Vol 93 Issue 20

Trivia Question At the time of this writing schools have not yet started the 2017-2018 school year. But when you read this, they will have begun all the activities of a new year. Do you know how many Protestant Reformed Christian schools exist in North America? Answer later in this article. Mission Activities Pastor Vernon Ibe of the Berean PRC in the Philippines, along with missionary-pastor Rev. Daniel Holstege and Seminarian Matt Kortus, visited with the saints in Sitio Karugang, Gabaldon, in the Province of Nueva Ecija. Rev. Ibe led the saints there in the study of “Essentials of Reformed...

Mrs. Mowery is a former school teacher, and currently a wife and mother in Loveland Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. Eight Women of Faith by Michael A. G. Haykin. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016. 160 pages. Paper. [Reviewed by Sarah Mowery.] There is great value in reading Christian biography. In the words of Hebrews 12:1, the witness of those who have lived—and died—by faith encourages us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” and “run with patience the race that is set before us.” Arguably, the majority of Christian biographies are about men,...

Previous article in this series: April 15, 2017, p. 329. In explaining the principles that govern the interdenominational Psalter revision committee in its work, I am treating the how of Psalter revision. In my three previous articles I have examined the principles regarding format and text (lyrics). Next up is to examine the principles that govern us in evaluating the music. But before examining those principles, I will in this article explain why—not why Psalter revision in general, but why the committee would suggest changes to some music of the Psalter. In my next article, God willing, I will present...

Previous article in this series: May 15, 2017, p. 372. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27 Introduction Scarcely less important to dispensational premillennialism than Revelation...

Treasure is a hoard, store, or accumulation of riches. Although the word may conjure up in our mind chests filled with gold and jewels, a treasure can consist of anything considered valuable. The main Greek word is thesaurus, which we know as a treasury of synonyms. And God’s Word, a treasury of wisdom, teaches us much about seeking, working for, and keeping the right kind of treasure, while being indifferent to, leery of, even abhorrent of the wrong kind. God taught such lessons throughout the Old Testament. Early on, Pharaoh enslaved Israel to build treasure cites, a picture of what...

Homosexual Parenting Deemed “Unhealthy” by the American College of Pediatricians1 In July of 2017 the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) posted an update of a 2004 article that asks if it is time to accept parenting by homosexual couples as a legitimate alternative to parenting done by a father and a mother. This question is faced because “Within the last decade…professional health organizations, academics, social policymakers and the media have begun asserting that prohibitions on parenting by same-sex couples should be lifted.” The ACP criticizes this movement to approve homosexual parenting because it is not based on “supporting evidence that...

(The text, slightly revised, but maintaining as much as possible the spoken form and personal address, of the graduation speech for the Protestant Reformed Theological School. Commencement took place on June 15, 2017, in Hudsonville PRC auditorium, for seven graduates: Matthew DeBoer, Brian Feenstra, Joseph Holstege, Jonathan Langerak, David Noorman, Stephan Regnerus, Justin Smidstra.) Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy...

And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. Judges 2:10 Knowing God—that is what the Christian religion is all about. To know God is unspeakably blessed. As Jesus says in John 17:3, it is eternal life. It is the spiritual knowledge of faith whereby we love God. Knowing God we delight in Him; we walk with Him; we serve Him. So the children of Israel had been led into the land of promise by the hand...