Professor Emeritus R.B. Kuiper has written on important and timely subjects. I have three of his books: As To Being Reformed, The Glorious Body of Christ, and To Be or Not To Be Reformed. His latest book will be in hand as soon as Baker of Grand Rapids forwards the copies I have ordered. Its title is God-Centered Evangelism.
A friend of mine and I both own these books, and when we need enlightenment on some problem of doctrine or church government, we have the habit of checking on what “R.B.” has to say. That is how I happened to read once more his discussion of “The Church and the Covenant,” “The Church and Evangelism,” and “The Church and Its Schools.” My attention was drawn especial1y to what Kuiper has to say on the subject of zeal for evangelism. As might be expected, he stresses very strongly the duty of witnessing. But he is no less insistent that in Our zeal for evangelism we may not be slack in maintaining and promoting our Christian schools.
This is indeed to the point. Our fathers used to pray: “Bewaar en vermeerder Uwe Kerk”; that is, “Protect and increase thy Church.” This strikes me as a wonderfully well-balanced petition in behalf of the Church. “Protect thy Church in its purity of doctrine and conduct against onslaughts from without and within,” is indeed a petition we must bring before the throne of grace continuously. Only when the Church continues sound can we wholeheartedly utter the second petition: “And increase thy Church.” Why should we agitate for the growth of a Church that has lost its first love and is no more proclaiming the whole counsel of God? However, the petition for divine protection having been uttered and answered, we must complete the dual prayer and ask for the Church’s increase. And we should also work at the project of increasing the church with the greatest zeal and in the most effective manner.
Although I do not claim to be an expert in evangelistic method, I think I can recommend a very effective mode of evangelization in what is admittedly a more than ordinarily broad sense of that term. It concerns both the protection and increase of the Church. I have in mind the promotion of Christian Schools throughout the land, not only among our own Christian Reformed people, but also among the Christians of other denominations.
By the providence of God we are the custodians of a rich heritage. The principle of the Christian School came to us from our fathers as a special divine favor. Undeniably the Christian School has been helpful in building our Church. This blessing we should share with other Christians in America.
How can we best accomplish this? By giving guidance to those who are awakening to the need of Christian Schools. There are unmistakable signs that the fields are white for the harvest. Almost daily, requests for guidance come to the Chicago office of Christian Schools Service, Inc. These correspondents arc willing to build and maintain their own schools. But they recognize that we Christian Reformed people, and especially Mr. Mark Fakkema, have the knowhow, and therefore they come to us for advice. Thus we have a marvelous opportunity to introduce to numerous Christian circles the covenant idea, which by the grace of God has contributed much toward making us strong.
The field is there, already plowed and harrowed. All we have to do is to help sow the seed. In that way we can be instrumental in bringing thousands of children from the age of five upward into the wholesome atmosphere of the Christian School, instead of compelling them to attend schools where, according to rulings of the Supreme Court, the name of God and his Christ may not be named if the parents of even one child object. The Christian Reformed Church should see in this situation an opportunity for effective evangelism. The arm is already there in the form of a very active organization. Let us not fail to use that arm.
J. Van Mouwerik, Public Relations Director, Christian Schools Service, Inc.• 10119 S. Lafayette, Chicago 28, III.