Vol 86 Issue 01

Rev. Marcus is pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so:...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan. Minister Activities The Lord led Candidate Cory Griess to accept the call to Calvary PRC in Hull, IA. We rejoice that our heavenly Father has provided Calvary with its first pastor, after nearly two years of vacancy, and that the Lord has also provided a place for Mr. Griess. Mr. Griess will be examined at a special meeting of Classis West on October 21. We also add our prayers for the Lord’s rich blessing upon the Griess family and the Calvary congregation in the days and years...

September 1, 2, 2009 Classis West met in regular session on September 1 and 2, 2009, in the new sanctuary of the Randolph PRC. On the agenda were nine protests. Six of them protested the decision of the May Classis instructing a consistory and a special committee of Classis to labor pastorally with its minister, directing him to seek release from the ministry under Article 12 of the Church Order. The other three protests regarded other related matters. Classis did not sustain any of these protests. Also on the agenda was the request of a minister to be declared emeritus...

Called to Serve: Essays for Elders and Deacons, ed. Michael Brown. Reformed Fellowship (2007). ISBN 978-0979367748. 274 pp. $15.00. Softcover. Reviewed by Rev. Douglas Kuiper. Protestant Reformed Churches in America do little to give our elders and deacons formal, systematic training for their office. Perhaps in the monthly officebearer meetings, some time is spent discussing articles of the Church Order or other relevant material. Occasionally a congregation sponsors a conference or lecture pertaining to the subject. The delegates to Classis West make every effort to gather once or twice a year for a conference. But nothing formal and systematic is...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Randolph, Wisconsin. Before concluding our detailed examination of the office of deacon, we must yet delve into the matter of women assisting the deacons. Historically, such women were called deaconesses, or said to hold “the office of widow.” Regardless of the terminology, we desire to investigate the matter of women assisting the deacons. The reader should know from the outset that the following articles will not advocate opening the office of deacon to women; nor will these articles evaluate the practice, all too common in Christian churches today, of admitting...

Rev. denHartog is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Previous article in this series: September 15, 2009, p. 495. Home is the place where children grow up together and must learn to live with each other in true godliness. Often there are both boys and girls growing up together. There are different ages and different stages of development that children go through. There are many different experiences, both joys and sorrow, trials and difficulties, as well as by the grace of God success and progress and developments. Our children are conceived and born in sin. They are...

Rev. Langerak is pastor of Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the beginning God created the heaven (Gen. 1:1). Actually, He created three (II Cor. 12:2). He fashioned two physical heavens called firmament (Gen. 1:8)—the first, an inner atmosphere or sky (Deut. 33:26), and the second, a vast outer space. No chaotic wreckage from a big bang, they are the glorious artistry of the Lord’s fingers, which carefully measured and spread them out the second day (Job 9:8; Is. 40:12). The heavens praise God, declare His righteousness, and continually tower over earth as an irrefutable witness to...

Rev. VanderWal is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. Lazy! Not a good word to hear. You immediately react against such an accusation if you are convinced it is not true. And you are immediately filled with shame if it is true. Laziness makes you think about work. You know fellow workers or fellow students who are lazy. Either they are late to their jobs or classes or their work is done sloppily if done at all. You see in their characters a lack of motivation or a simple inability to be motivated at all. They are...

Rev. Haak is pastor of Georgetown Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan and radio pastor for the Reformed Witness Hour, on which this message was aired. In the past weeks, many of us have again witnessed the opening of Christian schools, and many of us have returned to the active, daily teaching of our children. As people of God, we believe that it is our calling to bring up our children. And, as the Lord gives us the ability and provides for us, it is our calling to establish our own Christian schools for them. What are the reasons for...

Rev. Laning is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Chruch in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our God, the true God, is the Creator of all things. The Creator spoke the word, “Let there be light,” and immediately light came into existence where there had been no light. The calling into existence of things that before were not—that is what is meant by creation. Creation out of Nothing Most scientists of this world refuse to believe this. They reject the idea that all that we see around us was created out of nothing. Although they may speak of this present universe beginning with...