Rev. Richard J. Venema, pastor of the First Christian Reformed Church of Pella, Iowa, writes: “Last year a member of our congregation donated $1,000 to Dordt College to sponsor an essay contest. This contest was open to all young people of the CRC with awards to be used as scholarships at Dordt College. Papers were […]
What it means to pray for one’s enemies, and to bless those who are cursing you. The ANC’s mass action campaign commenced today. Mark, we need your prayers especially for those who are losing hope, temper and perspective. Many black Christians are being intimidated not to go to work. and they live in precarious conditions […]
The agenda before the 1993 CRC synod was, relatively speaking, rather light; but what It dealt WIth was very weighty. The matter of women and ecclesiastical office was again before the delegates of this year’s synod. Many members of the CRC felt that this issue had reached something of a resolution in 1992 when that synod […]
Read Genesis 34 Introduction When Genesis 33 ended, everything seemed to be going Jacob’s way. Jacob and his household have arrived at Shechem, a significant city in central Canaan. They are camped within sight of the city itself. There is now peace, perhaps even good feelings, between Jacob and his twin brother Esau. Jacob has […]
Read Genesis 29:1–30 Introduction Jacob has traveled the great distance from his parents’ lodging in southern Canaan to the region of Paddan-Aram. The LORD came looking for Jacob, and He revealed His covenant promises to Jacob by means of a dream at the place that is renamed Bethel (“house of God”). Jacob hears for himself […]
Read Genesis 28:10–22 Introduction Jacob must flee from his own home because his brother Esau is plotting to kill him. He leaves with only his staff in hand. But he also leaves with something very significant, namely, his father’s blessing and his directives to find a wife among his relatives in Paddan-Aram (Gen. 28:2ff). This […]
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS The 1995 Synod of the Christian Reformed Church, meeting from June 13 to June 21 in Grand Rapids at Calvin College, marks a definite watershed in the official direction of the CRC. The procedures used in arriving at certain decisions and the policies adopted will have, in the opinion of this writer, a profound […]
I was present at the 1995 sessions of the Christian Reformed synod as a correspondent for The Outlook magazine. On Monday evening, June 19, 1995, as it concluded its deliberations on women in the offices of elder, minister, and evangelist, the CRC synod passed a recommendation which read like this: “That synod urge the churches […]
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” Matthew 2:10 The entire Old Testament breathes out an expectancy concerning the Messiah who is to come. The anticipation of Scripture is intense for the coming of the One who is anointed by God the Holy Spirit to […]
READ GENESIS 1:1–2:3; II TIMOTHY 3 Our Lord Jesus Christ once asked His disciples whether they understood the parables which He had spoken (Matthew 13). They said that they did, to which our Lord replied, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, […]