It was Sunday morning, and the members of Laodicea Reformed Church found their way to the pews. Eyelids were heavy and rested themselves, and many people were unable to subdue their yawns. Some, having consumed a few too many drinks the night before, quietly lamented the piercing headaches to which they had awakened. After […]
As a prospective teacher, my thoughts extend far beyond things like how I might arrange my classroom or how I might balance friendship and authority in the classroom. While these are some factors that are crucial to bring into consideration, an even greater concern of mine is the possibility of my own students becoming prey […]
There are many things that a young man who desires to be a pastor does not know. If it is God’s will that he be called to office, the young man does not know where the Lord will call him to labor. He does not know the circumstances that God may bring to his ministry […]
December 8 Read 2 Corinthians 1 Paul was not ashamed or discouraged by his sufferings, but rather he gloried in them. How could this be? He recognized that the various types of trials that we experience in this life are valuable lessons from God which serve to strengthen our faith. When we experience discomfort in […]
This issue includes the articles submitted for this year’s scholarship essay competition by those individuals who aspire to the office of teacher or pastor. The two writing prompts that each author could choose from are as follows: Dead orthodoxy is a real threat in our lives and the lives of our youth. Matthew 15:8 teaches […]
Dear Editor, I want to thank you for your answer to Jeff Andringa in the ”Letters” of the October issue of the Beacon Lights. I agree with you that the decision of Synod 2018 requires further study because differences linger in the churches. You quote a small part of the decision of synod, which reads, […]
Dear Mr. Hoekstra, From a certain perspective, my answer could be very brief. Assurance of salvation belongs to salvation itself, which is by faith alone. Therefore, to say that we enjoy assurance of our salvation by working is to say we are saved by faith and works. When we speak of our justification, namely that […]
How can I become a Christian school teacher? A Christian teacher is full of knowledge he is bursting to communicate with simple words, relatable illustrations, and practical implications. She is the paragon of nurturing stability and personal godliness. He is a mentor as well as instructor. She is a guide, an example, a molder and […]
The Christian church has been fighting for nearly two thousand years: battling heresy, writing canons, forming creeds. What more could the devil throw at us? It may not seem like it here in the United States of America, but we are under a severe attack, an attack crafted ever so slyly by our adversary the […]