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.” As a practical expression of that, I want to be faithful with the voice that it seems God has given me and to be a good influence in the body of Christ. More importantly, however, I want to do the best by my family. The following phrase provokes me, although I am not sure I always live by it sufficiently: “What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world, but lost his family?” If you want to pray for me, please pray that I will be a better husband and father.

Give a little glimpse into the events that led to Raised With Christ.

A few years ago I became very involved in a significant argument that was taking place in the UK about the meaning of the cross. I found that I was not at all convinced by most of what the opponents of penal substitution were saying. There was one thing that stood out, however, as being more difficult to simply dismiss. People like me who still believe that Jesus was punished for our sins were accused of neglecting the resurrection. Actually, I now think that this neglect is pretty universal. Ever since the Reformation we have argued about what the cross means. Rarely has anyone explored fully the implications of the resurrection. When I was then asked to preach on Easter Sunday 2007, I began to study the resurrection seriously and realized that there were relatively few books written on the subject. I began to wonder if I should help address that lack.

Would you give us a brief overview of what you have to say in this book?

I begin by talking about the biblical events, and outline the reasons we can be confident that Christ rose again. I then move on to addressing the doctrinal and experiential implications of Christ’s resurrection, and showing how it really does change everything.

Can you give us a little glimpse into what you wish your readers to gain from Raised With Christ?

If my book leads people to refocus on Jesus’ resurrection and what it means for us, my job will be done. I believe it is time for us to restore the resurrection to its rightful place at the very heart of our reading, thinking, sharing the gospel, and preaching. The Apostles always emphasized the resurrection when they were preaching in the book of Acts, and did so to such an extent that it seemed they were almost assuming the resurrection. We do the exact opposite today. Spurgeon argued that as a direct result of this neglect, we see fewer people becoming Christians.

Once Raised with Christ is released, do you have other books planned?

Well, let’s see if enough people buy this one! I do have a lot of other responsibilities in life, but am certainly open to how the Lord’s purposes might unfold in the future.

Adrian, thank you very much for taking the time to give us a brief look into your life and theology. Let us pray that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus will indeed be appreciated more by us all, and that Raised With Christ will be of great help to all who read it.

Amen to that. There really is no subject that is more important for us to think and read about. I do hope my book will encourage people to read some the other books on this central foundation of our faith also. I really believe that we cannot be truly cross-centered without also being empty-grave centered!

Kenneth, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions regarding your book Salvation And Sovereignty. (See review here, or buy book here.)

First of all, tell us a little about yourself. How old are you, where were you born and raised, what is your religious upbringing, and how did you wind up at SEBTS?

I’m 51.  I was born in St. Louis, Mo and raised in the Missouri Ozarks in the little town of Patterson, MO.  My religious upbringing was spotty, but when I attended church I went to Patterson Baptist, the Southern Baptist Church in town.  I was saved in October 1975 while attending a revival at Tabernacle Baptist Church, Piedmont, MO.  Clifford Rice was the evangelist, Elmo Parker was the pastor at that time.  I was 17 and a senior in high school at the time.  I was called to preach the night I was converted, and next fall was enrolled at Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga.  In those days it was not unusual for a Southern Baptist to attend an independent Baptist school.

After being pastor of Westwood Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff for 10 years, I felt lead to continue my education.  SEBTS was recommended to me, so I completed both my MDiv and PhD there.  After teaching at Midwestern in Kansas City and NOBTS in New Orleans, I was called to come back to SEBTS.

What are your duties at SEBTS?

I am Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Theology.  As a prof I have the joy of teaching, as a dean I get to shuffle papers.

Who is the greatest spiritual influence in your life?

There have been a number of significant mentors in my life, but the great spiritual influence was my first pastor, Elmo Parker.  He has served the Lord faithfully as a pastor for over 50 years.

Could you give us a brief overview of the subject matter of Salvation And Sovereignty?

S & S argues for a ROSES model of salvation, seen through the lens of Molinism.  ROSES could be called “three-point Calvinism” (T, U, and P), because it rejects limited atonement and irresistible grace.  Molinism is a model that demonstrates that, rather than ROSES being a case of inconsistent Calvinism, it is a coherent presentation that is, I believe, more faithful to the biblical witness.  Molinism, simply put, argues that God is able to perfectly accomplish His sovereign will through genuinely free creatures by means of His omniscience.  ROSES is an acronym that stands for Radical depravity, Overcoming Grace, Sovereign Election, Eternal Life, and Singular Redemption.  S & S argues that the Bible presents actions and events (including those relating to salvation), as simultaneously both certain and contingent.

When did you first find yourself interested in this subject?

The doctrine of salvation has interested me for all my Christian life, but I came around to the Molinist model of divine sovereignty rather slowly.  Who hasn’t been stumped by the divine sovereignty-human responsibility conundrum?  And the tension becomes acute when we consider the matter of salvation.  I really gave the matter my attention after I finished my PhD dissertation in 2000.

What motivated you to write this book?

A number of factors motivated me to write S & S, but Dr Chuck Kelley, president of NOBTS, asked to write this book.  The title was his idea.

What do you hope to accomplish by this book?

First and foremost, to provide an account of salvation that is as faithful to Christ and His Word as this saved sinner can give.  I know better than to consider S & S to be the final word on the subject.  Second, to demonstrate that one can affirm a completely gracious salvation without also embracing determinism.  And third, to help believers understand that while we can confident that God is going to accomplish His will, it really does matter whether or not we tell the lost about Christ.  The terrifying contingency of Ezek 3:17-18 is absolutely true.

To this point, what kind of feedback have you received from readers of Salvation And Sovereignty?

The response has been very positive, surprisingly so.

If you were to overhear a conversation about this book, what would you wish to hear said about it?

“This book makes me want to tell the world about Christ.”

Do you have any recommendations for those who wish to read more on this subject?

William Lane Craig has written a very accessible introduction to Molinism entitled The Only Wise God. Those interested in a more thorough presentation should look at Thomas Flint’s Divine Providence: A Molinist Account.

Kenneth, thank you so very much for taking the time to answer these questions. I do hope Salvation And Sovereignty both sells well and ministers to many people. It has already been a blessing to me.