Contents

I Know Whom I Have Believed

Mark T. Bube

Christian Education

The Best Gauge of Pastoral Ministry

Foreign Missions

Exciting Potential in Asia

Home Missions

Grace in the Triangle

Prayer Calendar

November

Stewardship

How to Contribute to the Thank Offering

News

Reviews

Announcements

New Horizons
in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
November 2012 • Volume 33, Number 10

© 2012 by The Committee on Christian Education of The Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Editorial Board: The Committee on Christian Education’s Subcommittee on Serial Publications

Editor: Danny E. Olinger

Managing Editor: James W. Scott

Editorial Assistant: Patricia Clawson

Cover Designer: Christopher Tobias

Proofreader: Sarah J. Pederson

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Articles previously published may have been slightly edited.

New Horizons (ISSN: 0199-3518) is published monthly except for a combined issue in August-September by the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539; tel. 215/830-0900; fax 215/830-0350.

Send e-mail correspondence to the editor. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should deal with an issue the magazine has recently addressed. Their language should be temperate, and they may not charge anyone with an offense. They should be brief, and they may be condensed.

Views expressed by the writers do not necessarily represent the position of the magazine or of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

The OPC website contains an archive of past articles.

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Outside the conference room at the Administrative Office Building of the OPC in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, prior to the meeting of the Committee on Foreign Missions on September 26, 2012, were (from the left): Douglas Clawson (associate general secretary), Lendall Smith, Mark Bube (general secretary), Glenn Jerrell, Scott Johnson, David Gregg, Bill Papke, Bill Kessler, Jon Stevenson, John Mahaffy, Dick Gaffin, John Emmett, Paul Browne, and Mark Green. Committee members not present: John Van Meerbeke, David O’Leary, Rob Joss.

I Know Whom I Have Believed

Mark T. Bube

The apostle Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy, “But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Tim. 1:12).

Christ calls his church to share in suffering for the gospel in this life, a call that in many ways seems so strange to modern ears. The world values strength and might and, when deemed necessary, even having the power to enforce our will on others. Fallen man earnestly pursues the twin idols of fame and fortune, hoping that they might bring a large measure of happiness and fulfillment. And yet, God’s Word tells us that this is all vanity and striving after wind.

If Christ tarries, every one of us will die. Then comes the Day of Judgment, when all will be sorted out. Those who would stand before God in the foolish belief that they have done enough supposed good during their lives on this earth to merit his blessing will find no excuse. They will hear the inexorable sentence of death pronounced against them, as they are banished for all eternity, away from the presence of God, to a place of indescribable terror and woe. But the Scriptures also tell us—and here’s the good news—that, for those whom he has chosen to save from before the ages began, Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And on that Day, those whom he has saved through his own righteousness, suffering, and death will find mercy from the Lord and inherit eternal life.

Moved by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul, even while writing as a prisoner for the sake of the gospel, confidently testifies to the grace of God who has saved him and called him to a holy calling according to Christ’s own purpose and grace. And he encourages the young man to whom he is writing not to be ashamed of Christ, or of his servants, but rather to share in suffering for the gospel—and here’s the key—by the power of God. The apostle, in knowing Christ, has also come to know his power. And on that basis he can declare: Christ is able!

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and likewise also having come to know him, Christ’s church in each successive generation continues to follow the same pattern of sound words. As part of the visible church today, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church knows that both her saving and her divine calling are not because of her own merit, but because of Christ’s own purpose and grace. And together with others of like faith and practice, she guards, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within her, the good deposit that has been entrusted to her, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Being faithful to Christ often requires those who belong to him to suffer in this world—though, at least in our own circumstances, perhaps not physically. But we have become increasingly aware of brothers and sisters in Christ in distant places, who have suffered both beatings and, yes, even death, rather than deny Jesus Christ or remove themselves from his worship. And most of us have experienced “the look” that others have shot at us from time to time when we have given voice to the hope that lies before us in Christ, or when we have been compelled to take an unpopular stand because we are convinced that God’s Word requires nothing less.

Born in the seventh year of the Great Depression, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church has always known what it is to be poor when it comes to the things of this world, and to have to wait upon the Lord. At the end of 2011, the median size (half smaller, half larger) of her 275 organized congregations was only seventy-six members (including noncommunicant covenant children), with sixty-five attending worship.

As might be expected, most of the ministry in the OPC is done in the context of her local congregations, where public worship services are conducted, the flock is shepherded, the covenant youth are catechized, the lost are evangelized, and the poor are shown mercy. Yet the OPC has always been a consciously Presbyterian church, convinced that this is what the Scriptures teach. She is grateful for the connectionalism that her congregations enjoy, both in the presbytery and in the whole church. Her presbyteries and her general assembly are visible manifestations of the unity her people enjoy together in Christ. They also provide an opportunity for her congregations and mission works to put their hands together in ministry to those who are geographically removed or for what might lie beyond what any single congregation is able to do on its own.

Worship in Nakaale, Uganda, being led by David Okken

Having a particular heart for missions, the OPC labors both at home (within the bounds of her presbyteries in the U.S. and Canada) and in distant lands. She has witnessed the imprisonment of her missionaries and their coworkers on the foreign field, and she has experienced the hostility of some local governments—even here at home. Just as is the case among her congregations, some of her presbyteries have been blessed with significant resources, while others need help from the whole church to carry on the ministries entrusted to them. In obedience to our Lord’s Great Commission, the OPC, as a whole church, carries on her combined ministries of Christian education, foreign missions, and home missions—together called Worldwide Outreach—through the labors of the Committee on Christian Education, the Committee on Foreign Missions, and the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension, all of which are supported by the giving of God’s people in worship. These ministries are interdependent: Where will the next generation of missionaries (FM) and church planters (HM) come from, if we don’t have interns (CE) today? How will the number of missionaries she is able to send to other lands (FM) increase, if our numbers are not growing here at home (HM)? You begin to get the picture.

Worship in L’viv, Ukraine, being led by Heero Hacquebord

Every year Orthodox Presbyterians have a special opportunity to participate in the advancement of the work of Christ through the whole church in Worldwide Outreach by giving to the Thank Offering. The goal this year is $800,000. Knowing whom you have believed, and being convinced that he is able, please join with us in giving sacrificially to the Thank Offering to support the Worldwide Outreach ministries of the OPC.

Worship in Quebec, Quebec, being led by Ben Westerveld

The author is the general secretary for the Committee on Foreign Missions.

Christian Education

The Best Gauge of Pastoral Ministry

Pat Clawson

Seminarians may think that seminary provides all the training they need to become a pastor. Two seminary graduates who recently served as summer and yearlong interns beg to differ. They urge seminary students and graduates to apply before the February 28 deadline for internships in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Cris Simpson knew that seminary taught him a lot, but there was still much he didn’t know. That’s why he wanted to serve both as a summer and as a yearlong intern. “It’s a great chance to work out how to apply your theology on a day-to-day basis with normal people (i.e., those who don’t spend their spare time reading Turretin),” said Simpson, who was a yearlong intern at Trinity OPC in Hatboro, Pennsylvania. “The teaching and preaching opportunities are very valuable.”

Internships for Austin Britton, who completed his yearlong internship at Grace OPC in Mount Vernon, Washington, “gave me the opportunity to be functioning in full-time ministry at a local church, which is something I was not able to do in seminary or ever before as a layperson,” said Britton. “This full-time service for me has truly been the best gauge as to what pastoral ministry is like.”

Intern Austin Britton with mentor David Klein

Britton also appreciated walking in a pastor’s shoes. “One of the great advantages that I saw to an internship was being closely mentored by a pastor on the ins and outs of ministry,” said Britton. “Being present at all the Session meetings, sitting in on many counseling situations, and having to walk through Sunday after Sunday with the pastor, really gave me the most accurate view of what it may be like to be a pastor one day.”

While in seminary, both men were summer interns. “A summer internship is a good opportunity to see how the local church works and to have opportunities for teaching, leading worship, and exhorting,” said Simpson, who served at Cornerstone OPC in Ambler, Pennsylvania. “But about the time you start to figure things out, the summer is over.”

Britton’s internship at Harvest OPC in San Marcos, California, intensified his focus on seminary studies. “For three months, my summer internship allowed me to preach and teach on a weekly basis, and thus allowed me to put into practice what I was learning in seminary about exegesis and homiletics,” said Britton. “It definitely showed me where I needed to improve, so I went back to seminary hungry to work and improve.”

During their last year in seminary, they applied for yearlong internships. Britton found that the experience in Mount Vernon, Washington, “allowed me lots of opportunity to do discipleship, counseling, evangelism, etc. (in addition to preaching and teaching), in a way that was not possible in my summer internship.”

Simpson appreciated the opportunity to learn the week-to-week flow of a pastor’s life and to develop deeper relationships while serving in Hatboro, Pennsylvania. “No matter what emergencies may come up, no matter how ready you feel, Sunday is coming,” said Simpson.

An internship also benefits the seminarian’s family. “They get to see what it’s like for a husband and for daddy to be
doing pastoral stuff,” said Britton. “They get to see what ministry is like, and they begin to get a vision for what it will be like to be the pastor’s family in the future.”

But isn’t one internship enough? “Serving two internships has given me the experience of seeing how different churches and pastors operate,” said Simpson.

Britton agrees. “Both types of internships give a man the opportunity to get to know a congregation and a presbytery, as well as the denomination of the OPC, which can only help in a man’s pursuit of a call later on,” said Britton. “There is no substitute for mentoring when it comes to grooming men for pastoral ministry.”

When internships become available, Britton advises seminarians: “Go for it. You will grow and benefit greatly from the experience. Don’t feel strange if you think you are being blessed more by the congregation than they are being blessed by you! My experience is that churches love their interns and love caring for them, and you absolutely are a blessing to them.”

By the end of their yearlong internships, the men completed their licensure exams, so that they were licensed to preach and to seek a call from an OP church. Britton is now pastor of Calvary OPC in La Mirada, California. Simpson is seeking a call. Britton adds, “After doing two internships, I am more a believer than ever that men coming right out of seminary need to intern.”

Seminarians seeking internships and churches seeking interns must complete their applications by Thursday, February 28. Applications are available at www.OPC.org or by e-mailing Pat Clawson at ccesec@opc.org.

Four Favorites

Books on Worship

If anything, the so-called worship wars spawned a flurry of helpful books on the topic of worship. That makes it hard to narrow down a list of favorites. Still, I would suggest that the following address the most basic issues:

1. John Jefferson Davis, Worship and the Reality of God. IVP, 2010.

Davis directly addresses what I deem to be the essential challenge regarding worship that we need to face in our day: do we really believe that the living, triune God is the central Actor in worship, or are we practical “deists”? Davis elaborates on the point—intended to challenge worship of all stripes: “Human actions have now come to occupy the center stage on Sunday mornings, and God is pushed to the margins. Do we hear God’s call: ‘I am really here among you; will anyone acknowledge my presence, and enter into communion with me?’”

2. Ronald S. Wallace, Calvin’s Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament. Oliver & Boyd, 1953 (reprinted by Wipf & Stock, 1999).

Wallace sees Calvin preeminently as a Bible scholar, so he quotes copiously from Calvin’s commentaries. Calvin saw from Scripture what so many apparently fail to see—that the Lord’s drawing near himself supernaturally to evangelize and edify by means of his Word and sacraments is the heart, rather than a part, of Christian worship.

3. Hughes Oliphant Old, Worship That Is Reformed according to Scripture. John Knox Press, 1984.

Old is a leading expert on Reformed worship. In this book, he shows the deep roots of Reformed worship in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the early church. He makes helpful pastoral suggestions on how to give these biblically Reformed principles contemporary expression (which is quite different from either “traditional worship” or “contemporary worship”). This poses a needed challenge.

4. Michael Horton, A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of Christ-Centered Worship. Baker, 2002.

In this book, Horton seeks to show how Reformed exegesis, biblical theology, historical theology, and systematic theology should help us to challenge the status quo in a biblical way, while at the same time leading us to transcend the dilemmas of today’s “worship wars.”

Larry Wilson

Out of the Mouth …

I recently overheard my two-year-old daughter reciting the tenth commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his socks, nor his doggy, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.”

—Aimee Kiser

Staunton, Va.

Note: If you have an example of the humorous “wisdom” that can come from children, please send it to the editor.

Congratulations

The First Catechism has been recited by:

• Davis Schneider (Bethel OPC in Wheaton, Ill.)

• Charley Quick (Wheaton, Ill.)

Foreign Missions

Exciting Potential in Asia

S. F.

After eighteen years of fruitful work in a city in Asia, helping to bring Reformed influences to bear on the churches here, it looks like the Lord may finally be moving the Mission of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church working in this country in the direction of helping to plant a church in this area—a church that is Reformed in doctrine and polity from the very start. We are very aware that a new church will not spring up in this area of the country overnight, but the prospect of a Reformed church being established during the next few years is very exciting—and a good indication that the many years our missionaries and missionary associates have labored here have been fruitful in ways we did not even realize.

We marvel (with only a slight growing-pain wince every now and then) at God’s providence, in which he is stretching us in three directions. The Mission is not only looking forward to seeing what God will do in the area around our city, but also exploring new work, both deeper into the country (in another city) and across the border in an important city of another country. Recently, you have had opportunities to hear about and pray for the exploratory work in these new cities; now please read prayerfully as I share with you a little of what we sense the Lord is doing through three young pastoral licentiates—we will call them H., K., and J.—to establish a Reformed church, or even a Reformed presbytery, in our area.

Some Asians praying for a consistently Reformed church

In the fall of 1996, a young man who was nicknamed H. entered the school in which we teach as an English major. I did not have too much interaction with him until his senior year, when, having come to faith and having been given some basic discipleship under the ministry of others, he approached me for help in preparing for the entrance exam for a seminary that is located some distance away. In our early morning meetings, we studied Reformed theology together, using both his native tongue and English. With the sponsorship of a congregation, he passed the test and was admitted to that seminary. He responded so well to Reformed teaching that, as he left for seminary, H. bought and borrowed as many Reformed books from the Mission as he could. During his three years at that seminary, H. organized and coordinated a Reformed students’ group, in which the students helped one another by encouraging discretion in evaluating professors, sharing books (many supplied by the Mission), and praying for one another.

Upon graduation, H. returned to serve several years at the church that had supported him financially, with which the Mission had in the meantime developed a stronger relationship. In God’s beautiful providence, H. got to know and eventually married a young woman who had come to profess faith in Christ and attend that church through the English Corner ministry of the Mission.

During the winter and summer vacation months of all these years, H.—often bringing some of his friends along—would contact me, and we would schedule some early morning Reformed Bible studies. I can honestly say that, especially because of his passion for the truth of the Word and my sense that the Lord had a special purpose for this man, my relationship with H. brought me more joy than any other aspect of my ministry during that time.

As H. began to understand better the call of God upon his life, he realized that he needed advanced theological training in a foreign country. The temptation to choose a seminary for its name rather than its faithfulness to Scripture was a hard one to overcome, but an exploratory visit to that country helped, and the Lord eventually gave him the courage to commit his training into the consistently Reformed hands of a Reformed congregation and their new teaching institution. Now H. is nearing completion of his studies there, and, along with his wife and their two children, is looking forward to returning to our city to plant a new church that will be Reformed from the beginning.

Two of the seminarians whom H. brought to our Reformed Bible studies were K. and J. Seminarian K. was a few years older and had slightly less formal theological training. He also had a weaker physical constitution, but he had an equally excited initial reaction to, and later commitment to, Reformed theology. K. was already committed to planting a church in another part of our city after a few years of post–Bible school interning at a church, and had the encouragement of the pastor to do so.

So the Lord’s timing was marvelous, as the Mission had the chance to set this man on a more solidly Reformed, biblical footing just before he began and as he planted the church that eventually was established there. Since then, we have been able to encourage that church through the attendance of our missionaries and MAs and those who are coming to faith and maturity through our ministry. Particularly, you can pray for two young ladies— Miss C. and Miss R.—who have both begun to sink their roots down into the gospel ministry of that church. It is a bit difficult for them because they are often the only young adults in attendance. It has been a joy for all of us to get to know K., his wife, their son, and the small congregation in which he ministers faithfully.

Among the others whom H. brought along with him, J.—through the Mission’s Reformed leadership-training ministry—saw the glory of God in his sovereign work of saving the elect. We had slightly less opportunity to work with him in training sessions, but he too was passionate for the biblical, Reformed faith. Through his own Reformed students’ club, he played the same sort of role at his seminary that H. did at his. After graduation, having preached at his church for a time, J. (along with his wife and two young children) was sent by his church to a nearby country town to preach to their congregation in his language. (In both churches, one group speaks one language and another group speaks a different language—and they are all under a single session.)

Believers at one of the new churches

It is a privilege to see the preaching of H., K., and J. develop. They are careful to faithfully and clearly expound the text, to begin with or lead into a presentation of God’s saving work in the cross of Christ, and to make active use of the doctrines of grace as summarized in the Westminster Standards. H. and J. can preach equally well in the two languages (which is very useful in this region). K. and J., having perhaps set out too early upon their ministries, are sensing a need (as H. did) for more advanced theological training, and after that to begin anew, more consistently Reformed from the start. There are also other groups and pastoral interns (both those with links to the openly operating churches—like these three men do—and those with links to churches that are not so operating) in this region who want to be Reformed.

We do not know exactly what God is doing, but we do know that he is sovereign over this exciting convergence of factors, and we humbly pray that the result will eventually be a presbytery of consistently Reformed churches in the area in which we live. Perhaps as H. returns to our city (sometime in 2014) to take up the work of church planting, K. and/or J. will have a turn, first visiting and then being trained in the the church’s fine theological institution. When we try to think things out, even way beyond the scope of where things are now, we wonder if God won’t eventually show that he has in mind a larger presbyterial system linking the two cities in which we have been working (in one of which a colleague of ours, M. M., is conducting exploratory work), and even (if the Lord really does an amazing thing where I am currently wrapping up the exploratory phases of a work) a sister Reformed church in another country of immense need! “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!” (Rev. 15:3).

For now, we need your prayers for the successful completion of H.’s studies, for great wisdom from above about the next steps with H., K., and J., for good relationships, for the additional missionary personnel that are needed here, and for faithfulness every step of the way. May God be glorified by what he does with the exciting potential in our area.

Home Missions

Grace in the Triangle

Gabriel Fluhrer

What do you get when you put three major universities, one of the largest research areas in the world, and a capital city near each other? You get the Research Triangle: the three cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Durham and Chapel Hill house the prestigious Duke University and the University of North Carolina. Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University and is the capital of North Carolina.

The Research Triangle has consistently ranked in the top five most desirable locations in which to live in the United States. A vibrant cultural and restaurant scene, the laid-back atmosphere of three college towns, and the bustle of a government center all combine to make the Research Triangle a great place to live.

But there is another side to the Research Triangle in general and Raleigh in particular. The economic prosperity and high level of education mask a desperate spiritual need. Although located in the South, Raleigh is a very liberal city.

In an effort to meet this need, the OPC entered Raleigh’s story over thirty years ago with Pilgrim OPC. It has grown steadily to a good size, bearing witness to Christ and his grace. And in June 2010, Shiloh Presbyterian Church, a mission work planted by the Presbytery of the Southeast, became part of the Research Triangle’s story.

Pilgrim OPC is located just north of downtown Raleigh. The Research Triangle Park, home to the second largest IBM facility in the world, as well as dozens of the world’s leading technology companies, has fostered the growth of several bedroom suburbs south of the city. There were only a few Reformed churches in southern Wake County, and the need for more was evident. Thus, Shiloh’s ministry began in the city of Cary, about twelve miles southwest of Raleigh.

Receiving new members at Shiloh OPC in Cary, N.C.

The church began strong and has grown stronger. With a start-up group of seventy-five people, Shiloh has seen the Lord’s hand of blessing from the beginning. And while numbers are not unimportant (let us never forget that numbers represent people!), they do not tell the whole story. More encouraging than the increasing attendance at Shiloh was the spiritual food fed to Christ’s flock. The regular ministry of Lacy Andrews, regional home missionary of the Presbytery of the Southeast, augmented by various professors from Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, signally blessed her pulpit. In particular, seminary president and professor Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., regularly preached the Word, along with other faithful men. From its inception, Shiloh has enjoyed a robust pulpit ministry.

I was called to be the organizing pastor of Shiloh in the summer of 2011. Since I was in the final phase of the course work for my Ph.D. at Westminster Theological Seminary, my ministry was to begin full-time in the spring of 2012.

I graduated from Greenville Seminary in 2008 and was ordained to the gospel ministry that same year at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina, my hometown. When I left for Westminster in 2010, I had no idea I would end up as an Orthodox Presbyterian church planter!

Now that I have been installed for six months, I can say that serving as organizing pastor of Shiloh has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. The people at Shiloh love God’s Word, love each other, and seek to win the lost for Christ. What more could a church planter ask for? I am continually thankful to the Lord for the opportunity of church planting in the OPC. The denominational support, presbytery fellowship, and overall experience have been second to none.

These are exciting times to be an Orthodox Presbyterian, particularly if you live in Raleigh! Our prayer is that God will use our two churches to grow and multiply the ministry of his grace in the Triangle.

A Surprise a Month in St. Louis

“We just had another family move to a different state, which can be discouraging. We have actually just had four families transfer to four different Orthodox Presbyterian churches in the four points of the compass of the U.S.—a family to Neenah, Wisconsin, a family to Orlando, Florida, a family to Long Beach, California, and a young man to Vienna, Virginia.”

It would be easy for any pastor to be discouraged by such local losses. The bigger picture sounds even more discouraging. Almost fifty people have moved away in two and a half years, leaving a morning worship attendance of thirty to thirty-five. The mission work is in its third meeting location.

But organizing pastor Todd Wagenmaker is not discouraged. He writes, “In spite of folks moving around, God is still very gracious to our efforts. We continue to bring good news to our neighbors by knocking on doors and sponsoring seminars, but our ultimate trust is that God will send people to us.”

Gateway OPC in St. Louis, Missouri, is an answer to your prayers. Beginning in 2003, the people of the OPC were asked to pray for the establishment of churches in five urban centers and five metropolitan areas. St. Louis was one of the metro areas identified. It seemed that we needed a congregation there to help us expand into that region. A few young men at Covenant Theological Seminary had expressed interest in pursing ministry in the OPC. Without a local congregation nearby, pursuing that possibility was almost impossible.

St. Louis, the home of the famous Gateway Arch, has a population of over 300,000 people. The Greater St. Louis area is home to 2.8 million people. This is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the Midwest. Many of its residents need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In answer to your prayers for this region, God brought the Wagenmaker family to St. Louis in 2007. Julie taught at a Christian school. Todd practiced law and initiated efforts to plant a new OP congregation.

The Wagenmakers and others involved in the church plant became part of Christ Presbyterian Church. This was an established PCA congregation in Hazelwood, a northern St. Louis suburb. That congregation and its pastor, Scott Churnock, moved into the OPC in the spring of 2008. God gave the OPC a congregation in this region for which we had been praying.

But God was not finished. The Wagenmakers and some others lived at a distance from Christ Presbyterian Church. They were in the south and west of St. Louis County. So Gateway OPC, a new mission work, was started in January 2010 in southwest St. Louis County.

Two months later, the presbytery received another mission work in Missouri. Sovereign Grace Reformed Church in Doniphan is three and a half hours to the south. A state that had no OP congregation in 2006 now has three! Praise God for his gracious answers to our prayers!

Gateway OPC’s church picnic

Gateway OPC has put a strong emphasis on pastoral care. In many churches, people do not have a connection to their leadership. At Gateway, house visits and discipleship are key parts of the ministry. Discipleship of dads had been an important focus. For now, God has taken most of the families with younger children away. They have been replaced by households with mature couples and singles in their forties and fifties.

God is doing good things at Gateway OPC. An inquiring new Christian is being helped to study the Bible. A wayward teenager is being counseled and directed in the way of Christ. The congregation is encouraging an international student.

The congregation is growing in its sense of being part of the whole of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. One aspect of this is tithing its local offerings to Worldwide Outreach. The people want to be part of the church’s Great Commission ministry of foreign missions, home missions, and Christian education.

Todd usually functions with a plan. But the ministry at Gateway has had “a surprise a month,” making planning a challenge. So Todd has tried to focus on faithfully preaching Christ, ministering to the sheep, and telling their neighbors about Christ.

Pray that Gateway OPC will become a strong, gospel-preaching church that focuses on the marks of the church—the preaching of the Word, the faithfully administration of the sacraments, and discipline (discipleship and shepherding).

Home Missions Today

For up-to-date Home Missions news and prayer updates, e-mail HomeMissionsToday@opc.org. New editions: November 7, 21.

Prayer Calendar

November

1. James and Jenny Knox, M.D. and R.N. Nakaale, Uganda. Pray for Jim as he is faced daily with making important decisions concerning patients’ medical needs. / Roberto and Marieta Laranjo, Lowell, Mass. Pray for the outreach and evangelism of Igreja Presbiteriana Brasileira in the community. / Pray for wisdom for the Committee on Diaconal Ministries meeting today and tomorrow.

2. William and Deddeh Joe, Philadelphia, Pa. (Liberian). Pray for Grace OPC as they seek to bring people under the ministry of the Word of God. / Eric and Dianna Tuininga, Mbale, Uganda. Pray for Dianna as she homeschools the children.

3. Pray for the labors of missionary associates Leah Hopp, Nakaale, Uganda, and Tessara Raposa, Mbale, Uganda. / Jim and Tricia Stevenson, Tulsa, Okla. Pray for Providence OPC as they begin their period of denominational financial support.

4. Matthew and Jessica Figura, Cookeville, Tenn. Pray that Faith Presbyterian Church will continue to have new visitors. / David and Sunshine Okken, Nakaale, Uganda. Pray for David as he encourages the Nakaale congregation to be faithful to the Lord.

5. Pray for missionary associates Erika Bulthuis and Emily Pihl, Nakaale, Uganda, as they teach our missionary children. / Gabe and Callie Fluhrer, Cary, N.C. Pray that God would provide a more suitable meeting location for Shiloh OPC. / Pray for Danny Olinger, Stephen Pribble, and Alan Strange as they meet with the URCNA Songbook Committee on Nov. 6–8.

6. Bill and Sessie Welzien, Key West, Fla. Pray for God’s spirit to empower the gospel witness of Keys Presbyterian Church. / Bob and Martha Wright, Nakaale, Uganda. Pray for Martha as she develops children’s literacy materials in Karimojong. / Army chaplain Chris (and Virginia) Wisdom.

7. Al and Laurie Tricarico, Nakaale, Uganda (on furlough). Pray for Al as he speaks in churches in the Presbytery of Northern California. / Tom and Martha Albaugh, Pittsburgh, Pa. Pray that more new people will attend worship at Redeemer OP Mission. / Air Force chaplain
C. Phillip (and Melanie) Hollstein III.

8. Home Missions associate general secretary Dick Gerber. / Missionary associates Christopher and Chloe Verdick, Nakaale, Uganda. Pray for Christopher as he assists in the maintenance of the Mission compound. / Army chaplain Paul (and Mary) Berghaus.

9. Mark and Jeni Richline, Uruguay. Pray that the process of applying for residency permits will go smoothly. / Robert and Christy Arendale, Houston, Texas. Pray for unity and fellowship among the people of Cornerstone OPC. / Pray for Danny Olinger, Christian Education general secretary, as he serves as director of the Ministerial Training Institute of the OPC.

10. David and Rashel Robbins, Huntington, W.Va. Pray that God would bless the fall Bible conference, which is being held today at Trinity Presbyterian Church. / Missionary associate Jana Crum, Uruguay. Pray for Jana as she assists the Richline family. / Pray that OPC congregations will consider having either a summer or a yearlong pastoral intern for 2013.

11. Brian and Dorothy Wingard, South Africa. Pray for their ministry to the students at Mukhanyo Theological College. / Vern and Olena Picknally, Fremont, Mich. Pray that visitors to Fremont OPC will desire to join in communicant fellowship. / Mark (and Karissa) Soud, yearlong intern at Calvin Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, Ariz.

12. Jay and Andrea Bennett, Neon, Ky. Pray that God would provide the finances and the skilled people who are needed to renovate Neon Reformed Presbyterian Church’s manse. / Steve and Linda Larson, Uruguay. / Pray for General Assembly stated clerk George Cottenden as he participates in NAPARC and the Committee on Ecumenicity and Interchurch Relations meetings Nov. 13–15.

OP missionary Woody Lauer here leads worship at Kita Numazu Chapel in Japan. Pray for Woody as he confronts the lost with the demands of the gospel and strengthens believers with God’s Word. Pray for him as he teaches Reformed doctrine and as he works with the men of the church to find those who would be qualified to serve as officers.

13. Cal and Edie Cummings, Sendai, Japan. Pray for wisdom for Cal as he follows up contacts and opportunities to share the gospel. / Home Missions general secretary Ross Graham. / Short-term missions coordinator David Nakhla asks prayer for efforts to refurbish the Ishinomaki Chapel in Japan.

14. Joseph and Carla Fowler, Gastonia, N.C. Pray that Reformation OPC will continue to have new visitors attend worship. / Pray for affiliated missionaries Craig and Ree Coulbourne, Urayasu, Japan, and Jerry and Marilyn Farnik, Prague, Czech Republic. / Army chaplain Earl (and Susan) Vanderhoff.

15. Kaz and Katie Yaegashi, Yamagata, Japan. Pray for Kaz as he leads the Yamagata congregation in worship. / Todd and Cheryl Bordow, Rio Rancho, N.Mex. Praise God for his continued blessing on the OPC of Rio Rancho. / Pray for the work of Donna Williams, production manager at Great Commission Publications.

16. Philip and Jenny Dharmawirya, Philadelphia, Pa. Pray for the completion of Emmanuel Indonesian Protestant Church’s renovation project. / Woody and Laurie Lauer, Numazu, Japan. Pray that the Lord would open the hearts of seekers, and that they would believe. / Kathy Bube, Loan Fund administrator.

17. Ben and Heather Hopp, Haiti. Pray for Ben as he and Pastor Delfils plan for the ministry in the Port-au-Prince church for 2013. / Pray for Steve Doe as he begins his work as regional home missionary for the Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic. / Doug Watson, staff accountant, asks for prayer for a generous Thank Offering.

18. Larry and Holly Wilson, Airdrie, Alberta. Pray for continued growth and development of the congregation of Redeemer OPC, and also for Larry’s health and stamina. / Missionary associates Adam and Sarah Thompson, Sendai, Japan. Pray for fruitful contacts with Japanese young people. / Carson Ryan, yearlong intern at Lake Sherwood OPC in Orlando, Fla.

19. Pray for Foreign Missions associate general secretary Douglas Clawson as he visits with and encourages our missionaries in Haiti. / Christopher and Della Chelpka, Tucson, Ariz. Pray that visitors to Covenant OPC will desire to join in communicant fellowship. / Sarah Pederson, New Horizons proofreader.

20. Chad and Katie Mullinix, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Please pray for further growth and wisdom to minister the gospel at Holy Trinity. / Ben and Melanie Westerveld, Quebec, Canada. Pray that visitors to worship services will become faithful in their attendance. / Jim Scott, publications coordinator for Christian Education and managing editor for New Horizons.

21. Missionary associate Debra Blair, Quebec, Canada. Pray for a good turnout for Journée des Enfants, an activity to maintain contact with children who attended last summer’s English Bible camps. / Home Missions administrative assistant Sean Gregg. / Geoff (and Heather) Downey, yearlong intern at Trinity OPC in Hatboro, Pa.

22. Stephen and Catalina Payson, Mifflinburg, Pa. Pray that Providence OPC will have an effective outreach to local university students. / Pray for Foreign Missions general secretary Mark Bube as he continues to press for the advancement of OP foreign missions. / David Haney, director of finance and planned giving for the Committee on Coordination.

23. Pray for the labors of Foreign Missions administrative assistant Linda Posthuma and secretary Janet Birkmann. / Mark and Michele Winder, Collierville, Tenn. Pray that two new families will be added to Wolf River Presbyterian Church by year’s end. / Camden (and Erica) Bucey, yearlong intern at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, Ill.

24. Brian and Sara Chang, Cottonwood, Ariz. Ask the Lord to bless Verde Valley Reformed Chapel with growth. / Retired missionaries Betty Andrews, Greet Rietkerk, Young and Mary Lou Son, and Fumi Uomoto are thankful for those who support them in prayer. / Pray for the work of Linda Foh, website technical assistant.

25. Heero and Anya Hacquebord, L’viv, Ukraine. Pray for their efforts to be a witness for Christ in their community. / Geoffrey and Sharon Willour, Mayfield Village, Ohio. Pray for the continued growth and spiritual development of the congregation of Lake OPC. / Jan Gregson, office manager and assistant to the director of finance.

26. Todd and Julie Wagenmaker, St. Louis, Mo. Pray that the people of Gateway OPC will continue to learn and observe all that Christ commanded. / Mr. and Mrs. F., Asia. Pray for Mr. F. as he builds relationships with his colleagues and students. / Pat Clawson, Christian Education office secretary and MTIOPC coordinator.

27. Missionary associates E. C. and T. L. L., Asia. Pray for E. C., who is leading a women’s study group for exchange students. / Ben and Sarah Miller, Huntington, N.Y. Pray for peace, joy, and fresh commitment as Trinity Church takes the steps necessary to become an organized congregation.

28. John and Wenny Ro, Chicago, Ill. (downtown). Pray that God would bless Gospel Life Presbyterian Church’s outreach efforts. / Mr. and Mrs. M., Asia. Pray for Mr. M. as he makes monthly trips to visit and encourage our missionary associates.

29. Missionary associates T. D. and E. H., Asia. Pray for E. H. as he leads a team of teachers in the English Conversation office. / Drew and Sonya Adcock, Williamsport, Pa. Pray that God would bring new families to worship at Omega OPC. / David (and Karen) Koenig, yearlong intern at Covenant OPC in Orland Park, Ill.

30. Brad Hertzog, Queens, N.Y. Pray that leaders would be raised up at Reformation Presbyterian Church. / Mr. and Mrs. C., missionary associates in Asia. Pray for Mrs. C. as she teaches classes in the university’s English Department. / David (and Jenna) DeRienzo, yearlong intern at Second Parish OPC in Portland, Maine.

Stewardship

How to Contribute to the Thank Offering

Every year the Worldwide Outreach ministries of the OPC (Christian Education, Foreign Missions, and Home Missions) rely upon the generous support of the members and friends of the OPC, not only in regular contributions, but also in the Thank Offering. In this way we help to carry out the Great Commission to spread the gospel.

Thank Offering packages were sent to the churches in the OPC during the second week of October. They contained the Thank Offering poster, bulletin inserts, and remittance envelopes. If your church has not received this package by the time you are reading this, or if you need additional material, please contact Jan Gregson at the OPC Administrative Office (215/830-0900).

The bulletin inserts are intended to be distributed on consecutive Lord’s Days prior to the collection of the Thank Offering. We suggest that churches use them from October 21 to November 11, with a collection on November 18. Some churches collect the Thank Offering on consecutive Sundays, throughout the month of November, or at a special Thanksgiving service.

Checks should be made out to your local church and designated for the Thank Offering.

If you are unable to participate in the Thank Offering at your local congregation, or if you are a friend of the OPC who would like to give to the Thank Offering, included in this issue of New Horizons is a remittance envelope. Using that envelope, checks made out to “The Orthodox Presbyterian Church” and designated “Thank Offering” can be sent to the OPC Administrative Office directly.

As the chart below shows, giving to Worldwide Outreach has fallen off in recent months. We need a strong Thank Offering this year to meet our budget and keep our denominational ministries financially healthy heading into next year.

Requests for 2013

The 2012 General Assembly of the OPC determined to make the following requests for the financial support of denominational ministries (generally to be made through individual congregations):

Worldwide Outreach $3,695,000

This averages out to $168.40 per communicant member. Smaller churches may not be able to meet this average, so larger churches need to give more than the average.

Thank Offering giving at the end of the year goes to Worldwide Outreach. Ideally, it takes these missions and education ministries beyond the budgeted goal.

GA Operation Fund

Churches are requested to give $20.00 per communicant member.

GA Travel Fund

Churches are requested to give $12.00 per communicant member.

Diaconal Ministries General Fund

Churches are requested to give $25.00 per communicant member.

Send contributions to: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton Rd., Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090. Checks should be made payable to The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Contributions are credited to Worldwide Outreach and support all its ministries, unless designated for a particular fund or committee.

News

New Building for Delta Oaks OPC

Linda Nielsen

Through God’s wonderful providence, Delta Oaks OPC celebrated the ownership of their new church building on Sunday, August 12, 2012. Delta Oaks is now located in Pittsburg, California, about thirty miles east of San Francisco.

In the service, the congregation participated in a responsive prayer dedicating the building. Summer intern Charlie Davis offered the congregational prayer. Pastor Mike Dengerink preached on the theme of “God’s Building,” exhorting the congregation to be committed to use the building to build God’s kingdom. The usual Lord’s Day worship attendance of ninety people rose to 140.

After the service, members visited with the guests while enjoying a meal prepared by the congregation. Pastor Mike gave a brief history of Delta Oaks and thanked people for their generous giving and hard work to turn a commercial building into a beautiful church.

Delta Oaks OPC began in 1989 in the growing city of Antioch. In ten years, the church moved four times. In 2001, Mike Dengerink answered the call to Delta Oaks. In 2003, another move was made, but facility use was limited to Sundays.

In 2008, space was rented in a church that allowed almost unlimited use of the facility. Many efforts were made to reach out to the neighborhood, but growth came mainly though people looking for a Reformed church and finding Delta Oaks through our website and radio advertising.

The congregation of Delta Oaks OPC in their new building in Pittsburg, Calif.

Finally, Delta Oaks found a building that was the perfect size for ministry and growth. Located right off a major freeway, the church is accessible to many more communities. Pastor Mike contacted the OPC about obtaining a loan through the Loan Fund. With the help of David Haney, the Loan Fund manager, and Kathy Bube, the Loan Fund administrator, the application was approved. With generous donations of $350,000, the church’s building fund, and the OPC’s loan, Delta Oaks completed the path to ownership.

Pray that God will bless the physical and spiritual growth of Delta Oaks. To him be the glory!

In Memoriam

Elmer M. Dortzbach

William A. Muether

The Rev. Dr. Elmer Merrill Dortzbach was called home on September 16, 2012, at the age of 90. He was born in Kariuzawa, Japan, and graduated from Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and the University of Colorado. He was the pastor or the stated supply for five Orthodox Presbyterian congregations for a quarter century (Franklin Square, N.Y.; Park Hill in Denver; Redeemer in Atlanta; Immanuel in Thornton, Colo.; Grace in Fall River, Mass.). From 1977 until 1984, he served as professor of pastoral care at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, where he specialized in ministry to the aging.

Elmer Dortzbach

The retirement he envisioned with his wife Marjorie included enjoying God’s creation by traveling in a camper and “perhaps doing some chaplaincy work in campgrounds along the way.” But plans changed when he began to lose eyesight in his late sixties. Instead, he spent his last years ministering at a Christian retirement center in Florida, by “showing hospitality, preaching, counseling, just living and walking before God’s people and unbelievers as well.”

Convinced that his times were in God’s hands, Dortzbach was a servant who embodied the principle he expressed in New Horizons (December 1992): “There is more living to do and a better person to become in the ever-growing vineyard of the kingdom of God.”

Tarullo Installed at Indian Head Park

The congregation of Westminster OPC in Indian Head Park, Illinois (formerly in Westchester), is thankful for the installation service for their new pastor, the Rev. Robert E. Tarullo, which took place on Friday, September 7.

The Rev. Dr. A. Craig Troxel led the congregation in worship and the installation proceedings, and also provided the charge to the minister from 1 Samuel 12:23 on the pastor’s prayer life. The Rev. Matthew E. Cotta preached from Luke 24 on the ministry of the word. The Rev. Lendall H. Smith charged the congregation from Hebrews 13. The Rev. Alan D. Strange led the congregation in a prayer of consecration.

Among those present was the Rev. Ivan J. De Master, a former pastor of Westminster OPC, who had served there for nineteen years.

At the installation of Pastor Bob Tarullo: Westminster elders Tim Karr, John Baldwin (borrowed from Hanover Park), Tarullo, and John Fry

McGowan Installed as Teacher in Matthews, N.C.

The Rev. John D. McGowan was installed as a teacher at Matthews OPC in Matthews (Charlotte area), North Carolina, on August 20, to serve at Greyfriars Classical Academy in Matthews, N.C. He has served since July 2010 as the headmaster of Greyfriars, a classical Christian high school.

At the installation of teacher John McGowan: pastors Nathan Trice and Cliff Blair, elder Thomas Willingham, McGowan (far right)

Update

Churches

• Mercy OPC in Cedarburg, Wis., a mission work of Falls Presbyterian Church in Menomonee Falls, Wis., was closed down on September 30.

Ministers

• The pastoral relationship between James T. Hoekstra (serving at Mercy OPC in Cedarburg) and Falls Presbyterian Church in Menomonee Falls, Wis., was dissolved by the Presbytery of the Midwest effective September 30.

• John D. McGowan was installed as a teacher at Matthews OPC in Matthews, N.C., on August 20; he serves as headmaster of Greyfriars Classical Academy in Matthews.

• Robert E. Tarullo, formerly pastor of Community OPC in Newtown, Conn., was installed as pastor of Westminster OPC in Indian Head Park, Ill., on September 7.

Milestones

• On September 16, retired OP minister Elmer M. Dortzbach, 90, died peacefully after a long decline.

• Dale Grotenhuis, 80, a retired URC music professor and composer who was collaborating on the OPC’s Psalter-hymnal project, died on August 17 of pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer.

Reviews

Christ’s Covenant and Your Life, by Gordon J. Keddie. Published by Crown and Covenant Publications, 2011. Paperback, 132 pages, list price $7.00. Reviewed by OP pastor Samuel Rodriguez.

Gordon J. Keddie, best known for his simply explained Welwyn commentaries, provides a robust primer on covenant theology. The author is a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, a sister denomination of the OPC.

Keddie divides his book into eleven chapters and adds five appendixes. In his preface, he explains that his book seeks to combat doctrinal and especially covenantal neglect in our churches. His contention resonates with me as one who has come from a broadly evangelical background. Even in Reformed churches, many believe that doctrine should be minimized in the name of evangelism. Keddie does a good job combating such notions.

In chapter 1, Keddie shows how man is a covenant creature. All that man does is covenantal. He gives examples from life and the Bible. He ends the chapter by discussing three important points related to the idea of the covenant: (1) the Creator-creature distinction, (2) the unilateral divine initiative of our covenant God, and (3) personal relationships in covenant with God.

Chapter 2 is a primer on basic Westminster covenant theology. Keddie’s discussion of the covenant of redemption is good, but he could have referenced other works that deal with the many issues that have complicated this doctrine. His defense of the covenant of works is well written and welcomed. Keddie then charts the covenant of grace as the way of the covenant between God and his people. He speaks of the protoevangelium (Gen. 3:15), the covenants made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, and finally the new covenant. He explains that these are not separate covenants, but the progressively revealed covenant of grace.

Chapters 3, 4, and 5 seek to integrate covenant theology with church membership. The covenant of grace does make claims on believers, but, being gracious, its burden is light. It manifests itself in a personal relationship with God. That involves a binding heart commitment and is lived in a corporate bond of fellowship. Keddie’s critique of individualism and subjectivism is both penetrating and urgent. He criticizes the ideas of a person’s “private faith,” church hopping, and “inactive” church membership. God saves us as individuals, but always to be a part of the body of Christ. Thus, church membership is required! There is some excellent material for new members’ classes.

Chapters 6–10 are a concentrated look at covenant theology in the church. Keddie gives good introductions to the means of grace. He could have said more about preaching, but one can only do so much in a little book.

Keddie closes his book with a chapter and five appendixes that deal with personal, public, and reaffirming covenants. The book’s distinctive RPCNA perspective on covenanting may limit its use. One will not agree with all he says: note his suggestion to drop the term sacrament. However, the book is well written, and I highly recommend it.

* * *

Psalm 119 for Life, by Hywel R. Jones. Published by EP Books, 2009. Paperback, 156 pages, list price $17.95. Reviewed by OP pastor Rodney T. King.

Psalm 119 has been an intimidating passage for centuries—not just to commentators and preachers, but to believers in general. A single psalm with 176 verses on one theme! It is no wonder that Augustine skipped this psalm when he first preached through the Psalms, citing its great depth (to which he believed he could not do justice). Yet the problem is not a wealth of theological jargon, but a wealth of plain speech. How do you deal with a passage that is divided into twenty-two stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order, with each of the eight verses of each stanza beginning with the same letter, and which uses a synonym for the law of God in virtually every verse, doing so with beauty and without empty repetitions? How do you describe the law of God at such length, without laying a foundation for legalism?

Hywel Jones, professor at Westminster Seminary California, has provided an excellent tool for us all to use. Rather than dealing with each verse separately (as does, for example, Charles Bridges), Jones points to the themes of each section and to their progressive relation to one another. He repeatedly points to the evangelical themes of this psalm, which reach their climax in the plea of the last verse for the saving God to “seek your servant!” As stated in his introduction, the goal of this exposition is to show that “remarkable poetic skill is wedded to singular piety in order to send a message to the people of God about the Word of God and the way of the godly—in a fallen world.”

Jones has attained his goal wonderfully. He draws out the theme of each stanza. He shows its relation to the various parts of that stanza, and points to its application to God’s people now, as in all ages. This book displays the structure of the psalm’s contents, which provides a framework for preachers to approach the psalm in sermon preparation, and also a firm lead for those who simply want to understand this part of God’s Word better. The author has made an adroit use of the original language, providing sufficient leads for the scholar without frustrating the non-Hebrew reader.

There are two shortcomings in this book. The first is its brevity; the reader is left with the realization that much more could have been said. This reviewer is left with the suspicion that the author has done so on purpose, so that we will be provoked to greater study of the psalm itself. The second shortcoming is its price; we might be tempted to look for something longer and less costly. Don’t. It is worth every penny.

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The Reformation: Faith and Flames, by Andrew Atherstone. Published by Kregel, 2011. Hardback, 192 pages, list price $24.95. Reviewed by OP pastor Glen J. Clary.

This beautifully illustrated book traces “the story of the sixteenth-century reformation from its origins in the European renaissance to its dénouement in the wars of religion” (p. 7). There is no shortage of popular-level histories of the Reformation, but more recent works tend to approach the subject from social, economic, or political angles and pay less attention to theological issues. While not ignoring the “non-religious” factors of this critical period of ecclesiastical history, Atherstone returns to the more traditional approach of viewing the Reformation as fundamentally a theological movement. Moreover, says our author, the chief theological issue was the doctrine of justification.

The deepest chasm between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism concerned the questions: “How can I be saved? How can I be in a right relationship with Almighty God? How can I be sure of a place in heaven?” (p. 181). The rediscovery that salvation is a free gift from God, received solely through faith in Jesus Christ, had massive implications for the Christian church. “Tens of thousands lost their lives, and nations went to war, over the question ‘What must I do to be saved?’ Catholics and evangelicals offered incompatible answers, but all were agreed on the eternal significance of this most important of questions” (p. 7).

By making the doctrine of justification the focal point, Atherstone’s portrait of the Reformation appears more Lutheran than Reformed. Although the Reformed confessed that justification was “the main hinge” (Calvin, Institutes 3.11.1), the scope of their reform was much broader. If Carlos Eire is correct, the chief concern of the Reformed wing was to purge the church of idolatry and purify her worship (see Eire, War against the Idols). Another criticism that we have of this book is its preponderance of material on the Reformation in England. Two out of ten chapters are dedicated to England, yet other major Reformed centers, such as Strasbourg, are barely mentioned.

Aside from these minor faults, The Reformation: Faith and Flames presents an excellent overview of Reformation history. Containing copious endnotes, an index, wide margins, many pictures, and helpful maps, it is a great introduction to the subject and a helpful reference for students of history.

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Lady Jane Grey, by Simonetta Carr. Published by Reformation Heritage Books, 2012. Hardback, 63 pages, list price $18.00. Reviewed by OP member Katharine Olinger.

“Live to die, that by death you may enter into eternal life, and then enjoy the life that Christ has gained for you by His death. Don’t think that just because you are now young your life will be long, because young and old die as God wills” (p. 61). These were some of the last words of Lady Jane Grey—seventeen years old and facing execution.

In Simonetta Carr’s new book, Lady Jane Grey, the life of this young English monarch is painted clearly for the young reader, both figuratively and literally. It is not a black-and-white chapter book, but rather, because it is meant to be interesting to readers aged 7–12, it is thoroughly illustrated with vibrant paintings as well as photographs and sketches. And yet how could Jane’s story be suitable for young readers? She ruled for only two tumultuous weeks before being usurped by Bloody Mary, and six months later she was executed. Wouldn’t a story of success be a better guide for children growing in their faith? When Carr subtly addresses this issue, she does it well, pointing to Jane Grey’s own words and letters, such as, “Strive, then, always to learn how to die” (p. 62). Carr explains that Jane’s story “encourages many Christians with the thought that the same God who preserved and strengthened Jane’s faith until the end will do the same for all His children” (p. 54).

My favorite aspect of Lady Jane Grey is the author’s use of original sources, such as Jane’s heartfelt letter to her sister. It’s one thing to read an account of her childhood and execution, but to read the dying advice of one sister to another, sisters by birth and faith, is quite another. This book would be a fine addition to any church or home library of one who is seeking to educate children in the way they should go, no matter what God intends for their lives.

Announcements

New Work in Santa Fe

Under the oversight of the Presbytery of the Southwest’s home missions committee, we are looking for contacts with a view to starting a new OP congregation in Santa Fe, N.Mex. If you or someone you know may be interested in this work or would like more information about it, please contact us. Visit our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SantaFeOPC) or contact Todd Bordow at tbordow@q.com.

Positions Available

Pastor: Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church, a congregation of the Presbytery of the Midwest in Des Moines, Iowa, is seeking a pastor. The members of our congregation are fairly well distributed among different ages and church backgrounds. We catechize and have two worship services. We use the original Trinity Hymnal accompanied by a piano. Our church building is debt free. Our outgoing pastor was here for fifteen years and has accepted a call to another church. We have a daughter church in Pella, Iowa. Interested applicants should contact ruling elder Mitchell Mahan, 1572 NW 109th St., Clive, IA 50325; e-mail mkmahan1@msn.com; cell 515/223-6278 (evenings please).

OPC.org

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