Audio Series

The audio series below are recorded from live events held by Covenant Reformed Church of Elk Grove and led by Dr. Derek Carlsen, Pastor.

We recommend starting with this ground laying message, Faithful In Our Days. It is a message of encouragement for the high calling of parenthood.

Series 1 (Self-Consciously Biblical) is on the authority of Scripture and lays the foundation for all that follows. It is vital that we not only acknowledge, but live in terms of the fact that we are utterly dependent upon God’s word for all things. If we fail to self-consciously live by every word from God’s mouth, we will be taken captive by the “wisdom” of this world and thus build our families and everything else on sinking sand (Matthew 7:24-25).

Series 2 (The Family in Dusty Reality) is an attempt to help families understand God's purpose for them. Christianity is a dusty religion in the sense that it is very down to earth. This series steps onto this level and tries to give practical instruction about how families might become more Christ-centered in all that they do and are. It explains where the family's focus should be and how to get the whole family moving together towards that goal.

Series 3 (Lies the World Tells) applies the warning of scripture, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Co 2:8). This set exposes some of the commonly held, yet unscriptural, messages of the world that bombard us from many directions.

Series 4 (Christian Apologetics) lays out the Biblical approach to defending the faith. It explains how it is only the Triune God of scripture and His truth that accounts for the whole of life, knowledge and existence. As God's word says, "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (1Co 1:20).

Series 5 (Understanding the Law ) explains and biblically defends the continued validity and application of God's law today. The law does not show us how to attain salvation; rather, it teaches us how to live as those already saved by grace. It also represents God's standard of righteousness in all situations. We live in a culture that largely denies the value and importance of God's law-- but if God's nature is unchangeable, then surely His standard of righteousness must be as well.

Series 6 (Romanticizing Life) challenges us to look at every aspect of life with a true and real perspective; with God's perspective. Often, believers are taken by the world's distorted and 'romantic' portrayal of things, which only sets them up for disillusionment, disappointment, and ineffectiveness when the inevitible realities of life appear. Our minds need to be renewed about these things that we may glorify God in them.

Series 7 (One and the Many) God has revealed Himself as the One True God known in three Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This doctrine of the Trinity is a fundamental Christian truth, necessarily held by all true believers. This series seeks to show how this truth about who God is applies to the many details of life in this world that He has created and sustains.

Series 8 (Wisdom from Proverbs) Growing in Godly wisdom is vital for believers in order to glorify God and be effective for His kingdom. This series examines key teachings of the book of Proverbs that relate to the Christian family and principles of covenant headship.

Series 9 (Covenant Applied) Scripture teaches that God relates to man covenantally, and this manifests itself in very tangible and visible ways. This series examines what that looks like and shows how to apply covenantal thinking to everyday life.

Series 10 (The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards) Centered on the book of same title by Steven J Lawson and Reformation Trust Publishing, this study examines the life and character of this Puritan pastor who is widely seen as "the most distinguished pastor ever to grace the American church."

Series 11 (Current Event Topics) This series provides some one-off looks at a range of topics facing the church and culture today. They are designed to equip the believer to engage these areas in conversation with a biblical perspective.

Series 12 (Biblical Patriarchy) Patriarchy is a topic that often comes under fire in today's post-modern world, especially where individual sin can be found. That fact is, however, a right understanding of the Biblical principles involved is important in a God-honoring home. This series examines those principles.

Series 13 (Lex Rex) Tyranny exists when rulers operate above, or become, the law. Samuel Rutherford was a theologan in the Westminster Assembly whose writings greatly influenced the signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. In particular, his epic work Lex Rex (Law is King), which laid out that the Law, not the King, had highest authority. This book was highly relavent and influential in the founding of the United States, and is highly relavent now as we examine thoughout this study.

Series 14 (The English Civil War) The Reformation that began in the 16th century swept across continental Europe and significantly impacted people's Biblical understanding about life, the church, law, and the civil magistrate. As the work of John Calvin, Martin Luther, the others made its way to Scotland and England early in the 17th century, tensions grew over the lawful relationship of the these realms to one another, culminating in civil war. The events of this time period are particularly important, both legally and theologically. Through them were forged key Biblical prinicples about law and society that would soon lead to and underpin the American Revolution.

(C) Copyright 2009, Covenant Reformed Church of Elk Grove