Vol 93 Issue 07

A New Year With this issue we turn the calendar page to 2017. We give thanks to God for His almighty care and His daily blessings through the past year! Truly God is good to Israel (Ps. 73:1)—and to us. May He guide and care for our churches in the coming year as only the Almighty can do! Praise be to Him! Congregational Activities Supporters of Hope PR Christian School in Redlands, CA participated in a doubles ping-pong tournament, with proceeds to the school and goodies like homemade caramel corn, ice cream, and hot cider served for refreshments. Young People’s...

Depression: A Stubborn Darkness, Edward T. Welch, Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2004. Paperback, 279 pp. [Reviewed by Rev. Martyn McGeown.] In the October 1, 2014 edition of the SB, I reviewed a book on depression, entitled Broken Minds by Steve and Robyn Bloem. Welch’s book takes a different approach, or, at least, has a different emphasis. While Welch does not discount that depression is a disease, his counsel in this book is mainly spiritual. Depression is a complex subject, and there is seldom a meeting of minds on the issue. I would advise readers interested in the subject to...

Mr. Lanning is a member of the Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church and, along with his wife Pat, attended the BRF Conference held last summer. July 16-July 23, 2016 marked the fourteenth British Reformed Fellowship Conference. The venue was the Castlewellan Castle, in Castlewellan, Northern Ireland. The theme was “‘Behold I Come Quickly:’ The Reformed, Biblical Truth of the End.” One hundred twenty-four attendees from ten different countries registered and attended all seven days, while several more visitors attended various speeches. Attendees came from the following countries (number of attendees in parentheses): Australia (4), Canada (4), England (6), Hungary (3), Northern...

Mr. Hoekstra is a member of Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church, and secretary of the RFPA. In 1953 Herman Hoeksema penned an editorial titled “Why We Should Read the Standard Bearer.” He stated: Mark you well, the Standard Bearer is not begging for subscriptions. The truth never begs. And the Standard Bearer represents the truth. If many of us are not interested in the Protestant Reformed truth anymore, something which I am still loath to believe, the truth of God nevertheless stands and marches on, even without them. Besides, I do not want mere subscribers, but readers that will make careful...

This is the text of the speech that Rev. Engelsma delivered at the RFPA Annual Meeting on September 29, 2016. We are presently living in the midst of a sexual revolution of monumental scope and unheard-of influence. Our society shamelessly bows before the goddess Sex and has committed herself wholeheartedly to the promotion of her worship.1 Wherever the Reformed Christian turns, the evidence of this revolution stares him in the face. He sees it when he turns on the TV. He sees it when he opens the web browser. He sees it on billboards as he drives down the highway....

Because the well-established system for the collection and distribution of financial support for our denominational foreign mission labors may easily go unnoticed, it is worthwhile to examine the biblical principles and benefits of this Reformed practice. This denominational practice has well served the stability and continuity of our foreign mission labors, and the continuation of this orderly practice needs to be encouraged. A brief survey of how financial support is raised by some foreign missionaries shows that a variety of methods with a common theme have been used. One basic method for financial support is a letter campaign to churches,...

Lord’s Day 33 Question 88. Of how many parts doth the true conversion of man consist? Answer. Of two parts: of the mortification of the old, and the quickening of the new man. Question 89. What is the mortification of the old man? Answer. It is a sincere sorrow of heart that we have provoked God by our sins, and more and more to hate and flee from them. Question 90. What is the quickening of the new man? Answer. It is a sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight to live according to...

Everyone, it seems, wants to be first. Understandable, for to be first is to be best or have the most of some ability or power, which usually brings riches or honor. This appeals to us. And we often imagine that if only we, or our children, our team, business, or nation, were first, life would be much better. But this isn’t true, for Jesus said, many who are first shall be last (Mark 10:31). And so we would do well to consider from the Word what it truly means to be first. Scripture celebrates many firsts, and even as we...

Previous article in this series: December 15, 2016, p. 124. Good Christian schools are required of Reformed believers according to the Church Order of Dordrecht, Article 21. Good Christian schools need good Christian school teachers. The eighteen Protestant Reformed schools will continue to seek these high quality teachers. The training of covenant youth demands excellence from every point of view. School boards must be seeking teachers with “high marks” for their ability to teach well, effectively and interestingly. Schools must have teachers with doctrinal understanding of and zeal for the (Protestant) Reformed faith. As an aside, it should be obvious...

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Proverbs 18:10 With this issue we are once again at the beginning of a new year. Many thousands will greet each other with a “Happy New Year.” Many of these will do so thoughtlessly, not realizing the implications of their words. Others may do it out of habit, not caring whether that happiness is realized or not. Some say it with doubt or fear, not knowing whether that happiness will be theirs or not. In all of this there is an element of...