Vol 84 Issue 13

Rev. Laning is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker, Michigan. Previous article in this series: April 15, 2008, p. 325. Central to dispensationalism is their distinction between Israel and the church. God is said to promise one thing to Israel, and another thing to the church. And He does this, they say, because He has one goal with Israel, and another goal with the church. Two different goals for two different groups of people who receive two different promises. This idea is at the heart of dispensationalism. By making this unbiblical distinction, they wrongly divide not only God’s...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.   Minister Activities    Rev. Daniel Kleyn, pastor of the First PRC in Holland, MI, received the call from the Doon, Iowa congregation to serve as our denomination’s missionary to the Philippines. May the will of the Lord be shown to Rev. Kleyn, and may the Berean Protestant Reformed Church in the Philippines be preserved in truth and grace. The Calvary PRC in Hull, Iowa has extended a call to Rev. James Slopsema, pastor of First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI, to be their first pastor. Rev....

March 5, 2008 On Tuesday, March 4, delegates to Classis West’s March meeting, officebearers, high school students, and other members from Hope PRC gathered for an officebearers’ conference, which addressed the theme, “Promoting Sabbath Observance in the 21st Century.” Delegates and visitors enjoyed the speeches presented by the speakers (Rev. M. VanderWal, Rev. J. Mahtani, Rev. S. Key, and Rev. D. Kuiper). According to the many comments that the undersigned heard, those who attended also enjoyed the discussions led by the speakers after their presentations. Classis convened at 8:30 A.M on Wednesday. Rev. J. Marcus provided the opening devotions, including...

January/February, 2008 at the Georgetown PRC Classis East met at its regularly scheduled time on Wednesday, January 9, 2008, but because of the business before it, held continued sessions on February 13, 14, and 27, 2008. All the churches were represented by two delegates for these sessions. Rev. C. Haak served as chairman. Classis treated protests from four individuals and a consistory against decisions taken by classis in September, 2007 regarding a pastor’s calling with regard to the education of his children in light of Article 21 of the Church Order. Classis did not uphold any of these protests, thus...

Mrs. Laning is a wife and mother in Hope Protestant Reformed Church of Walker, Michigan. If you have ever hiked through rugged, towering mountains for a week without the convenience of running water, toilets, or electricity, then you have experienced a taste of what campers relish as “roughing it.” When I was 15 years old I joined such ranks when I went on a church youth group backpack trip in the California High Sierra Mountains. Prior to the trip, we were told exactly which bare essentials to bring, and by no means could we bring anything else. We were to...

Mr. Minderhoud is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. The creation abounds with “cycles.” Spring, summer, fall, and winter arrive consistently at their appointed times without interruption. The moon has its waxing and waning crescents, and the stars appear in the sky in their characteristic formations in a regular and repeatable fashion. Lake and ocean waters evaporate, form clouds, then fall to the earth in some form of precipitation, and eventually trickle their way back to the lakes and oceans. A sequence of hormones rushes through the body of...

Rev. VanderWal is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 Growing up in this world, you are surrounded. You are surrounded by all the sights and sounds of this world. You receive its sensations: you touch, smell, and taste all the things in this world. The world’s sights and sounds are growing more intense. You are bombarded from every possible angle. This world’s information is pressed upon you with stunning intensity. Images jar your senses at lightning speed. A hand...

Rev. Smit is pastor of the Immanuel Protestant Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. Previous article in this series: January 15, 2008, p. 186. In the previous article about “Joy,” we learned that Christ calls us unto the production of His wonder-fruit by His Spirit through His Word, which includes, for example, the command, “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) Because in fulfillment of that call of Christ the sovereign Spirit works in and through us the gift of joy, we consciously learn and experience this joy according to our new nature. This joy is...

Rev. Bruinsma is Eastern Home Missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches, stationed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Previous article in this series: January 1, 2008, p. 164. To perform the work of missions correctly takes knowledge of the Scriptures. There are right ways and wrong ways to conduct mission work. God demands more of His church and people than the attitude that because other churches are doing it we should be doing it too. Sometimes saints in our churches who take an active interest in missions but are unhappy with the slow results of mission work cast longing eyes on the church...

Rev. Lanning is pastor of Faith Protestant Reformed Church in Jenison, Michigan. Previous article in this series: February 1, 2008, p. 208. An officebearer in Christ’s church entering into office is in need of courage. He needs courage because his task of caring for Christ’s flock on behalf of the Good Shepherd Himself is not a task he can accomplish in his own strength. So it was with Joshua when he was given the work of leading Israel into Canaan. Four times in Joshua 1, God encourages him with the exhortation, “Be strong and of a good courage.” God Himself supplies...