Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.   Denomination Activities  Classis West met in regular session on March 1 at the Loveland, CO PRC. The main item on the agenda for that meeting was the examination of Pastor-elect Dennis Lee with a view to his ordination as pastor of the Edgerton, MN PRC. An officebearers’ conference was held the day before, treating the subject of “The Minister and His Money.” Arrangements were made for a presentation, in the morning session, by Clergy Financial Services of Loveland, CO concerning the unique features of tax law...

On Wednesday, March 1, 2006, Classis West met in Loveland, Colorado. An officebearers’ conference was held the day before. The theme of the conference was “The Minister and His Money.” The morning session was devoted to a presentation concerning US tax code law as it affects ministers’ salaries of our US churches and concerning ways to structure a pastor’s support in order to use the tax savings provided by the law. The afternoon sessions were devoted to presentations and profitable discussions on the subject of the pastor’s use of his money and possessions and on the subject of counseling God’s...

A Study Commentary on I Corinthians, by Peter Naylor. Evangelical Press, 2004. 543 pp. (hardcover). [Reviewed by Rev. Doug Kuiper.]   As its name indicates, this commentary is astudy commentary. It will benefit the pastor in his sermon preparation; but even more it will benefit the Christian believer who is studying I Corinthians in a Bible study, or for his own private devotion. This is a “popular” commentary—a commentary for the people. Several facts about this commentary underscore the previous statement. First, Naylor’s expositions are not wordy, but usually brief, and almost always to the point. Second, Naylor’s references to the...

Rev. Laning is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker, Michigan. Previous article in this series: March 1, 2006, p. 247. The sacraments are a real and particular means of grace. Over against those who make them out to be empty signs, it is important that we understand and maintain that they are really means of grace. They are used by the Spirit of Christ to strengthen the faith that He has worked by the preaching. As a real means of grace they are also particular. There are many who have received the sacrament but have not received the...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Randolph, Wisconsin. Previous article in this series: March 1, 2006, p. 249. In our last article we argued from Scripture and church history that the care of sick, aged, widowed, or otherwise afflicted saints, even when such are not poor, is properly the work of the deacons. This is because the care of such saints is a work of mercy; because Christ shows mercy to afflicted saints through His church; and because the diaconate is the God-appointed means officially to administer Christ’s mercies on the church’s behalf. In noting examples...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. Bodies bodies everywhere. What’s a body to think? God has made them. He has made the universe full of bodies, and He has put us smack dab in the middle of them. And He has even given glorious bodies for us to think about. There is a glory of the sun, of the moon, and of yon feline. Think about it. And thank God for such glories. It is all created—the size, the brightness, the power, and yes, the curves, to show something of the great and glorious and bodiless...

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Previous article in this series: March 15, 2006, p. 282.   Introduction  Charles Finney’s work can be criticized for many reasons. He was thoroughly Pelagian in his theology, not because he was ignorant of the Reformed faith, but because, although he had been taught it as a youth and young man, he had deliberately abandoned it. He was a sort of self-appointed evangelist and an itinerant preacher who pretty much “did his own thing,” without being responsible or accountable to anyone but himself. He...

Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Previous article in this series: March 1, 2006, p. 255.   The Second Disputation: Chapter 1:6-2:9 (continued)   1:11. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. Whatever of spiritual things we do not cherish God takes away from us. That is the reason...

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of Trinity Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan. Teens Targeted with Porn With full motion video from the internet now available on cell phones and iPods, the porn industry is becoming even more accessible. Harvey Kaplan, who directs a company that sells two-minute hard-core video clips for download to portable devices, sees the mobile world as an opportunity for his industry. He says that “people aren’t going to go out and buy a cell phone that streams video so they can watch a trailer of a Disney movie,” but they will, he thinks, buy that phone...

Previous article in this series: March 15, 2006, p. 268.   A Summary of the Declaration  The Declaration of Principles sets forth the Protestant Reformed Churches’ understanding of and convictions concerning what the Reformed creeds and church order teach about grace, the preaching, the covenant, and church government. It is not intended to be a complete development of any of these, but only gives some of the principles and important elements of each. The Declaration repudiates the teaching that God has a common grace to all men. In that connection it rejects the view that the preaching of the gospel...