March 8, 2024
This week I have been in Greenville, South Carolina, attending and speaking at the Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Spring Theology Conference. The topic of the conference this year was Modern Missions in the Reformed World, and I spoke on the life and ministry of John Leighton Wilson (1809-1885).
Wilson, a South Carolinian, graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in Columbia, SC, and served as a pioneer missionary in Liberia and the Gabon from 1834-1852; as Assistant Secretary/Coordinator of the Presbyterian Church's Board of Foreign Missions (the MTW of that day) from 1853-1861; and as the Secretary/Coordinator of the Southern Presbyterian Church's Committee of Foreign Missions from 1861-1884. Leighton and his wife Jane lived a remarkable life, and his ministry gives us some important lessons for how the church today thinks about and does missions.
I'd love for all of you to get to know this father of the faith and of Presbyterian missions, so watch the video of my presentation when you have a chance (fast forward to the 5:17:06 mark of this video).
Another 19th century Presbyterian forefather, Dr. John Holt Rice (first professor of theology at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia), reminds us that the church is at its essence a missionary society:
He exhorts elders to tell new members of their churches that "if they join the church, they join a community, the object of which is the conversion of the heathen world, and to impress on their minds a deep sense of their obligation as redeemed sinners, to co-operate in the accomplishment of the great object of Christ's mission to the world."
Do you think of our church's purpose and goal in this expansive way? If we only think of "pursuing transformation by truth and grace together for the glory of Christ" as something we do in our lives in the Jackson metro area, we are missing the point - for there are men and women, boys and girls, in every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, who need their lives transformed by the glorious gospel of Jesus.
One of the speakers at the conference was a pastor named Chad Vegas, who founded Radius International. This organization trains believers to be missionaries to unreached peoples/language groups. Chad's first talk (31:33 of this video) was a wonderful unpacking of some of the errors of modern evangelical and Reformed missions - it was challenging and convicting.
The President of Radius International, Brooks Buser, brought the gospel to the Yembi Yembi tribe of Papau New Guinea with his wife Nina and two other couples - their story is riveting, and I encourage you to watch it with your family as soon as you're able.
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As we continue to grieve with Samantha Richardson and her children at the death of our brother Adam, I pray that our hearts will be filled with the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not only does this historical fact ensure our justification (Romans 4:25), and ensure that Jesus's priestly intercession for us is the intercession of a fellow human (I Timothy 2:5; Romans 8:34) - it also ensures that one day, though we die, we shall be raised bodily to endless physical life, without any suffering of any kind.
Job's words are an early expression of this great hope: "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another" (Job 19:25-27). No matter what we suffer, we can rest in the truth that on the last day Jesus "will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself" (Philippians 3:21).
The video of Adam's funeral is available online if you were not able to be present, or if you would like to share it with a friend.
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Don't forget that at the end of this month Pastor Carl is retiring from service at POPC and will become Pastor Emeritus.
His last sermon as a Pastor on staff will be Sunday, March 17.
A reception for Carl and Jeanie will be held the following Sunday evening, March 24, after evening worship.
Please plan to be present with us to communicate your love and gratitude to the Kalberkamps for their faithful service among us these past 30 years!