vol. 10, no. 2 o r d a i n e d s e r v a n topc.org/os/pdf/osv10n2.pdf · the ministerial training...

Two Students at the Recent MTIOPC Intensive Training Session in San Diego

Published by

The Committee on Christian Education

of

THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

April, 2001

Vol. 10, No. 2

O R D A I N E D S E R V A N T

ORDAINED SERVANT

Statement Of Purpose

Ordained Servant exists to provide solid materials for the equipping of office-bearers to serve more faithfully.The goal of this journal is to assist the ordained servants of the church to become more fruitful in their particularministry so that they in turn will be more capable to prepare God's people for works of service. To attain thisgoal Ordained Servant will include articles (both old and new) of a theoretical and practical nature with theemphasis tending toward practical articles wrestling with perennial and thorny problems encountered by office-bearers.

Editorial Policy

1. Ordained Servant publishes articles inculcating biblical presbyterianism in accord with the constitution ofthe Orthodox Presbyterian Church and helpful articles from collateral Reformed traditions; however, viewsexpressed by the writers do not necessarily represent the position of Ordained Servant or of the Church.

2. Ordained Servant occasionally publishes articles on issues on which differing positions are taken by officersin good standing in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Ordained Servant does not intend to take a partisanstand, but welcomes articles from various viewpoints in harmony with the constitution of the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church.

Published for the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Churchunder direction of

Dr. James Gidley, Mr. David Winslow, Rev. William Shishko and Rev. Peter Wallace

Contents: Vol. 10, No. 2

Editorial Notes...........................................................................................................................23Biblical Godliness, A Response to G.I. Williamson & Richard Ganz, by Matthew W. Kingsbury.......24Visiting the Members, by Archibald A. Allison..................................................................................................27Seven Good Reasons for Home Visitation by Elders, by the Editor............................................................30Eldership in the Balance, by Charlie Meyer...................................................................................31Some Thoughts on Term Eldership, by John R. Sittema.........................................................................33A Family Visitation Brochure, by Nathan Trice............................................................................36The Free Offer of the Gospel - Part 2, by Stephen D. Doe.............................................................38Book Notes for Church Officers, by William J. Shishko.................................................................40The Ministerial Training Institute of the OPC, by Thomas E. Tyson.............................................42

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Ordained Servant — Vol. 10, No. 2

Ordained Servant (ISSN: 1525-3503) is published quarterly by the Committee onChristian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Copies to ordained officersof the Orthodox Presbyterian Church are paid for by the Committee. It is also availableto others in the U.S. who remit $12 per year; foreign subscribers remit $17. Periodicalspostage is paid at Carson, ND. Postmaster: Send address changes to Ordained Servant,5645 73rd St SW, Carson, ND 58529.

Please send materials intended for possible publication in Ordained Servant to the Editor, G. I.Williamson, 406 Normal College Ave., Sheldon, IA 51201. (Or send it in a text file, by Email to:[email protected]). Please send all requests for additional copies of back issues, to thedistributor, Mr. Stephen Sturlaugson, 5645 73rd St SW, Carson, ND 58529. Telephone: 701-622-3862 (Email: [email protected]), or you can download any and all back issues of OrdainedServant from The Orthodox Presbyterian Church’s Web site on the Internet at: http://www.opc.org.

Editorial Notes

Ordained Servant — Vol. 10, No. 2 23

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The primary focus of this issue is the need forfaithful visitation of church members by the

elders. Following an article by Rev. Archie Allisonexplaining how he instituted this practice in a churchplanting setting, a brief defense of the practice by theeditor and a timely expression of the concerns of oneof our new elders is a fine brochure prepared by theRev. Nathan Trice who has also instituted this practicein his ministry. This can easily be photocopied andreproduced (with your own pasted-in list of elderdistricts, and members) for use in your owncongregation. There is hardly anything that we cancommend as passionately as this practice, having seenits benefits over many years of ministry.

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In the previous issue of Ordained Servant we inviteda response from readers. We received one from Rev.

Matthew W. Kingsbury and have included it in thisissue. He thinks that we are the ones who have gonetoo far—the editor, that is, and Rev. Richard Ganz.Although we are not persuaded of all that Rev.Kingsbury has to say, there is value in his rejoinder. Besure to read it—and the quotation from John Calvinthat is cited with it.

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Stephen Doe continues his series on the ‘FreeOffer of the Gospel’, this time looking at some of

the history of this doctrine. We are also anticipating athird article from him to complete this interestingseries.

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We conclude this issue of Ordained Servantwith some book notes by Rev. Bill Shishko and

an article to better inform you about what the recentlycreated Ministerial Training Institute (or MTI) is andwhat it has been doing. The response to this new effortof the Committee on Christian Education, on the part

of both students and instructors, has been very favorable.And the more you—the ordained servants of the OPC—take interest in this work and help us to improve it, the

better it will serve our churches.

Unto this catholic visible church Christ hath giventhe ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, forthe gathering and perfecting of the saints, in thislife, to the end of the world: and doth, by his ownpresence and Spirit, according to his promise,make them effectual thereunto. (WestminsterConfession XXX,3)

The Power of the Office and of the Minister. Thenthere is another power of an office or of ministrylimited by him who has full and absolute power.And this is more like a service than a dominion. THEKEYS. For a lord gives up his power to the stewardin his house, and for that cause gives him the keys,that he may admit into or exclude from the housethose whom his lord will have admitted or excluded.In virtue of this power the minister, because of hisoffice, does that which the Lord has commandedhim to do; and the Lord confirms what he does, andwills that what his servant has done will be soregarded and acknowledged, as if he himself haddone it. Undoubtedly, it is to this that theseevangelical sentences refer: "I will give you thekeys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever youbind on earth shall be bound in heaven, andwhatever you loose on earth shall be loosed inheaven" (Matt. 16:19). Again, "If you forgive thesins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sinsof any, they are retained" (John 20:23). But if theminister does not carry out everything as the Lordhas commanded him, but transgresses the boundsof faith, then the Lord certainly makes void what hehas done. Wherefore the ecclesiastical power ofthe ministers of the Church is that function wherebythey indeed govern the Church of God, but yet sodo all things in the Church as the Lord has prescribedin his Word. When those things are done, thefaithful esteem them as done by the Lord himself…

The Power of Ministers Is One and the Same, andEqual. Now the one and an equal power or functionis given to all ministers in the Church. Certainly, inthe beginning, the bishops or presbyters governedthe Church in common; no man lifted up himselfabove another, none usurped greater power orauthority over his fellow-bishops. For rememberingthe words of the Lord: "Let the leader among youbecome as one who serves" (Luke 22:26), they keptthemselves in humility, and by mutual services theyhelped one another in the governing and preservingof the Church. (From Chapter 18 of the SecondHelvetic Confession)


The January 2001 edition of Ordained Servant1

carried two articles which argued the Church oughtto take more seriously barriers to ordained office:“Have We Gone Too Far?” by G.I. Williamson (p.17), and “Access Denied” by Richard Ganz (p. 18-19). I applaud these men’s zeal for a rigorousadherence to the Scriptures by the Church, andshare with them a concern that we frequentlyignore clear commands on qualifications for office.Thus, I would never reject calls to rigor, as such.Unfortunately, I believe Messrs. Williamson andGanz have failed to take into account the wholecounsel of God and consequently argue forunbiblical standards for office.

In “Have We Gone Too Far?” Mr. Williamsonexamines the effects of divorce on a man’s life, andconcludes that these consequences disqualify himfor ordained office.2 In “Access Denied” Mr. Ganzforcefully argues that the sin of adultery creates alifelong ban on service in office. These are distinctpositions, but are arrived at by some sharedassumptions, and thus may properly be consideredtogether.

A One-Woman Man

Mr. Ganz begins his argument (p. 18) byasserting that the requirement of 1 Timothy 3:2,that an elder be a “one-woman man”, means hemust have a wife. It is not simply a bar on polygamy,but also disqualifies the unmarried from office.This particular assertion is not necessary to hisconclusion, but is nonetheless a serious error whichpoints up his rather selective examination of texts.

B I B L I C A L G O D L I N E S S

A Response to Williamson & Ganz on Qualifications for Officeby

Matthew W. Kingsbury

24

Of course, our infallible rule of the interpretationof Scripture is the Scripture itself (WCF 1.9). Thus,I am disappointed that Mr. Ganz makes no referenceto 1 Timothy 5:9. There, with what is clearly a par-allel expression, the Apostle Paul teaches that awidow must be a “one-man woman” to qualify forsupport by the Church. By definition, a widow issingle, without a husband. Hence, we must concludethat Paul describes her godly character, as revealedby her conduct when married. She must have beenfaithful to her husband, and so be a womancharacterized by faithfulness. If “one-man woman”in 1 Timothy 5:9 clearly refers to the Spirit-givencharacteristic of faithfulness, and not, more narrowly,faithfulness in a current marriage, then “one-womanman” means the same.

Moreover, Paul specifically calls single men topursue ordained office in 1 Corinthians 7. In 1Corinthians 7:32-35, he teaches the Lord has calledsome to celibacy so they might devote themselveswholly to Christian service. Earlier, in verse 8, Paulheld himself up as an example to all who areunmarried. He says to these, “Serve the Lord in thesame way I do.” While we must agree with Mr.Williamson that this cannot be a call to ordainedoffice for single women (p. 17), certainly we maytake it as such to single men. Paul wants them todedicate themselves to preaching and teaching, todoing the work of evangelism in places where amarried man could not. But Mr. Ganz disagreeswith the Apostle. His argument necessarily impliesthat if a task (such as preaching) requires ordination,then a single person cannot perform it. I am morepersuaded by Paul than Ganz.

By failing to consider all relevant Scriptures, Mr.Ganz creates an extra-Biblical standard for office:

1 Vol. 10, #1.2 Please note: Mr. Williamson never states that a divorce, by itself,

is a disqualification for office.


A Response

marriage. Having said this, I do agree with him thatthe “one-woman man” requirement is a positiveone, and not just a hedge against polygamy. As areall the officer qualifications in 1 Timothy 3, this isa positive character requirement. The elder anddeacon must live lives characterized by fidelity.

More than Forgiveness?

In their articles, Messrs. Ganz and Williamsonboth seem to overlook the transforming power ofthe Cross of Christ, as applied by the Holy Spirit, inthe lives of sinners. Mr. Ganz says a man whocommits adultery will always be characterized bythat sin. “… he will never again be entirely withoutreproach, without blame…He is a man whose ownwife will never again fully trust him…He may berestored in his marriage, if his wife chooses toremain with an adulterer.” (p. 19, last emphasismine)

Mr. Ganz goes on to argue a man who commitsadultery lacks the Biblical requirement of self-controland is thereby excluded from office (p. 19, 1 Timothy3:2). Since he is arguing for a permanent, irrevocableexclusion, he in effect states that such a man cannever become self-controlled.

Mr. Ganz ought to consider 1 Cor. 6:9-11:Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit thekingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusersof themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous,nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shallinherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you:but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye arejustified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spiritof our God.

You were adulterers, but are not anymore becauseof the work of Jesus Christ for you. This Spirit whohas washed you clean is also indwelling you, renewingyou in the image of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10;Ephesians 4:24). Godliness is within the grasp ofsinners like you because of the grace of our God inour Lord Jesus. The Spirit transforms people. We

are obligated by Scripture to see sinners not as theywere, but as God has made them and is makingthem.

This brings us to Mr. Williamson, who saysforgiveness is not “the only thing that matters” whenconsidering the past sins and errors of candidates foroffice (p. 17). He argues that men with a history ofdivorce cannot be considered blameless or having agood testimony before the world (1 Tim. 3:7). Thatis, we ought to consider whether a given officercandidate will besmirch the Church’s reputation ifordained. In response to this argument, we mustremember what the world thinks of the Church.They think we are a weak and foolish people whobelieve a weak and foolish message about a weak andfoolish God (1 Cor. 1:18-2:5). This said, I do agreewith Mr. Williamson that we must take the opinionsof those outside the Church on officer candidatesvery seriously. This can be done rather easily: askthem! Without doing so, we have no idea of a man’strue reputation in the world. Mr. Ganz’s sessioninterviews wives of officer candidates (p. 18), and soI’m sure they also interview their unbelievingneighbors and co-workers. Unfortunately, this is afar from regular practice. While candidating for apastorate, only one session asked me for a referencefrom a former (secular) employer. Shouldn’t this bethe norm?

Mr. Williamson rightly notes that worldlingsrejoice to find inconsistencies in the Church,particularly elders who are not Biblically qualified(p. 17). But they also note the inconsistency of notbelieving the grace which we preach. Whenunbelievers see the Lord has made a sinner into agodly man, they condemn the Church for hypocrisywhen we hold his past sins against him. We ought toshow the world that God really does transformsinners into saints, that even adulterers can be madegodly leaders in the Church.

Messrs. Ganz and Williamson, in their zeal,commit a very fundamental error. They say once aman has sinned, he can never become blameless (p.17,19). They seem to forget the Holy Spirit is

26 Ordained Servant — Vol. 10, No. 2

Biblical Godliness

renewing us in the image of Christ in this life. Hemakes us more than what we were and better thanwhat we are. He makes us like Jesus.

The Very Positive Contribution ofGanz and Williamson

I hope the above is not taken as an absoluterejection of everything these godly men have tried totell us. They address a very substantive problem inthe Church, and their call for rigor ought be heeded.A session or presbytery must consider very gravelyany divorce and/or adultery in the past of an officercandidate. They ought to ask whether such menhave indeed been so sanctified by the Spirit that thesins of their past have no lure to them whatsoever.Without being duly assured of such, ordainingbodies ought not put them into office.

Mr. Williamson asks whether we have gone toofar. Doubtlessly, some have been too quick to ordainunworthy candidates, just as others have wronglydenied ordination to men made fit by the HolySpirit. Messrs. Ganz and Williamson err when theymake divorce and adultery bars to office.3 I fear they

3 Again, Mr. Williamson does not do so explicitly.

run the risk of adding to God’s Word in a matter offaith and practice (cf. WCF 20.2).

The discerning reader will have noted I take fargreater exception to “Access Denied” than the morecautious “Have We Gone Too Far?” Mr. Ganzconcludes by saying this: “It’s also called godliness”(p.19). As a pastor in the Church of Jesus Christ, Ihope I also have a zeal for godliness. I remain con-vinced, however, that godliness must be defined byScripture. Godliness never adds to the requirementsof God’s Word, no matter how wise those additionsmay seem to us (Col. 3:11-23). Mr. Ganz argues forwhat he calls “godliness.” I plead for a Biblicalgodliness.

Rev. Matthew W. Kingsbury,

associate Pastor of the Immanuel

Orthodox Presbyterian Church of

Thornton, Colorado, is presently

serving as pastor of the Park Hill

Presbyterian Church in Denver.

"The husband of one wife". The reason why this rule is laid down has beenexplained by us in the Commentary on the First Epistle to Timothy. Polygamy wasso common among the Jews, that the wicked custom had nearly passed into a law.If any man had married two wives before he made a profession of Christianity,it would have been cruel to compel him to divorce one of them; and thereforethe apostles endured what was in itself faulty, because they could not correct it.Besides, they who had involved themselves by marrying more than one wife ata time, even though they had been prepared to testify their repentance byretaining but one wife, had, nevertheless, given a sign of their incontinence, whichmight have been a brand on their good name. The meaning is the same as if Paulhad enjoined them to elect those who had lived chastely in marriage, had beensatisfied with having a single wife, and had forbidden those who had manifestedthe power of lust by marrying many wives. At the same time, he who, havingbecome an unmarried man by the death of his wife, marries another, ought,nevertheless, to be accounted "the husband of one wife;" for the apostle does notsay, that they shall choose him who has been, but him who is, "the husband ofone wife".

- From John Calvin's Commentary on Titus 1:6


The Form of Government of the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church Chapter VIII includes the fol-lowing as part of the duties of a pastor:

“It is his task...to shepherd the flock and minis-ter the Word according to the particular needsof groups, families, and individuals in the con-gregation, catechizing by teaching plainly thefirst principles of the oracles of God to thebaptized youth and to the adults who are yetbabes in Christ, visiting in the homes of thepeople, instructing and counseling individuals,and training them to be faithful servants ofChrist; ....”

The Form of Government in Chapter X setsforth the following as one of the duties of ruling eldersin the church:

“They are to watch diligently over the peoplecommitted to their charge to prevent corrup-tion of doctrine or morals. Evils which theycannot correct by private admonition they shouldbring to the notice of the session. They shouldvisit the people, especially the sick, instruct theignorant, comfort the mourning, and nourishand guard the children of the covenant.”

There is little disagreement that the pastor andelders should shepherd the members of the congrega-tion and lead them in faithful service to Jesus Christ.Paul commanded the elders from the church inEphesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to allthe flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made youoverseers, to shepherd the church of God which Hepurchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). In IPeter 5:2-4 the Lord commands pastors and elders:“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you,serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly,not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lordsover those entrusted to you, but being examples tothe flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, youwill receive the crown of glory that does not fadeaway.”

As a pastor how do you shepherd the flock andminister the Word according to the specific needs of

27

those in the congregation? As a ruling elder how do youwatch diligently over the people committed to yourcharge to prevent corruption of doctrine or morals?There are several ways in which the pastor and eldersshould carry out these duties. One important, time-tested, and effective way is to visit the people in theirhomes. Chapter VIII of the Form of Government saysthat the pastor should visit in the homes of the people.Chapter X of the Form of Government says that theruling elders should visit the people.

In many churches the pastor and elders do notfaithfully visit the members of the congregation in theirhomes on a regular schedule as part of shepherding theflock and diligently watching over the families andindividual members of the congregation. This neglectharms the church and hinders God’s people in theirfaith and life. It hinders each child of God fromgrowing to full maturity.

As pastors and elders we learn how to shepherdGod’s people from the Lord Jesus Christ who is theGood Shepherd (Ezekiel 34, John 10), the Shepherdand Overseer of our souls (I Peter 2:25), the ChiefShepherd (I Peter 5:4), and the Great Shepherd of thesheep (Hebrews 13:20). David said in Psalm 23:1,“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” The word“pastor” means “shepherd.” A pastor or shepherd issomeone who feeds, nurtures, and leads a flock ofsheep. In Psalm 23 David is saying: The Lord is mypastor; therefore I shall not lack anything because theLord will meet all of my needs.

The Lord uses the figure of a shepherd and sheepin daily life in order to teach us about heavenly things(John 3:12). A shepherd knows his sheep individually.He checks up on them regularly so that he knows theircondition at all times as accurately as possible. Ashepherd feeds his flock. He takes care of his flock. Hereclaims and recovers the sheep that strays. He binds upthe sheep that is hurt and facilitates healing and resto-ration. An earthly shepherd protects his sheep fromharm and danger. He leads them in safety. He doeseverything he can to nourish the sheep in order thatthey might thrive and grow without setback.

Just as skilled and well-trained technicians must

VISITING THE MEMBERS

by

Archibald A. Allison



constantly oversee and monitor machines and indus-trial operations in today’s workplace, so a shepherdmust diligently oversee and monitor a flock of sheep.You can not just leave a flock of animals to themselvesall day and all night and expect them to thrive. Youhave to check on them at regular intervals. You have togive them feed and fresh water. You must promptlyattend to any needs that arise.

In my youth my father was the shepherd and I wasan undershepherd along with my brothers and sisters.My father sent one or more of us out at regularintervals to look after our animals. In extreme weatherconditions and at other critical times my father sent usout more often to check on the animals. We had toknow how the animals were doing, take care of them,and give them fresh feed and clean water. When wereturned from our regular visits, my father wouldinquire about the condition of the animals. Thosedaily lessons taught me how to be a good shepherdwho takes good care of his animals. In the Bible theLord uses this analogy of a shepherd to describe howhe cares for his people. God has called pastors andelders to be shepherds under Him who, ministering inHis name, take good care of His people.

In Zechariah 11:16 the Lord describes a worthlessshepherd as one who will not visit those who are cutoff, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken,nor feed those that still stand. In Jeremiah 23.2 theLord denounces the shepherds who destroy and scatterthe sheep of God’s pasture with these words: You havescattered my flock, driven them away, and not visitedthem. Behold, I will visit you for the evil of yourdoings.

In these passages, to visit God’s flock means toshow concern for the sheep by inspecting and oversee-ing them. Out of that inspection and oversight theshepherd looks after the sheep, cares for them, andattends to their needs. A good way for the pastor andelders to show concern for the members of the congre-gation is to visit them in their homes where they live.When you go to their home, you see more of who theyare and how they live.

In the private and relaxed setting of their ownhome you can ask about their spiritual well-being. Youcan find out how well they are growing in theirChristian faith and life. You can discuss how fruitfulthe preaching and teaching of God’s Word has been intheir lives and how it can bear more fruit in their lives.

You can encourage them in their own private worship,family worship, and instructing their children in thenurture and admonition of the Lord. You can learntheir struggles and difficulties and provide the neces-sary encouragement and help. You can praise, thank,warn, admonish, or exhort. You can discuss anyproblems they are facing and give them God’s wisdomand direction. You can encourage them to developand use their gifts for the well-being of the congrega-tion. You can learn how the pastor, the elders, thedeacons, and the church can be an even greaterblessing to them.

In John 10:14 Jesus says: “I am the good shep-herd; and I know my sheep, and am known by Myown.” As the pastor and elders regularly visit eachfamily at home, they grow to know the family and thefamily grows to know their shepherds. In this way themembers become more comfortable with the shep-herds and are encouraged to respect their wisdom,seek their counsel, and receive their instruction, cor-rection, and admonition. The home visit should notbe the end of the session’s oversight. Rather, visitingeach family at home shows the session’s genuineconcern for each member of the church and theirsincere commitment to oversee, nurture, and helpeach member all the time. Specific, personal commu-nication in a home visit is an important means ofuncovering problems when they are just beginning. Italso is an important way of communicating to eachfamily that the pastor and elders care about them andwhenever they need help, they should ask the sessionfor help and direction.

The apostle Paul told the elders from Ephesus inActs 20:20 that he taught them publicly and fromhouse to house. Regular ministerial or sessional visita-tion in the homes of members provides an excellentopportunity to teach God’s people from house tohouse. Just as the pastor authoritatively proclaimsGod’s Word publicly on the Lord’s Day, so the Wordof God must be authoritatively taught in the homethrough regular sessional visitation. In the homeGod’s Word can be explained and applied to thespecific needs of that particular family.

In order to minister God’s Word to the people ina particular congregation in a fruitful and effectiveway, the session must know the needs of the people.The only way to know the people’s needs is to overseethem, develop relationships with them, and get toknow them. Regular ministerial or sessional visitation



in the members’ homes is an excellent, time-tested wayof achieving this. Regular home visits are indispens-able to shepherding the flock of God over which theHoly Spirit has made you overseers. Therefore everysession should make regular visitation in the homes ofmembers a high priority. It is good for the pastor andan elder to visit every family in the congregation atleast once a year. When there are specific needs orproblems, many more visits may be necessary.

All of this is why from the beginning of myministry I began regular ministerial or sessional visita-tion in the homes of the members of the congregation.I did not have to convince the session to do it. Theelders already understood the benefit and importanceof it. As the pastor of a new mission work I arrangedto visit one or two families each month. It is good tohave two men for each visit, either the pastor and anelder, or two elders. When it is impractical to have twomen for each visit, it is better to have one man visitthan to skip the visit altogether. Those who visitshould report to the whole session.

When it was time to visit a particular family, I toldthem that I wanted to visit them this week andarranged a suitable time. On the first visit with eachfamily, I usually read a passage of Scripture related tothe purpose of sessional visitation. I explain to them afew simple reasons for the elders to visit each familyand some of the benefits. I have found families to bequite receptive. They are glad that their pastor andelders care about them and come to visit them. At eachvisit I thank the family for the good things they havedone in their own family, in the church, and outsidethe church. I encourage them to continue doing thosethings. Through asking questions and discussion Iseek to find out how they are doing and help themcontinue to grow in both faith and life. I ask themwhether they understand the public preaching andteaching and how they have benefited from it. Iencourage and exhort them in weak areas. I urge themto do things they are neglecting. I suggest things thatmight help them.

I try to visit each family in the same month everyyear. Each year we grow together and have opportu-nity to discuss other areas of doctrine and life, newproblems, and new ways to serve in Christ’s kingdomand in his church. The members know that theirpastor and elders care about them. As a relationship ofcare, trust, and shepherding grows, the members openup more and seek help and advice. We have been able

to resolve problems before irreparable harm is done.Regular visits are an excellent way for members tocommunicate with the leaders of the church and thesession to communicate with individual families. Ihave been greatly encouraged in my work throughthese visits. I also encourage the members and urgethem on in the good fight of faith. Regular visits helpme preach more effectively. I am better able to applyGod’s Word to the congregation in a fresh, engaging,and relevant way.

As a pastor I have found that many of God’speople crave a good shepherd to care for them inparticular, to come to where they live, to interact withtheir particular situation, to lead them, to encouragethem, to help them, to advise them, and to correctthem. Regular home visitation builds respect and trustbetween the shepherds and the sheep. It makes it easierfor the shepherds to lead and the sheep to follow. Ittakes seriously God’s command to the pastor andelders to watch out for the souls of the sheep as thosewho must give an account. There is no better way towatch out for the souls of God’s people than to go towhere they live and learn who they are. Learn whatlives in them. Show them the love and compassion ofChrist. Care for them. Lead them in the right way.Warn them of the dangers they face. Then you will beable to give account for them to the Great ShepherdJesus Christ with joy and not with grief. That isprofitable for God’s people (Hebrews 13:17). If youdo not have regular home visitation, I encourage youto start now. If you do have regular ministerial orsessional visitation, continue and do not grow weary inthis important part of shepherding God’s people whomhe has entrusted to your care.

Archibald Alexander Allison is

currently serving as pastor of the

Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian

Church in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This work was started in 1994 under

Archie's leadership and was par-

ticularized as a congregation of

the OPC by the Presbytery of the

Dakotas on March 16th of this

year.


1. The Scripture directly asserts it.

Elders are men whom the Holy Spirit has made“overseers” of the church in order to “shepherd”his people (Acts 20:28). The Scriptures make itclear that this can only be done when there isintensive involvement of shepherds (elders) withthe sheep (the church members). To be a goodshepherd one must know the sheep (John 10:27)and the sheep must know him (10:4,14).

2. The Apostolic model demands it.

Paul told the Elders of the Church of Ephesusthat they were to follow his example. And he notonly taught them publicly, but also “from houseto house” (Acts 20:20). His shepherding was notonly corporate, in other words, but was alsoindividual (“for three years I did not cease towarn everyone night and day with tears” Acts20:31). And we know that this was intended asa model for these elders because he also said “Ihave shown you in every way, by laboring likethis, that you must support the weak…etc.”(Acts 20:35).

3. The nature of the sheep requires it:

Sheep are not capable of defending themselvesfrom “savage wolves” (Acts 20:29). And thesewolves are all the more dangerous when theycome in sheep’s clothing. As Professor JohnMurray put it: “…there is no more ominousfeature of members of the church than the lackof discernment; they can listen to what is goodand true, and to what is bad and false, withoutdiscrimination” (The Collected Writings of JohnMurray, Vol. 1, p 266). There is, therefore, anurgent need for elders to work with the membersin order to lead them to greater discernment.

4. The plurality of the eldership requires it(i.e. the minister is not the only one calledto this task)

When our Lord appointed seventy to do homemission work he sent them two by two (Luke10:17). And Solomon said “two are better thanone, because they have a reward for their labor”(Eccles. 4:9). Where issues of truth andrighteousness are involved it is vital that there

be at least two witnesses (Deut. 17:6). And sincethe elders are first to take heed to themselves,it would seem essential that there be elders toexercise oversight of elders in home visitation.

5. The book of Proverbs implies it:

“The beginning of strife is like releasing water:therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts”(Prov. 17:14). And “The words of his [a fool’s]mouth begin with foolishness, and at the end ofhis talk is raving madness” (Eccles. 10:13). It isobvious, therefore, that the elders of the churchcan best defuse potentially explosive tendenciesby early action. Church discipline is too oftenthought of in terms of such final censures assuspension or excommunication. But goodchurch discipline is an ongoing process—muchlike good discipline in a well regulated family—in which every member of the family is constantlysubject to loving correction.

6. Church history recommends it:

The writer of these paragraphs has hadexperience in churches that have—and churchesthat have not—had regular home visitation bythe elders. And the difference is enormous. Inthe one, the tendency is to have much lessinvolvement with direct oversight of the flock,and to being occupied with mundane matters.In the other, large segments of Session meetingsare given over to fruitful discussion of thespiritual state, and spiritual needs, of themembers of the flock. A minister blessed withSession meetings of this kind will be greatlystengthened in his ability to speak to the needsof his people. And much more could be added.

7. Pastoral experience vindicates it!

The faithful members of the flock are the loudestin their praise for it, while those who are mostlikely to decry it are the ones who may need itmost. It has been a wonderful blessing to learnthat Widow X has been much encouraged byfaithful elder visits. And while visits to brotherY have often been difficult, because of so muchin his life that needs to be pruned away, it is byelder visitation that even in this case progress isdiscernable.

Seven Good Reasons for Home Visitation by the Elders of the Church

by the Editor


An elder in the Presbyterian church must striveto strike an appropriate equilibrium among a num-ber of actions and attitudes. The proper balance isthat which most glorifies the Lord and serves andsustains His Church Body. I have tried to summa-rize my impression of what will be required of meas I undertake the task of eldership.

Have I been called to the eldership:

1. By the SPIRIT or by MEN?

Certainly I am calledby the Spirit, for withoutthe power of the HolySpirit I could not equipmyself to serve, nor wouldmembers of Christ’s holyBody recognize the workof the Holy Spirit in me. Iwould not have chosen todo this of my own voli-tion. I am being led. Am Ialso called by men? Yes, Iserve because men haveasked me to serve, but theirasking and my willingnessto accept their invitationis also the work of the HolySpirit.

2. To SERVE or toRULE?

I believe elders are principally servants wholead by example. Jesus showed us how to serve bywashing his disciples' feet, showing his obedienceto God by serving others. When elders set a clearand visible example of obedience to God, elderscan lead and rule in service to God's will.

E L D E R S H I P I N T H E B A L A N C E

by

Charlie Meyer

31

3. To LOVE or to DISCIPLINE?

Christ commanded us to love one another. Notin a lazy way. Not with sinful motives. But we are tolove one another as God loved us, with a pure andholy love that honors God and His image whichresides in each and every one of us. Sometimes wemust be reminded of who we are and what Godexpects of us. That is discipline, but it is disciplinethat is born of the love of God and love for oneanother.

4. In CONFI-DENCE or in HUMIL-ITY?

Church leaders mustbe confident in the waythey have been equippedto do God's will. Theymust be strong in the faithto put on the armor ofGod and serve Him inthe face of adversity. TheBody is not served wellby timid leaders. But onthe other hand, Churchleaders must always bearin mind that their giftsare not of their own mak-ing, nor is God a respecterof persons. Job thought

he could challenge God through force of reason; butin the end Job learned humility. Elders should beconfident in leadership, but humble before the Bodyof Christ, His Church.

5. To TEACH or to LEARN?

An elder should teach: because by teaching he

“If an elder watches over his charge withtender solicitude and love, he will inmany cases prevent the necessity of publiccensure by the eldership as a court of thechurch, because his private instructionsand admonitions will be corrective at theearlier stages of defection and deviation.How much of purity and peace wouldhave been maintained in the church ofChtist and will be maintained if eldersare sensitive to, the first steps of de-linquency on the part of the people andbring the word of tender admonitionand reproof to bear upon them beforethey reach the by-paths of open andcensurable sin!”— John Murray (Collected Writings, Vol.

1, p. 266)


ELDERSHIP IN THE BALANCE

leads by example, he serves the church body byconveying knowledge by the power of the HolySpirit, and remains in close contact with churchmembers. On the other hand, an elder will alwayshave a lot to learn (he will never know enough aboutHoly Scripture); he will continue to grow in sanc-tification and wisdom through the work of the holySpirit, and will come to an ever greater understand-ing of the members for whom he is responsible. Inthis sense he is always learning, and will hopefullycontinue to learn throughout his life.

6. To INSTILL or to DRAW OUT?

Should an elder create the answers and solu-tions to problems faced by the church by means ofadvocacy and persuasion? Or should an elder dis-cover the hidden needs and preferences of the churchbody by drawing them out in formal and informalconversations and interactions? Both approachesmay be needed from time to time; neither approachis universally appropriate.

7. To LEAD or to LIFT UP?

The one-man band will always make some kindof music, but it is rarely good music. Elders do leadthrough service to others, but it's not possible foronly a few such men to continuously sustain theweight of all the tasks a church must perform.Elders from time to time will look for opportunitiesfor others to serve, and will lift them up in the eyesov the church body as fellow servants.

8. To CHANGE or to PRESERVE?

Christ’s ministry evidenced occasional changesin audience and location; different miracles weremade known from time to time. The Apostle Paulsimilarly moved his ministry, and adapted his mes-sage to his changing audiences. Change, then, is anatural feature of ministry. What must be pre-served, however, are the unchanging doctrinal truthsupon which our faith and ministry are based. Eldersneed to recognize the difference between form andsubstance in our church ministries.

9. To DRAW IN or to WARD OFF?

Who should worship with us? Should elderswork to keep the church body pure? Yes. Harmfulor destructive elements should be contained andremoved. Should we be free from dissent then? No.There is room for disagreement so long as everymember remains focused on glorifying God anddoing His will in service and love for one another.If we can agree on this, we can learn from oneanother through healthy examinations of God'srevealed Word.

10. To RISK or to CONSERVE?

If the Lord be for us, who can be against us?That is a call to be active and advance vigorously thecause of Jesus Christ. But Proverbs 2:6-11 alsospeaks of gifts of discretion and wisdom that comefrom God to all those who seek after Him inrighteousness. Elders are to be neither conservativenor liberal with our scarce fiscal and physical re-sources. What is important, it seems to me, is thatelders are mindful of both our limitations and ouropportunities, and should work to overcome theformer to obtain advantages from the latter as theyare guided, through prayerful deliberation, by thepower of the Holy Spirit.

This article was sent to the editor

of by Rev. Bob Myers, Pastor of

Covenant Presbyterian Church

(OPC) in Burtonsville, MD. Pastor

Myers thought it was worthy of

publication in Ordained Servant

and we agree. It would be a great

blessing to all our churches if ev-

ery newly elected elder or deacon

would approach their new office

in the spirit of this article by elder

Charlie Meyer.

Family V

isitation Is…

Biblical —

The A

postle Paul describes his ministry: “You know

that Ihave not hesitated to preach anything that w

ould behelpful to you but have taught you publicly and from

houseto house” (A

cts 20:20).

Official —

Your elders are law

fully elected, ordained, and installed “tokeep w

atch over themselves and all the flock of w

hich theH

oly Spirit has made them

overseers,” and to be “shep-herds of the church of G

od. which he purchased w

ith hisow

n blood” (Acts 20:28). T

hey are accountable to Christ

(Heb. 13:17).

Pastoral — T

he elders come as shepherds, quite literally representing

the Chief Shepherd, w

ho is deeply concerned for all of ourneeds (A

cts 20:28; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:2,4; Heb. 4:14-16).

Family visitation is not prim

arily “social” but “pastoral”.

Prayerful — Y

our elders are called to pray for you (Acts 6:4; Jam

es5:16), and they do so throughout the year. B

e ready tom

ake particular requests for their prayer for you. They

also desire your prayers for them (1 T

im. 2: 1,2; E

ph.6:18,19).

Edifying —

The elders take seriously the m

andate of Scripture that we

are to be “speaking the truth in love ... what is helpful for

building others up,” to “strive after” and to “work hard to

attain” peace with all m

en (Mat. 5:23-24; E

ph. 4:15, 25-32; H

eb 12:14-15; Jam. 3:1ff). Fam

ily visitation gives youopportunity to express your encouragem

ents and concernsto the Session.

Regular —

The elder w

ho oversees your shepherding group views this

visit as an important part of his responsibilities, and is

comm

itted to visiting you at least once each year (Acts

20:28; 1 Pet. 5:14).

The Parts of a T

ypical Family V

isit:

Scripture Reading and Prayer

Discussion of Personal and Fam

ily Matters

Discussion of C

hurch Matters

Questions for the E

ldersC

losing Prayer

Sample D

iscussion Topics for a Fam

ily Visit:

Personal and Fam

ily Matters

•In w

hat specific areas have you grown in your understanding and practice

of Christianity this past year? In w

hat areas have you been disappointed?•

Do you personally and regularly read the B

ible and pray? Do you do so

also as a family?

•W

hat have you found helpful for devotions?•

What encouragem

ents do you find in the life and ministry of the church

for you personally? As a parent? A

s a family?

•A

re there any areas of need in your life or in your family’s life of w

hich youw

ould want the elders or deacons to be aw

are?•

What has helped you to be a m

ore faithful witness to Jesus C

hrist? What

has prevented you?•

Do you believe you and your fam

ily understand what w

e call the “Re-

formed Faith”?

Church M

atters

•A

re you faithfully participating in the worship services and the sacram

ents?•

Are you participating in the church’s m

inistry of education, mercy, and

fellowship as one w

ho serves as well as benefits?

•A

re there some areas in the church’s life w

here you have a desire to serve orparticipate but do not at present?

•A

re there areas of need in the church’s life or ministry of w

hich you believethe elders or deacons should be aw

are?•

Do you have suggestions for subjects or passages of Scripture for serm

onsor lessons in Sunday School or B

ible studies?

23

Family V

isitationat

Matthew

s Orthodox Presbyterian C

hurch

“You know

that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you

but have taught you publicly and from house to house.” - A

cts 20:20

What is fam

ily visitation?

Family visitation is an im

portant ministry of the Session in w

hich the eldersvisit the m

embers and fam

ilies of the church in their homes. T

his brochureis w

ritten to help you understand what to expect and how

you may prepare

for their visit to your home. Y

ou will find here an outlined order of their

visit, a statement of the purpose of fam

ily visitation, and examples of

questions they might ask you in the course of their visit.

What is the purpose of the visit?

To develop the spiritual life of the m

embers.

To challenge the lives of believers to service and w

itness.T

o promote the com

munion of the saints.

To encourage the believers in the church’s w

orship and the means of grace.

To build confidence in the authoritative, prayerful, and instructive care of

the elders called by our Lord to shepherd his sheep.

Who w

ill take part in the visit?

Your shepherding group elder w

ill visit you, occasionally accompanied by

another elder or deacon, if appropriate.T

hey are interested in all the mem

bers of your covenant home, and ask that

every mem

ber of your family be present.

When w

ill we be visited?

A couple of w

eeks or so in advance, your shepherding elder will call to set a

date and time for a visit.

It is the elders’ goal to visit each family at least once a year.

Preparation for Family V

isitation

Encouragem

ents and Concerns to D

iscuss with the V

isiting Elders:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Questions to A

sk the Visiting E

lders:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Prayer R

equests for the Visiting E

lders:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer for the Pastor and Elders:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other T

houghts for the Visit:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Shepherding Groups at M

atthews O

PC:

(Revised: February, 2001)

Elder A

llford Elder C

lark Elder Flye E

lder Knight Elder M

auldin Elder Peterson

C. B

eardA

llfordB

randtA

rsenaultB

attenB

all R

. Beard

Dean

Brupbacher

Cook

Caldw

ellB

lack Flye

Grigg

Crouch

DeB

oerC

larkB

oone H

arbinH

errinG

uidoD

ollarD

uffyC

rawley

JacksonK

ingH

einzlE

ubankE

pifanioD

ixon LeG

randJ. LaPlant

Kelly

Gear

Hulbert

Fiol Long

T. LaPlant

Knight

Hathaw

ayLangan

Hitch

Mauldin

Mack

R. Posvar

LaurieN

ewkirk

Miller

Morgan

Matthew

sSnyder

Markw

atM

. PosvarT

aylor Stelzl

Willingham

Vance

PetersonR

andazzoT

ursi T

riceZ

apponeW

aggoner

14


Some time back, a reader wrote to ask me toaddress a column to the subject of the practice of“term eldership.” (For those unfamiliar with thepractice, allow me to explain: in many Reformedchurches, elders are selected by “election” by thecongregation for a specified term of office. “Or-dained” to office only once, these brothers are eli-gible for reelection, and subsequent “installation” tooffice, again and again throughout their lifetimes.The practice differs markedly from that in mostchurches who hold to the Westminster creedal tradi-tion (where the manner of preparation and selectionto office for a ruling elder is much more rigorous,and the term is considered to be lifelong).1 Thereader implied some criticism of the term eldershippractice, as I recall, opining that nowhere in Scrip-ture was the practice to be found, either explicitly orimplicitly. Further, the writer went on, it is a wasteof God's precious gifts to the local church if severalof the men to whom He has given the wisdom andspiritual ability to pastor the flock are on “vacation”from their responsibilities for a year or more at atime. And, as another correspondent observed nottoo long ago, the practice of “term eldership” tendsto tilt the emphasis of the office from pastoring tothat of a committee position or a board member termof office—hardly appropriate for an office with suchweighty Biblical responsibilities.

PROBLEMS WITH TERM ELDERSHIP

Allow me to make a few observations “up front.”The first is that the practice of “term eldership” todayseems to be especially prevalent in those churcheswhose legacy is that of the Church Order of Dort (thegreat synod that answered the challenges of Arminiuswith the Canons and also wrote a comprehensiveChurch Order whose fundamental principles serveto undergird several such documents, representing

Some Thoughts on Term Eldership

by

John R. Sittema

35

many denominations and/or groups of churches to-day). Term eldership is not customarily the practice inthose Presbyterian and Reformed churches whoseconfessional legacy is that of Westminster, rather thanthe Continental standards.2

Second, among those churches that practice “termeldership,” several bad habits seem to go along hand inhand. One of these is, as the correspondent abovenotes, that the view of “election” to office carries withit such non-Biblical political connotations as to cor-rupt the high and holy practice from the start. In theUSA especially, where the image of the political pro-cess is so low, it is difficult to imagine “election” to theoffice of elder not being corrupted by association withpopularity, the notion of the elder as the democraticrepresentative of a group within the church, and eventhe practice of “campaigning” for office. Sadly, I haveheard much that would indicate that these practicesand attitudes are widespread.

In addition, the practice of “term eldership” does,at least, suggest a temporary, and thus an insufficientview of the work of the elder. I have railed for years inthis column against an “administrative” view of theoffice of elder, insisting on one shaped by the Biblicalimage of the shepherd. It is difficult to imagine a trueshepherd, in Biblical times, working an eight hourshift, and then forgetting about his flock for theremainder of the day. Jesus, in John 10, called such acare-giver a “hireling,” and would not even dignifysuch a man with the term “shepherd. “ But this wouldseem to be the inevitable consequence of electingelders to a three year term. Service in office as an elderis viewed as no different than service on the Christianschool board. lt’s a committee position. And once thatnotion sinks roots, it is almost impossible to cultivatea strong and Biblical view of an elder as a pastor, dailyand deeply concerned about the spiritual life and walk

1 We hope that this is generally true in our churches (Ed.) 2 Term eldership is an OPC option: Form of Gov't (xxv,2).



of the flock of God throughout their long disciple-ship.

Further, if the term “term eldership” concepttwists the view of elder even a few degrees off Biblicalcenter, the result also affects the preparation processfor those entering the office. My contacts withinseveral conservative Presbyterian bodies convince methat their view and practice of the preparation andexamination of elders is superior to that in the CRCtradition with which I am most familiar. ln the CRC,my experience has been that training often discussespolicies, procedures and practices. Newly elected termelders are helped to become acquainted with theroutine of the meeting schedule, assigned their “dis-trict,” partnered with a visiting teammate, and brieflyapprised of “cases” in process. Such a pragmaticapproach is necessary with only three (and in somecases two) years in office, one has to “hit the groundrunning.” In the Presbyterian churches with which Iam familiar, elder training involves years of assignedreading and study, thorough grounding in Reformedtheology and the creeds, careful examination of theexisting pastoral involvement of the potential candi-date. (Is he already teaching? How well? What is thelevel of his di scernment? Is he already involved incuunseling? ls his work up to Biblical standards? Doeshe “desire the office of overseer/elder?” Is he willing todo the work necessary to be spiritually prepared?)Only after such careful and lengthy reflection do theexisting elders present the candidate to the flock,often examining him in the presence of the congrega-tion, and only then proceeding, should they concur,to his ordination. The result of such a careful processis that a weight of respect and trust is given to the elderby the flock. In my experience, election to a three yearterm often (usually?) does not bestow such respectand trust. (Should you desire to read a bit more of thetheory and practice behind such a view and practice ofoffice, I highly recommend a little book by LawrenceR. Eyres entitled The Elders of the Church, publishedby Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1975).

By this point, you have no doubt noted that I amcritical of the “term eldership” concept. Clearly I am,and not only for the reasons listed above. I havechallenged several of my friends who hold passion-

ately to the “term eldership” concept to point to anypassage that suggests, not to mention insists, that theBible views an elder in any other way than a manappointed for life. None to date has risen to thechallenge. In fact, the “defense” of the practice amongtheologically competent people is usually apologetic,not passionate. All I hear is appeals to tradition, that“the Church Order prescribes it thus and so.” OK, butChurch Order isn’t infallible, remember? At the sametime, as a minister of the Word in the CRC, I ambound to that Church Order, and am aware that myoptions are limited. And so, although I write as I doabove, hoping and praying to change attitudes andperspectives, and thus practices within the CRC andother churches that have adopted term eldership, hereat Bethel CRC in Dallas, we practice term eldership.And, to be honest, I've never met an elder with whomI’ve worked in the CRC who doesn’t like the “term”concept (especially in the last three months of the lastyear of the term)! So. . .

“IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMETHING NICE. . .”

To be fair, I must note some benefits in thepractice of “term eldership.” For one, gifted men aremore likely to serve in Christ's church as elder if theirservice has specific term limits. That benefit is worthyof note in light of the many kingdom causes whichplace demands particularly upon the most gifted ofthe men of God among us. They simply do not havethe time to serve all who ask; a limited term in eachministry enables them to serve several, in sequence.

Again, the practice of “terms” does allow for thepractice of “sabbaticals,” periods of rest and refresh-ment from the weighty burdens of office. Such sab-baticals, between terms of office, are particularlybeneficial for those who serve in very large congrega-tions, with many pastoral duties, or those who serve inyoung, new or smaller congregations, where theamount of work is not able to be spread around asmany willing workers. Of course, granting a tempo-rary “sabbatical” is not inappropriate for those churchesthat practice life-tenure eldership. In fact, it is quitecommon.

I will report a benefit which Professor William



Heyns alludes to in his venerable Handbook forElders and Deacons (even though I find it a spuriousargument). He suggests that term eldership profits thechurch by allowing the work to be spread out moreequitably among the congregation, and that it profitsthe church by avoiding “hurt feelings” in those whowould otherwise not be able to take a turn. As I said,I find the argument spurious, because in my view itpromotes a non-pastoral understanding of the officeof elder. I only mention it because it is one of the mostpopular explanations I’ve heard for the term eldershipview in twenty years of ministry (sad to say).

“IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS.. .”

I would prefer, for the overall dignity of the office,and to preserve the pastoral character of it, that theoffice of elder be clearly understood to be for lifetimetenure. I believe it is the testimony of Scripture thatGod makes men elders (Acts 20:28); the church onlyreceives and recognizes them as such. This, of course,would demand a change in the manner of selectingelders (not electing them, but examining and approv-ing them), and may well include the needed admis-sion that the church cannot, indeed may not, deter-mine in advance how many elders it will have. If Godmakes men elders, He alone determines how manyHe will raise up. Those whom He has equipped,whom the church identifies and recognizes as possess-ing these Spirit-endowed qualifications, should beordained to office.

However, I am unlikely to sway easily the viewsand practices of Reformed churches and individualswho have several hundreds of years of tradition be-hind them, I’ll settle for securing your agreement to acouple of smaller points. ‘If you can’t beat ’em, join’em, but convince ’em in the process’!

First, even if you practice (and defend) termeldership, please remember that those once ordainedremain elders for the rest of their lives, even if they arenot in active office all that time. That this point is valideven in churches that hold to term eldership is dem-onstrated by the difference in “ordination” and “in-stallation.” An elder is ordained once; after that, he isinstalled. Constant reminders of this fact may assist

those making nominations, and help those in thecongregation as well, to grasp the seriousness andweight of the office, and to avoid the “democraticprocess” corruption discussed above.

Second, if your congregation elects elders forterms of office, and then grants them release fromactive duty for a time, make clear to all that they arestill in service, even though the nature of their servicemay be changed for a time. For example, sabbaticalelders (call them that!) ought to be invited to regularand periodic (quarterly?) elder conferences, to beapprised of the status of the spiritual care of the flock,to be involved in prayer on behalf of the other brothersand the flock itself, and to be consulted on matters inwhich their wisdom would be beneficial. Further,should the burden of the care of the flock become toogreat, due to some unusual circumstance or set ofcircumstances, the sabbatical elders could be called into relieve the active elders of some of the routine (butnonetheless important) pastoral duties.

Finally, even if your congregation practices termeldership, make clear to the flock—and to any poten-tial candidates—that your local requirements for of-fice are those weighty requirements set forth by Scrip-ture, and not merely a list of “functionary skills”needed for a committee-type position. Far too oftenlocal churches get what they deserve—elders unquali-fied for office because they were neither appropriatelytrained nor screened. God forbid that should happento any of you. His church is too precious to him to beplaced under the care of unqualified, untrained, ill-equipped hirelings!

Dr. Sittema is currently serving as the

pastor of Bethel CRC in Dallas, Texas.

This article (taken from The Shepherd’s

StaffÑa Column for Elders & Dea-

cons) appeared in The Outlook, Sep-

tember 1995, Volume 45, No. 8 and

is reprinted here with kind permis-

sion.

History of an Idea

In a previous article the question was raised: “DoesGod have a non-redemptive love for the non-elect, alove which is seen in His sincerely offering salvation inChrist to all who hear the Gospel proclaimed”? Thatidea was carefully articulated in a report submitted byProfessors John Murray and Ned Stonehouse to the1948 General Assembly of the Orthodox PresbyterianChurch. There are current today, however, challengesto the idea that God has anything but hatred for thoseunder His decree of reprobation. These challengeshave been around for a long time, so we will turn tosome history for perspective.

From the end of the 16th century and into themiddle of the 17th century and the writing of theWestminster Confession of Faith, Reformed theologywas undergoing refinement and clarification. The greatdoctrines of the Incarnation and the Trinity had takencenturies to define with precision. Now Reformedtheologians, during this period, devoted time to devel-oping the idea of the covenant and the ordo salutis orthe way in which God’s saving decree is carried out.Presbyterians see the Westminster standards as the richflowering of this increasingly mature understanding ofScripture. Were there other tendencies, however, whichover-emphasized logical systematization of theologicalstructure? It seems that though most scholars wiselyremembered the limits of man’s ability to understandthe eternal purposes of God, some men sought increas-ingly complex readings of God’s decrees.

Arising during this time were two challenges to theReformed faith, Arminianism and Amyraldism (orhypothetical universalism), which seemed to requireresponses of more and more careful definitions ofGod’s working in salvation and in the Gospel. Inresponding to those challenges and in seeking to clarifyGod’s working in salvation one of the most significantissues was the debate over the order of God’s decrees.

When, in the course of His own eternal counsel, didGod determine to do what? Reformed theologianshave designated two approaches to this question oforder: infra- and supralapsarianism (where“lapsarianism” refers to the fall of Adam).1

Infralapsarianism says that the order of God’seternal decrees is: to create, to permit the fall, to electsome to salvation out of fallen mankind while passingby the rest. Election then is below or after the decree(infra) to permit the fall. It is sometimes also calledsublapsarianism.

Supralapsarianism says that the proper order is:the decree to elect some as of yet uncreated and thusunfallen men to salvation and the rest to reprobation,the decree to create, and finally the decree to permitthe fall. The decree to elect is thus supra, or above, thedecree to permit the fall. The burden of this positionis to make the decree to elect the determining decreebecause it places all the outcome in God’s sovereignhands. Although the denial of the free offer seems toarise from a supralapsarian view of God’s decrees,supralapsarianism does not necessarily lead to a denialof a sincere offer of the Gospel.

At the end of the 17th century some EnglishCalvinists of supralapsarian bent, including TobiasCrisp and John Saltmarsh, began to develop what theyfelt was greater and greater consistency in their Calvin-ism by teaching the idea of eternal justification. Theyreasoned from the decree to elect that God justifiedHis people in eternity before the Incarnation or beforethe actual regeneration of any individual. God notonly elected the Church to salvation in eternity but


THE FREE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL:

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE NON-ELECT - Part 2

by Stephen D. Doe

1 The Rev. John V. Fesko, pastor of Geneva OPC in Marietta,GA, wrote his doctoral dissertation on lapsarianism. “DiversityWithin the Reformed Tradition: Supra- and Infralaspsarianismin Calvin, Dort, and Westminster” will be published in bookform in the coming year.

THE FREE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL


actually justified the elect in eternity so that justifica-tion in time was only the final step of what was theelect’s eternal possession.2 The Westminster Confes-sion of Faith explicitly rejected that idea in ChapterXI:4.

The ground that Crisp and Saltmarsh tilled, provedfertile for the thinking of an English Independentminister, Joseph Hussey, in the opening years of the18th century. Hussey moved fully into a denial of thefree offer of the Gospel. He developed a number ofpoints to distinguish a real Calvinist from one who wasluke-warm, including these words:

“We must preach the Gospel as it is most fitted tothe display of effectual grace. To offer God’s grace is tosteal: God saith, Thou shalt not steal...But there is nocommand for offers...We should preach the Gospel,because it is sure as to individual persons, or particularinterests, me or thee. But offers are all indeterminate asto anybody and so indeed are fixed on nobody...Offersrob the Gospel of its properties, privileges and glory.”3

Hussey’s ideas began to create divisions in theReformed community in England, especially amongthe Calvinistic or Particular or Strict Baptists. TheseBaptists, and some independents who werepaedobaptists, were the ones who were carrying theburden of maintaining Calvinism against the force ofArminianism in the Church of England. Later in the18th century the banner of Hussey was picked up byJohn Gill and John Brine among the Particular Bap-tists and such was the long-lasting influence of Gill andBrine and others in Baptist circles that when CharlesSpurgeon began to preach in 1854 his preaching of thefree offer of the Gospel aroused strong opposition fromsome of the leading Baptist pastors in London likeJames Wells. Iain Murray chronicles all of this in hisbook, Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism.4 Names as famil-iar to Reformed readers as J.C.Philpot, William Gadsby,and The Gospel Standard were and are associated withthis movement.

The denial of the free offer of the Gospel, however,

2 Toon, Peter. The Emergence of Hyper-Calvinism in EnglishNonconformity 1689-1765. London: The Olive Tree, 1967, p.28.

3 Toon, ibid., pp.81-2

seemed to recede into the background as the EnglishBaptists drifted from their theological roots toward theend of the 19th century; but the 20th century saw thecontroversy arise again among the paedobaptists. Inthe 1920s Herman Hoeksema left the Christian Re-formed Church over the issue of common grace andthe free offer of the Gospel and founded the ProtestantReformed Church which still today holds the denial ofthe free offer as one of its distinguishing marks. In theNetherlands Klaas Schilder developed his own form ofrejection of the free offer though he differed fromHoeksema in significant ways.5 In 1947 and 1948 theOrthodox Presbyterian Church had to deal with theissue of the sincere offer of the Gospel as it arose out ofthe question of Gordon Clark’s ordination.6 The re-port by John Murray and Ned Stonehouse came fromthose discussions. It was presented to the GeneralAssemby of the OPC in 1948 and received but notadopted, yet it has served as a benchmark for the OPCduring the last fifty years whenever the question ofGod’s love for the non-elect resurfaces. Has the OPCbeen confused for over fifty years about the sincerity ofGod in calling all men everywhere to repent andbelieve the Gospel call? In another article we must lookat some of the biblical warrant for the free offer in orderto decide.

4 Murray, Iain H., Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism: The Battle forGospel Preaching. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995.

5 See Alexander C. DeJong, The Well-Meant Offer: The Views ofH. Hoeksema and K. Schilder. Franeker, Netherlands: T. Wever,1954.

6 Hart, D.G. and John Muether, Fighting the Good Fight: A BriefHistory of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Philadelphia: TheCommittee on Christian Education and The Committee for theHistorian of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1995, pp.106-115.

In this issue we have another contribu-

tion by Stephen D. Doe on the subject of

the Free Offer of the Gospel. Stephen is

currently serving as Pastor of Covenant

Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Barre

VT. We also look forward to a further

article from him on the same general

subject.


Even thirty years ago it was rare to find qualitybooks written from the perspective of a clear anddevoted commitment to the Reformed faith. Howdifferent the situation is today! A multitude ofpublishing companies produce hundreds of vol-umes by authors who, in one way or another,develop aspects of historic Christianity. Officers, inparticular, should be aware of what is available forthe genuine edification of the church.

Much that is written is either mediocre inquality (one of the many negative of effects of desk-top publishing making it possible for anyone andeveryone to “get in print”), or positively dangerous(beware of glitzy advertisements for books by un-known authors, published by unknown compa-nies, that promise to set the Christian world straighton some particular aspect of doctrine!). Othervolumes are of outstanding help in various areas ofChristian faith and practice, both individually andon the corporate, i.e. church, level. Among themany recent contributions that should be consid-ered by church officers, I have found the followingespecially valuable. They are presented accordingto themes.

Good helps for nurturing our young peopleand assisting families in that task are always wel-come additions. Starr Meade’s Training HeartsTeaching Minds (P & R Publishing) is particularlynoteworthy. The author offers a daily devotional(one for six days of the week) based on one questionof the Shorter Catechism per week. The devotion-als are short, to the point, and memorable. They areideal to foster appreciation for the catechism, andalso to help each family memorize the answers tothe 107 questions (Although it is regrettable thatthe author modified the answers to the questions atvarious points. Have a copy of the standard answers

BOOK NOTES FOR CHURCH OFFICERS

by

William J. Shishko

40

to the questions handy as you work through Meade’sbook ). Encourage families to add these to their dailyfamily devotional material. The Banner of TruthTrust has again provided a valuable service by re-printing J. W. Alexander’s Remember Him. Thisdelightful 56 page volume is perfect to give to youngpeople after their profession of faith and as they begintheir regular partaking of the Lord’s Supper. In meatyparagraphs, Alexander offers fine biblical counsel oneverything from various questions about the Lord’sSupper to the professing Christian’s duties in thechurch and in the world. This is also an inexpensivegem (list price, $4.99, but look for discounts) tomake available to all new Christians. I can’t com-mend it too highly.

Pastors need regular mental stimulation as theywrestle with issues of pastoral ministry, evangelism,and church growth. G. A. Pritchard’s Willow CreekSeeker Services (Baker Books) is far more than asociological analysis and careful critique of this user-friendly, mega-church phenomenon. It is a thought-ful probing into the mindset, goals, and commit-ments of Bill Hybels and his Willow Creek staff. Onecannot read this volume without being helpfullychallenged to reach the “un-churched” even thoughwe do not use many of the Willow Creek methods.On a very different level, Preaching the Living Wordedited by David Jackman (Christian Focus Publica-tions) contains a series of addresses given at theannual Evangelical Ministry Assembly in the UnitedKingdom. The contributors are evangelical Angli-cans known better in Great Britain (although J. I.Packer and Alec Motyer are also well known on thisside of the Atlantic). While some essays are betterthan others, the two by Mark Ashton (with theexception of his weak views on worship as, “before allelse a meeting of the triune God with his chosenpeople”, cf. OPC DW, II:2), and the three by Peter


BOOK NOTES

Jensen are worth the price of the whole volume.Here one finds the insights of a responsible biblicaltheology coupled with pastoral and practical con-cern for application to the life of the church. Irecommend that pastors take some time to workthrough these essays thoughtfully and prayerfully.

Preachers will derive great help from three re-cent additions. Sidney Greidanus builds on hisprevious two contributions (Sola Scriptura, and TheModern Preacher and The Ancient Text) with hisPreaching Christ from The Old Testament (Eerdmans).This is easily the most helpful of the three volumesbecause it addresses the actual work of preparing topreach on Old Testament passages. One does notneed to agree with all of Greidanus’ conclusions toappreciate the help he gives in the challenging task ofpreaching from the Old Testament. Preaching theWhole Bible as Christian Scripture (Eerdmans) byGraeme Goldsworthy is a similar help, and equallyvaluable. I have come to appreciate Goldsworthy (anAnglican lecturer at Moore Theological College,Sydney, Australia) as probably the finest exponent ofthe use of biblical theology in preaching. Arturo G.Azurdia III’s Spirit Empowered Preaching (Mentor)is a magnificent help to put fire on the homileticalsacrifices we offer each week. Azurdia weds thepreaching of Christ with a passion for the glory ofGod. I’m not surprised that many men have hadtheir preaching ministries transformed by this richbook (be sure to read the footnotes and quotations!).

For busy ruling elders who are looking forpractical helps in your church labors, be sure to getDavid Dickson’s The Elder and His Work (Presbyte-rian Heritage Publications). There is no finer briefcompendium of the ruling elder’s duties than thisone. The helps for home visitation, ministry to theyoung, and dealing with church disciplinary mattersare full of the sagacity that only a mature, experi-enced ruling elder can offer. Westminster DiscountService has recently reprinted this most useful vol-ume. When you order it from them, be sure to askfor a list of WDBS reprints. They have many oldertitles that cannot be found elsewhere, includingPierre Marcel’s The Biblical Doctrine of Infant Bap-

tism, Charles Hodge’s Constiutional History of ThePresbyterian Church In The United States Of America,,and Samuel Miller’s The Ruling Elder. You cancontact Westminster Discount Book Service bycalling (914)-472-2237.

Commentaries on 20th century evangelicalismabound. We do well to be aware of the roots andfruits of that many-faceted response to theologicalmodernism. Sadly, the prophetic notes of the lateFrancis Schaeffer’s The Great Evangelical Disaster,are being confirmed by the observations of morerecent analysts. Iain H. Murray’s EvangelicalismDivided (The Banner of Truth Trust) is receiving awell warranted wide reading. While Murray focusesmore on the evangelicalism of Great Britain in thepast half century, his observations and analyses arepertinent for North American evangelicalism aswell. This is not a pleasant read. The compromisesof Billy Graham, the shifts in evangelical leaders likeJ.I. Packer, and the unsuccessful attempts to bringpara-church unity when church loyalty to increas-ingly unfaithful churches prevailed are the heart-breaking realities that contributed so heavily toproduce the lukewarm evangelicalism of the begin-ning of the 21st century. May we learn, and also taketo heart, lessons that we must apply lest we becomepart of the problem rather than (hopefully) part ofthe solution.

For the past twenty years William

Shishko has served as pastor of

the Franklin Square, NY congre-

gation of the Orthodox Presbyte-

rian Church. He is also serving as

a member of the Christian Educa-

tion Committee and the Subcom-

mittee on Equipping Ordained Of-

ficers which is responsible for

oversight of this publication.


What could be more important to the well-being of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church thanthe training of her future ministers?

This was the question that stood out in thethinking of the Subcommittee on Ministerial Train-ing of the OPC’s Christian Education Committeeabout five years ago. The six members of thatsubcommittee decided that it was time to do some-thing to improve the training that our ministerialcandidates receive prior to their ordination, andperhaps even help men who are already ordained.What seemed clear to them all was that there existcertain “holes” in the preparation that many menreceive from seminary. Not that all seminaries failto provide instruction and training in the sameidentifiable areas, but that most men seem to have“missed” something or other, no matter whichseminary they attended The troublesome subjectswere identified:

• Presbyterian Polity, including the OPC Form ofGovernment and Book of Discipline

• Orthodox Presbyterian History, Distinctives andCommitments

• The Westminster Standards (Confession and Cat-echisms)

• Presuppositional Apologetics• Pastoral Theology• Catechetics• Homiletics• Liturgics

Soon it became apparent that the best way toattack this problem would be to provide trainingsupplementary to that which men receive in theseminaries. And, since recent technology madedistance learning possible, it was not necessary tonarrow the training to a central campus. Besides,such would not be possible, since the men targeted

42

were scattered throughout the country. Consequently,it was decided that through the use of the Internet,and particularly e-mail capability, the courses couldbe offered without the need for facility capital spend-ing.

Late in 1998, The Rev. Thomas E. Tyson wasappointed Director, and Dr. James Thomas Admin-istrator, of MTIOPC and the two began their workin earnest in January of 1999. The first courses wereoffered in the Fall of that year, and registrations wereboth sought and found, with the result that 18 mentook the Polity, History, and Standards courses. InJanuary of 2000, these men gathered for four days atthe OPC Administration offices in Willow Grove,Penna., for a time in Intensive Training.

For the Spring of 2000 term, new courses inCatechetics, Liturgics and Homiletics saw a com-bined student “body” of 20, with another IntensiveTraining week in June, once more held in WillowGrove. Further, the Homiletics course was repeatedduring the summer with the men gathering nearChicago in August for their in-person sessions. Then,in the Fall of 2000 term, 22 students registered forthe three courses repeated from the previous Fall,plus Homiletics. These men gathered with theirinstructors in rainy San Diego for intensive training.

In this current Spring 2001 term, 18 men aretaking Catechetics and Liturgics, as well as two newcourses, Presuppositional Apologetics and PastoralTheology. The in-person sessions will be held inWillow Grove again, except Pastoral Theology, whichwill meet at the Franklin Square, N. Y. OPC.

MTIOPC courses are available free of charge toany OPC man under care, licentiate or minister.Only a $50 per course registration fee is charged, buteven that is refundable as soon as the student com-

The Ministerial Training Institute of the OPC

by

Thomas E. Tyson


The MinisterialTraining Institute of the OPC

pletes the course. OPC ruling elders may enroll fora $50 per-credit hour tuition fee (no additionaldeposit is required, and ministers and ministerialcandidates from other denominations may takecourses for a $100 per-credit hour tuition fee (again,no additional deposit is required). For assistance inpaying the cost for travel to the intensive trainingsessions, tuition scholarships are available for up to$250 per term. Here are some highlights:

• One student took (and passed) four coursesduring a single term

• In a recent course, all four students received anA grade

• Students from four different seminaries havereceived academic credit for our courses

• One student was given 1.5 credits for a 1.0credit MTIOPC course

MTIOPC courses are targeted as seminary-levelinstruction. They are not to be considered theequivalent of voluntary conference participation.Students receive reading lists and syllabi, and areexpected to fulfill written assignments and take“final exams,” in some cases. This is serious educa-tion! The full roster of course offerings at presentconsists of:

• Presbyterian Polity, Rev. Stuart R. Jones, instruc-tor

• OPC History, John R. Muether, instructor• Westminster Standards, Rev. G. I. Williamson,

instructor• Apologetics, Dr. William D. Dennison, instruc-

tor• Pastoral Theology, Rev. William Shishko, in-

structor• Catechetics, Rev. Thomas E. Tyson, instructor• Homiletics, Rev. William Shishko and Rev. Pe-

ter J. Vosteen, instructors• Liturgics, Rev. Larry E. Wilson, instructor

Let me here highlight two of these courses, thenewest ones:

1. Pastoral Theology—two continuing educationcredits

This class combines personal reading, intensivetraining instruction, and actual exposure to churchlife in an Orthodox Presbyterian congregation. Thegoal of the class is to help students develop a trulybiblical approach to the pastoral office and itsvarious responsibilities. Subjects to be covered in-clude:

• The Minister in Relation to Himself• The Minister in Relation to His Family• The Minister and His Session• Shepherding, Ruling, Miscellaneous Duties,

and• The Minister in the Presbytery and General

Assembly.

The Intensive Training period will include work-shops with the church Session and Board of Dea-cons. This class will be most beneficial for men whoare on the threshold of pastoral ministry or for thosewho have recently entered the pastorate as ordainedministers. Limited to six students.

2. Presuppositional Apologetics—two continuingeducation credits

The purpose of this course is to provide athorough introduction to presuppositionalapologetics, and to highlight its importance in thetheological encyclopedia and the life of the church.The first half of the course is an Introduction toPresuppositional Apologetics. Topics include:

• A survey of the History of Apologetics• What is Presuppositional Apologetics, and• The Relationship between Presuppositional

Apologetics and- Scripture- The Person of God- Pre-redemptive Revelation- The Doctrine of the Fall

- The Covenant of Grace—Jesus Christ, and- The Doctrine of the Church

The second half of the course is Presupposi-tional Apologetics and the Marketplace. This dealswith:

• Cornelius Van Til and the Theistic Proofs forGod’s Existence

• The Problem of Evil• Criticisms of Miracles from a Scientific

Worldview,• Religious-Mystical Experience• Psychology, and• Post-Modernism.

The course concludes with a discussion of whyPresuppositional Apologetics is so important to thefuture of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Registrations will be open for the Fall 2001courses (to be announced) in August and may besubmitted to the MTIOPC Administrator, Dr. JamesH. Thomas Jr., at 112 Evergreen Drive, Aliquippa,Penna. 15001. Telephone: 724/774-7427, E-mail:[email protected]. For information about registra-tion and course offerings, please contact the Admin-istrator. However, any questions about the program

Ordained Servant5645 73d St. SWCarson, ND 58529

Periodicals

The MinisterialTraining Institute of the OPC

in general are welcome and may be forwarded eitherto the Administrator or to the Director, Rev. Tho-mas E. Tyson, at 908 Fernhill Drive, Glenside,Penna. 19038. E-mail: [email protected], Phone:215/886-8315.

All ordained officers of the OPC are requestedto be in earnest prayer for the MTIOPC, that Godwould use this program to improve and enhance thetraining and preparation that our ministerial candi-dates, as well as our current officers, receive to enablethem better to fulfil the high calling that is theirs topreach the unsearchable riches of Christ and toshepherd the Lord’s precious sheep.

Thomas E. Tyson hadly needs any

introduction for Ordained Servant,

readers, having served for over a

decade as the General Secretary

of the OPC Committee on Christian

Education, the immediate source

of this publication. Tom recently

took up the work of Regional Home

Missionary for the Presbytery of

Philadelphia, but continues to serve

as the Director of the Ministerial

Training Institute.

vol. 10, no. 2 o r d a i n e d s e r v a n topc.org/os/pdf/osv10n2.pdf · the ministerial training...

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