Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Why I ChoseThe Covenanter PulpitBy Rev. J. Melvin VosPastor of Winchester. Kansas R. P. ChurchWhy did I choose the Covenanter pulpit? This isreally not one question but two. Why did I choose thepulpit at all rather than some other occupation? Why did Ichoose to serve in the Covenanter Church rather than insome other denomination? I will try to answer both ofthese questions in this article.The Scriptures indicate that there are two thingswhich qualify a man to be an ordained officer in thechurch. He must have the call of God to the office, and hemust have what the New Testament calls the gifts for theoffice. In this day and age the call of God to an ordainedoffice in the church does not come in some flash ofsupernatural revelation such as a vision or miracle. Ratherit comes by way of what Berkhof in his SystematicTheology calls "certain ordinary providential indicationsgiven by God." He notes thatit includes especially threethings: "(a) the consciousness of being impelled to somespecial task in the Kingdom of God, by love to God andHis cause; (b) the conviction that one is at least in ameasure intellectually and spiritually qualified for theoffice sought; and (c) the experience that God is clearlypaving the way to the goal" (p. 587).God's call came to me in this ordinary providentialway. There was no handwriting on the wall, no voices ordreams. I simply had a growing conviction that I had insome measure the necessary qualifications for the gospelministry, and following a period of reflection after asummer young people's conference a number of years agoI had a growing consciousness of being impelled by God inthe direction of the ordained ministry.The gifts or qualifications for the ordained ministrydo not come to a person in a supernatural way. They arenot given in a sudden flash of intuition. They must bedeveloped gradually over a period of time through studyand training in the Christian life. This I did in a formal wayat Geneva College, at Westminster Theological Seminary,and at the R. P. Theological Seminary. During my threeyears at Westminster I gave serious thought to thequestion of whether I should enter the Covenanter pulpitor go into some other denomination. I had somedisagreement with the presbytery under whose care I wasconcerning the matter of theological education, and Iwondered if this might be an indication from the Lord thatI should seek ordination in some other denomination. Idetermined that I would seek licensure and ordination inthe Covenanter Church trusting that if the Lord desiredme to serve in another denomination, a proper understanding of the circumstances would point in thatdirection. As it turned out, I was licensed and ordainedand am now serving as pastor of the Winchester, Kansas,R. P. Church.I chose the Covenanter pulpit because theCovenanter Church stands squarely upon the revealedWord of God without apology. There are things in theCovenanter Church which I think need to be improved.There are things in both practice and doctrine with whichI am not in full agreement. He is a rare minister indeedwho accepts everything in the Church's Constitutionwithout any qualification whatsoever. But in a time whenit may be popular to criticize what is wrong with theCovenanter Church, I think we need to pause and thankGod for what is right with the Covenanter Church. She hasmaintained a firm commitment to the Bible as the infallibleWord of God and has not gone the way ofmodernism as so many other evangelical churches havedone and are doing. It was because of what is right withthe Covenanter Church that I chose the Covenanterpulpit.I urge any young men who may read these words togive serious consideration to the possibility that God maybe calling you into the ordained ministry. Do not simplypass it off by saying, "Oh, I could never be a minister.God's call to you may come in a very ordinary way. Thevery fact that you have some of the qualities necessary tobe an ordained minister may be an indication that Godiscalling you. "Who knoweth whether thou art come to thekingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).6 COVENANTER WITNESS