Vol 69 Issue 16

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Young Adult Activities I thank Rev. C. Terpstra for providing our readers with the following report on the third annual Young Adults Retreat sponsored by Loveland, CO PRC. It was held from Monday to Wednesday, March 29-31. The location was again the beautiful Covenant Heights Conference Center nestled in the majestic Colorado Rockies above Estes Park. A great group of about 30 young adults from a wide spectrum of our churches (Loveland, Redlands, Lynden, Doon, Hull, Pella, Peace, South Holland, Bethel, Faith) joined together for Christian fellowship,...

Classis West met in special session on Wednesday, April 14, 1993, in Randolph, WI. This special meeting of Classis was called by the previous meeting of Classis and was for the purpose of examining the Rev. Jaikishin Mahtani with a view to his installation as the pastor of the Trinity PRC in Houston, TX. Rev. R. VanOverloop served as the president of this meeting of Classis. Classis had little other business and completed its work by late afternoon. Rev. Mahtani has labored since 1986 in the Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore, a small denomination with which the PRC of America...

Prophets of Psychoheresy II, Critiquing Dr. James C. Dobson; by Martin & Deidre Bobgan; Eastgate Publishers, 1990. 310 pp., (no price, paper). [Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko.] The authors, a husband and wife team, both of whom hold advanced and earned degrees from prestigious universities, have written other books on the same general theme as this one. Their chief purpose in writing these books is to attempt to persuade the church that it has sold out to psychology and replaced Scripture with psychological notions and jargon. The authors are alarmed by the fact that, within the church and the home,...

Rev. Gritters is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. Lead, Toxicity,  Lead and lead compounds can be highly toxic when eaten or inhaled. Although lead is absorbed very slowly into the body, its rate of excretion is even slower. Thus, with constant exposure, lead accumulates gradually into the body. Lead can cause lesions in the central nervous system and apparently can damage the cells making up the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from many harmful chemicals (see BRAIN). Symptoms of lead poisoning include loss of appetite, weakness, anemia, vomiting, and convulsions, sometimes leading to permanent...

Rev. Lubbers is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Let a (the) woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Not withstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity (love) and holiness with sobriety.  I Timothy 2:11-15 Some introductory observations: It is my firm conviction that this Scriptural injunction from the sanctified...

Rev. Houck is pastor of Peace Protestant Reformed Church in Lynwood, Illinois. (In the previous article we pointed out that in the preaching, God Himself speaks, and that the Word which He speaks is a twofold power – a power that brings salvation to the elect, and a power by which the reprobate wicked are hardened. Further, we began to note that that power is not dependent on the eloquence of the preacher; for the natural man is in himself spiritually incapable of receiving the preaching, no matter how persuasive. We concluded that article by affirming that “if a person...

Mr. Doezema is secretary of the Domestic Mission Committee. Of all the labors of the Domestic Mission Committee during the past year, the work connected with the Northern Ireland field was easily the most time-consuming . . . and in many respects the most satisfying. On reflection, we can say that our relationship with the Covenant Reformed Fellowship had always been good. Those of our pastors who spent several weeks in their fellowship (mostly through classical appointments) would invariably return with glowing reports. “The group is solidly united and zealous for the Reformed Faith.” “It appears that they are busy...

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15 There was something special about attending seminary in the years following the “Split of 1953.” In many ways it was more like a graduate course than one of ordinary seminary study. The days were short; the assignments were few; and little outside reading was required. Only occasionally were we given tests; and, when we were, they were seldom seen again. We only wondered whether they were...

Uncomfortable with Self-Esteem In the series of articles on self-esteem in the December 1, 1992 through February 1, 1993 issues of the Standard Bearer, the wonderful doctrine of being highly esteemed in Christ was used for the concept of “Proper Christian Self-Esteem.” Before we become too comfortable with the phrase “proper self-esteem,” it should be noted that “self” is still before “esteem.” It still indicates self motivated esteem with regard to oneself. That’s just the problem with us Christians. By nature we are just like everybody else. We feel good about ourselves if we can put “self” first. It gives...

The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) is suffering internal strife and division. In the past few years, a number of congregations and several thousand members have left the denomination. Most have left because of the Church’s opening the offices of minister and ruling elder to women and the Church’s approval of theistic evolution. Involved in these decisions, the secessionists charge, is the rejection of the authority and clarity of Holy Scripture as the inspired Word of God. Both those who have separated from the CRC and the spokesmen for the CRC propose dates that account for the troubles...