Vol 70 Issue 18

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Congregational Activities Even though our churches’ catechism classes have all come to a close for this year, we want to make note of one last class held at our Doon, IA PRC. In that class, students from both the Heidelberg Catechism and Essentials classes met together for a lesson on the Reformation of 1857, the formation of the Christian Reformed Church – a lesson which explained some of the history of our mother church, and consequently some of our history as well. On Sunday morning, May 22,...

The Inquisitor’s Secretary, by W. J. D. vanDijck. Tr. Cornelius Lambregste. Sioux Center, IA: Netherlands Reformed Book and Publishing, 1993. 155 pp. N. p. (cloth). [Reviewed by the Editor.] Reformed parents are always on the lookout for good reading for their children, particularly good fiction. What we desire are books that give a Reformed view of life, are instructive, hold the interest, and are well written. It is surprising that there are so few such books produced by Reformed writers in English. We Reformed have had our Christian schools for many years. There are many talented college graduates. But good,...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. “Where in a church there are more ministers than one, also those not delegated according to the foregoing article shall have the right to attend classis with advisory vote. “  Church Order, Article 42. Article 41 prescribed that every church shall be represented at classis by two delegates, a minister and an elder: “The classical meetings shall consist of neighboring churches that respectively delegate, with proper credentials, a minister and an elder….” For practical reasons the churches have agreed that each congregation shall be represented at classis by...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction While our main interest in these articles is that great preacher and Reformed liturgist, Peter Datheen, it is crucial, if we are to understand his life, to have before our minds a brief sketch of the history of the Reformation in the Lowlands, in which country Datheen lived and worked. We called attention to the fact that the Reformed Church in the Netherlands was born out of the womb of persecution, some of the most terrible persecution the church has ever experienced in the...

Rev. Terpstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. III. Its Methods Our criticism of the modern church growth movement also goes behind the message to get at its methodology. As there are serious errors in its proclamation, so there are serious errors in its programs. The “new” evangelism places all the emphasis on using the right methods and means to make the church grow. The reason why the church has not been able to reach the lost and get them into the church, church growth experts tell us, is that she has not used the...

Rev. denHartog is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. *The quotations in this paper are taken from an article by the Puritan preacher John Trapp, which was reprinted in the Sword and Trowel magazine, volume 4, 1993, published by the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England. Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.  Ephesians 4:26 It is no sin to be angry, but when we are angry it is hard not to sin. Anger is a tender virtue, and through our ineptitude it is easily corrupted and made dangerous. He...

Prof. Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. A significant event in the life and ministry of the Protestant Reformed Churches and their seminary occurred in the evening of May 20. That night the thirty-third Commencement service of the seminary was held in the sanctuary of the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Graduating this year were Seminarians Christopher John Connors and David Phillip Higgs of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia. After the Rev. Dale H. Kuiper, acting President of the Theological School Committee, awarded the brothers their diplomas, they presented to the seminary...

Is Grace in Things? I so want you to know how much the Standard Bearer has been a blessing to me. In this day and age it is hard to find publications that are scripturally correct. I have found two: the SB and the Banner of Truth. I have been blessed by Rev. G. Lubbers’ articles on I and II Timothy, and I’m hoping and praying that you will please send copies of the previous thirteen, because when I finish reading the SB, I pass it on. I do have a couple of questions I’m hoping you could answer. In...

The 1994 synod of the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC) met from Tuesday, June 7, through Tuesday, June 14. The calling church was Faith, Jenison, MI. Rev. James Slopsema, president of the previous synod, preached the pre-synodical sermon on Monday evening on I Timothy 3:14, 15, “The Church: Pillar and Ground of the Truth.” The officers of synod, chosen by the delegates at the first session on Tuesday morning, were Rev. Ron Van Overloop, president; Rev. Dale Kuiper, vice-president; Rev. Barry Gritters, first clerk; and Rev. Charles Terpstra, second clerk. Missions Most of Wednesday and Thursday of the first week was devoted...

Rev. Slopsema is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker, Michigan. This meditation is an abbreviated version of the pre-synodical sermon preached June 6, 1994. . . . the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. I Timothy 3:15 This epistle was written by Paul to Timothy, whom Paul had installed as minister in the church of Ephesus. In chapters 2 and 3 Paul sets down certain regulations for the life and workings of the church. Directions are given for the public worship of the church. Qualifications for...