Ryan Thompson (BS, Emmaus Bible College) is a full-time student and part-time preacher and teacher of God’s word, the Bible.  As well as preaching on a consistent basis in various churches and youth groups both locally and in the mid-west he also writes book reviews on a small time basis and his reviews have appeared occasionally in the Emmaus Journal.  Added to these endeavors, Ryan is a photographer and photographic teacher who has shot hundreds of assignments and weddings and whose photographs have been published numerous times.  He has also led several small workshops and classes on the subject of photography.  He currently resides in Denver, Colorado, where he is attending seminary, with his beloved wife and expected child.

Though Ryan has accomplished much in a short period of life his primary passion is not his own glory, that is, the exaltation of his greatness and majesty (of which he has none), but the glorification of the almighty, all knowing, sovereign, ruling, reigning King of the universe: Jesus Christ.  This is (or should be) the rudder that steers all endeavors and aspirations in which Ryan partakes.  His longing is to see Christ glorified in the nations and all peoples come to know, worship and adore Jesus Christ.

If you were to ask Ryan what his main doctrinal beliefs were he would point you to the great creeds of Nicaea and Chalcedon.  Were you to press him for a more concise doctrinal statement he would tell you that because he believes in the authority of the Bible he is driven to hold to (1) the historic and beautiful doctrines of the sovereign grace of God (or the so-called 5 Points of Calvinism) (2) the Premillennial return of Jesus Christ and rapture of His saints from the earth (though wouldn't be too hasty as to call himself a Dispensationalist) (3) the propitiatory and substitutionary blood of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins of the men who should turn to Him (4) the absolute sovereignty of God in all things (which I have self-defined as “Christian Determinism” and which should, by no means, be interpreted to be anything akin to Secular Determinism.)

Finally, it should be well noted that Ryan is cautiously adverse to the title “Calvinist” or “Reformed” or the addition of “Neo” to either of those terms.  Being a “Calvinist” denotes that one believes a whole system, a complete understanding of reality.  The same goes for the title “Reformed.”  Ryan came to this understanding of Calvinism independently when he read Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, Martin Luther's The Bondage of the Will, and Frank Vandenberg's Abraham Kuyper: A Life.  Ryan does not hold to Amillennialism, Paedo-baptism, the linking of church and state, a Calvinistic view of the Lord’s Supper, or the replacement of Israel by the Church.  Because these are inherent doctrines in the Calvinistic and Reformed systems Ryan refuses to accept such a title.  However, due to an early blowup between the men George Whitefield and John Wesley, “Calvinism” has somehow become related only to its soteriological system.  Soteriologically, Ryan is on the side of Whitefield, but he is certainly no full-blown Calvinist and wishes that people would use the term very carefully and only ascribes to said system AFTER they have read Calvin and ACTUALLY understand the implications of calling oneself a Calvinist.

One ought to keep in mind, however, that most of Ryan's best friends call themselves Calvinists (and Dispensationalists unfortunately), and Ryan still loves them dearly and maintains consistent fellowship with them!

And to all this, Ryan says in as much humility possible: Soli Deo Gloria