This past summer a large group of Christians gathered around a campfire. During the course of the evening conversation turned to matters of interest within the church. Since most of the campers were members of the Christian Reformed Church a discussion arose about the decision of the Synod of 1984 by which the office of […]
A denominational leader with whom I had lunch last year remarked, “The synod which acts on the headship issue will be a watershed synod.” More recently the editor of The Outlook in an article which has received much favorable comment referred to the 1984 synod as “The Showdown Synod.” More recently the synod which just […]
Shirking Men Incite Officious Women Arthur Besteman Recently I visited with two young men who are completing their first year of service as officebearers in the Christian Reformed Church. The one is serving as a member of the consistory of a large, suburban church, the other holds office in an average size rural congregation. […]
Recently an excellent editorial entitled “Women In Office – Scripture in Disrepute” appeared in Christian Renewal. The managing editor John Hultink in the February 20, 1984 issue contends, and correctly so, that in the current debate concerning the matter of women and ecclesiastical office, much more is involved than simply an attempt to open the offices […]
Recently a young man who is a graduate of a Reformed seminary on the East Coast conducted our morning worship service. As the vice-president of our consistory escorted the guest exhorter to the pulpit he said to him, “Our congregation is not accustomed to being greeted with a good morning.” The recent graduate replied, […]
Recently the Director of the Pastor-Church Relations Services addressed the ministers and their wives of the classis in which I serve. The speaker discussed some of the problem situations with which the committee is dealing. The problems seem to be many in number. We were also told about some of the proposals which are being […]
Drift Toward Unbiblical Universalism J. Tuininga In a recent issue of Christian Renewal Dr. Ted Plantinga referred to Neal Punt’s book, Unconditional Good News, as one example of doctrinal erosion in the CRC. Rightly so, in my opinion. Punt maintains that all children who die in infancy (including those of unbelieving parents) are saved, […]
I am deeply grateful for the invitation extended to me by the Holland-Zeeland Chapter of Reformed Fellowship to address you tonight. It was in the spring of 1951 while I was a student at Grand Rapids Christian High School that Dr. Leonard Greenway, one of the founders of the Reformed Fellowship gave me a complimentary […]
The Gospel and the Poor It would be beneficial if we in the CRC would do a bit of reflecting on the nature of the gospel, particularly as it relates to the “poor” in this world. We easily slip into a kind of horizontalism or “social gospel” approach when we think about all the […]
The Synod was convened this year by the consistory of the Beckwith Hills Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, where on the evening preceeding the beginning of synod a service of prayer was held. The service was well attended and was marked by a spirit of reverence and adoration. The pastor of the […]