The issue of big churches keeps coming up. From time to time we are reminded that big congregations are not always a good thing. Although it can feel good to be part of a big crowd, the danger is that we become ‘reclusive’. We have all that we need in our own circles, we have… Continue reading Big: Good or Bad?
‘What is truth?’ These words from Pontius Pilate, quoted in the Bible in John 18:38, are the summary of what this article is about. However, the words of Pilate can be interpreted and used in different ways. Pilate used it to express his skepticism. Jesus Christ, standing before Pontius Pilate, his judge, responded to a… Continue reading The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
This week’s Bible Study is ready and online. This is the link to the video. The outline in PDF format is available here. Bible Study Revelation 5 The scroll in God’s right hand: God’s right hand : His power. (Ex. 15:6,12; Ps. 44:4, 63:9, 118:15, Is 48:13). The scroll: Ezekiel 2:9 : also written on front and… Continue reading Bible Study Revelation 5
The Reformed News Website just started publishing daily meditations. On the 7th of June the first one was published, on Genesis 1:1. Every week, from Monday to Saturday, we hope to publish a new meditation, every morning. The meditations are short. The format is: Reading – Short Meditation – Key Text – Question. We are… Continue reading New: Daily Meditations
Australia’s Attorney-General Christian Porter is currently bringing before the Australian parliament two bills that are very important and necessary for our nation’s safety, sovereignty and future. Both bills, that target activities by China and other foreign states, are designed to strengthen Australia’s counter foreign-interference and espionage apparatus. On 8 June 2018 “The Australian” reported that… Continue reading Chinese threat to Australia
On the 18th of June, the Synod of the Free Reformed Churches of Australia will convene. This synod will have to deal with the report of the deputies for relations with our Dutch sister churches. This report has received quite some attention in our churches. Of course, this also leads to the inevitable situation in… Continue reading How do we read the Bible?
Our Reformed News Website has added a new section to our website. This one is called ‘Christians in Academia’. In this section we will publish articles about how Christians can give a good testimony while working or studying in the academic world. It is in universities where Satan works hard to win the future leaders… Continue reading Christians in Academia
The attempt by churches to make themselves more acceptable to the world and to attract more members has led to a decline in those churches. We’ve seen a warning example of this in the Netherlands in the RCN (GKv). The following article by Christopher J Gordon [i]shows how this attempt to be more accommodating to… Continue reading The Burning of the Wooden Shoes – Christopher J. Gordon
In several countries, states, provinces over the world, assisted-dying laws have been adopted and implemented. Those resisting the adoption of these laws often warned that the availability of the option of euthanasia / assisted-dying would put pressure on those who are terminally ill to choose this option. This appears to be happening now in a… Continue reading Assisted-Dying laws incentive for insurance companies to deny coverage
Recently the USA’s Embassy in Israel moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This led to massive protests from the Palestinians. Dozens were killed. Many more wounded. What was the problem? West Jerusalem has always been Israeli territory since its independence in 1948. The USA did not move their embassy to the eastern part of Jerusalem,… Continue reading What to think of Jerusalem?
Last week, the ABC ran an article about the Community Development Programme (DCP) of the Australian government. In that article it reported that many people who received funds under this program were slugged with fines for not completing all the jobs and activities required for which they received funding. Around 35,000 people are supported by… Continue reading How to help those in need
The website www.visualcapitalist.com publishes from time to time nicely done graphics to present statistics in an attractive way. Recently it published a graphic that makes the growth of the world population visible, and how it is divided over the continents. It is an animated graphic which leads you through the years from 1950 to 2100.… Continue reading World Population to reach 11.2 Billion in 2100
Every so often you can read ‘prophecies’ about the end of the world. Often these ‘prophets’ claim to have a special kind of revelation through which they are able to understand the Bible better than anyone else, even better than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 24:36-44; Mark 13:32-37). The Rapture Now again, there is… Continue reading 23 April: The End of the World?
Three well known leaders within Christianity were in the news recently. Two because of their passing away from this earthly life, one because of his resignation as leader of a well known mega church: Billy Graham, R.C. Sproul, and Bill Hybels. Billy Graham Billy Graham is a world renown evangelist. In February, we published a… Continue reading About Bill, Billy and R.C.
What makes the church grow? In the New Testament we read that in the first days and years after Pentecost the church grew rapidly. The first days it was about thousands who were added to the Christian congregation in Jerusalem. When through persecution the church was scattered over the surrounding areas, those who fled, took… Continue reading Why Christianity doesn’t grow in Western countries
New controls Early this year the Chinese government implemented new laws and regulations to tighten its control over the nation. The government says it wants to stop religious extremism, unrest, disturbances and violence. However, the regime wants to control religion, curb challenges to its authority and muzzle criticism. All churches, sects and faith groups… Continue reading Chinese Government applies the blow torch
Sir Charles Dilke [1843-1911] commented once that false statements can be arranged according to their degree under three heads, fibs, lies, and statistics. Mark Twain used a stronger word, when he wrote his now famous quote, which I will not repeat here. What is clear in these statements is, that people can lie out of… Continue reading Lies and Statistics
Almost each week the principal of the John Calvin Christian College publishes a little message that gives parents and the school community something to ponder on. To provide more lasting value to these ‘gems’ and make them easily accessible, we are publishing them here. Please note that they may be slightly edited to make them… Continue reading The Latest Gems – From John Calvin Christian College
With sadness we see our Dutch sister churches going into a direction which leads away from the truly Reformed heritage. Last year we remembered that five hundred years ago the church under God’s grace returned to the Bible. One of the important issues in the time of the Reformation was the authority of the Bible.… Continue reading Are we following the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands?
The pope is doing a deal with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In March, the Roman Catholic Church will give the Communist Party the power to appoint bishops in China. Just what the pope’s hope is remains unclear but what is clear is that here we have the false church in league with communism, a… Continue reading Prophecy and the Pope’s Deal with China
