From Rutherford Hall -- By: Jerry O’Neill
Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 02:2 (Spring 2016)
Article: From Rutherford Hall
Author: Jerry O’Neill
From Rutherford Hall
President of the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
During the twenty-one years that I have served at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, I have often spoken of three aspects of ministerial preparation, sometimes comparing this to a three-legged stool. If you do not get all three right, you will not have a stable foundation.
The first leg consists of Christlikeness, godliness, and spiritual maturity. Personal piety and a solid marriage and family are important aspects of being a good pastor. The second leg involves the development of proper ministry skills. Godliness is not enough. A pastor must be able to preach, teach, counsel, evangelize, disciple, lead meetings, and show hospitality. The third leg consists of theological orthodoxy, and a growing understanding of systematic theology and the attacks of others on the historic Christian faith. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth, and we need theologically educated pastors who can not only teach correct doctrine, but also point out and rebuff false teaching.
The Preface to the original Constitution of our Seminary says that the qualifications for the ministry include piety, good sense, and a good theological education. In many ways, this is not too far from the way I say it today. “Good sense” may not be the equivalent of the development of ministry skills, but it is very clear from the original curriculum that a good education included “ministry skills development” and not just the cognitive aspect of a theological education. “Good sense” is wisdom that combines knowledge and spiritual maturity to make a man fruitful in ministry.
How we need “good sense” today! How the church needs wisdom today. There is little in the church today more uncommon than what we used to call “common sense.” Indeed, how we need Biblically informed common sense today!
As you read through this edition of the Journal, may your hearts be blessed! May you grow in knowledge! But may you grow in piety, also, and in your communion with Christ so that the end result will be growth in wisdom, growth in “good sense” that our forefathers rightly point to as a qualification for ministry.
Jerry O’Neill
...Click here to subscribe