All Articles For VanBaren, Gise

The truth concerning man’s relation with God is one which deserves our attention and our understanding. Nothing can be more important than one’s standing before God. It is very literally a mat­ter of life and death. There is a relationship of fellowship between God and His people. That relationship has been called a “covenant relationship.” This concept is fundamental unto a proper understanding of our duties and responsibilities before God and with men. Within the church it becomes very plain that some sort of beautiful relationship exists between God and this people of His church. It is also to be...

Exegesis of a Woman Minister The United Reformed News Ser­vice reports that Mary-Lee Bouma, who has served as the unordained pastor of Trinity Chris­tian Reformed Church on the cam­pus of Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, will now seek or­dination in the way of this congre­gation switching from Classis Northern Michigan (which will not allow ordination of women into the ministry) to Classis Muskegon (which presumably will). The switch was approved by Classis Northern Michigan but not yet by Classis Muskegon. One might make comments on these strange antics of switching classes to gain one’s desired goal—but at this time I...

If the world’s problems are to be faced responsibly, there must be cooperation economically, politically, educationally, and scientifically. This few will deny. But also ecclesiastically! Christians from everywhere need to meet and talk and learn from one another. To to anything less is to exceed the sin of Nero. He only fiddled while a city burned. Today the world’s on fire! Because it is, churches need to seek one another in a significant worldwide ecclesiastical community. For these are not ordinary days.

In the last issue we considered the stand of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod (RES) on the question of the union. Seven resolutions were adopted expressing the Synod’s mind on the subject. The three resolutions which we have already considered are briefly, (1) that it is the calling of the believer to reflect upon his responsibility in political and social fields and the manner in which this responsibility can be discharged. (2) Synod expresses that there is need for greater stress on considering concerted Christian action in these fields.

Recently, I (and I assume all the clergymen of our area) received a special mailing from G.R.A.C.E. (the ecumenical council of clergymen and rabbis in Grand Rapids) encouraging participation in a “hunger week” beginning last April 13. This was designed to make people aware of the hunger problem in the world as well as to raise monies to help relieve the problem. Enclosed: in this appeal was a suggested Bulletin insert for the Sunday of April 13, entitled, “The Shakertown Pledge.” I do not know how many churches actually printed that in their bulletins. Probably many did.

“Down With…All Gambling” The above title heads an article appearing in The Christian News, Oct. 20, 198q. It was written with a view to combating the growing desire to gamble. Several states, evidently, in November voted whether or not to sanction bingo and other forms of gambling. Of course, Michigan did not have to vote this time. For some time already not only has bingo been legal, but the state itself conducts a well-advertised lottery.

Gise J. Van Baren is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. The Only Answer for AIDS It is interesting to discover, in the increasingly frequent articles about AIDS, that there is but one way identified to remain AIDS-free. Many will speak of “safe sex” as though one can find methods of violating God’s laws with impunity still. Others find different methods of avoiding the consequences of sin. Still, it is very interesting and noteworthy that there is a generally universal recognition that there is but one sure way of avoiding this dread disease. Dr. Paul Donohue, a...

Classis West met in Hull, Iowa on March 17-19, 1965. For several reasons this classical gathering will be one long remembered by the delegates (and the host church). First, it was the first meeting of Classis in the Hull Protestant Reformed Church building since the “split” of 1953. Secondly, it was the longest classis in the west in recent years. Finally, it was the only classis, in my memory at any rate, which was held during a raging blizzard.

Rev. VanBaren is minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches . “Change of Earth’s Orbit” One reads often of theories concerning events which occurred on the earth thousands (some say millions) of years ago. Occasionally an article appears which causes one to sit up and take note. One such article appeared in the Denver Post, August 12, 1999: The Sahara stretches across northern Africa, a vast wasteland devoid of vegetation. But thousands of years ago the area was rich with vegetation, covered in grass and shrubs.  Now a team of German researchers has concluded that this dramatic transformation was triggered...

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Winning One for the Lord? Sunday, February 4, 2007 was “Super Bowl Sunday.” It is considered by many to be the greatest, most important sporting event of the year in the United States. Millions watch. Some, doubtlessly, stayed home from services in church to see the great game on TV. One can easily guess that some Christians managed to get the expensive tickets to see the game in person. Many churches too would make use of the game as another “evangelical tool”—in an attempt to “become all things to...