Vol 76 Issue 11

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A door as the means of entering and exiting a building is mentioned several times in Scripture with great significance. The door which Noah built in the ark was shut by the Lord (Gen. 7:16), denoting the perfect safety of Noah’s family. At the time of the first Passover in Egypt, the Israelites put lamb’s blood on the doorposts of their houses (Ex. 12:7) so that the plague of death did not enter their houses. The Israelites were commanded to bring their peace offerings to the door...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction Though Gregory was born from wealthy and noble parents, he renounced the world with its luxuries and became a monk in a monastic order which he himself had set up. Because of his learning, his expertise in government diplomacy, his great piety, and his apparent humility he was chosen as pope by popular acclaim. He was the first real pope in the history of Roman Catholicism; and from his chair in the papal see at Rome he extended his influence over all of the...

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. “Wars of Words, Wars of Grace” In an article appearing in the Banner, December 20, 1999, Dr. James D. Bratt gives a summary of some of the great “wars” in the CRC during the past century. Dr. J. Bratt is professor of history at Calvin College and director of the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship. He has written extensively on the history of the CRC. Dr. J. Bratt, in evaluating these “wars,” comes to some striking and correct conclusions. His summary of these “wars” is as follows: …the great...

Rev. Laning is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker, Michigan. Before going into the specific saving works of the Holy Spirit, such as regeneration, calling, justification, and sanctification, we take some time to consider the Spirit’s work as a whole. There are many who deny the fundamental truths of the Reformed faith, who nevertheless claim that a mighty work of the Spirit is going on in their midst. One such group, known as the Charismatics, claims to be the only group that has actually been baptized in the Holy Spirit. They call their gospel the full gospel, and...

Anglican Appreciation For the most part, I have enjoyed receiving the Standard Bearer. We have much agreement in “a common faith” (Titus 1:4). No doubt, you know the “Reformed” nature of the Thirty-Nine Articles. Sadly, this is mostly forgotten by the Anglican communion at large. I enjoyed your editorial, “How Then Will We Live? (2)” [Jan. 15, 2000], especially the point on suffering for the true church and body of Christ. The real Church-Catholic is “cruciform” in the representation of His life (II Cor. 4:10, 11). Some of the hymns of Watts and C. Wesley are so rich here! And...

In recent years, Reformed and Presbyterian churches have opened the office of minister to women. Among them are two churches to whom the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC) are related historically and geographically and with whose members the members of the PRC have close contact, the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA). In response to opposition to their ordaining women ministers, some have downplayed the importance of the decision. The CRC, for example, has argued that opening the offices of minister and ruling elder to women is “merely” a church order matter, not a matter of...

Rev. VanOverloop is pastor of Georgetown Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.  Revelation 14:4b What is the security of the child of God in the last days? Revelation 13 describes the Antichrist: the beast and its false prophet. The descriptions of both the beast and the false prophet are frightening. The abilities and strengths given to Antichrist are formidable. The false prophet will be able to cause all, small or great, rich or poor, free or slave, to receive the mark of the beast. It is only with this mark that anyone...

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Mission Activities Rev. R. Moore, our churches’ missionary to Ghana, West Africa, reported recently on some exciting developments concerning the work in Ghana. Our churches’ Foreign Mission Committee and the Council of the Hull, IA PRC, the calling church for Ghana, have given their approval to rent a piece of land so that our Mission will have a place in which to preach the Word of God for the present and future. Rev. Moore was told that they could rent the property with a view to applying...

Classis met in regular session on Wednesday, January 12, 2000 at the Southeast PRC. Each church was represented by two delegates. Rev. Doug Kuiper served as chair for this session. The January session is typically a busy one and this was no exception. Classis heard reports from its Stated Clerk, Classical Committee, and church visitors. Classis decided to forward information gathered by the church visitors to synod 2000 regarding the suggestion of synod that congregations set aside retirement money for pastors who are not in social security and regarding the continuing subsidy for the small congregation in Wyckoff, NJ. The...

Portraits of Faithful Saints, by Herman Hanko. Grand Rapids, MI: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 1999. Pp. xiii + 450. $32.95 (Hardcover). [Reviewed by Prof. Russell Dykstra.] Portraits of Faithful Saints is a truly fine work about men and women who have played some role in the history of the church of Jesus Christ. The book is comprised of fifty-two chapters on individuals who ought to be (or become) household names in Christian, and especially Reformed homes. Such men as Polycarp, Tertullian, Athanasius, and Augustine are included in the ten chapters on the ancient church. In the medieval period, another ten...