Reformed Christian Studies

Posted at 9Marks.org: Being “called” to ministry isn’t entirely personal, internal, and subjective. It involves both the individual and a church, an internal desire and external confirmation. In this Pastors’ Talk episode, Jonathan [Leeman] asked Mark [Dever] about common misconceptions of pastoral calling, how pastors can cultivate an environment where callings get tested, and the role of the church throughout. (Download on iTunes here .) Read more at 9Marks and listen here. (Audio: approx. 26 minutes)

The Second Helvetic Confession CHAPTER XVIII Of The Ministers of The Church, Their Institution and Duties GOD USES MINISTERS IN THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH. God has always used ministers for the gathering or establishing of a Church for himself, and for the governing and preservation of the same; and still he does, and always will, use them so long as the Church remains on earth. Therefore, the first beginning, institution, and office of ministers is a most ancient arrangement of God himself, and not a new one of men. INSTITUTION AND ORIGIN OF MINISTERS. It is true that God can, by his power, without any means join to himself a Church from among men; but he preferred to deal with men by the ministry of men. Therefore ministers are to be regarded, not as ministers by themselves alone, but as the ministers of God, inasmuch as God effects the salvation of men through them. THE MINISTRY IS NOT TO BE DESPISED . Hence we warn men to beware lest we attribute what has to do with our conve