Covenant Magazine [Spring - Summer 2011] by Covenant Theological Seminary

Covenant The magazine of Covenant Theological Seminary Spring Âˇ Summer 2011

From Jerusalem

to the Ends of the Earth

spring · summer 2011

From the President

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” — Acts 1:6–11

FeAtUres

7 12

In the Land of the Risen Lord

The Christian “S” Word

Covenant Distinctive: Grace Foundation

Alumni Profile:

Student Profile:

Gathering of the Nations: Reflections from Lausanne

20 25

The Earth Is the Lord’s and Everything In It Brokenness Redeemed

Essentially Equipped: Pastors Training Pastors

Two Callings, One Home: Woven Together for a Purpose

Faculty & Staff In Their Own Words

Alumni News

Jesus’ last earthly words to his disciples have set the tone and purpose for the life and mission of the church for more than 2,000 years. Though we have not always lived up to the noble challenge of them, as followers of our Lord we are called to witness to the mercy of God and the greatness of Christ in all that we do and wherever we go. Of course, the great thing about Jesus’ last words is that we know they are not really his last words. He continues to speak to us today through the Scriptures and will speak again in person when he returns to claim all those who are his. As the old song says, “We long to be in that number, when the saints go marching in.” If we take our faith seriously, we also long to tell others the Good News of redemption in Christ so that they will be able to join us in that great and glorious day. Here at Covenant Seminary, we do our best, by God’s grace, to equip pastors, church leaders, and other believers to live out our Lord’s call to proclaim him to others courageously but compassionately. As you will see through some of the examples in this issue of Covenant, God is working through the witness of our students and graduates to exalt the name of Jesus in a variety of traditional and non-traditional ways in settings that enable them to reach people where they live with the grace of the gospel. What a great and glorious God we serve! And what a great and glorious privilege it is to bear witness for him in every area of our lives and in every part of creation! Will we face challenges in doing that? Certainly. Will we be tempted to shy away from our appointed task? Often. Yet the glory that ultimately awaits those who confess our Lord and proclaim his name faithfully—and the desperate need of souls who do not yet know him—is greater by far than any temporary pain or discomfort or embarrassment that we might face. I pray that as we grow daily in his grace, we will experience more and more fully the joy and the power of being used by him to make his name known—from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

Vol. 25, No. 3 on tHe CoVer: From St. George’s Church, Madaba (biblical Medeba), Jordan—a fragment of the oldest floor mosaic map of the Holy City, Jerusalem. Clearly visible are the surrounding walls, the north-south Cardo street (with colonnade), the Damascus Gate plaza, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (big yellow cupola).

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

Bryan Chapell, President

To watch an inspiring devotional message from Dr. Bryan Chapell, delivered at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, visit www.covenantseminary.edu/Israel.

In the Land of the Risen Lord In January 2011, two groups from Covenant Seminaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one of Seminary friends and supporters led by Dr. Bryan Chapell and his wife, Kathy, and one of students led by Drs. David Chapman and Jay Sklarâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;visited Israel to see and learn about some of the places where the events depicted in Scripture actually took place. They also experienced times of worship and prayer amid these important historical sites. Here are a few photographic highlights from their travels.

www.covenantseminary.edu

The Christian “S” Word each year, Covenant Seminary’s preaching students select several of their senior-level classmates as outstanding representatives of the homiletic arts, who then have the opportunity to preach in chapel before the whole seminary community. We offer here a sample of one such sermon as we celebrate these servants of God’s Word who are graduating this year and going forth to minister in Christ’s church.

today’s sermon is about everything—every aspect of life, who we are, what we have, what we want, what we know. It’s about everything tangible and everything intangible. Everything. My wife and I have done a lot of house sitting while we’ve been in seminary. at one of the homes—a very large and beautiful one—the 2

Covenant Spring · Summer 2011

owners showed us around and eventually took us to the garage. there sat a silver aston Martin. I’m not usually a car guy, but when I saw that car, even I knew it was something awesome. We admired it for a while. then the woman of the house said, “We don’t like it.” Surprised, I asked, “Why not?” “It’s too low to the ground,” she said. “We can’t go over speed bumps, we can’t go into parking garages, and we have to park it on the street. But we don’t park it next to other cars because it could get scratched too easily. Parking this car is so difficult; it’s as if the car controls us.” You probably don’t have an aston Martin, but you know how it feels to be controlled by something—grades, money, things, a relationship, an ability. You know what it’s like to be consumed by something. You know—and so do I—because we have an inability to let our possessions go.

How can we be in control of our things rather than letting them control us? We’ll look at three things we need to remember to help us answer that question: 1) God is the owner of all things, 2) we are God’s managers, and 3) we have a common goal. But first, we’ll start at the beginning—the beginning of Creation. God is the Owner of All Things

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. — Genesis 1:1 As the Creator of everything, God owns everything. That seems simple enough, but of course we tend to think, “Whatever I possess, I own. I can do with it whatever I want.” The truth is, however, that God owns everything. We’re told in Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” Do you know what that means for us? It means that all of our things are not ours. They’re God’s. Our money is not ours. It’s God’s. Our computers, our pictures, our houses, our blogs, our bodies, our children, our churches, our time, our relationships, our spiritual gifts, our achievements—all of these belong to God. None of them are ours. There’s a well-known story about English theologian and clergyman John Wesley. He was in town one day when a big commotion erupted because something had caught fire. Everyone ran to the fire, including Wesley, who suddenly realized that it was his own house that was burning. His famous response was, “Oh no! The Lord’s house burned! I guess that is one less responsibility for me.” I want that kind of freedom—and I know you do too. But if you’re like me, you usually live in fear of your things being taken away. So you hold on to them so tightly that it leaves you with incredible anxiety. Don’t you want the ability to let go of the illusion that you have some control over all your things? When we begin to understand that they’re God’s things—not ours—then we have the freedom to let go, the freedom to turn control over to God, and the freedom to trust him with everything. We are God’s Managers

So, what do we do with the things we have? What is our responsibility? God gives us the responsibility of managing his things. We can see this in Genesis 1:26–28. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” — Genesis 1:26–28

God gives man a responsibility. He sets up a hierarchy for dominion. He sets up the hierarchy of God > Man > Possessions. We are to have dominion over his possessions, to manage his creation. If you haven’t figured out yet what the Christian “s” word of my title is, it’s stewardship. A few weeks ago, some friends asked me to drive them to the airport in their car. They gave me their keys and said I could drive the car while they were gone. After I dropped them off, I started thinking, “This car is way nicer than mine. I wonder how fast this thing can go?” So I pushed the gas pedal and took off. But when I got over the speed limit, I stopped and thought, “Is this how my friends would drive their car? Is this how they would want me to drive it?” I’m going to say it again—the Christian “s” word—stewardship. We say that word a lot but don’t always know what we mean by it. Stewardship can be defined as “using the things the owner has given you to accomplish the same intentions as the owner.” Adam was to manage the Garden. He was to have dominion in that hierarchy of God > Man > Possessions. So we have to ask ourselves not only “What am I going to do with my money?” but also “How I am going to manage everything in my life that God has entrusted me with, just as he did with Adam in the Garden when everything was right and pure?” Adam did have dominion over God’s things—until Genesis 3: the fall. That’s when the hierarchy turned upside down. Adam was called to manage God’s things, and he failed. What did God do? Did he chuck his tainted possession? No, he set up a plan to fix it and rid it of Adam’s sin. So he made the promise of the Savior in Genesis 3:15. And you can trace that promise through the Pentateuch, the historical books, the Psalms, the Prophets, into the New Testament and the Gospels where Jesus, the Savior, comes, lives, dies, and then is resurrected. And as he ascends to heaven, he gives us the Holy Spirit—which leads us to Acts 2. We Have a Common Goal

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. — Acts 2:42–47 In this passage we see what God wants us to do with his things as we manage them: we are to manage God’s things to advance his Kingdom. In this passage, the Holy Spirit comes down onto the believers, and we see them advancing God’s Kingdom in two ways. First, they advance the quality of God’s Kingdom by devoting themselves to teaching and fellowship. Awe comes upon every soul, people believe, and they have all things in common (v. 42). In verse 43, we see their common goal of managing their things so that they could strengthen the Kingdom of God. Not only are they advancing the quality of God’s Kingdom but they also increase the quantity of the Kingdom. They sell their possessions (v. 45), they live together, and the Lord adds to their number daily. (v. 47). They were managing God’s things in a way that would add to www.covenantseminary.edu

the number of his Kingdom. They had a common goal with their pospossessions—to advance God’s Kingdom so that it could goevery to every sessions—to advance God’s Kingdom so that it could go to tribe, tribe, nation, and tongue theends veryofends the earth. nation, and tongue to theto very theof earth. In his work On Christian Doctrine, St. Augustine said that everything is either an instrument or an end. It’s something you use to accomplish a goal, or it becomes the goal itself. What are the believers in Acts 2 doing? Are they managing God’s things as instruments? Or are they managing God’s things as ends? I recently talked with a friend who moved away to begin a ministry. When I asked how it was going, he explained that he and his wife were struggling over whether to put their kids in private school or public school, or to homeschool them. He said they were praying that God would show them where their kids would best advance God’s Kingdom. Pardon? What? It was like my brain broke because here was my friend managing his children—his most prized possessions—as instruments to advance God’s Kingdom. I was shocked, and I admired him because too many times we get caught up in managing our things, our abilities, and ourselves in ways that build our kingdoms instead of God’s. To what goal or end are you managing your things? We build kingdoms of comfort based on what is easiest, safest, and the most fun—because it’s all about “me.” But that’s not what God calls us to do. What would cause me to shift from advancing my kingdom to advancing God’s? Why would I manage all these things for him? Consider three things. First, God gave up his most prized possession—his only Son—to save a people who had rebelled against him, turned their backs on him, and corrupted his creation. Second, Jesus, had all the riches of heaven and gave them up. Why did he do this? To gain the one thing that he didn’t have with him in heaven—us! He managed his life so that you and I could be added to God’s Kingdom. Third, the Holy Spirit came to us and guides us in managing our

Conclusion

I know a seminary couple who were victims of something close to identity theft. They were left with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Another couple—let’s call them Brad and Julie—heard about the seminary couple’s trouble and asked them to lunch one day. As they talked, Julie brought up the topic of the debt and said to the couple, “Brad and I have been talking and praying about this. We do not want money to keep you from advancing God’s Kingdom, whether that is from the pulpit or having babies, or whatever.” Julie then slid a check across the table. It was written for enough to cover the couple’s debt. The couple began thanking Brad and Julie profusely, but Brad and Julie would not have it. They said, “Thank God because it’s his money; we’re just trying to be good stewards.” When we understand that God owns everything and that he has given us the responsibility of managing his things with the goal of advancing his Kingdom, only then will we begin to have the ability to let our possessions go. Only then will we gain the freedom we so badly want. Only then will we be free from the bondage of control. Let us praise together the God who gives so much so freely! DaviD Fisk David Fisk (MDiv ’10) serves as the campus minister for Reformed University Fellowship at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Prior to attending seminary, he worked with Athletes in Action’s soccer program and in the business world doing marketing and IT. However, the Lord continued to place on his heart a desire to advance the Kingdom through ordained ministry, which led David and his wife, BeCa, to Covenant Seminary. Together they now serve college students through leading Bible studies, hosting dinners, and developing meaningful relationships.

ResouRces on PReaching

ResouRces on stewaRDshiP

Book Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 2nd ed., by Dr. Bryan Chapell (Baker Academic, 2005), available for purchase online at www.covenantseminary.edu/bookstore

ArtiCLe “Money Matters,” by Giorgio Hiatt

Course Christ-Centered Preaching: Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, taught by Dr. Bryan Chapell, available free online at www.worldwide-classroom.com LeCtures The 2010 Covenant Seminary Preaching Lectures: Thoughts on Preaching Christ, featuring Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, available with other editions of the Preaching Lectures at www.resourcesforlifeonline.com (search “preaching lectures”).

things for the sake of God’s Kingdom. He directs us, convicts us, challenges us, grows us, and teaches us. Through his Word, he reminds us of the true owner, our responsibility, and our common goal.

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

sermons “Money, Money, Money (1 Tim. 6:5–10),” by Prof. Jerram Barrs “The Widow’s Mite (Mark 12:41–44),” by Dr. Bryan Chapell

These and many other free resources are available through Resources for Life at www.resourcesforlifeonline.com.

The Covenant Distinctive Grace Foundation

This article is the second in a series of student-written reflections on the stated distinctives of Covenant Seminary and how students experience these core values during their time with us.

uring a question-and-answer session related to the 2010 Covenant Seminary Preaching Lectures, guest speaker Dr. Sinclair Ferguson made a passing comment that caught my attention. He said, “There is no such thing as grace.” What? How can that be? Aren’t we saved by grace (Eph. 2.8–9)? Hasn’t grace appeared, bringing salvation for all people (Titus 2:11)? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” and “Thanks be to God!” Let me clarify: Dr. Ferguson trusts wholly in God’s grace. His point was that grace does not and cannot exist apart from Christ Jesus, who grants this grace. This point stuck with me as I began thinking about my time here at Covenant Seminary and how, by faith in Christ—a faith which God also grants—I not only receive the grace to live and grow in the Christian life, but also to face the challenges of seminary that God uses to mold and shape me and my fellow students into better leaders for his church. You see, one of Covenant Seminary’s core values is a foundation of grace. As stated on the Seminary’s Web site, this means that: “We believe that the foundation for all that we do must be the gospel of grace––our absolute confidence in God’s acceptance of us provided through his redemptive work in Jesus Christ as the supreme motivation and enablement for love and holiness.” I have been at Covenant for almost three years, and I cannot imagine the Seminary functioning out of any other grid. At every layer, the ethos of the Seminary flows out of the understanding of the gospel of grace. I initially came to Covenant for two reasons: First, I knew someone who was here. Second, I leaned toward the counseling program’s philosophy of integrating counseling techniques under a biblical framework. My 15-minute interview with Dr. Richard Winter, head of the counseling

department, sealed the deal for me as Dr. Winter not only articulated well but also embodied personally the grace foundation I had heard about. Only later did I decide to pursue the MDiv degree in addition to the MAC. I consider that interview to be a providential moment and just one example among many of how God’s grace has been working through Covenant Seminary to have a continual and profound impact on my life. Here are a few others. The faculty and staff care for us greatly.

Yes, they care that we are acquiring knowledge and skills for future pastoral ministry, but they also care that we are appropriating the gospel of grace in our own lives now. For instance, although Dr. Hans Bayer is an excellent New Testament scholar and I learn a tremendous amount from him in class, I learn even more from him because he loves Jesus. As he walks with the Lord, and as I and my fellow students interact with him daily, he points us to Jesus. The faculty and staff care for the people we might one day pastor.

Perhaps for some Covenant professors, compassion for those we seek to serve one day is their primary motivation in caring for us, leading them to help us become the best pastors we can be. Though Dr. Donald Guthrie is without peer when it comes to understanding and helping others to understand the process of education, I learn even more from him as he educates the people of God in a Sunday school class or serves as an elder in his local church. He reminds me that I am not here merely to be a good student; I am here to follow Jesus and to invite others to follow him too. www.covenantseminary.edu

oUr Core VAlUes

the faculty and staff care for our wives and families.

The values we hold dear provide a strong foundation for our mission and help to keep us focused on the purpose for which we were established.

Seminary can be tough, especially on our families as we spend hours with our heads in books or with our faces glued to computer screens. I am thankful that people such as Mark Mcelmurry, the director of Student Life, care enough about my wife and our relationship to meet with us, talk with us, and keep tabs on how we are doing as we deal with the challenges of seminary.

Christ-Centered ministry We believe that a seminary education is successful only if, at its end, the student knows Jesus Christ more intimately than at its beginning. our approach to ministry training finds both its source and its goal in the person and work of Christ. Biblical Authority We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and therefore it is our only infallible rule of faith and practice. We believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit, and thus we affirm the inerrancy of the original manuscripts whose objective truth it is our responsibility to interpret and proclaim in accord with the principles of Scripture. Grace foundation We believe that the foundation for all that we do must be the gospel of grace—our absolute confidence in God’s acceptance of us provided through his redemptive work in Jesus Christ as the supreme motivation and enablement for love and holiness. relational emphasis We believe that relationships between students and professors must take a meaningful place alongside teaching content, so that the entire character of the student—mind and heart—might be transformed for ministry. Pastoral training We believe that our primary task is to train students for pastoral ministry—including church planting, campus ministry, chaplaincy, and missionary service—while also equipping those who will serve beside these pastors in a variety of ministry roles. To accomplish this purpose, we have gathered a faculty of pastor-scholars who are not only first-rate academically, but also experienced in every facet of ministry and church leadership. Church leadership We believe that, as the seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), it is our responsibility to provide theological training and ministry models that are true to the Westminster Standards and the historic distinctives of Presbyterian orthodoxy, while equipping the next generation of Christian servants for more effective church leadership in a changing world. At the same time, because we recognize that a seminary alone can never fully equip students for these tasks, we seek to work in partnership with local churches to accomplish our purpose. kingdom Perspective We believe that God’s ultimate purpose is the gathering of his people from every nation and the renewal of all things. He calls his church to active involvement with the world’s peoples and cultures for the purpose of bringing the gospel to those who do not believe and expressing Christ’s lordship in every area of life. In order to train students to make disciples of the nations, our faculty, staff, and students must increasingly reflect the ethnic and cultural richness of God’s worldwide church. www.covenantseminary.edu/whycovenant/mission

Covenant Spring · Summer 2011

any student on this campus could tell countless stories about the ways that the Seminary’s grace-focused faculty and staff have had an impact on their lives. Without a foundation of grace, this institution could not exist or function as it does, nor could it produce the kind of pastors that it does: pastors who labor to preach grace faithfully, to articulate its depths accurately, and to live out it implications personally. For you see, grace is a game changer. It reorients our maps; it is the compass that reveals to us that we are lost and shows us the way home. If we trust that the grace of God is a sufficient foundation for our very lives, why would we not trust in God’s grace for the foundation of everything we do at Covenant Seminary—and in our future ministries? We who are confronted with the grace of the gospel in such a deeply personal way while we are here cannot help but be profoundly transformed by it. and that, in the end, is what grace is all about. P. d. mAyField P. D. Mayfield is a third-year MDiv/MAC student. He and his wife, Kelli, are expecting a baby girl in May 2011. After he graduates, P. D. would like to serve in pastoral ministry with an emphasis in counseling and care of the local church. His long-term desire is to be connected with caring for the spiritual and emotional health of fellow pastors and other vocational workers in Christ’s church.

AlUmni Profile

Smith

Johnson

SCHLECT

The earth

is the

Lord’s everything in it

Several St. louis-area alumni are making meaningful contributions to the local community in ways that are being appreciated by their neighbors and recognized by the media. these alumni participate in proclaiming the gospel as they watch the goodness of God permeate lives outside of the church walls.

lthough we still experience remnant ideas of the early church heresy of Gnosticism, we know the truth that the Lord created the world and all that is in it good; there is no separation between the sacred and the secular. A chef who proclaims God’s all-encompassing goodness when he acknowledges the gifts of the Lord in the provision of food and the pleasure it can bring honors God just as much as the pastor preaching in the pulpit and leading a congregation to serve the needs of its local community. Though the Lord often calls Covenant Seminary alumni to serve him in cities and countries far from St. Louis after they graduate, he has called several to stay close by and bring the hope of the gospel and the promise of coming redemption to those right in our own backyard who don’t yet know him. This set of “mini-profiles” shows how, in his providence, God unites individuals’ gifts and interests with particular passions and needs of those in our city. resUrreCtion gArden

It started with a butternut squash and a free cup of coffee. Chris Smith (MDiv ’00) walked into the Broadway Bean, a coffee shop that had become a part-time office in the south St. Louis neighborhood of Carondelet where he was planning to plant Resurrection Presbyterian

Perkins

Church. “Identify this squash and get a free cup of coffee,” said Larry, the Broadway Bean’s owner. Chris hesitantly named the only kind of squash he knew: “Butternut?” he answered uncertainly. “that’s right! You get a free cup of coffee!” Larry said. “You’re only the second person who could identify this squash, and the other guy was a professional gardener.” an hour later, Larry called Chris over to meet a man named Dennis, the other person who identified the squash. Dennis is a gardener who had been spending his time starting gardens, planting trees, and tending parks in the neighborhood—sometimes for money, sometimes for free. Shortly after this, the Lord opened up an opportunity for Resurrection Church to rent space and worship at the nearby St. trinity Lutheran Church. one day as Chris was looking for that church’s pastor, David Liebnau, Chris was surprised to find him talking to Dennis (not a member of either church). Dennis had approached Pastor Liebnau about starting a garden on the church property that he hoped to use to grow fresh produce for the local food pantry, a ministry cosponsored by the Lutheran congregation. Pastor Liebnau said his church was unable to maintain such a garden, but he spotted Chris approaching and suggested that Chris’s church might like to do it. “Do what?” Chris inquired. “Launch and maintain a vegetable garden that could provide fresh produce for the food pantry,” Dennis answered. “I can help you write a grant and get you started.” Chris agreed to ask his core group of church attendees for their input about the project. Several core group members responded with enthusiasm, so Dennis www.covenantseminary.edu

wrote a grant proposal to Gateway “Just as the story of the Bible Greening, a local urban gardening organization that awarded the church a starts in a garden and finishes grant which provided all the materials needed for a raised-bed garden, some in a garden city . . . we were tools, and an area for composting. able to cultivate a garden that In March 2010, with the help of Dennis and a handful of folks from helped to beautify the city and St. Trinity and Gateway Greening, nearly 20 members of Resurrection at the same time allowed us to installed eight raised beds, built a make a small contribution composting bin, and in the following weeks began planting corn, peas, to feeding the hungry.” green beans, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, and okra. Throughout the —Rev. Chris Smith spring, summer, and fall, under the administration of Resurrection intern and then-Covenant Seminary student Tim Carroll (MDiv ’11), members of Resurrection took turns weeding, watering, planting new crops, and harvesting. By November, when the last harvests were collected, the garden had produced more than 300 pounds of fresh produce—all of which was donated to the food pantry and helped feed some of the 325 families in the neighborhood who are served there. At the end of the gardening season, over a warm celebratory meal, Chris talked with the gardeners about how much God had blessed Resurrection with this unexpected opportunity to plant and tend a garden. “How fitting,” he reflected, “that just as the story of the Bible starts in a garden and finishes in a garden city, we—with the help of Dennis and Gateway CloCkwise from top left: Resurrection PCA started a vegGreening—were able to cultivate a garden that helped to beautify the city and at the same etable garden in 2010 that produced food for a local food bank. time allowed us to make a small contribution to feeding the hungry.” Dennis and Chris (second and third from left) worked with diliFor the 2011 season, Gateway Greening renewed its gardening grant, providing Resurgent volunteers to install the garden. Current MDiv student Steve Nicoletti is managing the garden this year. Bo Hanley was one of rection with funds that the new garden administrator, Covenant Seminary student Steven the most faithful and gifted gardeners in 2010. Nicoletti, plans to use to expand the garden and increase the harvesting yield. This year the Resurrection gardeners will enlist the help of more laborers as they work alongside women from the local community who are transitioning from prison to productive community membership through an agency called Center for Women in Transition. From the humble seeds of such collaborations, God is growing new beginnings and renewing and cultivating lives in St. Louis city soil.

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

THE CHAPEL: SANCTUARY FOR THE ARTS

When Greg Johnson (MDiv ’97) arrived at Memorial Presbyterian Church (St. Louis, Missouri) in 1994, he found an aging congregation tired from a church split. But he also found elderly members who mentored him and became his family. In 2003, when the church brought Greg on as pastor to adults, senior pastor George Stulac (DMin ’93) gave Greg the charge of refocusing the church on reaching its urban neighbors. Founded in 1864 and housed in a sprawling cathedral-like building, the church is located in the central corridor of St. Louis and sees the extremes of the human predicament: impressive cultural accomplishments, learning, beauty, diversity, and commerce. People travel great distances to St. Louis for high-quality education as well as life-saving medical procedures. Yet there are also rust, frustration, sin, boarded-up buildings, violence, racism, loneliness, car break-ins, alienation from God and others. It’s a city in need of renewal. One of Greg’s first steps was recruiting seminary interns, including Corrin (Ranney) Schlecht (MDiv ’05, current DMin student). Serving first as an intern and then for four years as director of community, Corrin planned community-building events to create an environment of welcome. She pursued people unaccustomed to church who saw it as a place of judgment, not love. Memorial sits in a young and hip neighborhood of urban dwellers, students and faculty from Washington University in St. Louis, internationals, gays—people in the creative class. And in its midst, a new leadership core at Memorial was developing with a vision to bring the welcome of Jesus to the city. The church’s vision became subversive: members desired to always put themselves beneath others and to wash their feet—fighting not for the crown but for the towel. As diverse people came together, the knowledge of God grew, and seeds of renewal began to sprout. As Memorial sought to be a community of love and grace for its neighbors, members looked around and considered the resources God had given them to accomplish this dream. They had little money. The church arrived at an unusual conclusion: square footage. As part of the historic property, Memorial had a little-used chapel connected to the main church.

The Chapel became a venue in which members served local artists and musicians, tearing down a wall of suspicion that separated culture from church. www.covenantseminary.edu

Entre:Underground

ABOVE: The Chapel is a converted gothic structure behind Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis. It is a not-for-profit, all-ages venue that exists to serve local musicians and artists. RIGHT: John Perkins and his Entre:Underground team plate dishes for an event.

The Chapel became a venue in which members served local artists and musicians, tearing down a wall of suspicion that separated culture from church. With early leadership from Colin Ravenhill (MDiv ’05), now pastor of family ministries, and then-students John Early (MAEM ’07) and Noah Thomas (MATS ’09), The Chapel raised eyebrows. It’s stated mission: to serve musicians, to serve artists, to renew the city. THE CHAPEL is a not-for-profit musician-centered venue, event-based gallery, and theatre. Through generous supporters, THE CHAPEL provides all services free of charge to artists and musicians. We support St. Louis as it positions itself as a premier city for the arts and music. One early reviewer, Pete Cosentino of Vital VOICE—the city’s leading gay and lesbian information source—was shocked by the unexpected vision he saw at The Chapel: donated free drinks, led by volunteers, all services free to its artists, musicians, and theater groups. He wrote: The Chapel is designed to lose money so musicians get their due. Say what? Come again! You mean to tell me this place which calls itself a Sanctuary for the Arts is just exactly that? Generous, benevolent, selfless, inclusive, inviting . . . and gratis, to boot? In a community that felt only judgement from Christians, intentional grace was unexpected. With little money but an old building, the gospel of grace is sprouting seeds of hope and change in the City of St. Louis. 10

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

One weekend a month, people around St. Louis eagerly sign up to savor a never-the-same, thoughtfully prepared five-course meal at a location not known until the day of the meal and dine at two communal tables with perfect strangers. Whether his dinner guests are aware of it or not, chef John Perkins (MDiv ’09) is sharing a bit of his worldview and inviting diners to understand God in ways they may never have considered. In a way, Entre:Underground dinners have been about rehabilitating John’s own perception of what it means to be at work in the world and to work with truly raw materials to shape something wonderful—ultimately creating an experience of pleasure. “I have always hoped that these meals will be means of subversively sharing the gospel. Every aspect of preparing a meal and serving it is fraught with spiritual significance,” explains John. “When I choose ingredients, I affirm the goodness of creation. When I prepare a dish, I mimic the creative work of God and seek to create beauty out of chaos. When people are invited to our table, it is an invitation that goes without respect to economic status, social standing, or ethnic identity. We seat people together at long communal tables because we are forming community by the shared experience of a meal. And by serving people, we actively and purposefully love them. They experience pleasure, which is something that God truly longs for us to experience. At every dinner, we essentially are saying, ‘The pleasure you had eating good food and drinking good wine is but a small picture of the profound love God has for you.’ ” Whenever guests find out that John graduated from seminary, it tends to challenge some of their stereotypes. “For many non-Christians the idea that a Christian would choose cooking as a career is counterintuitive,” John explains. “Whether it is totally correct or not, the perception is that Christians are and always have been puritanical in their view of pleasure. So, when they encounter a Christian who actively encourages experiencing the pleasures of food and wine it comes as a shock.” And John loves that. “I love it because I am actually telling them something about who God is without explicitly ever saying it.” John notes how the created world exists as a testament to God’s boundless creativity; it exists in all of its excessive glory because God declared it to be that way. “Carrots are not necessary, and neither are peacocks for that matter, yet God made them,” John says. “Are smoked sturgeon eggs from Russia really necessary? Or maple syrup? Have you

ever seen a rainbow beet? Why is that necessary? Do you have any idea how many varieties of wine exist in the world? Is any of that necessary? The short answer is no, none of it is. God didn’t have to make the world this way, but here it is—on my plate, in my glass, at our table. The only reason any of this exists is because God created it. And here’s the best part: he created it for us, so that we might delight in it, and by delighting in his abundance—beyond all imagining—we would delight in him. By recognizing that the world as it is is fundamentally unnecessary, we begin to catch a glimpse of how stunning God’s favor is to us.” The choices we as Christians make—in relation to our food consumption as well as in relation to the created world—say something about who we think God is and who we are. “Working with food has given me a much fuller sense of what it means to be a Christian,” John explains. “Food often functions as a metaphor for grace in Scripture, and it has actually deepened my understanding of grace as well. If we believe that God actually created the physical world—not out of necessity but because he desired to give us pleasure through it—then eating is but a means of experiencing the pleasure God intended for us.” A thread of unity runs from beginning to end of each meal John hosts. Each course builds off of the previous one, rising to a crescendo of enjoyment and satisfaction. In the same way Scripture also has a trajectory, one that begins in a garden and ends with a feast. In Isaiah 25, the author is praising God for his mighty deeds in the past and also looking forward to the future: “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged

wine well refined” (v. 5). This is a feast not for one person but for all nations—all peoples. It is a feast not of stale bread and water but of the best wine and the choicest meat. God’s provision, his mercy, his grace are once again on display as something real and tangible. To cook, to build, to tend a garden, to create, to play music, to perform is to engage with the created world as God intended. These are not only acts of obedience, but also of recognition that God has given us this world to live in and to enjoy. As Christians, our goal should be to craft a culture that affirms creation rather than shuns it and that views pleasure as an intentional blessing of an intentional God. It is to say, with John Perkins, “This turnip was created by God for our nourishment, for our wonderment, and ultimately for our pleasure.” By using and appreciating the raw physical materials of the world in this way, we say something important to a watching world about the God we worship and his relationship to the unnecessary but graciously created beings he chose, in love, to make. Compiled by Jackie Fogas Headshot of John Perkins on p. 7 by Katherine Bish

In 2008 chef John Perkins began Entre:Underground, a five-course dining experience with always-changing menus and locations. There is a strong communal aspect as everyone dines together at long tables.

“I have always hoped that these meals would be a means of subversively sharing the gospel. Every aspect of preparing a meal and serving it is fraught with spiritual significance.” —John Perkins

www.covenantseminary.edu

stUdent Profile

Brokenness r e de emed

god moved matthew Creamer from abused adulterer to redeemed son, calling him to be a mighty instrument of grace.

atthew Creamer (MDiv ’12) has a messy testimony. He has endured and inflicted heartache and betrayal while doing remarkable things for the Lord. Matthew grew up in a Christian home where his parents played an integral role in planting a fundamentalist church in ohio. His father and grandfather served as elders in the church, his parents were the church’s first youth directors, and Matthew was the first child baptized in the church. “We were there literally every time the church doors were open,” he says. not surprisingly, Matthew’s earliest memories revolve around the church. He memorized Scripture and the children’s catechism shortly after he learned to talk, but these good things stemmed from a desire to

Covenant Spring · Summer 2011

please God. “the church was Reformed, and though they taught salvation by faith, sanctification was ‘sola bootstrap-sia,’ ” Matthew jokes. In his experience, the church portrayed God as angry: though he loved the world enough to send his only Son, he did so begrudgingly. the church technically taught the perseverance of the saints and eternal security, but Matthew says that struggling with questions or doubts indicated that one’s commitment was not sincere enough. discovering Palestine—darkness and All

When Matthew was five years old, his parents took the family to Palestine to minister to people living near a refugee camp between Bethlehem and Hebron. though his parents had good intentions, they had little theological training and no understanding of cross-cultural ministry, Islam, or the arab world. Despite his family’s lack of preparation, Matthew adapted well to his new environment. “I ran around the

world.” When he told his parents what was happening, they disciplined him as if he had somehow allowed it to happen and for not reporting it to them sooner. “that was the last time I told a soul about it for the next 28 years,” he shares. the abuse continued for another eight years and grew more severe. the situation was complicated by the fact that many of the men who abused him were family friends and demonstrated kindness to his family during times of real need. “Some of those guys would have thrown themselves in front of a car for me, but they were sexually abusing me,” he says. “everybody knows that it goes on, but it’s not admitted.” Matthew’s false sense of shame and guilt—exacerbated by wrong teaching about sanctification and the nature of God—led him to try harder to win God’s favor and distance himself from the abuse he was enduring. In high school in Jerusalem and later at college in ohio, Matthew worked to appear spiritually mature and serene. He participated in youth ministry, translated arabic for pastors, and led worship at arabic churches. But by stuffing his past, Matthew sank into a deep depression that began in high school and followed him for years. Hiding in the dark

refugee camp and villages nearby and became almost as much Palestinian as I was american,” he explains. Yet Matthew witnessed the Israeli soldiers committing horrors against native Palestinian children in his village. When it came to the language, Matthew learned arabic quickly; he calls it his “second mother tongue.” His linguistic gift served his parents well in their ministry, and Matthew soon became a centerpiece of it, translating for pastors in church and doctors in hospitals. the responsibility he felt weighed heavily on a boy who had not yet hit adolescence. “I constantly felt the pressure of using the special gift God gave me,” Matthew shares. though he loved the Palestinians to whom his family ministered and felt part of the culture, at age seven Matthew became a target of sexual abuse at the hands of some Muslim and nominally Christian men. Matthew says pedophilia is “one of the dirtiest secrets of the Muslim

as a young teen, Matthew realized that Palestinian Christians needed music in their own language and style. as early as age 14, he began writing arabic hymns for use in his church, and he recorded his first album during his senior year of high school. “I saw how stupid it was that we were singing Western hymns translated into arabic,” he explains. “I wanted to give the arabic young people contemporary Christian music.” World vision would later sponsor him to return and record two additional albums; Matthew has taught this music to Christians throughout Israel. after finishing high school, Matthew returned to the United States to attend college and study music. He wanted to return to the Middle east as a musician and continue ministering to the Palestinians through music. During college Matthew married his wife, Roberta, whom he had met in the Middle east four years earlier when she came for a summer mission trip to Palestine. Roberta shared Matthew’s passion and desire to return to the Middle east to live and work without being missionaries in the traditional sense. “I never turned my back on God or the church, but I did not want the church to be my end point,” he admits. though Matthew did not initially want to participate in ministry as a staff member at a church, within six months of graduating from college the Lord led him to begin working as a worship leader at a church in Dayton, ohio. over the next 11 years, this part-time job morphed to include leading the youth ministry, coordinating small groups, shepherding and counseling congregants, and following up with visitors. Right before the senior pastor left in 1997, Matthew became licensed to preach as pulpit supply and served in that and other shepherding roles at the church for the next several years. But despite signs of a flourishing ministry, Matthew had not yet begun addressing the horrors he experienced as a child or the depression and addictions that resulted. “I honestly believed that if I looked like I had everything together and was working hard at the Lord’s work to earn his favor, it didn’t matter what kinds of struggles I might be having,” he admits. In 1996, shafts of light from the gospel began to penetrate Matthew’s spiritual prison. He and Roberta attended Sonship, an intense www.covenantseminary.edu

conference focused on applying gospel truth to daily living, at Christ Community Church (PCA) in Franklin, Tennessee. This represented the first time Matthew and Roberta truly heard the gospel of grace. At last, Matthew began to understand that the entire Christian life is the work of God’s grace and that rather than being a curmudgeon who bestows a little love while grumbling under his breath, God absolutely and unconditionally loves his children. This teaching thrilled and inspired Matthew, and he began to sense a desire to communicate the gospel as a pastor. But Matthew had darker days ahead of him. Experiencing the Depravity Within

Shortly after returning from the Sonship conference, Matthew began an affair with a woman in his church, and the blinding effects of sin insulated him from the darkness of his actions. “It was so easy at first to rationalize and excuse it, but the real sense of guilt and conviction from

received counseling to deal with the tangled mess of sin, brokenness, and heartache that had been left unaddressed for years. In December 2002, Matthew was restored to eldership by the session of Christ Community. His restoration came with approval from the church in Ohio where he had served. Other than a brief stint as a worship leader at a church in Florida, Matthew and Roberta remained in Tennessee until they moved to St. Louis in 2009 to attend Covenant Seminary. The last 10 years have forced Matthew to look honestly at the depth of his sin but also to see the enormity of the cross and the richness of the gospel. “I am convinced more and more that the pure gospel of grace is the only thing that can bring true healing to us and our addiction to sin and idolatry,” he says. Understanding Weakness and Experiencing Wholeness

Aiding in his healing have been Matthew’s wife, two children, and daughter-in-law. Son Jonathan (and his wife, Lynnsey) and daughter Rachel both live in Tennessee and attend Christ Community Church. “They have been an integral part of our story, ministries, and healing,” Matthew says. “They, like Roberta, show me the unconditional love of my Abba.” Matthew willingly shares his testimony to encourage others struggling with past abuse or sexual sin. In the fall 2010, he and Roberta shared their testimony during Dr. Richard Winter’s weekend class called Sense and Sexuality. Matthew also founded a Covenant Seminary chapter of the Samson Society, a Christian support group for men struggling with addictions. He and Roberta increasingly want to use their experiences to encourage pastors and their wives and missionaries and the organizations that send missionaries. Roberta in particular feels a sense of calling to minister to pastor’s wives. As for music, Matthew has three albums of English music and three in Arabic, and music conLeft to RigHt: Matthew, daughter Rachel, wife Roberta, son Jonathan, and daughter-in-law Lynnsey tinues to provide a place for him to articulate the Listen to Matt’s Music! Many of Matthew Creamer’s Arabic songs truths of the gospel. “I always wrote what I knew, are available for free download from www.matthewcreamermusic.com and not what I felt,” he says. some of his English songs can be downloaded from www.reverbnation.com. Matthew dreams of planting a church and pastoral retreat center in Middle Tennessee, a place where he and Roberta can minister to people in ministry who have the Holy Spirit along with the false sense of guilt and shame from my experienced tremendous brokenness—like they have. Additionally they childhood took an ever increasing toll,” Matthew shares. dream of returning to live and work among the Palestinians in Israel. His depression worsened and led to alcohol abuse and a near Wherever the Lord might lead them, they want to take their testimony breakdown. Eventually Matthew’s pastor, an elder in the church, of God redeeming their brokenness and shining the gospel through and the woman’s husband confronted him about his infidelity. He was heartache and weakness. fired from the church and suspended from ministry and eldership. It MEgan FoWlEr was at this time that Matthew finally told his wife—after 15 years of Megan Fowler is a freelance writer based in St. Louis. She loves to share stories of real people doing extraormarriage—about the abuse he had suffered as a child and the struggles dinary things for the Kingdom in everyday situations. that resulted. With no job and a marriage on life support, in 2001 Matthew and Hiding in the Dark: Resources for Healing Roberta moved their family to Tennessee and began attending Christ For free audio resources about healing sexual brokenness, search “Nate Larkin” Community Church, the place where they had first heard the gospel of (founder of the Samson Society) and “Dr. Mark Laaser” (founder of Faithful and True grace. They came under the care of the session at Christ Community and Ministries) at www.resourcesforlifeonline.com.

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

Equipping Believers

in the

Worldwide Church

“. . . to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ . . .” — Ephesians 4:12

A new free app for mobile devices makes Worldwide Classroom content more easily accessible. · Stream or download 28 complete master’slevel courses. · listen to interviews with dr. Bryan Chapell and noted guests such as Alistair Begg, Tim Keller, and Scotty Smith. · Read daily devotionals for Christ-centered living. Currently available for iPhone®, iPad®, and AndroidTM.

iPhone

Android

Scan to download the app now!

In addition to downloading our new app, you can find FRee content from Covenant Seminary online. www.worldwide-classroom.com

www.livingchristtoday.com

www.resourcesforlifeonline.com

www.covenantseminary.edu

Shaping a Community of Grace to Equip Future Pastors for Life and Ministry Fully equipping pastors to face today’s ministry challenges means going beyond mere classroom training. at Covenant Seminary, we aim to engage the whole person—as well as the whole family—as we work to shape a vibrant community of faith in which future church leaders can experience firsthand the life of grace they are called to embody. By God’s grace, we seek to encourage such growth in our students by further enhancing our campus environment.

Nurturing Families for a Lifetime of Ministry We believe that God calls not only pastors to ministry but their families as well. that is why we work to provide students and their families with many opportunities for fellowship, support, learning, and preparation for the joys and challenges that ministry brings to family life. Campus improvements will enhance our ability to do this well.

C hapel offers twice-weekly times for community-wide worship, prayer, and teaching. C ovenant G roups enable students and faculty or staff facilitators to develop deep and lasting relationships as they share how God is working in them personally during their preparation for ministry.

D ay

p rayer provides an opportunity each semester for the whole campus community to

gather in prayer for the concerns of the Seminary, the broader church, and the world.

M inistry l unChes give students multiple opportunities each week to meet, network with, and learn from seasoned pastors, missionaries, and other church leaders.

f ree l eCture s eries

anD

s peCial W eekenD C lasses foster spiritual and ministerial

growth as current students and alumni learn with and from noted evangelical teachers.

f aMily n urture p roGraM offers free childcare for parents attending select chapel services and select classes together, and for regularly scheduled parents’ nights/mornings out.

InItIatIve I InItIatIve II

Improvements to Campus Community Center the edwards Community Center—the only large fellowship space on campus—is in need of improvements to accommodate the growth of our full-time student population. the renovations of this space will greatly enhance its use as a place for students to gather and grow in Christian unity with one another and with our faculty and staff. Goals: •

Improve community-wide gathering space for casual discussions and events.

•

establish venue for regular community, speaker, and meeting needs.

•

Create new bookstore and food service center.

Renovations to Rayburn Chapel Rayburn Chapel, the heart of our worshipping community, was built in the 1970s and is in need of updating, additional seating, and technological advancements to facilitate the teaching and proclamation of God’s Word. Goals: •

Parental care room to serve entire families during chapel and events.

•

Renovated foyer area for soundproofing needs.

•

technological enhancements and better accommodations for corporate worship.

Your Partnership is Essential We are grateful to receive a portion of the funds for this campaign through the 2011 Women in the Church Love Gift.

Your prayers and financial support are a vital part of this ministry. Please consider how you might join us in shaping a living, learning, worshipping community of grace. Contact our Development staff directly at 1.800.264.8064 to find out more about this or other giving opportunities. You may also visit us online at www.covenantseminary.edu/supportus.

gAtHering oF tHe nAtions Reflections on the Third lausanne Congress on World Evangelization

more than 4,000 Christian leaders from 198 countries gathered in Cape town, south Africa, in october 2010 for the third lausanne Congress on world evangelization. their goal: to promote unity in the church, humility in Christian service, and a call to active global evangelization. dr. Bryan Chapell, president of Covenant seminary, participated in the Cape town event and offers here some reflections on his visit to south Africa, the progress of the congress, and its implications for twenty-first-century Christianity.

a Baptist church. My sermon on Isaiah 6 receives an unexpected level of appreciation. I am told that many congregations in South africa rarely hear expository messages. at the conference, my tablemates include leaders from India, england, Pakistan, Hong Kong, and Kenya. all appreciate the international nature of the congress and agree that the coordination of theological education is the major need of Christians in the developing world.

saturday, october 16: Arrival and First impressions

I arrive in Cape town after 27 hours of traveling. the city is beautifully situated on the ocean, surrounded by mountains, lakes, and a lush valley opening below the bleak and dry South african desert. the airport is new, and the city center, prepared for the recent World Cup matches held here, is amazingly clean. Yet the modern superhighway runs beside miles of “townships”—shanty town slums for the non-white population. the townships are segregated into “colored” and “black” sections, further delineated into “villages” by major tribal groupings. the suburbs where the white population lives are lush and protected by the locks and bars of multiple security systems. I learn that 72 percent of the population here is “Christian.” But young men still go to tribal “circumcision schools” where they are told that Christianity is for women and the weak and that as men they should have no limits on their sexual expression. South africa has a very high incidence of aIDS as many here still practice brother-in-law marriage of widows, which spreads the disease rapidly in the townships. sunday, october 17: worship and opening Ceremony

I attend morning worship in a black church of the emerging middle class. Shiny BMWs are parked beside worn-out Fiestas. Women arrive in tribal dress and men in a mix of t-shirts and suits. this charismatic church features contemporary music, electronic projections, an amplified pastor, enthusiastic worship, and a sermon (translated for visitors) on the prosperity gospel—but no Scripture readings during the service. Sunday evening I preach at a multi-denominational service held in 20

Covenant Spring · Summer 2011

Expressions of worship ranged from theatrical dance performances and abstract art demonstrations to traditional corporate music and singing.

the opening ceremony is an olympic-style event featuring international dress, dance, music, high-tech video, and dramatic presentations of historic events in Christianity. We sing the same hymn that was sung at the famous 1910 edinburgh Congress on World evangelization and listen to the reading of a letter from Billy Graham emphasizing the need to be true to Scripture and our mission of evangelization. We pray for the Chinese house-church Christians who were not allowed to come to the congress by their government. Doug Birdsall, executive chairman of the Lausanne Committee, challenges us all to consider our differences and come together for the next great movement of Christianity. We close with all 4,000 delegates saying the Lord’s Prayer together in their own languages.

Monday, October 18: The Truth of Christ

A pastor from Sri Lanka preaches on Ephesians 1, noting that the modern trend toward de-emphasizing the proclamation of Christ in favor of lifestyle evangelism is contrary to the Pauline urge to proclaim Jesus clearly. Witnessing to Christ by our lives is necessary, but minimizing proclamation is a temptation we must battle. Christians must also realize that, contrary to the prosperity gospel, we are already rich (whether or not God ever gives us a lot of money) and that the power we have in Christ is not immediate but ultimate, according to the mystery of God’s plan for the reconciliation of all things in heaven and on earth. Several speakers, including noted author Os Guinness, address the issue of pluralism, noting that those who say that all religions are relatively the same do not recognize the ultimate contradiction of such a position. Guinness argues that holding a high view of truth is essential if we are to honor the God of truth and confront the evil and hypocrisy that infect our world. He closes with a powerful quote from Alexander Solzhenitsyn: “One word of truth outweighs the whole world.” A study group of scholars, theologians, and others from 25 nations discusses ways of engaging with one another beyond national, denominational, and traditional evangelical boundaries. Previous Lausanne congresses focused on developing a widening vision of the gospel to include the expansion of God’s Kingdom as well as individual salvation. The goal of this congress is to reestablish theological foundations for carrying out this Kingdom mission. Our recurring theme is: the whole church, the whole gospel, the whole world. The evening session focuses on Asia, the issue of suffering, and the persecuted church. The highlight of the conference thus far is the talk by a Korean teen whose mother and father were both killed doing mission work in North Korea. She is now being raised by a Chinese minister’s family. She asks us to pray not only for Christians in North Korea but also for those who do not yet know Christ there as she hopes to follow her parents as a missionary. Her emotional appeal draws thunderous applause and a standing ovation that does not quiet down until she comes back on stage with her adoptive Chinese father. Later, I participate in a planning session for a 2012 conference

A Korean orphan shares the powerful story of her family’s persecution.

about developing cooperative efforts for theological education in the majority world. Many at this session are very interested in the possibilities of Covenant Seminary’s Worldwide Classroom online resources. Tuesday, October 19: The Peace of Christ

Internet communication here has broken down due to the volume of e-traffic from so many tech-savvy evangelicals in one place. Organizers are also unable to broadcast the conference internationally as planned. Still, we continue with a full schedule of presentations focusing on

Real-time translation in the eight official languages of the Congress allows people of many tongues to experience the conference together.

overcoming the divides in a broken world, especially those caused by nations, denominations, and gender conflicts in society and ministry. Some of the issues addressed: •

The need for reconciliation in India in light of its continuing caste system and the terrible sexual slavery of millions of women and children.

•

The need for racial and ethnic reconciliation in South Africa in the wake of apartheid and the church’s own poor record of interracial dynamics.

•

The rapid growth of Christianity in areas where persecution is strongest, due largely to a renewed commitment to preaching and living the full gospel—even when it brings attack or criticism.

•

The surprising progress of the gospel in the Muslim world, especially in Iran, where tens of thousands are becoming Christians despite the fact that the country is officially closed to the gospel.

•

The tensions in the Middle East as various religious groups vie for growth. Orthodox Christianity is still the largest Christian group, though its numbers are dropping. Evangelicalism is growing, but so is Islam, which currently accounts for 92% of the Middle Eastern population; Christians of all types make up less than 5% (100 years ago that number was 20%); Jews make up 1.6 %. In Saudi Arabia, there are more than 1 million Christians; 100 years ago there were fewer than 50 known believers. www.covenantseminary.edu

•

The sufferings of the 23 million people in Africa who have AIDS, most without treatment possibilities.

Tonight’s worship service ends with all of us singing the Doxology in our own languages. “Political correctness” about gender issues is apparent as the English version projected on the screen replaces the words “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” with “Creator, Savior, and Holy Spirit.”

Libbie Little speaks about her late husband, Tom, and nine others who were killed by persons unknown as they returned from a medical mission in Afghanistan. Libbie prays for those in Afghanistan using a powerful analogy drawn from her husband’s surviving notes: “Nuristani goat cheese is left to ripen in old goat skins; you can smell it for miles. For

Wednesday, October 20: The Love of Christ

John Piper preaches on Ephesians 3 regarding the cosmic purpose of God to display his wisdom to the heavenly powers. He provides good reminders that God has chosen that some of his servants be imprisoned as a way to bring about his purpose, that the supernatural power required to suffer for his name comes through earnest prayer, and that the truth of the

Libbie Little’s story of loss as a result of terrorist actions in the mission field grieves believers throughout the room.

Keynote speakers from the United States included leaders such as Rev. John Piper.

gospel is not necessarily about God’s rescue from suffering in the present world but about rescue from the wrath of God eternally by the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. The second great moment of the congress comes when missionary

The Lausanne MOveMenT a brief history

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

some it is repulsive, but for those who only know a cornbread diet, it is special and you can’t wait for more. God’s gift of his Son is too repulsive to be received by most until they are desperate to have something else. Then those who taste this grace will love it, want more, and want to tell others what that smell is on the breeze.” She finishes to a standing ovation and great applause. One of my table partners shakes with weeping, explaining that he is from the same ministry as Libbie and Tom Little. On August 5, 2002, his children were in a school that was attacked by terrorists but, miraculously, they were saved. Eight years later on the same date—August 5, 2010—Tom Little’s group was killed. The man says, “We don’t understand the ways of God. Some were saved, but others were killed. We trust God to do what is right for the spread of the gospel.”

Early 1960s—Evangelist Billy Graham sees a need to unite evangelicals in common task of world evangelization.

Early 1970s—Graham expands range and scope of such conferences to address evangelization in a changing world.

1966—Graham’s organization sponsors a World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin, Germany, featuring 1,200 delegates from more than 100 countries.

1974—First Congress on World Evangelization held in Lausanne, Switzerland, drawing 2,700 participants from more than 150 nations. Produces Lausanne Covenant, a widely influential statement of beliefs and goals.

Friday, October 22: The Church

Participants celebrate the diversity of the global church and their unity in Christ.

Today’s preaching focuses on Ephesians 4 regarding the unity and giftedness of the body of Christ. Our discussion centers on the reality that most of the churches in the developed world are struggling with being “top-heavy and overaged.” The older generations who built these institutions now seek to sustain them by telling younger generations to “take care of what we built.” Younger generations perceive the institutions as disconnected from them and from the ministry that needs to be done. They are zealous for the gospel and willing to get the job done apart from the institutions. There is a huge need to communicate better across the generations in this regard. Sustaining our institutions is not as important as expanding the impact of the gospel, especially in lands where it is little known. India, for example, has a population of 1.4 billion, with 4,000 people groups and 600,000 villages. There are 639 unreached people groups in the world—and 310 of them are in India! In addition, of 8,000

We hear many other stories of suffering and how God is working to build his church even in the midst of the harshest and most inhospitable circumstances. Thursday, October 21: Day Off from the Conference

I travel to the Bible Institute of South Africa, where missionaries with Covenant Seminary connections minister. We drive along the coast of South Africa, admiring mountains, lush vegetation, the sea, and penguins. We also pass a shark lookout point but see no sharks—only whales! I lecture all morning on Christ-centered preaching to students, pastors, and church members from 20 nations. Later, I visit the Cape of Good Hope, near the southernmost tip of Africa where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet with great winds, roiling seas, and ostriches. I spend the evening at a church that is part of a network begun by Redeemer church in New York. This one is in a rough part of Cape Town. Redeemer’s own Rev. Tim Keller is here preaching to 1,000 young people about “The Prodigal God.” The most telling moment comes during his call to faith in Christ: the amplified sound of the Muslim neighborhood’s call to prayer bleeds into the church.

1975—The Lausanne Continuation Committee changes name to Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization with goal of promoting commitment to world evangelization. 1989—The Second Congress on World Evangelization held in Manila, Philippines, drawing 3,000 participants from 170 countries. Produces Manila Manifesto, elaborating on themes of Lausanne Covenant.

Discussion ignited at each table around the topics of sharing the whole gospel to the whole church throughout the whole world.

languages in the world only 460 have a complete Bible; 1,187 have a New Testament; 843 have only portions of Scripture; and 2,252 languages have no Scriptures at all.

1980s–2000s—Lausanne Movement inspires dozens of related conferences and regional networks.

Adapted from www.lausanne.org, which contains a wealth of information on the Lausanne Movement.

2010—Third Congress on World Evangelization gathers in Cape Town, South Africa, drawing 4,000 participants from 198 countries. Produces Cape Town Commitment, an important restatement of shared beliefs and a call to evangelistic action.

www.covenantseminary.edu

related resources on World evangelization To watch a presentation about Dr. Chapell’s trip, visit covenantseminary.edu/Lausanne. To hear a panel discussion on world evangelization held at Covenant Seminary, visit resourcesforlifeonline.com/audio/8687. Find more by searching “world mission” on Covenant Seminary’s Resources for Life site at resourcesforlifeonline.com.

This leads to a discussion of how to get the essence of the gospel to people without exhaustive translations. One possibility is the creation of story Bibles. Another is the dramatic portrayal of the gospel, especially on the increasingly important Internet. Currently, 1.3 million people per month indicate they come to Christ through the Internet. The hope is to increase that to 5 million via the use of cell phones, which are more prominent in many developing nations than computers. This afternoon I attend a seminar where we discuss the primary reasons for the failure of Christian leadership: pride and lack of listening/caring; focusing on tasks instead of people; lack of integrity; financial impropriety; and moral failing. Christian leadership must follow the servant-leadership model exemplified by Jesus. It is not a quest for personal greatness but the ability to enable others to achieve their potential by knowing that their significance is in Christ, who makes us heirs of his Kingdom through grace. Later, I co-lead a session on the expectations for seminaries in the global training of church leaders. Many non-Westerners are suspicious of both Americans and seminaries, perceiving them as imperialistic dinosaurs, yet developing-world leaders look to us to provide everything they need in the way of resources and accreditation (though they often want no direct oversight). The question is whether the West can provide such resources without creating dependence, especially because many Western seminaries are struggling to survive. I have to leave the congress on Friday evening so I’m unable to attend the closing ceremony on Sunday. Final Thoughts

It was wonderful to be with church leaders from so many nations and to enjoy such enthusiastic music, interesting programs, moving testimonies, and the amazing variety of seminars and discussions. Sadly, much of the Bible teaching was short, perfunctory, and, with notable exceptions, devoid of clear messages of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. The evangelical community is clearly struggling with how to

communicate “the whole gospel for the whole world.” While many presentations focused on the need to make our witness credible through social concern, there was also intense pressure to keep that witness from citing historic truths about justification by faith in the blood of Christ, propitiation from wrath by the sacrifice of Christ, historic gender ascriptions for the persons of the Trinity, and hell. Still, the Cape Town Commitment, the final theological statement of shared beliefs resulting from the congress, was blessedly orthodox and willing to address difficult issues. As for South Africa, extremes of poverty and wealth live side by side here, resulting in high security for the haves and high crime for everyone. There is a growing middle class, but even when people have enough money to move out of the shack houses in the townships, they choose to stay because to move out of the township would be to lose one’s identity, which is not in wealth but in community relationships. Yet, the prosperity gospel is terribly seductive and popular. One of the more important learning moments for me came when I had lunch with the young tribal translator of the prosperity preacher whose service I attended on my first morning in Cape Town. The young man, who had just attended my seminars on preaching, said, “I do not agree with what my pastor says, but I am his translator because I came to faith in his church and the church supports my ministry studies. My pastor is a good man who preaches as best he can, but he knows that he knows very little and wants better for me.” The prosperity gospel is certainly better than the tribal religions of animism, spiritism, immorality, and hate. Yet we know that God is still doing his work in the present and future Africa and that the mature gospel of grace will ultimately replace the prosperity gospel—here and in all the nations of the world. Dr. Bryan Chapell Dr. Bryan Chapell is president and professor of practical theology at Covenant Theological Seminary and is much in demand as a preacher and teacher. He is the author of several books, including ChristCentered Preaching, Christ-Centered Worship, Holiness by Grace, and Praying Backwards. His Bible teaching can be heard daily on Living Christ Today at www.livingchristtoday.com. Photos on pages 20–23 © 2010 The Lausanne Movement, www.lausanne.org,

LEFT from top to bottom: Dr. Chapell near the southernmost tip of Africa. A shantytown illustrates the communal values of South Africans. Dr. Chapell visits an evangelical seminary and meets the translator (far left) of the church he had attended in Cape Town earlier in the week.

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Essentially Equipped through the fire of ministry experience, one pastor has come to realize how critical it is for pastors with hearts for both people and academia to do the work of training and equipping future church leaders in seminary.

“the pastorate is a crucible full of blessings and battles,” said Dr. Bryan Chapell to our graduating class in 2002. I had no idea just how true those words would prove to be. one recent study says that an estimated 1,500 pastors leave the ministry every month. of those surveyed, 80% believe that the ministry has negatively affected their families, and 50% have considered leaving the ministry in the last three months. (See John Cameron King’s The Key to Your Church’s Vision, 2009.) Like many other pastors, I learn things daily that I could not have learned in seminary. and also like them, sometimes I feel like throwing in the towel and exchanging the glass house I live in for one for a more opaque one with curtained windows. However, I feel that I have been given a gift that the vast majority of pastors today have not been given: I trained at Covenant Seminary, which requires that its professors have extensive pastoral experience themselves. I believe that much of why I am still in the ministry and am not a statistic today can be directly attributed to the character and experience of the men under whom I studied.

Pastors Training Pastors

How do we learn How to Be Pastors?

Few students arrive at seminary already possessing a wealth of pastoral wisdom and knowledge. I certainly did not. In fact, seminary is a great place to learn how little we actually know. However, it is much easier to impart doctrinal knowledge than wisdom. So, how does one learn to pastor? We are undershepherds, but we are sheep as well. I remember Dr. Dan Doriani, adjunct professor of new testament, saying, “Pastors are cardiologists with heart disease.” We are still broken and need Jesus at least twice as much as the most hardheaded sheep in our congregations. as pastors, our failure to embrace this can result in a fakeness on our part and in our sheep wrongly thinking that we pastors are somehow more than we actually are. It also inevitably results in our sheep being appalled to discover that we are actually less than they thought. In Lectures to My Students, famed British preacher Charles Spurgeon said: That is the article I am deprecating, that dreadful ministerial starch. If you have indulged in it, I would earnestly advise you to “go and wash in Jordan seven times,” and get it out of you, every particle of it. I am persuaded that one reason why our working-men so universally keep clear of ministers is because they abhor their artificial and unmanly ways. If they saw us,

in the pulpit and out of it, acting like real men, and speaking naturally, like honest men, they would come around us…We must have humanity along with our divinity if we would win the masses. Everybody can see through affectations, and people are not likely to be taken in by them. Fling away your stilts, brethren, and walk on your feet; doff your ecclesiasticism, and array yourselves in truth. we Can’t give what we don’t Have

Most pastors with whom I have served desire to serve the Lord and truly do love his church. However, as men, we can only pass along what we have received. In 2 timothy 2:1–2, Paul tells timothy to “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” If an integral part of being pastors is multiplying our lives into others by equipping them for the work of the ministry (eph. 4:11–12), a couple of questions arise: How are we to equip others to do what we do not ourselves know how to do? and how is a pastor to learn what he does not know in order to be a better equipper? theologian thomas oden has said, “It is dangerous to the health of the church for ministry to be practiced without good foundations in Scripture and tradition, reason, and experiwww.covenantseminary.edu

ence.” (See Oden’s Pastoral Theology, 1983.) If Oden was right in saying that experience is key, then it is fair to ask whether those without significant pastoral experience should train those who aspire to become pastors. The role of the pastor and the role of the academician are related, but different. It is easy to overlook this fact in a seminary context when a solely academic professor attempts to equip a budding pastor for local church ministry. The failure to recognize the difference in the two settings can result in professors equipping their students to answer the wrong questions. One example of this is the frustration experienced by a young man I mentored when he took a New Testament class for his Master of Divinity degree at a well-known and respected evangelical seminary. His professor was very sincere, but he had never been a pastor. In the student’s own words: I was in seminary to get the training I needed to become a missionary. I will probably never have the opportunity to pursue further theological training beyond my MDiv. When I had such a limited opportunity for training, it really frustrated me that my professor spent literally 75% of the semester going over source criticism and how to refute it. I know that this is important, and I understand that I need to know a certain amount of it. But he never got around to teaching us how to understand and teach the New Testament. As a result, I feel like it was a monumental waste of my time and money. Does this mean that I believe that pastors do not need to be trained in source criticism? Absolutely not. However, it does mean that one who trains pastors needs to understand the environment for which he is training them, and nothing but pastoral experience can equip him to understand that context. One might object that there is no practical reason for a professor of biblical languages to have extensive pastoral experience in order to train pastors in those languages. Yet, the Greek or Hebrew professor with extensive pastoral ministry experience knows the difference in the weekly schedule of the pastor and the professor. He can temper his training based on this knowledge and help young pastors set realistic goals for the use of biblical languages 26

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

in the pastorate. Is this a compromise? It is hardly a compromise to train students in such a way that they actually continue to use effectively what you are trying to teach them—especially considering how few pastors who studied Greek and Hebrew actually use either of the two in their ministries. Recognizing the Gap Between “Is” and “Ought”—and Knowing What to Do

Finally, if a man has never been a pastor, his concept of how to lead the local church has a tendency to be centered in the “ought.” The “ought” is good and necessary. However, it doesn’t take long for a pastor to realize that the church doesn’t work like it ought to. Just as in other areas of life, there is a major gap between what “is” and what “ought” to be. A lack of pastoral experience in those who train future pastors leads to a very real danger of recognizing the true state of the church only in a theoretical sense—if at all. Only in the crucible of ministry can we become acquainted with the reality of the church and realize how far removed it is from what it ought to be. At this point, however, we often have no idea how to bridge the gap. Scholars who have been pastors know the reality of the gap as well as the difficulty of bridging it. They know how to teach on the “is” and they know how to teach on the “ought.” But they also understand the gap between the two.

I began by stating how blessed I was to have studied at Covenant Seminary under men with deep and rich pastoral experience. As a result, I believe that I was much better prepared to endure the fires that I face in ministry than I would have been without these mentors. This is not to say that I have always listened well to their advice, but the Lord has brought their words back to my mind many times. I have learned over the years that they knew what they were talking about—and to a greater degree how blessed I was beyond measure to have learned from them. REv. HEatH KaHlBau Heath Kahlbau (MDiv ’02) has served as a pastor for the past eight years and is currently pursuing a PhD in pastoral theology and leadership at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, under Dr. Daniel A. Akin.

Recommended Resources “The Peril of Pastors Without the Biblical Languages,” by Dennis E. Johnson (Presbyterian Journal, Sept. 1986)

A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, by Phillip Keller (Zondervan, 1970, 1996)

Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry, by John Piper (Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002)

Spiritual Leadership, by Oswald Sander (Moody Press, 1994)

Lectures to My Students, by Charles H. Spurgeon (Zondervan, 1954) The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church, by Timothy Z. Witmer (P&R Publishing, 2010)

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Two Callings, One Home Woven Together for a Purpose

Sometimes our lives look different than we had hoped. It may be for a season, or it may be a complete change of course for life. In this particular season of her life, alumna Beth Hart affirms the words of Proverbs 16:9: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Faithfulness calls us to consider the future and make plans. However, wisdom encourages us to hold these plans with an open hand because—like everything else—our lives ultimately belong to the Lord. (See the sermon on page 2.) Yet, though our part in God’s mission to redeem his world may look a bit different than we at first expected, we can take comfort in the fact that he knows what he is doing better than we do. And we can say, again with the author of Proverbs, that: “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” (Prov. 19:21).

Covenant Spring · Summer 2011

he day before I moved to St. Louis to begin the MDiv program at Covenant Seminary, my grandma hugged me goodbye and said, “I always knew you would make a great pastor’s wife.” I adore my grandma, but I was shocked, embarrassed, and a little outraged at her comment. at the time, I was 23, single, and had no plans of ever becoming a pastor’s wife. I was attending seminary to pursue teaching through vocational ministry. God had stirred in my heart a strong calling to study his Word and serve in his Kingdom, but not as a pastor’s wife—definitely not as a pastor’s wife. now, six years later, I have just completed my first year-and-a-half as a pastor’s wife. the Lord brought Zane into my life during our first semester at seminary, while we were both studying Greek. We married during our second year and started taking most of our classes together. We even walked across the stage together at graduation. Because we both have ministry experience and education, Zane understands my calling, and I understand his. He knows that God made me to be a deep thinker, and one of the things I like to think deeply about is God’s Word and how it applies

to this world. Part of what I love about Zane the most is how he encouraged me to finish my MDiv. Zane wants to see me fulfill my calling, and I want to see him fulfill his. God has used Zane to better prepare me for ministry and vice versa. We love both being called and equipped for ministry, and we’ve learned to embrace

Beth and Zane Hart met at Covenant Seminary and are faithfully following as God reveals his plans to use them for his glory.

both the joys and frustrations that come with this path. as we entered our final year of seminary, the details of where and when we might land in a particular job were unsettled. We prayed for ministry positions for both of us but soon

The Weaver My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me, I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily. Oft times He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride forget He sees the upper but I the under side. Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly, shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needed in the Weaver’s skillful hand, as threads of gold and silver in the pattern life has planned. —Benjamin Malachi Franklin (1882–1965)

found out that we were expecting our first child. Surprise! The Lord gave us our beautiful daughter, Miranda, two weeks after we finished seminary. The details of our callings were slowly starting to take shape. Zane settled into a great job in youth ministry, and I in shock entered into the roles of pastor’s wife and new mom. Soon, I started leading a discipleship group for middle-school girls at our church, and the group’s first meeting foreshadowed the year I had ahead of me. I had so much fun with the girls who attended. We baked a dessert, ate more of it than we should have, laughed, studied the Bible, and prayed together. From this first gathering, I saw God working in the lives of these girls. I was thrilled that he was allowing me to help in their spiritual formation. But I was the only leader of the group, and our baby daughter also had to attend with me. I struggled to focus as my attention was divided between my role as group leader and my role as mother to a fussy, tired baby. When that first evening ended, I had noticeably missed having a co-leader with whom to share my elation at its success and my frustration at its challenges. I also longed to have a kindred spirit with

whom I could think deeply as well as dream about the future of the group. As I entered into my calling as a pastor’s wife, I feared that my studies in seminary and my passion for theology would be wasted. The Lord’s kindness has not allowed this feared result to become a reality. I continually find application for my studies. Opportunities arise for spiritual leadership in young women’s lives, and I am thankful that God gave me the experience and training to handle those situations. God has also provided part-time editing work and teaching opportunities where I can exercise the theology muscles in my brain. Most of all, I love seeing Zane flourish as a youth pastor. He sacrificed many years in seminary for me to work in college ministry and flourish in my calling. In the midst of these joys, I also confess to Zane and the Lord that sometimes I feel jealous of Zane’s vocational ministry position. And with that confession, Zane and I expectantly plead with God and wait for the day when we will both work in vocational ministry positions that fit both of our callings. My grandma was right; I am called to be a pastor’s wife. I’ve grown to embrace this role.

God also called me to mother our daughter. It’s a delight and joy to see her grow. But the question lingers within my heart, “Where else am I called to serve?” The same deep thinking that led me to move halfway across the country for seminary training still lives. Becoming a pastor’s wife and a mother weren’t Beth’s grandmother with her part of my original plan; yet great-grandchild, Miranda Hart as I embrace this season of life, these new roles have not erased my gifts and aptitude for theological education. I don’t have answers to all my questions yet. I am still searching and praying. But I know that I can trust the One who called me in the first place, and I know that he will lead me—in his own time—to exactly where he wants me to be. Beth hart Beth (MDiv ’09) and Zane (MDiv ’09) Hart celebrated their fourth anniversary in December 2010. They stayed in Missouri after they graduated, and Beth currently stays at home with their 2-year-old daughter. She also does part-time freelance editing work, volunteers in her church’s youth group, and coaches girls’ basketball. Zane is a youth pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in St. Charles, Missouri.

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Faculty & StaFF

in their own words

JiMMy agan Associate Professor of New Testament; Director, Homiletics on my first sabbatical since coming to Covenant seminary, i am working on a book for Dr. Peterson’s Explorations in Biblical Theology series (P&R Publishing) with the working title Like the One Who Serves: The Imitation of Christ in the Gospel of Luke. My main goal is to answer two questions: 1) In what ways should Christians be like Jesus? and 2) How do we actually change to become more like Jesus in these ways? When I was a student here, Dr. David Jones encouraged me work on this topic, which is typically neglected in Reformed circles. I plan to explore some of the reasons for this neglect and why we need to recover a biblical approach to this theme. the lord has been teaching me (as the nineteenth-century Presbyterian pastor Andrew Murray once said), that “life like Christ is the fruit of life in Christ.” This corrects me in two ways: I can’t try to grow in Christlikeness in my own strength; but something is wrong with my relationship to Christ if I am not interested in bearing fruit! i recently finished a related article on this topic for Presbyterion titled “Toward a Hermeneutic of Imitation: The Imitation of Christ in the Didascalia Apostolorum.” The basic theme is that reading this document from the early church shows us right and wrong ways to apply Jesus’ example to Christian living, ministry, and church polity. The article concludes with four theses to ground a more helpful approach to applying Jesus’ example from Scripture. I am also working on two other articles: one on the imitation of Christ in Calvin’s thought and another on the barriers to sustaining a Christ-centered or redemptive approach to preaching over the long haul. This second article is based on some of what I’ve learned through teaching the dMin cohort on Christ-Centered preaching for the last three years. The cohort will be finishing up this summer as 10 pastors from across the country brainstorm about how to teach a redemptive approach to Scripture to fellow pastors, in their presbyteries, to youth and children’s ministry teams, to officer candidates, etc. I’m very excited about this! I have preached a couple of times at Twin Oaks Presbyterian Church in Ballwin, Missouri, while the pastor has been on sabbatical.

JerraM Barrs Professor of Christian Studies and Contemporary Culture; Resident Scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute i will be on sabbatical during the fall 2011 semester and am looking forward to spending 30

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time with family and working on some writing. Following are some upcoming speaking engagements. June 3–8—I travel to Abroath, Scotland, to teach at the Scottish Discipleship Summer School, sponsored by The Navigators. I will be speaking about what true spirituality looks like. oct. 31–nov. 9—I will lead the “Best of Israel” trip to the Holy Land, coordinated by Peter and Ilona Greyling. (Space is limited; for more information, please contact Gavin French in the Development office at gavin.french@covenant seminary.edu.) nov. 18–20—I travel to Seattle, Washington, to teach on apologetics at Grace Seattle Church.

Bryan Chapell President and Professor of Practical Theology As we finish up one academic year and prepare for the next, the Lord has blessed me with many opportunities to travel and speak on behalf of the gospel: in april, I traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to teach a preaching seminar at the Bible Institute and speak at an Easter Sunday service for some combined Geneva churches. May 13–14—In Annapolis, Maryland, speaking at the Grace & Men Conference. May 15—In Marriottsville, Maryland, speaking in a Sunday morning worship service at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church. May 19—Back in St. Louis to speak at Covenant Seminary’s Baccalaureate service. May 21–22—In Macon, Georgia, to speak at the graduation ceremony for First Presbyterian Church’s Day School and to preach in Sunday morning worship. June 5—In Quarryville, Pennsylvania, to speak in Sunday worship for the 75th Anniversary of Faith Reformed Presbyterian Church. June 6–10—In Virginia Beach, Virginia, to attend PCA’s 39th General Assembly. June 14–16—In Brentwood, Tennessee, to speak at the Preaching on Target Conference. august 11—In Gaithersburg, Maryland, to speak on “Gathering to Rehearse (the Gospel)” at the Worship God Conference. september 16—Back in St. Louis to speak at the Friday night worship service for the Annual Convocation of the Evangelical Association. september 23–24—In St. Louis for the Covenant Seminary Board meeting. october 5—In Chattanooga, Tennessee, to speak

in chapel at Covenant College. october 7—In Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the Women in the Church International Conference. october 9—In Plano, Texas, to speak in Sunday morning worship at Trinity Presbyterian Church. november 12—In Quakertown, Pennsylvania, to speak at the 2011 Quakertown Regional Conference on Reformed Theology.

C. John “JaCk” Collins Professor of Old Testament My most recent book, Did Adam and Eve Really Exist? Who They Were and Why You Should Care, will be published by Crossway (USA) / Inter-varsity (UK) in May 2011. In October, I will be a featured speaker at Bryan College’s reading genesis 1–2: an evangelical Conversation conference, to be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Find out more are www.bryan. edu/genesis. In other exciting news, my daughter recently got engaged and will be married in June 2011.

J. nelson Jennings Professor of World Mission I rejoice that over the Christmas break, all of my wife’s side of the family was able to gather at Newport Beach, California, to celebrate Kathy’s dad’s 80th birthday. In addition to a variety of speaking and preaching engagements earlier in the year, i have been working on three paper presentations for conferences in 2011: “the 2008 Financial Crisis and the great Commission” (presented in February at the Evangelical Missiological Society North-Central Region meeting at TEDS) “the Civilization Fund act of 1819: its history, effects, and Meaning” (to be presented June 30–July 2 at the Yale-Edinburgh Group conference at New Haven, Connecticut) “salvation in Jesus’ name alone: takakura tokutaro and early twentieth-Century Currents in Japan” (to be presented November 16–18 at the Evangelical Theological Society meeting in San Francisco, California) Last October I accepted an appointment to become Director of Program and Community Life (and eventually Executive Director) with the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut, beginning this summer. Though I will miss Covenant Seminary, I am looking forward to serving the Lord in this position.

Other things I have been excited about lately: The visit by Dr. James Kombo from Nairobi, Kenya, who was at the Seminary in March to deliver the annual David C. Jones Theology Lectures. The visit of Dr. Andrew Walls to Covenant this past November was monumental. His historical frameworks and instincts regarding the coming theological leadership of Africa were both astounding and instructive. Keeping prayerfully abreast of macro political-economic events and equipping our students to do the same. Going about the unglamorous daily tasks of service toward others, e.g., tutoring an 11-year boy each week.

RobeRT PeTeRson Professor of Systematic Theology I recently completed a sabbatical during which I did much writing, completing a 700-page manuscript for a book on the work of Christ that will be published by Crossway. I have also submitted a proposal for a book on union with Christ. Though I loved being on sabbatical I was eager to return to the classroom full time and am enjoying teaching immensely.

at the Seminary, gave birth to my first grandchild, Moses McCrea Loftin, on March 12. I love being a grandfather! By God’s grace, he is helping me and my wife, Renee, to love this precious time of life. Hooah (that’s for all the chaplain candidates)!

Seminary

We salute you for your hard work and dedication to the Lord, and we praise God for allowing us to walk beside you during this season of your lives. It has been our privilege to help prepare you for the Kingdom work to which you are called. We pray that the relationships you have established here will sustain and encourage you throughout your lives, and that the Lord would bring forth much fruit from your ministries—by his grace and for his glory!

PRAyeR RequesTs •

Pray for people around the world who are now considering training for ministry at Covenant Seminary and that the Seminary’s Admissions staff would continue to minister effectively to prospective students and their families.

•

Pray for all the students at Covenant Seminary who have given up careers, homes, and proximity to family to pursue ministry training. Ask the Lord’s blessing on these students and that he would provide for their spiritual, relational, and financial needs as he molds and shapes them into the gospel servants he desires them to be.

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Remember Covenant Seminary graduates serving as pastors, teachers, missionaries, and church planters around the globe, especially those in areas that are actively hostile to Christianity. Pray that these gospel servants will reflect the character of Christ in all they do, drawing many to eternal life in him.

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Pray for pastors, alumni, and others who seek enhanced understanding of Scripture through Covenant Seminary’s online media ministries, weekend classes, and other continuing education opportunities. Praise God for the many gifted professors and guest instructors who share their expertise and their hearts with others in this way.

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Pray for the Seminary staff as we seek to build stronger relationships with students, donors, and alumni to further the mission of the Seminary. Pray especially as we work this year to raise funds in support of the WIC Love Gift to help finance building and technology improvements that will enhance our campus environment and increase the Seminary’s ability to gather and disseminate gospel-centered resources for a worldwide audience.

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Pray that God would grant insight and discernment to Covenant Seminary’s president, Dr. Bryan Chapell, and our Board of Trustees as they make plans for the future of the Seminary. Ask that the Lord would continually renew their energy and enthusiasm for the Seminary’s mission.

•

Pray that God would provide funds to cover all of Covenant Seminary’s operating expenses, student scholarships, and other needs, so that this ministry may continue to be productive—by his grace and for his glory. (Our fiscal year ends on June 30, 2011.)

Joel D. HATHAWAy Director and Alumni and Career Services

MIKe HIggIns Dean of Students I am adjusting to becoming the new dean of students of Covenant Seminary while simultaneously working on a doctoral dissertation about the experiences of African-American church planters in the PCA. So, I am currently “dual-hatted”—both dean of students and a student. My daughter, Michelle, an MDiv student

neWs & PRAyeR RequesTs

CongRATulATIons To THe gRADuATIng ClAss of 2011!

I am also enjoying serving as pastor to Country Bible Church in Bunker Hill, Illinois, and am learning to trust the Lord for things I cannot control.

I invite all Covenant Seminary alumni to stop by the Seminary’s booth at the PCA’s 39th General Assembly during the week of June 7–10 for fellowship and conversation. We’ll also host a special reception for alumni on the evening of Wednesday, June 8. I’ll get more information to you soon via e-mail and our Facebook page. The Assembly will take place at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. If you won’t be able to join us, please contact me at joel.hathway@ covenantseminary.edu and let me know what the Lord is doing in your life.

These are lightly edited conversational updates from faculty and staff members. We hope you will enjoy getting to know their passions on a more persona level.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. — 1 THeSSALONIANS 5:16–18

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Craig Barnard (MA ‘96), development director, Joni and Friends, Jackson, MS. Bruce Cooke (MDiv ‘01), InterVarsity, Boston University, Boston, MA.

When reading these updates about friends and fellow alumni, I hope you glimpse the glory of our common histories. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, and hold tight to the unwavering hope of eternity that presses in on the curtains of this present moment. And where the encouragement of fellow travelers pours light upon your path, drink deeply, for there is life in the light.

Paul DeYoung (MDiv ’03), children’s pastor, Gashland Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, MO. Aaron Hofius (MDiv ’07), solo pastor, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, MO. David Illman (MDiv ’05), missionary, Cambridge, England. Jeff Kerr (MDiv ’10), assistant pastor, Crestwood Presbyterian Church, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Larry Kirk (MDiv ’84) celebrates 26 years of faithful service at Christ Community Church (Evangelical Free Church in America), Daytona, FL.

Your servant,

George Lacy (MDiv ’08), assistant pastor, West Hills Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, TN. Josh Lee (MDiv ’08), assistant pastor, Ridge Presbyterian Church, Paradise, CA.

Joel D. Hathaway Director of Alumni and Career Services

PS: Please let us rejoice and grieve (when necessary) with you through sharing updates on your life, family, and ministry.

Michael Oliver (MDiv ’01), chaplain of the 1-64 Armor Battalion, Fort Stewart, GA. Gavin Ortlund (MDiv ’09), youth pastor, Sierra Madre Congregational Church, Sierra Madre, CA. Jon Price (MDiv ’06), solo pastor, Covenant Community Presbyterian Church, Wexford, PA. James Quadrizius (MDiv ’08), solo pastor, Providence Community Church, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Jeff Rickett (MDiv ’97), pastor of multiethnic English ministry, Grace Christian Church, Herndon, VA.

Let us know how we can serve you through this publication. e-mail your suggestions for Covenant magazine to Joel: joel.hathaway@covenantseminary.edu. Stay connected! Search covenant theological Seminary alumni on Facebook.

David Rogers (MDiv ’99), senior pastor, Town North Presbyterian Church, Richardson, TX. Peter Rowan (MDiv ’08), Reformed University Fellowship campus minister, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. Russell St. John (MDiv ’99), chaplain, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. Jason Sica (MDiv ’05), City Church of Wilmington (church plant), Wilmington, DE. Chris Sneller (MATS ’07), campus ministry at King’s College, London, England.

COVENANT Spring · Summer 2011

alumni NEWS William Sofield (MDiv ’02), senior pastor, Grace Community Church, Carrboro, NC.

Harper Grace Justina born to Karen (MAC ’08) and Luke Morton (MDiv ’09), Oct. 14, 2010.

Erik Swanson (MDiv ’07), assistant pastor, Redeemer Church of Montclair, Montclair, NJ.

Avalea Anne born to Robin and B. J. Otey (MDiv ’05) on May 5, 2010.

Lance Swearengin (MDiv ’00), senior pastor, Conifer Community Church, Conifer, CO.

Mel Palm (MAC ’10) married Mike Payne, Aug. 14, 2010.

Gareth Tonnessen (MDiv ’70), pastor of missions and evangelism, New Covenant Presbyterian Church, Lewes, DE.

Cole Atticus born to Kat and John Pennylegion (MDiv ’09), Oct. 27, 2010.

Jeremy Weese (MDiv ’09 MAC ‘09), pastoral staff, Pacific Crossroads Church, Los Angeles, CA.

Otis Westbrook Jr. born to Julie and Otis Pickett (MATS ’06) on Sept. 22, 2010. Lance Qualmann (MDiv, MAC ’07) married Lisa McDonald, Oct. 23, 2010. Lucien James born to Erich (MDiv ’08) and Rebekah (Anderson) Rose (MAET ’08), Nov. 17, 2010. Adelaide Elizabeth born to Lindsey and Jason Schubert (MDiv ’09), Oct. 12, 2010. Thelma and Tom Sidebotham (MDiv ’72) celebrate their third anniversary.

Bethany Ester born to Pablo (MDiv ’08) and Mary Jo (Klinginsmith) Ayllon (MAC ’08), Sept. 8, 2010. Asher Jacob born to Rachel and Michael Craddock (MDiv ’09), Aug. 17, 2010. Ann Louise Eubanks (MATS ’05) married Dave Schmitt, July 24, 2010.

Clara Margaret and Ruby Marika born to Dianna and Noah Thomas (MATS ’09) April 8, 2010. Ambrose Gordon Turner born to Elizabeth Gramlich and Barrett Hamilton Turner (MDiv ’10), Oct. 22, 2010. Gemma Ruth born to Jennifer and Shawn Young (MDiv ’02), Aug. 15, 2010.

Abigail Joyce Shun-Xin born to Shun-Luoi and Dawn Fong (MAC ’08), Dec. 13, 2010. Gabriella Claire born to Gustavo (MDiv ’08) and Stephanie (Granberry) Formenti (MATS ’08), Nov. 18, 2010.

Ezra Alton born to Michael (MDiv ’01) and Chris Burkley (MATS ’02) Gordon, Jan. 26, 2011.

Tomoko Kabeya (MAC ’06) married current MDiv student Ryan Steinbach, Dec. 11, 2010. Hannah Rae adopted by David and Stephanie (Hargis) Kooienga (MAEM ’06), Aug. 27, 2010. Karis May born to Robyn and Brandon Lauranzon (MDiv ’09), Nov. 3, 2010. Colin born to Melissa and Justin McGuire (MDiv ’09), May 31, 2010. Anne Hardin born to Ryan (MDiv ’08) and Ada (Appling) (MAEM ’08) Moore, Jan. 16, 2011. Maleiah Shay born to Michelle and Chris Morgan (MDiv ’10), Nov. 13, 2010.

Editors Jackie Fogas Rick Matt Design and Production Allison Dowlen Editorial Contributors Meriel Cashman Beth Hart Bryan Chapell Heath Kahlbau Tanya Coody Thais Marques Dana Dewita P. D. Mayfield David Fisk Valerie McClure Megan Fowler Tomoko Steinbach Photographers and Photo Contributors Animagic James Howard Katherine Bish Greg Johnson David Cerven Tuan Lee Bryan Chapell Lausanne Movement Matthew Creamer P. D. Mayfield Eric Dalbey OrangeBlock Beth Hart Corrin Schlect Chris Hilton Chris Smith Covenant Theological Seminary 12330 Conway Road St. Louis, Missouri 63141 Tel: 314.434.4044 Fax: 314.434.4819 covenantmagazine@covenantseminary.edu Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Isaac born to Lexy and Nate George (MDiv ’06), May 25, 2009.

Matthew James and Claire Alethea born to Chris (MDiv ’02, MAC ’04) and Nicole Jennings (MATS ’04), June 11, 2010.

Executive Editor Dave Wicker

Stan Gale (DMin ’97), How Can I Know Eternal Life? God’s Good News (self-published). Chuck Hetzler (MDiv ’00) finished his PhD in New Testament at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, in 2008.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Volume 26, Number 1. ©2011

Jason Mirikitani (MATS ‘10), Mile Marker 825: A Widower’s Survival & Resurrected Hope (Lucid Books, 2010). David Myers (DMin ‘89), Helps to Biblical Worship (self-published). Patricia Lynn Wilkendorf (MATS ’05), completion and publication of the Nomaande New Testament, Cameroon, Africa.

Covenant is published by Covenant Theological Seminary, the Seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America. The purpose of Covenant Seminary is to glorify the triune God by training his servants to walk in God’s grace, minister God’s word, and equip God’s people ~all for God’s mission.

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