All Articles For Brummel, Allen

The Belgic Confession: A Commentary, (Volume 2), by David J. Engelsma. Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 2019. Hardcover. Approx. 400 pp. [Reviewed by Rev. Allen J. Brummel.] With thankfulness to God we receive the second volume of Prof. D. Engelsma’s commentary on the Belgic Confession. This second volume contains the continued solid instruction and practical counsel that we have come to expect and love from the pen of this author. Those who appreciated the first volume will eagerly embrace this second one as its companion to complete the treatment of the Belgic Confession. Although you may have some commentaries...

The sovereignty of God is fun­damental to Reformed theol­ogy. Throughout the history of the church there has been a con­stant struggle to maintain this truth as the cornerstone of missions. Some have so emphasized missions to be the work of the church and missionaries that they have weakened and minimized God’s control over missions. Others have so em­phasized God’s sovereignty as to deny the church any obligation to do missions. A biblical conception of God’s sovereignty in missions gives be­lievers a sense of the urgency and necessity of evangelism. On the one hand, those who fail to understand God’s sover­eignty...

The work of missions is difficult. There is opposition, hardship, disappointment, and tremendous sacrifices that are required of the missionaries and their families. Then there are times when before their own eyes they see everything for which they labored slip away. John Eliot was a pioneer missionary to the American Indians. He learned firsthand the struggles of mission work. Three things served to strengthen and encourage him. First, his unbending optimism regarding God’s counsel and plan. Second, his ability to delegate work. And, finally, his confession regarding God’s sovereignty in all things, particularly the salvation of souls. The story of...

Since January of 2007, the Protestant Reformed believ­ers in Sioux Falls worshiped in rented rooms at the Holiday Inn in the City Center. With thanksgiving to God we note that, during the course of those five years, we were able to hold not only all our regular Sunday wor­ship services but also all the special worship services in one room or another at the Holiday Inn. We found the staff of the hotel to be eager to accommodate all our needs; the rooms and environment to be, for the most part, conducive for worship; and the rent cost to be...

As missionaries labored through the ages, they often faced difficulty convincing the established church to accept new converts as Christians. Differences in race and culture proved to be a stumbling block for churches whose congregations were homogenous in nationality and practice. Acknowledging that foreign converts could not be expected to relate to the same traditions, missionaries nonetheless realized that they must avoid the tempta­tion to lower the bar. Faithfulness to Scripture needed to be maintained as the standard under which these new churches were formed. The apostolic church at Jerusalem already faced these struggles. The Jews, who viewed themselves as...

Rev. Brummel is a home missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches, stationed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. One of the most prolific writers and proponents of missions through the first half of the 1900s was Dr. Samuel Zwemer. Zwemer authored over fifty books and countless articles promoting mission labors primarily among the Muslims. In addition, through his influence with the Student Volunteer Movement and as professor at Princeton, Dr. Zwemer influenced countless numbers of young men and women to go into missionary service. J. Christy Wilson, Jr. states that Zwemer probably influenced more young people to consider missionary service than...

Rev. Brummel is home missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches, stationed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The work in Sioux Falls, South Dakota has its origin in the early 1980s, when the Reformed Witness Committee (RWC) of the area Protestant Reformed churches in Northwest Iowa and Southwest Minnesota began working toward the goal of a Protestant Reformed witness in Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls was a growing city offering many vocation opportunities for young people. In May of 1981 the RWC decided to take up labors in Sioux Falls, SD. The committee held Bible studies and lectures and discussed ways to...

Rev. Brummel is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. I intend to write a series of articles which introduce the major false religions of the world. My desire is that these articles will equip the reader both to be on his guard against the lie and to speak the truth in opposition to it. May God increasingly use us and our churches to bring the comforting gospel of Jesus Christ crucified to those who are in bondage to these lies.What is Animism?In simple terms, Animism is used to describe a form of religion which worships spirits, as...

Rev. Brummel is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. Hinduism is of great importance due to the fact that approximately 700 million people, or 14% of the world’s population, adhere to this religion. Over 82% of India is committed to Hinduism, and more than one million adherents are found in North America.1 Hinduism has also spawned three other movements which have become world religions; Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. These facts prompt us to ask a few questions: What does it mean to be a Hindu? What does the Hindu believe? In the Hindu religion, as in most...

Rev. Brummel is the pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. After more than 20 years of correspondence and visits, the way has been opened by God for our churches to involve themselves in a difficult and intimidating work. This is a work which could well take as many more years to establish. When by God’s grace it becomes established it will be a work that will require much manpower and financial sacrifice. Out of love for God and His truth we face the challenge with confident hope. That challenge is establishing a mission in Ghana, Africa. Where...