The Henry Center eagerly anticipates Mike Horton’s visit next week.

He will be lecturing on “Ascension and Ecclesial: Promise-Driven Ministry in a Purpose-Drive Age.” (For a fuller description of the talk, check out the summary here.) The lecture is at 1:00 in the ATO Chapel, with a Q&A to follow.

Anyone familiar with Mike Horton’s message knows that he is among the more thoughtful reforming voices within contemporary evangelicalism, neither rejecting our heritage as some post-evangelicals do, nor defending the movement as though nothing’s wrong. And the (neglected) doctrine of the ascension figures prominently in Horton’s prophetic call to repentance and renewal.

Although the ascension has long been part of the church liturgy, it has received scant attention in recent theology, either formally (Donald Macleod, Robert Letham and Millard Erickson spend too little time on the subject) or in church practice (few evangelical churches recognize, let alone celebrates, Ascension Sunday). The currents are changing slightly, however, if the popularity of Douglas Farrow’s Ascension and Ecclesia is any indication. Horton is among the leading evangelical voices beckoning us to remember the exaltation of Christ to the right hand of the Father and to live according to this new historical-redemptive situation. Continuing the message that he has already begun (see this helpful, brief article that Horton wrote for 9marks.org, this more general sermon that he gave at a Ligonier conference, or a more thorough discussion in chap.1 of People and Place), we eagerly await this challenging and edifying time of reflection and dialogue.

We hope that you’ll join us, preferably in person, but alternatively via our live-stream.