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!
