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Reformed News Asia - April 2018

Issue 48 - April 2018
Pamphlets

We print pamphlets written by our members and those from other Reformed churches of like-minded faith. They include a wide range of topics from doctrines to church history and practical Christian living. These pamphlets serve to promote knowledge of the true God as expressed in the Reformed faith.
NEWPamphlet!
COVENANT GODLY LIVING
By Rev. Carl Haak

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."
Genesis 17:1

“The covenant is that truth of Scripture, from its beginning to its end, of the bond of friendship with God given to us through the blood of Jesus Christ, in which God becomes our God and we are made His people, who now live under the blessing of God and desire to show forth His praise in all we do. Covenant, godly living emphasizes that this covenant is not simply an external code, that religion is not merely an outward matter, but that true covenant living is fueled by personal godliness. Covenant, godly living - that is, the truth of God's gracious covenant as applied to our life in our home, in our marriage, and in every aspect of our walk."

Click hereto view our catalogue of pamphlets.

Click here to make an order.

All pamphlets are free. CERC reserves some discretion regarding large orders and/or orders from those outside Singapore.
 
Featured Book
For local orders (Singapore), please contact Ms Daisy Lim at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For international orders, click here.
THE AMAZING CROSS
by Herman Hoeksema

From the RFPA website:

“The vicarious suffering of the Lord must occupy a central place in the consciousness of faith and in the preaching of the gospel. On the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ depends all of salvation.”

So states the author of these powerful meditations on the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, giving us all the reason we need to read them and digest them, to believe on the Christ presented in them and magnify the God of our salvation whose work is set forth in them.
 
Audio Recordings
Series of sermons on the Suffering of Jesus Christ focusing on the words of Jesus while He was hanging on the cross by Rev. A. Den Hartog:

Father Forgive Them
The Salvation Of An Evil Doer At The Cross
Eli, Eli. Lama Sabacthani?
Good Friday Gospel Meeting - It Is Finished

 
 
Upcoming Events!
 
CERC Sports Day

Date: 1 May 2018
Venue: Bishan Active Park
Time: 9am - 1pm

This year, we will be revisiting some old but familiar games played especially by the older generations. All members, of all age groups, are encouraged to join and have a time of fun/sports together.
 
CERC Church Camp 2018

The highly anticipated 2018 Church Camp will be held from June 12-15, 2018 (Tue-Fri). More details will be announced closer to the date.

Date: 12-15 June 2018 (Tue - Fri)
Venue: Bayou Lagoon Park Resort, Meleka
Theme: Holiness: Not a Condition but a Necessity (1 Peter 1:16)
Speaker: Rev. A. den Hartog

For more information, please contact Ishu Mahtani at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
 
Past Events...
 
Wedding of Yang Zhi and Nicole
This March, Yang Zhi and Nicole were united in holy matrimony. We rejoice with them and pray the Lord's blessings upon their union.
 
 
Infant Baptism of 3 children
Early this April, we were blessed to witness the Infant Baptism of not 1 but 3 infants- Micah Liu, Jedidiah Lee and Lydia Boon! We rejoice with their parents, thanking God and praying for God's blessings upon the them as they bring up their covenant child in the fear of the Lord. 
Baptism of Micah, son of Paul and Anthea
Baptism of Jedidiah, son of Kong Wee and Dorcas
Baptism of Lydia, daughter of Cornelius and Jemima Joy
 
Notes
 
Salt Shakers

Salt Shakers is a bi-monthly magazine published by the youth in Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church (CERC). Included in each issue are writings pertaining to both Reformed doctrine and practical theology. Contributors to Salt Shakers include our pastor, youth and members of CERC, and pastors and professors from the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. Salt Shakers also features articles from the Standard Bearer and other Reformed publications. Click here to access.
 
Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church
We are a Reformed Church that holds to the doctrines of the Reformation as they are expressed in the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dordt.

Lord's Day services on Sunday at 930 am & 2 pm ~ 11 Jalan Mesin, #04-00, Standard Industrial Building, Singapore 368813 ~ Pastor: Rev Andy Lanning  ~ www.cerc.org.sg 
 
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PRC and Sister-Church News for the Week of April 29, 2018 *(Updated)

jeremiah 32 27On this seventeenth Lord's Day of 2018, April 29, we note the following news and information concerning PRC congregations, the Seminary, mission fields, and sister churches.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:

  • On Sunday April 15 Rev. A. Brummel (Heritage PRC, Sioux Falls, SD) announced his acceptance of the call from Calvary PRC (Hull, IA, received on March 29). From Heritage's bulletin we learn more details about this transition and about her new trio from which to call a new pastor:

    • "Rev. Brummel plans to preach his farewell in Heritage PRC on May 13.  His family plans to move to Hull that following week with a view to being installed in Calvary PRC on May 20, Lord willing.

    • Heritage PRC announces a trio of Rev. E. Guichelaar (Randolph, WI), Rev. S. Key (Loveland, CO), and Candidate Jonathan Langerak.  A congregational meeting will be held after the second worship service on April 29 to call a pastor."

    • *UPDATE: Heritage PRC voted to call Cand. J. Langerak. We rejoice with this brother in God's confirmation of His sovereign summons to the ministry of the Word in our churches.

  • Grandville PRC announced recently that her pastor, Rev. Ken Koole, will be seeking emeritation in the coming months at Classis East and Synod 2018.

  • Special note from Georgetown PRC: "The Council and the Congregation express our thanks to the Committee and speakers who organized and participated in Young Men’s Conference ("Run, Fight, Lead!") on Saturday morning [April 28]. We are thankful for all the young men who attended and pray that the Lord will use this conference to strengthen us in the battle for godliness and in the freedom of holiness. If you would like to hear the speeches as well as the panel discussions please visit: georgetownprc.org/runfightlead."

  • Southeast PRC in Grand Rapids has made a special announcement and request concerning a significant event in her history: "Southeast Protestant Reformed Church (formerly Fourth PRC) will be celebrating 75 years of existence in March of 2019.  A book is being developed to commemorate this event.  If you have memorabilia, pictures, anecdotes, etc. relating to this history and are willing to share, please contact Tim Pipe Sr at 616-890-2545 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.."

  • California Summer Retreat: Hope PRC in Redlands, CA is hosting a retreat this summer, July 2-5, 2018. Registration opened March 31st at 8 am PST, with a limit of 69 attendees, ages 18-35 years old. We hope you can attend! For more details and to find the link to register, please visit hopeprc.org and view the Retreat tab. If you have any additional questions, please email either Brad Potjer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Kayla Feenstra at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (registration details).

  • First PRC in Edmonton, AB has this special notice concerning a significant event this summer: "The dates for the 2018 Family Conference have been finalized! First PRC in Edmonton, AB plans to host the conference July 20-22, 2018 D.V. Hear from our speakers: Rev. B. Huizinga, N. Langerak and J. Marcus on the topic of 'Seeking The Lord'. Mark your calendars and plan to attend what promises to be a spiritually encouraging time of growth and fellowship with saints from Canada and abroad, as well as an opportunity to see some of the beauty that God has created here in Canada. For more information or to register, please visit our website https://edmontonfamilyconf.wixsite.com/conference2018, or contact Scott Ferguson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "

DENOMINATIONAL NEWS

byroncentrePRCadamscs logo

  • Synod 2018 announcement: Call to Synod: Synod 2017 appointed Byron Center PRC the calling church for the 2018 Synod. Synod will convene, D.V., on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 8:00 a.m., in the gymnasium of Adams Christian School (please note the change of venue from the announcement in the May 1 Standard Bearer). The Pre-synodical Service will be held on Monday evening, June 11, at 7:00 p.m. at Byron Center PRC (please note that the pre-synodical service and the meetings of synod will be held in different venues). Delegates in need of lodging should contact Mr. Mike Elzinga (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Phone: (616) 328-2753.
  • From the PRC Seminary comes this April news:
    • The seminary has now completed thirteen weeks of classes, with two left in this second semester, plus a week of exams. Continue to pray for faculty and students that they might finish the year well.
    • The second round of practice has now been completed for the sophomore and junior students.
    • The upcoming internships of Seminarians Matt Kortus and Jacob Maatman have been confirmed. Sem. Kortus will be interning at Trinity PRC under Rev. N. Decker and his Council and Sem. Maatman will intern at Hudsonville PRC under Rev. G. Eriks and his Council. The internship program runs from July 1 to December 31.
    • *FUTURE TEACHERS AND MINISTERS: Information for the 2018 PR Scholarship Fund essay competition is now available. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive the essay topics and submission requirements. Completed essays must be submitted by May 31.

 
ESingh Nov 2015

SISTER-CHURCH NEWS

  • Concerning our sister church in Singapore, Covenant ERC, we note the following:
    • The CERC has a delegation in India at present, part of the supervision of her mission labor there with Rev. E. Singh. Today's bulletin contains this note: "We thank God for the safe journey of our elders to Kolkata past Tuesday. They are enjoying the fellowship of the saints there in a very different culture. Pray for them and Rev. Singh as they continue the interviews today for baptism and confession of faith. Perhaps after the intensive rounds of interviews over 2 days, the elders would pick up a few theological terms in Bengali."
    • Rev. A. den Hartog and his wife Sherry continue to serve the CERC until at least June of this year. Read the "Pastor's Voice" part of her bulletin to learn more.
    • Her latest newsletter (February 2018) - Reformed News Asia - was recently posted and may be found on this page. Watch for the next issue soon!
    • The latest young peoples' magazine, Salt Shakers, was received and posted recently (March 2018 - cf. image above). Check that out on this page.
  • Concerning our sister church in Ballymena, N. Ireland, Covenant PRC, we call attention to the following:
    • Covenant PRC's latest newsletter was received and posted recently (April 2018). And don't forget her other publication - Covenant Reformed News! That latest issue received this week (April 2018) may be found here.
    • Join Reformed believers from around the world at the 2018 British Reformed Fellowship family conference at Hebron Hall in South Wales from Saturday, July 21, to Saturday, July 28. Our speakers, Prof. David Engelsma and Rev. Andy Lanning, will lecture on "The Reformed Family—According to the Word of God." More information and booking forms are available at http://brfconference.weebly.com or contact Briana Prins (616-214-2779; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
  • The PRC also has a "corresponding relationship" with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) of Australia. We remember these brothers and sisters in our prayers and labors too.

sb logo rfpa

SPECIAL NOTICES:

RWH logo 1

  • Don't forget to listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday! Today Rev. R. Kleyn (Covenant of Grace PRC, Spokane, WA) delivers a message titled "The Power and Necessity of the Preaching of the Gospel," based on Romans 1:16.
    • NEW RWH Station - The Cornerstone PRC Word and Deed committee has partnered with the Reformed Witness Hour to air their messages on the radio in the Chicago area. Beginning today, September 10, the broadcast can be heard every Sunday at 4:00PM on WYLL 1160AM or on the internet at www.1160hope.com. Please tune in and encourage others to do so as opportunity arises in your personal witnessing.

Logo BEREAN 1 
Berean PRC, sponsor  of this weeks' Youth Conference on "The Power of the Gospel" at Provident CC (cf. notes below)

 MISSION NEWS:

  • Remember in prayer our home missionary, Rev. A. Spriensma, who continues to labor in the West Michigan area and beyond.

  • The February/March 2018 newsletter of the Limerick Reformed Fellowship mission station is now posted on this page.

  • Have you read Rev. Titus' latest report on the work going on in Myanmar? Find that on this page.

  • A brand new Philippines mission newsletter was received and posted this past week (April 2018) and may be found on this PRC webpage.

  • Don't forget to follow the Kleyn's blog on life and activities in the Philippines. And that also includes the Holstege's one! And the Smits once again too!
  • From this Sunday's bulletins of the Provident Christian Church in Marikina, the Philippines and the Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela we find the following notes concerning their pastors as well as concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
    • Provident CC: 

      • Rev. Holstege will preach both times today. He will teach the Church Order, Articles 71ff after the first service. Today Rev. Kleyn will preach for the Bearers of Light Community Church in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

      • Next Sunday, May 6, the Sunday before Ascension Day (Thursday, May 10), the PRCP and PCC will commemorate the ascension of Christ. Lord willing, Rev. Holstege and Rev. Smit will each preach once for PCC.

      • This Tuesday the Berean PRC will host a conference here at PCC entitled “The Power of the Gospel.” All are invited to attend!

    • Maranatha PRC:

      • Our Pastor, Rev. L. Trinidad will lead our first service and our second service. After the second service, he will be teaching the the Book of Revelation Lesson # 49.

      • The theme of the Youth Conference is “The Power of the Gospel” to be held on May 1, 2018 at the PCC, Provident Village, Marikina City at 8:00 in the morning. The registration is P100. We are encouraging you to attend this timely conference.

      • Our church 35th Anniversary celebration will on May 13, 2018 and Rev. Richard Smit will lead the both services and will give the Anniversary message. Our celebration is “POTLUCK.”

Let us continue to lift up the needs of these busy pastors and missionaries in the Philippines. May the Lord of the harvest give them grace to be faithful and encouraged in all their labors.
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Covenant Reformed News - April 2018

 

Covenant Reformed News

April 2018  •  Volume XVI, Issue 24



“Lead Us Not Into Temptation” and Pope Francis

In a video in December, 2017, Pope Francis claimed that “lead us not into temptation” is a bad translation of the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer. However, this is a very accurate rendering of the words of the Lord Jesus in the original Greek.

The Pope made this outrageous statement because he cannot reconcile Christ’s teaching with his own base view of God’s sovereignty. Semi-Pelagianism, which is akin to Arminianism, is Rome’s historic position. However, contemporary Romanism and its Pope have degenerated such that they are more accurately described as Pelagian, which is even further from the truth than the heresy of Semi-Pelagianism.

Francis and the Roman Church believe that man is not totally, but only partly, depraved and so is able to do good works that please God (contra Rom. 3:9-20). According to them, Jehovah loves and wants to save everybody, and so Christ died for all head for head (contra Matt. 11:25-27; Eph. 5:25). Every pleasant thing is grace to all men absolutely and is proof that God loves everybody (contra Rom. 11:7-10).

This is a wicked denial of the biblical and Reformed truth of God’s particular grace and love in His election, Christ’s redemption and the salvation applied by the Holy Spirit (John 17; Rom. 9:6-24; Eph. 1:3-14; I Pet. 1:1-12). It should not be too much of a surprise to Christians that this is the heretical papal position. Even more disturbing is that the views in the previous paragraph are also the teaching of most of Evangelicalism!

For the Roman church and its pontiff, God’s sovereignty is an extremely meagre thing. According to their position, Jehovah could accurately be presented as the great spectator who watches the earth (and weeps!). He does not govern everything in the world and thus He is not truly sovereign at all!

So the Pope reckons that, when Jesus taught us to pray, “lead us not into temptation,” He is wrong, for only the devil leads into temptation. Thus Francis opts for the recent French Roman Catholic false retranslation of the sixth petition, which in English would read, “do not let me fall into temptation.” Thus the alleged vicar of Christ corrects the true Christ! The papal antichrist thinks he knows better than the biblical Christ!

The truth is that the Triune God is absolutely sovereign over all things, including every sin and every temptation. Absolutely everything, including every sin and every temptation, was included in God’s eternal decree. Yet Jehovah does not approve of sin and is not soft towards it. Instead, He hates it—always, infinitely! Absolutely everything, including every sin and every temptation, occurs in God’s providence in time. The Most High orders, bounds and disposes all things, whilst always hating sin and punishing it, either in the impenitent sinner or in Christ, the gracious substitute for all those the Father eternally gave Him (John 17:2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 24).

Note carefully that God does not sin or engage in any evil activity. Instead, it is man and fallen angels who sin and break Jehovah’s commandments. Contrary to extreme hyper-Calvinists, God is not the author or doer of sin, for such is blasphemy (Belgic Confession 13; Canons I:15). Men and demons are the authors and doers of sin.

The Westminster Confession provides a superb summary: “The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in His providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to His own holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be, the author or approver of sin” (V:4).

We need to distinguish carefully. There is a difference between tempting and trying. The devil and his angels (and other sinful human beings) tempt us: they want us to sin because they love evil and wish to ruin us. On the other hand, God tries and tests His people. He does not love sin; He hates it. He does not hate us; He loves us. He uses difficult circumstances to try and test us for our good and to purify us by His grace.

To put it slightly differently, of course, it is God the sovereign Lord who leads us into temptation, for everything is under His control. On the other hand, Satan tempts us, wanting us to fall into sin and desiring to destroy us.

Do you have this straight, believer? First, as regards God, He does not tempt anyone (James 1:13); Jehovah tries us and tests us and leads into temptation. Yea, He leads us into temptation in order to try and test us. Second, Satan tempts us, as the one who loves evil and wants our ruin in sin. Third, the authors or doers of sin are fallen angels and fallen humans, who wickedly yield to temptation.

Only in Christ crucified and risen is the believer free from the guilt, punishment and dominion of sin. Only by the power of Jesus’ Word and Spirit is the child of God able to overcome temptation. Thus we pray the sixth petition: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; that is, since we are so weak in ourselves that we cannot stand a moment; and besides this, since our mortal enemies, the devil, the world, and our own flesh cease not to assault us, do Thou therefore preserve and strengthen us by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, but constantly and strenuously may resist our foes, till at last we obtain a complete victory” (Heidelberg Catechism, A. 127). Rev. Stewart
 

Do Not Tell!

A reader asks, “Why did Christ command those whom He healed not to tell who healed them, yet we are commanded to witness of Him?”

In addition to the historical fact that Jesus commanded some whom He healed not to reveal who healed them, He also told only a few who He truly was. First, He said He was the Christ to the Samaritan woman (John 4:25-26). Second, He identified Himself as the Son of God to the man born blind whom He healed (John 9:35-37).

It is striking that both instances are recorded in John’s gospel narrative, for John’s express purpose in writing his gospel, under divine and infallible inspiration, is given in chapter 20:31: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

A third incident in which Christ declared who He was is recorded in Matthew 16:13-20. This passage describes Jesus’ question put to His disciples: “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” After receiving the answer, Jesus put the same question to the disciples. Peter, speaking for all of the disciples, said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus confirmed this truth by telling them that this confession would be the rock on which He would build His church. Yet, even then, Jesus “charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.”

Why the command not to tell? Setting aside for the moment Jesus’ injunction to His disciples in Matthew 16, we should notice that both the Samaritan woman and the man born blind were already inclined to think that He was the Messiah. The woman from Samaria hinted at this when she said that she knew and believed that the promised Messiah would come. She as much as asked Him, “Art thou that Messiah?” 

The same was true of the blind man. He called Jesus “Lord,” which name already set Jesus aside from others whom the blind man knew. But his question is also a sort of revelation of his inward questioning: he wanted to believe but was not sure Jesus was the promised Messiah. In other words, both the Samaritan woman and the man born blind saw that Jesus was divine, that is, the Son of God. God had put this faith within their hearts.

But with so many others who were healed, this was not the case. They did not have this saving faith. Again, it is John who gives us insight into this matter. At a very early time in our Lord’s ministry, after He had cleansed the temple (John 2:14-22), we read that Jesus was in Jerusalem where He performed many miracles and many believed on Him. But, John adds, “Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (24-25).

In other words, many believed in Jesus only as a miracle-worker. They did not see Him as the Samaritan woman and the man born blind saw Him, as the promised Messiah, the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent and deliver them from their sins. Jesus knew all men, including who were and who were not true believers. He knew that most of them who swarmed around Him did so because of His eloquence as a preacher and His ability to perform miracles. 

Again John makes this clear when Jesus had fed the crowds with five loaves and two fishes. When He would not be their king and would not feed them with earthly bread, and when He pointed out to them that He was the Bread of Life and that faith that He was from God was required of them, we read “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66).

When Jesus turned to His disciples and asked them whether they wanted to leave as well, their answer, with Peter again as the spokesman, was, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (68-69).

By all this, I do not mean to say that many of those who believed in Christ only for the miracles were not God’s elect. Later history tells us that there were thousands who were the chosen people of God, though as yet they did not believe in Christ as God’s Son.

In the purpose of God, that true faith in the hearts of His people had to wait for Pentecost. Even the disciples who possessed true faith did not understand Christ’s work in its entirety. Just before Christ’s ascension into heaven, they asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). In their carnality, they kept thinking of an earthly kingdom. It was only after the Spirit of Christ was poured out that all became clear: the cross, the resurrection, the ascension and the New Testament church. The Spirit made all the difference, for the Spirit, as Christ Himself had told them, would lead them into the truth and make all Christ’s work plain (John 16:13).

How frequently the same mistake is made by today’s throngs that fill mega-churches. They believe in a Christ who does healing miracles today (or so the Charismatics claim) or that faith in Him will guarantee a trouble-free life here in this world of sin and darkness or that believing will give them prosperity and wealth. They may claim to follow Christ but they are following a phantom. More subtly, many claim to believe in Christ because He loves all men, gives them a chance to be saved and lets them have a gloss of religion while their hearts remain in the world.

True faith confesses that we are totally depraved sinners who cannot believe of ourselves and who do not deserve salvation. We know our sins and realize that only God can save us by the power of His irresistible grace. We know that our salvation was accomplished in the cross and to that cross we flee with broken hearts and cries of sorrow.

So, my answer is this: Miracles themselves were only signs of Christ and what He did as Saviour. Healing blindness is a sign of Christ’s gift of healing our spiritual blindness. Making the lame walk was a sign of Christ’s work of enabling us to walk in the way of His commandments. Raising the dead points to Christ’s work of raising us from our spiritual death to new and heavenly life. And so it was with all the miracles. But the faith of many ended with miracles. Christ does not want to be known merely as a miracle-worker. He is the Saviour and Redeemer of His people, and faith in Him brings true heavenly salvation and deliverance from all our physical and spiritual ailments and troubles in the next world. That He saves me is the greatest miracle of all!  Prof. Hanko
Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena, BT43 5DR • Lord’s Day services at 11 am & 6 pm
Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live broadcast: www.cprf.co.uk/live
Pastor: Angus Stewart, 7 Lislunnan Road, Kells, N. Ireland, BT42 3NR • (028) 25 891851  
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. • www.youtube.com/cprcni • www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
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British Reformed Fellowship Family Conference

21-28 July 2018

Hebron Hall
Conference Centre
South Wales

Theme:
The Reformed Family—According to the Word of God

Speakers:
Prof. David Engelsma
Rev. Andy Lanning

Check the conference website
for more details and booking forms
http://brfconference.weebly.com/
Study Guides

Ideal for individuals or groups, each study guide contains a brief overview of the book, short remarks on each passage and questions for study. 

Studies in Ruth - C. Haak
(36 pp. Softback, £3.30)

Studies in Ezra - B. Gritters
(40 pp. Softback, £3.30)

Studies in Malachi - C. Haak
(72 pp. Softback, £4.40)

Studies in Acts - M. Hoeksema
(176 pp. Softback, £5.50)

Studies in Romans - M. Hoeksema
(96 pp. Softback, £4.40)

Studies in Philippians - C. Haak
(30 pp. Softback, £3.30)

Studies in I Thessalonians - C. Hanko
(29 pp. Softback, £2.75 inc.)

Studies in II Thessalonians - C. Hanko
(22 pp. Softback, £2.75)

Studies in Hebrews  NEW!  - M. Hoeksema
    (88 pp. Softback, £4.40) 

Studies in James  NEW! - M. Hoeksema 
    (63 pp. Softback, £3.85)

Studies in I Peter - C. Hanko 
    (80 pp. Softback, £3.85)
Order from the 
CPRC Bookstore
on-line, by post or telephone
7 Lislunnan Road, Kells, N. Ireland BT42 3NR
(028) 25891851
.
Make cheques payable to “Covenant Protestant Reformed Church.”
Thank you!

Baptism: Formula, Administrators, 
Validity, Mode and Meaning

11 classes on Belgic Confession 34 (Vol. XXVI)
on CD in an attractive box set 

 Some dismiss baptism as of little importance. Yet Christ appointed it as a sacrament (Matt. 28:19), and all the issues addressed in these audios arise from Scripture and in the life of His church!

(1) The Importance and Beginning of This Article (Matt. 28)
(2) God’s Fatherhood and the Baptism Formula (Matt. 28:11-20)
(3) The Administrators of Baptism (Acts 8:5-40)
(4) What Constitutes a Valid Baptism? (I Tim. 2:11-15)
(5) Mode [1]: 7 Arguments Against Immersionism (Acts 9:1-20)
(6) Mode [2]: Responding to Immersionist Arguments (Matt. 3)
(7) Mode [3]: Immersion, Sprinkling and Pouring (I Peter 1:1-12)
(8) Meaning [1]: Old Testament Baptisms (Heb. 9:6-23)
(9) Meaning [2]: Baptisms Administered by John (John 1:19-42)
(10) Meaning [3]: Baptisms by or Upon Christ or His Disciples (Gal. 3:22-29)
(11) Meaning [4]: Reformed Doctrine and Ephesians 4:5 (Eph. 4:1-16)

£12/box set (inc. P&P)

Listen free on-line
or order from the
CPRC Bookstore
by post or telephone
7 Lislunnan Road, Kells, N. Ireland BT42 3NR
(028) 25891851

Make cheques payable to “Covenant Protestant Reformed Church.”
Thank you!
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Young Men's Conference This Saturday, April 28 - Georgetown (MI) PRC

run fight lead WEBSITE header

Young Men's Conference (High School / College), "Run, Fight, Lead!" is THIS Saturday, April 28, from 8-12:30, at Georgetown PRC.

Run, Fight, Lead! is a Christian Young Men's Conference for high school and college age young men. The goal of the conference is to equip and encourage Christian young men to grow in Biblical manhood.

The topics will follow the theme of Run, Fight, Lead! Running from lust and pornography and instead running toward biblical manhood and Godly dating and marriage. Fighting against, gossip, bullying and hate while fighting for truth, peace and love. Leading Christian brothers out of sinful rebellion and leading them in the way of holy obedience.

The conference speakers and their topics will be:


Rev. Mahtani – Run, Fight, Lead!
Rev. Spronk – Social Media
Rev. Eriks – Dating
Justin Visser – Pornography
Karl Dykstra – Life After High School & Biblical Manhood

There will also be a multi-generational panel following the speakers to address questions.

The conference will begin at 8am with breakfast and coffee and will finish around 12:30pm.

GTPRC2012

Breakfast Included! Register Today! Wednesday, April 25, is the FINAL day to register.

For more details and to register please visit georgetownprc.org/runfightlead

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PRC and Sister-Church News for the Week of April 22, 2018

Ephesians 2 10

On this sixteenth Lord's Day of 2018, April 22, we note the following news and information concerning PRC congregations, the Seminary, mission fields, and sister churches.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:

  • On Sunday April 15 Rev. A. Brummel (Heritage PRC, Sioux Falls, SD) announced his acceptance of the call from Calvary PRC (Hull, IA, received on March 29). From Heritage's bulletin today we learn more details about this transition and about her new trio from which to call a new pastor:

    • "Rev. Brummel plans to preach his farewell in Heritage PRC on May 13.  His family plans to move to Hull that following week with a view to being installed in Calvary PRC on May 20, Lord willing.

    • Heritage PRC announces a trio of Rev. Guichelaar (Randolph, WI), Rev. Key (Loveland, CO), and Candidate Jonathan Langerak.  A congregational meeting will be held after the second worship service on April 29 to call a pastor."

  • Grandville PRC announced last Sunday that her pastor, Rev. Ken Koole, will be seeking emeritation in the coming months at Classis East and Synod 2018.

  • Candidate Jon Langerak has been assisting in the Limerick Reformed Fellowship while Rev. M. McGeown was in the States for his wedding. Today is his final Sunday there; he plans to return to the States tomorrow, D.V.

  • The church choir of Byron Center PRC will present their spring concert, "Great Hymns of Faith" tonight, April 22 after the evening worship service.  We will begin at approximately 6:45 PM.  You are welcome to join us!

  • Young Men's Conference (High School / College), "Run, Fight, Lead!" is THIS Saturday, April 28, from 8-12:30, at Georgetown PRC. Breakfast Included! Register Today!  For more details and to register please visit georgetownprc.org/runfightlead

  • Southeast PRC in Grand Rapids has made a special announcement and request concerning a significant event in her history: "Southeast Protestant Reformed Church (formerly Fourth PRC) will be celebrating 75 years of existence in March of 2019.  A book is being developed to commemorate this event.  If you have memorabilia, pictures, anecdotes, etc. relating to this history and are willing to share, please contact Tim Pipe Sr at 616-890-2545 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.."

  • California Summer Retreat: Hope PRC in Redlands, CA is hosting a retreat this summer, July 2-5, 2018. Registration opened March 31st at 8am PST, with a limit of 69 attendees, ages 18-35yo. We hope you can attend! For more details and to find the link to register, please visit hopeprc.org and view the Retreat tab. If you have any additional questions, please email either Brad Potjer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Kayla Feenstra at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (registration details).

  • First PRC in Edmonton, AB has this special notice concerning a significant event this summer: "The dates for the 2018 Family Conference have been finalized! First PRC in Edmonton, AB plans to host the conference July 20-22, 2018 D.V. Hear from our speakers: Rev. B. Huizinga, N. Langerak and J. Marcus on the topic of 'Seeking The Lord'. Mark your calendars and plan to attend what promises to be a spiritually encouraging time of growth and fellowship with saints from Canada and abroad, as well as an opportunity to see some of the beauty that God has created here in Canada. For more information or to register, please visit our website https://edmontonfamilyconf.wixsite.com/conference2018, or contact Scott Ferguson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "

DENOMINATIONAL NEWS

 Sem front May 2016 1

  • From the PRC Seminary comes this April news:
    • The seminary has now completed twelve weeks of classes, with three left in this second semester. Continue to pray for faculty and students that they might finish the year well.
    • The second round of practice is scheduled for April 16 and 23 for the sophomore and junior students.
    • The upcoming internships of Seminarians Matt Kortus and Jacob Maatman have been confirmed and announced. Sem. Kortus will be interning at Trinity PRC under Rev. N. Decker and his Council and Sem. Maatman will intern at Hudsonville PRC under Rev. G. Eriks and his Council. The internship program runs from July 1 to December 31.
    • *FUTURE TEACHERS AND MINISTERS: Information for the 2018 PR Scholarship Fund essay competition is now available. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive the essay topics and submission requirements. Completed essays must be submitted by May 31.

 hooper monument
Read about this special UK monument in the latest Covenant PRC, NI Newsletter (see below)

SISTER-CHURCH NEWS

  • Concerning our sister church in Ballymena, N. Ireland, Covenant PRC, we call attention to the following:
    • Covenant PRC's latest newsletter was received and posted this week (April 2018). And don't forget her other publication - Covenant Reformed News! That latest issue (March 2018) may be found here.
    • Join Reformed believers from around the world at the 2018 British Reformed Fellowship family conference at Hebron Hall in South Wales from Saturday, July 21, to Saturday, July 28. Our speakers, Prof. David Engelsma and Rev. Andy Lanning, will lecture on "The Reformed Family—According to the Word of God." More information and booking forms are available at http://brfconference.weebly.com or contact Briana Prins (616-214-2779; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

  • Concerning our sister church in Singapore, Covenant ERC, the following may be noted:
    • Rev. A. den Hartog and his wife Sherry continue to serve the CERC until at least June of this year. Read the "Pastor's Voice" part of her bulletin to learn more.
    • Her latest newsletter (February 2018) - Reformed News Asia - was recently posted and may be found on this page. Watch for the next issue soon!
    • The latest young peoples' magazine, Salt Shakers, was received and posted recently (March 2018 - cf. image above). Check that out on this page.

  • The PRC has a "corresponding relationship" with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) of Australia. We remember these brothers and sisters in our prayers and labors too.

sb logo rfpa

SPECIAL NOTICES:

RWH logo 1

  • Don't forget to listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday! Today Rev. R. Kleyn (Covenant of Grace PRC, Spokane, WA) continues his series on the OT book of Ruth with the message "A Blessed End to a Beautiful Book," based on Ruth 4:13-22.
    • NEW RWH Station - The Cornerstone PRC Word and Deed committee has partnered with the Reformed Witness Hour to air their messages on the radio in the Chicago area. Beginning today, September 10, the broadcast can be heard every Sunday at 4:00PM on WYLL 1160AM or on the internet at www.1160hope.com. Please tune in and encourage others to do so as opportunity arises in your personal witnessing.

3 missionaries families 2017 
A casual photo of our three missionary families in the Philippines in late 2017, after the Smits arrived.
Read the latest newsletter about their life and labors (see link below).

 MISSION NEWS:

  • Remember in prayer our home missionary, Rev. A. Spriensma, who continues to labor in the West michigan area and beyond.

  • The February/March 2018 newsletter of the Limerick Reformed Fellowship mission station is now posted on this page. Also, Cand. J. Langerak completes his assistance in the Fellowship today, where he has served for the last month while Rev. M. McGeown was married in the U.S.

  • Georgetown PRC's bulletin reminds us of a prayer need with regard to their work in Vellore, India: "Pray for the Sola Gratia program taught by Pastor Paul Raj in India to four students and six area pastors."

  • Have you read Rev. Titus' latest report on the work going on in Myanmar? Find that on this page.

  • A brand new Philippines mission newsletter was received and posted this past week (April 2018) and may be found on this PRC webpage.

  • Don't forget to follow the Kleyn's blog on life and activities in the Philippines. And that also includes the Holstege's one! And the Smits once again too!
  • From this Sunday's bulletins of the Provident Christian Church in Marikina, the Philippines and the Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela we find the following notes concerning their pastors as well as concerning our missionaries and their labors today and in this coming week:
    • Provident CC: 

      • Rev. Holstege will preach both times today. He will teach the Church Order, Articles 69ff after the first service. Next week too, Rev. Holstege will preach for PCC, D.V.

      • Next Sunday, Lord willing, Rev. Kleyn will preach for the Bearers of Light Community Church in Guiguinto, Bulacan. This will be the second time they hear preaching from a Protestant Reformed missionary. Rev. Holstege preached for them last March 25.

      • The Holsteges will take a furlough to the USA from June 11-July 24, Lord willing. The furlough is not only for vacation, but also for attending the synod, giving presentations of our mission work, and preaching in the PRCA.

    • Maranatha PRC:

      • Our Missionary, Rev. D. Kleyn will lead our first service and our second service. After the second service, he will be teaching the the Belgic Confession, Articles 3 - 5.

      • The theme of the Youth Conference is “The Power of the Gospel” to be held on May 1, 2018 at the PCC, Provident Village, Marikina City at 8:00 in the morning. The registration is P100. We are encouraging you to attend this timely conference.

Let us continue to lift up the needs of these busy pastors and missionaries in the Philippines. May the Lord of the harvest give them grace to be faithful and encouraged in all their labors.
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Covenant PRC, N. Ireland Newsletter - April 2018

Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena, NI

19 April, 2018

Dear saints in the Protestant Reformed Churches,

Translations

The last two months have been very fruitful with regard to Reformed translations (www.cprf. co.uk/languages.htm). We have received 44 articles in 8 different languages, plus Hungarian subtitles to a video in which Prof. Hanko answers a question from Patrick Duerr from Covenant of Grace PRC.

The Belgic Confession is now on the CPRC website in Armenian, thanks to an Armenian brother living in Germany. This is the first time that this creed has been put online. It may even be the first time anyone has translated the Belgic Confession into Armenian.

Ivan Ortu in Sardinia sent us 5 Italian translations. We received 2 chapters of Prof. Engelsma’s Hyper-Calvinism and the Call of the Gospel in Russian, as well as 2 Spanish translations.

A lady in the Limerick Reformed Fellowship (LRF) has become our first translator to send us materials in two different languages. As a Greek citizen with Albanian parents, she knows both tongues. From her, we have gotten 8 Greek and 4 Albanian articles.

The 10 recent German translations bring our total in that language to 170. With the 12 new Hungarian translations, we now have 234 articles in that tongue.

These translations are definitely reaching people. In fact, so far in April, 15 of the 20 most hit articles on our website are in languages other than English. It is not an exaggeration to say that our translations receive more hits than our English articles!

Our Translators Fund is very low, since we have lately posted a number of boxes of RFPA and British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) books to our hard working translators in various parts of the world. If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please contact me (pastor @cprc.co.uk).

Ministry of the Word

“Earnestly Contending for the Faith” is the theme for our ongoing sermon series on the Epistle of Jude (www.youtube.com/user/CPRCNI). So far we have covered the first eleven verses. This Sunday morning’s text describes false teachers: “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 12-13).

Our Tuesday morning Bible study recently treated the feast of Pentecost in the Old Testament and its fulfilment in Acts 2. Having covered all three of ancient Israel’s pilgrimage feasts, we are now considering the relationship between Passover/Unleavened Bread, Pentecost and Tabernacles, especially noting that Passover, fulfilled in Christ crucified (I Cor. 5:7), comes first and is the basis for the other feasts.

Last night, we had our nineteenth class on “Holy Baptism” (Belgic Confession 34). For the last two months of these classes, we have been considering the inclusion of the children of believers in the kingdom of the Messiah, as prophesied in Isaiah 40-61, Jeremiah 31-32, and Ezekiel 34-37, and as described in the four gospel accounts and I Corinthians (www.cprf.co.uk/audio/belgiccon-fessionclass.htm). It has been very helpful to see so much Scripture teaching the Reformed view of covenant seed in the New Testament age and not that of the Baptists (the little children of believers cannot repent and believe, and so cannot be baptized).

“Feed my lambs” (John 21:15) is Christ’s command to Peter and to the whole of His New Testament church. Upon the conclusion of the CPRC catechism classes, we had our end of year tests. They were all marked today and the covenant children did well. May God bless His Word to the next generation of the church!

Visitors

The CPRC enjoyed the visits of Herman and Lindy Hanko (Grace PRC), Ed and Jessica Hanko (Lynden PRC), and Stephanie Van Maanen (Hull PRC) in March.

The Ramsay family (Dan, Katie, Olivia, Caleb, and Sophia) from Bristol, England, stayed with us (30 March-2 April). Dan has bought a number of copies of Saved by Grace, by Prof. Cammenga and Rev. Hanko to give  to friends, and has attended several lectures in South Wales. Mary and I had dinner with the Ramsays in their home some months ago, and it was lovely to have them with us for a long weekend.

Candidate Jonathan Langerak was Rev. McGeown’s pulpit supply in the Limerick Reformed Fellowship (LRF), while he was in America for his wedding and honeymoon with Larisa (De Jong). So the CPRC asked Cand. Langerak to bring a word of edification to us on Sunday 8 April, while I led the worship in the LRF. His grandparents, Harry and Evelyn Langerak, joined him for part of his time in Limerick and all of his time in Ballymena, so they were all able to join the congregation for tea after the Sunday evening service. The three Langeraks brought a lot of RFPA books with them and stayed at the CPRC manse, so we were able to fellowship with them and show them around parts of N. Ireland (4-9 April).

langerak family limerick 2018
Rev. Stewart (in back) with Harry, Evelyn, and grandson Candidate Jonathan Langerak

At present, Shimone Spyker from Perth, Western Australia is staying with us (17-23 April). She has just returned from Northern Ireland’s north coast with a sun tan, for today is the sunniest and hottest day in 2018 for us.

Others

The Ballymena Guardian published an article I sent them about Marco Barone’s book, Luther’s Augustinian Theology of the Cross: The Augustinianism of Martin Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation and the Origins of Modern Philosophy of Religion (12 April, 2018). A member of the CPRC, Marco lives in Ballymena, and the Heidelberg Disputation occurred exactly 500 years ago this very month (25-26 April, 1518). Marco’s excellent book is available on-line through the publisher, Wipf and Stock, as well as Amazon, etc.

Mary and I will be in Grand Rapids during the week of Synod, DV, for I am this year’s delegate from the CPRC. While there, I am to give a speech on “Gottschalk: Medieval Confessor of God’s Absolute Sovereignty” in Trinity PRC (13 June). On the Sunday after Synod, I am to preach in Crete PRC and Bethel PRC in Chicagoland (17 June).

hooper monument
Bishop John Hooper Monument

There are places still available at the 2018 British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) Conference in Hebron Hall, Cardiff (21-28 July). While in South Wales to give a speech on “Angels as Messengers of the Lord” (12 April, 2018), Mary and I visited Gloucester, a destination of one of the Conference day trips. It is a beautiful town with an impressive cathedral, historic docks, and scenic walks. It has a lot of Christian interest, for it is the birthplace of George Whitefield (the eighteenth-century evangelist), the place of the first Sunday school, and the location of the martyrdom of Bishop John Hooper (9 February, 1555) under Bloody Mary, etc. For more information on the BRF Conference on “The Reformed Family—According to the Word of God” with Prof. David Engelsma and Rev. Andy Lanning, check out this website (http://brfconference.weebly.com). All are warmly welcome!

Please continue to pray for your sister church in Northern Ireland and the Limerick Reformed Fellowship. May the Lord be with you all,

Rev. Angus & Mary Stewart

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