Vol 96 Issue 11

Trivia question Which Protestant Reformed congregation met in the basement of the local community building for more than ten years following the split of 1953 before reclaiming their church building? Answer to be found in the Church Profile section of this article. Minister activities Kalamazoo PRC formed a new trio: Rev. R. Barnhill (Peace PRC, IL), Rev. J. Engelsma (Doon, IA), Rev. C. Spronk (Faith PRC, MI). Rev. Ryan Barnhill received this call. Cornerstone PRC (Dyer, IN) called Rev. G. Eriks (Hudsonville PRC) to be their next pastor. On Febru­ary 2 Rev. Eriks announced his decline of this call. We...

This message was aired on the Reformed Witness Hour on March 1, 1999. What contributes to dead orthodoxy? What con­tributes to mere formal worship? What contributes to a lack of pastors? What contributes to an increase of complex conflict in family and church? What contrib­utes to many young people exiting a doctrinally sound denomination like ours? Of course, there are other components, but I strongly suggest that alcohol abuse is a far stronger factor than we have been willing to consider. Quickly to disagree and dismiss this diagno­sis is to ignore what Scripture frequently indicates to be a problem in...

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not...

The baptism of our covenant children teaches us that they are from birth members of Christ’s church. As our children grow up in our covenant homes, we must teach them the reality and blessing of this truth. The central calling of the church is performed when she gathers every Lord’s day in the sanctuary of God for worship. In our homes we must instruct our children concerning this by our word and example, and even by our spiritual attitudes. Our children must grow up hav­ing a pattern of true godliness that orders the priority and the practice of the most...

Some details Christianity Today (CT) reported that the “12.5-million-member UMC has been in a standoff over LGBT issues for decades, culminating in a vote in favor of its traditional position against same-sex marriage and gay clergy during a special session last year. As a result, some left the UMC, some continued to defy the UMC positions outright, and some challenged the legality of the vote in the denomination’s court—ultimately putting the question of how to move forward before the delegation once again in 2020.” There is a biblical way to deal with those who hold positions that are contrary to...

“And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” Jonah 3:1–2 The second time! God’s word came to Jonah the second time! Do we realize the wonder of that? The wonder of the amazing grace of God? For in these verses we see that God not only recovered His errant, run-away servant in the way of working repentance within him and forgiving him for what he had done, but also that He restored him to the office of prophet...

Compiled by Jan Westra, edited by Brittany Gritters The history of the Hull Protestant Reformed Church goes back to the beginning of the Protestant Reformed denomination. On March 16, 1925, just a few weeks after a temporary organization called the Protesting Christian Reformed Churches had been organized in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Protesting Christian Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa, was organized under the leadership of Rev. H. Hoeksema with a membership of 32 families. After only five months, a new parsonage was ready and occupied by Rev. B.J. Danhof. And after only three more months, the congregation met for the...

Theme and day trips Previous British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) family conferences have had some wonderful themes, but “Union with Christ,” the subject in July 2020 in Northern Ireland, is perhaps the most appealing. The New Testament is replete with references to our being “in Christ” and His being “in” us. Explicitly combining both concepts, 1 John 4:13 states: “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Union with Christ in Reformed theology, according to Heinrich Heppe, is “a real, wholesale, spiritual and indissoluble union of the person of...

The last article stated that Arius had asserted that Christ was not eternal and, therefore, not God. Alexander insisted He was. In 324, Emperor Constantine, not understanding the theological issue, chided these men for discussing such subtle and unprofitable questions, and asked them to forgive each other.1 When this plea did not have its desired effect, Constantine called the Council of Nicea. Perhaps his motivation was political: he desired a unified empire, and thought that a unified church would promote a unified empire. So in 325, from late May to late July, about 300 bish­ops met in Nicea. Most of...

The need for discernment over against the folly of sin having been addressed, the text now turns to our going about our calling in the labor and activity of this life. In harmony with the boundaries God has set in our life and His government over all undertakings, we are to labor conscious of our dependence upon Him in every outcome. Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth (Eccl. 11:1–2). Verse 1 contains...