Vol 70 Issue 17

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  Galatians 1:8 Besides strict logic (that which sees all truth as being harmoniously united together without contradiction), there is another logic in common use, that of rhetoric and eloquence, which is not nearly so demanding. This is a logic designed, not to determine truth, but to influence and persuade people. In our day we are surrounded by this kind of logic on...

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Evangelism Activities Let’s start this issue of the “News” with various evangelism projects in our churches. The Evangelism Committee of our Hudsonville, MI PRC recently sponsored an area-wide conference on the subject, “Are You Afraid to Witness?” This conference was held on a Friday evening and Saturday morning, April 29 and 30. On Friday night, Rev. C. Terpstra, pastor of the South Holland, IL PRC spoke on the subject, What Is Evangelism?” This speech was followed by a slide presentation of the outreach work currently being done...

Evangelical Interpretation: Perspectives on Hermeneutical Issues, by Millard J. Erickson. Baker Book House, 1993. 130pp. No price given (paper). [Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko.] In an important introduction to this book, the author informs us that he is interested, not so much in principles of hermeneutics as such, but in the philosophical questions underlying hermeneutics (the rule of biblical interpretation). He keeps his promise. While the book is perhaps too technical to be read by those who have not made hermeneutics their particular study, it is sufficiently important to be read by ministers, professors, and students of college or seminary...

Rev. Lubbers is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Honor widows that are widows indeed. But if any widows have children or nephews, let them learn to show piety (godliness) at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth (hopeth) in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers day and night. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.  I Timothy 5:3-7 We should observe carefully that we...

Greetings to the readers of the Standard Bearer! For those who do not have access to the Acts of the PRC Synod, or who do not keep up with the reading, allow us to inform (or remind) you that the Foreign Mission Committee (FMC) is staffed by ministers and elders from the congregations in Edger-ton, MN, and Doon and Hull, IA, as has been the case from its formation. The FMC is thankful for the opportunity to be involved in the great calling of Christ’s church, namely, sending forth the gospel to the ends of the earth. Our desire and...

Rev. Kortering is a Protestant Reformed minister-on-loan to Singapore. About a year ago, when I was participating in a series of lectures here in Singapore on the “Reformed View of Missions,” a brother asked me whether I favored the kelong method of missions or the net. The question was an example of cross-cultural frustration, for I didn’t know what he was talking about. After a few attempts to explain, of which I understood very little, Pastor Lau came to the rescue and briefly explained the difference and how they related to each other. It surely is helpful to have an...

Rev. Dykstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Doon, Iowa. [In the first installment, we noted that God is sovereign in the mission work of the church. Then, turning to Acts 13:1-4 and related passages, we saw how God prepared the church in Antioch to send out Paul and Barnabas to the mission field. God providentially gave the church the perfect geographic location and the right combination of members; and, above all, God built up the young church spiritually to be ready and eager to send out the gospel.] The Call of the Holy Spirit The call to missions comes...

Prof Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Persecution: a Daily Reality for Many Christians We North American Reformed Christians tend to forget this. We are free to worship the Lord from Sunday to Sunday as He has commanded us in His Word. We educate our children in Christian schools. We conduct our family devotions and strive to live the Christian life of obedience to the will of God. All this, and more, we do with very little or no opposition from the world of unbelief. The result is that we think little about persecution. We...

On the 25th of May my family and I left Michigan for Australia. We have just concluded a stay in Grand Rapids of almost three years; this is a long time to be away from home. We will be glad to be back home, to be reacquainted with members of our family and old friends. We will be glad to be back in the church in which we have been raised since infancy. Yes, we will even be glad to be back in our own culture. But there is much sadness associated with our leaving as well. I would like...

Special Issue on Missions I want to thank you for the beautiful special issue of May 1 on missions. I enjoyed the whole very instructive issue, but was struck especially by the articles, “Missionaries Sent Out From Antioch” and “The Macedonian Call,” by the brothers Dykstra and Haak As I read I could not help but reflect on my own call and experiences as missionary to Latin America for 38 years. That certainly followed the pattern so clearly laid out and explained in those articles. This is only the second time in the more than thirty years that I have...