Simon Kistemaker was born The Netherlands, came to Canada in 1948, graduated from Calvin College in 1954 and from Calvin Seminary in 1957. After one year of teaching Classical Languages at Calvin College, he went to the Free University of Amsterdam where he received the Th.D. degree in the are of the New Testament in 1961. He served the Christian Reformed Church of Vernon B.C., as a home missionary until 1963, and since then has been Professor of Bible at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. He recently accepted an appointment to Reformed Theological Seminary as Associate Professor of New Testament Theology. The Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center as his calling church is loaning him to the seminary.
The prayer of righteous men has a powerful effect. This slightly paraphrased verse taken from the letter of James has added meaning for many people who have prayed for a theological seminary of Reformed persuasion. In the summer of 1963, a number of Christians belonging to the Presbyterian Church in the United States came together for prayer. They prayed earnestly that God would open the way to institute a theological seminary thoroughly committed to the Reformed faith. They did not expect at that time that the Lord would answer their prayer immediately and fully.
The seminary opened its doors in September 1966 with five professors and seventeen students. Four years later eighty-four students enrolled and the faculty had increased to eight professors. All indications are that the enrollment will increase; for that reason the Board of Trustees of Reformed Theological Seminary has appointed still more professors so that by next September the faculty will consist of eleven members. Prayer has a powerful effect.
History – A prayer group formed the beginning of Reformed Theological Seminary. When this prayer group met during the summer of 1963, the members decided to appoint two committees. One committee was charged to look into the possibility of establishing a theological seminary; the other was given the task of laying the groundwork for a Bible institute.
The Bible-institute committee put faith into practice by drafting a charter of incorporation. This charter was approved by the State of Mississippi on April 13, 1964. Under this charter the Reformed Theological Institute was opened—classes were taught and courses were conducted in several places. Within a year, the committee now known as the Board of Trustees became aware of the rapid expansion. Again they acted in faith. They changed the name of the institute to Reformed Theological Seminary.
The doors of this seminary were opened on September 6, 1966 when the first convocation was held. Students taking the regular seminary curriculum are able to graduate after three years with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. And since June 1970, Reformed Theological Seminary is on the candidate list to be a fully-accredited, degree-granting institution.
The seminary is located in the southwestern part of the city of Jackson, Mississippi. That means, the seminary is geographically remote from theological schools true to the Reformed faith. Thus it fills a pressing need in serving churches desiring the Reformed interpretation of the Scriptures. During their seminary training students fill the pulpits of vacant churches in the vicinity of Jackson. And upon graduation they accept calls to serve such vacant congregations. In the last two years, graduates of Reformed Theological Seminary have accepted calls in nine states, ten presbyteries, and other fields.
Purpose – Though the founders of Reformed Theological Seminary belong to the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern), the seminary is independent. That is, students from other denominations may apply for admission and receive ministerial training which is truly Reformed. As an independent seminary, the school has been founded with a specific purpose, and this purpose is stated in its perpetual charter. It reads as follows:
To establish, control and develop an institute of theological studies established upon the authority of the Word of God standing written in the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible, all therein being verbally inspired by Almighty God and therefore without error, and committed to the Reformed Faith as set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as originally adopted by the Presbyterian Church in the United States.
That statement of purpose is the basis on which the seminary is built; the framework of the seminary is to train ministers in the Reformed faith. As is evident from the brief history of the seminary, the work of training ministers proceeds positively and constructively. The reason for this is the convictions to which the seminary is committed. Set forth with clarity, these convictions pertain to the inerrancy of the Bible, Reformed Theology of the Westminster Standards, the Biblical form of church government, and the Evangelical mission of the church. For example, the seminary’s view on Scripture and Confessional Standards is formulated in these words:
Believing the Bible to be the “Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice,” the Reformed Theological Seminary rejects vigorously any usurpation of Biblical authority, coming either in the form of church tradition or in the form of current decisions of church courts. The Reformed Theological Seminary asserts the priority of Scripture alone over the life of the Church. We, therefore, believe that a loyal and reverent approach to the study of the Bible recognizes and affirms its plenary, verbal inspiration and its absolute inerrancy as the divinely revealed and authoritative Word of God.
The Reformed Theological Seminary does not regard the subject matter of theology to be primarily philosophical or historical but Biblical. Both the form and content of theological studies should reflect faithfully the perspective of Scripture itself. The Reformed Theological Seminary regards the sovereignty of God as a central tenet of Biblical faith, along with the related doctrines of absolute predestination and unconditional election. Strict creedal subscription to the whole Reformed faith is the position of this Seminary.
Maintaining an institution of academic excellence, the Board of Trustees and the faculty are striving for the dynamic union of the doctrinal strength of the Reformed faith with the warmth of evangelistic passion. The members of the Board of Trustees and faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary have the express desire to contribute constructively to the life and work of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion – Because Reformed Theological Seminary has been founded as an independent academic institution, no ecclesiastical denomination can exercise control. Members of the Board of Trustees, ministerial advisors, faculty members, and students of the seminary belong to various Presbyterian and Reformed denominations. Thus Reformed Theological Seminary seeks to serve all branches of evangelical Christianity, but especially churches of the Presbyterian and Reformed family.
The prayer of righteous men has a powerful effect. This slightly paraphrased verse taken from the letter of James has added meaning for many people who have prayed for a theological seminary of Reformed persuasion. In the summer of 1963, a number of Christians belonging to the Presbyterian Church in the United States came together for prayer. They prayed earnestly that God would open the way to institute a theological seminary thoroughly committed to the Reformed faith. They did not expect at that time that the Lord would answer their prayer immediately and fully.
The seminary opened its doors in September 1966 with five professors and seventeen students. Four years later eighty-four students enrolled and the faculty had increased to eight professors. All indications are that the enrollment will increase; for that reason the Board of Trustees of Reformed Theological Seminary has appointed still more professors so that by next September the faculty will consist of eleven members. Prayer has a powerful effect.
History – A prayer group formed the beginning of Reformed Theological Seminary. When this prayer group met during the summer of 1963, the members decided to appoint two committees. One committee was charged to look into the possibility of establishing a theological seminary; the other was given the task of laying the groundwork for a Bible institute.
The Bible-institute committee put faith into practice by drafting a charter of incorporation. This charter was approved by the State of Mississippi on April 13, 1964. Under this charter the Reformed Theological Institute was opened—classes were taught and courses were conducted in several places. Within a year, the committee now known as the Board of Trustees became aware of the rapid expansion. Again they acted in faith. They changed the name of the institute to Reformed Theological Seminary.
The doors of this seminary were opened on September 6, 1966 when the first convocation was held. Students taking the regular seminary curriculum are able to graduate after three years with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. And since June 1970, Reformed Theological Seminary is on the candidate list to be a fully-accredited, degree-granting institution.
The seminary is located in the southwestern part of the city of Jackson, Mississippi. That means, the seminary is geographically remote from theological schools true to the Reformed faith. Thus it fills a pressing need in serving churches desiring the Reformed interpretation of the Scriptures. During their seminary training students fill the pulpits of vacant churches in the vicinity of Jackson. And upon graduation they accept calls to serve such vacant congregations. In the last two years, graduates of Reformed Theological Seminary have accepted calls in nine states, ten presbyteries, and other fields.
Purpose – Though the founders of Reformed Theological Seminary belong to the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern), the seminary is independent. That is, students from other denominations may apply for admission and receive ministerial training which is truly Reformed. As an independent seminary, the school has been founded with a specific purpose, and this purpose is stated in its perpetual charter. It reads as follows:
To establish, control and develop an institute of theological studies established upon the authority of the Word of God standing written in the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible, all therein being verbally inspired by Almighty God and therefore without error, and committed to the Reformed Faith as set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as originally adopted by the Presbyterian Church in the United States.
That statement of purpose is the basis on which the seminary is built; the framework of the seminary is to train ministers in the Reformed faith. As is evident from the brief history of the seminary, the work of training ministers proceeds positively and constructively. The reason for this is the convictions to which the seminary is committed. Set forth with clarity, these convictions pertain to the inerrancy of the Bible, Reformed Theology of the Westminster Standards, the Biblical form of church government, and the Evangelical mission of the church. For example, the seminary’s view on Scripture and Confessional Standards is formulated in these words:
Believing the Bible to be the “Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice,” the Reformed Theological Seminary rejects vigorously any usurpation of Biblical authority, coming either in the form of church tradition or in the form of current decisions of church courts. The Reformed Theological Seminary asserts the priority of Scripture alone over the life of the Church. We, therefore, believe that a loyal and reverent approach to the study of the Bible recognizes and affirms its plenary, verbal inspiration and its absolute inerrancy as the divinely revealed and authoritative Word of God.
The Reformed Theological Seminary does not regard the subject matter of theology to be primarily philosophical or historical but Biblical. Both the form and content of theological studies should reflect faithfully the perspective of Scripture itself. The Reformed Theological Seminary regards the sovereignty of God as a central tenet of Biblical faith, along with the related doctrines of absolute predestination and unconditional election. Strict creedal subscription to the whole Reformed faith is the position of this Seminary.
Maintaining an institution of academic excellence, the Board of Trustees and the faculty are striving for the dynamic union of the doctrinal strength of the Reformed faith with the warmth of evangelistic passion. The members of the Board of Trustees and faculty of Reformed Theological Seminary have the express desire to contribute constructively to the life and work of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion – Because Reformed Theological Seminary has been founded as an independent academic institution, no ecclesiastical denomination can exercise control. Members of the Board of Trustees, ministerial advisors, faculty members, and students of the seminary belong to various Presbyterian and Reformed denominations. Thus Reformed Theological Seminary seeks to serve all branches of evangelical Christianity, but especially churches of the Presbyterian and Reformed family.