Edward Tigchelaar

Jim (Vander Slik).   Thank you for your comments received Aug 16.  I enjoyed reading your input and believe you have hit on something significant with respect to teaching Seminary Students to be "Change Agents".   In order that I have the correct understanding of your statements, could you please expand on the following:  (1)  'that the pastor be proficient as a "change agent" (2) ' and that ability is difficult in the private sector where you have the power of the paycheck.'

With respect to (1) please define what  you mean by "change agent" i.e. the type of change you have in mind.  With respect to (2) I conclude you are of the opinion that being a change agent is difficult in a corporate life as it could jeopardize  one's paycheck.   Is that a correct understanding?

sincerely,

Ed Tigchelaar

I have been in lay leadership in the CRC and in one other denomination since graduating from Calvin College in 1967.  You have asked a great question with respect to how graduates of Calvin Seminary can best serve the churches they are called to.  In my own experience a congregation will become robust  when it  understands that Christians are "dead to sin but alive to Christ".   Unfortunately this is not understood and therefore not accepted by many congregants as there continues to be more emphasis in the Seminary on the life and teaching of John Calvin as opposed to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.  Secondly, almost 300 years ago one of the strongest Calvinists on the planet at the time, George Whitfield,  insisted that ministers of the gospel be "born again" for he asked " how can dead men begat living children?"  This challenge continues today.  Addressing these two issues at the Seminary will result in changes in the pew.

Harry Truman would often say:   The only thing new under the sun is the history you don't know.  He would then dig into the past to find a parallel to some problem he was facing at that time, with one country or the other.  To keep the main thing the  main thing in the churches today,  here is what David Brainerd found:  "I never got away from Jesus and Him crucified.   And I found that when my people were gripped by this great evangelical doctrine of Christ and Him crucified, I had no need to give them instructions about morality.  I found that one followed as the sure and inevitable fruit of the other".

John:   Thank you for your comments.   I agree: 'Crucified-Risen-Spirit Sent' is the right progression.   However, as you state: "in my own experience I see people struggling with morality, reverence, patience, immoral behavior", and you add: they also struggle with how to follow Christ.

In other words there is a sin issue that needs to be dealt with, for it  is impossible for one to move toward the maturity spoken of in Hebrews 5 without first dealing with the issue of sin.  And, sin can only be dealt with at the cross. Period.

To help keep the 'main thing the main thing' it may be instructive  to go back to the mid 1700's.  George Whitefield was perhaps the greatest Calvinist Evangelist the world has ever known.  One of his primary concerns was with the general practice of allowing unconverted men to enter the ministry.  The prevailing attitude at the time seemed to be:  A converted minister is best but an unconverted one cannot fail to do some good.  "In order to preach Christ aright'  George preached consistently on the absolute necessity of the need to be born again.   He said:  "The reason why congregations have been so dead is due to the fact that they have dead men preaching to them.  How can dead men beget living children?" he asked.

On one occasion, one old minister who was deeply convicted during a message by George confessed through much weeping:   " I have been a scholar, and have preached the doctrines of grace a long time, but I believe I have never felt the power of them in my soul."

Surrendering at the cross is the first step in the new or renewed life of a Christian, but how many folks simply bypass it?  The ' main thing ' can then be reduced to  the tail end thing... or anything!   Instead they proceed to struggle on to 'maturity' (more Bible studies, more church services, more prayer, more struggles to overcome the flesh) and wonder why lasting  joy, power, victory  and  fulfillment remain lacking in their 'growth process'.

Contrary to your concen that the "ongoing debate around gun violence could stigmatize those who are mentally challenged" I am of the opinion that there is no concern here at all. I believe the MacArthur Study you reference also supports that position.

However, until school boards take some concrete defensive measures (training and arming the staff is a good first step) the Sandy Hook School massacre may, unfortunately, be repeated. Protecting children in their schools against 'loners' or mentally deranged people, can be addressed in a constructive manner by first seeking and then implementing the advice provided by those personnel who are trained to protect the innocent.

The real danger to North America is not those isolated cases of mentally derganged people on a shooting rampage, but the Muslim terrorists whose stated objective is to annihilate the infidels....you, me and our Jewish brothers. Unlike Sandy Hook or Columbine, this is a concerted effort by people of a false beleif system..... and hence much more dangerous.

It will take more than "justice will be served " and other wishful thinking
to effectively address the threat Islam represents to America.

Sincerely, Ed Tigchelaar

Guns do not kill people...people kill people. How many people are killed each week in both Canada and the United States in automobile accidents, yet no one mentions or even thinks about taking those killer cars off the road.

Secondly, Harry Truman often said "the only thing new under the sun is the history you do not know". History is rife with accounts of dictatorships who first disarmed the population and then started executing them. Could that happen in North America? Do not bet on it.

Several years ago, Canada introduced a long gun registry program that was an utter failure and had to be abandoned. Only farmers and sportsmen bothered to register their guns. Not one criminal did.

The Right to Bear Arms is an important right. Hold onto it as if your life depended on it. It may one day.

Jake:

Perhaps you could tell us what it is about the responses that has caused the flood of tears. Perhaps one of us may be able to help you through it.

Larry:

If a teacher had been carrying a weapon, he/she could have saved the lives of many innocent children with one well placed shot while the shooter was putting in a new clip, regardless of whether the clip held 6 or 16 bullets.

While many folks seem to focus their attention on an inanimate object, in this case the gun, it is not the gun but the idiot holding the gun that does the killing.

Sincerely,

Ed

Larry: Background checks did nothing, nor did earlier interrogation by the FBI (2011) to stop two Boston bombers, who were described by most classmates who knew them as " quiet and respectful guys". Their father even claimed (afterward) that they were angels! If we wish to be serious about stopping the carnage( at schools for example ) three things must happen: (1) emulate all security measures Israel has in place which include profiling (2) arm the staff and/or (3) provide on site security people. In other words, take measures to stop violence by using deadly force when and where applicable. In my opinion, anything short of those measures is like applying a bandaid to a badly broken arm.

Sincerely,

Ed T

You are onto something worthwhile.   I encourage you to pursue exploring the issue(s) raised in this article 

by Paul VanderKlay!!

I applaud the decision of the 2022 Synod to uphold the Biblical concept of marriage...one man, one women.   It is simple, easily understood, easily followed and is also somewhat akin to the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:37 " Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."  Note: Jesus directly introduced the evil ONE!!  Today it is so very easy to see Satan at work in society, schools and  churches where the Biblical Concept of marriage is allowed to be  violated. The results are predictable, confusing & sad.