Dr. Robert J. McKelvey
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B.S., University of Pittsburgh, 1987;
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After I graduated from college, the Lord graciously opened my eyes to the fact that I lived driven by my sinful desires as God's enemy. By chasing after all that I could grab in this life, I was actually losing my it on a hopeless path to eternal hell. By God's grace alone and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I believed on Jesus Christ as my Savior. My life was set free from the guilt and power of sin for service to Christ rather than myself. How about you? How has the grab-all-the-life-you-can-get approach worked for you? Maybe not yet, but it will leave you with nothing as Jesus makes clear that a man can gain the whole world and yet lose his soul. What then will he give in "exchange" for it? NOTHING will do (Mark 8:37). Do you want it all? Jesus alone can offer it not by way of the health and wealth gospel but through the good news to sinners that Jesus saves anyone who will come to him. You may not have all you ever longed for in this life, but in him and through his death and resurrection, you will have "redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Eph 1:7) and "everlasting life" (1 John 5:11,13,20). With this, you can like Moses possess "greater riches" in Christ than all this world has to offer (Heb 11:26). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!
At the time when Christ saved me, I was studying to be a Medical Doctor and on my way to the Penn State College of Medicine in 1987. As a young Christian, I looked with excitement to a career in medicine where I could not only help people physically but spiritually with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I began exploring the possibility of doing medical missions work in Africa. However, after a year in medical school, the Lord changed my plans and directed me to prepare for the pastoral ministry in 1988. Little did I realize that I would still end up in Africa along a different path!
By God's grace, I eventually received a PhD in Historical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary out of a desire to be properly equipped for training pastors. Our family had already moved to South Africa in 2002 where I served as a lecturer and administrator at the John Wycliffe Theological College in cooperation with North West University in Potchefstroom) near Johannesburg. I was ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America to take up this call. After five years, I received a call to full-time pastoral ministry in 2007 back in the USA at the Westminster Presbyterian Church (Orthodox Presbyterian Church) in Windber, PA. It is my privilege to go back to the College twice a year as a visiting lecturer. The disadvantage is that my whole family cannot go back to visit our dear brothers and sisters in Christ there. I have also had the opportunity to teach a couple of courses at Faith Theological Seminary in Baltimore, MD.
In 1991, the Lord brought my dear wife Sharon into my life, and he has blessed us with six precious children: Leanne, Laura, Joshua, John, Joseph, and Lydia. We have also recently added a stray cat, "Snickers," and a Lhapsa Poo, "Teddy" to our clan!
I have a great love for the Puritans and my doctoral dissertation examined John Bunyan's Holy War, proposing that the allegory was written primarily as a Scriptural history of redemption. By the Lord's grace, it was recently published as 'Histories That Mansoul and Her Wars Anatomize': The Drama of Redemption in John Bunyan's Holy War (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2011).
We live in Windber (near Johnstown; yes the one famous for its floods) and while we would like to see more sunshine here (a big change from Johannesburg!), we love the area and pray that the Lord will use our church for the extension of his kingdom here. Please pray for this work, feel free to join us for worship, download some sermons, or contact us with any questions you may have.Until then, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Bob
Jeff Lockard
Paul Van Grouw