In this episode, we speak with William Boekestein, Jonathan Landry Cruse, and Andrew J. Miller, the authors behind a new book, Glorifying and Enjoying God: 52 Devotions through the Westminster Shorter Catechism. These three pastors and theologians share their insights and experiences from their journey through the Westminster Shorter Catechism, offering listeners a unique opportunity to understand the profound theological truths encapsulated in this historic summary of faith.

William Boekestein, serving the Immanuel Fellowship Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, alongside his wife Amy and their four children, brings a pastoral heart to our discussion. Jonathan Landry Cruse, author of What Happens When We Worship and pastor of Community Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Kalamazoo, where he resides with his wife and three children, offers a perspective enriched by his literary and ministerial endeavors. Andrew J. Miller, the Regional Home Missionary for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in central Pennsylvania, shares his extensive missionary experiences, living out the catechism’s teachings alongside his wife Rebekah and their five children.

Together, they speak about the motivations behind their collaborative work, the importance of the Westminster Shorter Catechism in today’s Christian walk, and how the book aims to deepen the reader’s love and knowledge of God. Join us as we explore how understanding God leads to a richer relationship with Him, and how the intertwined nature of heart and mind can bring us closer to the glory and enjoyment of God.

Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 03:12 Ministry in Kalamazoo
• 04:43 Church Planting in Central Pennsylvania
• 06:18 Beginning the Book Project
• 11:21 Reformed Ecumenism and Confessional Standards
• 18:06 Organizing the Shorter Catechism into 52 Sections
• 24:56 A Devotional Mindset
• 26:47 How to Use the Book
• 27:47 The Chief End of Man
• 33:23 The Relationship of the Catechism to the Bible
• 40:51 The Abiding Relevance of the Catechism’s Questions
• 43:22 Scripture and Catechetical Memorization
• 50:24 Lessons Learned and Pleasant Surprises
• 53:58 Make the Catechism Great Again
• 56:12 Conclusion

Participants: Andrew J. Miller, Camden Bucey, Jonathan Landry Cruse, William Boekestein

In this episode, Camden Bucey engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Terry Johnson, Senior Minister of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia and the author of Understanding Family Worship: Its History, Theology, and Practice (Christian Focus).

This book provides a timely perspective on family worship. Rev. Johnson reflects on his personal journey, starting with the birth of his first child, which sparked a deep commitment to family worship. Johnson emphasizes the need for consistency and the avoidance of lethargy in practicing family worship. He discusses the challenges and strategies for implementing daily family worship, highlighting the importance of a godly home environment for its effectiveness. 

The conversation also covers theological arguments supporting family worship, rooted in Reformed doctrine, and practical aspects like singing, prayer, Scripture reading, and the role of catechesis in family life. The episode concludes with encouragement for families to embrace this historic Christian practice, underscoring its foundational role in imparting faith and nurturing spiritual growth within the family unit.

Terry is the author/compiler of the Trinity Psalter and Leading in Worship, and author of The Case for Traditional Protestantism (published by the Trust), Reformed Worship, and the trilogy, When Grace Comes Home, When Grace Transforms, and When Grace Comes Alive. He and his wife, Emily, have five children.

Links

• Reformation & Worship Conference

Chapters

• 00:07 Introduction
• 01:24 Introducing the Historic Practice of Family Worship
• 06:58 The Forgotten Practice of Family Worship
• 13:10 The Setting of Family Worship: The Godly Home
• 15:52 The Case for Family Worship
• 22:37 The Elements of Family Worship
• 31:57 Overcoming Barriers to Family Worship
• 35:35 Catechesis
• 44:33 Other Works on Family Worship
• 48:23 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Terry Johnson

This the second installment of a quarterly series of interviews highlighting the Lord’s work in the lives and ministries of our Reformed Forum faculty. Lane Tipton, Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Reformed Forum and pastor of Trinity OPC in Easton, Pennsylvania, sits down with Ryan Noha to discuss his conversion through a Leviticus 16 sermon on TV, his zeal for Christian education and global missions, and his joyful service of the Lord in his family, church, and the work of Reformed Forum as the George Bailey of Glenside.

Lane, I’m familiar with your background and how you came to know the Lord, but it’s always a joy to hear of the old, old story of the gospel and how the Lord brings the finished work of Christ to bear effectually upon his people. Would you tell us how you were converted and then eventually became a minister in the OPC?

I grew up in a Southern Baptist home. My mother was a devout and godly woman. Her parents were both wonderful Christians. My father was not a believer, but my mother would have us attend worship with her every Sunday morning. From the earliest time I can remember, I was sitting under the gospel, but I did not accept and embrace it. After I hit about age 13, my mom did not require me to go to church but gave me the opportunity to either go or not go, and I decided I wouldn’t go. I went through my junior high and high school years without really going to church at all, without attending any worship services at all. I played a year of football on a scholarship out of Tascosa at Eastern New Mexico State University. I was thinking about pursuing a law degree and thought when I came home that summer that it would be a really wise thing to read my Bible and get a little bit of familiarity with the Judeo-Christian ethic, given the fact that I was wanting to pursue law.

I turned to Jesus’ denunciation of the Pharisees almost instantly where he was denouncing them in Matthew 23 and following for being whitewashed tombs, clean on the outside, but inside full of dead men’s bones. I recognized that he was speaking in his word to me, and that I was in danger of the judgment. A few days later on a Sunday morning, I turned on the television, and a man was preaching on Leviticus 16 and the Day of Atonement. He then talked about the blood of a sacrificial offering, a sin offering, being brought into the most holy place and satisfying the wrath of God. He talked about a scapegoat, having the sins of Israel confessed over its head and being driven outside the camp, bearing away the guilt of God’s people. He said these were types of Jesus. And I instantly recognized that my release from my sin, and my fear, and my guilt, and my burden was found in the wrath-propitiating, blood sacrifice of Jesus who bore away my sin. I saw instantly in that typology that Jesus was like the scapegoat, who had taken my sin away from me as far as the east is from the west. He had shed his blood for my sin and satisfied God’s wrath. And I repented of my sin; I asked the Lord to forgive me. I was elated. I thought, goodness, how could I have not seen this all of these years? I instantly told my mom who just came into the room and was weeping tears of joy. She had been praying for this for 19 years. And the Paul Harvey aspect of the story is that of all people to preach that sermon, it happened to be Jimmy Swaggart, believe that or not.

So I was converted and within a few months had found my way toward the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. I had received through some men, who were in Amarillo at the time, interested in Reformed theology, some literature that led me toward the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. As I read systematic theologies—Louis Berkhof, some B. B. Warfield, a little bit of Van Til—I was very quickly led by conviction to the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. I came to appreciate immensely Machen’s commitment to the spirituality of the church, his critique of liberalism as a different religion, the militancy of the OPC, its self-conscious embrace of being a pilgrim people, maintaining faithfulness to the gospel, not seeking cultural influence or affluence, but seeking rather to worship the Lord as engaged pilgrims, taking every thought captive, making it obedient to Christ, seeking the things above by faith, entering Sabbath rest, and being concerned most of all for the worship of the Triune God and giving a consistent, faithful witness to the world and calling all men and women, boys and girls everywhere to repent. That sent me on a path toward going to seminary.

It was a strangely quick movement from my conversion to pursuing the OPC and coming to a profound appreciation of Machen and his militancy and humility, and the church as it has been called by Charlie Dennison, “the church of the brokenhearted,” the church that mourns. This is not the norm, this kind of policy and worship and doctrine and this heavenly-mindedness. I have been in the OPC years and years now. I joined the Abilene congregation in 1989, if my memory serves, so it’s been a while.

I rejoice to hear of the Lord’s grace in your life afresh, not only that he was pleased to raise you from the deadness of your sin, but to grant you such rapid growth and maturity, even that you would see Christ in all of Scripture from day one and then dive right away into the deep end of Reformed theology with Machen and all the greats. This is truly a wonderful grace and profound mercy. I’d love to hear about the Lord’s gracious work in your family, as well. Would you introduce us to the Tiptons and share with us how the Lord is leading you all through this current season of life?

I met my wife, Charlene, when I came back from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She has five uncles who have been or still are Orthodox Presbyterian ministers. We met in Abilene, Texas in 1992. About 10 months later, we were married. Everyone was saying, you guys need to get married. And I was all excited about us—you didn’t have to encourage me! She’s a beautiful, godly, intelligent, wonderful woman. Soon after that, we went to seminary, Westminster California. And by the time 1998 came around, we had our first child, Lauren; a few years later, Lyle; a few years after that, Trevor; a few years after that, Katie or Kaitlyn. And so we have four children. The oldest, Lauren, is now married. Lyle and Trevor are at Geneva playing basketball. And I will admit, tearing it up, and I’m very thankful for that. They’re godly young men walking with the Lord. Katie is class president just flourishing at Phil-Mont school founded by Cornelius Van Til. It’s all worked out in an amazing way.  Char and I are coming up on our 30th anniversary this next year. She works in the OPC home offices. She has been working there for several years now and does a fantastic job.

We’ve been here in Glenside since 1998, and it’s wonderful. I’m serving at Trinity OPC in Easton. It’s about 50 minutes from here. The family is doing great. They are a delight to my heart. They love the Lord and are all flourishing. I am so thankful. I’ve joked around before; I’ll adapt it, transpose it into this: I’m the George Bailey of Glenside, brother. I am just so thankful, so happy, and so richly blessed to have this family. They are, outside of the Lord, just the truest and purest joy of my heart.

Now as long as you mentioned Phil-Mont Academy and Van Til, I’ve got to ask, did you and Char have a devotional yet over that 1961 Van Til editorial I shared with you? The one that was published by Willow Grove Christian Day School, “The Whole Armour of God”?

Not yet. But talk about a letter that just states all that my wife has said before! Char has said before a number of times that she loves obviously loves Van Til. She and I married in part around a passionate commitment to Christian education. When I was in seminary out in California, Char taught at a Christian school. She taught years before that in Reformed Christian schools. She is just a fantastic teacher. We homeschooled our children. But when we first met, she and I read Van Til’s Essays on Christian Education as devotional literature and would marvel at the wonderful, robust, Reformed Trinitarianism, and Covenant Theology, and antithesis, and understanding of common grace, and the proper and indispensable role of Christian education from a Reformed world-and-life view. We fell in love around that. And so when we came to the Philadelphia area, and Phil-Mont was within ten minutes of our house, founded by Van Til—it’s just wonderful. So we’ll get around to that essay. I’m sure we’ll have numbers of discussions about it. Char has said, and I agree in certain ways with this, that Van Til might be at his very best when he’s talking about Christian education. You know, there’s a lot of “best” about Van Til, but one of his brightest points is talking about a consistently Reformed theological education for covenant children.

I couldn’t agree more. Now, you mentioned that you’re currently serving as pastor of Trinity OPC in Easton, Pennsylvania. What is your beloved congregation like and how is the Lord using the ordinary means of grace to gather and perfect the saints at Trinity?

I’ve been at Trinity in Easton for around a decade. Right before I arrived, the pastor left to join the Roman Catholic communion, which was a devastating blow to the congregation. For the past decade, I’ve had the unparalleled privilege of pastoring and shepherding and encouraging the saints in their walk with the Lord. As I said, apart from the Lord, my family is my chief delight, but just right in there, just as an unqualified delight is the service of the saints at Trinity. The elders, Charlie DeBoer, Joe Olliff, Luke DeBoer, Ian Parkin—a dear brother passed away about a year ago, went to be with the Lord—serving alongside those dear brothers in such a loving and giving congregation has been an oasis in the wilderness for me. I have delighted in my service, to know and love the congregation, to preach, teach, and serve alongside those brothers on the Session. The congregation over the years has grown to be what I would consider now to be a thriving, vibrant congregation filled with delightful people. I don’t want to overuse the George Bailey allusion, so I’ll change here, but I’ve been spoiled. And there is no end in sight from my side in terms of the service there. It continues to be an increasing joy for me. To see the way the Lord blesses through slow, steady, self-conscious means of grace, through Word and sacrament, through visiting and getting to know them as brothers and sisters in the Lord, walking beside them, bearing burdens, turning them to the sufferings and the comfort that are in Jesus Christ. I’ve always wanted to be a pastor; I was never initially aspiring to be a professor. And the Lord has granted me one of the deepest desires of my heart. Once again, I’m just so thankful for it.

That is tremendous, brother. To follow up for those who don’t know, who is George Bailey? And would your elaborate a bit upon what you’re preaching and teaching through these days and share any particular insights you might have from your studies in the Word?

If you remember, Jimmy Stewart played George Bailey in an all-time Christmas classic, It’s A Wonderful Life. And the long story short is that he finds that the money, the influence, the opportunity for notoriety, that all of those things pale mightily in comparison to having a group of people, family and friends, who gather around and love you and rejoice when you rejoice and mourn when you mourn. I don’t want to spoil it in case there are some younger folks out there who haven’t seen it, but at the end of the movie, when everyone’s coming into the house, doing something that’s just beautiful—I can’t resist the analogy. It’s delightful, whether it’s you brothers at Reformed Forum, whether it’s a number of dear brothers throughout the world, my loving family, the dear congregation, the Lord has just blessed me. And so I really do mean it, partly as a joke, but partly true: I’m like the George Bailey of Glenside, brother. I’m very thankful for it.

I’ve been preaching for some time on the book of Ephesians. I took about a one-year break and did some work on Hebrews 12 during the pandemic to talk about the unshakable kingdom. No matter what happens in this world, we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Over the past several months, I’ve been preaching through the armor of God and Ephesians 6, which is Christ, and have looked at how that armor is fundamentally putting on Christ, his ordinances, his Word, his Spirit, and by faith rising up with his people to fight against the principalities and powers of this present evil age, to set forth the truth of the gospel and its antithetical, full-orbed glory, and to recognize that no matter what happens in terms of the escalation of evil around us in the culture or in the world, Jesus Christ has established his Church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it because the Lord who is our armor has gone before us, destroyed his and our enemies and is in the process of making them a footstool for his feet, which will reach its climax in his glorious, visible second coming.

It’s been a delight to preach through that that book, and I’m kind of coming up on the end of it. You never know; I can’t ever calculate how many more sermons are in the hopper for it. But we’re moving toward the end of the Ephesians 6, and it has been an unusually rich feast for me to preach through. You think you understand the text until you work on it week in and week out for weeks, months, or years, and so it has been peculiarly rich for me. I’ve been very encouraged doing it. Of course, I have—I don’t want to diminish any other congregations in the world—but I might have the most patient and loving congregation in the OPC. They have stayed through it all, and we’ve taken a slow, careful look at that text and just feasted on the Christ who is revealed in it. It’s been a delight.

Now you’re a bit unusual as a minister in the OPC because you not only have the privilege of preaching twice every Lord’s day and doing Sunday school and visitation and serving the saints in Easton, but you’re also a Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Reformed Forum. How are you actively engaged in the Colossians 1:28 mission of Reformed Forum in that particular capacity?

Let me begin by saying Reformed Forum has been and always will be a pure labor of love for me. You do not find anything like it anymore. In the past, there were some that were striving for this, but the combination of militancy and love, distinctive commitments to the Confession, Van Til, Vos Kline, and the development of what you might call the old Westminster theology or the first generation OPC theology, enriched by people like Kline, Gaffin, Strimple, and others—that’s unique to Reformed Forum. The ministry is so distinctive, while at the same time not succumbing to these biblicist, mutualist perversions that you find in the evangelical and ostensibly “Reformed” world of contemporary vintage in the last 20 years. At Reformed Forum you’ve got a catholic, Reformed, robust ministry of Reformed theology with Colossians 1:28 as the mission, seeking to present everyone mature in Christ.

My service, whether it pertains to the Reformed Academy and teaching courses on Van Til, Reformed Forum conferences—we’ve got one coming up that I’m so excited I can barely contain myself over—or the books that I’ve been graciously given the opportunity to write for Reformed Forum—Foundations of Covenant Theology, the Van Til book [The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til], and several on the way—all continues to be a joy in the Lord. I don’t feel like in any of this that I’m working. I’m serving with joy, gladness, and peace and would not want to be anywhere in the whole world serving in except Reformed Forum. So again, I said about pastoring that the Lord’s given me the desire of my heart. Serving with Reformed Forum, though, it’s just been a delight that the Lord has brought. There are people that I won’t mention by name, but they have engaged in extraordinary giving and continue to give in ways that astound me to enable this kind of ministry. They have my deepest gratitude and admiration in the Lord. So, brother, as long as the Lord continues to cause Reformed Forum to flourish, and I have the ability and capacity and strength to serve, the duty is delight. They go right together.

To have over 3800 students in 75 countries involved at Reformed Forum, and to see it exploding in terms of worldwide outreach and ministry and serving the global church so profoundly, that especially gives me unbridled joy in the Lord. I pray that the Lord will continue making Reformed Forum this growing servant of the universal, worldwide Church. I love everything about Reformed Forum, but that, in particular, really is close to my heart to be able to serve brothers and sisters in different countries, under great persecution, who otherwise don’t have access to this kind of theology. To be able to serve them with rich, Reformed theology in the way that Reformed Form enables, and with the quality in terms of the platform and the presentation, as men committed to the deeper Protestant conception, it’s very exciting. I’m thankful to be a part of it, and I’m thankful to see the way the Lord has been blessing it. I’ve been amazed at the way that the Lord is causing Reformed Forum’s ministry to explode throughout the world. And it’s all of the Lord, so we give him glory.

In terms of that worldwide explosion, would you at liberty to share about any of the work that you’ve done with our brethren in China or Cambodia?

I’ll give you just one example. I’ve had an opportunity with a dear brother to talk to numbers of brothers in China, engaging in the training of pastors. I’ve taught a course to brothers in the Lord who are serving and pastoring. I just recently recorded some sermons that will be a part of a conference coming up, and I believe that there are going to be around 1200 people attending. For the last decade, I’ve had opportunities pre-COVID to go to Hong Kong to engage in service of these Chinese brothers and sisters. I can just testify to this: the Lord is giving them extraordinary grace and deep conviction. If Reformed theology in seminaries in this country is on the decline, which it is, and if the broad evangelicalism of this country is strangling true piety and vibrant doctrine, which it is, if liberalism and Barth and the post-conservative evangelical, post-liberal movements are divesting the system of doctrine of its vitality and substance, which it is—as you see a relative decline in the West, these brothers are on fire. The persecution that they are receiving is only causing more and more joy and vigor and militancy to make Christ known and to have an opportunity to serve. I’m going to stop because this gets me choked up, brother, but to have the honor and the privilege to serve such brothers whose hearts are so clearly cruciform and cross-stamped, serving the Lord, not seeking treasure on Earth but in heaven, it’s amazing. That opportunity and ongoing attempts to partner with those brothers, it’s just a delight.

Amen, brother. What you’re saying resonates in a peculiar way with me as I’ve had the great joy of regularly corresponding and working with many brothers and sisters in mainland China and Taiwan through our Reformed Academy. I’m consistently blown away by how they are willing to joyfully lay their lives down for the gospel. They often suffer much hardship for the sake of our Savior in their families and work, and yet at the end of the day, they still have the Spirit-wrought energy and zeal do the difficult work of translation and subtitle correction for us at Reformed Forum. They labor for nothing but for the glory of God and to see the riches of the Reformed faith flourish in their land. I’m truly in awe of what the Lord is pleased to do in bringing Reformed Forum these connections with saints that weren’t on my radar, but they were on the Lord’s radar. He is bringing the Church, his global family, together even while the world is at war. Chinese believers and Western believers are loving one another and are growing unto perfection in Christ.

It is of the Lord. They are the dearest of brothers and sisters, so praise the Lord for them.

As we come to the close of our interview, how might our friends and supporters around the world pray for you and your ministry?

I really appreciate you asking. Pray for my wife to continue to flourish and for our relationship to grow; for my children to continue to flourish and walk with the Lord as they’re doing; for faithfulness in ministry at Trinity, preservation of the elders and growth of the congregation. Pray also for the work at Reformed Forum to move forward with people recognizing that we give all of our resources up front for free. Pray that the Lord would raise up people to support Reformed Forum’s work so that this global outreach, these 3800 plus students from 75 countries, could continue to be served. Pray that the Lord would make Reformed Forum faithful in serving the church and not be distracted by any other mission outside of the mission of Colossians 1:28, to seek to present everyone mature in Christ through the presentation of what the Scriptures teach as received and expounded and enriched in our Reformed confessional tradition. Prayer along all those lines, and that the Lord would make me personally faithful in love and in truth for the sake of Christ would be deeply appreciated.

This the first installment of a quarterly series of interviews highlighting the Lord’s work in the lives and ministries of our Reformed Forum faculty. Up first is Jim Cassidy, president of the Reformed Forum board of directors and pastor of South Austin OPC in Austin, Texas. He sits down with Ryan Noha to discuss growing up Roman Catholic, giving up his life for the gospel, and serving the Lord in his family, church, and the work of Reformed Forum.

Jim, we have many longtime friends and supporters at Reformed Forum who know you well, but for those who are just meeting you for the first time or haven’t heard about your background, tell us how you made your way from Roman Catholicism into the OPC. How were you converted, and then how were you “born again” as one of Machen’s Warrior Children?

I appreciate that question. I think that growing up Roman Catholic has given me a particular perspective on the Reformation. When I was growing up Roman Catholic, the emphasis was very much upon the rules and doing what you’re supposed to do so that you don’t displease God. And if you don’t displease God, then you can get yourself out from underneath his wrath. So everything was geared towards this work of merit, whether it’s in the participation of the sacraments, going to church, not talking in church to your friends, kneeling properly, being an altar boy—you got some extra points for that. Now, they didn’t put it in those terms. But that’s sort of the message that was communicated.

As I was growing up and into college, I was under the impression that if you did enough good works, or if you did more good works than bad works, then you would go to either purgatory or heaven. But if you were a particularly nasty sort that did more bad deeds than good deeds, you would go to hell. Now, nobody I knew, despite the depravity that we exercised in our lives, thought that they were so bad as to be going to hell. And when they did something that was particularly bad, and they knew it, they would joke around and laugh and say, “Ha, I’m going to hell!” But it was not really taken seriously. I had this impression going into college.

It was there in college that I met a Baptist believer who was ministering to me and praying for me. His church’s youth group back home was also praying for me. And he was witnessing to me telling me about the gospel. When I told him my understanding of Christianity as I just explained it, he said, “No, that’s not how you get to heaven. You get into heaven by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” And now, we know, and I know from hindsight, that that’s not itself the gospel: “Having a personal relationship with Jesus.” That’s more of an evangelical way of saying that it’s not on the basis of your works or your goodness that you get into heaven but by faith in Jesus Christ. And so I remember going to bed that evening and saying to Jesus that I wanted to have a relationship with him. I woke up the next day, and I began to read my Bible and basically haven’t looked back since.

Now at that time, I didn’t fully comprehend the gospel. I knew nothing of the Reformation. So my intent was to be a Catholic—a good Catholic—and to stay in the Catholic Church. My intent was to go around telling everybody that they need to have a “personal relationship with Jesus” because that’s what I was taught. At that point, a Reformed person who was part of a Protestant Bible study took me aside. He began to explain to me the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, and he told me a little bit about the Reformation and “faith alone” and “grace alone” and all of that stuff. And when I went home over Christmas break during my sophomore year, I began to read Galatians. It blew my mind because Paul was articulating everything that I did not believe or that I was not taught growing up. In fact, it was the exact opposite of what I was being taught as I was growing up. It absolutely transformed and renovated my way of thinking about sin and salvation, the gospel—the whole nine yards. I quickly became very angry at the Catholic Church when I thought about the way that they were misleading me. My soul, and the souls of millions, was dependent upon the church proclaiming the truth and the true gospel, and Rome wasn’t doing that. It upset me very much.

I’ve gotten over my anger, but speaking to the issue of Machen’s Warrior Children, perhaps the reason that I am so dogmatically committed to Reformed theology is because I believe that it is as Warfield put it: “Christianity come to its own.” And if Reformed Christianity is “Christianity come to its own,” then we absolutely must stand for it; we must fight for it. Souls are at stake. I would never want our church to lose that message. I think Machen felt that way, too, even though he wasn’t raised Catholic. He was raised within the Presbyterian Church, but he was militant about the truth because he knew that it was a life-or-death situation. And I know it’s a life-or-death situation. So I believe in the Reformed faith and in zealously maintaining it, promoting it, preaching it, and teaching it because I believe truly that lives are at stake.

Amen, brother. I never tire of hearing how the Lord has brought a person to the understanding of that life-giving gospel: the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, risen, ascended, and coming again. It’s only through union with him that we have any hope of salvation. It’s really that simple. We aren’t Reformed because we’re pugilistic, but because the Reformed faith is the only faith worth contending for. It’s radically consistent with Scripture, and that’s why we love it. That’s why we agree with Machen when he said on his deathbed, “Isn’t the Reformed faith grand?”

Yes. I think everybody has it within them to give their lives for something. We all know the brevity of our lives, and I think I think everybody wants to give their life to something that that counts, that makes a difference. Most of the time people identify the wrong thing to give their lives for. When I found and discovered the truth of the gospel as it was recaptured and re-articulated by the Reformers, I found something where I could say, I’m willing to die on that hill. I’m willing to surrender my life for the sake of that message because it has eternal consequences, even as the message itself is eternal as it says in the Book of Revelation, the “eternal gospel.” Without that understanding, we don’t have the gospel. We only have a man-made imitation of it as Paul says in Galatians, which is “no gospel at all.”

It’s really important for us to understand that we don’t want to be Machen’s Warrior Children, as it were, for the sake of making other people’s lives difficult. Or if we’re being just obnoxious, having a reputation for being that pugilistic guy who’s always looking to fight—we don’t want that. We don’t fight for the sake of the fight; we fight for the sake of the faith. We fight the good fight of faith. It’s important for us to keep our eyes on that because it’s that faith which will bring Christ’s children to maturity. And that’s part of what our goal is at Reformed Forum: to declare the whole counsel of God unto the people of God so that everyone in the church can be brought to the point of maturity in Christ, all to the glory of Christ, for the good of his church, and the evangelization of the lost. That’s something that we have to bear in mind.

We’re supporting the Great Commission of the church. We’re not the church; we’re not doing the Great Commission. Rather, we’re seeking to come alongside the church to support its mission to preach the gospel. And without understanding exactly what it is that the Scriptures teach about the gospel, we have nothing to offer the world. We have no evangel, no gospel to preach, unless we are clear, concise, and accurate in our proper reading of the Scriptures, aided by the Holy Spirit through the testimony of the church in the past and all the greats upon whose shoulders we stand. Without that, we don’t have a message that is worth living for. It’s not worth dying for. It doesn’t aid in the work of evangelism.

That’s right. Without that message, it’s not even evangelism at all. Now, on that note of discipleship, I’d love to hear how this all works out in your family life. Would you give us portrait of your family and then share a bit about how you seek to lead in such a way that the Lord would draw your wife and children into these glorious truths that we hold so dear?

My wife, Eve, is a great helpmeet to me. She has been there by my side in ministry for the last 20 years. I’m so very grateful. We’ve known each other longer than that, but we’ve been married in ministry for 20 years. We have three wonderful children, Caitlyn, Ian, and Anna, and they’re all great kids. I love them dearly. In terms of your question about discipleship, it’s a little bit different now because the kids are older. Eve has a job outside the home, and I have a job, of course. So we’re all going every which way, and our time together for regular, regimented family worship is not in the same pattern as it was when the kids were younger. We were very regimented. After our evening meal, we would have Bible reading, catechesis, and prayer. Now, my pastoral instinct to try to mitigate the awkward schedule of having older kids, one of whom is in college, is to take every opportunity to talk to them about the things of the Lord and to pray with them. I drive my daughter to school every day and we pray on the way to school; we talk about the things of the Lord and about the church. My kids are inquisitive, so they like to ask questions. I try to maximize those questions to illuminate the faith.

It’s much more dynamic, living as it is now in terms of ministry to the family, but I have to emphasize the importance of catechesis. My kids have a bedrock, a foundation, in the Catechism that they learned when they were younger. If I were to be honest and sober, I would say that they probably wouldn’t be able to recite word for word the vast majority of the Q and A’s that they learned as they were growing up, but the substance is there. And there are a few very key questions and answers that the kids still very much have burned or etched within their memories, such that it would go rote if I were to ask the question at random. Sometimes I’ll say, “What does every sin deserve?” in the course of conversation, and the kids instantly say, “the wrath and curse of God,” which is from the Children’s Catechism. There are some of those questions that are really familiar: Who made you? What’s your chief end? And however you might rephrase that question, they’ve got it; they know it. So it gives us something to build on as they as they grow older and as they mature in the faith.

Catechesis was the kind of thing that I did not grow up with. Catholicism would say, we do catechesis; the Catholic Church has a Catechism. But really, catechesis is a Protestant Reformational practice. When I was growing up, we read very little Bible. Even in Catholic parochial school, which I went to from first grade right through college, we studied very little in the Scriptures. And we certainly didn’t get regular, regimented catechesis, learning questions and answers in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. We were not well instructed at all. Despite the fact that we had religious training all throughout, we didn’t learn the faith systematically.

Nonetheless, that’s a beautiful thing that you can look back on God’s faithfulness today and see how he has worked through the “foolishness” of catechesis in your own family, in the next generation. You can share in the great joy that the Apostle John spoke about when he heard that his children, his flock, were “walking in the truth.” Tell us about your own church, your own flock. Where do you serve and how is the Lord using the means of grace to gather and perfect his people there?

Thank you for that. I love my church very much. And it’s a joy to be able to talk about the congregation and the work here in South Austin. I came here in 2014. The congregation in Pflugerville, Texas, which is just to the northeast of Austin, not very far outside city limits—that was the original South Austin Presbyterian Church actually. They were originally meeting in locations on the south side of the city. Then they were able to get a piece of land and build a building, but it was to the northeast in Pflugerville. They ended up moving up there, leaving the south side somewhat untended in terms of Reformed witness. Glen Clary was the pastor there before I arrived at Providence in Pflugerville. And they had a group at that church that was meeting for Bible study down on the south side. There were about 20 to 25 people that were traveling north from South Austin up to Pflugerville for worship on Sunday, and they were desirous of starting a work on the south side.

That Bible study had been going on for five years when they finally called me to come as a church planter. We started worship services in July of 2014, and we became a particular congregation in 2015. From there we began to grow and to develop as the Lord continued to add to our numbers. A couple of years ago, we were able to purchase the building where we now carry out our ministry. Not long after we started worshiping, after we particularized, we had a couple of families come to our church from the New Braunfels area, which is about 45 minutes south of here towards San Antonio. We ministered to those families, and they were desirous of starting a work in New Braunfels. This was funny, because we were praying from the very beginning that the Lord would allow us to become a church-planting church plant. We didn’t want to wait very long to start praying and thinking about the next church plant. And so that’s what ended up happening. Within five years, we ended up starting the work down in New Braunfels. And now in a couple of weeks’ time, Lord willing, the New Braunfels church is going to particularize as a new and regular congregation. We’re really excited about that.

South Austin OPC itself is a very mature congregation. The folks are very serious about the word. They’re absolutely committed to Reformed worship, to the inclusion of Psalms in worship—not exclusively, but inclusive psalmody—and to Reformed orthodoxy. Our elders are very good shepherds. They take good care of the people and are very attentive, patient, kind, and loving. Our deacons are the same. They’re attentive to the needs of the congregation and have done a great job tending to the flock. Anyway, that’s a little bit about us. It’s a congregation that I’m so very much in love with.

What are you preaching and teaching through these days in terms of sermon series or Sunday school, and what fruit is your ministry bearing in the congregation?

In the morning, we are going through the book of James. That has been very useful for all of us, myself, especially. James’ exhortation with regard to the use of our words has been transforming for me, and I think for others, as well. As Reformed Christians, we are a very principled people, and rightly so. We believe that we are to live on the basis of God’s Word, and so we live in a very principled way. And we believe that we can know God and how he wants us to live. But sometimes, when a principled mindset combines with the old nature, we can very quickly allow our zeal to overtake our holiness, our self-discipline, and our restraint. Then sometimes we speak out of a desire to be principled, to stand for the truth, but we do so perhaps in a way that’s not loving and kind and proper and biblical.

James’ exhortations on what it means to suffer have also been a tremendous help to me personally. He’s one of the few places outside of the Book of Job that you can find reference to Job. James is very concerned to instruct the congregation who is obviously suffering. They are suffering persecution and opposition from the world, and James is concerned to teach them what it means to suffer righteously. Sometimes, suffering righteously means guarding your words in such a way that when you’re attacked, you don’t return attack for attack and so forth and so on. That’s been very helpful, I think, to the congregation.

In the evening, I’ve been preaching on 1 Chronicles. We’re going to get to 1 Chronicles 5 this Sunday, Lord willing. The congregation has been remarkably receptive to that series. I thought it would be a flop, quite frankly, because, as you know, the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles is just a list of names except in chapter four where you have the prayer of Jabez. Of course, much has been made of that by some. I did a two-part series on chapter four, focusing exclusively on the prayer of Jabez. There were some little polemics in those sermons, which is appropriate in this instance.

The emphasis that I’ve been trying to underscore, however, is that we are the people of God. Our identity in Jesus Christ is found with the people of God under the old covenant. So when we read these genealogies, we have to understand that they are our genealogies. We’re living in a day and age where there seems to be a renewed interest in family lineage and genealogy. You can take a prick of blood or saliva, send it to some company, and they’ll tell you who your people are. But that’s DNA. We’re talking about something that’s deeper than DNA, which is the covenant of grace. We’re emphasizing our unity in the covenant of grace with the people of old and now showing the way in which the people of God are a people of every tribe, nation, and tongue.

During Sunday school, we’ve been working through R. B. Kuiper’s book on the doctrine of the church, The Glorious Body of Christ. And I talked about that a little bit recently on a Christ the Center episode. That’s been really helpful, especially in the area of church authority and power. I think there’s a lot of confusion out there about what church power and authority is or is not. Kuiper gives us a tonic to avoid an evangelical sort of no-churchism on the one hand, and then a kind of Roman Catholic-authoritarian-dominating kind of approach to authority and power on the other. He gives us the Reformed position. That’s been very helpful and sparked a good deal of interesting conversation in our congregation.

Another area where Kuiper is so good is on the indestructibility of the church. Persecution not only does not destroy the church, but persecution is actually the seed bed of the church. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. The church grows from persecution. The world can’t destroy the church; rather persecution will only advance the cause of Christ in this world. When we suffer righteously, we are identifying most intimately with our savior in his sufferings. The pinnacle point at which we are to imitate Christ is precisely here, in our willing suffering. That doesn’t mean that we go out and ask for it or look for it. Some of the early church fathers were somewhat guilty in this regard, but normally nobody wants to suffer. At the same time, we are willing, like Jesus, and as he calls his disciples to do, to lay our lives down for our friends, the glory of Christ, and the building of the church.

That foolishness of the cross will never become less foolish to the world, but to those who are God’s elect, it is the power of God unto salvation. So keep preaching it, brother! Now we could continue discussing and rejoicing in the Lord’s good work through your ministry in the local church, but I’d love to hear how you are also striving to serve the church in her Colossians 1:28 work through your labors here at Reformed Forum.

My role at Reformed Forum is somewhat supportive, which is great because that’s what I think I’m good at that. I’m not the sort of person that excels at leadership and taking charge and making things happen. Our dear brother Camden, our Executive Director, is excellent at organization, administration, execution of tasks and what not. He’s got the big vision; he knows what he’s doing. I’m here simply as a board member, and as the president of the board, to support him and our faculty—to cheer everybody on and to assist in anything that needs to be done to accomplish our mission.

As a faculty member, I’ve been working on a number of things, including a class on the Gospel of John that I hope to be able to roll out sometime later this year. I also do blog posts and Christ the Center episodes. I try to encourage our Van Til cohort students on Discord (our chat platform). I just see myself as playing a supporting role, throwing myself in anywhere that the Lord opens up for me to encourage, help, and assist. Everybody over there at the new office is doing a great job in terms of getting my material for the Westminster Shorter Catechism classes [Qs. 1–38 and Qs. 39–107] into published, book form. I’ve been working on that manuscript, and hopefully that will come out later on this year.

With the busyness of the pastorate and family, finding time to be able to execute on those projects that I have on my desk is something that is moving along way too slowly. I wish that I was able to produce more as a faculty member, but I remain blessed. The Lord has been gracious and kind. I love what Reformed Forum is doing. To be involved at all is a privilege and an honor. I’m sort of like the free safety in football—just kind of standing by waiting to make an interception or to maybe a tackle. I’m looking to be there when I’m needed and then to fill in that gap as those needs arise. But really, if I aspire to anything, it’s to become the water boy.

That’s one thing that I love about working with you. And the same is true for the other brothers at RF. You have a servant heart. You’re just seeking to live coram Deo and to serve the church. I love that that’s in our mission statement. It’s in our blood, our spiritual DNA. We don’t want to be big shots or to replace the church; we want to be servants to her and to labor unto the glory of our Head, even Jesus Christ, who by his Spirit and word perfects his bride. It’s such a joy to labor with you as a like-minded brother in Christ, to know the bond of peace that we have by the Spirit.  

Psalm 133. It’s better than the oil going down Aaron’s beard and robe. Amen, and amen. And the feeling is mutual brother. Thank you for the great work here that you’re doing for Reformed Forum. We are exceedingly grateful and regard you as a gift from the Lord.

All that I’ve received is from him, and I praise him for that. As we look together unto the Lord to provide the increase for all of our labors, are there any particular things that our listeners and supporters can lift up in prayer on your behalf?

We always covet prayers, the prayers of the saints wherever they may find themselves, for our church and ministry in South Austin. We covet the prayers of God’s people everywhere for the ministry of Reformed Forum for everything that we’re doing, from recording classes to rolling out books and blog posts. Pray that the work of Christ by His Spirit would continue. And I would ask even that it would increase in my heart, so that as I become more like Christ, I will be more effective at showing others how to walk with Christ.

Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey speak about Jim’s latest course, The Westminster Shorter Catechism (Questions 39–107), which is available for free through Reformed Academy.

In speaking about the new series, Jim and Camden also share several encouraging updates about Reformed Forum as well as their thoughts about parachurch ministries, denominational seminaries, and the future of ministerial training.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:01:50 New Course on the Westminster Shorter Catechism
• 00:09:15 Updates about Reformed Forum
• 00:16:36 Parachurch Ministries and Presbyterian History
• 00:29:59 Denominational Seminaries
• 00:40:24 Ministerial Training Models
• 00:54:55 Catechism Lesson: The Seventh Commandment
• 01:05:01 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

In this episode, several OPC missionaries discuss theological education in foreign mission fields. Douglas Clawson is associate general secretary for the OPC’s Committee on Foreign Missions. Charles Jackson serves as a missionary in Uganda, and Mike serves in East Asia. Each of these ministers speaks about their experience in training officers for the building up of indigenous churches, sharing the joys, struggles, and present needs in various fields.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Charles Jackson, Doug Clawson

Ryan Noha and Camden Bucey discuss Reformed Academy and the newest course to launch on the platform, titled Union with Christ: The Benefits of His Suffering and Glory. This latest course is taught by Lane Tipton, and we include the tenth and final lecture toward the end of this episode.

Video Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:13 The Courses at Reformed Academy
00:11:49 Future Course Availability
00:14:15 Podcasts, Videos, and Chapter Markers
00:16:06 The Process of Producing a Course
00:22:53 Translating the Course Videos
00:29:26 The Global Reach of Reformed Academy
00:38:06 How to Help
00:45:05 Union with Christ and Sanctification
01:37:42 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Ryan Noha

Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey discuss their experiences with catechisms among Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism , and evangelicalism and then their introduction to the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy

All Christian parents are called to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). In Deuteronomy 6:4–9, the Lord commands his covenant people,

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

It is non-negotiable for covenant families to raise their children according to the Lord’s commands. However, this education may take different forms amidst different circumstances.

In this episode, Erica Bucey, Director of Development at Westlake Christian Academy in Grayslake, Illinois, speaks about various trends in Christian education given the COVID-19 pandemic, which has uprooted education in America. Families have been influenced to think about education in ways that they have not before.

We speak about different approaches to education, the trade-offs involved in each form, as well as current legislation in Illinois that encourages a form of progressive indoctrination in public schools. We conclude by discussing ways in which churches can support families by talking about these matters and educating them.

Links to Resources

• Cornelius Van Til, “What Shall We Feed Our Children?” The Presbyterian Guardian, Vol. 3 No. 2 (October 1936), 23–24.
• Cornelius Van Til, Foundations of Christian Education
• Cornelius Van Til, Essays on Christian Education
• Doug Wilson, The Case for Classical Christian Education
• David Engelsma, Reformed Education: The Christian School as Demand of the Covenant
• Stanley Kurtz speaking with Mark Bauerlein on the First Things podcast
• George F. Will, “The Worst-Governed State Now Turns to Indoctrination”

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

Chad and Emily Van Dixhoorn visit Christ the Center to speak about Confessing the Faith: Study Guide. This is a helpful guide to Confessing the Faith: A Reader’s Guide to the Westminster Confession (Banner of Truth Trust, 2014), which is itself a thorough help for understanding the Westminster Confession of Faith. Emily Van Dixhoorn graduated from Brown University as a math major and from Westminster Theological Seminary with an MAR. Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn is Associate Professor of Church History at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM) and the University of Cambridge (PhD). He is the editor of The Minutes and Papers of the Westminster Assembly, 1643-1653 and he was featured on Christ the Center episode 134 and episode 342. Chad and Emily have five children.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Chad Van Dixhoorn, Emily Van Dixhoorn, Glen Clary

Melodie McKenzie joins Rob and Bob in our discussion of Classical Christian Education.

Participants: Melodie McKenzie, Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Marcus Mininger is Associate Professor in New Testament Studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana. Today he joins us to speak about his article, “Eschatology and Protology, Christ and Culture: Marriage as a Biblical Test-Case” MAJT 25 (2014): 117–140. The substance of this article was first delivered as a lecture at Mid-America’s Alumni Conference on April 9, 2014. The relationship between Christ and culture has elicited many different responses within the Reformed tradition. Mininger offers an insightful way to consider the matter through typology and a redemptive-historical consideration of creation.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Marcus Mininger

Many churches may be familiar with lectio continua preaching in the form of the weekly practice of preaching consecutive passages through a book of Scripture. Catechetical preaching uses a catechism to organize the weekly sermons rather than the book of Scripture. Does that make catechetical preaching unscriptural? By no means! While some catechetical sermons may derive their points directly from the catechism and others merely use the catechism to determine the topic and then select a pertinent Scripture passage to exposit. Catechetical preaching merely provides the skeleton for the subject and points of a sermon, but it need not make the sermon unscriptural. There are many benefits to catechetical preaching. It provides a wide range of Scriptural thought. It encourages familiarity with a system of doctrine. It also keeps before the congregation the basic fact that we have a catechism. We encourage people to work through it, reading it, and catechizing themselves and their children. Catechetical preaching fortifies this practice and helps people to embrace our secondary standards as a tool and help for us to understand what God has taught us about various doctrinal subjects. It aids in showing the unity and harmony of Scripture as a whole.

Resources

• Wayne Brouwer, “Preaching the Heidelberg: A New Look at the Tradition of Catechetical Preaching.”
• R. E. Knodel, Jr. “Catechetical Preaching“
• William Boekestein, “The Benefits of Catechetical Preaching: Catechism Preaching Is Another Kind of Bible Preaching“
• Jeffrey C. Waddington catechetical series on the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
• James J. Cassidy sermons

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy

Donald S. Whitney joins us to speak about Family Worship (Crossway). Many Reformed believers will be aware of the important spiritual practice of family worship. This practical guide will greatly assist families develop and maintain a practice of worship through Bible reading, prayer, and singing. In this conversation, we cover the biblical warrant, history, and elements of family worship along with several barriers to consistent practice. Dr. Whitney serves as professor of biblical spirituality at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He has written several books related to Christian spirituality, including Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and Praying the Bible. Don blogs regularly at BiblicalSpirituality.org.

Participants: Adam York, Camden Bucey, Donald Whitney

Camden Bucey and Erica Bucey discuss The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New, an illustrated systematic theology for children. Written by experienced children’s author Marty Machowski, The Ology is an excellent resource for families. The book is targeted toward 6–12 year olds and includes Scripture memory passages and study questions. The examples and analogies, along with thoughtful illustrations, make complex theological concepts accessible to even very young children. This book will help children understand more about God and how they relate to God, while always pointing them to Scripture.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

Erica Bucey reviews God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies written by Justin Holcomb and Lindsey Holcomb and illustrated by Trish Mahoney. This book helps families to speak about sensitive issues related to bodies as a defense against sexual abuse.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Erica Bucey

During the weeks and months after our first son was born, I struggled to discern my new identity as a mother. I was no longer defined by my previous role at an inner city homeless shelter, and my new job as a continuous diaper changer seemed somewhat less meaningful and exciting. We now have two young sons, and I am learning that my role as mother is of utmost importance. Along with my husband, I have been entrusted with the job of training my children to love and obey God. This is not an easy task, and I am thankful for more experienced mothers who are willing to guide and encourage me. In Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood (WaterBrook Multnomah), Melissa Kruger walks alongside moms, gently teaching us how to glorify and enjoy God in our calling as mothers. Melissa is a mom of three school age children, a teacher of women at Uptown Church (PCA) in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the wife of Mike Kruger, president of RTS-Charlotte. You may know her from her book The Envy of Eve. She has also participated in several episodes of Christ the Center. Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood is structured as an 11-week devotional Bible study that is designed to help us search the scriptures and apply God’s word to our lives. The chapters cover life purpose, time in God’s Word, prayer, ordering our homes, the fruits of the spirit, and our need for grace. Each week focuses on a topic and includes four days of Bible study and reflection. The fifth day is a devotional reading. All referenced Bible passages are included in the book, which makes it ideal for marking the passages and making notes. However, women who are used to the ESV will probably be disappointed that most passages are in the NIV translation. The book has the feel of a Titus 2 mentoring relationship, where an experienced wife and mother uses Scripture and personal experience to teach the younger women how to love their husbands and children. This study can certainly be completed by an individual, but it would surely be a blessing to study alongside other moms, both new and experienced. To such end, Melissa includes a group study guide at the end of the book. Motherhood can seem like the most difficult of callings, and Melissa’s honest portrayal of her own shortcomings invites women to consider their need for daily grace.

More than anything else in my life, motherhood has exposed my need for grace. . . . In the midst of my weaknesses, I need the soul-strengthening refreshment that can come only from time spent with Jesus. (pp. 1–2)

One of the strongest impressions this study has left on me is the importance of starting my day with time spent praying and reading scripture. Not only does this greatly impact my own heart, but it overflows and blesses my husband and children. It’s easy to read blogs and think that we can make our homes more peaceful if we implement an organized routine and keep little ones busy with creative activities. But the truth is that only God’s grace will bring lasting joy and peace into our lives. While moms of all ages will benefit from this study, it is a must-read for mothers of young children who are weary from the daily repetition of laundry and dishes. When I spend time in this study, I feel like a burden is being lifted. Parenting in my own strength is a heavy load to bear. Melissa points me to Jesus and shows that spending time in the Word and prayer will refresh my soul and equip me for being a wife and mom who glorifies and enjoys God.

Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy, and Camden Bucey discuss the importance of intellectual discipline for cultivating the life of the Christian mind. In addition to speaking generally about persistent study, the panel also offers several practical tips and suggestions for continued learning.

Links

• Suggested reading list
• Pocket
• Flipboard
• Galaxie Online Journal Subscription

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy

Several contributors are on location in Green Lake, Wisconsin as we discuss the practice of ecclesiology. Although ecclesiology is one of the traditional loci of systematic theology, it is often under-studied and even under-appreciated. Even if we do study the subject thoroughly, we can fail to put biblical ecclesiology into practice as we ought. In this episode we discuss the practical importance of ecclesiology.

Links

• OPC Presbytery of the Midwest
• Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, WI
• Grace OPC in Hanover Park, IL
• Apple Valley Presbyterian Church in Neenah, WI
• Westminster OPC in Indian Head Park, IL
• Hope OPC in Grayslake, IL

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, Matt Cotta, Robert Tarullo, Steve Schmidt

Dr. Chad B. Van Dixhoorn visits Christ the Center to speak about his forthcoming book, Confessing the Faith: A Reader’s Guide to the Westminster Confession (Banner of Truth Trust, 2014). The book is a thorough help for understanding the Westminster Confession, useful for pastors and for Christians seeking to deepen their knowledge of Reformed doctrine. Today, Dr. Van Dixhoorn discusses questions concerning the Confession’s treatment of the doctrine of Scripture, of Salvation, of the Church, and more. Dr. Van Dixhoorn is a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM) and the University of Cambridge (PhD). He has taught theology at the University of Nottingham, and has held three fellowships at the University of Cambridge, where he has researched the history and theology of the Westminster assembly and taught on the subject of Puritanism. A former British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, in 2013 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Van Dixhoorn has lectured at RTS DC since 2008 where he teaches church history and practical theology. Van Dixhoorn has served as associate minister of Cambridge Presbyterian Church and Grace Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA, where he preaches weekly. He and his wife Emily have five children. He is also the editor of The Minutes and Papers of the Westminster Assembly, 1643-1653 and he was featured on Christ the Center episode 134.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Chad Van Dixhoorn, Jeff Waddington, Jim Cassidy

Hope Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Grayslake, IL is hosting a Marriage and Family Conference this weekend (March 28-30). We will welcome Rev. Alan Strange to help us to understand how our earthly relationships are properly rooted in our relationship with God. We have several excellent session planned designed to benefit everyone, no matter what your marital status or stage in life.

Schedule (times in CDT):

Friday, March 28th 7:30pm Session 1: Male and Female in the Image of God Saturday, March 29th 8:30am Coffee and Fellowship 9:00am Session 2: The Man as Husband and Father 10:00am Session 3: The Woman as Wife and Mother 11:00am Session 4: Men and Women Communicating Sunday, March 30th 9:30am Morning Worship Service, 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 11:00am Sunday School, The Single Life 6:00pm Evening Worship Service, Acts 2:39

About the Speaker

Rev. Alan D. Strange is an ordained minister of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), completing his Master of Divinity in 1989 at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. He is Associate Pastor at New Covenant Community Church (OPC) in Joliet, IL and has served on many OPC committees. Rev. Strange has been a professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary since 1999 and has been the associate Professor of Church History since 2002. He is also a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Wales (Lampeter). Rev. Strange has authored, co-authored, and edited numerous articles, reviews, and publications. He has also spoken at numerous conferences on a variety of subjects, including marriage, youth, and apologetics. Rev. Strange is married and has five children.

Live Stream

If you can’t attend in person, we are planning to live stream the event through Google Hangouts On Air. More information regarding the conference and the live stream is available at http://www.hopeopc.com/conference.

Allison Benedikt has written a “manifesto” arguing that it is each citizen’s obligation to get behind the public school system. It’s not enough to give lip-service or even financial support. Benedikt is calling for “real flesh-and-blood-offspring investment.” Indeed, if you send your kids to private school, you’re a “bad person” for leaving the public school system to languish, contributing to its demise and the erosion of society’s future. She writes,

There are a lot of reasons why bad people send their kids to private school. Yes, some do it for prestige or out of loyalty to a long-standing family tradition or because they want their children to eventually work at Slate. But many others go private for religious reasons, or because their kids have behavioral or learning issues, or simply because the public school in their district is not so hot. None of these are compelling reasons. Or, rather, the compelling ones (behavioral or learning issues, wanting a not-subpar school for your child) are exactly why we should all opt-in, not out.

Benedikt’s argument hinges on the idea that, despite the weaknesses of the public school system, children will turn out alright. Sure, it’s not as good, but you can end up working at Slate someday in spite of your poor education. I was struck most by the anecdotal/pragmatic logic of this piece. According to this line of argumentation, why have public education at all? We turned out some pretty sharp folks before state-run education was a human right. Abraham Lincoln anyone? What do you think? Read the article and comment below.

Jason Helopoulos joins us to speak about his book A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home. The discussion covers what family worship is, its elements, and its relationship to private and corporate worship. Pastor Helopoulos also provides practical advice about how to practice family worship especially for those who have neglected it in the past. Jason is the Assistant Pastor at University Reformed Church in Lansing, Michigan (RCA). He attended Dallas Theological Seminary and completed a Masters of Theology degree (ThM) with a concentration in Historical Theology and Christian Education in 2003. He served on the staff of Park Cities Presbyterian Church as a pastoral intern for one year and then accepted a call as an Assistant Pastor at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lexington, North Carolina. In the fall of 2007, Jason was called by Christ Church PCA in Grand Rapids, Michigan to plant a daughter church in Lansing, Michigan. He accepted the call and moved to the field (and snow) as church planter and pastored Providence PCA in East Lansing until 2012. In the summer of 2012, Jason accepted the call as Assistant Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan and is currently serving this congregation, for which he feels blessed. Jason is married to his beautiful bride, Leah. They are blessed with two wonderful children, Gracen and Ethan.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jason Helopoulos, Jim Cassidy, Nick Batzig

In this episode, Jared Oliphint speaks with Owen Strachan, the Executive Director for the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. The council exists, “to set forth the teachings of the Bible about the complementary differences between men and women, created equally in the image of God, because these teachings are essential for obedience to Scripture and for the health of the family and the church.” Listen to this excellent conversation of the work of this important organization.

Participants: Jared Oliphint, Owen Strachan

In an essay on the importance of Christian scholarship, Machen demonstrated a strong view of the antithesis between believers and unbelievers (so much so that one might be tempted to think he was Dutch).

One thing needs always to be remembered in the Christian Church—true Christianity, now as always, is radically contrary to the natural man, and it cannot possibly be maintained without a constant struggle. A chip that floats downwards with the current is always at peace; but around every rock the waters foam and rage. Show me a professing Christian of whom all men speak well, and I will show you a man who is probably unfaithful to His Lord. (J. Gresham Machen, “The Importance of Christian Scholarship” in Education, Christianity, and the State: Essays by J. Gresham Machen, p. 23.)

Such a view should have significant implications regarding how Christians should live in this world, education being just one prime example.

When I first came to embrace the Reformed faith I was introduced to something which I later found out was very rare in the Reformed community, though it used to be much more common: singing in family worship. I was just a young single man. It was strange to me that the pastor under whose ministry I sat would distribute hymnals to his large family and guests and they would sing after eating. I was unfamiliar with such a practice as I had not grown up in a Christian home. When I first became a believer I spent most of my time in worship either being drowned out by an organ and a large full gospel choir or a rock and roll band. Singing doesn’t matter when you are drowned out. In a small Reformed and Presbyterian church (and most of them are small) you are not drowned out by anything. You worship the Trinity by singing to Him—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and you hear your own voice. Most of our churches are accompanied by a piano, some are unaccompanied. Many people struggle with such simple worship because of shame. Many do not believe they sing well and so they mouth the words, so the idea of singing at home or in a pastor’s home can be jarring. I hope to calm your fears. In this brief essay I would make the case for singing in family worship, even if you are not musically gifted. Husbands and fathers, it is wise to lead your family in this holy practice, the rewards are beyond what you realize. Young men who are considering marriage, it is profitable to plan now to lead your wife and children one day by singing. Single people, this is an excellent way to redeem your singleness and prepare for marriage if that is your desire.

Biblical Case

I won’t spend a lot of time making the case for singing from the Bible. It is very obvious to any Christian that singing is a trans-testamental imperative. We are called to sing, both in the Old and New Testaments: OT: Psalm 98:1: “Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” (quotations from the ESV) NT: Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Only a few comments need to be made about the verses above. 1) Hundreds more verses could be used to make the case. 2) I will avoid the case for/against exclusive Psalmody here, which is for another time and place. What is important is that families sing together according to the liberty of their own conscience. 3) The people of old often sang as a result of seeing God’s great acts of redemptive-history. We are recipients of God’s grace as a result of Christ’s death and resurrection. We have received redemption from bondage to the Egypt of our souls. We must sing!

One Proof-Text?

If you were to ask me if I have one proof-text to support why we should worship God by singing in family worship, I would not have one. But then again, I don’t have one proof-text to support the Trinity, infant baptism, worshipping on Sunday or giving the Lord’s Supper to female believers. Make no mistake, I believe in every one of these, and a case can be made from multiple Bible passages that each of these is true by “good and necessary consequence” (WCF 1:6). While family singing does not rise to the level of the Trinity and the other doctrines and practices above, we could make an argument drawn from a number of passages.

The Argument

A thorough argument would go beyond the scope of this essay. However, 1) it should be basic to every Reformed believer that fathers are the head of the household (under ordinary circumstances; widows, divorcees qualify as head of household in the absence of husbands), and they bear a spiritual responsibility over those under their roof. 2) Family worship and private worship are preparation for the Lord’s Day. We do not read the Bible or have personal devotions as an end in themselves; these should be preparation for hearing the word corporately preached on the Lord’s Day. Similarly, if we want to glorify God on Sunday in song, we should be preparing to sing the other six days of the week. So the best way to do this would be to sing as a family.

Enjoy Him Forever

Furthermore, you will notice if you sing together, this will be among the richest activities you will partake of as a family. If you read the Bible, pray, and do a little catechism in family worship you are doing well. If you add singing, you will find that your joy in the Lord is made even greater. We are called to “enjoy God forever” (WSC 1), and you will enjoy God by singing with your family. The richness of your family worship over food will be enhanced by singing. You will find yourselves memorizing favorite hymns. Your pre-literate children will walk around the house singing to themselves what you have sung as a family.

Baby Steps

You might be thinking, “I am not musical, I could never do that,” or “I am the worst singer in the world.” I guarantee you are not the worst singer in the world; that is a title I hold onto quite tenaciously. I hope it is not cliché but it is true that, “God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” Following are some practical steps to get started, even if you are the second least equipped person in the world musically (I being the first). 1) Purchase or borrow hymnals or Psalters. If you can’t afford them you can print hymns off the internet. If possible, every literate person in your household should have a hymnal or something printed off the internet. 2) Start with the Doxology or Gloria Patri. They are short, easy and you may already have them memorized! 3) Purchase hymn or Psalm CDs and sing along with the CD. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church also has free hymn files for the 1961 Trinity Hymnal (www.opc.org) along with which you can sing after clicking on play. 4) Variety is not the spice of life. Sing the same songs over and over again. You will be surprised at the depth of each hymn or Psalm after multiple passes through them. Soon you will have a hymn memorized, and you will be hungering for a new one. If your family memorizes a hymn together you won’t need hymnals if you decide to sing while driving in your car. 5) Choose your favorites; there is no reason to sing hymns you don’t like. 6) If you have no means at all, sing Amazing Grace to the tune of Gilligan’s Island, I am not kidding, (You are doing it in your head now aren’t you?) unless you would find that irreverent. 7) If you are too pressed for time, sing the Psalm of Haste: Psalm 117 (unless you prefer the hymns from #2 above). In my family, like any, there are circumstances when you have little or no time to sing. In those times we sing the Psalm of Haste (Hymn 29 in the Trinity Hymnal), the shortest Psalm in the Bible. 8) If you are not ready for singing as a family at least read a hymn in family worship, the rhythm of the poetry will be musical to your minds. 9) Be patient; you will make mistakes, babies will cry, kids will act out, phones will ring, etc. Enjoy the process and smile!

Conclusion

Much more could be written but I hope this will encourage contemporary believers to remember a forgotten practice. Sing to the Lord on the Lord’s Day; prepare to do so as a family on the other six days! Glorify and enjoy!

A children’s book about the creation of the Heidelberg Catechism? Sounds dry. REALLY dry. Surprisingly, William Boekestein’s book, The Quest for Comfort: The Story of the Heidelberg Catechism, provides an engaging history that young readers will understand. With bold illustrations and large type, the book traces the lives of three men (Caspar Olevianus, Zacharias Ursinus, and Frederick III) who were instrumental in creating the catechism. The main theme of the book is comfort for God’s people. This includes comfort during difficult circumstances, but the real focus is on assurance of salvation and resting in God’s promises. Boekestein discusses the book in depth during Episode 214 of Christ the Center. As members of the OPC, our family uses the Westminster Standards. However, I think it is valuable for adults and children alike to have an understanding of other catechisms in the Reformed tradition. This book pairs well with Weight of a Flame, which I read and reviewed last month. Olympia Morata’s journey ends (1555) in Heidelberg, Germany, shortly before the Heidelberg Catechism was written (1563). William Boekestein (M.Div., Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary) is pastor of Covenant Reformed Church in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. He previously taught in a Christian school for several years. He and his wife, Amy, have three children.

Simonetta Carr’s latest book appears to have everything a young female reader could want. Romance. Castles. Adventure. Far-away places. And let’s not forget elegant wardrobes. These things are just the backdrop for Carr’s story, though. Set during the Italian Reformation, Weight of a Flame is the story of Olympia Morata, a young woman whose faith burned bright during a time of persecution. After reading the introduction and first chapter, I am looking forward to completing the book and writing a full review. Classified as historical fiction, it’s already clear that Simonetta Carr researched her story extensively. She includes several pages at the beginning of the book that provide historical details about each character in the story. I will admit that I know almost nothing about the Italian Reformation. I anticipate that this book will be a pleasant, yet informative, read. Although the intended audience is young readers, I found myself drawn in by the story during chapter one. Stay tuned for the full review. Normally this would be a Saturday afternoon read, but it might take a while longer with a four month old keeping me busy.

Winston Smith, from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation, speaks about counseling abused spouses. Winston Smith – Am I equipped to counsel an abused spouse? from CCEF on Vimeo.

With the beginning of another new year it was time to print a clean copy of a Bible reading plan. Last year I went through a chronological plan, but this year I’ve decided to return to a trusty old friend: the McCheyne reading plan. For several years I went through a 2x McCheyne plan that would get me through the New Testament and Psalms four times and the Old Testament twice in a year. It’s been a helpful way for me to get to those lesser-known portions of Scripture regularly. This year I was looking for something to incorporate into family worship. The McCheyne plan is great for this as well since two of his chapters are meant to be read as a family. This is a great way to provide structure to your family Bible reading. Print a PDF of the plan and start working through it with your family. I trust you will be richly blessed (yes, even as you get to explain all those “difficult” stories as well as read through Numbers and Chronicles!).

In her series, Christian Biographies for Young Readers (published by Reformation Heritage Books), Simonetta Carr has given the church helpful tools to educate the next generation in church history. Her clear explanations, vivid illustrations, and articulate maps assist readers young and old alike, to appreciate the lives of these faithful saints who have gone before us. Carr maintains the same organizational structure throughout, beginning with a brief overview of each life and some of their significant contributions to the Church. Carefully, she transitions into the culture and politics that were present during their upbringing. This is essential in understanding Augustine’s education, for example, which was drastically different from our own today. She also highlights important incidents that shaped each life further down the road. For Augustine, this was a prank of stealing pears that he later reflected on as he grasped his sin. John Owen endured a rigorous training that left him with little sleep, potentially damaging his health as he grew older. Finally, throughout the book, Carr traces each life chronologically, noting various theological issues and debates that arose during their lives. Most of these concepts are difficult for younger readers, but Carr does an excellent job using terms they are familiar with and highlighting incidents that they can relate to. Notably, Carr explains Augustine’s challenges in exposing the false teachings of the Manichees, which is conceptually difficult for younger readers, in a way children can understand. The illustrations throughout are tastefully done, capturing what life would have looked like. Also, they expose key events in each life, many of which were very dramatic. Carr also includes current pictures of locations. For Augustine, she inserted the ruins of Carthage, and in John Owen’s biography, various portraits taken at the time. Finally, one of the most helpful aspects, are the maps Carr includes at the beginning. These allow the readers to trace and understand where significant events happened. Carr has summarized these lives clearly and in a way that younger readers (age 6 -12) can not only read but also enjoy. Her illustrations and age appropriate wording make these books ideal for covenant families. These books will be used in our home as we seek to give our children an appreciation for those faithful believers who have gone before us.

Darryl G. Hart and Camden Bucey converse about family and Sabbath through the writings of Wendell Berry. Download the audio

Books by Wendell Berry

• What are People For?
• Hannah Coulter
• A World Lost
• The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry
• Jayber Crow
• Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community: Eight Essays

The New York Times reports on an experiment in Vail, AZ in which the school district has outfitted a school bus with a mobile WiFi router. Interestingly, disciplinary problems have all but disappeared. But one has to ask, is this really a productivity booster or are we further capitulating to the entertainment “needs” of today’s students?

The Kaiser Family Foundation has released their study of the use of media among 8 to 18 year olds. The figures are simply astounding. Just to highlight a few of the key findings, overall media use was up to – on average – 7 hours and 38 minutes per day while total media exposure was at 10 hours 45 minutes per day. Many media categories saw increases in use, but music/audio was the biggest category gainer over the 2004-2009 time period. One of the most interesting findings of the study was that more than one media is often being consumed at any given time. Kids are listening to music, streaming Internet video and watching television at the same time. As you might guess, the foundation reports an inverse relationship between media use and academic performance. Read the report and adjust your understanding of today’s reality. photo from rashdan

No Christian approves of worshiping idols or disapproves of honoring parents. No brother or sister will accuse you of being legalistic if you’re against stealing or are in favor of telling the truth. But I know many people who object to Sabbath keeping and approve of using the Lord’s Day for work or personal pleasure. We don’t argue about the other nine; why is the fourth commandment a catalyst for more heat than light?

These are some of the questions the Rev. Bruce Ray considers in his book, Celebrating the Sabbath: Finding Rest in a Restless World. Ray laments the low view of the fourth commandment in churches today. Churches today cater to the busy lifestyles of churchgoers by creating more services on more days for shorter periods of time. Ray uses the term “McSabbath” to describe the state of the Lord’s Day in most churches in America. Ray gives a clear description of how Christians dread the Sabbath rather than delighting in it. He shows from scripture how we are to understand the Lord’s Day. God is sovereign over time and gives us a day of rest because we need it—it is for our good. The Lord is in control and sovereign over our work. We do not need to work seven days to get everything done, but rather we are to rely and trust on the Lord, who is sovereign over rest and commands us to rest. It is God’s appointed holiday. We are to refrain from work and we are to worship Him and be refreshed. Very quickly Ray goes to the Bible and shows the origins of the Sabbath at creation. Just as working for six days of the week and procreation are creation ordinances, so also is the Sabbath Day. Ray traces the Sabbath blessing from seed form in Genesis to full blossom in the New Testament. Ray rightly points out that Exodus 20 is not the beginning of the Sabbath observance but rather a command to continue, which is made clear by the fourth commandment’s first word, “Remember.” The Lord made the day holy at creation, and it is always holy. Treating it in any other way is profaning it. Only Christians can celebrate the Lord’s Day. Only Christians can understand the Lord’s Day. Those who do unnecessary work are denying the sovereignty of God. Ray moves on to the New Testament to explain what he calls the Resurrection Sabbath, a transformation of the Creation and Exodus Sabbath. New creation came through Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. Ray expounds on the normality of transformation from Old Covenant/Old Testament to New Covenant/New Testament. Old Covenant circumcision was transformed into New Covenant baptism, Old Covenant Passover was transformed into New Covenant Lord’s Supper, and Old Covenant Sabbath is transformed into New Covenant Lord’s Day. Ray concludes his biblical analysis of the Lord’s Day with the Final Sabbath. The Final Sabbath is that which we look forward to in heaven, the Eternal Sabbath. We taste it every Sunday on earth if we keep the Sabbath holy, but the fullness is yet to come: “As creator [God] blessed the Sabbath and made it holy. As Redeemer, He appointed it to be a sign of the covenant of grace. The Sabbath is now, and always has been, the Lord’s Day.” Ray is careful to address the two major issues facing the keeping of the Lord’s Day, lawlessness and legalism. The Sabbath was intended to be a day of gladness and not of gloom. Ray shows the entrance of legalism into Sabbath Day observance with the captivity in Babylon and Assyria. Just like the purifying of the temple, Jesus purified the Sabbath Day during His earthly ministry. Ray is clear to the show the continuity of the Old Testament with Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in the New Testament. The Pharisees had taken the blessed Lord’s Day and made it a great burden. Ray’s commentary on this topic is among the most helpful parts of the book. Ray expands on lawlessness and legalism by showing how Christians who participate in lawlessness on the Lord’s Day are not in conflict with the fourth commandment per se but are in conflict with the authority of Jesus Christ. He poses the question, is Jesus Christ Lord or not? If He is Lord of the Sabbath, then He defines its intention. Ray argues that men reject the Lord’s day of rest because they reject the Lord of the day. They bring stress and disease on themselves and eventually physical death. In the concluding chapters, Ray shows how God wants His day to be kept. First, it should be kept “holily,” that is, we should keep it the way God intended and not necessarily the way we do. We don’t need the 1,500 rules the Pharisees had; we just need to understand and obey God’s Word. Part of this keeping holy the day requires gathering with God’s people for corporate worship. Second, we must keep it happily. In order to do so, we must be keeping it holy. How happy it is to forget about our worldly cares and employments and to be refreshed in the Lord. Third, Ray argues that we ought to keep it honestly. We ought to be striving to keep it better, not looking for loopholes to escape its requirements. Finally, Ray shows how we are commanded to keep the day humbly. We must put God’s Word above the imaginations of our hearts. Bruce Ray does a fine job in this book arguing for the keeping of the Lord’s Day: the importance of keeping it, the blessing wrapped up in it, and the many dangers of profaning it. In the mega-church, individualistic society we live in today where many, including professing Christians, do what is right in their own eyes on the Lord’s Day, we need to remember the Lord’s Day and keep it holy. This is not an option, nor is it a burden; rather, it is a refreshment for the glory of the Lord and our own spiritual good. Celebrating the Sabbath: Finding Rest in a Restless World can be found at online Christian bookstores for $7.49.

Godâ€s Alphabet for Life

that, like adults, children must be born again, come by faith and repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, and live lives of thankfulness to God for His great salvation.

The pious patriarch would spend much time in dealing out to his listening children the lessons which he had learned in his youth from his predecessors, and those which he had been taught by his own experience. These instructions were properly of the nature of catechizing, which may be defined to be ” the familiar communication of knowledge, orally.” As long as this duty was faithfully performed by parents, the darkness of ignorance and idolatry were prevented, but as soon as it fell into neglect, error and vice must have been the consequence. Of Abraham, God certifies, ” I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment,” Gen. xviii. 1.9. And God, by Moses, insisted more upon no duty than this, of domestic instruction in the truths of religion. ” And the words which I command thee shall be in thy heart, and thou shah teach them diligently to thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up,” Again, ” Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but teach thy sons, and thy son’s sons.” Deut. iv. 9, 10. vi. 7. To these precepts the Psalmist refers, when he says, ” He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law ip Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children : that the generations to come might know them, even the children which should be form, who should arise and declare them to their children,” and an apostolical appellation, is that given by Paul, viz. ” Christ crucified.”

Alexander then explains the etymological origin of the word “catechize.” While this may seem to some to be irrelevant, the very origin of the word suggests the nature of what is being promoted. Alexander noted that the Greek form of the word means “to instruct with the voice.” The word is found in six or seven places in the New Testament, and is commonly translated “instruct.” Alexander concedes that the word has come to mean, in English, “to instruct by means of questions and answers.” This is a distinctive means of “catechizing.” The main purpose of catechizing is to adequately communicate content.” One may raise the objection that God has ordained preaching and not catechizing as the means by which Divine truth is to be communicated. It is in anticipation of this objection that Alexander wrote, “Preaching supposes and requires some preparatory knowledge in the hearers, to render it useful in communicating religious knowledge. Elementary principles must be acquired in some other way; and this was more especially the case before the invention of printing, when books were very scarce and few persons were able to read. It seems that the apostles and first teachers of the Christian religion, were much occupied in giving religious instruction from house to house; and we know from undoubted authorities, that in the earliest times of the primitive church, all who applied for admission into the church…were carefully instructed by catechizing; that is, by a course of familiar teaching, viva voce.” These are important facts to which we must pay careful attention. As pastors and teachers of the church, or fathers and heads of families, we must consider what is the best way to insure that the people of God are learning and retaining the words and doctrines of God. Another objection that is often raised against the argument that catechizing is necessary has to do with the relationship of doctrine of Scripture. Many will, no doubt, insist that all their children need to do is learn the Bible, and that the doctrines contained in our Reformed Confessions and catechisms are human inventions that should not be given equal place in their lives. Alexander approaches this common notion by asserting that “there is, moreover, an unspeakable benefit from the possession of correct doctrinal information, when the mind falls under serious impressions of religion; for then the truths that have been early inculcated, and long forgotten, will revive in the memory, and serve to guard the anxious mind from those enthusiastic errors into which ignorant persons are so prone to fall when they are deeply excercised on the subject of salvation.” In short, Alexander is contending for catechetical instruction as a means of perseverance in the faith in the midst of a world that is anti-Christian in its thought and instruction. Everyone is being instructed, the question is, “In what form of doctrine are you ebeing instructed.” When our children meet with various worldly philosophies and doctrines of demons, will the doctrinal instruction they received in the home and church serve as a defense against the world, the flesh and the Devil? One of the most helpful sections of this small pamphlet is the list of expositions that have been written on the Westminster Larger and Shorter catechisms. Alexander noted:

Most parents then stand in need of some helps to enable them to explain the meaning of the Catechism; and such helps have been amply provided, and should be in the hands of every Presbyterian family.  We have works of this description by Vincent, Flavel, Thompson, and others of former days; and more recently an excellent exposition of the Shorter Catechism by the Rev. Belfrage of Scotland ; and still more recently we have a set of Lectures on the Shorter Catechism from the pen of the venerable Doctor Green , in two volumes, which we sincerely wish might be found in every family in our church, as a work of sound theology, written in a correct and perspicuous style.  And while we are recommending expositions of this excellent little compend, we would not omit to mention with high approbation, the Rev. Matthew Henry’s Scriptural Catechism , in which all the questions are derived from those in the Shorter Catechism, and the answers throughout are in the very words of Scripture.  This in our opinion is an admirable work, and ought to be reprinted and widely circulated.  We are also free to recommend Fisher’s Catechism, as a valuable doctrinal work, which has been much used in Scotland, and by many Presbyterians in this country. The Key to the Shorter Catechism, we also approve, and from the testimony of those who have tried it, we are led to believe, it may be made very useful in aiding children to understand the meaning of words and phrases used in the Catechism.

There are many other useful arguments and examples set out in this work. Thankfully Naphtali Press has published a copy of it online. You can find it here. This is one of the most careful treatments of a practice that desperately needs to be revived in our day!

to help you establish God-honoring Family Worship in your homes. We trust this avoids two extremes: an idealistic approach that is beyond the reach of even the most God-fearing home, and a minimalist approach that abandons daily Family Worship because the ideal seems so out of reach.

As many families know, family worship is a difficult task. Though many reformed families know its importance, being disciplined enough to have family worship every day (let alone twice a day) is very challenging. Beeke’s article can help families to begin or renew the practice of family worship without becoming too intimidated or unrealistic. Read the article