January 2021 Ordained Servant

From the Editor. In June of last year Matthew Miner introduced the Committee on Ministerial Care (CMC) to Ordained Servant readers: “Introducing the Committee on Ministerial Care of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.” While I rarely reprint articles or reviews published elsewhere, I believe that this new committee’s work is invaluable to ministers. I know too many minsters who say they cannot afford to retire from full time pastoral ministry. Our small denomination has done its best of my four decades of ministry to address this problem, but this newly formed committee (2017) brings an array of resources unlike anything up to this point in our history. Thanks to the late David Haney and all who have contributed their time and expertise, this committee has already helped numerous ministers in the OPC prepare for retirement or deal with retirement issues.

The CMC consists of nine church officers: ordained ministers and ruling elders (or deacons), with “the purpose … to provide financial direction and ministries of encouragement and support to ministers of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.” Gregory DeJong provides a fine example of the kind of advice ministers can receive from the CMC (https://opccmc.org) with his article, “How to Select a Financial Advisor.”

Alan Strange continues his “Commentary on the Form of Government of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church” with chapter 12 on “Governing Assemblies.” This will prove to be a great resource when it is completed.

David Booth reviews an important contribution to Reformed covenant theology, Cornelis Venema’s Christ & Covenant Theology in his review article, “Exploring Recent Covenant Theology.” Venema tackles issues like the New Perspective on Paul and the Federal Vision, along with a review of The Law Is Not of Faith which he wrote in 2010.

During four decades of ministry incidences of domestic abuse were among the most painful pastoral situations to address. Addressing them directly, compassionately, and biblically is critical in a culture that can tend to ignore the seriousness of such abuse. Joseph Smith reviews an important new book on this subject by Darby A. Strickland: Is It Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims. What our culture may ignore the church must not.

Hospital chaplain Gordon Cook reviews two books on grief whose publication sequence proves to be a significant aspect of their usefulness: Melvin Lawrenz, A Chronicle of Grief: Finding Life after Traumatic Loss and Melvin Lawrenz and Daniel Green, Life After Grief: How to Survive Loss and Trauma.

Our poem this month is by Francis Thompson, known best for his long poem, The Hound of Heaven. “New Year’s Chimes” is a powerful and mysterious poem that rings like chimes as a reflection on a new year. This poem begs to be read aloud.

The cover photo was taken from the White Angel in Breuil-Cervinia, Italy on February 14, 2020.

Blessings in the Lamb,
Gregory Edward Reynolds

Ordained Servant exists to help encourage, inform, and equip church officers for faithful, effective, and God-glorifying ministry in the visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its primary audience is ministers, elders, and deacons of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, as well as interested officers from other Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Through high-quality editorials, articles, and book reviews, we will endeavor to stimulate clear thinking and the consistent practice of historic, confessional Presbyterianism.