Thanks to Bryan Jerry and Scott Gourley, Pillar pastors gathered at Phoenix Seminary August 2, 2021. It began with a tour of the new campus on Shea Blvd. in beautiful Scottsdale, followed by a meaningful time of discussion with President Brian Arnold and Professor Wayne Grudem. Kody Gibson pulled out all the stops and treated us like royalty. We even had lunch with David Hogg, a new faculty member and notable medieval Christianity historian.

Wayne Grudem encouraged a room full of pastors by stating unequivocally, “the Bible is completely trustworthy and inerrant, and has withstood every test levelled against it.” He shared his intense desire for God to bring revival to North America today, and reiterated the impossibility of “revival without repentance.” His greatest concern for the church of tomorrow- that her unwavering faith in God’s authoritative Word and his design for biblical manhood and womanhood would be met with great persecution from an increasingly secular society. More notable than his intellect was his strength of faith and spiritual warmth. His mind was sharp, his demeanor, pastoral. Dr. Grudem is a true pillar of the faith, and continues to encourage the church to trust in the Lord and in His Word.

Pillar is a network of churches in Arizona and across the world who make this confession together concerning God’s Word:

We believe the Bible, the canon of scripture, is the Word of God. The Bible was given to humanity as a gracious gift of God’s special and authoritative self-revelation. All of the Bible’s original manuscripts were divinely inspired, having been written by individuals as the Holy Spirit carried them along. Because God is the ultimate Author of scripture, the Bible and its individual parts are free from error and are totally true and trustworthy. The central theme of scripture is redemption. It shows God’s saving purposes in Jesus Christ. God’s Word has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The scriptures alone are the infallible rule of faith for the church. A local church is disloyal to Christ if it strays from scripture in faith or conduct, because the church belongs to Him (Psalm 19:7; Psalm 119:105, 106; Matthew 4:4; Mark 13:31; John 8:31, 32; John 17:17; Acts 20:32; 2 Romans 10:16, 17; Hebrews 4:12; Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21).

Thank you, Phoenix Seminary, for hosting us this month. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

“With biblical conviction and biblical hospitality, Phoenix Seminary welcomed us to benefit from God’s gracious provision.” -Eric Stephens

“What a joy to be welcomed by Dr. Grudem, Dr. Arnold, and all the staff from Phoenix Seminary. True scholars committed to investing in the local church by encouraging and equipping the local pastor.” -Bryan Jerry

Phoenix Seminary was extremely gracious to us. They truly reflected an ethos that mirrored their vision of ‘Scholarship with a Shepherd’s Heart.'” -Scott Gourley