Vol 74 Issue 09

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. School Activities During this past Christmas season many of our schools took up special collections for various important and worthwhile outside causes. The Student Council of Covenant Christian High School in Grand Rapids, MI decided again to have a food drive for needy families in their churches. The staff of Hope PR Christian School in Grand Rapids took up a collection for the Books for Needy Servants Fund. This fund has been set up for the Singapore/Myanmar Missionary cause. The students at Heritage Christian School in Hudsonville,...

Rev. Kortering is a Protestant Reformed minister-on-loan to Singapore. The Standard Bearer staff invited me to contribute three more articles. Rather than busy ourselves, in these articles, with happenings here in Southeast Asia, which we try to cover in our regular newsletters, I will venture into the important subject of zeal for missions. The spirit of this article is not careless and sweeping criticism of our churches’ attitude toward missions, but rather a somewhat careful examination of where we stand in this important subject of true enthusiasm for missions. I would like to follow up this article with another two,...

Rev. Woudenberg is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. And be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. I Peter 3:15 On looking at the Brief Declaration of Principles, which was drawn up by the Protestant Reformed synod in 1950, one might wonder at its claim to be “brief.” In its original form it appeared as a full pamphlet by itself, and one reading it today goes through a full 24 pages of very solid material as it appears in...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. That is the question. Some may think other questions and matters are more or at least equally important. “To invest in stocks, or not to invest in stocks.” “To marry or not to marry.” “To change jobs or not to change jobs.” “To go to church on December 25 or not to.” But to believe in Jesus or not to believe in Jesus is the question one must answer. It is the issue one must address. It is the decision one must make—now, and every day. To believe...

The late Homer Hoeksema was professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. The Lord Coming to Seek His Own We have already seen that Adam and Eve vainly attempted to cover the nakedness of their sin with their self-made aprons of fig leaves. We should note yet, in that connection, that the origin of clothing dates from the time of the fall. For although Adam and Eve vainly tried to cover their nakedness, we know that, according to verse 21 of Genesis 3, the Lord Himself provided them with clothing in the form of coats of...

Rev. VanBaren is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. A Major Embarrassment for the CRC What clearly proved to be a major embarrassment to the Christian Reformed Church took place on November 19, 1997 at NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council). This organization, co-founded by the CRC 23 years ago, voted 6-1 to suspend the CRC from this fellowship of conservative denominations. The one vote against suspension was cast by the CRC. This means that if the vote is ratified by 2/3 of the denominations within three years, the CRC will lose its voting rights. The...

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. In I Peter 2:9, the apostle writes to the church: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Hence, you are a people that shall be prophets, priests, and kings unto God. The only possibility for that is that God ordains and sends His own Officebearer to reconcile us unto Himself. That Officebearer of God is Christ. And that Christ of...

According to Rev. Cammenga’s informative article on communion (SB, Nov. 15, 1997), John Calvin suggested having communion once every week. In our churches we have it once every three or four months. That’s no small difference. Do you know what Calvin’s reasons were for wanting communion so often? He was a lover of God and a dedicated student of His Word, so I am interested in what he had to say and would respect it. Randy Vaalburg, Byron Center, MI Response: Calvin’s desire for frequent—even weekly—administrations of the Lord’s Supper is easily documented. Now, to get rid of this great...

As demonstrated in the previous editorial, there is in Protestantism today a brutal attack on preaching in the worship of the church. Although vehement, the definition that someone has given of preaching as “a monstrous monologue by a moron to mutes” captures the mood of the movement for liturgical renewal. Within Reformed and Presbyterian churches also, there is a loss of faith that the preaching of the gospel is the voice of Christ Himself. Thus, in their worship these churches break with the worship advocated and practiced by the Reformation. For the Reformation honored preaching as the voice of God...

Rev. Hanko is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. And Enoch walked with God: and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 5:24. Enoch walked with God. And he was not. This is likely the shortest, yet the most notable biography that was ever written. What better eulogy could be offered? Enoch was not. After he had departed, his family likely thought back on his life and said, My husband, or my father, or my grandfather lived in close fellowship with God. It may even be that his friends and acquaintances said of him that he lived...