My father would frequently address a situation with a Friesian saying. Roughly translated, his favorite one seemed to be, “If it can’t be done the way it has to be done, it has to be done the way it can be done.” Since I grew up on a farm with well-used, old machinery, that quote […]
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a perfect child? Can you imagine a child who never threw selfish tantrums or scowled at the meal you set before him? Can you conceive of a kid who never left his room trashed after he was told to pick it up or who […]
The familiar words of the Apostles’ Creed have embedded themselves in the minds of many Christians: “The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” The orthodox faith has always affirmed Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, so these truths are familiar […]
On Monday afternoon around 4:00, a tornado 200 to 300 yards wide tore down Beech Ridge Road in Beaufort County, North Carolina, a peaceful rural road where I spent the latter part of my youth and still consider home. My family and I moved into a solid, beautiful house about half a mile back from […]
In the final chapter of Romans, Paul extends Christian greetings to his friends in Rome. After his greeting, Timothy, fellow worker with Paul, extends his greetings. Paul’s mention of almost thirty people in the church that he had not yet visited testifies to his knowledge of the church, the problems they faced, and the desire […]
Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC) History Although the Heritage Reformed Congregations have only recently been officially incorporated, their historical roots can be traced back 125 years to the original incorporation of the Christian Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids (Michigan) in October 1870. Later, in 1877, the Grand Rapids consistory, along with the consistory of Lodi, New […]
Introduction: This review of the 372 page agenda of the upcoming Synod is designed to drill down into the significant matters of Synod. There is a lot of content in the Agenda that serves as background material or helps to flesh out the discussion. This is necessary for a full understanding of the issues. This […]
In one of his debates, now-deceased atheist Christopher Hitchens said that if God existed, the God of the Old Testament was unworthy of the name God. Why? Because, according to Hitchens and so many other critics and skeptics, the God depicted in the Old Testament is a genocidal maniac. (See “Christopher Hitchens vs. Douglas Wilson […]
The question, “What happens to our souls when we die?” is one which often has concerned believers when their loved ones have died. Where are our souls after death? This subject has also received the attention of theologians for centuries. The upshot of their cogitations may be summed up into several main views as follows. […]
Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) was the first of the Reformed theologians. He was born on New Year’s Day 1484, a little more than seven weeks after the birth of Martin Luther. He is remembered primarily for his reforming work as the leading pastor in the Swiss city of Zurich. He addressed major theological topics in An […]