Category Archives: Church Life

Are Our Congregations Really Active?

Rev. Prof. K. Runia. Trowel & Sword, August 1959 Preamble: Take note of the date of this article – 1959! As with so many previous articles re-published in TSR, it is hard to escape the thought that Dr. Runia could just as easily have been writing also for 2025. In doing so he is notContinue reading “Are Our Congregations Really Active?”

Jesus Christ Lord of Life and Cadets

Prof. G. van Groningen. Trowel & Sword. November 1967 Preamble: VAN GRONINGEN – remember that name; especially the younger members (under 50) who may not have heard it before and do not know the significant part that both George and Harriet played in the development and growth of the Reformed Churches in Australia and NewContinue reading “Jesus Christ Lord of Life and Cadets”

Why Do We Need To Go To Church Twice?

Rev. Allan Quak. Trowel & Sword. September 1999 Preamble: Our world is changing; our world has changed. The same is true of the Church – our Church. A mere 25 years ago Rev. Allan Quack wrote passionately about the need for believers to attend church twice on Sundays. Today, in most churches, this is noContinue reading “Why Do We Need To Go To Church Twice?”

‘And A Little Child Shall Lead Them’

Mrs. Jean Sietzema-Dickson. Trowel & Sword. March 1992  Preamble: How often do we stop and actually think about what we do in our worship services? Is attendance just a part of our weekly activities where we turn up, go through the same routine week after week and then go home again. Has it become aContinue reading “‘And A Little Child Shall Lead Them’”

Worship As Dialogue

Bill van Schie. Trowel & Sword. March 2003 Preamble: Last week, despite our “tongue-in-cheek” description of the approach of many people to attending a church service, we learned from Bill that attending a church service is serious business. How serious? Imagine the following scenario. The last day has arrived and all people have been raisedContinue reading “Worship As Dialogue”

Worship – Focus

Bill van Schie. Trowel & Sword. February 2003 Preamble: Attending a church service would appear to most to be a simple process. You walk in, go to the same seat you have been sitting in, perhaps for years, and perhaps even “gently” admonish someone who has had the temerity to “inadvertently” sit in “your seat”.Continue reading “Worship – Focus”

A Survey To Make You Think

Dr. K. Runia. Trowel & Sword, November 1961 Preamble: The following are the results of a survey conducted it a Presbyterian Church in 1961 and published in “Presbyterian Life”. Dr. Runia asks a very pertinent question. If this survey had been conducted in a Reformed Church back then, would the results have been any different?Continue reading “A Survey To Make You Think”

Is It Really So Important To Go To Church Every Sunday?

K. Runia. Trowel & Sword. October 1961. Preamble: Prof. Runia begins this article by quoting statistics on the church attendance of all Australians in 1961. If these numbers were repeated in 2024 churches would be packed to overflowing and we would be living in a very different country today. Sadly, this is not the caseContinue reading “Is It Really So Important To Go To Church Every Sunday?”

My Culture – Right Or Wrong

Henk DeWaard. Trowel & Sword. June 1979. Preamble: When we think “missionary” we tend to think of men and women going off to far away places like Africa, Asia or perhaps the Pacific region to spread the gospel message to people who may have never heard it before. When Henk Points out that, “Most mission workContinue reading “My Culture – Right Or Wrong”