All Articles For Authors, Various

Reading Scripture in Public: A Guide for Preachers and Lay Readers, by Thomas Edward McComiskey. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991. 196 pp., $7.95 (paper): [Reviewed by Prof. R. Decker.] The reading of Holy Scripture is a very important element in the worship service. It is much more than a “preliminary.” It should be done, in the opinion of this reviewer, very early in the worship service, just after the first Psalm of Praise is sung. All of the singing, the congregational prayer, the giving and receiving of the offering, and the preaching find their meaning and significance in the...

Church Government in the Presbyterian Tradition I have been heartened by your consistent stand for the ancient landmarks, most recently church government (cf. the Standard Bearer, Feb. 1, Feb. 15, March 1). I wait with anxious anticipation the arrival of each issue.  I have written to add one element to that discussion, an element which, I believe, distinguishes the Presbyterian from the Continental tradition. 

Far Above Rubies: Today’s Virtuous Woman, edited by Herman Hanko; Reformed Free Publishing Association, 1992; 187 pp., $9.95, paper. [Reviewed by Rev. Dale H. Kuiper.] The1atest offering of the R.F.P.A. is a compilation of eleven sermons, speeches, pamphlets, and magazine articles by five ministers and three professors from the Protestant Reformed Churches. Editor Hanko has also included four articles of charming simplicity by Abraham Kuyper from his popular book, When Thou Sittest in Thine House. As the subtitle of the book indicates, the subject of all this writing is the woman – more particularly- today’s virtuous woman. ” Several words...

Continuing Dialog on Mysticism Concerning Prof. Hanko’s review of my book, Mysticism: An Evangelical Option?, in the December 1, 1991 Standard Bearer, I do want to thank you for your analysis and your good comments. You appear to have caught the gist of much of what I am trying to communicate, and I appreciate your endorsement of those ideas. You correctly observe that I do not define faith “carefully,” in this study; in fact, I do not define it at all in the book. Having read your comments, I do wish I had, but, just as I did not specify...

Suggestions Is it possible to obtain a pamphlet of your series of editorials on preterism? Also, I would like to see addresses and telephone numbers of the publishers or distributors of the books reviewed in the Standard Bearer. Perhaps, a series of articles on the “holy land” would be worthwhile. Keep up the good work. Scott E. Kunst Grand Rapids, Michigan

Deliverance from Millennial Error Thank you so much for the Standard Bearer. I read each article (other articles are read repeatedly) in each issue with joy. I like God-honoring materials. I am learning a lot about amillennialism. In the seminary, we were not taught about it. All emphasis was given on dispensationalism. In fact, I began to have proper understanding of amillennialism through the Standard Bearer. Your series of articles, “The Preterism of Christian Reconstruction,” is very, very interesting. I really enjoy reading it! Through them I got a good understanding about preterism and Reconstruction started by Rushdoony. I have...

Prof. Engelsma’s review of Henry J. Kuiper: Shaping the Christian Reformed Church, by James A. DeJong (July 2009 Standard Bearer) took me back to my earlier days of ministry. Soon after I joined the faculty of Unity Christian High School (1956) in Hudsonville, Michigan as teacher of Bible and Reformed Doctrine, I came to know Henry J. Kuiper personally. We were members of what was then called The Reformed Fellowship, a circle of scholars whose serious discussion of theological and social issues—particularly hot-button issues within the Christian Reformed Church—helped strengthen my commitment to the essential tenets of the Reformed faith. Whatever Kuiper’s...

Church Membership—Optional? In the April 1 issue of the Standard Bearer a reader tells us that he “…can’t find a passage of Scripture that states we must do anything other (or additional) than believe on Jesus Christ for salvation.” He need not look any further than the book of Ephesians, where we read, “…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). Now if Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it, does He also love those outside the church? Did He give Himself for them as well? The answer must be “no,” by logical inference; otherwise we would...

On Nailed Tent Pegs In the April 15 SB Rev. Koole questions why a like-minded son or daughter of Father Abraham would even think of not participating fully in PR communal schools and would choose to homeschool instead. By its very nature, faith leads a man to where God wants him to be, not necessarily to where other men think he ought to be. This is what truly makes a man a son of Abraham. Consequently, what appears to be folly to man may, in fact, be the wisdom of God. Much faith and even greater love, however, is required to fully accept differentiated...

Edgerton, MN; Hull and Doon, IA PRCs Edgerton, Hull, and Doon Protestant Reformed Churches are maybe rather unique in that, for almost as long as the three churches have been in existence, they have combined a good deal of their evangelism work. The Reformed Witness Committee has three members from each church, along with one sitting elder present from each. The ministers of the three churches are advisers. One of the elders is president and leads the meetings. The meetings are rotated among the three churches, with the minister of the hosting church present at the meetings held in his...