Vol 69 Issue 08

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Mission Activities Our readers can well imagine the amount of work that is required to send Rev. R. Hanko, his wife, and family to Northern Ireland as missionaries of our churches. All kinds of details have to be worked out. We can report that Rev. Hanko applied for his passports on December 8th. Upon receiving them he can apply for his work permit, which process will take from six to eight weeks. He believed that by the first of this year he would have a better picture...

Communion with God, by John Owen. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1991, 209 pages, paper. $6.96. Abridged by R. J.K. Law. [Reviewed by Rev. T. Miersma.] John Owen (1616-1683) was one of the pre-eminent English Puritan theologians of his day, preaching before Parliament on several occasions, including the day after the execution of King Charles I. He served as adviser and chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, was dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and continued to be allowed to preach even after the restoration of the monarchy and the Act of Conformity. Though he was not seated as a delegate...

Rev. Moore is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. In this article we consider a very important text for the church of Christ, especially in the day in which we live. There are many reasons for us to wonder why the Lord tarries. In the evil days in which we live, there arise even in the church questions concerning the wisdom of bringing forth the covenant seed. But the church does bring forth that seed, and she does so trusting in the promises of God. It is with confidence that the Lord is not slack concerning His...

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin.

Dear friends in Christ: Under God’s blessing we are enjoying a profitable year at the seminary. Our student body consists of eight men. Allen Brummel (son of Edgerton, MN Protestant Reformed Church) and Douglas Kuiper (Hope PRC, Walker, MI) expect to graduate, D.V., in June of 1996. In June of 1994 Christopher Connors and David Higgs, of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia, will have completed a three-year course of study. Rev. Bruce David (Pastor of the Orthodox Christian Reformed Church, Allendale, MI) is studying Dogmatics and Homiletics with us and Rev. Audred Spriensma (recently installed as Pastor of Grandville,...

Rev. VanOverloop is pastor of Bethel Protestant Reformed Church in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Why do some respond favorably to evangelistic efforts and others do not? And why do some reject every effort to win them to Christ? Why do some believe the preaching of the gospel and repent? And why do others remain in their sins and under the just condemnation of God? Often the answers to these questions center in the person of the missionary or witness, or on the method used. Reflecting Scripture, the Calvinistic Canons of .Dordrecht answer these questions differently. “That some receive the gift...

We should by all means not fail to notice the connecting word (conjunction) “therefore” in the first sentence: “I exhort therefore . . . .” Paul gives, the good solid answer to the “wherefore” of the divine exhortation that prayers, intercessions, etc. be raised to God for all men! This answer is the end of all contradiction. Paul comes here with a most. authoritative word of Christ to Timothy: Timothy must press this matter upon, the sanctified conscience of all the churches, beginning at Ephesus. They must be instructed to be instant m prayer; they must not faint (Rom. 12:12)....

Rev. Mahtani is a minister in the Evangelical Reformed Churches of Singapore. When the invitation came for us to return to India, nobody expected it to materialize in what one might call the “first joint-venture in missions” between the Evangelical Reformed Churches in Singapore and the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. As it turned out, however, Rev. J. Mahtani and Rev. J. Kortering found themselves on Indian soil for 24 days in the months of October and November 1992. What on earth were they doing there? Instead of writing words to explain and illustrate the mission trip, we present a...

Hiring of Lesbian Pastor Nullified Several months ago we reported that a large United Presbyterian church in downtown Rochester, New York hired Jane Adams Spahr, a lesbian, to serve as the congregation’s co-pastor. Two decisions were taken by the Presbytery (a presbytery is a regional body of churches like our classis) approving the congregation’s hiring of Spahr. In November the highest court of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ruled that a homosexually active person may not serve as a minister of any PCUSA churches. This ruling by the denomination’s Permanent Judicial Commission overturned the decisions of the Presbytery. “Had the Presbytery...

Mrs. Hunter is a member of Trinity Protestant Reformed Church, Houston, Texas. *Placement of this unsolicited article does not necessarily indicate agreement with the author’s view of the “small congregation.” Others may think differently. The Standard Bearer is open to their views as well. -Ed. For who hath despised the day of small things? Zechariah 4:10 The above verse was the theme for family visitation. A very serious and concerned pastor and elder asked, “Does it bother you that we are so small?” Almost taken aback, we responded, “Should it?” Upon further consideration certain conclusions were reached. In larger congregations,...