New Zealand Elders Conference Labour Weekend 1984

Jack E. de Graaf. Trowel & Sword. Jan/Feb 1985 Preamble: In 1995 Rev. John Westendorp looked back through old Trowel & Sword magazines to see what had been written about back then. Ten years earlier T&S reported on a New Zealand Elders conference and the wide variety of topics discussed make for interesting reading. ItContinue reading “New Zealand Elders Conference Labour Weekend 1984”

Let’s Keep Our Sunday Evening Worship

Paul H. Alexander. Trowel & Sword. Sept.1999 Preamble: Following on from last week’s article – “Why Do We Need To Go To Church Twice? – we take a further look at the current trend towards one service per Sunday for most churches. Is this an adequate response in showing gratitude through worship to God forContinue reading “Let’s Keep Our Sunday Evening Worship”

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?”

Why Do The Churches In The West Decline?

Trowel & Sword. Dr. K. Runia. April 1971 Preamble: The decline of the Christian Church in the West has been the subject of many articles in Trowel and Sword as well as other Christian magazines and books over the years, both before and after this particular article by Dr. Runia. Despite his optimism that thisContinue reading “Why Do The Churches In The West Decline?”

What About The Pew Sitter (2)

Kieth V. Warren. Trowel & Sword. June 1981 Preamble: This is part two of last weeks article. What About The Pew Sitter (2) I read a story the other day of a theological student who had been asked to take a service somewhere. When he stepped into the pulpit a neatly lettered sign caught hisContinue reading “What About The Pew Sitter (2)”

What About The Pew-Sitter?

Kieth v. Warren. Trowel & Sword. May 1981 Preamble: Forty-four years have passed since Kieth Warren wrote this, the first of two articles on preaching. Has anything changed? We can confidently predict that there will be many sitting in the pews today who would answer “NO” to this question. Perhaps after this article was writtenContinue reading “What About The Pew-Sitter?”

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”

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”

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”