Vol 67 Issue 11

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Congregational Highlights The Council of the Hudsonville, MI PRC decided last year that at the installation of officebearers the Formula of Subscription would be read publicly and signed by those who not previously done so. This added an interesting touch to this year’s installation, making it just a little bit more memorable than in the past. It could also be noted here that First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI has decided to do the same next year. The Young People’s Society of Loveland, CO PRC sponsored what...

Rev. Lubbers is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Sing aloud to God our strength: make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. . . .  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. . . . But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. . . .  Psalm 81:1-2, 10-11 We have quoted only a representative part of the...

Rev. Gritters is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. We have been answering the question that the disciples asked in their lifetime, the same question that arises in our souls especially aw we see more turmoil in the world, “Lord, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?” We areinterested in these questions. The signs that Jesus showed His disciples do not point out the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming, but they do help us understand the times and the seasons so that, as...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of Immanuel Protestant Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. Hope is the power of the Christian life, when the Christian life is viewed as a pilgrimage, a journey through this present time and place to a better city and country. Hope is the power that keeps the Christian on that pilgrim way and encourages him on that way. The book of I Peter, addressed to pilgrims and strangers scattered throughout the earth, stressing the importance of hope in this present evil world, is uniquely the roadmap, guidebook, or charter for the Christian life. Hope is always...

Rev. Haak is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. (Note: The outline of the Book of Ruth, which is begun here and will be carried on in several subsequent issues of the SB, was prepared by Rev. Haak for use in Lynden’s Ladies’ Bible Study Society. At our request he submitted the outline to us “as is”—that is, without any revision for a larger readership. It seems to us that it can serve a useful purpose, in that form, in our Standard Bearer, for other societies and Bible Study groups which choose to study this book of...

Rev. Kamps is pastor of the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. We have all encountered individuals who have no appreciation for the unity of Scripture. They are, those who carry a small New Testament, presenting it as the Word of God. They preach and teach only from the New Testament. It is their claim that the New Testament is for the church, while supposedly the Old Testament was for the Jews of the old dispensation. We have the gospel; the Jews had the law. The Christian faith, therefore, is expressed in the New Testament but not in the...

Rev. denHartog is pastor of the Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. In our last article we considered something of the reality and seriousness of spiritual decline in the Christian’s life. Such decline is not to be dismissed merely as something quite natural and inevitable because of the normal character of the Christian life. We ought to be on our guard against such decline and be deeply concerned about it. It can have very serious consequences. It makes us vulnerable to the attacks of the devil and endangers us for falling into great sin. The example of David ought...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. The office peculiar to the deacons is diligently to collect alms and other contributions of charity, and after mutual counsel, faithfully and diligently to distribute the same to the poor as their needs may require it; to visit and comfort the distressed and to exercise care that the alms are not misused; of which they shall render an account in consistory, and also (if anyone desires to be present) to the congregation, at such time as the consistory may see fit.  Church Order, Article 25. Introduction The concern...

Prof. Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Foxhole Christians I recall from childhood days during the Second World War a saying that went like this, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” The point of the saying was that the terrors of combat compelled men to believe in and turn to God. It seems we are witnessing the same phenomenon now that our nation is at war in the Middle East. Military chaplains report increased attendance at worship services and Bible Study meetings. Captain James O’Conner, a Lutheran and chief chaplain aboard the aircraft carrier USS...

Although the report of the study committee to the Christian Reformed Synod of 1991, “Committee on Creation and Science,” approves theistic evolution, this is not the main purpose of the report. For the CRC has already approved theistic evolution. The CRC Synod of 1988 received a report from its Board of Trustees informing the Synod of the Board’s decision that the writings of three of the Church’s professors advocating theistic evolution “fall within the limits set by the synodically adopted guidelines for the interpretation of Scripture and by the doctrinal statements of the Christian Reformed Church . . . .”...