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 […]
Puncturing the Inflated Self A highlight of the Evangelical Press Association’s annual meeting, this year held in Grand Rapids, Mich., was the May 12 address of David Myers entitled, “The Inflated Self: A New Look at Pride.” The Hope College psychology professor observed that we have long been sold the idea (promoted by many […]
“I feel wounded.” This statement was made by a member of the administration at Calvin Seminary in a speech given several weeks ago. I have been reflecting upon the statement. What has caused the speaker’s wound? It was the decision adopted by Classis Pella at its September 1981 session and reported in THE BANNER dated […]
Recently the classis in which I serve received a visit from a member of the faculty of Calvin Seminary. The professor in addressing the delegates to classis adopted as his theme “The Unity between Calvin Seminary and the Church.” The speaker in pleading for this unity described it as twofold. He spoke first of a […]
Millions of brightly colored lights are used throughout our land at Christmas to decorate the homes and streets of our villages and cities. They add a festive glow to the holiday season. All the lights turned on at once cannot, however, dispel the darkness that obscures the Christmas observance of millions in the United States […]
In this Old Year-New Year contribution, Rev. Arthur Besteman writes: The church in her witness to the world in this century needs members grounded in the Word, committed to the truth of the Reformed Faith, and convinced that “the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Will you be that kind of member in […]
ABORTION: A SOCIOLOGICAL ISSUE Against the rising tide of permissive legislation relative to abortion on request, those who raise religious arguments seem to have little success in stemming the waves. This is so because the religious arguments carry no weight with those who have long since assumed that the arguments are sociological rather than religious. […]
A PRECIOUS HERITAGE The Church Order of the Christian Reformed Church states in Article 54b: “At one of the services each Lord’s day, the minister shall ordinarily preach the Word as summarized in the Heidelberg Catechism, following its sequence.” This is a good requirement. Catechism preaching has been a source of great blessing in the […]