Vol 93 Issue 13

Trivia Question The 2016 PRC Acts of Synod lists five current PRC ministers whose last name begins with the letter “K.” Can you name them? Answers later in this column. Congregational Activities The sanctuary at Heritage PR Church in Sioux Falls, SD gets filled up once a year. That’s the Sunday evening before President’s Day when the congregation there hosts an annual singspiration for the five Siouxland churches. That date is chosen because there is no school the next day, making it more conducive to a larger crowd. This year the temperature was a balmy 55 degrees (F) on a...

Classis West met on Wednesday, March 1, in Redlands, CA. Visiting Redlands for Classis in early March is a nice break for many of the delegates. Delegates who live in colder climates enjoy a break from winter’s cold, and all enjoy a break from the normal routine of work. The fellowship was warm, both in temperature and in spirit. Attended by two delegates from each church, and chaired by Rev. Kuiper, Classis treated both routine and weighty matters. Weighty were two matters of discipline regarding which a consistory sought Classis’ advice. After hearing of the extensive work of the consistory...

Called to Watch for Christ’s Return, by Martyn McGeown. Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 2016. Pp. 286. $14.95. Paper. [Reviewed by Rev. Ryan Barnhill.] Called to Watch for Christ’s Return began as a series of sermons preached by the author on the Olivet Discourse, a speech in which “Jesus proclaims his second coming, an event with which history will come to a dramatic and sudden close” (ix). These sermons covered Matthew 24:1-31, dealing with the signs of Christ’s coming—deceivers, the preaching of the gospel, the great tribulation, and more. These sermons also dealt with Matthew 24:32-25:46, treating the subject...

Dr. Looyenga is Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Calvin College and is a member of Zion Protestant Reformed Church, Hudsonville, Michigan. “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31, 32 I recall a conversation I had with a certain Dr. John Marcus when I was a college student learning how to do cancer research. And yes, this is the same man who is now serving as pastor of First PR Church of Edmonton. At the...

Previous article in this series: March 1, 2017, p. 250. The Scriptures of the Laity Furthermore, wherever we turn our eyes, we see the living and true creatures of God which, if they be observed, as is proper, make a much more vivid impression on the beholders than all the images or vain, motionless, feeble and dead pictures made by men, of which the prophet truly said: “They have eyes, but do not see” (Ps. 115:5). Chapter 4 of the Second Helvetic Confession (SHC) develops the biblical and Reformed objection to the use of images in the worship of God....

The celebration of our redemption and resurrection in Jesus is a good time to remember the wonderful aspect of the gospel indicated by the prefix re- of these two words. Re- basically means “again” and denotes something repeated, returned back, or done intensely. Redemption, therefore, means “to be bought back” and resurrection “to be raised again.” And re- is one of the most common prefixes in Scripture, which shows the rich significance of “again” to the holy gospel. The gospel is the good news of re-. Our Father has nurtured, raised, and stretched out His hand to rebellious (to war...

Playing God with Human DNA Within the last few years, significant advances have been made in the ability to edit the genes of human sperm, eggs, and early-stage embryos in petri dishes. Earlier this year, a report came out from within the United States recommending the use of the advances being made. For the New York Times, Amy Harmon writes the following: An influential science advisory group formed by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine on Tuesday [February 14] lent its support to a once-unthinkable proposition: the modification of human embryos to create genetic traits...

I am writing for clarification on Rev. McGeown’s article regarding the theological error of EFS (“Eternal Functional I am writing for clarification on Rev. McGeown’s article regarding the theological error of EFS (“Eternal Functional Subordination”). Rev. McGeown writes, Grudem [Wayne Grudem, Phoenix Seminary], for example, presents the Son’s submission to the Father as “the role-model for a woman’s submission to her husband.” (Of course, the pattern for a woman’s submission to her husband is not the Son’s eternal, functional submission or subordination to the Father, but the church’s submission to Christ!) While I would not use the term “role-model” as...

Imagine with me the year of our Lord 2025, the year of the Protestant Reformed Churches’ centennial anniversary. Not that far away when you think about it—just eight short years. Now imagine seven or eight vacant PR churches at that time as well. Actually, not all that imaginary. Not when you consider how few college-aged men of our churches at present have indicated an interest in preparing for the gospel ministry—just three (3) at latest report. And they are only thinking of and prayerfully considering it at present—two in their second year of college (sophomores), one in his first year...

And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness...