First PRC of Grand Rapids, MI and the Reformed Witness Hour Committee announce the messages scheduled for May 2015 on the RWH radio program.

Rev.Rodney Kleyn, pastor of the Covenant of Grace PRC in Spokane, WA, will complete his series on the importance of public worship for Christians from the viewpoint of the end of Hebrews 10 and also deliver messages for Ascension Day (Christ's exaltation into heaven) and Pentecost (Christ's pouring out of His Spirit on His church).

Below is the schedule of messages, which you will also find attached in pdf form. For stations and time of broadcast, visit the RWH website, where you may also listen to and download past messages from the archive section.

The faculty of the PRC Seminary have just published the next PRC Seminary Journal. The April 2015 issue (Vol.48, #2) contains the speeches given last Fall (September 2014) at the Classis West officebearers' Conference hosted by Peace PRC, Lansing, IL.

The theme of this conference was preaching, and as you will see from the cover of this Journal (below), the topics covered were broad and significant - for ministers of the Word, for elders and deacons, but also for all of God's people who hear the gospel each Lord's Day.

In addition, there are a good number of book reviews in this issue, including two lengthy review articles. The April 2015 issue makes for profitable reading for pastors, officebearers, and people "in the pew."

Prof.R.Cammenga, editor of the PRTJ, introduces it with these words:

Preaching is fundamental to what the church is called to be and is called to do. It is at the heart of worship. It is the chief means of grace. It is the means for the salvation of the elect, both in the generations of believers and from the nations through missions. It is the means to work faith, to strengthen faith, and to preserve in faith. It is the means for the establishment of the kingdom of heaven and the gathering of her citizens.

Preachers are what we aim to train for the church of Jesus Christ in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary. We aim to produce pastors who are preachers—chiefly preachers. As preaching is the chief, from a certain point of view the only task of the minister, so does all the instruction in PRTS have as its goal the development of sound, capable preachers of the gospel.

Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America sponsored an officebearers’ conference prior to its September 2014 meeting. The speeches presented at this conference make up the main contents of this issue of the Protestant Reformed Theological Journal. Domestic missionary of the PRCA, the Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma, gave the keynote address: “The Minister’s Development of His Preaching after Seminary.” In his speech Rev. Bruinsma not only emphasized the need for the minister’s development as a preacher after graduation from seminary and once in the active ministry, but also gave a number of concrete suggestions with a view to this development. The remaining speeches were given by the faculty of PRTS: “The Elders’ Supervision of the Preaching,” “Developing God-Honoring, Faithful, and Effective Preaching,” and “Application in Preaching.” We hope that our readers, especially ministers and seminary students, will find these articles to be worthwhile.

Besides the conference speeches that have been put into print, readers should take note of the two review articles that are included in this issue. Past issues of PRTJ have contained reviews of the individual volumes of Reformed Confessions of the 16^th and 17^th Centuries in English Translation, edited by James T. Dennison, Jr., as they were published. Recently the fourth and last volume of this very worthwhile set was released. With the completion of the set, Rev. Angus Stewart, minister in the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Ballymena, Northern Ireland has submitted a review article. You will definitely want to read what he has to say. Another significant book that has recently been published by B & H Publishing Group (formerly Broadman and Holman Publishers) is entitled Perspectives on the Extent of the Atonement: 3 Views. Emeritus Professor of Dogmatics at PRTS, Prof. David Engelsma, offers readers an insightful analysis of this new book. At the same time, his review article is a passionate call to Reformed churches and officebearers to defend the biblical and confessional truth concerning the redemption of the cross of Christ. That cross, an offense and stumbling block to so many today—also in the church—is “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

And then there are the book reviews. Notable among recently published books is the publication of The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible. This new study Bible is the first of its kind—a Reformed King James Version study Bible. Up until now Arminians and Dispensationalists have held the field among KJV study Bibles. At long last a King James Version study Bible whose notes and articles are written from a distinctively Reformed perspective. Reformed believers who treasure the King James Version of the Bible—among them the members of the PRCA and her sister churches—should welcome this new study Bible.

Now read and enjoy.

Soli Deo Gloria! —RLC

You may find this issue in digital form at the Seminary's Journal page (pdf for now; Mobi and ePub coming soon). If you would like to subscribe to this Journal, kindly call or write the Seminary at the information provided on its website homepage.

For more Seminary news and pictures, visit the Seminary's homepage.

On Sunday, April 26, 2015 it was announced in Doon PRC (calling church for the Philippines mission) that Rev.Nathan Decker (Trinity PRC, Hudsonville, MI) had declined the called extended to him by the congregation of Doon on April 3 to serve as second missionary in the Philippines.

May the King of the church give contentment to Rev.N.Decker and his family, to Doon PRC, and to our current missionary, Rev.D.Kleyn, in the good will of our sovereign God. May we continue to pray for the calling and sending of such a man needed for this foreign field.

In other news, at its evening congregational meeting on Sunday, April 26, Peace PRC (Lansing, IL) voted to call Rev.N.Decker to "come over and help" them as their next pastor.

Our missionary in the Philippines, along with the Foreign Mission Committee and the calling church, Doon PRC Council, have just published their latest newsletter of this year.

The April 2015 issue, penned by Missionary-pastor Daniel Kleyn, provides a detailed update of the varied labors in this Far Eastern land, including the recent departure of his fellow-missionary, Rev.Richard Smit and his family, who has accepted the call to serve in the First PRC, Grand Rapids. MI. Rev.Kleyn reports on the plan the FMC and Doon PRC have for visiting pastors to assist in the work in the next few months and on the annual visit of the delegation from the FMC.

Let's remember to pray for the Kleyns as they serve the Lord and His people in distant lands. May they experience the unfailing presence of their Lord and the support of their fellow-saints.

You will find the full newsletter below in image form but the April newsletter is also attached here in pdf form. You may also visit the Kleyn's blog to see a more personal side to the life and work in this foreign land.

The following PRC news items may be mentioned for special notice, as gleaned from this Sunday's church bulletins (April 19, 2015):

Former missionary to the Philippines, Rev. Richard Smit, is to be installed as pastor of First PRC, Grand Rapids MI Sunday morning, with Prof.Herman Hanko leading the service. He will preach his inaugural sermon in the evening in his new charge. May the Lord grant him a faithful and fruitful ministry in this congregation.

Rev. Nathan Decker (Trinity PRC, Hudsonville, MI) is considering the call to the Philippines. We remember him, his wife, and family in special prayers before the throne of grace.

Peace PRC (Lansing, IL) has formed a trio consisting of Rev. Nathan Decker, Rev. Garry Eriks (Hudsonville PRC), and Rev. Steven Key (Loveland, CO PRC). The congregation plans to call on April 26.

"Covenant Keepers", the youth ministry of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore (our sister church), has just published issue #31 of "Salt Shakers" (March 2015),their youth magazine.

Once again the "SS" is packed with interesting and edifying articles, and our PRC young people especially are invited and encouraged to read it. Below you will find a note from the "SS" Committee introducing the contents of this issue and images of the cover and table of contents.

You are encouraged to visit the"Salt Shakers" webpage where you will find a downloadable e-copy for your reading and spiritual growth. Or you may find the full copy attached here in pdf form.

Dearest Salt Shakers Readers,