Shepherd School

To apply to Shepherd School, please email brettbaggett77@gmail.com

Why Shepherd School?

Ekklesia Muskogee Shepherd School exists to train men to shepherd their home, small groups, and Jesus’ church.

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus”

2 Timothy 2:1-3

What are the practical purposes of Shepherd School?

The first practical purpose of Shepherd School is to help men lead their families. The second is to help men lead their small groups, if and when they have one. The third practical purpose is to train up would-be pastors who “aspire to the office of overseer” which is “a noble task” (1 Tim. 3:1).

How will we go about training shepherds?

One of our main goals is to be as practical and hands-on as possible. We will meet once per week on average. We will study the Bible, the 1689 Baptist Confession, and helpful books that will be useful in training all involved to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:1-3).

This is not an average Bible study or small group setting. This is training for war. We believe this will be intensely challenging and, by God’s grace, extremely edifying for all involved.

What will we study?

 *Each week when we meet we will study a passage of the Bible as well as a portion of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith

THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD

1. The Doctrine of Christ by Thomas Boston
(ch. 23-30 in A Complete Body of Divinity) *

2. The Essence of God
by Wilhelmus A Brakel (TCRS chapter 3) *

3. The Persons of God
by Wilhelmus A Brakel (TCRS chapter 4) *

4. The Holy Spirit by John Owen *

5. The Glory of Christ by R.C. Sproul **

6. Knowing God by J.I. Packer **

7. The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul **

8. The Christian’s Reasonable Service
by Wilhelmus A Brakel ***

9. A Complete Body of Divinity
by Thomas Boston ***

THE WORD AND THE GOSPEL

10. The Doctrines of the Word by Joel Beeke (ch. 15-25 in RST) *

11. The Gospel According to God by John MacArthur *

12. The Doctrines of Grace by James Montgomery Boice *

13. Saving The Reformation by Dr. Robert Godfrey **

14. Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? by James Montgomery Boice **

15. T.U.L.I.P seminar by John Piper (videos) **

16. Why We Believe the Bible seminar by John Piper (videos) **

17. Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel Beeke ***

THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

18. Church History In Plain Language by Bruce Shelley *

19. Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things
by Wilhelmus A Brakel (ch. 100-103, appendix in TCRS) *

20. Know the Creeds and Councils by Justin Holcomb **

21. Know the Heretics by Justin Holcomb **

22. Know How We Got Our Bible by Ryan Matthew Reeves **

23. Historical Theology by Gregg Allison ***

THE CHURCH

24. Forms of Unity of Ekklesia Muskogee by Brett Baggett * (Who we are and what we do, who leads, how we stay faithful, what we agree to)

25. Community Group Leader Qualifications and Duties of Ekklesia Muskogee by Brett Baggett *

26. Gospel Worship by Jeremiah Burroughs *

27. Strange Fire by John MacArthur **

28. Church Discipline by Jonathan Leeman **

29. The Character of the Church by Joe Thorn **

THE MAN

30. Family Worship by Joel Beeke *

31. How Men Should Lead Their Families by Joel Beeke *

32. Lectures to My Students by Charles Haddon Spurgeon *

33. Church Elders by Jeramie Rinne *

34. The Spirit of Prayer by Nathaniel Vincent *

35. The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter **

36. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer **

THE PREACHER

37. Reformed Preaching by Joel Beeke *

38. Preaching and Preachers by Martyn Lloyd Jones **

39. Expository Exultation by John Piper **

40. The Mechanics of Expository Preaching by Steven Lawson (VIDEOS) **

41. Tips for Improving Your Preaching by Steven Lawson (VIDEO) **

Soli Deo Gloria,
– Brandon Allen, pastor of Ekklesia Muskogee
– Brett Baggett, pastor of Ekklesia Muskogee
– Nate Yabrough, pastor of Ekklesia Muskogee

*group study with a Pastor
**read or watch at your leisure
***reference book for your library

Ekklesia Muskogee is a reformed baptist church that gathers for worship in Muskogee, Oklahoma. We confess the 1689 second London baptist confession of faith. We affirm the five solas of the Reformation as well as the doctrines of grace (otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism), and each of our pastors would not be ashamed to be called a Calvinist. We are a church led by elders, of which there is a plurality (also called pastors and overseers in the Scriptures). Our mission is to make disciples, love cities, and plant churches.