December 2020 Ordained Servant

From the Editor. The importance of the eldership was a major theme of my predecessor, the first editor of Ordained Servant, G. I. Williamson. During the second year of my editorship (2007) I published a tribute to Elder Herb Muether written by William Shishko: “Lessons from the Life of an Extraordinary Ruling Elder.”[1] Elder Muether was a powerful influence on me in my first ministry as a mission pastor of the Westchester Orthodox Presbyterian Church in New Rochelle, New York (now in Mount Vernon). He was the clerk of session of the mother church in Franklin Square and one of main reasons Robin and I decided to go to New York rather than Maine. Ryan McGraw’s experience with Elder John Leding was similar.

Alan Strange continues his “Commentary on the Form of Government of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church” with chapters 7–11. This will prove to be a great resource when it is completed.

Back a few months each minister in the OPC received a copy of Craig Troxel’s With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires and Will toward Christ. Charles Wingard reviews this excellent new book which corrects many misnomers about the nature of the heart and recommends the keeping of the heart, which is central to Christian discipleship.

David Koenig reviews an anthology of the works of Dorothy Sayers. The Gospel in Dorothy L. Sayers: Selections from Her Novels, Plays, Letters, and Essays. I can still remember how impressed I was with Sayers upon reading her influential essay, “The Lost Tools of Learning,” first presented at Oxford in 1947. Her titles alone witness the power of her writing— “The Dogma Is the Drama” (1947), an essay in the volume Creeds or Chaos? (1947).[2]

Ryan McGraw reviews the third volume of Johannes Polyander’s Leiden Synopsis (1625), making an important plea to read original, primary sources of theology. The cry of the Reformation was ad fontes, to the fountains of theological truth—the first of which is, of course, Scripture itself.

Do not miss Metaphysical poet John Donne’s “Nativity.” This sonnet celebrates our Savior’s identification with us in our mortal situation. Thanks be to God for that union.

The cover this month is a linoleum block print from my Christmas card in 1982.

Blessings in the Lamb,
Gregory Edward Reynolds

FROM THE ARCHIVES “ELDERS”

Subject Index

• “Biblical Qualifications for Elders.” (Archibald Alexander Allison) 3:4 (Oct. 1994): 80–96.
• “The Duties of Elders.” (Daniel R. Hyde) 13:1 (Jan. 2004): 4–7.
• “Elder Self-Evaluation.” (Francis E. VanDelden) 22 (2013): 72–73.
• “Eldership in the Balance.” (Charlie Meyers) 10:2 (Apr. 2001): 31–32.
• “How Can a Session Shepherd Its Pastor?” (Lawrence Eyres) 8:2 (Mar. 1999): 29–31.
• “Lessons from the Life of an Extraordinary Ruling Elder.” (William Shishko) 16 (2007): 44–46.
• “Ordained Servants: The Ruling Elder.” (Gregory E. Reynolds) 16 (2007): 9-11.
• “Pointers for Elders and Deacons, Part 1.” 2:3 (Jul. 1993): 59–64.
• “Pointers for Elders and Deacons, Part 2.” 2:4 (Oct. 1993): 79–85.
• “Pointers for Elders and Deacons, Part 3.” 3:1 (Jan. 1994): 3–8.
• “A Response to ‘A Scandal in the Church’.” (Benjamin K. Wikner) 13:3 (Jul. 2004): 68–72.
• “A Scandal in the Church? The Question of Titus 1:6 and the Children of Elders.” (Stephen D. Doe) 12:1 (Jan. 2003): 17–22.
• “Some Thoughts on Term Eldership.” (John R. Sittema) 10:2 (Apr. 2001): 35–37.
• “Some Thoughts on Term Eldership.” (John R. Sittema) 13:1 (Jan. 2004): 14–16.
• “A Training Program for Elders.” (Greg Reynolds & William Shishko) 10:3 (Jul. 2001): 55–58.
• “Qualifications for Ruling Elders: An Historical Survey.” (Mark R. Brown) 10:3 (Jul. 2001): 65–66.
• “Working with the Eldership.” (Jay E. Adams) 1:2 (Apr. 1992): 27–29.

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.

Notes

[1] “Lessons from the Life of an Extraordinary Ruling Elder.” (William Shishko) 16 (2007): 44–46.

[2] Dorothy Sayers, Creeds or Chaos? London: Methuen, 1947.