Rev. John Westerdorp. Trowel & Sword, April 1996 Preamble: On reading this article from John Westendorp the thought struck me, have we learned anything in the last thirty years? Worse still, are we going backwards? Have you come across any Reformed recluses lately; or Reformed church surfers, looking for that perfect church just as aContinue reading “At home With One Another In The Church”
Category Archives: Church Life
Living By Faith
Rev. Don Baird, Trowel & Sword, April 1996 Preamble: This short article by Don Baird would seem to be stating the obvious to a Reformed Christian. Salvation is by faith alone. This seems straight forward enough, but Don takes it one step further. Faith in what? Faith in God? Read on to see where DonContinue reading “Living By Faith”
Calvinism And 1959
Prof. K. Runia. Trowel & Sword, April 1959 Preamble: It seems somewhat ironic that while we worship an unchanging and unchangeable God, Christians, including Reformed Christians, are constantly trying to change the church and themselves on the pretext of “keeping up with the times”. Last week our post looked at whether we should be callingContinue reading “Calvinism And 1959”
“Calvinist” or “Christian”
Rev. Ray O. Zorn. Trowel & Sword, March 1975 Preamble: What’s in a name? This could well be considered a subtitle to this week’s post. In the early days of the Reformed Church, its leaders went to great lengths to proclaim to its members and indeed to the world that here was a church whichContinue reading ““Calvinist” or “Christian””
Reformed Church or Ref. Ghetto (2)
Rev. W. Vanderkolk. Trowel & Sword, Jan./Feb. 1965 Preamble: Following on from the previous article Rev. Vanderkolk presents us with some suggestions on how to avoid becoming a “Reformed Ghetto”. It is worth remembering that these articles were written sixty years ago so perhaps the suggestion of working among Dutch migrants may not be asContinue reading “Reformed Church or Ref. Ghetto (2)”
The Beauty Of God’s House – A Few Small Points
Trowel & Sword. A.I. De Graaf, October/November 1964 Preamble: In this article, published over two months, Rev. de Graaf sets out to clarify what may be regarded as two of the lesser, albeit solemn “traditions” of the worship service of the day. It may well be that some churches today no longer even follow theseContinue reading “The Beauty Of God’s House – A Few Small Points”
The Place of Preaching in the Church Part 4
Rev. Martin Geluk. Trowel and Sword, July 1995. Preamble: In this, the final instalment of “The Place of Preaching in the Church”, Martin ties all four parts together with conclusions that should be compulsory reading for all RTC students, all ministers, all elders and every CRCA member sitting in the pews; and in truth, everyContinue reading “The Place of Preaching in the Church Part 4”
The Place of Preaching in the Church Part 3
Rev. Martin Geluk. Trowel and Sword, July 1995. Preamble: Rev. Geluk continues speaking to us in his four part discourse on the place of preaching in the church. After summarising the purpose of the first two articles he now goes on to show why: “The church must resist human substitutes for God-ordained preaching,” and inContinue reading “The Place of Preaching in the Church Part 3”
The Place of Preaching in the Church Part 1
Preamble: It has been 10 years since Martin Geluk was called into the presence of the Lord. But he left behind a legacy in the hearts and minds of the congregations he served throughout his ministry, (Geelong being one of those congregations), as well as through his contributions to Trowel and Sword. For the nextContinue reading “The Place of Preaching in the Church Part 1”
How Are Things With Your Sunday School?
Rev. K. Warren, Trowel & Sword, September 1968 Preamble: In this article Rev. Warren took some time to outline what other churches were doing with their Sunday Schools, with a particular focus on what was then the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches before they amalgamated to form the Uniting Church. One can confidently say thatContinue reading “How Are Things With Your Sunday School?”
T&S Revisited 