“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). VOLUME 4, NUMBER 4 u FALL 2012 Unbiblical “Ye shall be witnesses unto me …” Ecumenism at Wheaton College heaton College, in Illinois, was once supported and at- tended by many Fundamen- WWtal Christians. However, over the last 80 years, it has gradually slipped quite far from that heritage. It was of great interest in 2010 when it was an- nearly nounced that Dr. Philip Ryken was re- signing his pas- torate at Phila- 150F F F F Y E A R S delphia’s histor- ic Tenth Presby- of combined missionary service terian Church to assume the Left to Right: Mrs. Evelyn Ricker, Miss Joan Davenport and Miss Judith Collins have presidency of given their lives to serve Christ on the mission field. They were first appointed by Wheaton. The Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions in 1956, 1962 and 1970, As a minis- respectively. Mrs. Ricker first went with her husband to Brazil. They now serve ter in the Pres- together in Guatemala. Miss Davenport first went to the United Arab Emirates, byterian Church and has more recently been serving in the West Bank in the Holy Land. Miss Collins in America (PCA), serves in Kenya. These three ladies were a great blessing to all who attended the some had hoped 2012 family camp of Faith Presbytery, Bible Presbyterian Church. that Dr. Ryken would be a force to reverse the college’s departure from its roots. How- Godly Contentment in Our ever, it appears that Wheaton continues unabated on this course. “A Conversation on Unity Entitlement Society in Christ’s Mission” BY BRAD K. GSELL On March 26, 2012, Wheaton host- ed “A Conversation on Unity in Christ’s ew will deny that the acrimony, anger, dissatisfaction, and general un- happiness marking this election cycle in the United States are greater Continued on page 11 than ever in our history. We have moved far beyond the legitimate place of fairly, accurately and passionately pointing out the strengths See companion article: Fand flaws of various philosophies of governance in the free marketplace of ideas. OPC General Assembly Continued on page 15 at Wheaton College on pageContinued 13 on page 6 Clyde Johnstone Kennedy: Casting a Long Shadow for the Cause of Christ BY HOWARD CARLSON lyde Johnstone Kennedy sought ways to relieve the physical gressive youth meetings. These efforts was born on July 2, 1907, needs. There were strict written rules were soon noticed “by a progressive, in Halifax Nova Scotia. His for each team member. Each had to local minister named Clyde Kennedy, Cfather, Horace Kennedy, submit a detailed written report of who offered him a position as Chris- was second great grandson of Wil- his previous week’s activities. At the tian Education Director and Choir Di- liam Kennedy, an early Presbyterian end of two years, 60 seminary stu- rector at the Gainesville Presbyterian immigrant from Ireland. dents were involved and President Church. The two hit it off, and while In 1924, when Clyde was 17 Stevenson included “this fine minis- serving in this position, Kennedy gave years old, his family moved to south- try” in the report of his administra- direction for the founding of Young ern California. It was there, at the tion to the Board. Life. Kennedy explained to Rayburn: wellknown Hollywood Presbyterian After graduating from Princeton ‘I’m not particularly worried about Church, that he accepted Christ as in 1936, Clyde returned to California the kids who are in [the church]. his Savior and soon felt a call to the where he was ordained and became They’re safe, and as far as they’re Gospel ministry. a pastor of the Wilshire Immanuel concerned I don’t need your services. The Mount Hermon Conference To you I entrust the crowd of teenag- Center was a great influence in his For the thousands who ers who stay away from the church. development. After graduating from The center of your widespread par- Hollywood High School, he attend- were delivered from the ish will be the local high school’” ed Moody Bible Institute for a year ecumenical errors, and the (Emile Cailliet, Young Life, 1963, p. and then went on to UCLA, graduat- multitude delivered from 11). Young Life went on to become a ing in 1933 as a history major. In the sin unto salvation by his great international student movement fall of the same year, Clyde traveled ministry, Dr. Kennedy was for Christ. [Editor’s Note: Sadly, it to New Jersey to enter Princeton has succumbed to the compromise of Theological Seminary. truly great. But for his New Evangelicalism.] At Princeton, Clyde met up with simple child-like obedience But the Presbyterian Church old friends Dave Cowie and Robert to the Word of God and (USA) had sunk into apostasy and Munger, “the California crazies” as insistence on purity, he Kennedy had too high a view of they were called. They soon joined God’s holiness to remain in a denom- Wheaton College graduates Bob must be enrolled as one ination with entrenched unbelief. Pierce and Otto DeCamp in start- of the church’s greats. Elder Bernard Peterman has writ- ing a Sunday evening fellowship in ten: “As a result of his fearless and Alexander Hall. Shortly thereafter, Presbyterian Church. He married faithful stand for the Word of God they started a mission to the slums his college sweetheart, Dorothy, in against the unbelief in the Presbyte- of Trenton, NJ. Under severe criti- 1938, and they went to Gainesville, rian denomination, he [Clyde] suf- cism from students and Princeton TX, on their honeymoon to visit his fered real persecution at the hands of staff (Seminary president Stevenson wife’s birthplace. The First Presby- the Fort Worth Presbytery.” called them “red hot gospelers”), terian Church there did not have a Carolyn Smyth, Clyde’s daugh- they entered this work enthusias- minister at the time and called him ter, wrote of his departure from the tically. One of them wrote: “The to be their pastor, which call he ac- denomination: “As I heard it, the im- depth of the poverty we saw ripped cepted. While there, he did addition- mediate cause of his removal from at our hearts. But even worse, these al studies at nearby Dallas Theologi- the Presbytery, which was probably children knew nothing about a lov- cal Seminary. in 1942, was caused by his having ing heavenly Father. So we started a In Gainesville, a young seminar- the Rev. Charles Richter come to the mission Sunday school.” They also ian, James Rayburn, was holding ag- church as a guest speaker, as Richter 2 Redeeming the Time | Fall 2012 www.rttpublications.org had been placed on a list of persons the church needed its own property. Clockwise from top: Dr. Kennedy not welcome in the Presbytery for Because of Kennedy’s faithful per- preaching in the Chapel of Shelton reasons that I don’t know. But my sonal witnessing to an elderly Jewish College during his time as Presi- father still invited him to preach….” lady, she agreed to sell her valuable dent; the Kennedy family; The First The Rev. Hal Webb recalls that Clyde property to him for the new church Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, came under fire for his close work location on Glendale Avenue. The Texas, where Dr. Kennedy served with the “Fundamentalist” Rayburns first and second phases of building as pastor before joining the Bible and the new Young Life organiza- plus a small office building were Presbyterian Church; Dr. Kennedy tion. The Presbytery had not yet in- completed by 1952. The new sanc- in the library of Shelton College stalled Clyde as pastor so were able tuary was faithfully constructed in with students. to dismiss him without other action. a colonial pattern, including a Mur- Kennedy, now 35 years old, re- ray Harris pipe organ. Westminster turned to California and established Academy was started soon after in a radio Bible class. Two months later, the new facilities. he received a call to the small Calvary Kennedy’s sermons were power- Bible Church in Glendale, CA. This ful. His preaching from the Psalms congregation had recently left the was exceptional. He had a way of apostate Presbyterian Church (USA). bringing the Scriptural application To help support his family in to the hearts of young men — me those difficult war years, Kennedy included. also taught at Biola College. In April Continued on page 4 1943, he hosted the ordination of a Bible Presbyterian missionary, George Bragdon, and first personally met Carl McIntire, who preached the ordination sermon. Kennedy served the Lord at Cal- vary for 14 tumultuous years. On February 8, 1945, the congregation joined the Bible Presbyterian de- nomination and became Calvary Bi- ble Presbyterian Church. They were meeting in an old Grand Army of the Republic hall, and Kennedy felt that www.rttpublications.org Fall 2012 | Redeeming the Time 3 KENNEDY … finally, if we care anything about the This great contender for the faith honor of the Lord Jesus Christ, and was equally known as a great soul- Continued from page 3 the place due His Holy Word, we are winner. He passed out tracts at gas I have partial notes of just three under a solemn obligation to speak. stations and restaurants — every- of his sermons. Concerning the This speaking, let it be understood, where he went — always. He loved Church at Laodicea in Revelation is in love. But what, exactly, is speak- nothing more than to present the 3, his notes start: “There are emo- ing in love? Is it to speak lovingly? gospel to lost sinners.