Contents
To the Ends of the Earth: Uruguay
by Douglas B. Clawson
Teaching Sunday School Teachers
by Dorothy Wingard
God's Grace to the Baatz Family
by Brian L. De Jong
by Pat Clawson
by "Uncle Glen"
Helps for Worship #29: The Sermon (Part 3)
by William Shishko
by Douglas B. Clawson
Jesus could have remained at one place in Galilee for a long time, if the only factor was the desire of the people to keep him there (Luke 4:42). But that wasn't the only factor. He had to take the gospel to the other towns of Galilee and Judea because he came into this world to seek and to save the lost (Luke 4:43; 19:10). Paul was forbidden by God to take the gospel to certain places at certain times (Acts 16:6–7; cf. 19:10), yet he stayed to preach in other places for various lengths of time (Thessalonica for three SabbathsActs 17:2; Corinth for one and a half yearsActs 18:11; Ephesus for two yearsActs 19:10). Finally he concluded that he no longer had any room for work in the regions where he had been (Rom. 15:23). This in turn inspired in him the desire to take the gospel to Spain with the help of the church in Rome (Rom. 15:24). Coldness to the gospel (Luke 10:10–11) and persecution (Acts 8:1) weren't the only reasons for taking the gospel to other places. Jesus' disciples ... Read more
by Dorothy Wingard
Editor's note: Brian and Dorothy Wingard are temporarily assigned to the OPC Uganda Mission (where they once labored), pending an opportunity to resume their work in Eritrea. Things in this part of the world usually don't start on time. Weddings are a good example. They are all scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., but 11:00 a.m. is about the earliest we've seen one start, and one even started at dusk! So you can imagine our surprise when we arrived early at a Sunday school seminar that we had organized and found the room more than half full of participants! In fact, they were already enjoying tea, bananas, and bread. Eventually more participants came than the maximum for which we had planned. Even tiny, struggling churches in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Uganda were represented by a pastor and two teachers, as recommended. We had suggested that each church select a teacher and an alternate who would be both a substitute and a helper during each class, especially to deal with the problems of the ... Read more
by Brian L. De Jong
In God's providence, Dr. Lynn Baatz moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to head up the cancer treatment center at the local hospital. She became acquainted with Dr. Don Schlernitzauer, an eye doctor who is also a ruling elder at Grace OPC in nearby Sheboygan. At Don's invitation, Lynn began attending Grace, and she soon discovered her church home. She has been an enthusiastic member since April 2004. Lynn's parents and sister Sandy, meanwhile, were living in the Milwaukee area. At Lynn's urging, Sandy began attending Falls OPC in Menominee Falls. There she learned the Reformed faith in Pastor Ben Snodgrass's membership classes. Meanwhile, Lynn's parents, Don and Jackie, were suffering from failing health. They had not been able to attend church services for some years, yet they greatly appreciated the spiritual care extended to them by Pastor Snodgrass. Due to their parents' needs, Lynn and Sandy moved them to Manitowoc. Sandy also relocated, finding work in an area hospital. Sandy began attending Grace ... Read more
by Pat Clawson
Here is a listing of all summer camps and conferences for 2008 sponsored by Orthodox Presbyterian presbyteries or churches or having OP affiliation. Find the one for you! BLUE RIDGE BIBLE CONFERENCE (Presbytery of Southern California) Pinecrest Christian Conference Center, Twin Peaks, CA Family Camp for all ages, June 16-20 Contact: Joe and Cindy LoGiudice logiuj@ca.rr.com or 562-938-7181 Register online at: blueridgebibleconference.org CAMP WESTMINSTER (Presbytery of the Midwest) Green Lake [Wis.] Conference Center All ages, August 11-15 Contact: Bill Acker Acker.1@opc.org or 920-720-5742 www.pmwopc.org CONESTOGA BIBLE CONFERENCE (OP churches in PA and nearby states) Conestoga, PA Family Conference, May 16-19 Summer Bible Conferences: Grades 6-9 & 10-12, July 28-August 2 Grades 3-5, August 25-27 Contact: 717-669-6298, 856-783-2127 or info@conestogabibleconference.org www.conestogabibleconference.org ... Read more
by "Uncle Glen"
Dear James, It was good to see you and talk with you last Sunday evening during your visit home. I am sorry we didn't have more time to talk after church. You brought up a good question that has had me thinking all this week. Although your question deserves more of a response than I could give in your presence, I understand it wasn't so pressing as to keep you from socializing with your friends at the Millses' home. The spread that Debbie's mom provides after the evening service has certainly had my mouth watering when I've had to attend an impromptu session meeting to interview potential church members before going to the Millses. Your question, as I understand it, is this: why doesn't our denomination commit more time and resources to evangelism? I presume the "spiritual emphasis" week at college brought a number of speakers to campus who are conducting fairly impressive forms of outreach. It's funny that you used the word impact in reference to evangelism. That was the word we also heard when I ... Read more
by William Shishko
Take heed how you hear. (Luke 8:18) In preaching, Christ the King speaks to us and changes us by his Word and Spirit. As we keep in mind the exalted place of preaching, and what we are to listen for in preaching, we must not forget that how we hear the Word of God preached is of eternal importance. James 1:22–25 warns us: Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. The Westminster Larger Catechism (Q. 160) gives a helpful summary of how we are meant to hear the preaching of God's Word: Q. What is required of those who hear the Word preached? A. It is required of those who hear the Word preached, that they ... Read more
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