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.

Rev. Andy Wilson and Rev. Russell Hamilton talk about The Marrow of Modern Divinity, an old book that wrestles with the free offer of Jesus Christ to sinners, and questions of law and assurance. This lively old book continues to be relevant to ruling elders in helping people with questions of faith, freedom from the law, legalism, and assurance. Gospel preaching is vital to gospel churches.

Further Reading on the Marrow 

• Edward Fisher, The Marrow of Modern Divinity, (Christian Focus, 2016). This edition includes explanatory notes by Thomas Boston, an introduction by Philip Ryken, and an historical introduction by William Vandoodewaard. 
• Andy Wilson, The Marrow of The Marrow of Modern Divinity (Expanded Edition): A Simplified Version of Edward Fisher's 17th Century Classic.
• Sinclair Ferguson, The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance―Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. (Crossway, 2016)
• Donald Macleod, From the Marrow Men to the Moderates, Scottish Theology 1700–1800. (Christian Focus, 2023)
• William VanDoodewaard, The Marrow Controversy and Seceder Tradition: Atonement, Saving Faith, and the Gospel Offer in Scotland (1718–1799). (Reformation Heritage Books, 2014)
• David C. Lachman, The Marrow Controversy 1781-1723: An Historical and Theological Analysis (Rutherford Studies in Historical Theology)

Andy’s three books

• Harrison Perkins, Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction (Lexham Academic, 2024)
• John Murray, Redemption, Accomplished and Applied
• Richard Sibbes, Glorious Freedom: An Exposition, Puritan Paperback (Banner of Truth Trust; 2nd ed. edition, 2024)

Russell’s three books

• Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed, (Banner of Truth Trust; 2nd ed. edition, 2021)
• Timothy Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, (Penguin Books; Reprint edition 2015)
• Thomas Boston, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, (Banner of Truth; Reprint edition, 1964)

In this podcast Anneke Fesko talks about how ruling elders can encourage a pastor’s wife. Anneke was hired a little over two years ago for the newly created position of Care Coordinator for Ministers’ Wives and works for the OPC Committee on Ministerial Care. (Committee of Walking Hugs)

Anneke is the wife to John, an ordained OPC minister and theology professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. They were married 22 years ago while John was a church planter for the OPC. They have three children, two sons in high school and a daughter in elementary school, and live in Madison, Mississippi.

Ginger Dennison, wife of the late OPC pastor Charlie Dennison says,
“Pastors' wives…will sometimes agree on one thing: they are no different than anyone else in the congregation. They have no special responsibilities, no different obligations, no uniqueness. In fact, when asked what it's like to be a pastor's wife, they will reply, "I'm NOT a pastor's wife! I'm just a wife, no matter what my husband does for a living.” The Uniqueness and Challenges of the Minister's Wife, Ordained Servant Online, May 2010. Available here.

More Resources

• New Horizons, mailed to every OPC member and available online here.
• OPC, Committee on Ministerial Care.

Anneke’s three recommendations for every Ruling Elder.

• Patricia E. Clawson and Diane L. Olinger, eds., Choosing the Good Portion: Women of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 2016. Available here. 
• Megan Hill, A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church, Crossway, 2020.
• Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People. First published 1936, Simon & Schuster.

Thanks for listening to the Podcast.

Jonathan Cruse talks about how Ruling Elders can foster and energize congregational singing.

Further Reading
Resources by Jonathan

• Jonathan Landry Cruse, What Happens When We Worship, Reformation Heritage Books, 2020.
• Jonathan Landry Cruse, “What Every Elder needs to Know About Congregational Singing” in Faithful and Fruitful, Essays for Elders and Deacons, Eds. William Boekestein and Steven Swets,  Reformed Fellowship Inc. 2019.

Books mentioned in the podcast

• Jonty Rhodes, Reformed Worship (Blessings of the Faith), P&R Publishing, 2023.
• Ligon Duncan, Does God Care How We Worship? P&R Publishing, 2020.

Jonathan’s three recommendations for every Ruling Elder

1. Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture, Drawn with a Scripture Pencil, or, Some Characteristic Marks of a Man Who is Going to Heaven, Banner of Truth Trust.
2. David Dickson, The Elder and His Work. 
3. The Westminster Directory for Public Worship (The Westminster Directory for Public Worship discussed by Sinclair B. Ferguson and Mark Dever is currently out of print.

Two examples of John Wesley's Directions for Singing.
IV. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.

VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your Heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve of here, and reward when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

 What can ruling elders do to promote better preaching?
On this issue of the Ruling Elder podcast, John Currie, OPC pastor and Professor and Dean of Pastoral Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, discusses why this is so important and gives practical suggestions on how and when to do it, and, just as importantly, how not to do it.

The OPC Form of Government says “[Ruling Elders] should have particular concern for the doctrine and conduct of the minister of the Word and help him in his labors.” (Fg. X.3)

Several resources are also available online at Ordained Servant.

• “What Ruling Elders Can Do to Promote Better Preaching.” (Edwin J. Kreykes) 11:2 (Apr. 2002): 40-42. https://opc.org/OS/pdf/OSV11N2.pdf
• “How to Assess a Sermon: A Checklist for Ruling Elders.” (William Shishko) 12:2 (Apr. 2003): 43-44. https://opc.org/OS/pdf/OSV12N2.pdf
• “What Is Faithful Preaching?” (Alan D. Strange) 27 (2018): 25-30. https://opc.org/os.html?article_id=686

Further Reading

• T. David Gordon, Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers, (P&R Publishing; 2009)
• Christopher J Gordon, “How to Evaluate Your Pastor” in Faithful and Fruitful: Essays for Elders and Deacons, eds. William Boekestein and Steven Swets, (Reformed Fellowship Inc. 2019, pp. 181-193).
• Christopher Ash, Listen Up: A Practical Guide to Listening to Sermons, (The Good Book Company, 2009)
• John Angell James, An Earnest Ministry: The Want of the Times, (Banner of Truth Trust)
• Charles Spurgeon, “The Necessity of Ministerial Progress” in Lectures to My Students, (Banner of Truth Trust)

John’s recommneded reading for Ruling Elders

• John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion
• R. B. Kuiper, The Glorious Body of Christ: A Scriptural Appreciation of the One Holy Church, (Banner of Truth Trust)
• Harry Reeder, From Embers to a Flame: How God Can Revitalize Your Church, (P&R Publishing, 2008)