Vol 82 Issue 03

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.  

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary.   Introduction Among the churches in some parts of Europe, particularly in the British Isles, revivalism is a popular conception. Churches who, while once strong and vibrant, have become lethargic and small look to revival for deliverance from their present woes. Spiritually weak churches think that revival will be the solution to all their problems, and many prayers are made for this special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. While such countries as the British Isles, perhaps especially Wales and Northern Ireland, have been noted...

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. (Note: This article is based on a speech that was originally given for the Combined Ladies’ Meeting of the Doon, Edgerton, and Hull Protestant Reformed Churches.) Previous article in this series: October 1, 2005, p. 12. In our previous article on this subject, we pointed out that the primary obligation of women in the churches’ work of missions is to support the preaching of the gospel, which involves being vitally interested in it. We now consider some of the practical ways in which this can be done. We...

Prof. Engelsma is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Previous article in this series: February 1, 2004, p. 210. The believer’s death in the body is not the whole story about the intermediate state. Indeed, it is not the main part of the story. The main part of the story is life, joy, and glory. According to this other aspect of the intermediate state, the believer is not subject to the power of death, but enjoys deliverance from death. His place is not the grave, but heaven. He does not sleep, but is conscious and...

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. This organization scheduled its annual “Southern Decadence” event for Wednesday, August 31 through Monday, September 5, 2005. Its Web Site proclaims that this will be “Southern Decadence XXXIV in New Orleans—A celebration of Gay Life, Music & Culture.” Similar bashes are held in New Orleans with a “Gay Easter Parade” and “Gay Halloween” and “Gay Mardi-Gras” (this one scheduled next for February 24-28, 2006). The last “Southern Decadence” held in New Orleans in 2004 drew, so it is reported, some 125,000 celebrants. The current mayor, as had two former...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. Previous article in this series: September 1, 2005, p. 476. Article 26 of our Church Order requires deacons to work closely with other diaconates in the care of the poor, to correspond with civil poor-relief organizations so that aid might be better distributed among those who have need, and to cooperate with the board of directors of institutions of mercy so that the poor can use these institutions. Concluding our examination of the duties of Reformed deacons as set forth in our Church Order, we now examine the...

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. The substance of this article was the keynote address given at the Officebearers’ Conference of Classis West in Randolph, Wisconsin, on August 1, 1004. The speech has been adapted by the author for publication in the Standard Bearer. The subject of this article is one that lies dear to my heart, and indeed to the heart of our Protestant Reformed Churches. It has been well developed in the churches and it is found important throughout the churches. For that reason, this article will not set forth any new...

Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Previous article in this series: September 15, 2005, p. 491.   The Superscription: Chapter 1:1  1. The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. There are several things that need to be noted about the superscription to the book of Malachi besides its identification of Malachi as the writer. Most important is the reference to Malachi’s prophecies as the “burden of the word of the Lord.” That they are the word of the Lord, the inspired and infallible word of God, is beyond doubt...

One who wishes he had had a PRC upbringing can now only hope that those churches do all they ever can to maintain their unique and precious position. Rev. Kortering’s series of articles on firing up the troops for personal witnessing is excellent, especially in that it does not inadvertently do anything to diminish the PRC role as the world’s best supplier of meaty grace doctrines. Giving of milk, or the proclaiming of simple salvation to babes, is vital. But there are many doing that already, whereas there is none to match the PRC in resisting the ‘desovereignizing’ of God...

As indicated in a previous article (Sept. 15, 2005) we intend in this (and a couple of following articles) to make some comments on the free offer of the gospel as that came to our attention through reading some articles found on the website—www. monergism.com. On that website the issue of the free offer is dealt with at length in the section dealing with hyper-Calvinism. There the name of the Protestant Reformed Churches (and of H. Hoeksema and some of his ‘disciples’) appears, labeled by various contributors as the foremost remaining specimen of the error (not to say evil) of...