NEW HORIZONS in the ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 6 The Why and How of a 8 Decoding a Secular Creed Sabbatical for Your Pastor MARCH 2021 // by Jonathan Landry Cruse // by Kenneth Vander Molen CARING FOR YOUR PASTOR by Lendall H. Smith and Matthew R. Miner // 3 VOLUME 42, NUMBER 2 New Horizons CONTENTS in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Editor: Danny E. Olinger Managing Editor: Judith M. Dinsmore FEATURES Editorial Assistant: Diane L. Olinger Proofreader: Sarah Pederson 3 Caring for Your Pastor Cover Designer: Christopher Tobias By Lendall H. Smith and Matthew R. Miner Editorial Board: The Committee on Christian Education’s Subcommittee on Serial Publications 6 The Why and How of a Sabbatical for © 2021 by The Committee on Christian Education of Your Pastor The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. All rights reserved. By Kenneth Vander Molen Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing 8 Decoding a Secular Creed ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. By Jonathan Landry Cruse All rights reserved. (We use the 2011 revision.) Articles previously published may be slightly edited. New Horizons (ISSN: 0199-3518) is published DEPARTMENTS monthly except for a combined issue, usually August- September, by the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton 10 Foreign Missions Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539; tel. 215- 830-0900; fax 215-830-0350. The Word and Spirit of God Is Not Bound Letters to the editor are welcome. They should deal 12 with an issue the magazine has recently addressed. Christian Education Their language should be temperate, and they may not charge anyone with an offense. They should be brief, It’s Not (Just) Fun and Games • Favorite and they may be condensed by the editor. Psalms and Hymns Send inquiries, letters to the editor, and other corres- 14 pondence to the editor at [email protected]. Home Missions Send address changes to [email protected]. Allow Revival in Dayton, Ohio six weeks for address changes. The digital edition (PDF, ePub, mobi) and an archive of 16 Ministerial Care previous issues are available at www.opc.org. Views expressed by our writers are not necessarily Past, Present, and Future of the “New” CMC those of the editors or official positions of the 17 Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Prayer Calendar Copies are distributed free to members and friends of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Nonmembers 19 Stewardship are asked to donate $20.00 for an annual subscription (USD $30.00 if sent to addresses in Canada; $40.00 The Giver and the Gift elsewhere abroad). A free e-mail PDF subscription is also available. Requests for a subscription should be 20 News, Views, & Reviews sent to [email protected] or the address below. Periodicals postage is paid at Willow Grove, PA, and at additional mailing offices.Postmaster: Send address Cover: Pastor Bruce Hollister, who retired on January 1, changes to New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian at New Covenant Community Church in Joliet, Illinois Church, 607 N. Easton Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539. The congregation of Lake Sherwood, along with members of the Presbytery of the South, celebrated the ordination and installation of David Carnes as its pastor on November 13, 2020. In a moving message, ruling elder Terry Carnes, David’s father, gave the charge to the minister. David has been a faithful member of the church since 2013 and, in God’s good providence, will now serve as one of its pastors. (Left to right) David Chilton, Stephen Oharek, Rodney King, Terry Carnes, Matthew Butler, David Carnes, Scott Sistare, Geoffrey Downey, Wessel Dirksen, Larry Mininger, John Hearn 2 / NEW HORIZONS / MARCH 2021 CARING FOR YOUR PASTOR LENDALL H. SMITH AND MATTHEW R. MINER // Most of us have opinions about how an Orthodox Pres- byterian pastor should care for the members of his con- gregation, but we often do not think about the reverse: How should Orthodox Presbyterian church members care for their pastor? What does a pastor Responding to the Service of the the end of the service, they express ap- need to encourage him in his ministry? Pastor preciation for ideas that helped them in Every aspect of a pastor’s life in- their understanding of the Bible and the Above all, pray fervently for your volves service to the church. Pastors take gospel. They can share their gratitude as pastor! His preaching and pastoral min- phone calls and pay visits at all hours. his ministry challenges them in their istry is a challenging calling; humanly Evenings are often taken up with meet- faith and obedience to the Lord. They speaking, it is impossible. The Apostle ings and church events. Even as it is of- can let the pastor know how a message, Paul knew the importance of prayer. In fered with a joyful heart in service to or a portion of it, was particularly com- Ephesians 6:19, he asked for prayer so their King, these various acts of ministry forting in a time of discouragement or that he would have both the words and affect the time that pastors can spend at depression. Sometimes a member might the boldness to proclaim the mystery home with their families. For a pastor’s interact with the pastor about an idea of the gospel. In Colossians 4:3–4, he children, their views of Christ and his in the sermon. Hearing such reflections writes, “Pray also for us, that God may church are often based in part on how stimulates a pastor. It gives him helpful open to us a door for the word, to de- the local church treats its minister— feedback that his flock is profiting from clare the mystery of Christ, on account their daddy! his messages. I (Lendall) still remember of which I am in prison—that I may As it says in 1 Corinthians 12, the one occasion where I was very discour- make it clear, which is how I ought to body of Christ has many members, aged about how the sermon had gone speak.” Christians must uphold their including eyes, ears, and hands. Each that week (my wife would affirm that pastor in prayer in order that the Lord part of the body is essential, and each this happened more than once!). It was might help him fulfill his calling. Noth- part should have “the same care for a blue Monday indeed. On Wednesday, ing was more reassuring to me (Lendall) one another” (v. 25), since we all serve I received a lovely note from a member in my years of ministry than to be told “the same Lord” (v. 5). So in this ar- of the congregation who told me how by various members of the congregation rangement of mutual service and love and why the service had been a great that they were praying for me each day. in the body of Christ, what can church blessing to her the previous Sunday. It Parishioners respond thoughtfully members and officers do to care for and lifted my spirits to be reminded of how to their pastor’s messages when, instead encourage their pastor? the Lord uses his Word, the singing of of offering only a generic handshake at NEW HORIZONS / MARCH 2021 / 3 hymns, and prayers to bless his peo- Invite the whole family into your home including the minister. ple—even when I felt I had fallen short for dinner, or go on a picnic together Elders have a special role in caring in my ministry. Her note was a gift from in a park in the summer. If you have for and encouraging their pastor. Mat- the Lord. children the same age, have the pastor’s thew Holst, pastor of Shiloh Presbyte- children over for sleepovers—maybe so rian in Raleigh, North Carolina, says: A Man, Not a Religious that the pastor and his wife can get away “My elders are a great encouragement Professional for a night or two. If you share a com- to me. Even small things are important: The OP minister is a man, made mon interest in music, invite the family ensuring my telephone and computer in God’s image, broken by sin, and re- to go to a concert with you or just have are up to date enables me to work with- deemed in Christ. He has a special call- them and others over to participate in out the hindrance of out-of-date tech- ing from the Lord, but he is not “more an evening of singing or playing instru- nology. IT equipment for the pastors spiritual” than others, nor is he a reli- ments together. Including the pastor is a budget line item for the elders of gious professional that the congregation and his family in activities helps them Shiloh.” hired for outsourced work. Members to feel like a vital part of the congre- Pulpit supply can also be a great encourage their pastor as they deepen gation, especially if they moved from a help to pastors, Holst observes: “Re- their relationships with him as a person different part of the country, away from cently I was asked to preach at another of like nature to themselves. As congre- their family and friends. OP church. The elders of that church gants grasp this truth and get to know Casey Bessette, pastor of Pilgrim had brought in two weeks of pulpit sup- their pastor better, they will be able to OPC in Raleigh, North Carolina, de- ply so that their pastor could take time pray more thoughtfully for him and his scribes the welcome he and his family away from the pulpit to better help his family.