CHURCH NEWS

Calls Declined:

To Nigeria, Africa by Rev. J.R. Beeke of Franklin Lakes Congregation.

To Soest, the Netherlands, by Rev. M. Heerschap of Lethbridge Alberta, Canada.

The new address of the treasurer of the General Mission Board is:

John Spaans

2910 Appleleaf N.E.

Grand Rapids, MI 49505

EVANGELIST ELDER FOR DENVER, COLORADO

Upon request of the editorial committee, I gladly take this opportunity to communicate to our Banner of Truth readers a few details of what is involved in the historic decision of Classis East on August 15, 1984 to accept Bartel Elshout as evangelist elder to work on a one year trial basis in the Denver, Colorado area.

Since 1980 the Mission Board has felt a need to attempt to fulfil in some measure the mandate Christ has laid down for His church to bring the gospel by means of an evangelist to one or more prime areas in North American cities where we lack established congregations. In the past decades we have fallen woefully short in this calling, due in large part to the scarcity of our ministers. Consequently, Classis West brought this matter to 1980 Synod, which point and decision reads as follows (p. 8, Acta 1980):

Classis requests a Synodical discussion concerning the possibility of appointing an evangelist(s) upon classical authority as is done in the Netherlands, should the respective classis feel such an appointment be with the approval of the Lord.

Synod accepted this point with one addition, deciding as follows: In the event that a member should feel called to evangelistic work such a member must be appointed to this work only with the permission of classis who shall ask the deputies of article 49 to be present to give their advice. If the respective classis should feel such an appointment be with the approval of the Lord the brother who applied for such work shall labor under classical jurisdiction and authority.

After Rev. A.M. DenBoer had made an initial visit to several former baptized and professing members in the Denver, Colorado area, the Mission Board requested Elder Bartel Elshout to labor in this vicinity for several weeks during the summer of 1984 to see what the Lord might do. With God’s help, Brother Elshout fulfilled this request, and while laboring there feit that the Lord was ir-resistibly calling him away from his labors as prin-cipal and elder in the Franklin Lakes school and congregation to work in the Denver area as an evangelist elder. Particularly, he experienced divine applica-tion of the Word of God: “Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5). After a great deal of personal struggle, the Lord wooed him for this task, making him willing to follow this call.

Upon returning from Denver, Brother Elshout appeared before our consistory, which in turn gave him freedom to appear before Classis East on August 15, for which deputies of article 49 were also asked to be present. After hearing Brother Elshout explain how he may believe the Lord has led him personally, and particularly with respect to being called to labor in an evangelist capacity in Colorado, Classis voted by a large majority to affirm this calling as being one of God. Under Mission Board supervision, and as an evangelist elder sent forth from the Franklin Lakes congregation, Classis East mandated Mr. Elshout to labor in this new field for one year, at which time it will be ascertained as to whether the Lord is com-manding and adding His blessing. It is the wish and prayer of Classis East that this evangelistic endeavor may be richly blessed to the glory of God’s Name, the ingathering and extension of His king-dom, and to the growth in grace of His scattered but chosen remnant. In this spirit we called Mr. Elshout back into our gathering, informed him of the weighty decision, and sung together standing, Psalter 345, stanza 1, with the wish that the Lord might richly fulfil its contents in his personal and family life, as well as in his work as evangelist.

Presently, it appears that Mr. Elshout will move with his wife and son to the Denver area, D.V., near the end of October. He will then take up evangeüstic work of the eldership, will include speaking an edify-ing word to those who gather for Sunday worship, and a door-to-door ministry to speak to sinners of the one thing needful — to be bom again and be brought into a personal and saving relationship with the holy and gracious Triune Jehovah.

As our denomination attempts to open a new field of labor, may we be bound together at God’s throne of grace. Remember the Elshout family in prayer; ask that the Word may be found fruitful. Pray that the goal of evangelistic work may be realized and that this little group in Denver may be built into an established congregation that bears the stamp of Divine blessing. In the future, Mr. Elshout hopes to keep in touch with us all by submitting articles regularly in our new Mission periodical, Paul. On behalf of our Mission Board, ministers, classes, and entire denomination we wish him Godspeed.

Rev. J.R. Beeke

OUR LIFE IS LIKE A CLOUD THAT COMES AND DISAPPEARS

The installation of Rev. C. Vogelaar in the congre-gation of St. Catharines took place the evening of August 16. The inaugural sermon was preached by the newly installed minister the following evening.

Just prior to our leaving Grand Rapids for the Classis, tidings were received that a member of the Grand Rapids congregation, Mrs. Carol J. Mast, nee Nordyke, passed away, after a short illness, while at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The funeral service was held on Friday the 17th. Because of previous commitments it was necessary to again return to St. Catharines to officiate at a marriage ceremony on Saturday afternoon. After the marriage, having been invited to preach in New Jersey, we had to make haste to get there that evening. We were priveleged to preach both at the Clif-ton and Franklin Lakes congregations.

While it was our intention to stay in the E ast un-til Wednesday, it was again seen that, “Gods ways are not our ways.” On Saturday, August 18, it pleased the Lord to remove Mr. David Stubbe from this time state. Mr. Stubbe served the congregation of Norwich, as Elder. He first became Elder while the late Rev. G. Zwerus served there and also served while Rev. L. Kieboom was minister of that congregation. It was with love that he served as Elder for a period of 17 years. Having returned to Norwich, as moderator, we officiated at the funeral service. The text used at the church service and at the intern-ment was from Eccles. 7:2. One of the sons spoke a few words on behalf of the bereaved family, which consisted of 12 children and 36 grandchildren. In the evening a service was again held in the church at which time the words taken from Job 19:28 were ex-pounded.

May the Lord strengthen the family in their be-reavement and sorrow and apply this serious warn-ing to each of us, “Set thy house in order: for thou shalt surely die, and not live” (Isa. 38:1). “We must be born again,” (John 3:3) to become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Rev w c Lamain

MR. JOHN HONCOOP

During the night of Jury 29, 1984, Mr. John Hon-coop was stricken with a heart attack, and his life was suddenly cut off. It was just 33 years ago that we officiated at his marriage in the congregation of Ottersville, which is now the congregation of Norwich. He is survived by his widow and 12 children, of which six are still living with their mother. It was a heavy blow. As the moderator, we have officiated at the funeral service, speaking from Job 14:1. For several years he was secretary of the School Board of the Norwich Christian School. He was also Chair-man of the board of directors of the Savings Fund of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations in Canada.

Very much concern and sympathy for the bereaved family was shown, both in the church and at the cemetery. The Lord strengthen the bereaved families, and also the aged mother, who was also present. Our life is like a cloud that comes and disap-pears.

May the God of all grace teach us to make haste for our life. Rev. C.W. Lamain

ENGELSE PREKEN VERTAALD IN HET HOLLANDS

Dezer dagen zijn er 7 Engelse preken van de onder ons volk bekende leraar Joseph Irons verschenen in de Hollandse taal. Mr. J. Kooistra, onderwijzer in de Graaf Jan van Nassau School te Ede heeft deze preken in het Hollands overgezet. Die onderwijzer heeft daartoe wijsheid en lust van Boven ontvangen om dat te doen. Bij de uitgever P. Stuut in Rijssen zijn ze verschenen.

Ik denk dat er nog wel vrienden van de Waarheid zullen zijn die ze gaarne in hun bezit willen hebben. Ouderling J. De Bruine was zo vriendelijk enige bijzonderheden te vermelden uit het leven van die godzalige leraar, maar ook de vrede Gods die zijn hart vervulde toen hij dit leven mocht verlaten om in te gaan in de vreugde zijns Heeren.

Zelf heb ik er nog enige regels aan toegevoegd, geschreven voor “de Vrienden der Waarheid”, die de waarheid mogen beminnen, en dan de waarheid zoals ze is in Christus Jezus, Vrijgemaakt mogen worden, wat buiten de mens omgaat, maar in de mens wordt uitgewerkt door de Heilige Geest. Met dat doel heeft de leraar mogen prediken en ook schrijven, maar bovenal dat God in en door Zijn eigen werk God verheerlijkt zal worden.

Degenen die deze preken willen bezitten moeten schrijven met vermelding van hun adres en 10 dollars naar:

The First Netherlands Reformed Congregation

540 Crescent St., N.E.

Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Ds. Lamain

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