All Articles For Vol 71 Issue 11 3/1/1995

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Congregational Activities Since last August, the congregation of the Georgetown PRC, meeting presently at Heritage Christian School in Hudsonville, MI, has been busy with providing a parsonage for their pastor, Rev. Ron VanOverloop, and his family. The progress of that home has been watched very closely these past four months, and recent bulletins from Georgetown have regularly included parsonage updates. Activity appeared to reach a climax in late January with regular calls for congregational help in work bees on Saturdays and cleaning projects going on throughout the...

Mr. Gritters is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. In our first article concerning the office of elder (Nov. 15, 1994), we briefly reviewed the biblical meaning of the office of elder (bishop), and also traced the history of the office from the times of the “elders of Israel” to the Reformed concept of the office as we know it today. Before entering upon a more practical, personal discussion of the office, we must look at the qualifications Christ has placed upon those whom He places in this office. Our discussion of these qualifications, however, need...

Rev. Moore is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. We would like to take this means to inform our readers further of the trip that we took to Ghana in behalf of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America and under the direction of its Foreign Mission Committee. Our churches have had a long standing interest in Ghana as a potential mission field. This has happened because of contacts that we have made with children of God in this nation. Especially this interest has been promoted because of our contact with a fellow believer, Gabriel Anyigba. We have...

George Ophoff was part of the first Editorial Staff of the SB, and a long-time writer for the magazine. “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6, 7 In everything let your requests be known. In everything, in every circumstance, in adversity and prosperity, in sickness and health, fruitful and unfruitful seasons, in every kind of distress, let your requests be known. Seemingly the apostle leaves his readers...

The new addition to the seminary building is well on the way to completion. The exterior was finished before heavy weather struck, the end of December. As I write, men are painting and installing the electric. As of January 1, 1995, $360,000 has already been donated. The total cost is estimated at approximately $440,000. Synod 1994 decided to raise the rest of the money by collections in the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC). The Theological School Committee (TSC) has asked all the Protestant Reformed congregations to give for the new addition in the collection at the special, Prayer Day worship service...

Prof. Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary.

Shall the Churches Observe Christmas? In regards to the December 15 1994 Standard Bearer I appreciated “The Reformation and Family Worship” and look forward to the remainder of it. On the same topic, are there any plans to review K. Pracek’s Family Worship: Biblical Truth, Historical Reality, Practical Necessity, as recently published by Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary? As for the article entitled, “Grieve Not,” in reference to the Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 2, 86, 87, does the Holy Spirit “often” or “always” sanctify through consciousness of gratitude? Also, how do we harmonize the “Observance of Christmas” with: 1. The emphasis of Scripture...

The editorial in the January 15, 1995 issue of theStandard Bearer, entitled “Jewish Dreams,” took up the sword against postmillennialism. It contended particularly against the form that this error concerning the last things takes in the modern movement known as “Christian Reconstruction.” It called this movement’s vision and program for the earthly future “Jewish dreams.” The reference is to the illusory hopes entertained by the Jews of Jesus’ day for a carnal kingdom, as those hopes surface inJohn 6. The phrase “Jewish dreams” is borrowed from the Second Helvetic Confession (A.D. 1566). In its time, this was one of the...

Herman Hoeksema was the first editor of theStandard Bearer. “Grace to the Humble” appeared 70 years ago, in the March 1925 issue. “For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.” I Peter 5:5 In the wild mountain regions mighty giants of granite proudly rise heavenward, peak upon peak, contesting as it were with one another for superiority, striving to attain the most exalted position, whence they may display their proud forms in the thin and clear atmosphere to the far distant world around. Down in the valley grows the lowly lily, well nigh hidden in oblivion, humbly...