(JACKSON, Miss.) — Reformed Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III will deliver the 2020 John Reed Miller Preaching Lectures at RTS Jackson.
Dr. Duncan is the Chancellor & CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary, the president of RTS Jackson, and the John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology. He served as senior minister of the historic First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi for 17 years (1996-2013). Dr. Duncan is also co-founder of Together for the Gospel, Senior Fellow of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (having served as both Chairman of the Board and President), and was president of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals from 2004-2012. He served as the moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (2004-2005).
Dr. Duncan studied at Furman University (BA), Covenant Theological Seminary (MDiv, MA, cum laude), and the University of Edinburgh, (Ph.D.). He has edited, written, and contributed to numerous books. Ligon and his wife Anne have two children in college and they reside in Jackson, Mississippi.
Dr. Charles Wingard, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Dean of Students at RTS Jackson, commented, “Preaching to the glory of God is the very heart of Reformed pastoral ministry. As pastor, professor, and seminary chancellor, Dr. Duncan has consistently modeled the best of this tradition. The 2020 John Reed Miller Lectures will equip and encourage both pastors and men preparing for gospel ministry.”
The John Reed Miller Preaching Lectures are named after a longtime pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi, who served from 1952-1968. Dr. Miller started the winter lectures on Reformed theology that eventually grew into Reformed Theological Seminary.
“Dr. Miller was an outstanding preacher and leader,” commented Dr. Duncan. “In his later years, after retirement, he would meet with RTS students weekly for lunches and dinners and talk theology and ministry with them. He was a font of knowledge, experience, history, and encouragement. He would offer the gift of John Owen’s Commentary on Hebrews if the student would agree to read the seven-volume set!”
Dr. Duncan continued, “First Presbyterian Church established and funded the RTS John Reed Miller Lectures in his honor to promote the biblical theology and practice of Reformed preaching and pastoral ministry that Dr. Miller embodied in his own life and work.”
Drs. Sinclair Ferguson, Tim Keller, Kevin DeYoung, Liam Goligher, and Rev. H.B. Charles have delivered the lectures in past years, along with many speakers. Rev. Jonty Rhodes, minister of Christ Church Central Leeds, U.K. says, “If you’re in ministry I can’t recommend the John Reed Miller lectures on preaching by Sinclair Ferguson highly enough. Free from RTS Jackson, totally brilliant, and in many ways pretty devastating if you’ve grown up in the same ministry world as I have. Inspiring but humbling.”
Due to Covid-19 precautions, this year’s lectures will be pre-recorded. However, the public is invited to attend Lecture 4 in-person at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson on October 28 at 6:00 pm*.
The lectures will be released via the RTS Jackson Facebook Page as a streaming event, which will include two live question and answer sessions. The lectures and live sessions will be held from Monday, November 9 through Wednesday, November 11. To see the full schedule and to register for the event’s live Q&A sessions with Dr. Duncan, click here.
*Updated October 27.