Craig Troxel talks about how ruling elders can help men consider a call to pastoral ministry.

A call to pastoral ministry has several parts, one is the internal sense of call, another is the recognition of the church, the actual call to a congregation or mission work. Ruling elders help shepherd men in both and in this podcast we discuss the early stages of recognizing a call, or even encouraging men to consider if they are called.

Discussion centers around Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry: With an Inquiry into the Causes of its Inefficiency, (Banner of Truth Trust). See especially Chapter VI, The Qualifications of the Christian Ministry, pp. 24-31.

Craig quotes John Newton, "Beware, my friend, of mistaking the ready exercise of gifts for the exercise of grace." (Letter #5 - "On the Snares and Difficulties attending the Ministry of the Gospel") Works of John Newton, vol.1 (Banner of Truth Trust, 2015) p. 108. 

See also Newton's letter Marks of a Call to the Ministry.

We highly recommend Craig's own book,

A. Craig Troxel, With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ, (Crossway, 2020).

Craig's Recommended Reading

• John Calvin, Institutes Of The Christian Religion, translated from the first French edition of 1541 by Robert White, Banner of Truth Trust. (Especially Chapter 17, The Christian Life)
• Campegius Vitringa, The Spiritual Life, trans. and ed. by Charles K. Tefler, Reformation Heritage Books. 
• John Flavel, The Fountain of Life: A Display of Christ in His Essential and Mediatorial Glory, Vol. 1 of the Works of John Flavel, Banner of Truth Trust.
• John Flavel, The Method of Grace In the Gospel Redemption, Vol 2 of the Works of John Flavel, Banner of Truth Trust.

Pastor Shane Lems talks about his recent Ordained Servant review of John Swinton’s book Finding Jesus in the Storm: the Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges. (Eerdmans, 2020). Shane is pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Hammond, Wisconsin.

Read the review and read the book. The review can be found here.

The Ruling Elder Podcast on Prescription Medication with Jason Poquette (Season 2, Episode 6, June 2024) is available here.

Shane’s book recommendations
Lost Connections by Johann Hari (Bloomsbury USA, 2018)
The Wonderful Works of God by Herman Bavinck (Westminster Seminary Press, 2020)
Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: God’s Perfecting Presence in Creation, Redemption, and Everyday Life by Michael Horton (Zondervan, 2017)

Ruling Elder Mike Cloy talks about how ruling elders and churches can support and shepherd military families. Mike served in a career of 27 years that included combat commands at the battalion and brigade level, and having served and retired in the rank of full colonel.

Mike speaks of the dedication to service and the pressures it places upon those serving, and their families. He speaks of the deep bonds formed in combat and of the importance of elders and churches reaching out to those in military service with the good news of Jesus and the power of the gospel.

To read more about Mike (and a pair of night-vision goggles) see Christopher H. Wisdom’s article, “A Chaplain in the Lord’s Service” in New Horizons, (Feb, 2020).

Mike’s recommended reading…
A. Craig Troxel, With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ, Crossway, 2020.
Nick Thompson, Growing Downward: The Path of Christ-exalting Humility, Reformation Heritage Books, 2022.
Nick Thompson, Restless Devotion: An Urgent Call to Godward Discontentment, Reformation Heritage Books, 2025

If you would like to contact Mike his email address is [email protected]

Ruling Elder Joe Jager talks to the Ruling Elder Podcast about Foreign Missions. He gives excellent suggestions on how to encourage missions and missionaries. Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Post Production Joe recommends the following books as impactful on his walk as a Ruling Elder:

• The Elder: Today’s Ministry Rooted in All of Scripture by Conelis Van Dam (a friend from the Canadian Reformed Churches) P&R Publishing 2009
  • Provides a biblical foundation for the office of elder.
• The Elder and His Work  by David Dickson, P&R Publishing, 2004
  • Good practical guide. Of course all such manuals must be carefully adapted and used in specific local situations. 
• The Elders Handbook: A practical Guide for Church Leaders by Gerard Berghoeg and Lester De Koster  Christian’s Library Press: Grand Rapids Michigan 1979   
  • This was my first introduction when I was ordained as an elder in a Canadian Reformed Church. It provides some very practical guidance for new elders. There is also a companion volume entitled The Deacons' Handbook: A Manual of Stewardship by the same authors. 

Rev. Andy Wilson and Rev. Russell Hamilton talk about Assurance and how The Marrow of Modern Divinity is helpful in untangling this perennial pastoral issue. They clarify of what, exactly, are we assured, what is the relationship between faith and assurance, and how are ruling elders to help people in the search for assurance?

As Donald MacLeod says, "A believer can doubt his faith without doubting the Saviour.”  (From the Marrow Men to the Moderates, Scottish Theology 1700-1800, p.99)

For more on the Marrow of Modern Divinity listen to the earlier podcast, Christ Freely Offered, (Season 2, Episode 12), Available here.

Recommended Reading

• Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers (Crossway 2020)
• Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed, (Banner of Truth Trust; 2nd ed. edition, 2021)
• Harrison Perkins, Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction (Lexham Academic, 2024)
• Jonathan Landry Cruse, The Christian's True Identity: What It Means to Be in Christ (Reformation Heritage Books, 2022)
• Sinclair Ferguson, The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction (Banner of Truth Trust,  2013)

In this episode the Rev. Adrian Crum speaks about mental health and faith with the Rev. John Fikkert, a mental health counselor and Director of the OPC Committee on Ministerial Care, and his wife, Dr. Lindsay Fikkert, a psychologist at Pella Counseling.

This episode is the second part of a republication of the recent Reformed Deacon podcast, (with their kind permission). We have divided the original podcast into two parts. 

Mental health is a tender thing. An episode or a chronic mental health illness can be distressing for the person, their family, and congregations.  

The soul cries, as the Psalmist did, Psalm 88:1–2
 [1] O LORD, God of my salvation,
 I cry out day and night before you.
 [2] Let my prayer come before you;
 incline your ear to my cry! (ESV)

In this episode the Rev. Adrian Crum speaks about mental health and faith with the Rev. John Fikkert, a mental health counselor and Director of the OPC Committee on Ministerial Care, and his wife, Dr. Lindsay Fikkert, a psychologist at Pella Counseling.

This episode is a republication of the recent Reformed Deacon podcast, (with their kind permission). We have divided the original podcast into two parts. Part 2 will be published next month. (D.V.)

Mental health is a tender thing. An episode or a chronic mental health illness can be distressing for the person, their family, and congregations.  

The soul cries, as the Psalmist did, Psalm 88:1–2
[1] O LORD, God of my salvation,
I cry out day and night before you.
[2] Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry! (ESV)

The Ruling Elder Podcast talks with Roger Wagner and David Winslow about ruling elders encouraging covenant youth.  One of the tasks of ruling elders, as set out by BCO X:3, is that ruling elders should "nourish and guard the children of the covenant”.

Rev. Roger Wagner, now a retired minister, was ordained to the ministry in 1973, serving ten years at Sonora, then he became pastor of Bayview OPC in Chula Vista, California in 1983 where he served for the next forty years until his retirement. Ruling Elder David Winslow has served as a ruling elder for over forty years in Westminster OPC, in Westminster CA and was interviewed for this podcast in April 2023.

Books and Articles Mentioned

• Kevin DeYoung, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation, Crossway, 2024
• Carl R. Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, Crossway, 2020
• Eric Watkins, "Where Have the Children Gone? A Reflection Upon OPC Identity and a Postmodern Generation", Ordained Servant, Vol 12, No. 3, pages 50-51. Available here.
• John Murray, Christian Baptism, P&R Publishing.
• Lewis Bevens Schenck, The Presbyterian Doctrine of Children in the Covenant: An Historical Study of the Significance of Infant Baptism in the Presbyterian Church, first published in 1940. Republished by P&R Publishing, 2003.
• Gerard Berghoef and Lester De Koster, The Elders Handbook, A Practical Guide for Church Leaders, 1979.
• Robert S. Rayburn, “The Presbyterian Doctrines of Covenant Children,  Covenant Nurture and Covenant Succession.” Available here.

Anneke Fesko and Laurie Tricarico discuss how elders can encourage women in the church.

Anneke currently serves the OPC as Care Coordinator for Ministers’ Wives and works for the OPC Committee on Ministerial Care. (Committee of Walking Hugs) She is married to John, an ordained OPC minister and theology professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. They have three children, two sons in high school and a daughter in elementary school, and live in Madison, Mississippi.

Laurie serves as the coordinator of the Crisis Care Team at New Life OPC in Williamsport PA, where she is a member. She and Al and their children served as foreign missionaries in Uganda for 11 years. Al presently serves as the Associate General Secretary for the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension of the OPC. They have 5 grown children and seven grandchildren. Al and Laurie live in Williamsport, PA.

Recommended Books

• J. Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt, Women’s Ministry in the Local Church, Crossway Books, 2006.
• Paul Tripp, Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do, Crossway Books, 2015
• Patricia E. Clawson and Diane L. Olinger, eds., Choosing the Good Portion: Women of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Danny Olinger, General Secretary of the CCE, talks about ruling elders and Christian Education. The OPC cherished the work of Christian Education and quickly developed specific principles of Christian education and pedagogy to guide its work. Those principles are available here and will provided a stimulating starting point for the continuing importance of Christian Education in the churches.

Danny’s three book recommendation for ruling elders are,

• R. B. Kuiper, The Glorious Body of Christ, (Banner of Truth)
• Edwin H. Rian, The Presbyterian Conflict.
• John Calvin, The Institutes of Christian Religion.

A Program For Christian Education (1945) - Available here
Outline
I. Subjects
  A. Covenant subjects
    1. Communicant
    2. Non-communicant 
  B. Non-covenant subjects

II. Aims
  A. General
    1. Noetic: knowing the doctrine
      a. Bible history
      b. Theology
      c. Ethics
      d. Church government and usages
    2. Experiential: adorning the doctrine 
      a. Saving faith
      b. Growth in grace
        (1) Worship (inc. Sabbath Observance)
        (2) Obedience
        (3) Use of the means of grace
        (4) Realization of the fruit of the Spirit 
        (5) Christian witnessing and service
  B. Applied
    1. With respect to covenant relation
    2. With respect to age, ability, background

III. Method
  A. Requirements of method
    1. Sound in principle
     a. Scriptural
     b. Pedagogically and psychologically sound
    2. Efficient in operation
      a. Conserving time
      b. Utilizing best means available
  B. Specific applied methods 
    1. Specific teaching types 
    2. Aids to teaching.
    3. Expressional activities

IV. Program
Problems of integration
  A. Chiefly designed for covenant subjects
    1. Guided parental instruction
    2. Pastor's instruction of covenant youth
    3. Teacher and leadership training program
  B. Chiefly designed for non-covenant subjects 
    1. Sunday Bible school
    2. Weekday classes
    3. Club program
    4. Evangelistic meetings and propaganda 
  C. Dual-purpose programs
    1. Weekday religious education 
    2. Vacation Bible school
    3. Summer Bible conference
    4. Young People's Society 
    5. Home Study programs

The Use of Pictorial Representations of Christ in the Work of Christian Education

Available here.