Ben Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Rev. M. Joostens has declined the call he was considering from the First P.R.C. of Holland, Michigan. Rev. B. Woudenberg has also declined the call he received from the Hope P.R.C. of Isabel, S.D. At a special congregational meeting held May 22, Rev. Barry Gritters, pastor of the Byron Center P.R.C. in Byron Center, Michigan received the call to serve as our churches’ second missionary to Jamaica. This call was extended from the First P.R.C. in Grand Rapids, MI. And along with Rev. Gritters on the trio...

STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS, by Robert C. Harbach; Privately published by Grandville Protestant Reformed Church, 1987; 934 pp., $21.00. (Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko) In my Seminary days I studied with Rev. Harbach under the instruction of Revs. Hoeksema and Ophoff. Over the years in the ministry he has been an esteemed colleague and it is with a sense of grief that I see his active ministry brought to a close by retirement. In a certain sense, this commentary by Rev. Harbach is a continuation of his ministry in our churches and his labors of love to believers...

Herman C. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. We have proved from Scripture that God’s Word considers drunkenness a sin and not a disease. Scripture pronounces woes upon those who follow strong drink (Isaiah 5:11). It warns against drunkenness and includes this sin in the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). It tells the saints not to have anything to do with those who are guilty of the sin of drunkenness (I Corinthians 5:11). It considers the sin so great that the drunkard cannot inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). It...

Gise J. Van Baren is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Nefarious Letters The following letter was printed in Journey Magazine, Jan.-Feb. 1988. It was presented as “Special to Journey . . . (anonymous source)” on the letter-head of the “Presbyterian Church in Asia Minor, Committee on Missions”. The letter does serve as a two-fold reminder. First, there is often criticism of that which condemns the false doctrine and evil walk of others. If it often forgotten, however, that Scripture itself does this very thing. Secondly, we have a reminder that criticism can easily become a criticism of...

Cornelius Hanko is an emeritus minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches. A reader writes: There is power in prayer. Prayer is a tool which God gave us, through which He blesses us. Does not prayer change us, change circumstances, and help others? Is it wrong for a group of saints to get together in prayer for a family in need, or when tragedy strikes, or when drought or sorrow hits us? Is it not better to present our cares to the Lord than to wring our hands in frustration for things we cannot change? Reference is made to James 5:13-18, Ephesians 6:18,...

Jason L. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. We are about to the end of outlining the first main division of the book of Joshua, which covers chapters 1-12. This gives the details of Israel entering into and possessing the land of Canaan. We pick up our outline at Joshua 10:28. After the death of the five kings, Joshua took in succession the following cities with their kings, Makkedah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir (Joshua 10:28-39). He destroyed all their kings and all that breathed, from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza even to Gibeon and returned...

Dear Editor of Standard Bearer: I couldn’t resist responding to The Rev. Gise Van Baren’s challenging last sentence in the Feb. 1, 1988 issue of S.B., and compliment him for interjecting some long overdue humor into the magazine, via Carl Tuyl’s article: “The Reverend’s Last Stand.” Well, here’s what I think. The idea of a Pastor, and what the term means to me, should NOT be “an illegal alien in the Reformed vernacular”. Rev. C. Tuyl says that the term pastor or shepherd has a one-sided connotation; but what a beautiful side!! The picture of a shepherd is certainly rich...

Arie den Hartog is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. That love for the truth is and must be one of the distinctive traits of true godliness is obvious. By love for the truth of God we mean first of all love for the truth about God, the truth that declares who and what God is in Himself. That is basic. Love for the truth of God is more than love for a certain system of doctrine about God. We say that not at all because we wish to minimize the importance of doctrine. Doctrine, systematic theology,...

Ronald L. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. Historical Background Originally Article 6 read quite differently from its present form in our Church Order. Persons engaged in the ministry of the Word in the manor of any ruler or baron shall be properly and lawfully called as the others, subscribe to the Confession and the Church Order, and appoint the ablest of the group they serve to the offices of elder and of deacon. Reference is made in the original Article 6 to a “manor.” A manor was a district over which a feudal lord or...

[In our previous editorial on this subject we stressed that For the Christian the truth of creation is strictly a matter of the testimony of the infallible Scriptures. Connected with this is the whole subject of the historicity of the creation record. Somehow the theistic evolutionist and/or the progressive creationist must try to leave the impression of loyalty to the Genesis record. But the matter of the Genesis record, we stressed, is strictly a matter of exegesis, i.e., of interpreting Scripture with Scripture.] Over the years there have been various theories concerning Genesis 1 which have been devised in order to accommodate...