Vol 78 Issue 18

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.

May 8, 2002 Southeast PR Church Classis East met in regular session on Wednesday, May 8, 2002, at the Southeast PRC. All the churches were represented by two delegates. Present also were the church history students from Covenant Christian High School. Classis’ business was more than routine. Classis spent a great deal of time in closed session considering an appeal of a discipline matter. Classis, furthermore, approved the request for emeritation from Rev. Dale Kuiper. This emeritation will be effective January 1, 2003. Classis adopted the following resolution regarding Rev. Kuiper: “That classis express its sincere appreciation to Rev. Dale...

Rev. Koole is pastor of Faith Protestant Reformed Church in Jenison, Michigan. Those ‘Oh So Dangerous’ Fundamentalists A good brother recently gave me a tape of a broadcast he recorded from his short-wave radio. What he had heard he found to be disturbing. He thought I might find it of interest, maybe even for this rubric. He was right. Not only was the subject a matter of interest, a report entitled “Religious Fundamentalism,” but it was disturbing as well. I decided it was worth transcribing various segments of the broadcast with comments as we go along. Keep in mind that...

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction While Johann Agricola occupied an important place in the Lutheran Reformation, and while he could have been of inestimable help to the cause of the truth of Jesus Christ when that truth was being rescued from the clammy hands of the bishop of Rome, he forfeited his right to occupy this noble place. He forfeited his right to occupy such a place because he became a proud man and turned his desires away from advancing the cause of the gospel to his own...

Prof. Dykstra is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. *Seminary Commencement Address, June 17, 2002, Southwest Protestant Reformed Church, Grandville, Michigan. Seminary graduates of 2002, your graduation from seminary is special for me because you are the first class with whom I was present through all their training in the seminary. We started our time in the seminary the same year and in the same course, namely, six years ago in Greek Grammar. I, and the rest of the faculty with me, rejoice with you today. The chairman read II Corinthians 4. Although II Corinthians...

Criticism for a Lack of Criticism   I have been reading RFPA books for some years now. I have also been receiving the Standard Bearer for some time as well. I would like to inquire as to why there are no books by Protestant Reformed ministers that deal specifically with the heresy of Cornelius VanTil. I have not seen any critical essays against this Dutchman’s theology in the Standard Bearer either. I did on the contrary see a couple of paragraphs in a Standard Bearer complimenting VanTil and discussing what fine friends Hoeksema and VanTil were. One might be led...

It was gratifying that the auditorium of the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan was full for the pre-synodical worship service on Monday evening, June 10. Rev. Charles Terpstra, president of the previous synod, preached to the assembled delegates of synod, congregation of Southwest, and visitors onColossians 2:1-4: “…in whom [Christ] are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The text of this sermon is the meditation in this issue of the Standard Bearer. The officers of the 2002 synod were Rev. James Slopsema (First PRC, Grand Rapids, Michigan), president; Rev. Ronald VanOver-loop (Georgetown PRC, Hudson-ville, Michigan), vice-president;...

Rev. Terpstra is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. This Meditation is the text of the pre-synodical sermon preached by Rev. Terpstra on June 10, 2002. Introduction Esteemed delegates to the 2002 Synod of the PRC and beloved saints of the church of Jesus Christ, our text this evening (Col. 2:1-4) directs us to a truth of utmost importance for the faith and life of the church in our day, and for the work of the synod in this week. That truth is that in Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid. Hid not...