Vol 68 Issue 15

Rev. Coleborn is a pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia. For a better understanding of our Reformed heritage, we will briefly attempt to compare the practices or church orders of the historic Continental Reformed churches as found in the Order of Dordrecht (Dordt), and the historic Reformed church (Westminster), as found in the Practice of the Church of Scotland. The Great Points of Agreement Both orders (the Scots tend to use the term “practice”) spring from common root concepts and principles. Firstly, both see that the life of the community of the saints must be ordered and arranged...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Denominational Highlights I thank Rev. R. Cammenga, pastor of the Loveland, CO PRC, for providing us with the following report on the Second Annual Young Adults’ Retreat. “The second annual Young Adults’ Spring Retreat was held from Monday, March23, through Wednesday, March 25, at Covenant Heights Conference Center, nestled in the mountains above Estes Park, Colorado. The retreat was sponsored by the young adults of our Loveland, Colorado congregation. Some thirty young people, seniors in high school and older, from California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, South...

Rev. Haak is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. God will ever see to it that there is a people on earth who serve Him even in the midst of the most hardened and callous spiritual apathy. As a jewel cast on a pile of coal, so in this section of Malachi we are shown a God-fearing remnant in the midst of the most blatant and blasphemous religious indifference. The words ofRomans 11:5 are underscored by our lesson: “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (see Rom. 11:3-6)....

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25 If there was a dream that ever smoldered in the heart of Herman Hoeksema, it was certainly that of being able to engage in profitable and constructive dialogue with those who were theologically his equal. That he was denied that opportunity in 1924 was one of his most painful disappointments. A few years before, he had assisted the seminary professors in clearing their school of modernism, a task...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. Ensuring the Continued Value of the Church Order Every Reformed Christian, Reformed congregation, Reformed consistory, and Reformed denomination must do all in its power to ensure the CONTINUED value of the church order. The continued value of the church, order depends upon several things. First, the continued value of the church order depends on its being used and honored. The church order must not be ignored, deliberately set aside, never consulted. This has happened in Reformed churches in the past. It is happening in Reformed churches today which...

Rev. Terpstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. Introduction to the Nature of the Problem The question with which we deal in this presentation is that which concerns the proper exercise of discipline on the part of the church toward those baptized members who have not yet made public profession of faith but who walk in open, unconfessed, and impenitent sin. The Protestant Reformed Churches, as well as other Reformed churches, have the practice of working with such members by means of admonitions and warnings before finally erasing them as members of the church, which...

Rev. Dykstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Doon, Iowa. [This is the second installment of an article on the questions of Article 41of the church order of Dordrecht. The first article (in the April 15th issue) set forth the underlying principles of the questions and briefly discussed the first three questions.] The fourth question of Article 41 deserves a separate and more detailed discussion than the first three, being a different type of question. The others are asking for information from the consistory; this question asks: 4. Do you need the judgment and help of the classis...

As Another Sees Us This letter is in response to an editorial in the Standard Bearer entitled, “As Others See Us” (March 15, 1992). I am one of the “others,” as I am neither a member nor an adherent of the Protestant Reformed Churches. I am like many (as the editorial states) of the “others” outside the PRC who receive the Standard Bearer. I had the privilege recently to visit my first PRC in Lynden, WA. I live in southwestern Oregon which is a spiritual wasteland as regards the Reformed faith. I have visited many of the “Reformed” congregations within...

How the people of God are to worship the one, true God in their public services on the Lord’s Day is prescribed by God in His Word. The form and manner of worship are not left up to the worshiping church herself. It is an error to suppose that, although God decides whom we are to worship, we ourselves have the right to decide how we will worship. The error is grievous. That God determines the manner of public worship is the teaching of the second commandment of the law: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ....

Rev. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. “And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:4-6 Fear! It can be devastating. Look at the keepers of the grave. They shook and became as dead men. It can also be healing. Look at the women who had their...