Honoring the Sabbath? Calvin College weighs opening library on Sundays | MLive.com

Honoring the Sabbath? Calvin College weighs opening library on Sundays | MLive.com.

Also making the news in the past week was Calvin College, which is debating the opening of their library on the Lord’s Day, at least in the afternoon.

At first I was surprised that this was even an issue, assuming that Calvin had long ago opened up its library for student use on Sundays. So, on the one hand, it was encouraging to know they had not yet taken this step. On the other hand, we well know where this “careful study” of issues usually ends up in the CRC – on the side of the progressives who want to change nearly all the “old paths”.

Yet, I can appreciate the complicated issues involved with making a decision like this too. I copied this article and put it out in our own library last week, so that we could discuss it here too. Not that we would open the Seminary library on Sunday. But that we would carefully think through the reasons why Calvin – and we – would not take this step. So, what would you give as reasons not to open a Christian college library on Sunday? Or a Seminary library? I would also be interested in your thoughts.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Calvin College is weighing whether to open Hekman Library on Sundays, a decision that President Michael Le Roy said is symbolic of the Christian liberal arts school’s “current understanding of Sabbath,”according to the student newspaper, Chimes.

A college committee has recommended opening “the library from 1 to 5 p.m.” on Sundays, but Le Roy wants more time to study and review the proposal, according to Chimes.

“The decision ends up being really symbolic for the college and our current understanding of Sabbath,” Le Roy told the newspaper. “It’s complex and I want to have more conversation about it.”

Baker Publishing Group Celebrates 75 Years

West Michigan Christian News – Baker Publishing Group Celebrates 75 Years.

My last few times in Baker Book Store in Grand Rapids reminded me that the Baker family of publishing is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. And when this news item appeared on West Michigan Christian News email today, I thought it was a good time to highlight their story and this event.

Baker recently remodeled their only store and it is a gem! Their new book section is beautiful and comes with all the modern amenities today’s readers and browsers want (cafe, casual sitting spots, wifi, etc.). Plus they have preserved their used book section, which remains large and plentiful. They always have a large discounted section on their new titles, which you don’t want to miss either.

When it comes to browsing and buying Christian books/music, etc. today, it is hard to beat the Baker experience. And I have learned that while browsing for bargains online is good to do from time to time, nothing beats the experience of visiting, browsing and supporting your real, local bookstore.

Here is a part of the Baker story, as reported by Ann Byle (who has also written a book on it – see image to the right); read the rest at the WMC News link above.

Grand Rapids-based Baker Publishing Group is celebrating its 75^th anniversary in April, a major milestone for the family-owned business that began with a small bookstore on Wealthy Street and is now one of the best-known Christian book publishers.

“Our vision to serve the needs of the church has remained unchanged from the beginning,” said Dwight Baker, CEO and president of Baker Publishing Group. “From my grandfather Herman Baker to my father Rich Baker and to me, that vision guides us as we continue to watch for opportunities to serve the church.”

Back to the beginning

Herman Baker was 14 when he and his family emigrated from the Netherlands. The oldest son of Ricco (Richard) and Jenny Kregel Baker quickly found part-time work in the bookstore owned by his uncle, Louis Kregel. Baker’s work in that small Christian bookstore fueled his dream to start his own.

Herman Baker opened Baker Book House in 1939 at 1019 Wealthy St. He paid $18 a month rent and put his 500 used books on homemade shelves. By 1949, Baker Book House was among the largest distributors of new and used religious books in the U.S. and around the world. Orders came from as far away as Korea, South Africa and Hungary, as well as from the next block.

Baker ventured into publishing just a year after opening the store, in 1940 publishing “More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation” by Calvin Seminary professor Dr. William Hendriksen. That book is still in print today.

Turning a New Page: An Interview with Allan Fisher

Turning a New Page: An Interview with Allan Fisher by Allan Fisher | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

This is the second article I told you I wanted to reference on my blog today. When I initially looked at the interview feature in the March Tabletalk, I was not all that excited. “Who in the world is Allan Fisher?”, I thought. But a quick glance at Ligonier’s “bio” (see below) on this Reformed man told me he had been involved in book publishing for many years, and I was immediately drawn in to this interview!

There are several fascinating parts to this man’s life and conversation here that I would like to post. So starting today you will be introduced to this interesting man and the world of books in which he lived and served (and still does!). You will discover that he even has a Grand Rapids, MI book publishing connection. Read on, fellow readers and book lovers!

And, by the way, notice the early influences on his life that encouraged him to read, as well as edit books!

Tabletalk: How did God call you to the vocation of book editing and publishing?

Allan Fisher: God called me to Christian publishing in a variety of ways, only a few of which I will mention here. Through an excellent fourth-grade teacher, I first became a serious reader. During ninth grade I became confident of my God-given academic abilities. Through my new stepfather the following year, I was introduced to an extensive personal library and taken to bookstores, new and used. During my senior year of high school I came to Christ and became a student of the Bible. A college professor worked through my senior thesis with me line by line, resulting in numerous and extensive revisions that opened my eyes to the beauty of the editorial craft. In seminary, assigned to write a book review, I pointed out how an editor could have greatly improved the book. The professor didn’t appreciate this approach, preferring that I focus more on the book’s substance, but my eyes had been opened yet further.

After seminary, God kindly led me away from other, more typical callings for seminary grads and guided me into Christian publishing. This proved to be the perfect fit for my personality, gifts, and interests, and it put to full use my undergraduate degree in religion and my master of divinity degree. I will be forever grateful to God for allowing me to devote forty years to an endeavor so worthwhile and satisfying.

TT: What are some highlights of your career in Christian publishing?

AF: The highlights are many: I was mentored for more than fifteen years by Herman Baker, founder and president of Baker Book House and a wonderful Christian gentleman and mentor. During my last eight years at Crossway, I’ve been privileged to work for President Lane Dennis, a most remarkable publisher and a devoted follower of Christ. Another highlight has been a twenty-year association with R.C. Sproul, as well as the opportunity to publish John Gerstner, who taughtR.C. at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and me at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Publishing ground-breaking works by Richard Muller will always stand out in my memory, as will collaborating with him and others in the Dutch Reformed Translation Society to lay the groundwork for the publication in English of Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics. Crossway is also releasing a new book by David Wells that, by God’s grace, will also have a positive impact for the Reformed faith. I could go on. God has been most gracious to me over the years.

Allan Fisher served as Crossway’s book publisher for the last eight years and as senior vice president and publisher for books before retiring this year. He spent nearly forty years in publishing, beginning at Baker Publisher Group and serving there as director of publications. He held the same position at Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing for five years. He continues to work part-time at Crossway on special projects and in an advisory capacity. He is a member of Bethel Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Wheaton, Ill.

John Knox – Sinclair Ferguson & For the Glory of God – R.C.Sproul

John Knox by Sinclair Ferguson | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

As was pointed out last Monday, this month’s Tabletalk is devoted to “John Knox and the Scottish Reformation”. Dr.Sinclair B.Ferguson writes the second main feature article in this issue, with the focus simply on Knox himself. You may find his full article “John Knox” online here, and I certainly encourage you to read his fine description of Knox the Reformer.

But there are two other articles I would like to reference on my blog today. The first is Dr.R.C.Sproul, Sr.’s lead article “For the Glory of God”. In this article Sproul points out that of the five solas of the Reformation the last one is the most important – Sola Deo Gloria: To God alone belongs the glory. The other four serve to preserve this one, he writes. From here he goes on to show why the glory of God is so important.

At the end of this article Sproul makes some points that I thought were excellent for our Sunday worship, as well as for our daily witness in this world. I post them here in the hope that they also serve to drive home to us a basic but an all-important truth.

Every day in America, we hear one of the great pernicious lies about God, namely, that we all worship the same god. We are told that whatever we call him or it—Allah or Yahweh or Tao or Buddha—it doesn’t matter. We all worship the same thing. To that I reply, “No, we don’t.” The scary part about religion in general is that it underscores man’s guilt before God, but then goes on to create ineffective solutions to this guilt. The impetus for creating alternatives to the religion that God reveals in nature and in Scripture is idolatry. But even if we boldly confess this truth, we must be on guard against idolatry even within the Christian community. Because we are fallen creatures, we can be religious and be idolaters at the same time. All of us can remake God in our own image, downplaying or ignoring those aspects of His character we do not like. If we do that, we are withholding the glory that belongs to God alone.

The whole goal of our salvation is to bring us to a place where we worship God and we honor Him as God. The great danger is that we make ourselves the center of concern, and we steal the glory of God. In all that we do, the driving passion of the Christian must always be Soli Deo Gloria, to God alone be the glory. And the only way for this passion to be realized is to honor God as God, to understand Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word and not according to the mere opinions of fallen creatures.

J.Calvin on Psalm 131: “All the senses…, were subjected to the restraints of humility.”

For our further reflection on Psalm 131 today, we include these comments of John Calvin on v.1. May they also point us to the way of humility of heart before God, whether we are in worship of Him or in the service of our daily callings.

1. O Jehovah! My heart has not been elated

David had been made head over God’s people, and in order to prove that he was their lawful prince, entitled to the allegiance of the faithful, he is desirous to show that he had not been influenced, in anything which he had attempted, by ambition or pride, but had submitted himself with a quiet and humble spirit to the divine disposal.

In this he teaches us a very useful lesson, and one by which we should be ruled in life — to be contented with the lot which God has marked out for us, to consider what he calls us to, and not to aim at fashioning our own lot, to be moderate in our desires, to avoid entering upon rash undertakings, and to confine ourselves cheerfully within our own sphere, instead of attempting great things.

He denies that his heart had been lifted up, for this is the true cause of all unwarranted rashness and presumption in conduct. Is not pride what leads men, under the instigation of their passions, to dare such presumptuous flights, to hurry on recklessly in their course, and throw the whole world into confusion? Were this loftiness of spirit checked, the consequence would be, that all men would study moderation of conduct. His eyes were not lifted up; there were no symptoms of pride in his looks or gestures, as elsewhere (Psalm 18:28) we find proud looks condemned.

Something more than this, however, may be intended: That while he put a restraint upon the risings of ambition in his heart, he was careful that his eyes should not lend their assistance to the heart in any covetous aspirations after greatness. All the senses, in short, as well as his heart, were subjected to the restraints of humility.

Sunday Worship Preparation – Psalm 131

Today for our worship preparation we take a look at the brief but important Psalm 131, the twelfth of the “songs of ascent”. These were the psalms sung by the children of Israel as they journeyed to the special seasons of worship in Jerusalem throughout the year. From this point of view we could also call them “pilgrim psalms”.

As such, they are also our songs as NT Christians. For we belong to the Jerusalem from above, the “mother of us all” (Gal.4:26), and we are “come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, …To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, …And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant…” (Heb.12:22-24). With joy and thanksgiving we “go up” to our God each Lord’s Day to praise and glorify Him through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today we are called to do so again. And we do so using Psalm 131 as our guide. This precious psalm is attributed to the “sweet psalmist” of Israel, king David. Which means that, because David was a type of Christ as king of the church, Christ our sovereign, saving King leads us in worship through this song too.  Let us hear Him sing this song:

Psalm 131

Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

3 Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.

Why is this little psalm so important? Because just as the previous psalm (130) taught us that we must come into the presence of God in worship with confession of sin and confidence in God’s redeeming and forgiving mercy in our hearts and on our lips, so Psalm 131 teaches us that we must come into His presence with humility and spiritual contentment. Our holy God requires certain attitudes and behavior from us when we worship Him. We must seek Him and stand before Him and glorify Him with the right heart and with the right conduct. For He is God, the High and lofty One, Who inhabits eternity. He does not dwell with just anyone, but with those of a contrite and humble spirit (Is.57:15). He cannot and will not be glorified by those who are not fully satisfied in Him but seek their fulfillment in themselves or in idols.

And David, knowing this to be true, wrote these words as a reminder to himself and to all the people of God that we must worship the Lord in humility of heart and with spiritual contentment in Him. Our hearts may not be “haughty”, proud and full of self. Our eyes may not be “lofty”, set on self-promotion and self-fulfillment. We come into God’s presence with hearts and eyes focused on Him, fully realizing Who He is and who we are.

Nor must we come exercising ourselves “in great matters, or in things too high” for us. This too speaks to the pride that can envelop our hearts, such that we who are especially well-grounded in the faith and knowledgeable of the Scriptures think that we can fully comprehend the God we worship. That we who have such a deep understanding of the Reformed-Christian faith have the God of our salvation all figured out and can easily wrap our minds around His majesty and greatness. That worship is a relatively light and easy thing to do, and that we really “have it down pat”. That we are not truly going to learn all that much new out of God’s Word from that experienced or youthful pastor, so we don’t really need to submit ourselves to the preaching. We are “above” all this, you see. How quickly you and I can come to worship in this proud attitude and conduct! Which is why we need to sing as we prepare and as we enter the Lord’s presence, “Jehovah God, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty.”

No, when we worship, we must behave and quiet ourselves as a little child “weaned of his mother”. Are we familiar with the longing of a young child for its mother and with the contentment that that young one finds in her when he has been filled with her love and milk? Then this must also be our longing for our Father in heaven (Who is also as a spiritual nurse to us) and our satisfaction when we come into His presence and feed on Him through His Word. Let our souls seek and find their all in the God of our salvation! Let us quiet ourselves today in worship as we seek and find our satisfaction in Him alone. Let us find true rest for our souls as we rest in the bosom of our Father through His Son. Let us behave as weaned children, content with the “milk” of God and His grace alone.

Little wonder, then, that David closed this brief psalm with this direction to the church: “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and forever.”

If you wish to meditate on this psalm through the music of the Psalter, I encourage you to make use of this versification, Ps.#366. The lyrics are posted here; the music you may find at the link provided.

1. Not haughty is my heart,
Not lofty is my pride;
I do not seek to know the things
God’s wisdom hath denied.

2. With childlike trust, O Lord,
In Thee I calmly rest,
Contented as a little child
Upon its mother’s breast.

3. Ye people of the Lord,
In Him alone confide;
From this time forth and evermore
His wisdom be your guide.

Defining Marriage – Joe Carter

Defining Marriage by Joe Carter | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

Just last night I finally finished reading all the way through my March issue of Tabletalk. The last article in that issue is the above-linked one by Joe Carter, an editor for “The Gospel Coalition”. And it is an excellent article with a clear message on the matter of how we Christians ought to respond to those who are trying to redefine marriage in our current culture.

I believe this is a great followup to my previous post. I quote a part of what Carter wrote here, but encourage you to read the rest the Ligonier link above.

Some Christians may even concede that while the state doesn’t truly have the authority to redefine marriage, we should go along with the legal fiction for the sake of the gospel witness. Although such Christians may have the best of intentions, they are actually subverting the very gospel they want to protect.

In acceding to laws that redefine marriage, they are doing the very opposite of what Jesus calls us to do: they are hating their neighbors, including their gay and lesbian neighbors. You do not love your neighbor by encouraging them to engage in actions that invoke God’s wrath (Ps. 5:4–5; Rom. 1:18). As Christians, we may be required to tolerate ungodly behavior, but the moment we begin to endorse it, we too become suppressors of the truth. You cannot love your neighbor and want to see them excluded from the kingdom of Christ (Eph. 5:5).

What is needed is for the church to have the courage to speak the truth of the gospel: we cannot love our neighbor and tolerate unrepentant rebellion against God. We cannot continue with the “go along to get along” mentality that is leading those we love to destruction. We must speak the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31) and accept the fact that those who have fallen away may not ever return. We must choose this day whom we will serve. Will we stand with the only wise God or with the foolish idol-makers of same-sex marriage?

Wheaton Students Protest ‘Train Wreck Conversion’ Speaker’s Ex-Gay Testimony – ChristianityToday.com

Wheaton Students Protest ‘Train Wreck Conversion’ Speaker’s Ex-Gay Testimony | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com.

One of the hottest and most serious debates that continues in force in Evangelical circles at present is that relating to homosexuality. We are well-aware of (or should be!) what the unbelieving world world is pressing the church and the Christian community to do on this issue. And we also know how so many Christians and churches have caved in to this pressure and abandoned the clear testimony of Scripture on this sin. And the debate keeps getting closer and closer to us.

A week ago I pointed you to a powerful piece that Rosario C. Butterfield wrote as a followup to a chapel speech she recently gave at Wheaton College. She was responding to protesters who showed up to object to her views following her conversion from the homosexual lifestyle.

Christianity Today also reported on this protest and on the current debate among Evangelicals at present. It is worth your while to hear and see what is going on on Christian campuses today, because our own students are being exposed to these opposing views. And while homosexual supporters remain a minority, they are a very vocal minority, as you know.

Here is part of CT’s report; find all of it at the link above.

A recent student demonstration over a Wheaton College chapel speaker’s testimony on her religious and sexual conversion is the latest marker in the long-running debate over the way evangelical colleges approach sexual identity.

The protest focused on the personal testimony [listen/watch here] of a former leftist lesbian professor whose train-wreck conversion [CT's No. 2 most-read article of 2013] led her to become a pastor’s wife and Christian author.

Students Justin Massey and Jordan-Ashley Barney organized “More Than a Single Story,” the January 31 demonstration where Wheaton students sat on the steps of Edman Chapel and held signs that said “We’re all loved by God,” “This is not a protest,” and “I’m gay and a beloved child of God,” reports The Wheaton Record.

PRC Archives – More Fun from the 50th Anniversary Celebration, 1975

Last Friday we posted two new pictures from the PRC archives – a famous quartet and a famous song leader. And as I anticipated, it did not take long for these new photos to be identified. A couple of gals and a fella with ties to the group guessed the “Schip-stra” quartet and Mr.Ed Ophoff, Sr. correctly (See the comment section under that post). The quartet consisted of (from l-r) Paul Schipper, Ken Schipper, Gerald Feenstra, and Jim Schipper.

If you were around in the 70s and 80s (and before and beyond!), you were well-familiar with the great harmony of the “Schip-stras”! And who can forget the spirited singspiration leading of Mr.Ophoff?! How many pre-convention singspirations didn’t he do – even not so long ago (it seems)?! Thank you men, for using your gifts in such a wonderful, inspirational way in our churches for so many years! As one gal said, “Thanks for the walk through memory lane!” As always, it is my pleasure.

But we did not yet answer the question, where were these pictures taken? MaryLou (Hoekstra) Vermeer guessed the 50th anniversary of our churches – and she was correct! She also remembered that this particular day was at a park in Byron Center – Douglas Walker Park on 84th St. to be exact. The date was August 5-7, 1975 (Wednesday, Aug.6 was the day at the park), and I have posted a few items from this part of our PRC history in the archives page of our website. Go here and scroll down to the 50th anniversary section to find more of these historical items.

But for a little more “Friday Fun” today, we want to add a few more pictures from this anniversary event. I scanned a few more pictures – all from the DW Park day (most of the anniversary celebration was held at Calvin College, where the YP’s Convention was also held that year). Perhaps these shots too will bring back some memories (Click on the pics to enlarge them.). Feel free to comment on people you see in these shots – that’s always of benefit to others. Enjoy! By the way, these pictures too were taken by Mr. Seymour Beiboer, a member of First PRC, Grand Rapids (He put together quite an album of this event!).

Who is the man to the left of Mr.Ed Ophoff, Sr. on the back of the truck? And who’s truck was this? And can we identify any of these girls? I would love to know who they are!

There are a few PRC ministers in this top photo – recognize any of these men? And who about from the games picture – see any kids you recognize?

I think we know who the speaker on the right is. What I want to know is, who is the trumpet player on the left? And where can we shop to find pants and suit coats like this anymore?! I think I know – Thrift stores! Books and bell bottoms – what a combo!

The Libraries of Great Men: Theodore Roosevelt’s Reading List | The Art of Manliness

The Libraries of Great Men: Theodore Roosevelt’s Reading List | The Art of Manliness.

As part of its new series on the “Libraries of Great Men”, the “Art of Manliness” began (posted Feb.4, 2014) with Teddy Roosevelt (a Dutchman no less!). Pres.Roosevelt was a avid reader (“readers are leaders”!) and had an incredible library of classics and contemporary works.

I believe you will find this post interesting and inspirational, and I hope it encourages you too – men, women, and children! – to be(come?) a “rabid reader”. You will also find his suggested reading list (to a friend) rather challenging too!

Here’s the part introducing “TR”; find the rest of the post at the link above.

Who better to start with than our revered Theodore Roosevelt? We’ve covered his tenacity, his physical strength, his childhood, his integrity – … we even have a poster of one of his most famous quotes in the AoM store. He was an influential man to be sure, but who influenced Mr. Roosevelt? What did he read in his spare time? What did he pick up from his library over and over again? I recently stumbled across a letter he wrote to a friend who had asked for book recommendations. Not able to restrain himself, Roosevelt listed over 100 works – and those were only the ones he could remember reading from the previous two years!

“A book must be interesting to the particular reader at that particular time.” ~TR

TR was quite famously a rabid reader. He would read a book before breakfast, and another two or three in the evening. It’s estimated he read tens of thousands of books in his lifetime, many of them in other languages. (If you’re asking how this is possible, he was also famously a speed reader. Lucky for you, we’ve written about how to speed read like TR.)

Another key to the vast number of books Roosevelt was able to devour in his lifetime was his remarkable power of concentration. As one biographer wrote, “his occupation for the moment was to the exclusion of everything else; if he were reading, the house might fall about his head, he could not be diverted.” When riding a train on presidential business, he’d sit completely absorbed in his books, disengage to have brief conversations with the delegations that came through his car, and then immediately lose himself once more in the pages before him. Whenever he was reading, he gave off the impression to observers that he was in a completely other world, “as if alone by a camp fire in some deep forest.