Born in Zion, Psalm 87

In seven short verses, Psalm 87 extols the church by directing the reader's mind from the loveliness of the covenant with the patriarchs to the glories of Jerusalem at the height of Israel's power to the beauties of the church within an ugly world and finally to the splendors of the eternal holy city.

The church is everlasting because God established it; it is beautiful because God loves it:

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
the LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob (1-2).

Just as the temple was built upon the solid rock of a Palestinian mountain, the church is built upon the solid rock that is Jesus Christ. The Lord "loves the gates of Zion" and against them the gates of hell will not prevail (Matthew 16:18).

Those few words, "the dwelling places of Jacob," represent many places in covenant history. Jacob was a wanderer. He was already an old man when he fled from Esau's wrath and journeyed alone through many perils, sleeping in the open with a stone for a pillow. He finally reached Haran, the dwelling of his relative Laban for whom he labored fourteen years to pay for his wives. When God called Jacob to return to his own land, he again set out on a long journey, this time with the responsibility of protecting large flocks, many servants, two wives, two concubines, and more than a dozen young children.

But God was with Jacob during these journeys. When Jacob fled and slept alone, his head resting on a rock, he dreamed of angels ascending and descending a ladder leading to heaven. The Lord appeared to him above the ladder and confirmed his covenant with Jacob, promising to be with him and bring him back to his own land. Jacob set up a rock and called that place Bethel (house of God), saying, "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17).

Years later God appeared to Jacob in a dream, telling him to leave the land of Laban and return to his own land: "I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me" (Genesis 31:13). As Jacob left with a household so large that it had become two camps, angels of God met him at a place called Mahanaim (two camps) and he exclaimed, "This is God's camp!" (Genesis 32:1-2).

On the last night before Jacob met Esau--when he was alone once again--he literally wrestled with the Lord, who changed his name from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (one who strives with God, or God strives). Jacob called that place Peniel (the face of God). Unfortunately, Jacob contructed a house in Succoth and stopped just short of entering the promised land by pitching his tent in Shechem (Genesis 33:18). Later Jacob went on to Bethel, where he built an altar and God reiterated Jacob's name change and again renewed the covenant. Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel, died in childbirth on the journey from Bethel to Ephrath (Bethlehem). Eventually Jacob (Israel) returned to his aging father Isaac at Mamre.

Years later, God orchestrated events to bring Jacob (Israel) from Canaan via Beersheba (where God again renewed his covenant) to Egypt, where his son Joseph had prepared the way for the people of God to survive a harsh famine. And after Jacob's death in Goshen, Joseph and his brothers took Jacob's body back to Canaan and entombed it in Abrham's burial cave at Machpelah, near Mamre.

From Mamre to Bethel to Haran to Mahanaim to Peniel to Succoth to Shecem to Bethel to Bethlehem to Mamre to Egypt to Goshen and to his final resting place at Machpelah, Jacob dwelt in many places.

In many of those places, God assured Jacob of his covenantal love. Some of those places--like Bethlehem--would become even more important in covenant history. Yet God says in Psalm 87 that he loves the church more than all those physical dwelling places. In his word, he has spoken of the church's beauty and glory:

Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God (3).

The church has expanded past the boundaries of one nation and its sacred sites; it now encompasses all nations and locations. From even the most hated of Israel's traditional enemies, God has elected specific individuals to be born into his kingdom:

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush--
"This one was born there," they say.
And of Zion it shall be said,
"This one and that one were born in her";
for the Most HIgh himself will establish her.
The LORD records as he registers the peoples,
"This one was born there" (4-6).

Before the foundation of the world, God elected individuals and wrote their names in his book of life. He established his covenant with the church in the Old Testament, continued it in the New Testament, and will bring it to fulfillment when the holy city comes down from heaven like a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2). Then the Lord will register "the peoples" when he opens the "book of life of the Lamb who was slain" (Revelation 13:8). Only those whose names "are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 21:27) will hear him say, "This one was born in Zion."

The hope of this sure outcome enables the church to live in joy now. We can see that all our blessings flow from God's gracious hand like a springing fountain:

Singers and dancers alike say,
"All my springs are in you" (7).

Those who are born in Zion by God's gracious election will see how the fullness of God's love wells up in their lives now; and they can look forward with hope to the incomparable glory that will flow within their hearts for eternity. They can joyfully dance and sing, "Blessed Zion, All our fountains are in thee" ("Zion, Founded on the Mountains," p. 193, Psalter Hymnal, 1976).

All scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

© Glenda Mathes 2010

Official NaNo Winner

This says it all!

Seven Deadlies

Quickly now—can you name the Seven Deadly Sins? If not, you’re probably not alone. Sin isn’t a popular topic these days and the concept of Seven Deadly Sins may seem like an archaic vestige of the Middle Ages.

The idea of Seven Deadly Sins, however, began long before the Middle Ages. In the seventh century, Pope Gregory the Great identified these Seven Deadly Sins: Pride (Superbia), Envy (Invidia), Anger (Ira), Avarice (Avarita), Sadness (Tristia), Gluttony (Gula), and Lust (Luxuria). Based on even earlier lists of sins, Sadness (Tristia), was later replaced by Sloth (Accidia). But the Seven Deadly Sins received their most press during the Middle Ages, when they featured prominently in British wall paintings as well as religious catechisms.

So why should today’s Christian even consider a listing of sins with early Christian era roots and Medieval fruits? That was the question examined by the Fifteenth Annual Bible Conference held at West Sayville Reformed Bible Church (URC) on October 2 and 3, 2010.

“The world today looks at sin as a quaint and forgotten ‘church word,’” says Rev. Andrew Eenigenburg, pastor of the West Sayville URC. “Nobody wants to talk about sin because we have long since rejected the notion that we live in the presence of a God who sits as Judge on the Throne of Heaven. But whether we have taken sin seriously or not, the believer should know that sin brings only harm, misery, and tragedy. We must equip ourselves for righteousness, and for its fruits.”

Dr. J. Mark Beach, Professor of Ministerial and Doctrinal Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, IN, spoke on “Sinful Saints (or the Sinning Christian): A Look at Some of the Seven Deadly Sins.”

He explains that the sins were called “Deadly” because “the church recognized that sin creates the proclivity to sin; vice engenders vice. In other words, sin tends to reproduce itself. Over time, Christian experience taught that certain sins are well called ‘capital’ sins, i.e., head or source sins, since they, acting as fonts of sins, engender other sins.”

“Any listener could tell that Dr. Beach was not simply performing an academic exercise,” relates Rev. Eenigenburg. “He was teaching to help real-life Christians wage a front-line battle against sins that creep into our hearts. I think every age could relate to his biblical descriptions of besetting sins and his battle-tested remedies against them.”

In his first message, “The Seven and Pride,” Dr. Beach presented an overview of the seven sins and examined in more detail the problem of pride. His next session addressed the issues of “Envy and Anger.” In a third session, Dr. Beach spoke about “Sloth and Lust.” About 30 people attended the conference.

“Those who attended had an immediate connection with a topic so close to their hearts,” says Rev. Eenigenburg. “Each person knows which sins have threatened in their lives. Dr. Beach had an instantly attuned audience, as he artfully described the damages of sin and also the remedies against it. His examples were vivid, personal, and plentiful.”

On Sunday morning, Dr. Beach continued the theme of the conference by preaching on “The Great Law of Returns.”

West Sayville Reformed Bible Church has been holding annual Bible conferences for 15 years and plans to continue offering such teaching each year in the fall.

“We are committed to bringing excellent speakers, and we encourage interested readers to plan ahead and join us next year,” says Rev. Eenigenburg. “Southwest Airlines lands only ten minutes away from the door of our church.”

The church website (www.WSRBC.org) offers mp3 recordings of the conference sessions under its “featured recording” link under the “Resources” tab on its main menu. The “Sermons” tab on the menu offers recording of the church’s weekly preaching. Rev. Eenigenburg encourages readers to make use of these excellent recordings.

He says, “I suggest that Reformed youth groups in our churches would be well served by listening to these as a three-part lesson.”

While on sabbatical, Dr. Beach read four recent books on the seven deadlies and wrote a sermon series, which served as the basis for his conference lectures. He hopes to eventually write a book on the subject as it relates to pastors.


The above article appeared on page 10 of the November 24, 2010, issue of Christian Renewal.

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

David's Prayer, Psalm 86

Back at the end of Psalm 72, we read, "The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended." But fourteen psalms later in Psalm 86, another prayer of David appears.

David's prayers echo with emotions and images that touch the common chords on the harp strings of human hearts.

He begins Psalm 86 confessing not only his weakness and need, but also his faith.

Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you--you are my God (1-2).

The language of David's psalms seem to indicate that he sometimes struggled with depression. That is evident as this prayer immediately pleads for God's grace.

Be gracious to me, O LORD,
for to you do I cry all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace,
In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me (3-7).

In the midst of a difficult situation or emotional depression, David cries to God "all the day." He doesn't merely form his lips into rote prayer; he lifts up his very soul to the Lord. And he lifts it up before the throne of grace is the hope that God will "gladden the soul" of his servant.

David acknowledges that God can do this because he is "good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love" to all who call upon him. He begs God to "give ear" to his prayer and to "listen" to his "plea for grace"; pleading with confidence that, in his day of trouble, God will answer him.

David then confesses God's almighty status and actions: There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours (8).

He prophesies that "all" the nations God has made "shall come and worship" before the Lord, glorifying his name (9).

This verse brings to mind Revelation 21's beautiful imagery describing the nations and kings of earth entering the holy city:

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life (22-27).

Psalm 86:9 also brings to mind Philippians 2's wonderful confession about how everyone will one day acknowledge Christ's lordship:

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (9-11).

Every tongue will confess Christ as Lord and the nations will bring their glory (but no sin) into the holy city because God is "great" and does "wondrous things" for he alone is God (10).

David's plea for instruction and union with Christ is worth memorizing and regularly praying:

Teach my your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name (11).

I'm touched by the language of uniting our hearts to Christ's. It seems that this isn't simply an emotional union; it is a union with the purpose: fearing God's name. Fearing God's name does not mean to live in terror of God, although he is the only one who has the power to destroy the soul and appropriately should be feared! But rather, it means being aware of his almighty power and living a life that lovingly and obediently reflects due reverence to God.

After this plea for instruction and a united heart, David breaks into a paean of praise:

I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol (12-13).

David is able to praise God so exuberantly because he has witnessed God's deliverance in the past and is confident he will deliver him again. "The depth os Sheol" could be a battle incident when enemy forces overwhelmed him and death appeared certain, or it could be a physical illness when he felt as if he would die, or it could be the depths of despair when he may have longed for death. In any hopeless scenario, God is our loving heavenly father who rescues us and pours out upon us his never failing love.

God had promised David the throne of Israel, but David had to fight many enemies before and after the fulfillment of that promise. His life was a series of conflicts with others.

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them (14).

We don't have to be waiting for God to establish our earthly kingdom to feel oppressed by others. The wicked of the world are always "insolent" and "ruthless," but even fellow belivers sometimes misunderstand or misrepresent us. Family members fail us. But God is gracious!

But you, O lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
Show me a sign of your favor,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me (15-17).

God is "merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abouding in steadfast love and faithfulness." He will give strength to his struggling servants and save those suffering here in the shadowlands.

In his great mercy, God may even evidence his love to us in such an obvious way that those who plague us may see the irrefutable proof of God's love for us.

The psalm ends with a personal past tense statement; this emphasizes that God's deliverance as sure as if it has already occurred: God has "helped me and comforted me."

What a blessing this morning to pray again with King David, who was not only the king of Israel, but also the king of poetical prayers!

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

Four-year vacancy ends for Burlington, WA URC

After four years, the United Reformed Church in Burlington, WA, finally has a minister.

Rev. Mark Stewart, who served Covenant Reformed Church in Newton, NJ, for ten years, was installed on Friday, October 8, 2010, as the church’s new pastor.

Three local Reformed ministers participated in the installation service. Rev. Chris Gordon of Lynden URC led the service. Other participants were Rev. Peter Vosteen (Lynnwood OPC) and Rev. Gerald Rutgers (Hopewell Community Church of Lynden), both of whom have filled the church’s pulpit and provided pastoral care during its long vacancy. Rev. Rutgers preached the installation sermon.

“He used Haggai 1 as his text,” says Rev. Stewart, “and gave a stirring exhortation on the minister’s calling as well as the responsibility of the congregation.”

Approximately 150 people from the church as well as visitors from the Bellingham and Lynden URCs and the Mt. Vernon and Lynnwood OPCs attended the service.

Rev. Stewart and his wife, Christy, have four daughters, ranging in age from 5-14. While a moving service trucked their household possessions from New Jersey to Washington, the Stewart family spent four and a half weeks camping in a pop-up trailer while traveling down the east coast, through the southern states, and finally up the west coast on scenic Route 101.

Since their arrival on October 1, the family has been settling in and becoming acquainted with their new church family. Rev. Stewart explains that he is “just getting to know the congregation” and “finding the right voice to speak God’s unchanging Word into their experience right now.”

He adds that the congregation is much younger than his previous charge and he eagerly anticipates “ministering to the challenges that young families face.” He hopes to help foster closer relationships among the URCs in the Pacific Northwest, including increased interactions among youth groups.

“I will also be looking for ways to increase the exposure our church has here in the community,” he says.

Burlington URC has about 115 souls. It is the former Burlington Orthodox Christian Reformed Church and was one of the churches that came into the URCNA from the OCRC in an action by Synod Schererville 2007.

The above article appeared on pages 14-15 of the October 27/November 3, 2010 issue of Christian Renewal.

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

Puzzling Solutions and Playing Sudoku

I confess it: I am a Sudoku fan. (Note: NOT addict.)

I'm a middle-of-the-road sort of Sudoku fan; I enjoy moderately difficult puzzles that can be worked in one sitting, or maybe two short ones. The easy puzzles pose no challenge, the really difficult ones can be more frustrating than fun.

There are often moments when I think, "I just don't see the next move," but if I take one more careful look, or even walk away from it for a time, I find one more answer. Then I pencil numbers into the remaining blocks as quickly as the clicking squence of falling dominoes.

This successive falling into place inevitably reminds me of the many times I find the solution to a puzzling writing problem. Perhaps I can't think of a good opening for an article, or maybe I don't see a theme in the piece I'm writing. I may pause for a moment or I may walk away from the work for days. But eventually, nearly always after prayer, the solution will come to me as suddenly as the over utilized light bulb blinking on simile. Then the disparate pieces of the work quickly fall into one cohesive effort.

I don't mean to imply that prayer is a superstitious rite; as if saying a prayer automatically guarantees successful solutions to every writing (or any other kind of) problem. I confess to sometimes giving up on a difficult Sudoku puzzle and looking at the answer in the back for just one number. That clue is often enough to enable me to finish. There are rare times, however, when I just give up completely and go the next puzzle.

There are a few writing projects that, for whatever reason, aren't meant to be finished. But there are many more that seem impossible until one specific insight is revealed and the puzzle is, as Peter Sellers playing Inspector Clouseau would say, "...solve-ed."

Prayer isn't a guarantee of success or a superstitious prerequisite, but it is a necessary part of addressing any problem. It is a part of life that is as necessary for the Christian as breathing.

It's easy to pray for divine assistance when one is stuck in a tough place. But prayer is to be so much more in the life of a Christian. Question & Answer 116 of the Heidelberg Catechism tell us that Christians need to pray because "prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking him for them."

Christian don't merely send up what I call "Nehemiah prayers" in pressing moments of distress before a quick action or verbal response; they "pray continually" not only "asking God" for his gifts, but also "thanking him for them."

Uncertain Future for Ventura Venture

A small URC mission work in Ventura, CA, has suffered some setbacks in recent months and its future is uncertain at this time.

The group began meeting for Bible study in December of 2009 under the oversight of Pasadena URC, which is an hour and half from Ventura. Oversight assistance from Ontario URC (two hours away) was sought and received in January of 2010 and pastors from those churches began assisting in leading the Ventura Reformed Study Group. Oversight recently reverted exclusively to the Pasadena URC, however, and members of the group are being asked to attend worship services in Pasadena while the mission venture is evaluated.

Rev. John Sawtelle, a pastor who led the study group as well as the church planter for All Saints Reformed Church in Brea, explains that a combination of factors led to recent decisions.

“One family in the Ventura Study Group moved away to seminary over the summer and that was kind of a tough blow to a small group of about five families,” he says. “Beyond that, it was difficult to find enough pastors to lead the study once per week. It is nearly 100 miles one way for the closest local pastors and when traffic is bad—and it normally is—it could easily take over two hours each way to get there and back.”

He additionally explains that Ontario URC is making changes related to its own ministries, primarily in an effort to cope with a lack of resources. One of those changes is that All Saints is being encouraged to become an organized congregation by early in 2011.

“This means that I will be scraping together whatever I can to provide for my family and keep this church plant going,” he says, “which, of course, takes me out of the picture in terms of helping out much with the study over there in Ventura.”

Most of those in the study group are already members of Pasadena URC, but the drive for worship services is prohibitive and makes recent changes disheartening.

A “Ventura Reformed Study Group” page on Facebook and a blog (http://venturarsg.wordpress.com) still existed at the time of this writing.

The above is a slightly edited version of an article that appeared on page 15 of the October 27/November 3, 2010 issue of Christian Renewal.

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

Our land's increase, Psalm 85

Psalm 85 seems particularly appropriate at this time of year. Most farmers have finished their harvest and fields sport various hues of crop stubble; some fields are dotted with big round bales of corn stalks like giant golden marshmallows. Local cooperatives' pickups pulling double tanks of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer no longer slow traffic. The agricultural Midwest is poised to celebrate Thanksgiving with grateful hearts for another good harvest.

But not all farmers enjoyed a good harvest this year. Too much rain reduced the yields of many fields; the crops from some fields were completely lost after being inundated multiple times under flooded rivers and streams.

And even though mid-term elections demonstrated a grass roots desire to reduce big government, concerns about the country remain.

Within this political and physical landscape, the words of Psalm 85 leap off the page with meaning.

LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger (1-3, ESV).

The Psalm begins by glorifying God for his goodness in the past to his land and to his people. God forgave their sins and turned from his "hot anger."

But God's goodness was in the past. God's people struggle so severely now that it seems like God's wrath is being poured out on them. The people are weak; God's promises appear dim and his salvation feels distant. The Psalmist begs for God's mercy.

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?"
Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation (4-7, ESV).

Having implored God to reveal his grace, the Psalmist acknowledges that his people must listen to God and obey him.

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land (8-9, ESV).

God will speak peace to his people, the redeemed saints, but they should not continue to live as reprobate sinners. They must live wisely, not as the fool who says there is no God. The Psalmist assures his reader that God's salvation is near to those who reverence and obey God. It is when the people fear God that glory dwells in the land.

Then there is sweet communion between earth and heaven:

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way (10-13, ESV).

Harmony and blessing bloom when people love, revere, and serve God. The enmity between God and man is replaced by peace. This communion is described with the romantic imagery of a kiss. As faithfulness "springs up" from those who dwell on the earth, God's righteousness "looks down" with approval from heaven. God will give what is good; our land will yield a harvest of increase. God's righteousness will lead us; he will show us the way as we take each step through life.

It is good that our country designates one day as a special time for giving thanks, but giving thanks must never be limited to one day. Every day should be filled with thanksgiving to the Almighty God who is the source of all good and all righteousness. It is good to see the fields at rest and thank God for a bountiful harvest, but we need to seek God's face in times of planting and cultivating and even in times of drowning rain and withering heat.

The land will yield an abundant harvest when God's blessing rests on its people. And the country will experience increase when its people turn their hearts to God.

Blessing does not come from man's hard work and ingenuity. Blessing comes only from God. Salvation is not found in partisan politics or even rugged American individualism. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Mid-America Reformed Seminary appoints new instructor

The Board of Trustees of Mid-America Reformed Seminary announced in October the appointment of Marcus A. Mininger as an instructor in New Testament Studies. Mr. Mininger will begin teaching at the Seminary for the spring term of 2011.

The Board has been seeking potential new faculty members since Dr. Nelson D. Kloosterman, Professor of Ethics and New Testament Studies, decided early this year to pursue other avenues of ministry after December 31, 2010.

Mr. Mininger graduated from Covenant College with a B.A. in History, Westminster Theological Seminary with a M.Div., and Princeton Theological Seminary with a Th.M. Having previously taught at St. Joseph’s University and Princeton Theological Seminary, he is currently a lecturer and Ph.D. candidate in New Testament studies at Westminster Theological Seminary (PA).

“Marcus is an outstanding addition to our faculty,” says Dr. Cornelis P. Venema, President of Mid-America, “with great academic ability and a fine pastoral heart. I am delighted that he has accepted the appointment.”

A longtime member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and a son of one of its ministers, Mr. Mininger is a licentiate in the Presbytery of Philadelphia of the OPC. He and his wife Chandra have three children: Hans (9), Anastasia (7), and Malena (1). The family hopes to move to the Dyer area in January of 2011.

“What probably excites me most about Mid-America is how consistently it brings principle and practice together in a distinctively Reformed seminary,” says Mr. Mininger. “Mid-America has a simple, powerful vision for cultivating ministers of the Word for the church, and its curriculum and institutional life are also carefully designed around that. This is such an encouragement to me and resonates with my own calling to the gospel ministry. It is a particular joy, then, to become part of this work. It is also a special privilege to focus on biblical studies, so that students will learn to mine the depths of the Word and proclaim its riches, to the glory of God.”

The decision to appoint Marcus initially as an instructor accords with Board policy, which includes pastoral experience as a necessary pre-condition for an initial appointment at the higher level of an assistant professor or associate professor.

“Though Marcus does not have extensive pastoral experience, as is desirable, he does have a clear grasp of the relation of seminary education to the church and the pastoral ministry,” says Dr. Venema. “He also has served in a variety of pastoral settings. The Lord willing, Marcus hopes to be ordained within the Presbytery of the Midwest of the OPC, and has agreed with the Board of Trustees’ encouragement that he seek out further opportunities for pastoral service in the local church. The Faculty Development Committee and the Board of Trustees deliberated carefully the question of Marcus’ relative lack of pastoral experience, but were convinced that his view of seminary education at Mid-America, his intention to be ordained within the OPC, and his evident gifts, academically and pastorally, warranted the decision to appoint him as an instructor.”

The above article appeared on page 14 of the October 27/November 3, 2010 issue of Christian Renewal.

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

"Fathfulness Under Fire": The Story of Guido de Bres (Interview & Book Review)

Just in time for Reformation Day, Reformed Heritage Books presented Faithfulness Under Fire: The Story of Guido de Bres, a children’s book written by William Boekestein and illustrated by Evan Hughes (see review below).

In 1561 Guido de Bres wrote the Belgic Confession. The name was derived from the document’s origin in the southern part of the Netherlands, which later became Belgium. The Reformed Churches of the Netherlands suffered cruelly under persecution, and de Bres wrote the Confession in an attempt to stem persecution by proving that Reformed believers were law-abiding citizens and biblical Christians. In 1567, only six years after writing the Confession, Guide de Bres was hanged as a martyr. His life was lost, but his work endures.

Rev. Bill Boekestein is the pastor of Covenant Reformed Church in Carbondale, PA (URCNA). His friend and colleague, Mr. Evan Hughes, is a graphic designer and a member of Grace Reformed Episcopal Church of Scranton, PA (Reformed Episcopal Church). I interviewed both men via email about their newly released collaborative project.

Glenda Mathes (GM): Rev. Boekestein, how long have you been the pastor at Covenant and what other books have you written?

Bill Boekestein (BB): I began pastoring Covenant Reformed Church in the summer of 2008. Prior to that I had lived most of my life in West Michigan with only one year in California. Last year our church published a study guide I wrote on the book of Jonah called Life Lessons from a Calloused Christian. It’s available through Reformed Fellowship. Evan designed a great cover for that book as well!

GM: Evan, what other books or works have you illustrated?

Evan Hughes (EH): This is the first children’s book that I have done. I recently did artwork for a couple book covers including a book by Bill titled Life Lessons from a Calloused Christian and another book being published by RHB titled Word, Water, and Spirit by J.V. Fesko. I got my start doing illustration that mostly revolved around artwork for skateboards, snowboards, t-shirts, posters and album artwork for bands. I have always wanted to do work more geared toward book covers and editorials, but when I started I was involved in skateboarding and snowboarding so I just took the jobs that came my way. So I’m in a transition right now with where I am taking my work and I am happy with the new direction. Illustrating this book was a great experience and it definitely whetted my appetite to seek more work in the area of children’s publishing.

GM: How did the two of you meet?

BB: In the spring of 2009, I was looking for someone to design a flyer for a conference I was organizing on John Calvin. A mutual friend suggested I give Evan a call. He and his family came over for dinner one night and our families clicked instantly. (Our 3 year-old daughter Eva is presently considering whether or not she wants to marry Evan’s 4 year-old son Jacob.) Instead of simply designing the flyers for this one conference Evan became the design man for Life Reformation, a collaborative effort to bring reformational thought to our area. Evan has also begun providing custom illustrations for a free monthly discipleship article our church sends out entitled Proclamation.

EH: I think Bill sums it up pretty nicely. It’s awesome to see God’s providence in how we met. I think Bill was shipping a bunch of reformed books at his local post office and my best friend Mike is the clerk there. Mike is also a bi-vocational pastor so when he saw the stack of books he knew he had to introduce himself. You know what they say, you can tell a lot about a guy by what kind of books he ships (okay, I’m the only one that says that). Mike then introduced me to Bill. It’s great when you can meet somebody new and you get along so well. From the day we met Bill put me to work and since then he always has some new idea or project he is working on that he needs artwork for.

GM: What led to the idea for this collaborative effort?

BB: After I had written an early draft of the story, I asked Evan if he would be interested in illustrating it. At the time I didn’t have a publisher, but we thought it would be a fun project to work on together, regardless. Evan and I both love Reformed church history and we both have young children so I think we were pretty interested in working on the book. I love Evan’s style. I find it both serious and imaginative at the same time. (And he’s the only artist I know so he was the natural choice.) Although we were willing to attempt to self-publish the book we were thrilled to have it picked up by Reformation Heritage Books.

GM: How did you work together on this project? Was it first written, broken up into page-length sections, and then illustrated?

BB: Yes, I wrote the story based on approximately fifteen scenes which became fifteen full-page spreads (one spread was eliminated prior to printing). Next Evan and I got together and brainstormed ideas for images, taking notes on each of the spreads. Evan then took these ideas and made rough sketches on each of the spreads. This version of the book was sent to the publisher for review. Throughout the process many of our original ideas survived to the end, although there were many modifications. For example, the last scene of the book originally had Guido climbing a hangman’s ladder with a noose around his neck (yes, this may the first book intended for young children that ends with a hanging!). The image seemed a little too graphic so we ended up moving the noose to the hangman’s hand as he’s approaching the ladder. Another graphic scene that we modified is when an effigy of Guido’s body is burned by an angry mob. The first version of the effigy looked too life-like. After we settled on the images my work was basically done and Evan took over.

GM: Evan, what media or process did you use for the illustrations and how long did it take to do all of them?

EH: The media I used is a mixture of traditional hand drawn ink drawings with the color done digitally. The approach I took was very similar to the process that a traditional cartoonist or comic book artist would use. I did it in four stages. After Bill and I discussed our ideas for each spread, I did a very rough storyboard for each spread of the book. For some of the pages, I gave more than one option if we had multiple ideas for a particular page. We sent the roughs to the publisher to get their feedback and approval.

Once the roughs were approved, I did a final pencil drawing of each spread they picked. At this point, I began filling in all the details so that everybody could start to get a better idea of exactly what the final image would look like. During this stage, the exact composition is solidified, the facial features are decided on, the clothing choices made and other details materialize. Again these were then sent for approval.

The next stage, the inking stage, was my favorite part. I inked each page by hand with a brush over top of my pencil drawings. I then scanned these into my computer and cleaned them up a bit and added some texture and detail.

The inks were approved and from there I colored them digitally using Photoshop and a graphics tablet. I work a full-time job doing graphic design, so the whole process from start to finish took me about six months to complete, doing them in my spare time.

GM: Rev. Boekestein, what is the intended age group for this book and how do you envision this book will be used?

BB: We intended this book to be read to pretty young audiences, probably somewhere in the range of 2-10. We geared the language toward young children and modified some of the images so they wouldn’t be too scary. That said, some of the themes of the book might seem to be too mature for young children. I address that concern in a note to parents on the last page:

The life of Guido De Bres is not exactly a pleasant read. The story is sad, and, in our age of tolerance, at times it is uncomfortable. Yet we believe his story is important because it really happened. In fact, it happened a lot! In other words, De Bres was not all that extraordinary. He was one of countless Christians who spent their lives in devotion to the Lord and in commitment to His Word.

We should say a few things about the graphic details and references to historical religious conflict in this book. First, the reader should know that every reasonable attempt has been made to avoid gratuitous, unsavory detail. It would be impossible, however, to tell the story of De Bres apart from the theme of suffering. We have also tried carefully to avoid unnecessarily inflammatory religious rhetoric. However, the fact remains that right up to the present, strongly held convictions will produce conflict. Even young children experience this.

Second, we don’t believe it is necessary to shield even young children from the ugliness of life as long as we also provide a context in which this life can be lived victoriously. Guido de Bres thrived in tragedy because he was hoping in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel (or good news) of Jesus is this: because of His perfect life and sacrificial death, those who repent of their sins and trust in Him have God’s promise of forgiveness and eternal life (John 3:16). As this promise is realized in our lives, we too will approach life with the same hope that De Bres had. We will be equipped and motivated to spend our lives for God’s glory as we look to an eternal reward of grace.

This is the value we see in teaching our children about Guido de Bres—not to glorify him, but to be drawn by his example to live to the glory of God.

I would love to see this book used, not only to introduce children to the God that Guido served, but also to introduce this exciting character from church history into their minds and lives at a young age. For my children, books are not simply something to be read and then set aside. They live out the books they read. My wife and I are constantly hearing our four-year-old son say to his sister things like, “Eva, you be Lady de Winter and I’ll be Dartagnon” as they play out a scene from The Three Musketeers. Or, “I’ll be Henry and you be Bessie” as they reenact a chapter from Elizabeth Prentiss’ Henry and Bessie. In a similar way, I would love to have a young generation of kids wanting to “be Guido.” I believe that connecting a life to the Belgic Confession will serve our churches well as children become introduced to Reformed theology.

The above article appeared in the October 27/November 3 issue of Christian Renewal on pages 10-12.

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

**

Faithfulness Under Fire: The Story of Guido de Bres
by William Boekestein, illustrated by Evan Hughes

Reformation Heritage Books; hardcover; 32 pages; © 2010

$7.50 from www.heritagebooks.org


Reviewed by Glenda Mathes


As parents approach the end of October, they face the perennial question of how to handle society’s pressure to participate in Halloween. For many reasons, my husband and I decided early in our children’s lives that it would be far better to focus on Reformation Day rather than Halloween.

Parents looking for ways to focus on the Reformation during this time of year will appreciate the newly released book from Reformation Heritage Books about Guido de Bres, written by William Boekestein and illustrated by Evan Hughes.

In simple language and engaging pictures, the book tells the story of Guido de Bres and his suffering for the sake of the gospel. The book is careful to avoid gratuitous descriptions or illustrations, but it does not shy away from the truth of this martyr’s life.

Illustrations cover each two-page spread with blocks of text over a portion of one page. Guido’s story within the context of Reformation history is related in easy to understand terms. Although young children can comprehend the story, parents also may learn interesting facts about the life and work of Guido de Bres.

Boekestein describes how Guido left his father’s glass painting trade to become a minister preaching the truths of the Reformed faith. He relates details about Guido’s training, his marriage, his persecution, and his writings—including his most famous work, The Belgic Confession.

This book is appropriate to be read to and by young readers with parental supervision to ensure that children do not dwell on sad details, but that they instead focus on how Guido victoriously lived and died for Christ.

Parents may also want to explain that the cover illustration represents more than the final incident in the life of Guido de Bres. The cover shows him climbing a ladder surrounded by a fire. He did climb a ladder before his death by hanging, but the author explains that the fire represents an earlier incident in his life when all his household goods were burned.

© Glenda Mathes, 2010

Lovely Dwelling Place, Psalm 84

To borrow a quotation from a well-known poem and place it totally out of context, "breathes there a man with soul so dead, who never to himself has" experienced, when reading Psalm 84, a hymn of praise raise within his heart?

Psalm 84 sings in my mind more than any other in the Psalter. Of course, there are familiar tunes associated with its words, but it's the words that make it sing.

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God (1,2).

Can't you feel the music swell as you read those words? And the soulful song reflects the psalmist's (and our) longing, to the point of fainting, for the dwelling place of the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! (3,4)

God's eye is on the sparrow; not one falls to the ground apart from the will of our Heavenly Father (Matthew 10:29). Even this lowly bird finds a home and the swallow finds a nest. And we are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:31). This imagery of the mother bird finding shelter for her young ones resonates with any mother.

And the shelter found is at the altars of the "LORD of hosts," the Almighty King and ruler over all creation, who is also a personal God. No wonder the psalmist exclaims, "Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!"

We are blessed not only because we dwell in God's house, but also because our strength is in Him and He leads us through all the trials of this life toward our heavenly home.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion (6,7).

The highways to heaven are in our hearts. If we hold fast to that truth, we will be able to dig for springs while traversing life's arid valleys. God will bless us with early rain and tranquil pools. As we walk before God's face, we go from strength to strength.

I don't know about you, but it's easy for me to view life as going from trial to trial, from weakness to weakness. But God is always with us. By His strength, He equips us to continue our forward progression from one area of strength to the next area of strength.

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed! (8,9)

Christ is God's anointed and believers bear His image as prophets, priests, and kings. Because of Christ's completed work, God does hear our prayers. Christ is our shield against all the accusations of the evil one.

The psalm concludes with a confession and a benediction. The believer confesses that one day in God's dwelling place is better than a thousand days wandering in the world's halls. The Christian prefers serving as a lowly doorkeeper in God's eternal edifice over reveling in evil's transitory tents.

For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you! (10-12)

God is our sun and shield; He illuminates our path and protects from danger. He alone grants genuine favor and lasting honor; our puny efforts or human connections cannot secure any enduring benefit.

The believer is blessed abundantly. God will not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly before His face (coram deo). Blessed is the one who trusts in this almighty LORD of hosts, who shelters us in His lovely and eternal dwelling place!

NaNoNews: 24-hour funk

With a current total word count of 13,061, I'm 561 words ahead on my NaNoWriMo schedule. I had to get up pretty early on this unscheduled writing morning and hit it hard to catch up. Yesterday was not a good NaNoWriMo day for me. I managed only 237 words yesterday, and in spite of appointments and deadlines I had plenty of time in front of the computer when I should have been more productive. But I just wasn't.

You've heard of the 24-hour flu? Well, I had a 24-hour funk.

I'm thankful that it passed and this morning was far more productive. Productive, but emotional; I was crying while I typed. Yes, I was so invovled in my characters' lives that I was shedding real tears.

What I've discovered this week:
~My main character's name is Jillian.
~She lost control of her van on a rainslick road at night and suffered serious injuries, including a head injury (I do not yet know where she was going or where she was coming from).
~She was an English major who married a history major, named Jeff Norris, while they were still in college. They both intended to teach at the secondary level, but he felt called to ministry and switched to a pre-sem course of study. She taught at the middle school level while he attended seminary.
~Her immediate family includes five children, some of their spouses, and some grandchildren. (I had no idea she had such a large family!)
~Her oldest daughter's name is Jacquelyn, who is pregnant. (No idea where that come from either.)
~ She has a nice Christian doctor. (That was also a surprise.)

I know from my past four years of NaNoWriMo experience that I must stay on track with my scheduled word count goals or the monthly goal becomes impossible.

This is where my college experience as a self-taught learner comes in handy. I scheduled my assignments and stuck to that very strict schedule while taking Guided Independent Study courses in the Bachelor of Liberal Studies program, offered by the University of Iowa. In fact, you sometimes can find a promotional blurb featuring my glowing testimonial and my smiling face on the BLS website (here). It's kind of them to continue using my endorsement four years after my graduation (with honors, I might add). In any case, knowing how to set schedules and stick to them was a big factor in finally obtaining my college career goal and has been a huge asset in helping me accomplish as much as I have in my writing career.

Now that I've spent some time this morning getting caught up on my NaNoWriMo goal, I can let Living Echoes ideas gel over the rest of the weekend as I clean, get groceries, do laundry, and deal with a layer of rotting pears spread out to ripen on newspapers in our attic.

I wonder if Jillian will ever need to can pears?

David Murray on Depression

Book Review: Christians Get Depressed Too by David Murray

Reformation Heritage Books; paperback; 112 pages; © 2010


David Murray takes a balanced and practical approach in his short, but helpful Christians Get Depressed Too.

Since depressed persons have difficulty digesting large amounts of difficult material, the book‘s concise size and coherent content are particularly appropriate. Dr. Murray describes his short book as “Depression 101” or more accurately “Depression 911” since he views it as an emergency guide.

The book’s organization also makes the content easy to absorb. Each of the six chapters has a simple and alliterative title: The Crisis, The Complexity, The Condition, The Causes, The Cures, and The Caregivers.

Dr. Murray roots his discussion in the Bible and repeatedly dispels the harmful notion that “real” Christians don’t become depressed. He describes why it’s important to avoid the three “unhelpful” extremes of viewing the cause of depression as being either all physical, all spiritual, or all mental. In the context of this discussion he gives an excellent assessment of the modern biblical (or nouthetic) counseling movement.

His compassionate and balanced attitude is demonstrated by his two guiding principles:

Avoid dogmatism and seek humility.
Avoid extremes and seek balance.

His listing of false thought patterns is useful because he not only describes the patterns, but he also illustrates them with life, spiritual, and biblical examples. His examination of Psalm 70 serves as a valuable guide for a chart that helps Christians work their way to a better understanding of their depression and its effect upon their relationship with God.

Pastors, counselors, and anyone who cares about those who are depressed may want to keep multiple copies of this inexpensive book on hand as a resource to give to those in need. Available for $7.50 from Reformation Heritage Books.

**

Interview: Dr. David Murray and his new book on depression

Dr. David Murray is an ordained minister of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) who has been Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (PRTS) in Grand Rapids for three years. Prior to that appointment, he served as a pastor for 12 years in the beautiful Outer Hebrides of Scotland. He is also the author of the newly published work, Christians Get Depressed Too.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss his book with him via email for Christian Renewal.

GM: Dr. Murray, you write that you served for 12 years as a pastor in Scotland. What led you from the Outer Hebrides to Grand Rapids, MI?

DM: I loved my congregation and my family was very happy in the Isle of Lewis. When I was first asked to consider coming to PRTS, I said no. I was happy in my congregation and enjoying the Lord’s blessing on my ministry there.

However, I could not shake off the thought that perhaps it was God’s will for me to come to Grand Rapids. I had already been teaching students for the ministry part-time in our own small denominational seminary, and I enjoyed that greatly. I had also gotten to know Dr. Joel Beeke and Dr. Jerry Bilkes after inviting them to preach in my congregation. I increasingly saw the huge potential usefulness of training students from all over the world in the Reformed faith and then sending them back to their own countries with that knowledge to teach their own pastors and people.

Eventually I saw myself as the ‘one-talent-man’ in Jesus’ parable. He played safe and tried to keep the status quo out of fear, and ended up losing everything. I concluded that my resistance to saying yes to the PRTS call was similar, and that if I disobeyed, I too could not ‘guarantee’ that my situation in Scotland would remain so happy and blessed.

From the first day I arrived in Grand Rapids I’ve known that this is where God wants me to be. I and my family are very happy here. The opportunities to serve are huge, and I especially enjoy preaching most Sundays in various congregations in Grand Rapids and beyond.

GM: What led you to write a book on depression and why do you feel you are qualified to write on this subject?

DM: I wrote this book on depression because I felt that most books on the subject were either too long or too one-sided. Christians and their caregivers are not usually able to read long books on the subject of depression. They need something short, a kind of emergency guide. However, they also need something that will approach depression from various angles. Depression involves the body, the mind, the emotions, the soul, social relations, etc. Any response to it, therefore, must deal with the physical, the mental, the emotional, the spiritual and the social. I felt that too many modern Christian books over-emphasize the spiritual side of depression, sometimes to the exclusion of all else. They often implied and sometimes explicitly said that depression was always caused by some personal sin and that the cure was therefore always faith and repentance. That may be the case sometimes, but to say it’s the case all the time is dangerous and damaging.

My qualifications for writing the book are 15 years of studying the subject, but mainly ten years of dealing with a variety of depressed people. The area I pastored in has some of the highest rates of depression and suicide in the world. I've also had close and painful experience with depression, anxiety and panic attacks among close friends and family members.

I've developed this material over a number of years and various people I've helped have asked me to put it into print.

GM: What were the most important points you wanted to communicate in your book?

DM: The most important point I want to communicate is that Christians get depressed too. It is way too common for Christians to think (and for Christian teachers to imply) that if you are depressed you cannot be a Christian, or you are a Christian who has committed terrible sins. I wanted to show from the Bible and Church history that depression is part of Christian experience, part of being a fallen creature in a fallen world.

But I also wanted to show that God in His mercy has provided many helps to those suffering with depression. He has given us not just Bible verses and faith, but medicine, physical exercise, and even some therapies which help us to think more accurately about ourselves and our situation.

GM: What additional aspects did you feel were crucial to include in this book?

DM: One of the areas I concentrated on in the book was helping people identify false thinking patterns which produce negative emotions. I then provide a worksheet to help people change their false thinking patterns and start thinking more truthfully, with subsequent emotional benefits.

But maybe above all, I wanted to show those with depression and their caregivers that they need to take a holistic approach and avoid the ‘one size fits all’ mentality.
GM: One thing that surprised me on my initial reading was the section on depression as a ‘talent to be invested for God.’ Can you please explain what you mean by that?

DM: Yes, someone else asked me about that as well. Every life event, happy and sad, is ordained for us by God. He sends illness, bereavement, depression, and other trials with the aim of producing spiritual fruit in our lives and in the lives of others. Of course, if we respond wrongly to these events then we will not produce healthy fruit. But I've seen depressed people produce a rich harvest of spiritual fruit through their experience. They have glorified God in the fire, trusted Him in the hottest flame, and then, when delivered, glorify God by ministering to others the comfort with which God has comforted them.

GM: What are the three ‘unhelpful extremes’ and why it is important to avoid them?
DM: The three unhelpful extremes are to see depression as all physical, all spiritual, or all mental (in the mind). We all like simple answers to problems, but in something as complex as depression, an overly simplistic approach can be dangerous and damaging. Maybe one of these areas is the main cause of a depression, but we are such complex creatures, and all these spheres interact on each other, that we must take a holistic approach to understanding and treating it.

GM: How should Christians navigate the variety of Christian counseling options available in today's society?

DM: That's a hard question. There are some good counseling options and some very bad and harmful ones. I would be looking for a counselor who is interested in the whole person. He does not just search for sin. He does not just prescribe pills. He does not just get you to blame everyone but yourself, etc. Rather he looks at every area of your life without jumping to quick conclusions. And I would be looking for someone who understands the soul, the mind, and the body, and the way they interact. That's very rare to find in one person. That's why I encourage pastors to work together with Christian doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists. Don't hand it all over to others, but work together as a team addressing each area of expertise in the necessary balance for each person.

GM: How do you anticipate Christians Get Depressed Too will be used by those who suffer depression?

DM: Most depressed people have found the book very readable. It is written in simple language and is broken up into short chapters. But I think it is best used together with a loved one. Maybe reading it together a few pages a day. And some people have told me that they keep going back to it because they find themselves falling into old patterns of behavior and thought again, and they need to keep being reminded of the way to deal with that.

GM: How do you anticipate this book will be used by those who desire to minister to those suffering depression?

DM: The bookshop tells me that people are buying three or four copies a time in order to give to concerned family members. I hope the book will help caregivers understand depression better and be able to minister to suffering loved ones more effectively. The last chapter is specially addressed to caregivers. There I give ten ways that caregivers can help depressed people.


Although Christians Get Depressed Too is the first published book by Dr. David Murray, he has written five others that have been accepted for publication and will appear over the next couple of years. He’s also produced a DVD, God’s Technology, which presents a step-by-step training program to help parents train their children to use computers and the internet to God’s glory. He currently is working on a DVD that will serve as a “Beginner’s Guide to Covenant Theology.”

These articles first appeared in the September 29, 2010 issue of Christian Renewal.

© Glenda Mathes 2010

New Pastor for Calvary URC in Loveland

After nearly two years without a pastor, Calvary URC in Loveland, CO, ordained and installed Rev. Chuck Tedrick as its new pastor on Sunday, September 5.

During the time of the church’s vacancy, a variety of pastors and seminarians served as pulpit supply, but Chuck Tedrick felt a special bond with the congregation from his first visit.

“On my very first visit I went home and told my wife that I hoped to receive a call there one day,” he says. “I had fallen in love with the people.”

During Mr. Tedrick’s final year of his four-year program at Westminster Seminary California, he often led worship services at Calvary URC. He candidated there last spring, but was not eligible to receive a call until he sustained his candidacy exam. Once he successfully sustained his exam at the end of June, the call became official.

“In God’s providence, Classis Southwest 2010 was hosted by Calvary URC in Loveland, thus my exam was in the same church where God was calling me as Minister of Word and Sacraments,” he explains. “It was a joy that some of the members of Calvary were able to attend the exam. In addition, it was delightful to celebrate with them upon sustaining the exam.”

Mr. Tedrick and his wife, Michele, moved to Loveland at the end of August. Michele serves as the Director of Marketing for White Horse Inn and Modern Reformation.

During Mr. Tedrick’s 20 years between undergraduate schooling and his seminary education, he became convinced of the truths of the Reformed confessions.

“I became more and more convinced of the truths of the Word expressed so well in our creeds and confessions,” he says. “I wanted to share these truths and the other rich truths of our faith with others.”

He chose Westminster Seminary California (WSC) for many reasons, some of which were that he was familiar with the writing and preaching of many professors, he was impressed by its desire to produce pastors and scholars, and he was gripped by the faculty’s passion for the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

He appreciates the support and encouragement he received during his seminary career from Christ URC in Santee, Grace URC in Torrance, First URC in Chino as well as other churches and pastors in Classis Southwest. He graduated from WSC in May of 2010.

Rev. Michael Brown of Christ URC in Santee, CA, and Rev. Gregory Bero of Grace URC in Torrance, CA, officiated at Rev. Tedrick’s ordination service. Rev. Brown preached from Ephesians 4:1-16 on “Christ’s Gift to You.” He noted that ministry of the Word is Christ’s gift to his church so that his people will be nourished, protected, and matured.

He pointed out that Christ provides food for his body through the ministry of the Word: “He does not expect his people or want his people to be self-feeders.” Rev. Brown reminded Mr. Tedrick that only God’s Word can nourish the souls of God’s people.

Rev. Brown also spoke about the need for God’s people to be protected from becoming “scattered sheep.” Christ, the True Shepherd, gathers them together and gives his church the gift of unity, which must be protected by “instructing the body in the articles of the historic Christian faith.” He urged Mr. Tedrick to be an example and an instructor, a preacher and a teacher.

Maturity in the faith, he noted, comes from the gospel. Only the gospel enables believers to speak the truth in love with “all humility and gentleness” as we grow in knowledge and become more like Christ our Head. He encouraged Mr. Tedrick to remember that his responsibility is to preach the gospel faithfully, not merely for the conversion of unbelievers, but also for the sanctification of believers, helping them mature.

Rev. Tedrick trusts that through the means of grace God’s people at Calvary URC will be nourished, protected, and matured as they feed on Christ and are conformed to his image by the Holy Spirit.
“I pray that the people of Calvary will know they are loved by God in Christ and seek to live their lives and love their neighbors in light of God's amazing grace,” he says. “I pray that whether the church grows in numbers or decreases in numbers that we will remain faithful to Christ, His Gospel, and His Church. I pray that we will be a people who worship our Triune God in truth and love.”
Rev. Tedrick’s ordination service took place during morning worship and was followed by a fellowship meal.

Calvary’s 70-member multigenerational congregation has members ranging in age from two months to over 90 years. Church school hour begins at 9:00 a.m. from September through May. Worship services are held at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at 3901 14th St. S.W. in Loveland.

Loveland is situated at 5,000 feet elevation in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, about 50 miles north of Denver and only a half hour the Estes Park eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The above article appeared in the September 29, 2010 issue of Christian Renewal.

© Glenda Mathes