Sermons and Articles

Below are links to sermons, columns, book reviews and academic articles and seminar papers written by JPBC’s pastor, Jeff Riddle, as well as a recommended reading list. Pastor Jeff's latest sermons and teaching are also now available for audio download via SermonAudio.com. He also has a blog, JPBC Stylos, and he edits the Evangelical Forum Newsletter.

Jeff Riddle has served as the Pastor of Jefferson Park Baptist Church since 1997. From 1992-1997 he served as Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Lyells, Virginia. From 1990-1992 he served as a Journeyman missionary in Budapest, Hungary through the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention. In Hungary Jeff served as the English instructor at the Hungarian Baptist Seminary in Budapest and as a Youth Ministry Consultant to the Hungarian Baptist Union.

Jeff holds a PhD in New Testament from Union Theological Seminary-PSCE in Richmond, Virginia (2002). The dissertation he completed at Union is titled “Paul as Prophet in the Acts of the Apostles.” Jeff received his Master of Divinity degree at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (1990) and his undergraduate degree at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (1987).

Jeff is married to Llewellyn Langston Riddle and has four children (Hannah, Lydia, Samuel and Isaiah).

Sermons

Pastor Jeff usually preaches expositionally, doing a series on the complete text of a particular book of the Bible, rather than topically, choosing a topic and using disparate scriptures to address it.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:1-17 – Unity in the Church
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 – Foolishness of the Cross
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 – Mind of Christ
1 Corinthians 3 – Unity, Again
1 Corinthians 4 – Trusted and Proved Faithful
1 Corinthians 5:1-6:8 – Church Discipline
1 Corinthians 6:9-20 – Honoring God Through Sexual Purity
1 Corinthians 7 – Honoring God Through Singleness and Marriage
1 Corinthians 8 – Freedom in Christ
1 Corinthians 9 – The Care and Feeding of Christian Workers
1 Corinthians 10 – Do It All for the Glory of God!
1 Corinthians 11:1-16 – God’s Good Gift of Gender
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 – The Proper Observance of the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 12 – The Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 13 – What’s Love Got To Do With It?
1 Corinthians 14 – Worship: Order and Ardor, Part One
1 Corinthians 14 – Worship: Order and Ardor, Part Two
1 Corinthians 15:1-28 – The Reality of the Resurrection, Part One
1 Corinthians 15:29-58 – The Reality of the Resurrection, Part Two
1 Corinthians 16 – The Church: Caring for God’s People

Topical Sermons

1 Chronicles 11:10-19 – At the risk of their lives: Memorial Day Weekend Reflections on the Christian Virtues of Sacrifice and Courage
Psalm 127 – Children: Burden, Bric-a-brac, or Blessing? (Mothers' Day)
Psalm 128 – Biblical Motherhood: A Fruitful Vine (Mothers' Day)
Isaiah 9:1-7 – The Christmas King
Romans 13:1-7 – The Marks of Christian Citizenship
Ephesians 5:22-33 – A Celebration of Christian Marriage
Philippians 4:10-20 – To Be Content: A Thanksgiving Message

Stylos: An occasional commentary

The Stylos commentaries are extended reflections on issues related to theology, contemporary culture, and the church from Pastor Jeff. The title Stylos is taken from the Greek word meaning “pillar.” The theme verse for these reflections is 1 Timothy 3:15 where Paul shares instructions with Timothy on how to conduct himself among God’s people, whom Paul describes in glowing terms as “the church of the living God, the pillar (stylos) and ground of the truth.”

Is Easter Biblical? (March 2005)
Waiting on God’s Promise or Going After the Flesh? Some Thoughts on Evangelism (October 2004)
The Abuse of Prisoners (May 2004)
“The Passion of the Christ”: A Review (March 2004)
Why the NKJV? (December 2003)
Answering Common Questions on Church Leadership (May 2003)
Five Great Themes of the Reformation (December 2002)
Expositional Preaching (September 2002)
What Do Southern Baptists Believe? Answering Common Questions and Misconceptions about the Southern Baptist Convention (July 2002)
What Kind of “Baptists” Are We? (May 2002)
The Biblical Basis for Congregational Church Government (October 2001)
Theological Issues and Questions After September 11 (September 2001)
Being Like Jesus? (April 2001)
A Pastoral Response to the Revised Baptist Faith and Message (May 2000)

Book Reviews

Note: Some of these reviews have previously appeared in The Baptist Banner, The Evangelical Forum Newsletter, Faith & Mission, and Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology.

Biblical Studies

MacArthur, John. Because the Time is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation, Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2007, 360 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Pao, David W. Acts and the Isaianic New Exodus, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2002, 311 pp.
Spencer, F. Scott. Journeying Through Acts: A Literary-Cultural Reading, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Mass., 2004. 278 pp.
Wilder, William N. Echoes of the Exodus Narrative in the Context and Background of Galatians 5:18, New York: Peter Lang, 2001, 310 pp.

Biography and Church History

Hankins, Barry. Uneasy in Babylon: Southern Baptist Conservatives and American Culture, Tuscaloosa and London: University of Alabama Press, 2002, 344 pp.
Haykin, Michael. Defence of the Truth: Contending for the Faith Yesterday and Today, Evangelical Press, 2004, 149 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Michael A. G. Haykin, Jonathan Edwards: The Holy Spirit in Revival, Darlington, England/Webster, New York: Evangelical Press, 2005, 227 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Kendall, R.T. In Pursuit of His Glory: My 25 Years at Westminster Chapel, Charisma House, 2004, 310 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Marsden, George M. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2003, 615 pp.
Murray, Iain H. Evangelicalism Divided: A Record of Crucial Change in the Years 1950-2000, Edinburgh, UK/Carlisle, Penn.: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2000, 342 pp.
Murray, Iain H. Wesley and Men Who Followed, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2003, 272 pp.
Thomas, Geoffrey. Ernest C. Reisinger: A Biography, Edinburgh, UK/Carlisle, Penn.: Banner of Truth Trust, 2002, 262 pp.
Waldron, Samuel. Baptist Roots in America: The Historical Background of Reformed Baptists in America, Simpson Publishing, 1991. NEW 04/03/08

Church Life and Ministry

Blanchard, John and Dan Lucarini. Can We Rock the Gospel? Rock music’s impact on worship and evangelism, Darlington, England/Webster, New York: Evangelical Press, 2006, 267 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Davies, John Keith. The Local Church—A Living Body, Great Britain: CPD Wales, 2001, 271 pp.
Fox, J. Mark. Family-Integrated Church, Xulon Press, 2006, 184 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Humphreys, Fisher and Paul E. Robertson. God So Loved the World: Traditional Baptists and Calvinism, New Orleans: Insight Press, 2000, 102 pp.
Lucarini, Dan. Why I Left The Contemporary Christian Music Movement: Confessions of a Former Worship Leader, Darlington, England/Webster, NY: Evangelical Press, 2002, 138 pp.
MacArthur, John, gen. ed. Fool’s Gold? Discerning Truth in an Age of Error, Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2005, 224 pp.
Nettles, Tom. Ready for Reformation: Bringing Authentic Reform to Southern Baptist Churches, Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2005, 140 pp.
O’Brien, Robert, ed. Stand with Christ: Why Missionaries Can’t Sign the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, Macon, Ga.: Smyth and Helwys, 2002, 156 pp.
Piper, John. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry, Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman, 2002, 286 pp.
Podles, Leon J. The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity, Dallas: Spence Publishing Company, 1999.
Wolfe, Alan Wolfe. The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith, New York: Free Press, 2003, 309 pp.

Culture, Ethics, Apologetics

Abanes, Richard. One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church, New York/London: Four Walls Eight Windows, 2002, 651 pp.
Jones, Peter. Pagans in the Pews: How the New Spirituality Is Invading Your Home, Church, and Community, Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 2001, 288 pp.
McGrath, Alister. Dawkins’ God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2005, 202 pp. NEW 04/03/08
McVey, Steve. Grace Walk, Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 1995, 188 pp.
Mouw, Richard J. Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today’s World, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2004, 143 pp.

Family and Education

Botkin, Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin. So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God. San Antonio, Texas: The Vision Forum, 2005, 352 pp.
Farris, Michael. The Joshua Generation: Restoring the Heritage of Christian Leadership, Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2005, 207 pp.
Köstenberger, Andreas with David Jones. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundations, Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2004, 448 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Paris, Jenell Williams. Birth Control for Christians: Making Wise Choices, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2003, 217 pp.
Sproul, R. C. Sproul, Jr. When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling, Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2004, 142 pp.
Swanson, Kevin. Upgrade: 10 Secrets to the Best Education for Your Child, Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006, 211 pp. [Review cited in "Parents must 'upgrade' children's education, author writes," Baptist Press, May 17, 2006.]
Wilson, Douglas. The Case for Classical Christian Education, Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2003, 265 pp.

Theology

Barcellos, Richard C. In Defense of the Decalogue: A Critique of New Covenant Theology, Enumclaw, WA: WinePress Publishing, 2001, 117 pp.
Boice, James Montgomery and Philip Graham Ryken. The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel, Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2002, 240 pp.
Dorrien, Gary. The Remaking of Evangelical Theology, Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998.
Erickson, Millard. Making Sense of the Trinity: Three Crucial Questions, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Press, 2000, 108 pp.
Geisler, Norman, H. Wayne House, with Max Herrera. The Battle for God: Responding to the Challenges of Neotheism, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel, 2001, 336 pp.
Grudem, Wayne. Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism? Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2006, 272 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Page, Frank S. Trouble With The TULIP: A Closer Examination of the Five Points of Calvinism. Canton, Ga.: Riverstone Publishing Group, 2000, 80 pp.
Pinnock, Clark. Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God’s Openness, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 2001.
Piper, John. Counted Righteous in Christ: Should We Abandon the Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness? Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2002, 141 pp.
Reymond, Robert L. The Reformation’s Conflict with Rome: Why It Must Continue! Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2001, 155 pp.
Thornbury, John. System of Bible Doctrine, Webster, New York: Evangelical Press, 2003, 207 pp.
Waldron, Samuel E. To Be Continued: Are The Miraculous Gifts For Today? Merrick, New York: Calvary Press, 2005, 116 pp. NEW 04/03/08
Waters, Guy Prentiss. Justification and the New Perspectives on Paul: A Review and Response. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2004, 273 pp.
White, James R. The God Who Justifies, Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House, 2001, 394 pp.

Academic Articles and Seminar Papers NEW 04/03/08

“The 1919 Statement of Beliefs and the Tradition of Confessional Boundaries for Southern Baptist Missionaries,” Faith & Mission 20 (2003): 40-59.
“A Biblical Response to The Da Vinci Code,” Evangelical Theological Society Eastern Region Meeting, Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, March 26, 2004.
“Paul as Prophet in the Acts of the Apostles,” Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, November 17, 2004.
“Luke’s Doctrine of Scripture in the Acts Narrative,” Evangelical Theological Society Eastern Region Meeting, Calvary Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania, April 1, 2005.
“Baptist Principles Reset: Rediscovering The Life and Thought of J. B. Jeter (1802-1880),” Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, November 18, 2005.
“Piper’s Baptism and Membership Proposal: A Neo-Landmark Response,” Society for the Preservation of Baptist Principles and Practices, Plantation Road Baptist Church, Roanoke, Virginia, March 13, 2006.

__________, Evangelical Theological Society Eastern Region Meeting, Westminster Theological Seminary, Glenside, Pennsylvania, March 24, 2006.
“Are the Daughters of Philip Among the Prophets of Acts,” Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Vol. XI, No. 1 (Spring 2006): 20-29.

__________, Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, November 21, 2003.
“A Theological Critique of Multi-Site Ministry,” Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, Washington, D. C., November 17, 2006.

__________, Society for the Preservation of Baptist Principles and Practices, Plantation Road Baptist Church, Roanoke, Virginia, January 14, 2008.

__________, Fellowship for Fostering the Doctrines of Grace, Berakah Baptist Church, Hampton, Virginia, February 23, 2008.
Sermon Reviews (John 6:24-35; Ephesians 4:25-5:2; John 6:51-59; John 6:56-69), Lectionary Homiletics, Vol. XVII, No. 5 (2006): 8-9, 17, 25, 32-33.
Sermon Reviews (Matthew 24:36-44; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 11:2-11; Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 2:13-23), Lectionary Homiletics, Vol. XIX, No. 1 (December 2007-January 2008): pp. 8-9, 23-24, 30-31, 39-40.
“A Review of Mark Driscoll: Commendations and Cautions,” Society for the Preservation of Baptist Principles and Practices, Plantation Road Baptist Church, Roanoke, Virginia, January 14, 2008.