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.)