The Christmas Battles

My friend and colleague, Rev. Chris Gordon of the Lynden URC, recently wrote an excellent piece in his blog on the wars that take place around Christmas. He mentions that people are often quicker to defend their right to say "Merry Christmas" than they are to defend the opportunity to worship God on December 25. It will be interesting to see how worship attendance at Reformed churches will be on Christmas afternoon/evening. Here is the excellent article he just wrote.

http://christopherjgordon.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-controversy-canceling-worship.html#more

Book Review: Why Johnny Can't Preach

I just finished reading a wonderful book by T. David Gordon with the interesting title Why Johnny Can't Preach. Frankly, before I read the book I thought it was going to be a book about the need for a seminary education prior to ordination as a Minister of the Word. Reading the subtitle likely would have helped my ignorance. The book is subtitled "The Media Have Shaped the Messengers."

This book impressed me for two reasons. First, it impressed me because Gordon gave a spot-on critique of modern preaching and the lack of good, Christ-centered expository preaching. Secondly, it impressed me in the sense of convicting me of some of my own weaknesses in preaching or at least the temptation to fall into a couple of different traps in preaching. In this review I hope to summarize the book and then offer a bit of further analysis from a personal point of view.

The book begins with Gordon, who is a University professor, lamenting the preaching he (and his wife) have sat under in the past 30 years. He gives a number of reasons why the preaching he has heard has made him "disgusted" (page 20). The biggest weakness of sermons he has heard in the past from Presbyterian and Reformed pulpits is the lack of a discernable point of the sermon. Most sermons are an aimless wandering. On page 18 he says, "I would guess that of the sermons I have heard over the last twenty-five years, 15 percent had a discernable point; I could say, 'The sermon was about X.' Of those 15 percent, however, less than 10 percent demonstratably based the point on the text read. That is, no competent effort was made to persuade the hearer that God's Word required a particular thing; it was simply asserted." This is the type of criticism that Gordon has of modern preaching. He claims he is not alone in his assessment and that after many discussions with elders of vacant churches, he found that they sought to call the man who was the best of the worst.

Gordon continues and says that the 7 requisites of Gospel preaching taught by R.L. Dabney 130 years ago are nearly absent today. They are: 1. Textual Fidelity 2. Unity 3. Evangelical Tone 4. Instructiveness 5. Movement 6. Point, and 7. Order. He fleshes these out, but I will allow you to read the book and see for yourself.

He makes three more points defending the thesis that modern preaching is in a world of hurt. He argues that there is a continued desire for briefer sermons. A public speaker cannot keep the attention of an audience, that is fed image after image daily, for a speech of one hour or more. He says, frankly, when the sermon is uninteresting, without a clear point, unity, order, etc. 20 minutes is too long to listen.

Next, he mentions the emergent church movement and its flight from anything "churchy" or "how things used to be done." He says what these churches fail to realize in response to "moribund" churches they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. He says, "What the contemporaneists and emergents have not yet considered, however, is the possibility that such moribund churches are so not because they are doing the wrong things, but because they are doing them incompetently. (page 32)"

Finally, he mentions the lack of an annual review of the preaching in a local church. He claims that ministers do not want to do it and officers do not want to hurt the feelings of their pastors. If you begin to dig deep into the preaching in an annual review, how weak the preaching is might become very clear. He says that the Christian ministry is about one of the only arenas where you will find opposition to an annual review.

In the next section of the book Gordon, after having laid out the problem, digs into the reason that preaching is so poorly done today. The first reason that Johnny can't preach is because Johnny can't read (texts)(chapter 3). This was probably the most interesting chapter to me in light of the culture we live in. Allow me to summarize his point. Today we read for information. People speed read, people pick out important words, etc. People today read the Bible like the newspaper and this is a problem. Gordon claims that if writing lasts beyond the generation it was written, it likely is more becuase of the way something is said than what actually is being said. Take Shakespeare's sonnets...they are read today because of their poetic beauty, not because of their content so much. But, we read today for imformation.

This has also led us to no longer be able to distinguish between what is significant and what is not. In defending this, Gordon cites writers like Neil Postman (Amusing Ourselves to Death) and David Denby (Great Books). Gordon mentions things like an "in-depth" news story is about 5 minutes long at the most, but anything worth looking at closely will certainly take longer than 5 minutes, but that is all the time North Americans will allow before we lose interest.

The second large reason that Johnny can't preach is because Johnny can't write (chapter 4). People rarely write letters anymore. Modern technology has made them nearly obsolete. The telephone was the first to replace writing letters. On the telephone you cannot sense someone's body language and since it is awkward to have silence on the telephone, any gap in conversation is filled in with babble until we are to the point where very little is said over the phone or anytime for that matter. He said that if you took a transcript of a phone conversation it would likely be 5 times as long as a hand-written letter giving the same "important" information. We have changed from a literate (reading and writing) culture to an alliterate one, where the image and sound clip reign.  In the footnote on page 97 he says this about television and distinguishing the significant from the insignificant. "Television-watching prohibits such discernment. One cannot simply regard the significant as more important than the insignificant, and then plop himself in front of a television for two to three hours and evening. The only way the conscience can survive such a colossal waste of human life is for the individual to refuse to entertain the question of the difference between the significant and the insignificant."

In the final chapter of the book, Gordon says that Johnny can learn how to preach (chapter 5). He lists four ways to help improve the situation. First, to conduct and annual review, either among a council or even to enlist members of the congregation anonymously to fill out questionairres. 

The second way is to cultivate a sensibility of reading texts closely. This happens long before a future minister enters seminary. Teach your children to read and read well. Poetry trumps prose in this area.

Thirdly, cultivate the sensibility of composed communication. The art of communication is largely lost, but it can be regained. He suggests ministers join the rotary club or something like that to hone in their speaking skills and listening to professionals speak in an articulate way.

Fourthly, cultivate pre-homiletical sensibilities: Johnny can learn to preach. Here, Gordon suggest that student major in their undergraduate work in English literature rather than Theology or Religion. He encourages the study of pre-WWII lit. Thankfully, Gordon ends with a positive by suggesting ways to improve.

In critique of this book, I have nearly only positive to say. Gordon gets to the point and argues for Christ-centered preaching. He does this in light of preaching which is "moralistic", "how-to", "introspecitve", and "social gospel/so-called Culture War" (pages 78-88). Those 10 pages are worth the price of the book.

As a preacher who preaches twice every Lord's Day, I found this book helpfully critical. I saw myself in some of the criticism. In a day and age where the people of God want their hand held and are want to be told what they can and cannot do, as a minister (who has a mind full of opinions on nearly everything), it is easy to give in and become moralistic/legalistic/or how-to, and then of course, add 2 minutes on at the end that we do this because we love Jesus. Gordon mentions that 2 minutes about Jesus at the end of the sermon will not make up for 30 minutes of moralistic preaching. Right on!

Frankly, just about every minister thinks he is a better preacher than he is. I think some honest evaluation needs to be done. Next month at our consistory meeting my elder will have an opportunity to constructively critique my preaching over the last quarter. My prayer is that it will be helpful for me, for them, and ultimately for the flock I am called to serve.

My biggest issue I had with this book is what was not said, but then again, it is only a 100 page book and he even mentions that he plans to follow it up with other books (e.g. Why Johnny can't sing hymns, publ. 2010).

I have other personal reflections on some of the points Gordon drew out in this work, but I will leave those for my personal journal and maybe share them with my wife.

This is a must-read for everyone who has a genuine care and interest in the heralding of the good news that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost. To use a bit of Romans 10, how can they hear if the preacher cannot preach? Enjoy the read!

Ethics at Reformed Bible College

Here is a write up of a class I am teaching in Aldergrove B.C. this winter/spring.

Reformed Bible College

   How we live as a Christian in this world is always an important question for the people of God. What is the role of ethics, morality, the law, the Ten Commandments, casuistry, and gratitude in our lives? Rev. Swets will be teaching on the Ten Commandments during the winter class for the Reformed Bible College. The class will be weekly on Wednesday nights for a total of 12 evenings. We will be using as a primary text, the Ten Commandments, by Jochem Douma. (Copies of this book will be available for those who do not have their own.) The lectures will aim at establishing, in our Christian ethics, biblical principles which will be applied to every day issues, such as the use of horoscopes, civil disobedience, just war theory, euthanasia, in-vitro fertilization and Christian contentment, among others. 

   Classes will begin weekly, on Wednesday evenings at 7:30, in the Aldergrove church building, starting on January 11. Cost will be $100 per student, $150 for "former students," and $200 per married couple.

We look forward to seeing you this winter. 

Visit us at www.rbcollege.com

Abbotsford Canadian Reformed School Society

For those who might be interested, at an Annual General School Society Meeting for John Calvin School in Yarrow, B.C. those who are in ecclesiastical fellowship with the Canadian Reformed Churches are now eligible to be full (voting) members of the school society. As many said to me last night at the meeting, "this should have happened a long time ago." Since this was a "major resolution" for the society, they needed 75% or more to vote in favor. They got that. I trust that this is in accord with what the URC synod said in 2010 that the churches should seek further local, organic unity with our CanRC brothers and sisters. After the result of the vote announced, there was a round of applause.

For me, this means I will be sending in my application for membership, for which I am thankful.

Sittema: A Modern Day Prophet

Our Council has been working through Rev. John Sittema's book With a Shepherd's Heart. It has been a blessing to see anew our calling as shepherds in the local church. Today, as I was preparing for our meeting tonight, I came across this quote from Sittema in his chapter dealing with Secularism as one of the Wolf's Teeth. Read carefully:

Second, a secular culture is dualistic. By that I mean that it observes a rigid dichotomy between the realms of the sacred and the secular, between the natural and the supernatural, between the here-and-now and the eternal. We all make such distinctions easily; but a secular culture erects and impenetrable wall between them. Different gods rule in each; different laws operate in each; different ethics function in each. [emphasis mine sas] ...The Lord Christ is not allowed to be Lord of all of life; if He is given any position at all, it is only in the "sacred" part. (page 51)

Sittema continues along the same vein, and though he didn't have NL2 Kingdoms in mind, it is breath-taking how those words are so true today applied to that theological system. The implications are so far-reaching, that I think it is even a greater danger than secularism to the church, because it masquerades in "biblical" language.

Same-Sex Marriage Debate

The debate surrounding same-sex marriage made headlines again today in Canada as a gay couple has been barred from entering the U.S. The "couple" has one man who is Canadian, the other is an American. They have been residing in Wisconsin and when they tried to re-enter the U.S. after visiting Canada, the Canadian was barred from entering the U.S. for 5 years. Certainly, the media is sympathetic to this couple.

While residing in Wisconsin, this couple adopted a three year old boy who they are raising amidst their homosexual relationship.

However, as Christians, how should we respond to this? Should the federal government recognize same-sex marriage? The answer is no. The reason why is first of all, because the law of God forbids homosexuality. It is sinful to participate in, desire, and frankly, endorse homosexual relations. Likewise, it should be against the law (and common sense) to allow a homosexual couple, whether "married", male or female, etc. to adopt any child. Is it not unnatural that two men are the "fathers" of a child. Of course, you do not have to be an anotomy professor to figure that out.

It ought to grieve us to see our governments slowly giving into this homosexual agenda. In Canada, same-sex marriage is legal, and this is certainly not pleasing to God. In the U.S., in 1996, the federal government defined marriage as a "union between one man and one woman." Individual states are attempting to overturn that, such as the state of Massachusetts.

Now to where the rubber hits the road. Should the Federal government forbid homosexual marriage? I already answered yes, according to the revealed and eternal law of God. Those who hold to the NL2Kt (natural law, two kingdoms theology), would have to argue that natural law, which is written on everyone's mind, might forbid homosexual marriage. However, do homosexuals realize that the natural law written on their minds forbids their own lifestyles? After all, don't all people have consciences? What about a restraint of sin by the Holy Spirit?

The fact of the matter is that this homosexual couple does not have the ability to rightly interpret "natural law". After all, they are totally depraved and spiritually and morally dead. Seeking to have unbelievers (or even believers) live their lives interpreting "natural law" is like trying to nail jello to the wall. It doesn't work. Okay, so maybe we can agree that unbelievers will not rightly interpret natural law. What about believers? If natural law is, as I have had it explained to me, and as I have heard Dr. D. Van Drunen allude to being, "pretty much the same as the ten commandments", then why did God ever give the 10 commandments. So that Israel would not forget them? How could they? They are written on their minds and there to be used to guide them in living in the world (just not in the church).

This debate about homosexuality is just another example of how the nl2kt leaves one in a quicksand of relativistic sovereignty, giving the the unregenerate power that he does not have, namely, the power to assess and apply the law of God written upon his mind.

The B-I-B-L-E, yes that's the book for me and it should be as well for those whom God has appointed as leaders in this world.

Kuyper- A Modern Calvinist

I recently came across and article written in the Princeton Review in 1921. It was written by Dr. Jan Van Lonkhuyzen. The title of the article was Abraham Kuyper-A Modern Calvinist. I read this article with interest for two main reasons.

The first reason is that Dr. Van Lonkhuyzen is my great-grandfather on my mother's side. I always enjoy reading what he has written a couple generations before me. Dr. Van Lonkhuyzen was a minister in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) and also served in the CRC in a congregation in Grand Rapids and Chicago. This is how my mom's family ended up in Chicago. Most of what Dr. Van Lonkhuyzen has written is still in the Dutch language and non-accessible to English-only readers.

The second reason I read this article with interest is because there has been much discussion recently on Calvinism as a worldview in light of Natural Law Two Kingdoms (nl2k), especially at nl2k expresses itself in some of its more radical forms. I am also reading Dr. David Van Drunen's book Living in God's Two Kingdoms . Van Drunen states as his purpose in writing the book is to offer an alternative to Kuyperianism. Once I finish the book, I hope to write a response to it. Nevertheless, those are the two reasons I was excited to come across this article by Van Lonkhuyzen I had never read before. The article was written shortly after Kuyper was called home to glory in November of 1920. The conclusion of the article summarizes what Calvinism is and meant for Kuyper. Van Lonkhuyzen writes:

BOQ

Was Kuyper a follower of Calvin? Did he teach unmodified Calvinism? He was not a follower of Calvin if by this we mean formal imitation. He seldom quotes Calvin or any other of the Reformed theologians. He did so when it was necessary. He knew that he had grasped the fundamentals of the Reformers. But usually he drew of his own initiative from the fountain of the Word of God. He had the spirit of Calvinism; he revived Calvinism; he enriched Calvinism; he clothed Calvinism in the garment of our time; he applied Calvinism to the needs of our age. Yes, he taught a purified Calvinism.

What is Calvinism? Is it Christianity? It is, but not all Christians are Calvinists. Is it Christianity applied to every sphere of life? It is, but the early Christians also applied their Christianity to every spere of life, still we do not call them Calvinists. Is it a life- and world-view? It is, but it is more than a view, it is not of the mind only but also of the heart; not a doctrine merely, but a life as well.

What is Calvinism? It is Christianity stated systematically; it is Christianity systematized, and systematized to the highest degree--the whole heart consecrated to God, the whole creation brought under God's sovereignty, the world within us as well as the world round about us subsumed under one all-inclusive aim, God's glory. Or, to use that magnificent passage of St. Paul in Romans 11:36, "For of Him and through Him and unto Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever." A Calvinism full of life, full of faith, full of love! Such is the Calvinism I have seen in this man.

EOQ

This was a refreshing drink from the fountain which is worldview Calvinism.

Should we have Christian Schools? Part 2 of 2

This is the second half of a post on Christian Schooling and a defense of its presuppositions.


THE ANTITHESIS

The antithesis is closely related to the covenant. There are always at every time and place the children of God and the children of the world. These groups must be distinguished and treated differently. It has often been understood that for CRC members, the public school is the sphere of the world and the private school is the sphere of the redeemed. There is a battle going on between good and evil, the wicked and the righteous, and many have operated with the mentality that ‘we will not subject our children to the world, especially at a young age, but we will rather protect them, as much as we can from such harm and wickedness.’

For Kuyper and his followers in Holland and America/Canada, this was such an important aspect of reality that must not be under-emphasized. It is not only the job of the church and the home to teach children about the riches we have in Christ, but also of the school. All three “spheres” are training our children. As C. Van Til states, “However, only in the school, in which professional people engage in setting forth the whole history and meaning of human culture, can Christ and his work be portrayed in full detail as he works out his program of removing all that divides men from God, their creator-redeemer, and of directing all that accomplishes their reunion with him.”

In recognizing the antithesis, we can see that all of education, whether history, science, or mathematics is built upon the creation of God. There are no brute facts, but rather all knowledge must take into account the vast distance between God and man and the redemption of Christ to restore the lost communion.

According to W. Masselink, who wrote a treatise entitled Common Grace and Christian Education in which he explains the role of common grace in Christian Education and how that plays a role in the antithesis (See also C. Van Til in Common Grace and the Gospel). As Christian schools, the teachers and students must see that they are indebted to those unbelievers who have shown such proficiency in their fields, that a failure to borrow what they have taught would be unwise. There is much more that can be said about this, but we don’t not have the room to do that here. We ought to take what is helpful from what has been taught.

However, if the doctrine of common grace (I use the term with a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge) is ever used to defend or promote sinfulness or a violation of God's law, this is certainly not what has been intended by men such as Masselink and Van Til. I have seen the term so abused that I doubt its helpfulness in the discussion. One example is the allowance of Calvin College having the Indigo Girls rock band play on campus. The Indigo Girls are a lesbian rock band. How could they do such a thing? Answer: Common grace and a over emphasis on transforming culture. This thinking must be rejected.

PROTESTANT VOCATION

Going back to John Calvin and the Reformation in the 16th century, protestants have had a unique view of calling and vocation than that of other religions. According to the Reformed, God calls us into any number of occupations and callings in our life. At one time, we have many callings and these are all from God. This means that there is no job or area of life that is not inherently religious. You can’t escape from God in the business world. At one time, a Christian may be called by God to be a husband, father, teacher, trainer, business-man, and elder in a church. In light of this, the education of children is to equip them for this calling.

As Reformed, we do not believe that only those who hold full-time ministerial office are called by God. God calls Christians to be doctors, lawyers, laborers, teachers, missionaries, store clerks, and public servants. This hinges closely on a proper worldview as a Christian. As Kuyper is often quoted, “There is not one square inch of this earth, that Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not call out, ‘Mine!’” The calling of a Christian is wide and effects every day of their lives. I may help an old lady carry her groceries to her car, in part, out of a calling to love my neighbor as myself.

Therefore, in education, this must be a driving principle. Teachers, parents, and preachers must be teaching covenant youth this important and vital truth. A young girl may be called by God to be a stay-at-home mother some day. This is a noble and high calling because it comes from God. The Christian Day school, in part, is a tool that must be used in preparation for vocation.

I have already mentioned the far-reaching aspects of Protestant vocation, but this affects as well those our children marry. It is often the case that those who are children are most near, especially in their school years, are often the one they will someday marry. This is a joy to many Reformed parents. Protestants believe that God does not call anyone into something that is contrary to His word. For instance, God would not call my child to marry a non-Christian in order to convert them. For, God says, “Do not be unequally yoked with non-believers.” It has often been said among the Dutch Reformed, “Well, at least we know that he/she comes from a good family/school.” There is something important to this. This does not mean that the certain young man or woman is elect, but rather that his/her parents share the same presuppositions in sending their children to this school.

Another aspect of calling comes in light of teachers. Reformed school teachers are called by God to train children. They are not to complain, or do as little as possible to get by, because of their calling. The Reformed do not want to entrust their children into the teaching of someone who is different from them in terms of religion, service, etc. It is a high calling to be a Christian school teacher and this must be realized by all of them.

CONCLUSION

God has given those in the history of the CRC a rich heritage of Christian schooling. CRC members have been involved in the parochial school days, as well as the transfer into the parent-run school days. Now, for some, the tradition continues on in the United Reformed Churches. Our children are a heritage of the Lord in whom he entrusts us as parents and communities with their education.

It is my prayer that God will continue to bless us with Christian Day schools, teachers, and children who are nurtured in the fear of the Lord to be leaders in our secular society to have a Christian influence on the world. We need Christian professionals who believe in the sovereignty of God, who walk with God in the covenant, who sense the reality of the antithesis, and who view their vocations as callings from the God who is sovereign over all. Soli Deo Gloria.

Should we have Christian Schools? Part 1 of 2

This is the first half of an ammended paper I wrote as a student at Mid America Reformed Seminary for a Denominational History class with Dr. C. Venema.

A Defense of the Presuppositions of Christian Day Schools after 1890

INTRODUCTION

Generation after generation of Reformed Christians have had to defend their Christian schools. The influences and mentality over the last 12 decades or so of Christian education have been refined and sometimes amended.

There is a long history of influences in the CRC that have shaped what its reasons or purposes for Christian education should be. Though, this paper is greatly indebted to those who have traced the history of this development, it will be the purpose of this paper to explain and defend what I believe are the vital and essential presuppositions to (Reformed) Christian Day Schools. By (Reformed) Christian Day Schools I am referring to those schools which teach from a Calvinistic worldview and teach children through 12th grade. Though there have been a many presuppositions for the defense of Christian education, I will focus my treatment upon the four largest reasons; namely, redemption history and the sovereignty of God, second, the covenant, third, the antithesis, and fourth, the notion of Protestant vocation or calling.

REDEMPTION HISTORY AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

The Reformed believer has a completely different starting point in discussing education than that of the non-believer. As Van Til states concerning the motivating power of education, “For the non-Christian, this is faith in man himself, but for the consistent Christian position it is faith in the triune God of the Scriptures.” This has always been a starting point for the Reformed. Also, it is only when we look briefly at redemptive-history that we will be able to see the great need for Christian education.

Redemptive-history begins already with creation in the Garden of Eden. God created man in His own image with a perfect knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. Man was in fellowship with God while thinking God’s thoughts after Him. However, this relationship was shattered when sin entered the picture. The fall of man into sin wreaked havoc on the original fellowship. Man had become cursed.

After sin, God came to man and promised him His grace (Gen. 3:15). God made it clear that He would be a restorer of fellowship. This restoration would take time and it would progress. In the meantime, man would have to recognize his fallenness and inability to serve God, learn properly, and work well. Throughout history God has been redeeming a people for himself within the church. It is through the tool of the church that fellowship is regained individually. Once fellowship is restored, then the Holy Spirit renews the believer, once again, after the image of God. Before the fall, man reasoned properly, after the fall, his reasoning was corrupted as he began with as his starting point the autonomy of self, instead of knowledge proceeding from God.

Therefore, in education, it is key to strive after knowledge of God and of His creation. He has established the means to fulfill this calling. These means or tools are the church, the home, and the school. These three arenas or spheres of life work together in the education of our children. In baptism, parents take a vow to instruct their children in the fear of the Lord. They also vow to "cause them to be instructed therein." This refers primarily to catechism, but I think the same principle applies to Christian education, whether in the home or in the day school. These three institutions are the tools parents use and all three ought to reinforce what the other is teaching.

THE COVENANT

The role of the covenant has also been debated among the Reformed. However, it is a Reformed conviction that the covenant of grace between God and His people is, and must continuing to be a driving force in our view of Christian Day School education. Without this knowledge, one may wonder why to put so much money, time, energy, and prayers into the schools. Some may argue that the massive amount of money spent on Christian Day schools could be put to a much better cause for the kingdom of God. I am certainly not of that opinion.
To me, the question of Christian education or public school education is not an option. Neither was it for our forefathers. As I mentioned, there have been many influences in the history of the CRC concerning Christian education. However, with the influence of Abraham Kuyper, some of the mentality changed. In the early years of the CRC the Christian schools established then were parochial or church-run schools. However, as views progress (after 1890), many began to see the school not so much as an extension of the power of the church, but rather as an extension of the home. For, in the home, is where covenant life begins and grows primarily. There are others who viewed the Christian school as a separate institution from both the home and the church. It has its own “sphere.”

Regardless which side one holds to, the obligation of the covenant still remains. The Reformed believe that God has covenanted with his people and their children. All of the children of believers are different than other children, for the children of believers have the sign and seal of the covenant upon them. To put it one way, they are being restored and trained as members of the kingdom of God, even in their education (Eph. 6:4; Deut. 6:1-9).

Parents use the school to work out their calling to teach their children. This is why the Christian school was born. Parents formed an association among themselves, as believers, to train these young ones. This association would be in charge of hiring teachers and administrators, along with the admittance of children into the school. As a covenant community efforts and resources could be pooled together to give children a solid, biblical, and academically rigorous education.

As covenant children, they were not to be viewed or treated the same as non-believing children. They were not to be evangelized, but rather nurtured. They needed more than “een school met de Bijbel,” they needed to be trained with a Calvinistic world and life view. These young ones needed a place to grow and mature in the covenant and sanctification. Therefore, though the world and life view were essential, there came to be certain features that were necessary in the Christian Day school. These children should be taught God’s word through narrative and memorization, they should be taught to sing the Psalms, they should be taught about creation, fall, and redemption. Christian education was to encompass everything.

Part II is coming soon.

MSNBC Host Makes Rob Bell Squirm: "You're Amending The Gospel So That It...

Rob Bell is the pastor of Mars Hill Church. In his new book he argues a form of universalism. He denies this and at that point you wonder if he either doesn't understand what universalism is, or if he is just a liar. The fact of the matter is that if all people end up with eternal life with Jesus, that is universalism.

Sorry Pastor Bell! I went to Mars Hill once when I was in college and the sermon began with a Britney Spears video of her singing "Hit Me Baby One More Time." I remember sitting there thinking that he just made every man in the "church" lust and thereafter he went on to continue a series of sermon on John 3:16 where he argued that this is everlasting life right now. I gave him the benefit of the doubt at the time, but over the years it has become clear that this in fact is not a Christian Church. It might be just a Christian conversation. If it is, this is one in which I have heard enough.

Fraser Valley Bible Conference 2011

This year, the Fraser Valley Bible Conference will welcome Rev. Geoffrey Thomas. Rev. Thomas will be speaking on "How can God accept me."

When: Friday April 29 and Saturday April 30

Where: Emmanuel Free Reformed Church in Abbotsford, B.C. (on Mt. Lehman Rd.)

Why: For the spiritual growth and nourishment of the people of God in the Fraser Valley. There are a number of churches which sponsor this conference including the URC in Abbotsford and the Free Reformed and Heritage Reformed. What a wonderul way to show fraternal care for each other.

For further details go to: www.fraservalleybibleconference.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CdTnKWury0&feature=player_detailpage

Rep. James Lankford gives a wonderful speech on the right to life. What interests me, is that he begins this extremely lucid and compelling argument with an appeal to Proverbs. For r2kt, is that out of bounds? I believe so.

One thing I've heard over the last few weeks from a few conversations I've had over 2 kingdoms, is that "natural law" is pretty much the same things as the 10 commandments. Really? Good, let's go with the 10 commandments. If that is your view, here are a couple reasons the 10 commandments ought to have a central role in life in the "common grace kingdom."

1. The 10 Commandments are objective. They can be subjectively applied, possibly twisted, but they remain as objective, absolute truths.
2. "natural law" will be perverted by every unbeliever. L.D. 2 speaks pretty clearly about the results of the fall into sin. Rom. 1 is a picture into the mind of the regenerate. They will trade the truth for a lie.
3. Hopefully this one doesn't sound too pragmatic...but, natural law will not work in the common grace sphere in my neighbourhood. Assume, I live across the street from a group of unbelieving bachelors. On Sunday they go off to work so that they can make some extra money. When they arrive home from work at about the time I arrive home from worship and I say, "don't you feel guilty for treating the Lord's Day as unholy." He will say, "No, I don't even believe in God." What is true for you isn't going to cramp my style." Oh yes, relativism. Relativism can only be properly combatted by the revealed will of God in scripture.

I wonder why someone would have J. Douma's The Ten Commandments as a textbook if they are also taught r2kt. Thus far, it is a mystery to me.

In conclusion: Way to go Rep. Lankford (R-Ok), whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.

Classis Western Canada- Lethbridge 2011 Summary

Here are the highlights of our Classis meeting on January 13-14.

- All the delegates from the Fraser Valley got to fly out to Lethbridge on a corporate jet. Thank you Elder Jack Hummelman (New Westminster).

- We have two new churches in Classis Western Canada. Ponoka URC planted a daughter church in the Lacombe, AB area and we welcomed the New Westminster, B.C. ORC into our federation.

- The minister of New West, Rev. Gary Zekveld, sustained his colloquim doctum (doctrinal discussion).

- MARS grad Corey Dykstra from Thunder Bay, ON sustained his candidacy exam. He did such an excellent job, classis waived his ordination exam if he is called in this classis. Corey is a very gifted young man and I trust will be a blessings in the church of the Jesus Christ if the Lord is pleased to open a door to that service. Picture of Corey and wife Jill with baby on the right.

- Mr. Scott Finch from Regina, SK was elected to be our "songbook committee" representative from our classis. He was highly recommended by the delegates from Regina.

I believe the full minutes of classis can be found at http://www.urcna.org/ under Classis Western Canada. With so many difficult classis meetings around our federation lately, I found that ours was filled with joy and thankfulness. Under the able leadership of Rev. Hank Van der Woerd as chairman, the delegates were on their way at 2:30 on Friday, with plenty of time to make it to their after classis pulpit exchanges. I was in Edmonton.

Classis Lethbridge 2011

On Thursday and Friday, January 14, 15 Classis Western Canada will meet in Lethbridge, Alberta. Two examinations will likely take up most of the work of the Classis. Seminarian Corey Dykstra (2010 MARS grad) from Thunder Bay will be examined. The other exam will be a Colloquim Doctum (doctrinal conversation) with Rev. Gary Zekveld from the New Westminster Orthodox Reformed Church. Another interesting note is that New West is requesting admission into the URC. If this occurs, this will add another URC in the Fraser Valley which will be a nice addition.

I am also looking forward to catching up with my colleagues from Classis. At this young juncture in my ministry I still enjoy Classis meetings.

Pray that all the business of Classis might be completed in the allotted time, and the decisions of the delegates will be for the well-being of the church of Jesus Christ. After classis, we will have a full classis pulpit exchange (I will be in Edmonton, D.V.)