How do you address a minister of the Word? You call him “pastor.” But is that a correct description of his calling? You will know that a physician is called a doctor of medicine, and thus he puts the initials M.D. behind his name. That means he has studied medicine and now practices the medical […]
During my ministry I have been keeping records of counseling interviews. The earlier records, I must confess, are sketchy and the notations in many instances lack insight and understanding. In more recent years the memoranda have been more complete and the observations have profited from reading and study as well as from the earlier mistakes and […]
In the early afternoon of January 11, I, as a close friend of Henry Vander Kam, received notice that our brother, Henry Vander Kam, had the day before departed this life to be forever with the Lord in glory. He was born on November 8, 1917, to Cornelius […]
On June 23, 2000 a memorial service was held at Tenth Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Philadelphia for its pastor, James Montgomery Boice, who had died eight days earlier as the result of an aggressive form of liver cancer. He was 61 years old. The service was a two-hour […]
In my short time as a pastor, I have heard a common theme expressed among elders and deacons in various churches: “I don’t feel equipped for the task of serving God’s people.” Whether they know it or not, they are expressing a frustration with the prevalent approach to office-bearer preparation: there is none. Not unlike […]
Rev. Clarence Werkema was called home by the Lord on Wednesday, October 2, 2002 at the age of 82. During his life, Rev. Werkema faithfully served as Minister of the Word and Sacraments in three denominations and several independent churches. Rev. Werkema began studies at Westminster Theological Seminary East after serving in the U.S. Navy […]
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21 On December 17, 2004, God called to glory Rev. John H. Piersma. His gain is great loss to his family, to his church family, and to the greater Reformed community. Had he lived another week and a day, Rev. Piersma would […]
The Board of Reformed Fellowship expresses its sympathy to the family of Rev. Johan Tangelder, who passed away on July 24, 2009. Rev. Tangelder began his minister in 1967 at the Christian Reformed Church in Vernon, British Columbia, and served as both pastor and missionary in the Lord’s kingdom until his retirement in 1993. Rev. […]
More than two decades ago, I took a call to a conservative church. At the first consistory meeting, an elder commented, “At last we have a minister who is willing to stand up for what he believes.” After numerous letters to the board of a college the church supported about evolution, abortion, and other topics, […]
Welcoming Your Minister When Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to minister the gospel he told them how they should conduct themselves as kingdom servants (Matt. 10:5–15). But he also spoke of the responsibility of the people to receive these ministers as his official representatives. Jesus insists that the way people receive his ministers reflects […]