June 2008 New Horizons

The First OPC Timothy Conferences

by Danny E. Olinger

Timothy Conference 2008 Home Missions general secretary Ross Graham asked me nearly two years ago, "Did you know that nearly half of the ministers in the OPC are over the age of fifty-five?" I confessed that I didn't, but I quickly caught his point. The Committee on Christian Education, through its Subcommittee on Ministerial Training (SMT), needed to alert Orthodox Presbyterian congregations to this fact, so that they might pray that the Lord would raise up the next generation of its ministers. It was also apparent, however, that the SMT needed to assist OP churches in identifying and encouraging young men with apparent gifts for the gospel ministry. SMT member David VanDrunen suggested that one way to help churches and young men alike would be to host a conference introducing the pastoral ministry. The SMT quickly agreed and determined to hold an "OPC Timothy Conference" for young men aged 15–23. The conference was so named because Paul had exhorted Timothy to "fan into flame the ... Read more

Parenting the Baptized

by William D. Dennison

A senior prank to foam the halls of a Christian high school is thwarted by local police at around 4:00 a.m. Is their action an illegal entry or an innocent prank? After graduating, many graduates descend upon the beaches to celebrate. For many, the festivity includes the tradition of alcohol and sexual promiscuity. A star athlete is caught violating the printed ethical standards of the school: should discipline be exercised, knowing that it may cost a conference, regional, or state championship? A student is caught stealing at the school, but he is defended by his parents on the basis that "everybody" steals and we shouldn't judge others (Matt. 7:1). These are a few situations I encountered while teaching in a Reformed Christian high school for seventeen years. In an environment where the covenant was stressed, one may be mystified by such conduct by students and parents. Since such behavior is more common than we may wish to admit, perhaps it can be helpful to reassess some aspects of life in covenant ... Read more

Let the Children Come ... Quietly

by Patricia E. Clawson

Sitting in the pews listening to the pastor preach can be very trying if you have a burbling, wiggling ten-month-old on your lap and a three-year-old intent on coloring the hymnal beside you. You're in a quandary. You do not want to disturb those in neighboring pews, but you do want your children to learn to participate in worship. What's a parent to do? The Grove family at Grace OPC, Vienna, Va. There are no clear rules for parenting in the pews. Training a child is still the province of parents. Experienced moms and dads with quiet children may set an example and offer tips to newer parents. The elders may encourage parents with young kids to sit near the door. But ultimately it's the parents who decide whether to slip out of the pew or stay and whisper, "Shhh!" Experienced parents often see their children's Sunday behavior as a reflection of their behavior the previous week. "If the parents have no control over them in general, they will not miraculously behave in church," said ... Read more

Helps for Worship #30: Christian Baptism

by William Shishko

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized.... And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:41–42) Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two sacraments of the Christian church. They are part of "the ordinary religious worship of God" (Westminster Confession, 21.5) and should occur regularly in church. In our culture, we do not appreciate baptism nearly as we should. People in our nation often view baptism simply as a festive religious custom. In other cultures, however, baptism is viewed with a seriousness that is far more in line with the teaching of Holy Scripture. When individuals or families are converted from a background of Islam or Hinduism, for example, those around them understand their baptism as a death with respect to their former life. Those baptized are part of a new community, with a totally new allegiance. In some countries, this can bring serious negative consequences to those who are baptized. ... Read more

Still Protesting

by "Glen Roberts"

Dear James, News of the recent storm on your campus reached me even before your letter of last week. I read in the newspaper that the new faculty that Rutherford College hired for next year included two Roman Catholics and that the Dean resigned in protest. Although his retirement was probably imminent, I was sad to hear of Dr. Morton's resignation. He was a young sociology professor during my undergraduate days, and I numbered him among my favorite professors. Moreover, his arguments in this debate would easily have carried the support of the faculty in those days. I remember when an older colleague of his converted to Rome, before those "pilgrimages" became so popular among evangelicals. At that time, it was understood that such a step meant forfeiting a tenured position on the faculty. Back then, Protestants tended to dismiss Rome as backward, superstitious, and tyrannical, in contrast to our more progressive and enlightened mind-set. Of course, after Vatican II and John Paul II, those arguments ... Read more