2016 Speaker Profile...Jim Mascow

What’s your wife’s name, how long have you been married, and how many children do you have?

• I am married to my wife Sandy since 1978. We have three children (Marjorie, Danielle and Josiah) with our first grandchild on the way. Dani and her husband Alex live in the Boston area. They attend a conservative Anglican church. Josiah lives in Dallas, Texas and is in the mortgage business.  He attends The Village Church, pastored by Matt Chandler. We have a heart for ministry to special needs children and their families since we have been blessed with our daughter Margie. 
  
  
  Sandy is an avid reader, a full time care giver, she teaches a woman’s Bible Study, she is the current President of Fenton Right to Life, and she enjoys acting with the Fenton Village Players. (Obviously Sandy is the more versatile one in our marriage.)

Share a little about your educational background.

• I did my undergraduate work at Central Michigan University where I came to faith through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes ministry. I was a youth director at Tyrone Presbyterian Church in Fenton, Michigan for two years before attending Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis from 1980-1984. 

How long have you been in your current pastorate?

• After pastoring churches in Wisconsin for 13 years we returned to Fenton succeeding Dr. Robert L. Berkey as senior pastor of Tyrone Covenant Presbyterian Church. 

What have been some of the best lessons you’ve learned in your role as a pastor and who are some of your greatest spiritual influences?

• Pastoring a congregation for almost two decades allows us to know some families generationally. The gospel remains fresh as we marvel at God’s amazing grace in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. I am inspired by the great leaders of the Reformation and have many of their theological books on my shelves (someday I may actually read them).  

If you could spend an entire day with one person of your choosing from the Bible (not including Jesus), who would you choose and why?

• The Biblical character that I would spend a day with would be Balaam’s donkey. He made more sense than many of our leading presidential candidates of today and would get my vote if he were running. 

What are some of your hobbies/interests apart from the Bible/theology?

• Speaking of running, that is what I enjoy doing for recreation because it takes no talent or brains to put one foot in front of the other. I was able to run in the Boston Marathon this past April taking first in my division (PCA pastors from Fenton, Michigan over 60 years old). 

Is there anything else we should know about you?

• I enjoy these Reformation conferences at Calvary and spending time with Pastor Pete Scribner (who owes me a lunch because the Detroit Tigers beat his beloved Cardinals last year in two of three games in St. Louis). 

Misconceptions about Death

Misconceptions about death are far too widespread not just in the wider culture, but specifically within the church. The shelves of Christian bookstores are filled with books that misguide us in regards to this topic of eminent importance. It is our hope that this year's conference will help to serve as an antidote to this condition.

David Platt will not be one of the speakers at our conference this year. But listen below as what he has to say speaks directly to our theme!

2016 Speaker Profile...Leroy Cole

In an effort to help you get to know our conference speakers, we share a Q&A profile on each of them. Up first is Leroy Cole.

What’s your wife’s name and how long have you been married?

• My wife Cora and I recently celebrated our 59th anniversary.

How many children do you have?

• We have four grown sons.

Share a little about your educational background.

• I am a graduate of Kearsley Hih School, class of 1957. I received my BD from Bible Baptist Seminary in 1967.

How long have you been in your current pastorate?

• I have been at Emmanuel Baptist Church on and off since 1967. I'm presently retired in place there. During most of the years I was not there, I served as a Ruling Elder at Calvary Presbyterian Church.

What have been some of the best lessons you’ve learned in your role as a pastor?

•   The sufficiency of Christ to know and bless his sheep through appointed shepherds.

What would you most like your church to be known for?

• I would like the church to be Christ-like minded in its life and love.

What books of the Bible have been most impactful on your personal growth and ministry?

• Having been in ministry for over half a century, it is hard to narrow in on a few books. Certainly Romans more than Jeremiah, Genesis over Revelation. In fact, Genesis and Romans are usually connected in my mind as I study the other 64 books.

Who are some of your greatest spiritual influences?

• Charles Spurgeon from the 19th century, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones from the 20th and R.C. Sproul from the last 30 years.

• There have been so many people that have joined me for a segment of my pilgrimage and have enriched my journey and sharpened my sanctification! It would be impossible to number those blessed people. And it is ongoing.

Are there any books that you find yourself regularly re-reading?

• I seldom re-read an entire book, but Packer and Lloyd-Jones works seem to recycle across my desk more than others.

If you could spend an entire day with one person of your choosing from the Bible (not including Jesus), who would you choose and why?

• I should say Paul, but it would probably be Peter. Somehow I seem to relate to him and understand his actions.

If you could have been present at any event in the Bible, which event would you choose and why?

• I should say the crucifixion and/or the resurrection/empty tomb, but the Day of Pentecost would be my choice. However, the 40 days of the post-resurrection walk of Christ would have been like the pre-Fall Garden: the Son of God inhabiting His people without the persecution of man interrupting the fellowship.

What are some of your hobbies/interests apart from the Bible/theology?

• Automotive history, now fading into history. That's about all there is to me. Lloyd-Jones said in those dying weeks, "I am a forgiven sinner; that's all there is to me." And with one toe in the river, that's all that is really important.

Conference Registration

For the fourth straight year, we are thrilled to invite you to attend the Conference free of charge! We do ask the you would register in advance by clicking here so we can prepare for your attendance. 

If you would like to financially support the conference to ensure that it will continue to be free in future years, there will be a donation box at the conference. All donations to Calvary Presbyterian Church designated for the Conference will go into a special fund, 100% of which is used to support the Mid-Michigan Reformation Conference.

Audio from Past Conferences

2016 marks the 13th time Calvary has hosted this annual conference.Click here to access audio from our previous years. You can also subscribe to the conference podcast through iTunes to automatically receive audio from future conferences.