Craig Rohde (CR): For most of our adulthood, we were struggling — like everybody else — about how to get through life. We’ve always been generous with our time, but financially, we didn’t have the resources to be strategic in any significant way. Thirteen years ago, God led me to take over the leadership of a small company, AGI, that has since been blessed with much success. One of our key business objectives to be more generous in giving to faith-based and mercy-and-justice ministries. In doing this, I discovered that the needs far outweigh the resources. There are hundreds of wonderful, great needs out there, but we can’t support everything. We realized that it’s important to be prayerful and thoughtful in what we do.
Becky Rohde (BR): As we were maturing in our own faith, we’ve always felt that everything we have is not our own. Everything we have is a gift from God: our children, our home, our church, whatever it is. I feel like we’ve always tried — to the best of our ability — to be stewards for the Lord, because we knew that it was his and not ours.
Leigh Swanson (LS): In your journey, was there ever something you read or maybe a role-model who mentored or inspired you in your philosophy of giving?
BR: When we lived in Knoxville, I can think of specific families who were about four or five years ahead of us. I would see them freely give, never wanting any recognition. They had the right hearts about it—they lived it. I pray that Craig and I would live it. I pray that we wouldn’t be the type of people who would just write a check. I want to be the type of person who really supports RTS, who is excited when we hear that there are RTS graduates coming to our area, going into RUF, or who want to do an internship at AGI. I think for me it mostly comes from mentors and being in those stages in life where I saw it lived out, not just taught.
LS: What you’ve aspired to do, you’re doing! You haven’t just been donors, but partners and friends.
MB: Craig, AGI has always had a lot of philanthropic thinking behind it. Can you share about that philosophy?
CR: Early in his career, the founder of our company, Dave Ramsey (not the Dave Ramsey!), dedicated the business to the Lord. One of our key practices in running the Lord’s business is that we tithe our earnings. Each year, as we look at our pre-tax earnings, we give ten percent or more to faith-based and/or mercy-and-justice ministries. On top of that, we also give to local efforts within the community.
MB: You also have a chaplain at AGI. What makes that position unique?
CR: What’s unique is we have a full-time chaplain and a formal ministry. We take seriously the opportunity we have to love our neighbors, and we have about 800 employees in our business along with their families. It’s been an extremely powerful ministry for the employees of AGI, and we feel strongly that this is what God wants us to do. Part of the vision that Bryan, our chaplain (and my son-in-law), and I talk about is sharing with others what we’ve learned. Our hope is that one day other Christian businesses who have the resources would also formalize workplace ministries. We’re trying to figure out if there is a role for AGI for promoting faith-and-work ministries outside of the 800 employees we have.
MB: How would you convince someone that RTS is a worthy organization to be involved with?
CR: I’d focus on the future evangelists and pastors that are going to lead and shepherd God’s kingdom. I think the world is only going to become more difficult in terms of reaching those who are not Christians and leading those who are Christians. It is critical that those future leaders — pastors, chaplains, counselors, and even laypeople — are grounded in the Word of God and receive strong instruction. I think that’s God laying the foundation because he knows what’s ahead. RTS is graduating people who are part of that foundation.
BR: Years ago, I did a Bible study based on Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God, and what stuck with me is that God is always at work, and he wants us to come alongside him and join him in that work. I know at times I have been disobedient to God and walked away from opportunities that he has provided for me. I think to myself, “Lord, I just want to join you, because I don’t want to miss this blessing!” And that’s how we feel about RTS. We just want to join you because we don’t want to miss all this great kingdom building!
Joel R. Beeke, President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary; author, Reformed Preaching; coauthorIt has been said that Reformed theology is covenant theology, for covenant is not merely a doctrine or theme in the Bible but is the principle that structures all its revelation. Robert Rollock said, ‘God speaks nothing to man without the covenant.’ Therefore, it is a delight to see this amazing scholarly collaboration by the faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary, which will surely prove to be a sourcebook for future studies of Reformed covenant theology. Here is a gold mine of biblical and historical studies by trusted pastor-theologians of Christ’s church.
Michael Horton, Professor of Systematic Theology and ApologeticsThe revived interest in covenant theology has sparked rich insights and lively debate. Representing a variety of views and specialties, and united by biblical fidelity and rigorous scholarship, Covenant Theology is a very impressive and welcome collection.
Daniel Doriani, Vice President at Large and Professor of Biblical and Systematic TheologyCovenant Theology is a gift to the church, a grand account of covenant in Scripture and in Christian theology. This work is scholarly and readable, rigorous and complete. Every chapter is thorough, whether it gathers data on familiar themes or explores new territory. The contributors and editors have presented a resource that pastors and scholars will draw from for many years.
Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New TestamentThis rich and learned compendium updates and extends our understanding of God’s initiative in, and manner of performing, his signature saving work. With thirteen chapters on covenant and covenants in the Bible, seven on covenant in Christian thought up to today, and seven on topics like covenant in contemporary New Testament scholarship, dispensationalism, and ‘new covenant theologies,’ no significant stone is left unturned. From Ligon Duncan’s foreword to Kevin DeYoung’s meaty homiletical summation at the end, this volume artfully defines a nonnegotiable Christian teaching and reaffirms its centrality. The annotated bibliography offers an invaluable listing of covenant studies in (and in some cases against) the Reformed tradition over many centuries. These important essays by a distinguished seminary faculty are a lasting gift to scholarship as well as to the church.
Augustus Nicodemus Lopes, Assistant Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Recife, Brazil; Vice President, Supreme CouncilBreathtaking! I don’t know of any work that has the diversity and scope of Covenant Theology. Every aspect of the covenant doctrine receives attention from the book’s contributors. Each chapter is an urgent invitation. The covenant doctrine is analyzed here with unquestionable scholarship and inalienable commitment to Scripture and Reformed theology. Starting with the exegesis of biblical material, going through the historical development of the theme in the church, contrasting and comparing it with extrabiblical material, and analyzing the concept of the covenant in modern theology, this book offers the most comprehensive exposition of the covenant doctrine available today.
Jonty Rhodes, Minister, Christ Church Central Leeds, UK; authorIf covenant is the Bible’s word for God’s relationship with his people, what could be more important than thinking deeply and clearly about covenant theology? This volume is a sure guide to the covenantal thinking that underpins so much of pastoral ministry. Bringing rigorous exegesis into conversation with historic perspectives and modern debates, it is a remarkably comprehensive and thorough work that will help any preacher or student of Scripture.
Cornelis P. Venema, President and Professor of Doctrinal Studies, Mid-America Reformed Seminary; authorIn the history of Reformed theology, the biblical teaching of the triune God’s sovereign initiative to enter into covenant union and communion with his people, before and after the fall into sin, has been a central focus, and some say it even defines Reformed theology. For this reason, the contributors to this comprehensive volume, which treats the topic of the covenant or covenants in biblical, historical, and systematic perspectives, provide a wonderful overview of Reformed theology’s engagement with Scripture’s teaching. Encyclopedic in scope, balanced in tone and temper, sensitive to diversity of expression and formulation―this volume is a model of theological study and an indispensable resource for anyone who has interest in exploring the scriptural witness to God’s covenant.
Allan Harman, Research Professor, Presbyterian Theological College, Australia; coauthorI rarely use the term magisterial of any book, but this one deserves it. The faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary have produced an outstanding volume on the biblical doctrine of the covenant. The opening section is marked by superb exegetical studies that ground the whole book in Scripture. The historical section that follows presents material (such as the use of covenant in the early church and the medieval period) that is not otherwise easily accessible. Later sections bring the discussions right up to the present time and interact with modern exponents and critics of covenantal theology. This is the volume to which those inquiring into the biblical idea of covenant should be pointed, and its presentation will instruct and challenge, while its annotated bibliography of modern studies will lead to many other sources. Everyone seriously pursuing an interest in this central biblical theme must have this book.
