Grace Evangelical Society
Encyclopedia
Grace Evangelical Society (GES) is an evangelical Christian advocacy organization based in Denton
, Texas
whose purpose is to promote Free Grace Theology
. Founded in 1986, GES is a non-profit, evangelical publisher specializing in books that deal with soteriology
from a free grace perspective. Ges also holds an annual conference every year at Southwestern Baptist
School of Theology's Riley Center in Ft. Worth, TX. The Executive Director, Bob Wilkin, also speaks across the country at churches and regional conferences. Bob is also an author with three published books and another to be published in 2011. The ministry critiques certain ideas in evangelism
and theology
, especially strains of Covenant theology
, Puritan
ism and Lordship salvation
.
Bob Wilkin sent out newsletters to likeminded associates regarding soteriology
within conservative American churches Art Farstad was the first editor of the JOTGES. Wilkin obtained a BS at the University of California
at Irvine in 1973, a ThM
from Dallas Theological Seminary
in 1982, and a PhD
at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1985. That same year, conservative Christian Publishers, Zondervan
, would publish The Gospel According to Jesus by Dr. John MacArthur Jr., a work which would crystallize the influence of Lordship salvation
Theology in Dispensational
circles. In 1994, The GES published The Epistle of James, Proven Character Through Testing by Zane Hodges
, the first title in a project conceived as single book length commentary for each NT book. As the representative of the GES in public debates, Dr. Wilkin has engaged Progressive Dispensationalist and former president of the Evangelical Theological Society
, Dr. Darrell Bock
, and the Calvinist apologist, avid debater, and writer James White
.
GES has two commentary projects. The first is a long term effort in publishing verse by verse commentaries of each book in the NT (The Epistle of James: Proven Character Through Testing, Hodges, 1994. The Epistles of John: Walking in the Light of God's Love, Hodges, 1999). The other is a two-volume New Testament Commentary. UPDATE: In March of 2010, GES published The Grace New Testament Commentary, a 1300 page, 2 volume, hardcover commentary on the entire New Testament. The commentary contains work by thirteen contributing authors, including J. Paul Tanner, Gary Derickson, Dwight Hunt, Hal Haller, Rene Lopez, Al Valdes, the late Zane Hodges, and Bob Wilkin.
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
whose purpose is to promote Free Grace Theology
Free Grace theology
Free Grace theology is a soteriological view within Protestantism teaching that everyone receives eternal life the moment they believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. "Lord" refers to the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore able to be their "Savior"...
. Founded in 1986, GES is a non-profit, evangelical publisher specializing in books that deal with soteriology
Soteriology
The branch of Christian theology that deals with salvation and redemption is called Soteriology. It is derived from the Greek sōtērion + English -logy....
from a free grace perspective. Ges also holds an annual conference every year at Southwestern Baptist
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention...
School of Theology's Riley Center in Ft. Worth, TX. The Executive Director, Bob Wilkin, also speaks across the country at churches and regional conferences. Bob is also an author with three published books and another to be published in 2011. The ministry critiques certain ideas in evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, especially strains of Covenant theology
Covenant Theology
Covenant theology is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible...
, Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
ism and Lordship salvation
Lordship salvation
The "lordship salvation" controversy is a theological dispute regarding key soteriological questions within Protestantism, involving some non-denominational and Evangelical churches in North America since the 1980's...
.
History
GES was founded in June 1986 when dispensationalistDispensationalism
Dispensationalism is a nineteenth-century evangelical development based on a futurist biblical hermeneutic that sees a series of chronologically successive "dispensations" or periods in history in which God relates to human beings in different ways under different Biblical covenants.As a system,...
Bob Wilkin sent out newsletters to likeminded associates regarding soteriology
Soteriology
The branch of Christian theology that deals with salvation and redemption is called Soteriology. It is derived from the Greek sōtērion + English -logy....
within conservative American churches Art Farstad was the first editor of the JOTGES. Wilkin obtained a BS at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Irvine in 1973, a ThM
THM
THM, Thm or ThM may refer to:*In the context of automobiles, a GM automatic transmission called the Turbo-Hydramatic.*In the context of nuclear power plants, for tons of heavy metal.*These Hopeful Machines...
from Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas. It is known for popularizing the theological system known as Dispensationalism...
in 1982, and a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1985. That same year, conservative Christian Publishers, Zondervan
Zondervan
Zondervan is an international Christian media and publishing company located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan is a founding member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association .- History :...
, would publish The Gospel According to Jesus by Dr. John MacArthur Jr., a work which would crystallize the influence of Lordship salvation
Lordship salvation
The "lordship salvation" controversy is a theological dispute regarding key soteriological questions within Protestantism, involving some non-denominational and Evangelical churches in North America since the 1980's...
Theology in Dispensational
Dispensationalist theology
Dispensational theology refers to the unified teachings of Dispensationalism that address what other views teach as divergent theologies in the Old Testament and New Testament...
circles. In 1994, The GES published The Epistle of James, Proven Character Through Testing by Zane Hodges
Zane C. Hodges
Zane Clark Hodges was an American pastor, seminary professor, and Bible scholar. He was reared in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and came to Dallas, Texas in 1954 after receiving a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College. He received master of theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1958...
, the first title in a project conceived as single book length commentary for each NT book. As the representative of the GES in public debates, Dr. Wilkin has engaged Progressive Dispensationalist and former president of the Evangelical Theological Society
Evangelical Theological Society
The Evangelical Theological Society is a professional society of Biblical scholars, educators, pastors, and students with the stated purpose of serving Jesus and his church by advancing evangelical scholarship. It was established in 1949 in Cincinnati. The number of members in 2005 was over 4,200...
, Dr. Darrell Bock
Darrell Bock
Darrell L. Bock is a New Testament scholar and research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas, United States...
, and the Calvinist apologist, avid debater, and writer James White
James White (theologian)
James Robert White is the director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, an evangelical Reformed Christian apologetics organization based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is the author of more than twenty books and has engaged in numerous moderated debates...
.
Projects
The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society (JOTGES) was first published in 1988, and is published semi-annually. JOTGES has been included in the Trinty Journal CD and The Theological Journal Library CD. JOTGES examines issues relating to the GES core orientation toward the Gospel.GES has two commentary projects. The first is a long term effort in publishing verse by verse commentaries of each book in the NT (The Epistle of James: Proven Character Through Testing, Hodges, 1994. The Epistles of John: Walking in the Light of God's Love, Hodges, 1999). The other is a two-volume New Testament Commentary. UPDATE: In March of 2010, GES published The Grace New Testament Commentary, a 1300 page, 2 volume, hardcover commentary on the entire New Testament. The commentary contains work by thirteen contributing authors, including J. Paul Tanner, Gary Derickson, Dwight Hunt, Hal Haller, Rene Lopez, Al Valdes, the late Zane Hodges, and Bob Wilkin.