Reports on the examination and ordination of Joel Hugh Linton in the Northern California Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America

Praise God!

We wanted to give you the news. Joel passed the final phase of his ordination exam yesterday, and so will be ordained in the next month.

It was a long grueling process: Four years ago Joel came undercare of the Northern California Presbytery of the PCA, (a presbytery is a group of elders representing local churches in a region) and began a directed study under his mentor and mission partner, Tim Conkling (modeled after the way Paul trained Timothy in the New Testament... learning the material but also going along helping with the mission work). All the studies: Greek, Hebrew, English Bible, Theology, Church History, Church Government (see www.taiwanchurch.org/~linton/joelstudy.html for the list of books and topics Joel studied) etc. preaching, all kinds of practical study, writing papers... all the study led up to taking a written test, then a committee exam this summer, then finally, yesterday, the oral exam on the floor of the presbytery and also preaching a sermon to be evaluated by the presbytery. God was really gracious in this whole process... all glory goes to Him.

And also a thanks to Tim Conkling who spent countless hours teaching and training me, and to the committee who spent so much time examining and guiding me through the process.

We'll send an update later... on how the ordination service goes.

Also, upcoming, we have a lot of evangelistic Christmas concerts scheduled for December in Taiwan. Please pray for their impact, and that they will be a tool for Taiwanese Christians to introduce their friends to the Gospel. Please also pray for our travels as we have long flights ahead with three young children... going back to Taiwan after the ordination service.

More later,

In Christ,
With Great Thanks,

JOEL & JUDY LINTON
www.taiwanchurch.org/~linton
www.judylinton.com

Dear friends and family,

Just wanted to share the news that after four years of training and a gruelling series of tests and papers, on Friday night I was ordained as a teaching elder (pastor) in the Presbyterian Church in America. A commission of the Northern California Presbytery of the PCA ordained me at a service at Trinity Presbyterian Church - Kailua where I did my internship from 2000-2001. And teaching and ruling elders from three PCA churches in Hawaii as well as the President of ICGS (a seminary in Hawaii) who is also a Teaching Elder of the PCA (from the Chicago Presbytery) laid hands on me and Tim Conkling my mentor and Todd Capen prayed for me. It was a really great service and a great blessing. Thanks especially to Tim Conkling my mentor who willing gave of his time and life to train me in a non=traditional course of study (you can see that at www.taiwanchurch.org/~linton/joelstudy.html ).

Thanks to all of you for all of your support throughout these first years of my missionary labors and training to be a church-planter and pastor in Taiwan. I look forward to the work ahead! Sorry for those who did not get a chance to come. We missed you. We only were in Hawaii for two days. Sorry especially if somehow some of you in Hawaii did not get the invite in the mail. We'll look forward to another opportunity to see you. God bless all of you.

In Christ,

Rev. Joel Hugh Linton
Missionary to Taiwan