pages 3-4 pages 5-6 an interview with · 2020-02-03 · the eldership 1 timothy 3:1. the aspiration...

From the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland | February 2020

The Need for Ministers and Elders in

the Church Pages 3-4

The Marks of the Church:

Part OnePages 5-6

An Interview with Rev. Kihei Takiura

Pages 12-14

CONTEMPORARY ISSUESThe Need for Ministers & Elders in the Church | Rev. Dr. Tim Donachie .... 3-4

PRACTICALImproving Our Worship: Part Six | Rev. Stephen McCollum ................... 5-6

DOCTRINALThe Marks of the Church: Part One | Rev. William R. Matthess .............7-8

VISUAL THEOLOGY ................................................................................................9

CHURCH HISTORYAct of Presbytery (1765) ......................................................................... 10-11

INTERVIEW

An Interview with | Rev. Kihei Takiura (Japan) .................................... 12-14

NEWSPresbytery News & Congregational ........................................................ 15-17Global News ................................................................................................ 18-19

TEENS Q&ARev. Peter Loughridge ................................................................................................................ 20

Children’s Story & Quiz ................................................................................................... 21-22Recommended Reading ..................................................................................... 23Poster ................................................................................................................ 24

Dear readers,

Another edition of Good News is here and I’m pleased to introduce a new doctrinal series on the marks of the true Church, written by Rev. Bill Matthess. Bill and his wife Sarah recently moved over to Scotland from Northern Ireland and I’m glad that he was willing to help us with this series. The contemporary topic focuses on our need for ministers and elders. What great need there is and we look to the Lord to supply it! I would encourage all to read it seriously and especially for the men to read it reflectively and prayerfully. In that regard, please also note that the Presbytery News highlights the upcoming special collection for training men for the minis-try. There is a need for men and there is a need of finance to help train the men. I hope that by setting this need before you many of you may be moved to give, even if like the widow you can only give your two mites (Mark 12:41-44). Our historical piece is an Act from the RPCS back in 1765 giving reasons to fast and lament the state of the church and nation in that day. Perhaps some would think that it is irrelevant to today, yet in a society that has gotten worse perhaps our thinking should be guided by these men of old. Whilst the language is outdated there will still be something thought-provoking for us. I’m thankful to Beth Bogue for deciphering the handwriting and typing it up for our perusal. Fi-nally, if you have any feedback about this edition please feel free to get in touch and as always consider passing along a copy of the magazine to any who would benefit from these articles, even those outside the denomination.

Every blessing, Stephen

CONTENTS EDITORIAL

Editor – Rev. Stephen McCollum, Stornoway RPCS | Assistant Editor – Scott Maciver | Website – www.rpcscotland.org

To subscribe [email protected]

The title of this article may appear to be out of step with the general title of this series, ‘Contemporary Issues’, and yet in a very real sense, it is one of the most pressing issues of our day for the professing church of Christ. In a past generation, the role of the minister and the elders was well known and highly regarded, at least, within Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Sadly, however, that is no longer the case in many professedly reformed or Presbyterian congregations, with the ministerial role being nothing more than a job and the eldership a status symbol. It is important therefore to consider what the Word of God has to say concerning these obligations and how and why these roles should be desired and carried out.

Much of Presbyterian and reformed

practice has moved so far away from its original function that it is necessary to go back to founding principles to seek to recover the honour and glory of the ministerial and presbyterial office. Under the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, the congregations that were formed after Pentecost, were placed under the care of a plurality of godly men who were variously described as ‘bishops’, ‘presbyters’ or ‘elders’ Titus 1:7; Acts 20:17, 28; Acts 14:23; the requirements for their office being specifically stated: They were to be men, 1 Tim. 2:11 – 3:7, and they were to possess certain spiritual characteristics 1 Tim. 3:1 – 7. Amongst those men, there were those who not only had the responsibility of exercising rule in the church, but had also been given the gifts and calling to minister the Word of God to the

people. So, the government of the church was to be the responsibility of what came to be known as ruling elders and the teaching and preaching in the hands of those who were both teaching and ruling elders, most often designated by the title minister. The New Testament constantly emphasised the wholly spiritual nature of both teaching and ruling as the qualifications for both clearly show - see verses above.

The responsibility of leadership and ministry in the Church of Christ is to be exercised only by those who are believers, who are mature in the faith, who have a good reputation within and outwith the congregation and have a genuine desire to serve the Lord. In addition, they should have a firm grasp of the doctrines of the faith, be self-controlled, personally

The Need for Ministers & Elders in the Church

Rev. Dr. Tim Donachie

Contemporary Issues

disciplined, kind and gracious. As well as these characteristics, a man desiring to exercise the ministry of Word should be aware of a divine personal call to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Both eldership and ministry are solemn and daunting responsibilities and for that reason, some eminently qualified men shy away from seeking the offices because of their own perceived inadequacy. Although that is far preferable to the situation of those who seek the offices without the necessary qualifications in order to advance their own reputation or standing, it is still not helpful for the cause of Christ for a congregation to lack overseers because of false views of personal adequacy.

All Christians should be seeking to serve the Lord in whatever way they can and failure to do so cannot bring the blessing of the Almighty God. Inadequacy in relation to the offices of minister and elder is a given if that is referring to natural or fleshly adequacy, but Paul’s words in Philippians 4:13 are apposite here; ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’. The work of the eldership and ministry are spiritual works and to perform them spiritual wisdom and spiritual strength are required, and that our God graciously supplies.

a. It is a good thing to desire the eldership 1 Timothy 3:1. The aspiration to serve as an elder is legitimate and praiseworthy, but that should be done in conjunction with a consideration of the qualifications necessary for the office 1 Timothy 3:2 – 7.

b. The desire to serve God in the eldership or the ministry of the Word needs to be tested and cultivated. It would be difficult to see a man as a candidate for the eldership who was not involved in the life of the congregation and who was not regular in his attendance at morning and evening worship and the weekly prayer meeting. As far as the ministry of the Word is concerned, there would need, in addition, to be evidence of the ability to study and some signs of an ability to communicate and interpret the Scriptures.

c. As spiritual self-examination is necessary for all believers, it is even more so for those aspiring to hold office in the Church of Christ. In particular, the examination of motive is absolutely fundamental, for if the motivation is anything other than the glory of God and the advancement of the kingdom of Christ it will lead to personal spiritual shipwreck and great harm to the cause of Christ.

d. It is vitally important both for those who believe that God may be directing them towards office in the Church and for all Church members to be praying earnestly that God will raise up godly ministers and elders. A congregation cannot flourish as it should without godly elders to care for and pastor the flock. It is sometimes erroneously asserted that it is the minister who pastors the flock, but the scripture would seem to suggest that it is the role of both teaching and ruling elders. When Paul called for elders of the church to meet him in Miletus he said to them, ‘Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood’. Acts 20:28. The minister has the major role of teaching the Word of God so that the people of God are fed, and sinners brought to saving faith, as well as seeking to shepherd the flock. The elder, whilst he must be ‘apt to teach’ 1 Timothy 3:2, has a lesser role in teaching, but has the responsibility to ‘oversee the flock’.

It may not seem to be very important to church members that they have elders in the congregation, but it is vital because one of the responsibilities of the elder is to ‘keep watch over the souls of the congregation, Hebrews 13:17 and what a joy and blessed privilege it is to have a godly man watching over our spiritual life! Their work is fundamental for the life of the Church.

A. They shepherd the flock – 1 Peter 5:2 – 3

i. by feeding them. It is the responsibility of the elders to be sure that the congregation is receiving a proper diet of Scripture-based teaching.

ii. by protecting them Acts 20:28. Elders are to protect the flock against false teachings. Titus 1:9

iii. by leading them in the ways of the Lord.

B. They exercise oversight over the flock 1 Peter 5:2

i. they stimulate the members to good works

ii. they warn the members of possible dangers to their Christian profession Acts 20:29-30

C. They must be examples to the flock 1 Peter 5:3 - Elders must live in such a way that the congregation can imitate their conduct. Philippians 3:17.

It should be clear therefore that godly elders in a congregation are essential, are a great blessing and should be fervently prayed for.

The teaching Elder (minister), as well as fulfilling the responsibilities of the ruling Elder carries the privilege and burden of the proclamation of the truth of God.

i. He must immerse himself in the Word so that he might correctly interpret it for the people.

ii. He prays over the Word that it might be effective in the lives of those that hear.

iii. He proclaims the Word faithfully and impartially seeking only to be faithful to God.

The crying need for the church in Scotland today is twofold:

i. For faithful and godly elders who will promote holiness and will liv

e godly lives both within and without their congregations, seeking above all the glory of God.

ii. For men with a burning desire to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ without fear or favour, denouncing sin and proclaiming a full and free salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the practice of Biblical holiness in society.

The need for such men is abundantly clear. Could it be that we do not have because we do not ask?

Baptism is one of two sacraments that Christ has instituted in His Church. We may have heard the word “sacrament” used and yet not understood it. Admittedly, it’s not one we find in the Bible, yet the concept is there. The word comes from Latin, meaning something sacred or holy. A sacrament is an ordinance that Christ gave to His Church to teach the truth of the Covenant of Grace in picture form, to strengthen the faith of believers, and to distinguish the Church from the world.

A sacrament has two parts to it: an outward sign and an inward seal. Let’s think of a sign first of all, e.g. a road sign which points you in a particular direction or warns of danger ahead. A sign shows you reality in picture form. A sacrament is therefore an illustration of Biblical truth. The outward sign of baptism is washing with water. Our condition by nature is defiled due to sin. Baptism pictures

the removal of uncleanness by the remission of sins through Christ’s blood and the cleansing of the Spirit. We are baptised in, or rather into, the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit - an ingrafting into union with Christ and admission to His Church.

The other part of the sacrament is the inward seal. In the ancient world important documents were sealed with melted wax stamped with the signet ring. If the seal did not match the sender’s signet ring the authority of the document would be suspect. If the seal was genuine the letter should be fully accepted. Christ gives sacraments to the church as seals of the genuineness of His Covenant of Grace. If we possess the inward reality that the sign points to, then the sacrament comforts us by drawing our hearts to the promises of the Covenant. We can be encouraged because we know the

mark on the seal is genuine; Christ is issuing guarantees to our souls. With regards to baptism, the guarantee to believers is that just as we have been washed with water, so we have been really washed by Christ’s blood and Spirit. The experience of this seal is not automatic and not always at the time of baptism itself, nevertheless it speaks to all Christ’s people at the time of administration to give this inward encouragement.

Baptism is to be administered in a public worship service by an ordained minister of the Gospel. If you have seen a baptism before you may be tempted to think that the only participants in this part of the service are the minister, the person being baptised, and, in the case of infants being baptised, their parents. However, baptism speaks to all of us and so we should listen. Let me attempt to address various groups of people.

Improving Our WorshipPart Six: Baptism

Rev. Stephen McCollumStornoway RPCS

PracticalSERIES

1. Baptised members

If you are a child in a Presbyterian church the chances are that you were baptised as a baby, although that is not necessarily the case. When the minister baptises someone with water during worship you are to think that when you were a baby a minister of the Gospel sprinkled water on your own head. It is a visible sermon to you personally that you need “the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” You will not be saved on the back of your parents’ faith or because you attend church. You must trust in Jesus for yourself, to deal with your sin. I would encourage you to watch carefully because every baptism speaks of what your soul needs.

Baptism also shows how someone is joining the visible church – marking them as separate from the world. Our Catechism speaks of baptism being “an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord’s.” Baptism has set you apart from other boys and girls in your school. You are set apart as one of God’s people. Do you live like that? Do you listen to your parents when they train you in God’s ways? If not, why not? Let me urge you, “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother” (Prov. 1:8).

Baptism ultimately calls you to become a communicant member of the church, one who professes his own faith and takes a seat at the Lord’s Table. When you see baptism think about whether you are in the faith: could you sit at the Lord’s Table or what is hindering you? If you are younger, older Christians will be able to help you judge when it is appropriate for you to sit at the Lord’s Table. But alas there are many who are older, who were baptised as children, and yet have still not professed their faith! Each baptism is a visible sermon to them, asking them why and calling upon them to believe in Christ and confess Him before men.

2. Those never baptised

There are a variety of reasons why some are not baptised as children. I don’t have space to address the

differences between Baptists and Presbyterians. If your parents were Christians but did not think children should be baptised then many of the directions above will still be relevant to you. I want to address rather those whose parents were not Christians and probably did not even go to church. You have missed a huge benefit by not being baptised and growing up a member of the church, but in the Lord’s providence you now attend church, hear God’s Word, and maybe even have seen a baptism in your congregation. If you have now believed the Gospel, you may be baptised as an adult and receive the same sign and seal of Christ’s Covenant. Think of adults like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) or the Philippian jailer (Acts 16). Your minister and elders will be able to guide you on this matter. As you watch people being baptised see it as a message urging you to be united to Christ and to join with the people of God by faith.

3. Parents

If you’re a member of the RPCS it is your duty and great privilege to have your children baptised. Parents who are not members should pay careful attention to the instructions above realising that you have a duty to raise your children to fear the Lord, even if you haven’t had them baptised.

As part of the baptism service Christian parents take vows before God. When we make a vow we must do so solemnly, with prayer, and seeking to fulfil it. These questions are put to parents at baptism: Do you promise to train your child to pray, read the Bible and attend public worship? Do you promise to teach your child their need of repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and confessing his name? Do you promise to exercise a loving and firm parental authority while setting an example of a holy and consistent life? Do you promise to pray for your child and to engage regularly in personal, family, and public worship?

When you observe someone else’s child being baptised remember that you took these vows when your own child was baptised. Listen carefully to the minister’s exhortations and examine how well you are keeping your vows. Cast yourself and your

family once again on the Covenant promises, that God would be a God to you and to your children after you.

4. Elders

When elders observe a baptism in the worship service they ought to reflect upon their responsibility towards the person being baptised. Elders are shepherds and baptised members are tender lambs. We are not to think that elders are only responsible for communicant members. No, all baptised members are under the discipline (positive as well as negative) of the local Session.

5. Wider congregation

We not just to think upon ourselves as individuals but also corporately. Welcome the new member into the fellowship of the church and begin to practise the Scriptural injunctions such as the “one another’s” together. When it is a child being baptised, reflect upon your duty towards the child: to pray diligently for his salvation and to offer encouragement and support to the parents as they raise the child in the Lord’s ways. Has someone recently been baptised into your congregation? Is there a way that you can offer spiritual encouragement to them or their parents?

Our Larger Catechism reminds us that we have a duty to “improve” our baptism. At that time “improve” meant to employ or use something. The Divines were making the point that our baptism, no matter how long ago it was, is to be used by us as we meditate upon the benefits signified and sealed in it. Have we responded to our baptism? Are we thankful for it? Have we confessed that we have fallen so far short of the holiness expected of baptised members? Have we come to an assurance of faith? Do we draw strength from Christ represented in the sacrament in that we were baptised into his death and now walk in newness of life? Is it in this power of Christ that we seek to kill sin and obey God’s law? And do we endeavour, having all enjoyed the “one baptism,” to maintain peace among our brothers and sisters in Christ?

What were the circumstances in your life that led you to become a follower of Jesus Christ? I am certain that your story will be different from others, but there is one fact that will be common to all true Christians.

If you belong to Christ, you will have come to understand that you had no hope in life or in death unless you were enabled to turn from your sin and believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. You were given faith to believe that Jesus suffered for your sin in your place and took upon Himself the punishment you deserved. You will rejoice in the fact that Christ died for His people by virtue of His perfect life and sacrificial death. He loved His people and rescued them from eternal damnation. He purchased them for Himself. Therefore they belong to Him and now stand as righteous in the sight of God.

Because of all that Jesus did in obedience to His Father’s will to procure our salvation, by faith, there is a new life born in every believer. The Holy Spirit comes to abide in the heart, producing a new willingness to

live for Christ and do whatever He asks. The Apostle Paul declared in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

As every believer is a partaker of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel with other Christians, the Lord calls upon each one to join together, united together with other Christians as one body of people. They are no longer to live solely for their own interests and goals, but as adopted into God’s family, they have a duty toward their new brothers and sisters in Christ who all share in the same eternal hope of salvation. The Word of God teaches us in Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

A Christian is one who is to hold tightly to the teaching of Scripture and to take an active part in a local gathering of likeminded believers. This means being involved with others to worship, witness, and live together for Christ in a world which is increasingly ungodly. Therefore there is a common duty in Christ’s Church. A Christian is not to live an isolated life without any responsibility or accountability to others. We cannot opt out and worship God solely in a private way. Jesus Christ did not come to save just a few individuals, but a multitude that no man can count. The Lord will have a people to praise Him. He has chosen men, women, and children from every part of the world, from every age, to be His very own for this purpose (1 Peter 2:9). He is head of His Church (Colossians 1:18) where unity, purity, and truth are to be upheld, encouraged, and maintained (1 Timothy 3:15). There are questions that naturally arise out of what has been said. Which church should I join? There are many churches to choose from. There are many different denominations and individual groups. Some are large

The Marks of the Church: Part One

SERIES

Rev. William R. MatthessDoctrinal

with congregations in most cities and towns. Others may be small with few members attending the meetings. Regarding the services, they can be very diverse. One church may use modern music and video displays in an attempt to make people feel more comfortable and at home, whereas in another place there is a more solemn, plain and simple service. As to what is emphasized, you might find a church that is all about singing and heightening the experience where another will give the majority of time to proclaiming and explaining the Bible. Christians meet in prominent established buildings with stained glass and high ceilings, and also there are groups where meetings are held in community centres or in someone’s home. Does any of these things matter? For us to answer this question, we must turn to God’s Word. The Scriptures are our authority for everything that concerns our Christian faith. They are given to us for that purpose. The Scriptures are inspired by God and are for our guidance, instruction, and correction (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore we are to examine any issue in the light of the teaching of the Bible. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who listened to the Apostle Paul when he visited them on his second missionary journey, they; “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” The Bereans looked at the copies of the Old Testament that they possessed in order to verify if what they were being taught by Paul was true. If the Scriptures confirmed Paul’s words, then they could be trusted and relied upon. So what does the Bible say about what constitutes a true church? What criteria should be used to determine if a particular church is a place where what takes place in the meetings is right or not? How does a Christian know whether a particular church holds and practices the truth? When Peter addressed the crowds on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2:40-42, we read that at the conclusion of his sermon, … “he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse

generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Peter’s words were used by the Lord to convert 3000 people on that day and bring them into the church at Jerusalem. What do we find that their practice was? They gave diligence to

observe four things; the teaching or the doctrine that they had received from the apostles, their fellowship or partnership together in the gospel, the observance of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, and prayer.

Their practice of these things led the believers to meet often and stand together, supporting and helping one another. Verses 43-47 give a further description of their unity. The New Testament church was a place where truth was taught and the Lord was rightly worshipped. There was an abundance of love and acceptance of one another. Provision was made for the practical necessities of others. As a result, there was an effective witness in the surrounding society, and people were being converted and brought in. What a family to belong to!

This passage in Acts chapter 2 records for us the fullness of blessing resulting from Christ’s death and resurrection. It was at that time in God’s sovereign purpose that the world was to witness by means of the Holy Spirit, the power of the gospel, which spread throughout the known world.

We may not experience what the first century Christians did, but we are to be a part of a worshipping community which is guided by the Scriptures. In subsequent articles we will look further at these marks of a Biblical Church.

As every believer is

a partaker of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel with other Christians, the Lord calls upon each one to join together, united together with other Christians as one body of people.”

WHICH place and day, the Presbytery being met, and taking into consideration, the many awful evidences of the Lord’s controversy, he continues to plead against these nations, and all ranks therein, visible in the giving up of many to wander in counsels of their own wicked hearts, under the conduct of the destroyer of souls, and in the great restraint of the Spirit of God from the means of grace, and the spirits of the godly: and further considering our multiplied and aggravated iniquities, which for quality and quantity, number and circumstances are increased, even above what our fathers groaned under; and although we generally want that measure of grace, spiritual illumination, and heart contrition, necessary to a searching out and mourning over our ways, yet seeing our God still graciously calls, Turn

ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning – and turn ye at my reproof, and behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you; it is our duty, with an eye to him with whom is the residue of the Spirit, to essay this duty of humiliation, for all our sins, both national and personal. More particularly,

1. The sad and long eclipse of the bright and glorious sun-shine of Reformation, in our covenanting and espousing days, and the continued gross apostacy and defection of the nations therefrom, whereby they have involved themselves in the guilt of perjury, in breaking the most solemn oaths to God, by which all ranks had bound themselves to maintain said beautiful Reformation, in all its parts and attainments; and other

conscience-debauching, and soul-ensnaring oaths are introduced in their place, whereby all true regard to reformation principles is sworn out of the nations. The purity of the divine institutions is forsaken, the scriptural foundation of God’s ordinances is changed, and the constitution of our church taken off that foundation God has laid in Zion, and placed on the inclinations of men; our land has been soaked with the precious blood of the Lord’s dear saints, shed for their faithfulness to their covenanted God, against the nation’s apostate and treacherous dealing with the Lord; and is yet burdened with the guilt of that blood, which is crying from under the altar, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth.

Act of the Reformed Presbytery; Containing Causes of Humiliation with Fasting

Church History

At Pentland, the 30th of January, 1765.

2. The incommunicable supremacy and headship of Christ over his church, has been sacrilegiously taken from him, and impiously vested in the civil magistrate; and never yet is he restored to his throne, crown, and kingdom in these lands, by a national acknowledgment of him as God’s King in Zion; but, as a certain evidence of a continued opposition to the interest of Jesus Christ, his church is robbed of that freedom and liberty wherewith her glorious Head hath made her free, and still lies under the hard bondage of Erastian encroachments.

3. A great and universal deadness, judicial stupidity and unconcernedness under all our increasing sins; little zeal in any to search out the causes of God’s wrath against the nations, in such defections and sins as we are chargeable with, in order to a national repentance and reformation, as the commanded and ordinary way to have the Lord’s departed glory returned to his sanctuary; a deep forgetfulness of what the Lord has wrought for his church; nay, a general contempt and ridicule of a work of reformation, and of all contendings of the Lord’s witnesses for the reviving of that blessed work; and this not only by a profane, but a professing generation.

4. The great abounding of damnable heresies, particularly Deistical errors, in an avowed opposition to the whole of revealed religion, and turning religion into a mere natural, rational thing; gross errors about the person and mediation of Christ, while some reject his supreme Deity, others oppose the efficacy of his death, and imputation of his righteousness in justification, and others obscure the glory of the free grace of God in the salvation of sinners, by fixing gospel hearers, at first instant, under a preceptive dispensation, by which means the grace of the new covenant is much darkened; with many other dangerous errors, that seem fast increasing.

5. Our forgetting and not improving our baptism, seldom or never laying to heart these engagements Christians then come under to be the Lord’s, to live with him, and

walk after the directions of his word and Spirit, and to draw strength from the death and resurrection of Christ into whom we are baptised, for mortifying of corruption and quickening of grace; together with other sacramental engagements, and personal vows to the Lord: All which omissions have no small tendency to the decay of religion. To which may be subjoined, the unfaithfulness of parents towards their children, in not fulfilling their solemn engagements at baptism, whereby they have vowed to train up their children, yea and command them to walk in the way of the Lord, and keep his statutes and testimonies.

6. Great ignorance of God, of his truths, and the way of salvation through Christ, in the midst of the means of knowledge; little panting and thirsting after the purity and power of gospel ordinances; small preparation before coming to the sanctuary; little dependence on a God in Christ for spiritual benefit by them; not receiving the word in faith and love, not practising it in life, to a glorifying of God before men, but rather turning more neutral, unstable and hardened under the means; estrangedness from a life of faith on the Son of God, not being exercised in a constant dependence on him for the quickening, enlightening, sanctifying, strengthening, comforting and confirming influences of his grace in his service. So,

7. A prevailing formality in religion among the professors of it, without seeking after the power of godliness; too much contentedness with the outward performance of duties, under a sensible witheredness and discernible restraint of the Spirit, not labouring to attain and maintain a life of fellowship and communion with a God in Christ, wherein it is that the power and pleasure of religion lies; a forsaking of first love, little study of heart-holiness and personal reformation, which hath issued in much untenderness in practice, and decay of zeal in the cause of God and work of reformation.

8. Crying immoralities and God-provoking and land defiling abominations are arrived at an

amazing height; God’s laws are openly trampled upon, his ordinances contemned, his name blasphemed, his holy sabbaths profaned , and his sacred word jested upon; lying, backbiting, uncleanness, neglect of relative and family duties, the sinful diversions of the stage, balls, assemblies, cards, dice, and horse-races greatly abound; oppression by excessive racking of rents, forestalling of markets, injustice in commerce, coveting and then defrauding one another of what is theirs, meet with general applause.

9. Little concernedness in days of public humiliation with the causes professed to be mourned over, and the dishonours done to a holy God; not duly affected with our own sins, nor humbled for these of our fathers; not stirring up ourselves to a searching out what particular grounds of controversy the Lord hath with every one of us, nor earnestly seeking to have them done away and pardoned in the blood of the Lamb.

10. That the fire of division has so long burned amongst the Lord’s people, who are professing to witness for the same reformation cause, is ground of deep humiliation; and religious differences carried on with such heat of spirit, as alienates the affections, and tends to destroy that love which is the genuine mark of Christ’s disciples.

For these, with other causes, the Presbytery appoint the 21st day of February first, to be observed as a day of public humiliation with fasting, by all the people under their inspection, and that they may, with the united cry of faith, supplicate the removal of these, and all causes of the Lord’s wrath; and acknowledging all his great goodness in midst of deserved judgment, to pray that the Lord may prosper his work in the hands of this Presbytery; be gracious to his servants in the dispensation of the gospel; may revive his work, heal the breaches among his people, and unite them all in the truth. And the Presbytery appoint that these causes by read by the ministers the Sabbath preceding, with suitable exhortations to the people.

Extracted byJo. Thorburn Presb. Clk.

their revolution, and when the RP missionaries stopped by in Japan on their way to the US, they decided to stay and start a church here. The first congregation was Ichinotani RP church (which is now Higashisuma RP church). Since then, with help from missionaries, 5 congregations have been formed, and in 1996 we became a presbytery of the RPCNA.

How many congregations are there in existence, at present, and what ministries are engaged in?

Presently we have 4 churches and 1 mission church in the presbytery. All congregations are in or near Kobe. We have 5 pastors and 5 elders and a total average worship attendance is around 120.

We have a bookstore (Covenanter Book Room/CBR) and a seminary (Kobe Theological Hall/KTH) in downtown Kobe, as ministries under the presbytery.

The building (Covenanter Center Building/CCB) for these ministries was built after big earthquake in 1995 which destroyed our former building. With much support from American and Irish churches and others, we were able to build a 3 storey building. The first floor of the building is the bookstore, second floor is the KTH classroom and chapel, and third floor is the library and guestroom.

CBR started in 1952 as an evangelistic ministry. The main role of CBR shifted to being a support for churches around Kobe. Now, as internet shopping becomes more common, our bookstore is focusing on stocking and guiding people

Could you tell us about your background and entrance into the ministry?

I grew up as the son of a Japanese RP pastor. Though I knew many things about God and the Bible, I didn’t know why I needed Jesus. When I was 12, I started struggling with shame about the ugliness of my heart. After much inner struggle, when I was 20, I came to understand that Jesus is “the door” through which anyone who enters by it “will be saved and go in and out and find pasture,” (John 10:9) which means being seen as righteous before God. Then long forgotten

peace came into my heart and stayed there. Almost at the same time, I felt I was being called to serve in some kind of ministry of the Word. So, I took a course at Kobe Theological Hall, studied at RPTS in the US, and I was ordained as a pastor in 2013.

What are the historical beginnings of the RP Church in Japan?

The RP church in Japan was started by American Missionaries to China in 1950. The Chinese communist government forced out all missionaries just after

An Interview with Rev. Kihei Takiura (Okamoto RPC, Japan)

Rev. Kihei Takiura & family.

to the most safe (non-liberal) and helpful books. Also, we are hoping to publish more Reformed books, as very few are available in Japan.

KTH was started in 1996. The aim of the seminary is not only training possible pastoral laborers, but also any lay members of both our denomination and others. It is a night time seminary, so many students work during the day and study at night. Two of the present Japanese RP pastors are graduates of KTH.

Are there opportunities to fellowship with other reformed churches in Japan?

There are three reformed and Presbyterian denominations in Japan. The Reformed Church in Japan (RCJ), the Presbyterian Church in Japan (PCJ), and the RPC. We had been working together and having formal fellowship with RCJ for a long time, but RCJ made a decision to allow female elders and pastors in 2014, so we ended a formal fraternal relationship with them. With PCJ, we are seeking to have a closer relationship, but most PCJ churches are on the east side and we are on the west side, so the fellowship is rather more on an individual and personal level. Additionally, we have fellowship with evangelical churches around west Japan.

How is Christianity viewed by the general population?

Christianity is viewed as a western religion. “It is the world’s biggest religion, so it is influential and interesting but not our religion”- that’s how people feel about Christianity. Especially, the Christian population in Japan is one of the lowest in the world (1.1% including heresies, 0.2% for conservative Christians), and people don’t meet Christians that often in everyday life. Therefore, often I see people meeting a serious evangelical Japanese Christian and they look confused. The first question that comes out of their mouths is, “So... how did you become a Christian?” meaning, “Why would any Japanese person ever want to become a Christian?”

Japanese people are indifferent and ignorant about Christianity. Probably

for the same reason I mentioned above. Their understanding of Christianity is that it is either a religion of morally good people or it is like a cult. They just don’t know that God’s grace is the central teaching of Christianity, and they have difficulty even comprehending what God’s grace means. Everything about Christianity, words, stories, ideas, lifestyles, etc, are still very foreign to Japanese people. Even the internet does not help, but rather spreads misunderstandings because those who make internet pages are not well informed.

How does Japanese culture affect your ministry?

-Linguistic differences

Because of the absence of Christian influence throughout the history of Japan, a big adjustment is necessary when you want to talk about Christianity with people. When you give a simple Gospel presentation in Japan, it requires many footnotes. For example, the Japanese word for “God” gives the image of a human-like god, similar to Greek mythology. So you need to explain

that the Biblical God is one absolute God who created everything and therefore transcends everything, and you need to explain some of the implications of that to your life. Also, the Japanese word for “sin” does not mean sin against God but means crime, so calling somebody “a sinner” can be like calling him “a criminal.” These are just a few of many language differences.

-Atheistic Worldview

Japanese people’s idea of religion needs much adjustment. They think that “religion,” like Buddhism, Shitoism, and Christianity is a belief only about the supernatural sphere and must stay entirely private. They have a rule, which is their true religion, for their everyday life, separated from their formal religions. I call it realistic atheism, or “we are gods” religion. If there is no God, then human beings are the only personal being. Which makes human beings the highest beings, and so that they can decide what is good and what is bad. Therefore the rule of the stronger group in the society becomes the rule for all. This belief is deep and pervading in Japanese

people’s hearts and lives, and that is a big part of the difficulty in church ministry in Japan.

-Practical difficulties: Sabbath keeping, Christian marriage, and family religion

There are mainly three practical challenges to become or to be a Christian in Japan. First, Sabbath day keeping become controversial issue, especially for those who work at companies. For some jobs, Sunday is the busiest day of a week. If you have one of those jobs, when you tell your manager that you don’t want to work on Sunday because of your religious conviction, he or she will look at you like you must be crazy, and most likely you will lose your job (if that is full time job). If you are supporting your family, it is not easy to risk your job. Besides career choice limitations, school events, community cleaning day, and other family events will become a pressure.

Christian marriage is another challenge. There are so few Christians in Japan, therefore your chance of getting married is small. Additionally, in Japan, often church becomes the place where social outcasts gather (because Jesus welcomes anybody). Therefore often people there might not be ready for marriage for various reasons. Becoming a Christian in Japan might mean a life of singleness. Sadly, some Christians are tempted to compromise and marry a non-Christian.

Thirdly, family religion is often a barrier to become a Christian. Most Japanese don’t really believe their family religion seriously anymore, but they are obligated to exercise religious ceremonies as family responsibility. For example, their family religions are mostly Buddhism or Shintoism, and one of the children is required to inherit altars, idols, and tombs of those religions. Some parents even disown their children for becoming Christians for this reason.

-Some advantages

Because we have so much social disadvantage for becoming a Christian, there are fewer nominal Christians. Also, Japanese people do not have a hostile attitude against

Christianity usually, maybe because they do not see Christianity as threatening.

What is the vision of the RP Church in Japan?

We keep seeking what Jesus wants us to do. But whether we can have more people or more churches does not depend on us. Besides the basic things, like continuing to worship, grow together, and seek opportunities, what I can see right now about where He is guiding us is, raising the next generation of both leaders and members, seeking to have our own Constitution, and starting a new church plant. Also, the RP church has an important role among evangelicals in Japan. Dis-unity among evangelicals is becoming more and more clear in Japan because of new heresies like the New Perspectives on Paul and doubts on inerrancy of the Bible. Part of our burden is to protect biblical doctrines in Japanese evangelical churches and encourage those who stay faithful in them. We are doing that through personal fellowship with other church pastors and people, and our bookstore and seminary also is providing opportunities.

What can churches outside Japan learn from the Japanese church?

You can learn that God is really working on the other side of the world, and that the Gospel works universally. Also, I coordinate short term mission teams from other countries, and often I hear team members learned from seeing the Japanese Christians’ “energy” to serve in church.

How can the Scottish RP Church take a genuine interest in the Gospel in Japan?

Of course you can come visit us anytime! It is a great encouragement for us to see Christians from other countries and it is the best way to know how to pray for us. Young people can come on RP Missions’ summer trips, as well. If you want to support the Japanese church, giving toward the publishing, re-publishing and translating of Reformed books is a much-needed area. At this point, Reformed seminary students are very limited in that many important theological books are only available in English. Only about 20-30 Reformed titles are in print in Japanese.

Okamoto RP Church

congregations, would like to say “a very sincere thank you to the wider denomination for this kind financial support. We are very thankful too for your prayers and encouragement and interest in how God is working in each place, and this recent special offering is a very real and practical outworking of that ongoing support.”

The next collection will be taken in March (DV) and is for training men for the ministry. We currently have two men under care of Presbytery, Ian Gillies and Sylvester Konteh. The cost to Presbytery in 2019 was over £20,000 of which £6,137.50 came from the Presbytery-wide collection. “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6).

Reformation Tours is gearing up for 2020. In addition to our ongoing custom tours, we are running three tours open to anyone to join. There will be a “Castles of Scotland’s Reformation” Tour the 9th-16th May and then two of our classic Reformation Tours on the 4th-11th July and the 12th-19th September. For more information or to sign up, visit the website www.reformationtours.org

Presbytery News

The Scottish Presbytery met on Tuesday the 29th October at Glasgow RPCS. In addition to regular items of business, the Presbytery examined Mr Sylvester Konteh, student under care from The Gambia, via a conference call. Mr Konteh passed his exams and was approved to continue his studies for the Gospel ministry.

Presbytery decided to repeat the

three special collections in 2020 throughout our congregations for (i) training men for ministry, (ii) the work in The Gambia, and (iii) supporting North Edinburgh and Stranraer. The most recent collection (end of 2019) for North Edinburgh and Stranraer raised £6,255. Presbytery is thankful for the Lord’s continuing provision and care. Peter Loughridge and Stephen Steele, on behalf of the

Sylvester Konteh

Congregational News

Airdrie On Friday the 29th November we had our end of term Kids Club party. We went to an indoor play place and then to McDonald’s. Everyone had a great time.

It’s been a good term at Kids Club with these four boys where we have been learning about John the Baptist, the birth of Christ, the choosing of the disciples, and some of the first miracles that Christ performed. It was exciting to have some of the children volunteer for the first time to say the memory verse without looking, and it’s lovely to hear the children singing the Psalm sections each week.

We are so thankful to the parents and grandparents who bring the children faithfully each week, and for the opportunity we have to tell these children about the things of God. Please pray that even more children would come along in the new year.

Glasgow On Friday and Saturday 25-26 October Glasgow RPCS hosted a Reformed Conference for Young Adults at Rowardennan Lodge, by Drymen. It was attended by 48 young adults from various RP congregations and other Reformed denominations. The speaker over the two days was Rev Dr Tim Donachie.

At its meeting on Tuesday 29 October, RPCS Presbytery appointed Rev Dr Tim Donachie as Interim Moderator of Glasgow RPCS during the absence of Rev Kenneth Stewart due to his ill health.

On Sunday 14 November Glasgow RPCS hosted a lunch in the upper church hall for students and young people of the congregation, and their invited friends.

On Friday 10 January Glasgow RPCS held its annual congregational buffet in the church hall. It was attended and enjoyed by about 85 members of the congregation and friends.

Airdrie Kids Club Glasgow Youth Conference

North Edinburgh At the morning service on 8th December 2019, Anna Zlotkowska and Edsel Yong were both baptised and came into membership of the congregation. This was a really special day in the life of our church, with great gladness and thanksgiving to God.

Anna, originally from Poland, learned about our church through flyers distributed by our first ever GO Team (back in 2017). She began worshipping with us regularly and since then has put her trust in Jesus for salvation. Edsel, from Malaysia and currently studying at Edinburgh University to be a vet, was converted from a Buddhist background in his home country but was not in the habit of attending church regularly. A Christian friend in Malaysia told him he should attend church in Edinburgh and recommended our church, which he’d discovered via Google! Edsel has been attending regularly ever since.

It has been a joy for us to see God’s ongoing work in the lives of our sister and brother. His ways of drawing us to Himself and to His Church are so varied and amazing! We give Him all the glory as He builds His Church and ask for your continued prayers for these young believers.

Stornoway In November we had our usual Thanksgiving service were our minister preached on 1 Timothy 6:17-19, addressing how we are to use our money, neither being haughty nor trusting in the uncertainty of riches, but rather trusting in the living God,

enjoying wealth as a gift from Him, and delighting to use it to do good. We had a time of fellowship at the manse afterwards enjoying various types of pie.

On New Year’s Day we once again gathered for worship and considered James 4:13-15 where we are exhorted to say “Lord willing,” in the light of the fact that we don’t know what each new day brings.

Stranraer Towards the end of the year, Stephen was able to go into a number of local primary schools with the local Scripture Union worker as part of a regional programme that seeks to get behind the myths and see what the Bible really says about Jesus’ birth. In January, Rev. Kyle Borg from Winchester RPCNA in Kansas spent some time in Stranraer either side of meetings of the RP Global Alliance. Kyle is more widely known for his blogging on Gentle Reformation and two podcasts which he co-hosts: Three Guys Theologizing and The Jerusalem Chamber. He preached at

both services on the Lord’s Day he was here. In the evening his theme was ‘The big picture for small-town churches’. This was a special event to which we had invited the neighbouring churches, and we were delighted to see the hall well filled for a helpful and encouraging address.

The Gambia The latest addition to the Konteh family, Stephen Muir Konteh, was baptised on 17th November 2019.

Life Impact Nursery School, run by Mrs Johnette Konteh, has seen two of the three recently constructed classrooms reach a stage where they can be occupied by staff and children.

Rev. Archie McPhail, Edsel Yong, Anna Zlotkowska, Rev. Peter Loughridge

Rev. Kyle Borg Stephen Konteh’s Baptism

Life Impact Nursery School

Australia The Australian RP Church sent their annual team to help the Japanese RP Church this winter. The team of 7 were involved in children’s work, Bible studies, English classes, distributing flyers, and the two ministers in the group preached and gave lectures at the Theological Hall.

Ireland The Loughbrickland congregation and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ireland is mourning the loss of former minister Rev. David Silversides who died on the 12th of December 2019. We are thankful for his ministry and many still find his sermons and lectures on

SermonAudio to be useful. Please remember his family in prayer.

The Milford and Letterkenny RP Churches held a series of 4 weeks of lectures (8 lectures in all) on Seeing, Thinking and Speaking from a Biblical Perspective.

The Somerton Rd. church plant in Belfast continues with Bible

Global News

Australian Mission Team

studies and monthly services on Lord’s Day afternoons. Please continue to keep this outreach in prayer.

France Pray that the distribution of many gospel calendars would bear much fruit. It is encouraging to hear people saying how much they appreciate having their calendar to read each day.

North America The Atlanta RP church is seeking to purchase the building they are currently meeting in. Please keep this church in one of the most deprived areas of this city in your prayers and give thanks for the growth they have seen.

Pray for the RP Theological Seminary, where both a recently retired professor (Dr George Scipione) and a current professor (Dr Richard Gamble) have been diagnosed with cancer.

A committee from Midwest Presbytery visited Houston, Texas to explore a potential church plant in this city of 2.3 million. Pray for Reformed Presbyterians of Houston.

At the meeting of the Midwest Presbytery in November, four men were licensed as eligible to receive a call.

IndiaAnugraha Reformed Presbyterian Church was organised as a congregation with elders and minister on the 24th November.

Midwest Presbytery

Houston

Why do I need to read my Bible

regularly?

How can I get better at it?

TEENS

Rev. Peter LoughridgeNorth Edinburgh RPCS

Why do I need to read my Bible regularly?

The Bible itself answers this question for us. Here are just a few good reasons:

• God commands us to meditate on His law, and as we do so He gives us strength and courage (Joshua 1:8-9).

• Delighting in the law of the LORD and meditating on it day and night is how we grow and thrive and prosper (Psalm 1:2-3).

• God’s Word is the lamp that guides where we should go and the light that shows us the right path (Psalm 119:105) – and we don’t normally go through a day without using any light!

How can I get better at it?

PRAYER

God the Holy Spirit is the very best Teacher and Guide that we can have. In John 14:26, Jesus promises – the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. It is God who commands us to study His Word; He wants us to study

it; He blesses us as we study it – so ask Him for His help. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law (Psalm 119:18).

EXAMPLE

Talk to other Christians – your friends, or older Christians at church, or your minister or elders. Everyone will find it hard at times and want to be better at it. They can maybe share some advice about what has helped them. They can also pray for you.

DISCIPLINE

Sometimes the best way to get better at something is simply to keep going! There aren’t many things at life that we become experts at straightaway! Getting better at something involves sticking at it. Don’t let the devil put you off – he knows, better than us sometimes, how important regular Bible reading is for the Christian life. J I Packer says – “If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible. Knowing that it is the Word of God, teaching men to know and love and serve the God of the Word, I should do all I could to surround it with the spiritual equivalent of pits, thorn hedges, and man traps, to frighten people off ... At all costs I should

want to keep them from using their minds in a disciplined way to get the measure of its message.”

VARIETY

My personal experience is that I can get stuck in a rut if I do the same thing for too long (By that I mean many months; don’t just chop and change many times each week; stick at whatever your method is for long enough). If you’re used to reading through the whole Bible from start to finish, maybe pick a specific book of the Bible or a Biblical theme to focus on for a change. If you’ve never read it from start to finish, try that sometime – helpful reading plans are available online for one year, two years, three years. Or just allow however long it takes. If you’re used to reading big chunks each day (as one year reading plans require), maybe take time to slow down for a while and take in smaller, shorter sections (allowing yourself more time to really consider it and meditate on it). If you normally use reading notes or other books, try it for a while without them; if you never use them, try using them. At the start of a week you could read what your minister just preached on and try to apply it to yourself and use it in your own praying.

MARY JONES

Have you ever heard of a girl called Mary Jones?

Maybe you’re not sure. After all, it’s quite an ordinary name, and there are lots of people who have had it. Would it help if I told you she lived around two hundred years ago, and she became famous for something she did when she was still a teenager?

Mary Jones lived in a small village in the North East of Wales. She lived at a time when only people who were reasonably wealthy could afford to have a Bible in their house, but she desperately loved God’s Word. She would listen so carefully in church to God’s Word being preached and read, and hoped and prayed that one day she would be able to have a Bible of her own.

Mary started to do small jobs

for people to earn what little money she could and saved it all up for a Bible of her own. It took her six whole years to save up enough money, and when she had finally managed she got ready to go on a journey.

The nearest place that Mary could buy a Bible in her language was 26 miles away from her house. She was 15 by now, and the only way she could get there was by walking, and the only way to walk there was in her bare feet.

Mary Jones walked for 26 miles in her bare feet to get a Bible of her own. That length of journey would roughly take eight and a half hours - she had to climb hills, cross streams and I’m sure she probably hurt herself along the way, but to her it

was worth it to have a copy of God’s own Word that she could read any time she wanted.

What does this tell us about Mary Jones? I suppose it tells us lots of things - she was patient, courageous, determined, and strong to name a few. But most importantly it tells us what she really truly loved, because we can see how much it cost her to get a hold of a Bible.

To someone who hasn’t heard of her, Mary Jones might sound like an ordinary girl from an ordinary family in an ordinary village. But to those of us who have heard of her, Mary Jones was an extraordinary girl with an extraordinary love for the Word of God.

Margaret Murray Glasgow RPCS

Children’s

Story

Children’s

QUIZCan you help Mary Jones find her way to her Bible?

Start Here:

All Things for Good Thomas Watson This little Puritan paperback is a true gem. It’s easy to read, it’s only 127 pages, and you’ll find yourself coming back to it again and again throughout your life. Watson explains how not only the best things but also the worst things in life work for good to the godly. This book will comfort you and encourage you when everything seems to be going wrong either in your life, in the church, or in the world around you. It will help increase your trust that God does all things well and makes no mistakes. Watson explains the love God has for His people is the reason why all things work together for good, and then he calls on us to respond by loving God. From start to finish this book is an explanation and description of the love God has for us, and who could not be encouraged reading that?

Beth Bogue

2000 Years of Christ’s Power: The Age of the Early Church FathersNick Needham Christ promised that He would build His church. In a four-volume series, Needham records how He has done so over the past 2000 years. First in this series, The Age of the Early Church Fathers describes the church in the centuries immediately following Christ’s earthly ministry, a period often neglected by Christians today. The infant church was certainly not without its errors and difficulties but the beauty of the study of history is that we can seek to glean from the good and learn from the bad. Needham is extremely thorough in his content while very readable in his style. His series is sure to be of great use to any who have a desire to learn more of how the Lord has worked in years gone by.

Ian Gillies

Eyes Turned Skyward Max Meyers This book, written by Missionary Pilot Max Meyers, is a fascinating collection of interesting stories of the work of the Missionary Aviation Fellowship in Papua New Guinea. Each story is so beautifully told, beginning with a Bible verse and concluding with lessons and encouragement for the Christian life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very encouraging. “As you read my stories, may your eyes be turned skyward too. See how God used the technology of aviation to build and grow His Kingdom. But, as you read, may your eyes be turned beyond the sky ... to the heavens.” - Max Meyers

David Matthess

Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet,They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

- Isaiah 1:18

“

pages 3-4 pages 5-6 an interview with · 2020-02-03 · the eldership 1 timothy 3:1. the aspiration...

Documents