The apostle John tells us that when the new heavens and new earth arrive, we will hear a voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He […]
Several years ago, when I pastored a church in Michigan, another nearby minister rose to international popularity as an “emergent” poster boy. His name is Rob Bell, his large mega-church was Mars Hill in Grandville, MI, and he had authored the books Velvet Elvis, Sex God, and Jesus Wants to Save Christians. The purpose of […]
The happiest day on the entire church calendar is the day of the resurrection of Christ Jesus. The first Easter was the most glorious dawn in human history. The fact of the resurrection of Christ forms the central message and foundation of the Christian church. In Acts 2:23,24 we have a statement of the fact of the resurrection, the anchor of our faith: […]
The charge of breaking unity is frequently being leveled against those who leave the Christian Reformed denomination. They are called “schismatics” because they can no longer, in good conscience, remain within the CRC. This is a very serious charge—breaking unity. In His high-priestly prayer, Christ prayed that His followers would be united: “Now I am […]
Synod 1993 had several matters before it which have received relatively little attention in the shadow of the prevailing topics of women in office, regional synods and children at the Lord’s Table. The delegates were nonetheless confronted with these “lesser” matters, some equally controversial, some held over from past years, and had to decide what […]
On the first afternoon of CRC Synod 1993, the delegates were involved in an exercise which has the potential of effecting the process of thought and decision making in the church for generations to come. The exercise involved a piece of modern art which consisted of rusty pipes on a stand. The delegates sat all around it […]
The decision of Synod 1992 which was intended to hold the Christian Reformed Church together during the “current polarized situation” has failed to reach this laudable goal. You know the decision: That synod encourage the churches to use the gifts of women members to the fullest extent possible in their local churches, including allowing women to […]
Have you ever wondered what Thanksgiving Day is like for the unbeliever? For many, the day is spent much as we spend ours…at first glance. They have the day off from work or school, as we do. They eat a large meal with turkey and stuffing and enjoy gathering with friends and family, as we […]
I met Suresh on Sunday morning, January 29, 1995 in Hyderabad, India. He was a student in the School of Evangelism and was to be my interpreter at a small church gathering that morning. It was last November that I had received a phone call from my friend and colleague Rev. Steve Arrick asking if […]
A Report of Classis Midwest of the United Reformed Churches in North America Psalm 133—Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. […]