All Articles For Decency and Order

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. The classical meetings shall consist of neighboring churches that respectively delegate, with proper credentials, a minister and an elder to meet at such time and place as was determined by the previous classical meeting. Such meetings shall be held at least once in three months, unless great distances render this inadvisable. In these meetings the ministers shall preside in rotation, or one shall be chosen to preside; however, the same minister shall not be chosen twice in succession.  Furthermore, the president shall, among other things, put the following...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. The office peculiar to the deacons is diligently to collect alms and other contributions of charity, and after mutual counsel, faithfully and diligently to distribute the same to the poor as their needs may require it; to visit and comfort the distressed and to exercise care that the alms are not misused; of which they shall render an account in consistory, and also (if anyone desires to be present) to the congregation, at such time as the consistory may see fit.  Church Order, Article 25. Introduction The concern...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Furthermore, the president [of classis] shall, among other things, put the following questions to the delegates of each church: 1. Are the consistory meetings held in your church? 2. Is church discipline exercised? 3. Are the poor and the Christian schools cared for? 4. Do you need the judgment and help of the classis for the proper government of your church?  Church Order, Article 41 Introduction The questions of Article 41 asked of the delegates from each consistory by the president of the classis have a very important...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. “Where in a church there are more ministers than one, also those not delegated according to the foregoing article shall have the right to attend classis with advisory vote. “  Church Order, Article 42. Article 41 prescribed that every church shall be represented at classis by two delegates, a minister and an elder: “The classical meetings shall consist of neighboring churches that respectively delegate, with proper credentials, a minister and an elder….” For practical reasons the churches have agreed that each congregation shall be represented at classis by...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. “Among the ministers of the Word equality shall be maintained with respect to the duties of their office, and also in other matters as far as possible, according to the judgment of the consistory, and if necessary, of the classis; which equality shall also be maintained in the case of the elders and deacons.” Church Order, Article 17. Introduction This article concerns what is commonly referred to as parity of officebearers. Among officebearers there is to be parity or equality. The word for “equality” in the Dutch version of...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. The elders and deacons shall serve two or more years according to local regulations, and a proportionate number shall retire each year. The retiring officers shall be succeeded by others, unless the circumstances and the profit of any church, in the execution of articles 22 and 24, render a re-election advisable.  Church Order, Article 27 Historical Background This article establishes the policy of limited tenure for elders and deacons. Article 12 set forth the Reformed view that those who are called to the office of the ministry are...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. “The office of the professors of theology is to expound the Holy Scriptures and to vindicate sound doctrine against heresies and errors.” Church Order, Article 18. Introduction Articles 18-20 of the Church Order deal with the work of the churches in training young men for the gospel ministry. Article 18 describes the task of the professors in the seminary. Article 19 speaks of the calling of the churches to provide students for the seminary and to support these students while they are being trained. Article 20 discusses the subject of...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. “In the churches only the 150 Psalms of David, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Twelve Articles of Faith, the Songs of Mary, Zacharias, and Simeon, the Morning and Evening Hymns, and the Hymn of Prayer before the sermon shall be sung.”  Church Order, Article 69. Historical Background The earliest Dutch Reformed synods addressed the matter of singing in the worship services. Already the synod of Wezel, 1568, decided: As for singing in the church, the use of the Psalms as rendered by Peter Datheen shall be...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. In these assemblies ecclesiastical matters only shall be transacted and that in an ecclesiastical manner. In major assemblies only such matters shall be dealt with as could not be finished in minor assemblies, or such as pertain to the churches of the major assembly in common.  Church Order, Article 30 Introduction Article 30 concerns the proper jurisdiction of ecclesiastical assemblies. The article specifies that the jurisdiction of all ecclesiastical assemblies is limited to ecclesiastical matters. In regard to the major assemblies, the article specifies that their jurisdiction is...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. In the places where others are devoting themselves to the care of the poor, the deacons shall seek a mutual understanding with them to the end that the alms may all the better be distributed among those who have the greatest need. Moreover, they shall make it possible for the poor to make use of institutions of mercy, and to that end they shall request the board of directors of such institutions to keep in close touch with them. It is also desirable that the diaconates assist and...