Archives for September 2019

We had a wonderful dinner and fellowship this evening with all my brothers and sisters and their spouses in Kalamazoo, Michigan. We try to do this once a year. It is always a very special evening.

Back home safely with Mary from northwest Iowa. This past weekend I did a “first annual conference” there on “Assurance of Faith” for 200+ people (speakers for the next three years are Dr. Joey Pipa, Dr. David Murray, and Dr. Michael Barrett). People attended from several denominations (HRC, URC, NRC, PCA, etc.), including some of whom were parishioners from my first charge in Sioux Center, Iowa 40 years ago. Contrary to what I was told, the folk of northwest Iowa and South Dakota were great book-buyers as well. It was a joy to serve them, and also to meet several new friends who showed considerable hunger for Reformed experiential preaching. On the Lord’s Day, I preached twice for the Heritage Reformed Congregation of Hull, Iowa, pastored by Rev. Bartel Elshout (one of my closest friends for fifty years) and once for a PCA church in Orange City, Iowa, pastored by Dr. Sacha Wilicord (a new friend). Though the day was intense (it also included meals and fellowship at three different homes), it was an encouraging day. We also thoroughly enjoyed our time with Mary’s sister, Linda, and her husband, Pete VanBeek, and their daughter Leah (see picture below). God is good!

“Advancing Christian Unity” by Puritan Anthony Burgess—an excellent book on promoting genuine unity in Christ’s church, has arrived! Edited by Matthew Vogan, so that it is very readable, it is our latest release in our “Puritan Treasures for Today” series. Having been privileged to be the final editor on this book, I can assure you it is a treasure and a much-needed volume: http://bit.ly/2mBa1bX

Another new book from RHB has arrived: “William Perkins: Architect of Puritanism,” edited by Greg Salazar and me, and consisting of the addresses given at the Perkins conference we put on at the Round Church in Cambridge, England, where Perkins ministered. In addition to the editors, this 185-page paperback contains excellent chapters on Perkins by Sinclair Ferguson, Geoff Thomas, and Stephen Yuille. You’ll love it! http://bit.ly/2mBh3NT

I love speaking to young people and children, and particularly treasure the opportunity to speak at our church’s Christian schools—both the elementary and the high school. This morning I spoke at both schools on “How to Read the Bible.” Here is a picture of the high school students. Please pray for the Holy Spirit’s indispensable blessing on their Christian education!

This morning a member of my church showed me this picture of a full rainbow over the Noah’s Ark replica in Kentucky. I keep thinking about the sureness and comfort and riches of God’s promises. Trusting in Him and resting in His promises are at least half of what life is all about. “Trust in the LORD…. Delight thyself also in the LORD…. Commit thy way unto the LORD…. Rest in the LORD….” (Ps. 37:3-7)—and then you will have a wonderful day indeed!

In this one-minute video from NCFIC, I stress the importance of kindness in a family, beginning with the parents being kind and loving to one another, for this sets the tone of the home.

After being out of print for several years, my two volumes of “Heidelberg Catechism Sermons” are now available again in typewritten form. Please pray with me that they will edify many. http://bit.ly/2ktE4S6

Three new books have just arrived: the “Journible for Judges and Ruth,” (http://bit.ly/2LDmDJJ) by Rob Wynalda and me; a new RHB title: “A Faith Worth Defending: The Synod of Dort’s Enduring Heritage,” (http://bit.ly/2M9Z6yW),edited by Jon Payne and Sebastian Heck (an excellent book of eleven chapters by the editors as well as by Bob Godfrey, Lyle Bierma, Kevin Bidwell, John Fesko, Chris Gordon, Mike Horton, Danny Hyde, Cornel Venema—and I also wrote a chapter with Ray Lanning on “Comfort and Assurance: The Pastoral Implications of Dort”); and a Ligonier “Study Guide: Assurance of Faith” (http://bit.ly/2LDm3vq) by me, for my series of lessons on assurance done for Ligonier. Please pray for God’s blessing on all three!

Grand Rapids, MI / London, UK

Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (“PRTS”), and the Pastors’ Academy at London Seminary (“PA”) today announced the accreditation of the Master’s (ThM) Program in London, UK.

The ThM program of PRTS in London has been accredited by the Association of Theological Schools offering three tracks of study: Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, and Historical Theology.

Joel R. Beeke, President of PRTS, says, “We trust that, by God’s grace, this accredited program in London will stress both solid Reformed academic training and vital piety, and will serve to strengthen the church and the academy in unprecedented ways.”

The program will be served by the faculties of PRTS and the PA. Garry Williams, Director of the Pastors’ Academy in London, writes, “The accredited ThM program will bring the deep, theological resources of PRTS within reach of students in the UK, especially pastors seeking to enrich their preaching and teaching ministries. The program will immediately open up the range of theological disciplines that we can offer in London, including Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, and Historical Theology. We are grateful to God for providing PRTS as a generous and zealous partner for furthering the cause of theological training in the UK and beyond.”

About Pastors’ Academy
London Seminary was founded in 1977 and the work of the Pastors’ Academy began in 1999. The Academy seeks to serve the health of the church and the glory of Christ by providing ongoing theological training and pastoral support to pastors after their initial seminary training.

About Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
Founded in 1995, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary is an accredited educational institution for granting the MA, MDiv, ThM, and PhD degrees. Its mission is to prepare students worldwide to serve Christ and His church through biblical, experiential, and practical ministry. The seminary has approximately 160 students, ten professors, twenty well-known scholars as adjunct faculty, and a support staff of twelve.