SPRING2016
EQUIPPING the GLOBAL CHURCH Preparing Missionaries for the World
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THE GLOBAL GOSPEL
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LONGING FOR A BETTER COUNTRY
by Joel E. Kim
by Daniel Ibrahim
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
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estminster Seminary California (WSC) exists for a marvelous purpose: to glorify Christ, teach his Gospel, and serve his Church. Jesus Christ presently reigns and rules from heaven, his Gospel is spreading to the ends of the earth, and his Church is alive and well across the whole globe. WSC is committed to preparing faithful laborers who will carry the grace and truth of God’s Word all over the world—to cover every square inch. In this issue of UPDATE, we consider the global church and missions. In our Faculty Feature article, Professor Joel E. Kim reflects on the global reach of the Gospel through his own visits, as well as through the faithful labors of our WSC alumni (p. 4). Current student Daniel Ibrahim shares his personal story of how he came to study at WSC after a long journey out of Nineveh, Iraq (p. 8). WSC Alumnus Kennedy Gondwe describes the difficulties he has faced while teaching on the mission field in Malawi (p. 16). It was a pleasure to see so many of you and your friends on our campus in January for our Annual Conference, “The Lord and Giver of Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.” Thank you to those of you who joined us in this wonderful occasion. We trust you were encouraged by the lectures that clearly showed forth the excellent person and work of the third person of the Holy Trinity – the Holy Spirit. For those who were unable to join us this year we have included a portion of the conference from Dr. Michael S. Horton’s plenary address to get you excited to attend our conference next year. You can read the excerpt from his lecture on page 10. Thank you for your continued friendship and prayers as WSC strives to serve Christ’s Church through the preparation of her servants, wherever the Lord calls them. Cordially in Christ,
“THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT—JUST AS YOU WERE CALLED TO THE ONE HOPE THAT BELONGS TO YOUR CALL—ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS OVER ALL AND THROUGH ALL AND IN ALL.” Ephesians 4:4-6 2 UPDATE | SPRING2016
W. Robert Godfrey, Ph.D. President and Professor of Church History
SPRING2016 UPDATE | SPRING2016 PRESIDENT W. Robert Godfrey EDITOR Nicholas Davis DESIGNER Megan York
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JOEL E.KIM
8 DANIELIBRAHIM
PRINTER Precision UPDATE magazine is a publication of Westminster Seminary California. For address changes, duplicate mailings, or additional magazine requests, please write or call. Westminster Seminary California 1725 Bear Valley Parkway Escondido, CA 92027 PHONE (888) 480-8474 FAX (760) 480-0252
16 KENNEDYGONDWE
EMAIL development@wscal.edu WEBSITE www.wscal.edu PERMISSIONS: UPDATE grants permission for any original article to be photocopied and distributed, permitted that the wording is not altered in any way, no fee is charged beyond the cost of reproduction, and no more than 500 copies are made. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Westminster Seminary California. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: This article originally appeared in UPDATE, a publication of Westminster Seminary California (WSC) and is reprinted with permission. For more information about WSC, visit www. wscal.edu or call (888) 480-8474. MISSION: The purpose of UPDATE is to showcase Westminster Seminary California’s distinctively Christ-centered, graduate education through the work of its faculty, students and alumni who are serving as pastors, teachers, missionaries, and leaders worldwide in light of our overarching mission “to glorify God through graduate theological study. . . for those who will serve in the Christian community and the larger society.” Since 1979, Westminster Seminary California has offered a distinctly Reformed and rigorous education in order to glorify Christ, promote His Gospel, and serve His Church. The strength of our degree programs lies in our faculty’s unified commitment to the inerrant Scriptures and the Reformed confessions. Westminster Seminary California is the only accredited seminary in the Western United States serving confessionally Reformed churches. 2015-2016 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. John Andrews Mr. Daniel J. Bryant Rev. Andrew A. Cammenga Rev. LeRoy Christoffels Mr. Lyle Faber Rev. Dr. David W. Hall Rev. Sung Yun Han Mr. Milton D. Hodges Rev. Dr. Terry L. Johnson Mr. Brian Miller Mr. James W. Onnink Dr. James D. Paauw Mr. Ronald W. Prins Mr. Pete Sara Dr. Scott A. Swanson Mr. Roger A. Swets Rev. Dale A. Van Dyke Rev. Derrick J. Vander Meulen ©2016 Westminster Seminary California All rights reserved.
INFOCUS 4. The Global Gospel
ONMISSION 16. WSC Alumni Missions in Africa 17. Alumni News
ONCAMPUS 8. Longing for a Better Country
10. 2016 Annual Conference Recap 12. WSC Students From Around the World 14. 2015-2016 Enrollment Update
INPERSON & INPRINT 19. Faculty Speaking 20. WSC Welcomes New Trustee 21. Honorarium & Memorial Gifts
22. Up Close with Mark MacVey wscal.edu
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INFOCUS
l o g b al e h t
GOSPEL by Joel E. Kim
4 UPDATE | SPRING2016
E
arlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit Southeast Asia. Just thinking about the trip brings back many happy memories of visiting developing ministries, teaching eager students, and having rich fellowship with some of the missionaries. One such memory is a brief layover in Seoul, South Korea, where I, along with my colleagues, decided to visit Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery. As the name indicates, this is where 145 foreign missionaries to Korea and their family members are now buried and remembered. Among them were the families of Horace Underwood (1859-1916), the first Presbyterian missionary to Korea (northern Presbyterian), and W. D. Reynolds, a southern Presbyterian (1867-1951). While engaged in many ministries, these two missionaries are best remembered for their work in producing the first Korean translation of the complete Bible in 1910, but this was not without great cost. Soon after their arrival in 1892, the Reynolds gave birth to their first son, William Davis. Their joy was soon followed by grief as little William Davis died the same year he was born, and is now buried alongside many other children of missionaries who have died in Korea. The graves of these missionaries are sober reminders of the sacrifices many missionaries (and their children) have made in their desire to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world.
Christ’s body was always in the grand plan of God. The same God who graciously saved and called Paul is also graciously calling the Gentiles to himself through the preaching of the Gospel. Paul then is a foot soldier for God, and it is God who compels him. Perhaps to the disappointment of some believers in Rome, Paul informs them that he will not be staying with them very long. In fact, his visit with the church in Rome is a mere layover before he begins his journey westward to Spain (Rom. 15:24). What was his reason for continuing his journey beyond Rome? He was deeply convinced that he had been called to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in places where the message of Christ had never before been heard (Rom. 15:20). Seeking to preach the Gospel in Spain is not his personal choice or preference, but the will of the God who graciously called him. Paul calls upon the church in Rome to participate in this worldwide proclamation of the Gospel. He says, “I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while” (Rom. 15:24, emphasis mine). The word translated “to be helped on my journey” can mean assistance in general, including financial provisions, but the basic meaning of the word is “to accompany” or “to escort.” It seems likely that Paul is asking for coworkers and partners in ministry who might join him on his journey to Spain. Paul is calling the church in Rome—and in turn, all of us—to see the big picture of God’s redemptive activity and to participate in the proclamation of the Gospel to those who have not heard.
“PAUL IS CALLING THE CHURCH IN ROME—AND IN TURN, ALL OF US—TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF GOD'S REDEMPTIVE ACTIVITY AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD.”
Paul and Missions What motivated and continues to motivate men and women to leave the relative comforts of their home to carry the Gospel message of Christ abroad? Paul, the first missionary theologian, provides a glimpse of his own perspective in Romans 15 where he discusses his personal plans. He begins by offering a big picture of God who was at work. In Romans 15:8-13, he quotes no less than four Old Testament passages: Deuteronomy 32:43, Isaiah 11:10, Psalm 18:49, and 117:1. It is interesting to note that these verses are taken from each of the divisions of the Old Testament: the law, the prophets, and the writings. Moreover, each of these verses look forward to the day when the whole world (including the Gentiles) will one day find hope in Christ. Paul is reminding this church, composed mainly of Gentiles in a foreign land, that their inclusion into
pray for wsc
OUR ACTIVE MISSIONARIES Pray for all of our graduates who are laboring diligently in foreign and domestic mission fields, that God would grant their churches growth and sustain them in their work.
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"FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, THEOLOGY AND MISSIONS ARE NOT TWO SEPARATE STUDIES, BUT THE LATTER NECESSARILY FLOWS OUT OF THE FORMER."
WSC and Missions For this reason, Westminster Seminary California (WSC) is committed to training men and women to understand fully the redemptive plan of God and to proclaim faithfully the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a seminary in Southern California, with Mexico as its neighbor and with close ties to Asia, WSC has always been engaged actively in missions, both near and far. The small city of Escondido, where WSC is located, has become a launching pad for many graduates to take the Gospel of Christ literally to the ends of the earth. We have alumni serving in over 30 countries worldwide, including Cambodia, Japan, Uganda, South
Africa, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Germany, and many more. They serve as church planters, pastors, elders, educators, professors, Bible translators, and administrators. Though their roles and ministries are different, they are united together in their desire to proclaim Christ and make him known. Some of our very best graduates are laboring faithfully in unfamiliar cultures with adopted languages. Updates of their lives and ministries, as well as their visits, remind us of the power of the Gospel and the amazing work of the Lord throughout the world. For example, Mission to the World (MTW), the missions organization of my denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), recently
Professor Joel E. Kim with Jim Jung (left)
6 UPDATE | SPRING2016
highlighted the ministry of one of our graduates (and my WSC classmate), Jim Jung, who serves in Sydney, Australia. In this vibrant international city, Jim and his wife, Claudia, helped found Harbor City Church (HCC) and a campus ministry called Student Outreach to the World (SOW). Both HCC and SOW have been active in sending missionaries throughout Asia to plant churches, minister to university students, and share the Gospel with unreached people groups. Through the ministry of Jim and others like him, we are witnessing what some missionaries have referred to as “everyone to everywhere,” where missions is no longer missions from “us” to “them” but from “we” to “us.” The faithful labors of our alumni remind us of the importance of theological education. Along with local churches, seminaries like WSC incubate and help prepare future missionaries. This certainly takes place in courses on missions, which lay a foundation for missions throughout the world. This also happens in every class by preparing and equipping students to handle the Word of God carefully and faithfully, that they may both appreciate fully the depth and riches of theology and ably defend and proclaim the message of Christ. From this perspective, theology and missions are not two separate studies, but the latter necessarily flows out of the former. We see this by example in the faculty. They teach and model the mixture of theology and ministry by their love and care for Christ’s church, both lo-
cally and globally. WSC’s faculty consists of missionaries, board members of missions, members of missions committees of local churches, and committed churchmen who regularly travel abroad to help churches in various countries receive encouragement and training from the global church. Moreover, globalization means that a clear line between local and global churches is no longer an easy line to draw. Like many of our churches, WSC welcomes students from all over the world. We currently have students from 18 foreign countries, and that number will greatly increase if we account for our graduates. Among them are students from Ukraine, Turkey, Romania, and a handful from China, each one with narratives of God’s surprising grace and providential care in their lives. The presence of these international students not only encourages and challenges us by their experiences and sacrifices, but it also allows for WSC to participate in the global reach of
the Gospel as they return to their countries to teach and shepherd the universal church.
Final Thought I will not soon forget visiting Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery in Seoul. The sacrifices of missionaries like Horace Underwood, W. D. Reynolds, and others more familiar to us like Bruce Hunt have paved the way for the rapid growth of Christianity in Korea, especially among Presbyterians. As an immigrant from South Korea who was born into the family of a Presbyterian minister, it is humbling to remember that I am one of the fruit of their faithful missionary labors. I praise God for the many men and women who are heeding the call of God to labor in foreign and domestic missions. I pray for my friends and co-laborers who are in the field, whose names are not known by many of us but who are never forgotten by our Lord. We share in the same name, faith, and baptism and have no geographical bounds through our union with the risen Christ. I pray that the Lord will use WSC to raise up many more laborers for the church.
“AS AN IMMIGRANT FROM SOUTH KOREA WHO WAS BORN INTO THE FAMILY OF A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, IT IS HUMBLING TO REMEMBER THAT I AM ONE OF THE FRUIT OF THEIR FAITHFUL MISSIONARY LABORS.”
PROFESSOR JOEL E. KIM is Assistant Professor of New Testament at
Westminster Seminary California and is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. Professor Kim lives in Escondido with his wife and two children. wscal.edu
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ONCAMPUS
LONGING FOR A BETTER COUNTRY A Seminarian's Story Of Freedom & Faith by Daniel Ibrahim
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was born in Nineveh province, Iraq (the same Nineveh that we are familiar with in our Bibles). I was raised in a traditional Eastern Orthodox Christian family, however, since Nineveh is an Islamic country I learned more about Islam and the Quran than I did about Christianity. This was primarily because of the mainstream media channels and school curriculum, which focused on Islamic studies. For example, in the fourth grade I was forced to learn about the history of Islam and how to read the Quranic texts at a very early age, and both of these courses continued throughout high school. The war between Iraq and Iran began when I was 11 years old. I lost many cousins in the war. When the war ended in 1988 I thought Iraqis would finally live in peace with their neighbors. I hoped that I could pursue an education, go to college, graduate, and have a quiet and peaceful life. So in 1989 I enrolled in college to study Statistics and Math. In the summer of 1990, like all college students in Iraq, I was obligated to serve for one month in the army training camp with different types of weapons. While training, suddenly I heard news that the Iraqi Army had invaded Kuwait. The Iraqi Government’s orders were very clear. Iraqi citizens could not criticize Saddam Hussein or the government for invading Kuwait. If anyone dared to do so, they faced either prison or execution. At that moment I realized the meaning of the word freedom, and I decided to escape from Iraq—no matter the cost—to look for peace.
The Gulf War started while I was still there, and coalition troops defeated the Iraqi Army. A friend connected me with some Bedouin to guide me through the desert in order to escape from Iraq to Syria. On March 3, 1991, I crossed the border to Syria and asked for refuge and protection. After three days of underground interrogation, the Syrian government granted me refugee status and transferred me to a UN tent camp located in the desert, just northeast of Syria. I lived in Syria for four years until realizing there would be no solution there either. Once again, I started planning an escape—this time to Lebanon. In July 1995, I managed to cross the boarder from Syria to Lebanon. One year later, the war began between Israel and the militia of Hezbollah in Lebanon. This was the third war I witnessed. I saw hundreds of casualties and catastrophic destruction all around me. As an illegal in a politically unstable country that was engaged in war and run by different groups and militias, I decided that I needed to escape again—but this time to Europe. I tried but was caught in Jordan and imprisoned in Lebanon. The UN met me in prison and decided to issue me refugee status in Lebanon. In 1998, I was invited to a Bible study held by some American missionaries in Beirut. Two Christian gentlemen from the International Church of Christ shared the gospel with me, and soon after I confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
“AT THAT MOMENT I REALIZED THE MEANING OF THE WORD FREEDOM, AND I DECIDED TO ESCAPE FROM IRAQ—NO MATTER THE COST—TO LOOK FOR PEACE."
8 UPDATE | SPRING2016
“I HAD MANY QUESTIONS, BUT TWO THINGS WERE VERY CLEAR: THE GOSPEL WAS POWERFUL, AND THE GOSPEL WAS ALSO VERY SWEET. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE TRUE FREEDOM AND LASTING PEACE THAT I WAS EAGERLY SEARCHING FOR ARE ONLY TO BE FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST." One year later, I was blessed to meet an Egyptian– American woman who was a missionary in that church. I fell in love with her, and we were soon married. We attempted to plant a church in Algeria, but God quickly closed that door. I was then advised by the elders of the church to leave for the U.S. to avoid deportation to another country due to my refugee status. On December 24, 2000, I arrived in the U.S. It was a difficult transition to begin a new life in a new culture while learning a new language, but my wife and I adapted well. In 2006, I had the opportunity to work as a Senior Instructor for the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Network Enterprise Technology Command at Fort Huachuca in southeast Arizona. I taught Arabic language and culture, the history of Islamic religion, and the doctrine of Jihad until the end of 2011. In 2008, we started attending the Arabic Church in Rancho Bernardo, CA. A year later, two close friends introduced me to Reformed theology and I read Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul. After that I began listening to R. C. Sproul, Sinclair Ferguson, Steve Lawson, John Piper, and all of the Ligonier conference teachers and thinkers. I was greatly challenged by their teaching and compared what these men taught with the word of God in the Bible. I had many questions, but two things were very clear: the gospel was powerful, and the gospel was also very sweet. I then realized that the true freedom and lasting peace that I was eagerly searching for are only to be found in Jesus Christ. The better country I had longed for was not to be found on this earth, but in heaven where Jesus is and we will be also. Another milestone in my life was when a dear Christian friend and brother in Christ introduced me to the Truth Project by Dr. Del Tacket. At that time it became clear to me that I would like to teach about the truth and validity of the gospel. In 2010, I was introduced to former Westminster Seminary California (WSC) professor Dr. Peter Jones and his TruthXchange ministry, where many teachers
and leaders spoke about paganism. This was another important milestone for me, and I found some of the missing links in the origins of Islam. I continued to study the Quran and volumes of the traditional Islamic Hadith in the Arabic language to understand the Islamic faith better while still teaching at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center. In 2012, I started writing about the Christian faith in Arabic on social media and engaged in many discussions with Muslims, friends, family, and relatives. I then thought of studying theology academically, but was hesitant for a variety of reasons until meeting Dr. Charles Telfer, Assistant Professor at WSC, who encouraged me to apply. I am now very blessed to be a student at WSC to learn theology from some of the best teachers in the world! I hope to complete my education at WSC in order to serve our Lord in many ways. My desire is to prepare pastors in regions in the Middle East and North Africa. I would also like to educate Christians and pastors in the U.S. about Islam— to help more Christians distinguish between the God of the Bible and the “god or allah” of the Quran. Having grown up with Muslims in Iraq and living with Muslims in different countries of the Middle East, I am especially gifted with a deep knowledge of the history, culture, and evangelistic tactics of Islam. Beyond this, I would also like to translate and publish Reformed literature into Arabic and continue to use social media to reach thousands of Arabic Muslims around the world and help them see the many contradictions in the Quran and the illogic of Hadith and Sunna (the sayings of Muhammad). The faculty and staff at WSC are very grateful for God’s kind providence in protecting Daniel through wars and struggles, and we are blessed to have him as a student. Blessings on your next year of studies, Daniel!
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2016 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
SANCTIFICATION
The Lord and Giver of Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
On January 16, 2016, Dr. Michael S. Horton delivered his conference plenary address entitled, “Sanctification,” at Westminster Seminary California’s (WSC) Annual Conference, “The Lord and Giver of Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.” The following is an excerpt from his lecture. The lecture is available in its entirety (in audio and video formats) online at wscal.edu/resource-center/category/the-lordand-giver-of-life.
On January 15-16, 2016, WSC welcomed over 300 people to the campus for our Annual Conference. This year’s theme was “The Lord and Giver of Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.” The faculty speakers explained who the Holy Spirit is and what his role is not only in redemptive history but in the Christian life and the whole world. The conference topics and speakers were: “Montanus, Topeka, and Sister" by W. Robert Godfrey “The Holy Spirit in Our Confessions" by J. V. Fesko “The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament" by Bryan D. Estelle “The Holy Spirit at Pentecost" by Dennis E. Johnson “The Holy Spirit and Preaching" by Julius J. Kim “Sanctification" by Michael S. Horton
If you were unable to attend the conference this year, you can watch or listen to these lectures, along with any of our previous conference lectures, for free at: wscal.edu/resource-center/category/ the-lord-and-giver-of-life
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urn with me to Ephesians 4, and while you’re turning there I want to quote Joe Queenan, writer for The New York Times and GQ. He wrote a book on what he calls “a short but selfimportant history of the Baby Boomer Generation,” and makes sport of his generation’s “absolute inability to accept the ordinary.” Because Baby Boomers are obsessed with living in the moment, they insist that every experience be a watershed, every meal extraordinary, every friendship epochal, every concert superb, and every sunset metacelestial. Life isn’t like that. Most meals are okay. Most friendships work until they don’t work. Most concerts are decent. Sunsets are sunsets. By turning spectacularly humdrum occurrences into formal rites, Baby Boomers have transmuted even the most banal activities into “events” requiring reflection, planning, research, underwriting, and staggering masses of data. This has es-
sentially ruined everything for everybody else because nothing can ever again be exactly what it was in the first place: something whose very charm is a direct result of its being accessible, near at hand, ordinary. Now we have a history of being into the extraordinary as Americans. It’s very hard for us culturally not to always be on the prowl for the new and the improved. And that’s as true for the church as it is in other places, so when we talk about the Holy Spirit, he is often the placeholder for all of the extras. Everybody needs the Father and the Son “to get saved,” but the Holy Spirit is if you want that higher life. For those who want to fly coach, the Father and the Son is for them, and if you want to go first class there is the Holy Spirit for the upper class and the victorious Christian life—upgrade! So the Holy Spirit is the placeholder for all of those extras and if you’re into that sort of
thing, then the third person of the Holy Trinity is the person for you. But that’s really unfortunate because the Holy Spirit has a long and fruitful career of working through ordinary ways to produce extraordinary results. I remember years ago there were a lot of revivals breaking out on Christian college campuses, and report after report expressed the sentiment represented by one person, “You knew that it was the Holy Spirit because there wasn’t some man up front.” You see, the Holy Spirit is associated with the individual and private, rather than the public. The Holy Spirit is associated with the inner—what happens inside the
individual, inside of me—not publicly outside of us. And the Holy Spirit is associated with the spontaneous—that which is always unpredictable. You know it was the Holy Spirit because it was unpredictable, and how predictable church is. What I want to talk about from Ephesians 4 is how important it is to see how the Holy Spirit is involved in more than the fireworks of the Christian life. If you reduce the Holy Spirit to the things that go bump in the night and you have very few bumps in the night, then you’re actually going to miss the person and work of the Holy Spirit in 90% of his operations!
“THE HOLY SPIRIT IS INVOLVED IN MORE THAN THE FIREWORKS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE."
2016 ALUMNI WINTER REFRESHER RECAP D
uring the month of January, Westminster Seminary California (WSC) welcomed back almost 30 alumni to its campus for further academic study. What brought these graduates back to their alma mater? The opporunity to once again learn from WSC professors during the FREE one-week elective courses during the Winter Term. WSC’s Alumni Winter Refresher offers alumni opportunities to refresh and reconnect every year in January.
Dr. Horton with the visiting alumni before his Winter Refresher course
Refresh
The most popular class this past winter term for our alumni was A Secular Age: Engaging Charles Taylor, taught by Dr. Michael S. Horton. This was not the only reason to come out for a retreat in sunny Southern California; various alumni also attended the following FREE courses:
in Historical Theology degree may audit courses offered within the Master of Divinity program. The Alumni Winter Refresher is just one of the ways that WSC remains committed to serving its students beyond graduation.
➢ Introduction to Pastoral Counseling (Rev. Alfred Poirier)
In addition to being refreshed by courses offered, many alumni also attended this year’s Annual Conference and had plenty of time to reconnect with old friends, form new friendships, and spend some time catching up with WSC faculty. Many alumni gathered with other faculty, current students, and old friends at various small businesses around downtown Escondido.
Reconnect
➢ Understanding Commerce, Culture, and Congregations (Dr. James H. Gilmore) ➢ Urban Apologetics (Dr. Carl Ellis) ➢ Worship: Informed, Reformed, and Transformed (Drs. David Hall and Terry Johnson)
The courses offered during WSC’s Alumni Winter Refresher are not the only opportunity alumni have to audit classes for free. WSC alumni may also audit any courses offered during any academic term from any degree program! For example, alumni who received a Master of Arts
There’s Always Next Year!
For more information about WSC’s Alumni Winter Refresher, feel free to call (888.480.8474 x102) or email (alumni@wscal.edu). See you next January! wscal.edu
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WSC STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Each year, students from all over the world study at WSC, and many hope to return home soon to bring Christ's gospel to the ends of the earth. WSC is proud to have 33 international students this year, and we ask that you would please pray for these students and their families– that Christ would be known to the nations.
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32 3 2
7
8
4
9
11 30
12 17
1
BRAZIL
1. Eric Cuer De Andrade, M.Div.
CANADA
2. Michael Kirkpatrick, M.Div. 3. David Stares, M.Div. 4. Jason Vander Horst, M.Div.
CHINA
5. Mingming Li, M.Div. 6. Rui Wang, M.Div.
GERMANY
7. Simon Schuster, M.A.T.S.
IRELAND
8. Simon O'Mahony, M.Div.
ITALY
NEW ZEALAND
MALAYSIA
PHILIPPINES
9. Yi Wang, M.Div. 10. Chong Yang Gue, M.A.B.S.
MEXICO
11. Marcos Mercado Estrada, M.A.T.S. 12. Angel Rodriguez Salais, M.Div.
13. Seung-Joo Lee, M.A.H.T. 14. Jude Atas, M.Div. 15. Kirby Figueras, M.Div.
DID YOU KNOW? 18
22
20
31
23
21
19
25
24
26
6 5 27 28
33 29
10
14
ROMANIA
16. Mihai Corcea, M.Div.
SOUTH AFRICA
17. Antonio Coppola, M.Div.
SOUTH KOREA
18. Hyun Kil Cho, M.A.H.T., M.Div. 19. Won Myung Chung, M.A.B.S.
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15
20. Hyeong Rae Jo, M.Div. 21. Sungchan Kang, M.A.T.S. 22. Jongwan Kim, M.Div. 23. Yosep Kim, M.Div. 24. Hahyeon Ko, M.A.T.S. 25. Jongyup Park, M.Div. 26. Shinwoong Park, M.Div. 27. Taiuk Seo, M.A.T.S. 28. Yohan Shin, M.Div.
TAIWAN
UNITED KINGDOM
TURKEY
VIETNAM
29. Pan Yun Lo, M.A.B.S. 30. Bulut Yasar, M.Div.
32. Philip Stewart, M.A.T.S. 33. Tu Tang, M.Div.
UKRAINE
31. Fedir Minakov, M.A.T.S.
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BY THE NUMBERS Student body statistics for the 2015-2016 academic year
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DENOMINATIONS REPRESENTED 58%
AGE 21-29
30%
AGE 30-39
12%
AGE 40+
42%
SINGLE STUDENT
23%
2015-2016 ENROLLMENT UPDATE by Mark MacVey
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estminster Seminary California (WSC) has welcomed 44 new students this academic year, including 34 in fall 2015 and 10 in spring 2016. This class includes 29 Master of Divinity students, 14 Master of Arts students, and 1 visiting student. These students came from 18 denominations, 10 U.S. states, and 8 foreign countries (Taiwan, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Malaysia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the Philippines). We currently have 33 international students from 18 countries! WSC’s total enrollment headcount at the start of the spring semester was 137 students (95 Master of Divinity, 41 Master of Arts, and 1 Visiting). While our enrollment has held steady around 150 headcount (135 full-time equivalent) since 2010, we did take a slight step back this year. Declining enrollment, particularly relative to the Master of Divinity program, has been a concern at several Presbyterian and Reformed seminaries and more broadly within the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) over the past 5 years. In the midst of unprecedented enrollment declines in higher education in general that began in 2007, the latest figures from ATS suggest that since 2009 the total enrollment for all ATS member schools has declined by over 5%, and
only 35% of ATS member schools have had positive enrollment growth over the past 5 years. Though we face additional enrollment challenges as we move toward the 2016-17 academic year, we remain thankful for the number of qualified prospective students that continue to embrace WSC’s commitment to a Christ-centered and rigorous graduate theological education. WSC will host its Thirty-fifth Annual Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 28, 2016, at Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido. United States Senator Ben Sasse, a former WSC administrator and former member of the WSC Board of Trustees, will deliver the commencement address. We are anticipating a graduating class of 55 (28 Master of Arts, 27 Master of Divinity) this spring, which would constitute the largest class in the seminary’s history. Please pray for these students as they complete their last few months of theological education in preparation to serve Christ, His Gospel, and His Church.
MARRIED COUPLE
35%
MARRIED WITH KIDS
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Notice Of Nondiscriminatory Policy As To Students The Westminster Seminary California school admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethinic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
2016 DEN DULK LECTURES WITH CJ DEN DULK Thoughts on Taking Care of God's Church
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he annual Robert G. and Nellie B. den Dulk Lectures are named after Westminster Seminary California’s (WSC) founding Vice President for Administration and later President, Robert den Dulk. The den Dulk Lectures were established to bring an experienced pastor to speak on topics related to the pastoral ministry as an expression of Dr. den Dulk’s desire for WSC to focus primarily on preparing pastors for Reformed churches through the M.Div. program. The annual den Dulk Lectures took place this year on March 29-31 in the WSC chapel. Our guest was Rev. CJ den Dulk, who has served as pastor of Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Sparta, Michigan, for 25 years. He graduated from WSC in 1990 and has served on the WSC Board for two terms. He has also been involved with prison ministry since Robert den Dulk, Rev. den Dulk’s second cousin, encouraged him to preach the gospel to inmates when Rev. den Dulk was in seminary. This was the first time a den Dulk has been the speaker for the den Dulk Lectures! Rev. den Dulk’s first lecture used the story of Jonah to illustrate the power of the gospel in ministering to a culture that is in dire need of God’s grace. In his second address, he described his personal approach to ministering to the children in his congregation. Rev. den Dulk makes it a priority to catechize every child in his church through high school. This demanding yet crucial aspect of his ministry allows him to establish a personal relationship with his church’s youth while teaching them the biblical truths of the Reformed faith. Rev. den Dulk’s final lecture reminded WSC students of the great honor and privilege is it to be called to the pastoral ministry. You can view more photos from this three-day event on our Facebook page (facebook.com/westminstercalifornia). The audio of each of his three lectures is available online at wscal.edu/resource-center/category/den-dulk-lectures.
Seminary FOR A Day
“WHEN GOD SAVES HIS ELECT, THEY COME HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEY WANT TO BE FED THE WORD OF GOD. IT IS AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD." – CJ DEN DULK
Seminary for a Day is a unique opportunity for prospective students to experience WSC firsthand. Join us at one of our upcoming events!
september 22, 2016 • january 13, 2017 • march 9, 2017 Lodging and travel reimbursement are available. For more info, visit wscal.edu/visit, email admissions@wscal.edu, or call (888) 480-8474.
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ONMISSION
WSC ALUMNI MISSIONS IN AFRICA by Kennedy Gondwe
G
oing to Africa for missions is arguably one the hardest and scariest things that a young seminary graduate might have to face. I still remember my earliest days in seminary when I never understood why we spent so many sleepless nights memorizing paradigms and vocabulary in Greek and Hebrew. Well, Dr. Dennis Johnson made it very clear to me: “It’s worth it if it means knowing Christ more and more.” Looking back, he was right. Ministry is hard in general—it’s the nature of the beast; but ministry in places like Africa seems harder. But the joy of knowing Jesus Christ through the blessing of his Word in which he has been revealed is such a delight. The terrain of ministry is different in Africa compared to other places in the world such as the U.S. and Europe. This is one of the few areas around the world in which missionaries must engage people in a predominantly illiterate culture. Hardly anyone knows how to read or write. At Veritas College in Malawi, we interact mostly with ordained pastors and church elders. Even these elders barely read and write. But despite these limitations they have great zeal for knowing and teaching the Christ of the Scriptures. No matter how
difficult it is to communicate these truths, no matter how frustrating it is to repeat the same things over and over again, if this toil leads us to knowing Christ more, then it is worth all of the blood, sweat, and tears. The faculty at Westminster Seminary California (WSC) drilled this into me, and for that I remain encouraged. Many communities in Africa are severely impoverished. It can be very tempting to engage these people in ways to improve their agriculture so they can have greater crop yields. But I have to remind myself often that this is not the field to which I am called. We are called to serve the church primarily by preaching and teaching from the Scriptures. That is my calling. Although the pressure in Africa to offer relief to people on matters that the state should be dealing with is exceedingly great, I must remain resilient in my calling to offer help in the area that I am trained and to resist getting involved where I am not called. We are not there to fix the political system in Africa, nor are we there to offer alternatives to the hunger crisis in this part of the world. We are there to preach Christ and him crucified. We are there to teach them the Bible. My goal at Veritas Malawi is to remind these pastors and elders of
“THE JOY OF KNOWING JESUS CHRIST THROUGH THE BLESSING OF HIS WORD IN WHICH HE HAS BEEN REVEALED IS SUCH A DELIGHT.”
16 UPDATE | SPRING2016
“WSC HAS GIVEN ME GREAT TRAINING FOR ALL MY ENDEAVORS HERE, AND I AM THANKFUL THAT THE LORD LED ME TO THIS WONDERFUL, FAITHFUL SEMINARY” their calling to preach, teach, and pray for their churches. We have seen churches split over pastors’ insensitivity with different political affiliations. We have seen churches split based on their tribal, clan, and ethnic variations. We do not have political or psychological solutions to these problems, but we can offer the truth about the person and work of Christ again and again. Serving in Malawi has been a challenging yet refreshing experience. Malawians, although illiterate, are always willing to listen with open ears. I’ve had the privilege of guiding many people to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We do not have the exact
terminologies to explain all of the theological categories and terms, but we do explain the most basic things for an ordinary Malawian to understand. WSC has given me great training for all of my endeavors here, and I am thankful that the Lord led me to this wonderful, faithful seminary.
KENNEDY GONDWE (M.A.T.S., 2015) is teaching and
serving as a team member with Veritas College in Malawi.
ALUMNI NEWS 1983
David Blaisdell died in March 2016. David Inks, after serving 17 years in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Alaska and Washington, took a call to pastor a United Reformed Church (URC) in Clovis, CA, in March 2014.
1986
Ezra Kim (also class of 2001) is now President of International Theological College and Seminary (ITCS) in Cambodia and continues as their Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics.
1989
Fritz Harms has taught in Riga, Latvia, and Campania, Romania, through International Theological Education Ministries (ITEM). Jim Newheiser (also grad of 1993) accepted a call to Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the Associate Professor of Christian Counseling and Practical Theology and Director of the Christian Counseling Program, effective June 2016. He will leave Grace Bible Church in Escondido after 25 years. He will continue as Execu-
tive Director of the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship (IBCD).
1991
Matt Slick is Founder and Director of the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (CARM), which will be releasing Portuguese and Turkish equivalents of their website to join their English and Spanish versions.
1993
Steve Wright was installed as pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Jackson, TN, in Sept. 2015.
1994
David Edling's book, Redeeming Church Conflicts: Turning Crisis Into Compassion and Care, republished by Hendrickson Publishers, is scheduled to be released in May 2016.
1995
Zack Purvis began his new postdoctoral position as Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh. He also recently had a book published: Theology and the University in Nineteenth-Century Germany, and it will appear in July from Oxford University Press.
2002
Matt Leighton completed his Th.D. in Biblical Theology at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. Leonard Pine planted Providence Bible Presbyterian Church in Bonners Ferry, ID, in Sept. 2010 and was called as Senior Pastor in Feb. 2015. He also established Boundary County Chaplain Corps, was certified as a Police and Fire Chaplain in 2013, and was recently certified Firefighter 1 status in 2015.
2003
Eric Landry was called as Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Austin, TX, and will begin his ministry there in June 2016.
2005
Anton Heuss was called as Senior Pastor of Bethel Church PCA in Dallas, TX. He and his wife, Leah, welcomed their daughter, Charis Eliah, on May 1, 2015.
2006
Quentin Falkena and his wife, Amanda, welcomed Galvin on Jan. 31, 2016. He joins his sisters Sophie (4) and Annika (2).
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2007
R. Andrew Compton has been appointed to the faculty of Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, IN, as Assistant Professor of Old Testament, beginning June 2016. He and his wife, Pamela, welcomed their fourth child, Ralph Levi, on Dec. 13, 2015. John Kim was called as the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) Campus Minister at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Luke Kim was installed as the pastor of Korean Presbyterian Church (PCA) in St. Louis, MO, in January 2016. Rob Weaver was installed as pastor of Morson Community Bible Fellowship (Lake of the Woods, ON) in September.
2008
Steve Bussis and his wife, Julie, welcomed daughter, Anna Leona, Jan. 23, 2016. He also accepted a call to serve the Bethel Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in Manhattan, Montana, and was installed on April 3, 2016.
2009
Mark Vander Pol was installed as Pastor of Congregational Life at the Lynden URC in Lynden, WA, on Apr. 7, 2016. He and his wife, Michelle, finalized the adoption of Jeremiah Makarios and Jasmine Johanna in February 2016.
2010
Nathaniel Gutierrez has served as a Mission to the World missionary in Arequipa, Peru, since December 2013 and was ordained into the Presbyterian denomination, Iglesia Evangelica Presbiteriana y
Reformada en el Peru (I.E.P.R.P.) and installed at Iglesia Presbiteriana La Roca in Arequipa, in October 2015. Mathew Mills and his wife, Lisa, were blessed with the birth of their first child, a boy, on Sept. 5, 2015. Thomas Myrick was ordained and installed as a Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Bethesda, Maryland.
2011
Jared Beaird and his wife, Liz, were blessed by their son, Austin Gregory, on Feb. 24, 2016. Christian Locatell was licensed in the PCA in 2014 and is currently working on a PhD in ancient languages at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His dissertation will present a cognitive linguistic analysis of ( כיkî) in Biblical Hebrew. He has been accepted as an associate of the Nida School of Translation Studies in Italy at the San Pellegrino University Foundation and will also be a presenter at the triennial meeting of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament in September.
2012
Seung Gyun Kim and his wife, Yoon Jeong, welcomed their first son, Calvin Judah Kim, on Dec. 27, 2015. He was also called by Korean Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (KAPC) in San Jose as the High School Pastor in April 2016. Kristopher Marriage has been called to a bi-vocational position with Grace Bible Church in Banks, OR, and began in March as the pastor.
2013
Kalyn (Robel) Merriner and Matthew Merriner were married on July 5, 2014. They were blessed with daughter, Elliana Ruth Merriner, Oct. 8, 2015. Graham Svendsen was ordained as Pastor of Grace highlands Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Boone, NC, Sept. 2015.
2014
Le Ann Trees was appointed Dean of Women Students at Westminster Seminary California.
2015
Justin DeBerry was ordained as Senior Pastor at West Center Baptist Church in Madison, SD. Joel Fitzpatrick was ordained at North City Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Poway, CA, on March 13 as Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Family Ministries. Drew Hoekema was married to Katie Gruhn on Dec. 31, 2015. He is also the interim pastor at Platte CRC in Platte, SD. Taylor Kern was ordained Pastor for the Spanish-language ministry of Ontario URC, Ontario, CA. Harrison Perkins moved to Northern Ireland to begin his PhD studies at Queen’s University Belfast. Jeremiah Rivera was ordained as Assistant Pastor of Christian Education, New Member Assimilation, and Men's Ministry & Small Groups at New Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA), Aiken, SC, on Mar. 6th. Elizabeth Van Dyke began a Ph.D. program in Hebrew Bible at University of California, Los Angeles.
2017
ALUMNI WINTER REFRESHER
WSC Alumni — Get away and refresh at the Alumni Winter Refresher this January! Audit for FREE any one-week Winter Term course and attend the Annual Conference! wscal.edu/awr
18 UPDATE | SPRING2016
INPERSON & INPRINT
FACULTY SPEAKING SPIRITUAL HUNGER IN CUBA
C
uba has been in the news often lately. During the week before President Obama’s visit, Dr. Charles Telfer and a group of 20 Americans met with groups of fervent Christians from over 10 different denominations for leadership training and Bible distribution. New converts are filling the churches of Cuba, the site of the Western hemisphere’s most significant revival in recent decades. Working with the American Bible Society, the Americans had the opportunity to distribute the first 3,000 out of 68,000 Bibles brought into the country by the generosity of listeners to the radio program, Haven Today. Dr. Telfer served as translator for Charles Morris, host of Haven Today. He reports to UPDATE that the “enthusiasm—and even tears—on the faces of Cuban believers when they received their own Bible was moving.” Many Christian families do not own a single Bible, and in past years it was the persistent prayer of the churches that they might be able to have Bibles (the importation of Bibles was not permitted for decades). In one small town, young and old came together on foot and packed into the back of cattle trucks until they swelled a partially roofed machineshed-turned-church-building into a total of 1,500 people who raised their Bibles with joy! In Havana, Dr. Telfer had the privilege of chairing a colloquium for teachers of Biblical languages organized by the American Bible Society. Among the professors from five or six schools, virtually none of their students and very few pastors throughout the country have a copy of the Bible—either in Hebrew or Greek. One of the more productive outcomes of the colloquium was a commitment by teachers to share their meager print, electronic, and pedagogical resources with one another and to hold a conference on teaching Biblical languages later this year. During the pastor/teacher conferences held in Havana, Pinar del Río, and several other sites Dr. Telfer spoke on “Preaching Christ from the Old Testament.”
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS JUNE 3-4 — Dr. W. Robert Godfrey speaks at the 2016 Ligonier West Coast Conference (Redmond, WA). 13-24 — Dr. Michael S. Horton speaks at Oxford University's Friends of Wycliffe Hall Summer School (Oxford, England). 19 — Dr. Joshua Van Ee preaches at Belgrade URC (Belgrade, MT).
JULY 8-13 — Dr. W. Robert Godfrey speaks at Ligonier John Calvin Tour (Zurich, Switzerland). 10-14 — Dr. Michael S. Horton speaks at International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism & Human Rights (Strasbourg, France). 24 — Dr. David VanDrunen preaches at Belgrade URC (Belgrade, MT). 31 — Dr. David VanDrunen preaches at Belgrade URC (Belgrade, MT).
OCTOBER 20-22 — Dr. W. Robert Godfrey speaks at the Reformation Worship Conference at Midway PCA (Powder Springs, GA). 28-30 — Dr. Dennis E. Johnson speaks at the Reformation Day Conference and preaches at Springs Reformed Church RPCNA (Colorado Springs, CO). 29-30 — David VanDrunen speaks at conference and preaches at Omaha Bible Church (Omaha, NE).
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FACULTY WRITING God's Glory Alone: The Majestic Heart of Christian Faith and Life by David VanDrunen
In God’s Glory Alone: The Majestic Heart of Christian Faith and Life, David VanDrunen looks at the historical and biblical roots of the idea that all glory belongs to God alone. He examines the development of this theme in the Reformation, in subsequent Reformed theology and confessions, and in contemporary theologians who continue to be inspired by the conviction that all glory belongs to God. Then he turns to the biblical story of God's glory, beginning with the pillar of cloud and fire revealed to Israel, continuing through the incarnation, death, and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ, and culminating in Christ's Second Coming and the glorification of his people. For more faculty books, see the Bookstore ad on page 23.
WSC WELCOMES NEW TRUSTEE, BRIAN MILLER Mr. Miller is a frequent speaker at national conferences, Westminster Seminary California (WSC) is pleased to task force meetings, and regional working groups. He has welcome Brian D. Miller as a trustee. Mr. Miller is a sharetestified before Congress many times, not only on matters holder at Rogers Joseph O’Donnell, P.C. He served as Inpertaining to GSA, but also on issues in which his testimony spector General of the U.S. General Services Administration is requested by Committees in view of his expertise and (GSA) from 2005 to 2014. As Inspector General, Mr. Miller achievements. In 2012, the U.S. Comptroller General preled over 300 auditors, special agents, lawyers, and support sented Mr. Miller with the David M. Walker Excellence in staff in conducting nationwide audits and investigations Government Performance and Accountability Award, which that addressed fraudulent conduct, as well as deficiencies recognizes and honors government audit professionals who in GSA programs and operations, and the internal controls have made sustained contributhat govern those activities. tions to improve government Prior to becoming Inspecperformance and accountabiltor General, Mr. Miller worked “WSC SHOULD CONTINUE TO TEACH, ity through their leadership in the U.S. Department of Justice in transforming government DEFEND, AND ADVANCE HISTORIC (DOJ) for 15 years, where he was organizations. He was recogassigned positions of trust. This REFORMED THEOLOGY AS NEW nized by Ethisphere magazine included service as the Senior Counsel to the Deputy AttorCHALLENGES ARISE.” – BRIAN D. MILLER as the 12th “most influential person in business ethics” by a ney General, Special Counsel for worldwide panel of experts and Health Care Fraud for the Deputy was named among “Those Who Dared: 30 Officials Who Attorney General, and work in the Office of Policy DevelopStood Up for Our Country,” a special report of Citizens for ment, where Mr. Miller had begun his service in the DOJ. Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, D.C. Mr. Miller Mr. Miller was also appointed as an Assistant U.S. Attorney also received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service for the Eastern District of Virginia by Attorney General Award in 2008. Janet Reno. Among Mr. Miller’s litigation responsibilities Mr. Miller’s son, Andrew, graduated from WSC in 2011 was the personal representation of the Attorney General in and currently serves as pastor of Bethel Reformed Presbytecivil actions arising after the September 11 attacks. He also rian Church (OPC) in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where Mr. worked on high profile terrorism cases. Miller serves as an elder.
20 UPDATE | SPRING2016
HONORARIUM & MEMORIAL GIFTS
Gifts Received from September 6, 2015 through March 3, 2016
In Honor Of... Rev. Dr. Steven M. Baugh Dr. and Mrs. R. Scott Clark
Dr. and Mrs. Derke P. Bergsma Ms. Diann Otten
Mrs. Dawn G. Doorn Ms. Ellen Ward
Current Faculty
Dr. and Mrs. William J. Montgomery
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Mr. and Mrs. Scott Korthuis
Mr. Nicholas Lazzareschi
Dr. and Mrs. William B. Lide
Rev. Jae Suh
Rev. and Mrs. Sam S. Suh
In Memory Of... Mr. Frederick A. Baugh
Mr. David Brouwer
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis
Mrs. Nancy K. Clippinger
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis
Mr. Paul T. Strimple Jr.
Mr. Jerry Doornenbal
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bowman Mrs. Elfreda Lewis Dr. and Mrs. Robert B. Strimple Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Strimple Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wilgenburg, Jr.
Mr. Chet Faber
Mr. Paul T. Strimple Sr.
Mrs. Evangeline Fikkert
Mr. Lambert Vander Kooi
Grace Baptist Church
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis Mr. and Mrs. Ben Goedhart
Mr. and Mrs. Raymon Porter
Mr. Luke Faber
Mr. and Mrs. James W. Onnink Mr. Scott Onnink
Mr. Ralph E. Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis
Mrs. Edna Vander Woude
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Dr. and Mrs. W. Robert Godfrey
Mr. Nick Ver Steeg
Rev. Melvin Kleinhuizen
Mr. Henry Visser
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Veenendaal
Mrs. Dena Kooy
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brower Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Could You Mr. and Mrs. BenBenefit? Veenendaal
Mr. Ron Korthuis
Mr. Alfred Vos
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Groen
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis
Dr. and Mrs. R. Scott Clark Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Dr. and Mrs. W. Robert Godfrey
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Korthuis
Andrew J. Bierling
Mrs. Betty Anne Miedema
Mrs. Sharon M. Vos
Mr. John Nyland
Mr. James P. Lower
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Mr. and Mrs. Henry Doorn II Dr. and Mrs. W. Robert Godfrey
Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Vos Mrs. Sharon M. Vos
Joel Brian Vos
Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Vos Mrs. Sharon M. Vos
SPECIAL TAX-FREE IRA GIFTS Could you benefit? For those aged 70½ or older, it is once again possible to make tax-favored charitable gifts from your IRA accounts. New legislation (Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes, or PATH, signed in December 2015) makes this provision permanent for future years. A total of up to $100,000 can be transferred directly from traditional or Roth IRAs to one or more qualified charities – such as Westminster Seminary California – free from federal income tax each year. There may also be state income tax savings.
Making gifts from IRA funds that would otherwise lead to increased taxes can be a wise choice, especially for those who must take required minimum distributions each year. To make such gifts, it is important not to withdraw funds prior to a gift, but have the gift amount given directly from an IRA to one or more qualified charities. Please call us (760-480-8474, ext 130) or your tax advisor for more information. For your convenience we will send you a form that may be helpful in expediting this transaction with your IRA administrator.
UPCLOSE with Mark Macvey
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO ATTEND WSC AS A STUDENT? I first heard about WSC shortly after I was introduced to the Reformed faith by a professor at Northwestern College in Minnesota. As with many of our students over the years, my discovery prompted me to read whatever Reformed material I could get my hands on. In doing so, I kept coming across the names of faculty members at WSC and found many of their books and articles to be of great benefit to me in my journey.
HOW IS IT HELPFUL FOR YOU AS A FORMER STUDENT TO ENCOURAGE OR COUNSEL PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS? It is very helpful. I don’t think I could do the job very well without my experience as a student. My time at WSC as a student has not only provided me with the theological foundation and categories necessary to interact with prospective students, but also a good understanding of the specifics of our degree programs. More importantly, it has allowed me to relate to our students as I counsel them through various academic, spiritual, and practical challenges they face throughout their time in seminary. This is definitely the most rewarding part of my job.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR RECRUITING STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEOLOGICAL STUDIES? The biggest challenge is reaching prospective students with a clear and consistent presentation of what is distinctive about a WSC education and how it will prepare them for their specific callings. This task has become more difficult as the perceived value of a quality theological education, and the M.Div. program in particular, has declined in our society. Many times we must start with defending the inherent value and necessity of a solid theological education for the ministry before we can even begin talking about WSC’s particular role in that process.
YOU PROBABLY GET THE QUESTION ALL THE TIME ABOUT HAVING WSC COURSES ONLINE – BUT HOW DO YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION? This is definitely one of the most frequent questions we receive in the admissions office. I generally approach the question by positively presenting a case for the value of an in-person, face-to-face educational experience and the mentoring relationships between faculty and students that develop within a learning community like the one WSC offers. We believe that the mode of education matters, especially in the preparation of ministers to serve Christ and His Church. I do realize that the option of pursuing a traditional, in-residence education, is not available to all prospective students, but I hope I can challenge those individuals to consider the seriousness of their callings and the significant role that a good theological education plays in preparing them for kingdom work.
MARK MACVEY has been serving the Westminster Seminary California (WSC) community in administrative roles since 2005. He is currently the Vice President for Enrollment Management.
22 UPDATE | SPRING2016
FACULTY BOOKS AVAILABLE NOW NEW!
Core Christanity Finding Yourself in God's Story by Michael S. Horton (Zondervan, 2016)
Divine Covenants And Moral Order
A Bibical Theology of Natural Law by David VanDrunen (Eerdmans, 2014)
Word, Water, and Spirit A Reformed Perspective on Baptism by J. V. Fesko (Reformation Heritage Books, 2013)
NEW!
God's Glory Alone
The Majestic Heart of Christian Faith and Life by David VanDrunen (Zondervan, 2015)
NEW!
NEW!
Preaching the Whole Counsel of God
Design and Deliver Gospel-Centered Sermons by Julius J. Kim (Zondervan, 2015)
The Theology of the Westminster Seminary Westminster Standards California Historical Context and Theological Insights by J. V. Fesko (Crossway Books, 2014)
Living in God’s Two Kingdoms
A Biblical Vision for Christianity and Culture by David VanDrunen (Crossway Books, 2010)
A New Old School
Walking with Jesus Through His Word Discovering Christ in All the Scriptures by Dennis E. Johnson (P&R, 2015)
Songs of a Suffering King
The Grand Christ Hymn of Psalms 1-8
by W. Robert Godfrey and D. G. Hart (Westminster Seminary California, 2012)
by J. V. Fesko (Reformation Heritage Books, 2014)
Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms
Recovering the Reformed Confession
A Study in the Development of Reformed Social Thought by David VanDrunen (Eerdmans, 2010)
Our Theology, Piety, and Practice by R. Scott Clark (Eerdmans, 2009)
Ordinary
Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World by Michael S. Horton (Zondervan, 2014)
Pilgrim Theology
Core Doctrines for Christian Disciples by Michael S. Horton (Zondervan, 2013)
Him We Proclaim
Preaching Christ from All the Scriptures by Dennis E. Johnson (P&R, 2007)
Calvin On The Christian Life
Glorifying and Enjoying God Forever by Michael S. Horton (Crossway Books, 2014)
John Calvin
Pilgrim and Pastor by W. Robert Godfrey (Crossway Books, 2009)
A New Testament Greek Primer (3rd Edition) by S. M. Baugh (P&R, 2012)
Visit our campus Bookstore — now located in the library! wscal.edu/bookstore wscal edu 23
1725 BEAR VALLEY PARKWAY ESCONDIDO, CA 92027 WWW.WSCAL.EDU
IS THE REFORMATION
OVER?
JANUARY 13 - 14, 2017 on the campus of westminster seminary california • escondido, ca Join us next year for our annual conference as we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation and explore its history, theology, and abiding relevance for the church today.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
W. Robert Godfrey, R. Scott Clark, J. V. Fesko, Michael S. Horton, Julius J. Kim, Joel E. Kim 24 UPDATE | SPRING2016
MORE INFO COMING SEPTEMBER 2016 wscal.edu/conference