Vol 84 Issue 06

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.   Denomination Activities  Rev. Steve Key, pastor of the Hull, IA PRC, accompanied by his wife, Nancy, left early Monday, October 29, for speaking engagements in Singapore and Penang, Malaysia. After meetings in Singapore, the Keys traveled to Penang, Malaysia. Rev. Key spoke twice on November 3. At their request his first speech was on “The Life of John Newton,” and his second speech was on “John Newton and the Doctrine of Grace.” Rev. Key also preached twice in Penang on November 4. On November 6 the...

Rev. Spriensma is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In the Presence of Mine Enemies is the title of a book relating the experiences of Christian missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham when kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf (bearer of the sword), a violent Muslim terrorist group operating in the southern Philippines. This horrendous ordeal, which began on May 27, 2001, finally ended after one year and eleven days with the death of Martin and a nurse and the gunshot wounding of his wife, Gracia. While this is shocking for many of us who live in the United States...

Mr. Kalsbeek is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.”  I Chronicles 12:31 Rudyard Kipling was a great storyteller. Perusal of a few of the stories he wrote for his “Best Beloved” daughter Josephene in the collection Just So Stories will illustrate the point. One of the classics in that collection of stories is “The...

Mrs. Laning is a wife and mother in Hope Protestant Reformed Church of Walker, Michigan. Some time ago, I attended a fiftieth wedding anniversary dinner celebration. There were many friends and family gathered in attendance to celebrate this occasion. Prayers, toasts, singing, and speeches all made for a memorable evening. One speech, in particular, recurs in my mind. This was during a lighthearted question-and-answer period, with the questions directed to the honored couple. Their son-in-law came with them to the microphone with written questions. Some were directed to the woman, and some to her husband. One question for the husband...

It is with great joy and thanksgiving to our heavenly Father that we can report the birth of a daughter congregation. The organizational worship service of Calvary Protestant Reformed Church was held on Thursday evening, October 11, 2007, at the Hull PRC. Pastor Steven Key chose Ephesians 2:19-22 for his text that evening, and preached under the theme “God’s Holy Temple.” An offering was taken for the Calvary Protestant Reformed benevolent fund. After the message the actual organization of the new congregation took place. The charter members of Calvary PRC consisted of 43 families and 7 individuals. Transferal of membership to Calvary...

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. Previous article in this series: November 15, 2007, p. 78. e have seen that the Lord’s Supper is a blessed ordinance established by Christ for His church, by which our salvation is signified and sealed to us through faith as we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ our Savior. By this means of grace we are brought into the fellowship of God’s covenant life, to sit at feast with Him in Christ Jesus. In partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord’s table, we...

Rev. Kortering is a minister/missionary emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches.   What is an indigenous church  In the history of missions, there has been tension in the Reformed churches as to the proper perspective of what a mission church, established in a foreign land, ought to be. Years ago, when the Dutch government was heavily involved in the colonization of the world, the Reformed churches of the Netherlands combined colonization with mission outreach. This took place through the Dutch East India Company. Let me use Malacca, Malaysia as an example. The French controlled Malacca and, with it, its wealth...

Rev. Langerak is pastor or Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A Star shall come. Not from Hollywood or Wall St., Harvard or Princeton, the NBA or NFL, Republicans or Democrats, not the USA. A Star shall come out of Jacob (Num. 24:17). He does not come to boost ratings with song and dance routines, to sell tickets with RBIs or dunks, to create fortunes, lower taxes, bring social justice, institute affordable health care, or even put a chicken in every pot. He comes to save—from sin. He comes to save the world. Jesus is that bright and...

Covenant Theology  It was with true joy that I received the complimentary copy of the Standard Bearer. Its pages were my companion that very evening and provided a source of interest and edification. I certainly appreciated the articles concerning various aspects of our joint heritage, the Afscheiding….I am well aware of your conviction concerning the nature of the covenant of grace and its being unconditional. Furthermore, you are aware of the URC and CanRC courtship and their (CanRC) emphasis on the covenant being conditional. I am wondering what your reaction is to an attempt to hold to a carefully qualified distinction between...

“And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” Genesis 4:25 This is a text for all seasons, but, in a special way, it is a text for this time of the year, when the church reflects upon the coming and birth of the woman’s great promised Seed—the coming of the Dragon-slayer. It is a passage easily overlooked. It is dressed in such common garb—a man “knew” his wife “again,” and a child results. Throughout the history of...