We were honored to have Rev. Nam Joon Kim, friend and pastor of the Yullin Presbyterian Church (4,500 members), Seoul, Korea, serve as our chapel speaker yesterday. He spoke on “The True Mission of Ministers” from Leviticus 24:1-3. A limited number of printed copies are available from the seminary.

Phil Huisjen, 99, reading his Bible

This morning I visited our oldest male member, Phil Huisjen, who is beginning his 100^th year this week. His mind is still sharp, especially when he converses of spiritual matters. He spends most of his time in his room, reading his extra large print Bible through a strong magnifying glass, all propped up on a light Styrofoam contraption that he can straddle his Bible across the top of. What a dear brother this senior is! I have been visiting him for twenty-five years, and cherish every one of those visits. Over the years, I have seen him grow spiritually, so that he now relishes salvation in Christ’s righteousness alone. When I told him I was going to read Psalm 71, he said, “Oh, I love that psalm—that’s the psalm where David keeps talking about Christ’s righteousness rather than his own.”

This dear brother speaks with a depth of spiritual conviction seldom encountered in our day. His yearnings for more faith and his hatred of his own unbelief are so profound and intense that I always leave these visits feeling I was pastored more than I pastored. Oh, for more vital, experiential Christianity in our own hearts today!

URC Ministerial Fellowship

This noon I had the privilege of addressing the first gathering of a new ministerial fellowship which hopes to meet quarterly. Presently, it consists mostly of United Reformed Church ministers but plans are underway to throw the net a bit wider to include ministers and seminaries of conservative Reformed persuasion. I was asked to address the subject of “Coping with Criticism in the Ministry.”  I gave them ten points: Consider criticism inevitable; consider the source, consider timing and prayer; consider yourself; consider the content; consider Scripture; consider Christ; consider biblical saints; consider love; consider long-term vision.

I’m hoping to expand this address this fall into a 100-page paperback, which Day One hopes to publish in the spring. I believe there is a great need for a helpful book from the Reformed perspective on this vital subject. Despite the fact that more than 80% of ministers in America today state that coping with criticism is the greatest burden they face in the ministry, materials on this subject are scarce. If you know of any good sources on coping with criticism, let me know please.

I helped my son Calvin move two pieces of antique furniture that he and his fiancée purchased at a flea market today into their newly purchased home. Great fun, though I must confess that ever since he got engaged to Laura (which is great!), I have felt considerably older. But, as the Koreans would say, that is a good and honorable thing! Actually, I am overwhelmed with the goodness of God in bringing such a special young lady into my son’s life and into our family. How can we overestimate the importance of who our children marry?