We need to also keep in mind that we are intimately involved in the training of ministers, which is a function of the church.  We are training men to proclaim the word of God.  Our Lord gave the Commission to the church to call the lost and teach them His word so they might know and serve Him.  Thus, our academic activity is based on the word of God.

In the pursuit of this important work, we turn to the word of God for His guidance and direction.   The Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy are very practical letters filled with instruction on how to conduct oneself as a pastor and how the church ought to function.  Yet, in these practical letters there are very important principles given to the church.  These principles provide guidance in how it is to function, maintain itself and remain faithful. 

We know it is by the grace of God that the Church has been established and will remain faithful.  Certainly the word of God guides and warns the church in what it must do to keep itself faithful. 

When we look at Christianity in general in our nation, it is obvious the church has not done a particularly good job in remaining faithful.  I don’t think anyone would argue that American Christianity is in sad shape. 

The church must once again understand the mission it has been given. Paul states the church is to serve as the pillar and ground of the truth (I Tim 3:15c NKJV).  Truth is a treasure given to the church.  The church is responsible to proclaim the truth, which in turn will set men free.

To understand the church as “the pillar and ground of the truth” has profound implications for Heidelberg Theological Seminary (HTS). It is what we are all about.  In this context, what might we understand from God’s Word?

Early this summer, I attended the OPC General Assembly (GA).  At the assembly, I heard a fraternal delegate in his address lament the fact that “it is hard to find men who simply desire to preach the gospel.”  Often these days, men pursuing the ministry want to specialize, indicating their preference to become scholars and/or professors.  The speaker emphasized the fact that there is no calling more important in the kingdom of God than preaching the Gospel.  In response, the moderator of the GA stated, “when someone moves from a pastoral role to a seminary professor role he in fact is being demoted; given preaching of the gospel, as a pastor, is the highest calling.”  I found the comment interesting having recently resigned as a pastor and received an appointment to teach full time at HTS. 

The comment speaks to a very important point.  There is nothing more important than the proclamation and preaching of the Gospel - the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.  I trust we will never fail to keep what we are about in the forefront of our minds.

A few days after the GA, I heard a sermon in which the pastor proposed there was an anti-preaching campaign occurring in American Christianity.  Everything but preaching is being emphasized today.  The devil is just fine with this emphasis. Because, it is by preaching that the truth is established and the falsehood of this world is destroyed.  As long as preaching is shoved aside, the church will not be “the pillar and ground of the truth.”  We see the result in a very real way in churches across our nation.

Many have asked, “Why are we doing this?”  “Why does a small denomination such as the RCUS with limited resources and limited potential for students take on this huge endeavor?”  I have been asked why I would put myself in this position. Believe me, I have asked this question of myself.  In answering this question, a number of arguments can be presented.  However, the best response is to simply state, “We must be faithful in doing the work of the church.” 

I do not believe we can escape the implication. There is nothing more important than 1) the need to preach the gospel and 2) ensure the gospel continues to be preached.  As I have the opportunity to preach to a number of different congregations and people, I observe a similar trend.  People are asking, “What is happening,” “What is happening in the church” and “What is happening in our nation?”  As I pondered these questions, it occurred to me that we really should not be surprised about these questions and issues. These issues did not occur overnight.  These questions are prompted because faithful preaching is not and has not taken place.

May I say it again?  What we as a seminary and people of the denomination seek to do is important. Nothing can be more important when we consider everything before us. Not just immediate needs, but the needs of generations to follow, including the vast numbers of others who are blind and hungry.  We understand and take great comfort in the truth that the sovereign God has placed Christ as the head of the church.  We understand victory has been won and we will not be overcome.  However, if we do not take our responsibility seriously to both produce and train preachers of the gospel, we cannot complain when our pulpits are empty and people are blindly following the falsehoods of the world.

The emphasis Paul makes concerning the truth is directed to the church.  The phrase that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth is an interesting phrase as it stands.  But, it becomes even more interesting when we take a careful look at the context.  Paul is writing to Timothy with instructions about the mundane things of how the church should function, at least, what many believe to be mundane things.  Having indentified in the earlier part of this chapter qualifications for officers, he specifically states the purpose of the qualifications.   It is this, “so that you know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God.” (I Tim 3:15a NKJV) 

In speaking of this passage, John Murray (Professor and one of the founders of Westminster Theological Seminary) says the following, “No text evinces Paul’s jealousy for proper government in the church more than this one.  The considerations giving sanction to the necessity of right administration Paul specifies.  The church is ‘the house of God’, ‘the church of the living God’, and ‘the pillar and ground of the truth’.”  He goes on to say, “the lessons are inescapable.  Government and witness to the truth cannot be disjoined.  Everything that interferes with good government impinges directly upon the truth of our Christian faith.  Government is not a peripheral concern, nor does deviation from what is proper affect merely the periphery of sound doctrine.  Deviation prejudices what is central, the mystery of godliness itself.” (collected writings of John Murray, vol. I, page 241)

The manner in which the church goes about being “the pillar and ground of the truth” is as important as the message it seeks to proclaim.  It is very easy and tempting at times to make pragmatic arguments based on necessity in simply being concerned with the outcome.  Often the argument goes like this; “as long as the truth is getting out there, it really doesn’t make any difference how we do it.”  When we understand Paul’s concerns along with the context, we note we cannot separate what we do or say with the manner in which we do it.  They go together.

Paul calls the church the house of the living God, that is, God’s dwelling place.   Because the church is the house of God, God has given the responsibility to the church to 1) guard the truth and 2) make known the mystery of the Gospel.

Even in his instructions to Timothy, which include much about the important work of being a preacher and pastor, Paul does not identify Timothy as the pillar and ground of truth.  When the New Testament church in Antioch first dealt with controversy, they appealed to the court of the church in dealing with the issue. The church body includes many aspects.  There are believers, there is the gathering of believers for worship, there are pastors carrying out their ministry and there are the courts of the church. 

At this point, I am convinced Paul’s exhortation speaks directly to us.  It is obvious the church is to be “the pillar and ground of the truth.” The truth must be taught. Those who would proclaim the truth and sit in the courts of the church to uphold it must be trained.  It simply follows that training, specifically the function of the seminary, is an intimate part of the church.

If the church is the guardian of the truth, then the church must be responsible for the training of those who are held accountable before God to guard that truth.

In the RCUS, we have at times in the past tended to be somewhat inward focused.  I understand why. It is a struggle for a small church and small congregations to meet their own needs.  When Paul states the church is “the pillar and ground of the truth,” he does not have in mind the church hiding the truth and just keeping it for us.  That truth is to be kept so that it might be proclaimed and the next generation including the lost will have and hear the truth.

Rather than only be concerned about whether we have someone in our pulpit, we also need to be equally concerned – within the church – to prepare someone for the pulpit to proclaim the truth for the next generation and the far corners of the world.  Don’t get me wrong, having someone in our pulpit is very important, but it should not be an either or situation. It must be both.

You see, if we are going to take it to heart when the Scriptures state that “the church is the pillar and ground of the truth,” we need to understand how it is achieved. 

As a seminary, we see ourselves very much a part of the church. HTS has always attempted to be a servant of the church.  We have conducted a number of conferences and want to do more of them.  We want to be available for ongoing training for men who are in the ministry.  I am convinced this dimension of our academic offering is very important.  We also want to speak to young men, to encourage them to consider the ministry.  We encourage churches to make use of this assistance in their ministry.

I am stating this not because I want to speak about all of the things we as a seminary can do.  But it supports the whole notion of the church being “the pillar and ground of the truth.” The only way the church can in fact be “the pillar and ground of the truth” is by means of the ministry of the Word.  We need to assure the anti-preaching campaign does not win the day.  The gospel must be preached. We must use all the resources given to the church so preaching in the church will be “the pillar and ground of the truth.”  The church must train preachers.

I would love nothing better than to have a whole row of students sitting here attending classes this year.  We certainly do pray the Lord in due time will send students.  We are working with some students on a part time basis and providing training for pastors who are new to the RCUS.  But, I want to suggest there is an even more fundamental concern before us. 

As I indicated earlier, HTS sees itself as a servant of the church.  HTS also needs the church.  We see the work of training men for the gospel ministry as being a partnership with the church, in particular with the local congregations. 

An occasionally asked question is “How many students do you have?” While the question is important, an even more basic question is, “Do we understand as a church, what our full responsibility is before God and how we must be involved in all that the church is about?” We need to also ask ourselves “Are we doing all that the word of God requires of us to do?”

My challenge to you is to think of Heidelberg Theological Seminary as your seminary.  We ask for you to send students to us and make use of our available resources.  We ask for your prayers, and yes, in partnership with us, we ask for your support.

Support the concept that God’s Word challenges us in making the church “the pillar and ground of the truth.”  I am convinced that, if we uphold this concept and are ready to serve the church in all that it is about, the Lord will provide the students and the preaching of the gospel will go forward.  At least, it is the Lord we must wait upon to provide.

I preached several times this summer from a passage I am convinced is so important in this context.  In Ezekiel 34, God makes a promise to be the shepherd and gatherer of His sheep.  God gathers and feeds His sheep through the ministry of His word.  This means the preaching of the gospel will not cease and the truth, given to and kept by the church, will continue to go forward.

This is what we are about.   It takes sacrifice and it takes work.  This is what God has called us to.  We pray we will be faithful in this task.

I want to express my appreciation to all of you for coming this evening.  It is good to have you join us and note your interest in what we are doing.

I also want to especially express my appreciation to the members of the Vermillion congregation. Not only for your provision for this service, but the many things you have done through the years to assist in getting this seminary off the ground.  We thank you.  Please know; it is appreciated.