Archives for April 2022

On Wednesday evening, Mary and I hosted two Filippino ministers and one of their deacons for dinner (photo 1). For the past two years, I have done conference addresses for them virtually. We had a great time fellowshipping with them and hope to work with them in the future in assisting them in some way in providing solid Reformed training for theological students.

On Thursday morning, Mary flew to Boston to speak for a women’s conference and in the afternoon I flew to San Jose, California to do a conference of about 250 people (photo 2) for Trinity Bible Church in Morgan Hill, together with their pastor, Rev. Manny Periera, as well as Dr. Paul Twiss and Rev. Burgett. The conference was on sola gratia (grace alone). Yesterday and today, I spoke three times: Total Depravity, Justification by Grace, and Thriving in Grace. The other speakers spoke movingly and powerfully on Unconditional Sovereign Grace, Grace to Those Who Hear, The Grace of Perseverance, and The Only Ground for Glory. The conference concluded with a helpful QA with the speakers. The book sales (97% of the books were sold and many back orders were taken) and the grace-centered singing were both robust and the people were responsive and warm in every way.

Last evening we had good fellowship over dinner with the speakers (photo 3). In a few minutes I hope to pick Mary up from the airport, as her conference is also finished now and she hopes to join me here in California, and then tomorrow morning I hope to preach for Trinity Bible Church in Morgan Hill, California. We hope to fly home early Monday morning, D.V. Pray for much fruit upon both of our conferences.

I am excited to receive two more Spanish titles: first, “Volver a la carrera: La cura para el cristiano que se aparta” (Spain: Editorial Peregrino), which is my “Getting Back into the Race: The Cure for Backsliding,” and second, “Como Ir a Dios” (San Antonio, Texas: Publicaciones Gracia Sobre Gracia), by Horatius Bonar (“How Shall I Go to God?”), a great little book that contains an introduction by Paul Smalley and me.

Pray that God will use these two titles abundantly to help forward reformation and revival in Spanish-speaking circles all over the world.

This afternoon we had a 3-hour open house for the retirement of Henk Kleyn as Vice President of Operations at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, which included a one hour program expressing thanks. Hundreds attended the open house to express their love and congratulations.

Our dear brother Henk served here faithfully at PRTS with all his heart, exemplifying Christlike love, for nearly 17 years, supported throughout by his dear wife Margaret who also showed much love to the students.I gave a 15-minute opening meditation which included thanking him especially for four of his most sterling qualities, using the acronym of PRTS: Passionate service, Readiness to serve, Tender-hearted leadership, and Sacrificial spirit.

Following the meditation, a half hour video was shown in which about a dozen faculty and students expressed their deep love and thanks for brother Kleyn in a variety of ways. Dr. Bilkes closed the program with some heartwarming comments, the reading of Revelation 4 (a chapter that is precious to Henk), and prayer.

We will miss brother Kleyn greatly; he truly served “the Lord with gladness,” as Psalm 101 commands, which was also the text he quoted at the end of all his letters. Please pray for him as he enters a new phase of his life where he will be doing part-time volunteer labor in the Free Reformed Church serving as a kind of “pastoral visitor” while this vacant church continues to seek to receive its own pastor. And please pray also for Chris Hanna and Jonathon Beeke as they take up the responsibilities that Mr. Kleyn as carried for so many years.

Last night I had the great privilege of officiating the wedding of Evan Boerman and Jenna DeWaal from John 15:9-12 (the text they chose!) that speaks about the chain of love from the Father to the Son and the Son to true believers, which can be applied to marriage as its supreme calling when both spouses are saved. Please pray for this delightful couple that God will bless their marriage abundantly in Christ Jesus to His glory and their souls’ good.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-generation event celebrating one of the greatest eras in church history. From several of today’s leading theologians and pastors, this three-day conference provides an unparalleled opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the history and teaching of those who lived courageously, believed with reverential precision, and died boldly for Christ in a way that continues to shape the Christian faith.

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Today I was pleased to receive Jerome Zanchius’s (1516-1590) “Doctrine of Absolute Predestination” in Portuguese (“A Doutrina Da Predes Tinacao Absoluta,” Sao Paulo: Joao Calvino Publicacoes), which includes my 20-page introduction to this important and classic Reformed book. Pray that God will bless it to many people in Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking people around the world.

Last evening our elders and pastors had a wonderful meeting with eighteen friends who made confession of faith before us and shared how the Lord is working in their life. Confession of faith will be made publicly in the Heritage Reformed Church, in Grand Rapids, on May 1, D.V. Pray for them that they will be stalwart members of the church of Jesus Christ.