I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. I Timothy 2:8 Men are to pray in every place as Christ’s ministers at the altar. Introduction In the first place, we note, that Paul is writing the authoritative words in this text in the capacity of having been appointed by Jesus Christ to stand in the office of preacher, apostle, and teacher of Gentiles (I Tim. 2:7; II Tim. 1:11; cp. Gal. 2:6-10). Note also that verse 8 stands at the head of this unit. It is basic. It really is the rock-bottom pillar of the truth...

Classis met in regular session on January 13-14, 1993 at the Faith Protestant Reformed Church. This session was chaired by Rev. D. Kuiper. All the churches, with exception of Norristown, were represented by two delegates. This was an eventful, and in several respects difficult, meeting of classis. The delegates witnessed the deposition of one minister, the leaving of another by virtue of his congregation withdrawing from the federation of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, and the addition of a third by way of acolloquium doctum—a conversation about doctrine. The deposition was held in closed session and nothing more can...

mcastIsrael’s Hope and Expectation, by Rudolph VanReest. Neerlandia, Alberta, Canada: Inheritance Publishers, 1991. 331 pages, $717.90 (US); $19.90 (CAN), paperback. Originally published as De Grote Verwachting by Oosterbaan and LeCointre, Goes, the Netherlands (third edition 1977). Translated by Theodore Plantinga. [Reviewed by Lois Kregel.] Many of the readers of the Standard Bearer will, no doubt, remember the genial Dutch journalist, K.C. VanSpronsen, who writes under the pseudonym, Rudolph VanReest. He traveled extensively in this country in the mid-forties, spending some times in Grand Rapids also. He sent back his impressions of the United States and the American people to the Netherlands, to be published...

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Mission Activities In his latest letter, dated January 7, Rev. G. VanBaren writes to his congregation concerning the on going work in Northern Ireland with the Covenant Reformed Fellowship. He mentions that the Fellowship “has been trying to send out a little ‘bulletin’ twice a month to about 150 addresses. Also, every other week we have been placing a large ad in the Ballymena paper giving information concerning what we confess.” In another paragraph of the same letter Rev. G. VanBaren writes: “The Fellowship is taking advantage...

Rev. Hanko is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Off from the main street of Sioux Center, Iowa stood a small house, in fact, it was a very small house, actually consisting only of a small living room and a still smaller bedroom, with a lean-to for a kitchen. I knocked, and then stooped as I stepped through the kitchen door. On the opposite side of the room, with a table between them, sat an elderly couple. As was customary, he was spending the evening reading the Bible, one chapter after another. Across from his sat his wife,...

Mr. Lanting, a member of South Holland Protestant Reformed Church, is a practicing attorney. [Church membership] may be severed freely by a member’s positive act at any time. But until it is so terminated, the church has authority to prescribe and follow disciplinary ordinances without fear of interference by the state. Within the context of church discipline, churches enjoy an absolute privilege from scrutiny by the secular authority. Hadnot v. Shaw (Oklahoma Supreme Court, 1992) Post-Withdrawal Discipline At times a church consistory is involved in the unpleasant but necessary task of admonishing and disciplining a communicant member. But more often...

Rev. Miersma is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Introduction The doctrine of the Trinity stands at the core of our Christian faith as one of the key distinctives which separate us from cults, sects, and heathen religions. The truth that God is one in being or essence, yet three in person, pervades the whole of our doctrine so completely that no doctrine is unaffected by it. That which is true generally of the Christian church is especially true of our Reformed faith. The Reformed doctrine of the covenant and the covenant life of God cannot...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. In all churches there shall be a consistory composed of the ministers of the Word and the elders, who at least in larger congregations, shall, as a rule, meet once a week. The minister of the Word (or the ministers, if there be more than one, in turn) shall preside and regulate the proceedings. Whenever the number of elders is small, the deacons may be added to the consistory by local regulations; this shall invariably be the rule where the number is less than three. Church Order, Article...

Prof. Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. ICHABOD! Such is the strange name which the wife of Phinehas, the son of Eli, gave to her newborn son. Times were bad in Israel. It was the time of transition from the period of the judges to that of the kings. Eli, who judged Israel for forty years and who was succeeded by Samuel, was weak at best. His two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were completely profane. The worship of the tabernacle was corrupted. On account of all this the Lord announced a terrible word of judgment...

It is with joy and profit I have read your articles on “The Death of Confessional Calvinism in Scottish Presbyteriansim,” (Aug.1, 1992-Dec. 15, 1992). After that I read again my copy of Dr. Macleod’s book,Behold Your God, together with Common Grace and the Gospel, by the late Prof. Cornelius VanTil. I have to confess I have read many things against Rev. H. Hoeksema, but nothing by him. I wonder if I could get a copy of his Reformed Dogmatics and how much would it cost. Could you guide me, please? Since I can remember I had troubles with the doctrine of Common Grace...