All the resources I have posted so far have been online resources. I hope you have found them helpful and educational. Still, there’s no doubt that online resources are a drain on precious bandwidth and credit so this week I bring you an offline resource: Downtown Bible Class on Spring FM 102.7. It’s a radio program that airs every weekday evening at 9pm sharp and features 25 minutes of sound, eye-opening Bible exposition by American pastor and teacher Scott Gilchrist.
Who is Scott Gilchrist? What is Downtown Bible Class?
Scott Gilchrist has been Senior Pastor at Southwest Bible Church in a suburb of Portland, Oregon since 1979. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and has a passion to see God’s Word taught and understood. He is heard daily on the radio broadcast “Downtown Bible Class” and teaches the Bible to the business community in downtown Portland each week at the Portland Art Museum.
Downtown Bible Class: We are a non-denominational Christian ministry whose purpose is to bring clear, Christ-centered Bible teaching to the marketplace. We believe the Bible is God’s word, and that it is the only reliable source for truth. Since the spring of 1993, DBC has met each Wednesday in downtown Portland, Oregon. (official website)
Best things about Downtown Bible Class
It’s available for free on Ghana radio, 102.7 FM at 9pm every weekday. If you have a phone, you have a radio. Set an alarm and tune in every day. Radio programs don’t use up any bandwidth, they don’t cost any money and they’re easy to share with your friends, family and anyone in a 10 foot radius.
I’ve been listening to Pastor Gilchrist since 2011 and he has never steered me wrong but has instead provided clarity on a variety of difficult and tricky issues. His teaching is 100% based on the Bible, illustrated with pertinent examples drawn from real life. He has a real passion for the unsaved and for educating Christians about who they are in Christ, and it shows in all his sermons.
There’s also an element of humility and a willingness to admit when he doesn’t have all the answers that is missing in some otherwise excellent Bible teachers (no names will be given) but he doesn’t guess or give up either.
Let me give an example: in Hebrews we are told that Jesus Christ gave up his life once and for all and then sat down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12). In Acts, on the other hand, Stephen looks up into heaven and sees Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand (Acts 7:55-56). So which is it, is Jesus sitting or standing in heaven right now? Pastor Gilchrist doesn’t brush the question aside or skip over the seeming contradiction but instead examines the issue from all sides and all arguments and gives his (prayerfully-considered) opinion. It’s very helpful.
Hm? You want to know his answer? Well then you’ll have to listen to Downtown Bible Class!
Drawbacks of Downtown Bible Class
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Downtown Bible Class itself. The problem is with Spring FM’s presentation. Gilchrist does verse-by-verse exposition of the New Testament book by book. Spring FM jumps around from sermon to sermon without notice. I tracked them for a week. One day they were in Acts 7. The next day in Hebrew 7. Then in Acts 6. And on and on with no semblance of order. That’s not how the Bible is meant to be read or how Bible exposition is meant to be followed.
It’s also a bit inconvenient that you can’t pause and reflect on the sermons or listen to them right away when they’re on the radio. I like to pause, take notes, check the Bible and think a little sometimes before going on.
More information and further sermons
There used to be a website called essentialchristianity.net where you could get all the past Downtown Bible Class sermons in one place. The radio program still advertises it, probably because it’s an older recorded program. Sadly that site is now down, but all the sermons have been moved to the Southwest Bible Church website (click here) along with Gilchrist’s latest sermons. Now you can listen any time you want!
Until next time, keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As will I.
