At the Beginning of May I had the privilege of visiting Holland where previous members of our church , Aad and Janny van Onselen are now living in the village of Ameide . On that occasion I was able to link up with Kees van Kralingen whom I had met 15 years ago at the Carey Family Conference in the UK . At that stage there was no Reformed Baptist Church in Holland . Kees is clearly a man who loves the Lord Jesus Christ . He loves the Scriptures and longs to see a renewal of God centered theology and preaching in Holland . It was so good to have fellowship with him and to hear of the existence of a Reformed Baptist group called "SOLA 5 BAPTISTEN". Apparently the name of the " SOLA 5" Association of God centered Churches in Southern Africa ,of which our church is a member , has provided this new association in Holland with a suitable Name .
Below is a report from Kees van Kralingen ( pictured above) concerning this new association .
Please join them in praying for gospel success !
Sola 5 Baptists Conference in The Netherlands
Under the name ‘Sola 5 Baptisten’ a Dutch group of Baptist pastors and leaders is setting up a conference and a website to call Baptist churches back to their theological roots in the Reformation. They believe the Dutch churches more than ever need the doctrines of grace, as taught and applied by Reformed Baptists worldwide, to counter current man-centred approaches. About 75 people from The Netherlands and Belgium gathered in Doorn for the first conference on 26+27th March with Erroll Hulse as one of the speakers. The aim of this conference was to show the value of a biblical confession of faith such as the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689.
Michael Gorsira emphasised the importance of a confession to help us to maintain a biblical form of church and worship with God at the centre instead of man/centred approaches.
We are very grateful to Erroll Hulse who came over from the UK to encourage and instruct us from his long time experience. He presented the teaching of the confession on sanctification and gave practical guidelines on how to preach this doctrine making use of the confession. His second address gave us practical advice on how to use the confession in the local church.
Kees van Kralingen discussed some key characteristics of the 1689 confession which are of particular relevance today: chapter 1 of the 1689 confession on the authority of Scripture, the particular position of the confession on the liberty of the conscience together with the role of the civil magistrate (chapters 21 and 24), and the doctrine of the church (chapter 26).
The conference also included lively Q&A and Prayer & Share sessions. Oscar Lohuis preached the conference sermon from Acts 7: through the death of the first martyr Stephan, the Lord achieved his purposes for the church. We all left most encouraged by the Word we received and the experience of true Christian fellowship and unity.
My
purpose for coming to this beautiful part of God's world was
not to do sight seeing, but to attend a Reformed Baptist
Family Conference which was held in Sedrun, in the Canton of
Graubuenden. About 160 adults and children gathered here over the Easter Weekendof 2010 to enjoy choice fellowship and to hear God's Word
proclaimed.
Stephen Rees from the UK was the speaker who
led us through some thought provoking meditations upon some of those
Psalms that reveal the emotional life of the
Psalmist - f rom deep sorrows to great joy.
I was most
encouraged by this conference that seeks to draw together likeminded
believers from Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria. The
fellowship was excellent and the hunger for the Word of God evident. There is true earnestness and love for Christ among these
believers.
Stephen Rees (UK) with Robert Kunstmann translating
The Reformed Baptist movement in Europe
is in its "infant shoes". This seems ironic when we consider that the
Reformation came initially from Germany. This simply reminds us that
every generation needs to be re-evangelised and re-discipled according
to the dictates of God's Word. I truly trust and pray that God
would be pleased to multiply this generation of believers.
One
of the areas of concern would be an 'over zealousness' that would
sometimes creep into such young movements. There have been
divisions in the past, and we must pray that conferences such as these
will bring the necessary perspectives and impetus for unity .
We are blessed in SOLA 5 (An Association of God centered Evangelicals in Southern Africa) to experience such wonderful unity among our churches. I pray that this young work in the heart of Europe will indeed blossom and flourish under the good hand of our God.
Andre & Masha Bay - a missionary couple from South Africa doing church planting in Wetzlar, Germany
SPEAKERS : Phil Hunt - Central Africa Baptist College ( Kitwe /Zambia )
Doug van Meter - Brackenhurst Baptist Church ( Alberton / S.A )
CONFERENCE VENUE :Eastside Baptist Church - Windhoek . This church has been sponsoring and hosting this annual conference for mainly Reformed Baptist Pastors since 2001.
The annual NAMIBIA GRACE MINISTER'S CONFERENCE is a small conference of mainly Reformed Baptist pastors , elders and students , although we do encourage other likeminded men from other denominations to attend . The purpose of this conference has been explained in my previous blog .
This year's theme was focussed on "Biblical discipleship ". Our speakers Doug van Meter and Phil Hunt are men who are verry committed to the practise of this imperative given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Commission. They expounded the Scriptures with plenty of practical application .
Doug van Meter set the tone on Tuesday evening when he spoke about " The Great Commission and the Imperative of Discipleship " in the context of an open session , which was attended by a number of church members .
The day sessions for the conference attendees addressed the issues of "discipling leaders ; discipling the home ; discipling men and discipling new converts ".
On Wednesday evening Phil Hunt spoke at an 'open session' on the subject : "Challenging the current world views that challenge the call to discipleship " .
On Wednesday afternoon we had a public discussion on the subject " Discipling a nation through public forums : Radio , Schools , Prisons , Universities " . Currently , these institutions present open doors for ministry in Namibia , and we encouraged one another to make full use of these present opportunities , knowing full well that such opportunities may not be there for ever in a day .
We believe that our men went away challenged and encouraged . May the impact of this conference be seen in the years to come .
Joachim Rieck
Pastor Spencer Tjijenda ( Westside Baptist Church - with wife and daughter )
The annual Namibia Grace Minister's Conference will be held once again , starting on Tuesday evening 23rd March 2010 and ending on Thursday 25th March with lunch. The Conference is being sponsored and hosted by the EASTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH in Windhoek .
The conference is geared towards pastors/ elders & theological students , but those that are interested in the Christian ministry are more than welcome to join.
This year's conference will be focused on the theme : “Biblical Discipleship “ and the subjects will be handled by Phil Hunt - principal of the Central Africa Baptist College on the Copper belt in Zambia, and Pastor Doug van Meter of the Brackenhurst Baptist Church in Alberton , South Africa . Both men have a proven track record and commitment to the biblical discipline of discipleship . So , expect to hear sound teaching rooted in practical experience ! If you read this and are interested , contact Joachim Rieck at " jrieck@iafrica.com.na "
Doug van Meter
Phil Hunt
Explaining the purpose and Vision of the Namibia Grace Minister’s Conference
The History of the Conference
The first Namibia Grace Ministers Conference was held in 2001 when the Eastside Baptist Church invited Dr Wayne Mack , a noted Biblical Counselor from the USA to address pastors and the public on matters of biblical counseling . Since then the conference has met every year, except in 2008 .
The Purpose of the Conference
To provide a platform for teaching and fellowship appropriate to the needs of pastor/elders / student interns , encouraging these men to remain faithful to their principal calling i.e. pastoring their churches through faithful preaching and integrity of life . It is hoped that this conference will continue to grow in scope and influence , until the whole Namibian nation becomes obedient to Christ .
The Ethos of the Conference
The conference is rooted in historical and Reformed Christianity . The conference aims to be rooted in the authority of the Word ( SOLA SCRIPTURA) , Christ centeredness ( SOLUS CHRISTUS), doing what we do for the glory of God alone ( SOLI DEO GLORIA) . The primary tools for accomplishing this is to teach the doctrines of Grace ( SOLA GRATIA) and to commend the life of Faith ( SOLA FIDE) as the operative principle for Christian happiness .
The Conference is sponsored by a Reformed Baptist Church , and therefore prefers a Baptist Ecclesiology , without allowing this fact to hinder our fellowship with other churches with whom we share substantial agreement in doctrine .
We believe that the context for working out our mission is from the biblical platform created by God – the local church !
The goal of the Conference
• Revived pastors are important catalysts to stir up evangelical concern for the lost through fervent prayer and gospel preaching so that the Kingdom of God will advance .
• Revived pastors will show renewed love and compassion for their churches and thus provide for a happy church .
Today, I have had the privilege of opening the academic year of the Academia High School here in Windhoek, Namibia with Scripture reading , preaching and prayer . I thank God for a country and a school in which we may share the wisdom of the Bible freely , and where this is truly appreciated. I thank God for Mr H. Rust , a committed Christian principal and his staff . Two of the staff members are also members of our congregation at Eastside Baptist Church. Below, I have included a transcript of the message
Dear Learners and Teaching Staff ,
You young people are here to get wisdom - to develop your academic intelligence and hopefully also your life skills – your emotional intelligence.
I am a pastor whose primary mission it is to be a spokesman for God , and I have been asked to say a few things to you at the beginning of this academic year .
I hold in my hands the primary written tool of revelation from God – the Bible, God’s authoritative book of wisdom for life .
In the Bible there is a priceless book , called “Proverbs “. The chief purpose of this book of proverbs is to teach God centered wisdom or skill which comes through discipline :
Proverbs 1:1-7
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Now let me help you to see the relevance of this Word from God . For the sake of clarity and easier memorization , my six points will all begin with a “D “.
1. DISCIPLINE ( 1:2a) : The word “ discipline “ teaches us that wisdom is achieved through hard work . Modern sportsmen and women have realized that success in the various sporting disciplines is a matter of physical as well as mental discipline. Angola recently lost a winning opportunity in the Africa Cup of nations . They were 4- 0 ahead - well into the 2nd half , when Mali came back forcefully and in a very short time scored 4 goals to equalize the game! My impression is that the Angolans had lacked the mental will or discipline to finish well !
There are no overnight successes in life. Hard work and discipline do it! Susan Boyle from the UK came as a most unpromising candidate to the “ England has got talent” show. She went on to surprise everyone with her beautiful voice , and now nobody is laughing at her anymore . But don’t think that Susan Boyle got that great voice overnight. Whilst pursuing a very humble profession, she must have practiced her singing in private. She worked hard at her singing . She exercised discipline. Discipline is a biblical thing . The Word of God encourages discipline.
2. DISCERNMENT ( 1:2b) “ for understanding words of insight “ – that takes discernment. Discernment is the ability to see things for what they really are . That means that you have to study truth . You have to know the truth . I am told that when bank tellers are trained to recognize counterfeit money , they are given only real money to work with. The idea is that when you know the truth you will immediately recognize the false . So it is with discernment. You get it when you live in the truth. The Bible encourages you to have discernment.
3. DOINGwhat is “right , just and fair “( 1:3) . True wisdom is practical ; it involves common sense. It does what is right and just and fair . It considers the implications which our actions have upon others . It is God’s will for your life.
4. DIRECTION – ( 1:4) “…giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young” — Young people need direction . You need prudence. This is a word that means “being wise in practice “ . Prudence is needed for the “simple“ – those who are immature and untaught . You young people are by nature still immature and untaught . You need knowledge ( not just head knowledge , but practical understanding and application of that knowledge ) . The source of knowledge begins with God and His revelation . You also need discretion – the ability to judge situations wisely and to make plans with wisdom . Incidentally, all this is not only applicable to the students of this school.
Let me have a brief word with the teachers . 1:5 says : “…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—…” You teachers are qualified to do the job of teaching these children. But remember that the Scripture teaches that you need to continue to add to your learning and wisdom , and to continue to learn from others who know more than you.
5. DEPTH - (1:6) “ for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.” There is a depth to Scripture that forces us to think . Proverbs and parables aren’t easy to understand . They need to be pondered , and thought through . You must think. The school is not here to “spoon-feed” you . You need to learn the truth for yourself . Jesus taught in parables , and those who heard Him often did not understand them . The word “parable” is an interesting one . It means, literally translated from the Greek "to throw beside” . Jesus threw the truth next to ( or beside) his hearers and then He left them to figure out what He had said and meant . It required thinking. It is an interesting and effective teaching technique . We need thinking skills. The problem is that our thoughts are generally shallow. We need to be helped to learn to go deeper. We must learn to think things through . We must not avoid asking the hard questions such as : “Who is God ?” What am I here for – what is the purpose of life ?” What happens after I die ?” etc. God wants you to have a thinking and inquisitive mind !
6. DESIGN – ( 1:7) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” . This is the ultimate design - the beginning point from which all true knowledge proceeds is God . Most people lack plain , ‘real intelligence’ because there is no fear of God in them .
The first step on a journey is most important . If you go wrong here , you may never reach your destination . If you plan to drive to Namibia’s north – to Oshakati you do not take the B1 south to Keetmanshoop . The direction you take is important .
So , start correctly on the road to wisdom with the Word of God as your compass and with the fear of the Lord before you. And the Grace of the Lord be with you as you do so. AMEN !
Introductory note : I am currently updating and revising our Membership Manual, and I thought that this segment, "Why are we Reformed Baptist?" might be worth sharing.
A. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY REFORMED ?
1. It explains something of our historical and theological roots.
Reformed Baptists are children of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation of the 16th Century was a movement of the Holy Spirit in which it pleased God to lead men to rediscover the authority of Scripture.
Five primary principles were crystalised at this time:
(i)Sola Scriptura (the principle that the Bible alone can be our basis for faith and practice) (ii)Sola Fide (that our justification before God, is by Faith alone) (iii)Sola Gratia (that our salvation can only be by God's Grace alone – that is apart from any merits or efforts by ourselves) (iv)Solus Christus (that Christ alone is the Saviour of men ) (v)Soli Deo Gloria (that the glory in all things may only ever belong to God. He is the First Cause , the Beginning and the End of all things) .
We are in full agreement with these principles!
The Bible emphasizes that the salvation of a sinner is ultimately only possible only because God makes it possible for sinners to be saved. Every human being by nature (since Adam’s fall) is totally depraved. By this we do not mean that people are as evil as they possibly can be but we do mean that there is not sufficient will in ourselves to desire God more than anything else in the world . For this we were originally created. Now (and because of Adam’s fall) we are “dead in our sins” (Eph 2:1,5). On account of our fallen nature we are unresponsive to God’s call. It is not that we may not come to God. It is that we will not come to God.
This does not negate the fact that God calls men everywhere to turn and be saved. John 3:16 classically asserts the fact that the gospel of God is given to the whole world . We have a clear mandate from Jesus to preach that gospelto the whole world (Matt 28:18-20) irrespective of whether people will hear and obey that gospel or not. The gospel is given for all to hear and all to see . God has placed no restrictions on the preaching of the gospel. All are invited! (Lk 14:12-24) . But all will not come! Many come up with excuses as to why they will not come to Christ to have life (Jn 5:40).
Why is this? Is there something wrong with the gospel ? No ! There is something wrong with mankind! Sin has so darkened our hearts and our understanding, and we are so proud in ourselves that mankind refuses the free offer of the gospel . So we see that it is essentially the unbelief of man that limits the effects of the gospel.
If it weren’t for the fact that despite this ‘deadness’ God had acted in love to predestine certain among men to belong to Him, nobody would be saved by their own free will. The Scripture shows us therefore that God goes beyond the general call in John 3:16 and issues a particular call to God the Father has given His Son a people out of the world (see John 17). And so in time Christ came (Gal 4:4,5) and died for the sins of the elect . The Bible teaches us that in conversion the Holy Spirit works in harmony with the decree of the Father and the death of the Son by applying the work of redemption to the elect (the sheep – John 10) .
Therefore God has, from before the foundation of the world, chosen certain sinners for salvation. Eph. 1:3ff is a prominent text which underlies this biblical conviction. God has purposed from the beginning of time to have a people for Himself from every tribe , tongue and nation. That promise was first given to Abraham (Gen 12:2; 18:18), and the fulfillment of it is seen in Revelation 5:9 and 7:9 (a prophetic glimpse into the future).
2.It explains what we are presently seeking to accomplish:
Since Reformed Baptists are persuaded that the Scriptures alone are the infallible guide for truth and life , we are actively seeking to bring ourselves and our generation back under the authority of the Bible. We want to become intimately acquainted with what the Bible teaches. We want to trust God more than our natural instincts; we want to trust God more than we would trust the prevailing worldview.
When we compare Scripture with current worldviews we realize that there are clashes. The world’s view of gender roles, family values , authority , sexuality – to name but a few, clashes with the worldview of the Scriptures. We note with great concern that much of the modern church has become so uncritical of current world views. It appears that much of the modern church uncritically approves and follows the thought patterns and man made philosophies of the world , rather than formulating our worldview from the Scriptures.
For this reason too, the modern church by and large lacks that distinctive prophetic voice, thundering “ thus says the LORD…”. She is so fixated on being accepted by the world , that she readily compromises her message. She is apparently more anxious to please man than God. She shrinks back from proclaiming the holiness of God and the justice of God. She is afraid to tell the world that there is a sovereign God, who is the King and the ultimate Judge of this world and who will , in due course demand an accounting from all that He has made (Matt 25:14-30). The modern church is often afraid to tell their world that they are sinners in trouble with God, and that apart from repentance and trust in Christ the Redeemer there can be no salvation ; they will not tell their world that they will in due course will reap what they have sown; she avoids telling the world that there is only one Saviour (Jn 14:6). It is not uncommon to hear that churches now teach that there may be many ways to God , thus excluding man’s unique need for Christ! Much of the modern modern church is therefore left without a gospel.
Having said this we do not claim that Reformed Baptist Churches have “arrived” or that they are better than any other church. No! We live after all under the same “world ethos”; we are subjected to the same current world views . But, by God’s grace we are seeking to believe God’s wisdom more than man’s wisdom (1 Cor 1:18-25) because we are committed to the authority of the Scriptures – God’s wisdom .
B. What do we mean by 'Baptist' ?
The Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century was undoubtedly a huge blessing from God , for it freed God’s people from the bondage of the Roman Catholic church by bringing the church back under the authority of Scripture. It was primarily the rediscovery of the doctrine of “Justification by Faith alone” that caused the Reformed Revolution in the 16th Century .
But , our attempts at reforming our society according to the Word of God will always fall short of a perfect effort . We see this illustrated in the Scriptures. Even the best of kings in the Old Testament, in reforming their societies did not manage to bring about complete reformation. In conclusion of their reign we will often read: “The high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places” (e.g. 2 Ki 12:3). This should however never stop us from doing what is right . It shows us also that Reformation is an ongoing thing.
Keeping that in mind we may then ask: How are Reformed Baptists contributing to the ongoing Reformation process ?
Where are they currently making their strongest contribution? I believe that the answer is that they are strongest in their doctrine of the church (ecclesiology) and in its union with Christ :
Reformed Baptists have recovered the biblical meaning of baptism: At the time of the Reformation the biblical manner and mode of administering baptism – the point of entrance into the church, according to the Scriptures had generally been misunderstood and misapplied . Infant baptism had followed a tradition rather than a biblical practice in the church. When tradition rules over the plain teaching of Scripture, the Spirit who caused His Word to be inspired, is grieved. This unreformed tradition of baptizing babies into the communion of the church has spawned a huge group of “nominal believers “ in the world who may be convinced but not converted ! Whenever we ignore the necessity, importance and primacy of the new birth as the vital entry point into Christ and into the church, we will soon find that our churches will slowly die, for the church that is populated by unregenerate men and women is indeed a barren tree. Many mainline denominations (including Baptists) are now led by unconverted men and women. Having not entered through the narrow gate themselves (Matt 7:13,14) they cannot teach and persuade others concerning the importance and necessity of the new birth (John 3:1-8). If we ignore the necessity of the new birth , then the only other alternative is a mechanical conversion. The doctrine of baptism has been abused to this end . Oddly enough, a good number of evangelical believers today continue to hold on to the practise of infant baptism, justifying this practise by appealing to the covenant. We however believe that this is a misapplication of the covenant. The covenant was never designed by God to be an unconditional guarantee that believer’s children would be automatically saved because their parents were in covenant with God ! In that case also the baptism of children would be a presumptuous thing . The “If … then” clauses of the Old Testament covenant indicate that the privileges of the covenant must not be regarded presumptively. God requires parents to teach their children , pray for their children , and walk in covenantal faithfulness before their children. There is certainly much hope for parents who walk in covenantal faithfulness before their God. However , the covenant requires that God also requires children to respond obediently to their parents teaching. We are of the opinion that Luther and Calvin did unfortunately not take the Reformation far enough in this matter of reforming the Roman Catholic practise of infant baptism . Thankfully there were those children of the Reformation ( the Anabaptists and the English Baptists ) that did see the plain meaning, teaching and practise of Scripture in this regard. Their insistence upon the biblical practise of the manner and mode of baptism made them to inherit the name “Baptist”. They clearly saw that the New Testament practise of baptism always only applied to believers. They also saw very clearly that since baptism is the biblical response to one’s profession of faith , that this act also became the door to church membership. Reformed Baptists therefore teach that only those who are converted and baptized should have a right to membership in Christ's church. This is often referred to as a “regenerate membership”.
Reformed Baptists believe in a regenerate membershipwhich expresses itself in meaningful, deep relationships. A careful reading of the NT epistles shows that the apostles in writing their letters to the various churches assumed that the readers were 'saints' i.e. people set apart for God by their conversion , and therefore qualified for membership in the church. Reformed Baptist Churches take the nature of church membership seriously. We take seriously the duties and responsibilities of church membership. Membership actually means something in Reformed Baptist Churches. We aim to do things together - like a family- and in the spirit of a family , for we are indeed a family of the great King ! For this reason there ought not to be a great disparity between Sunday morning and evening services when we come to worship our great God , and when we have fellowship with the family of God. Biblical churchmanship presupposes such a commitment to God, our elders , and our brothers and sisters.
Reformed Baptists believe that the church exists for the glory of God (Eph. 3:21, 5:26, 27 ; 1 Tim 3:15). Because the church exists for the glory of God, the Word of God which helps us to worship God in spirit and in truth is central to its life. The church is God's temple – His dwelling place on earth . It is not up to man to do as he pleases in the church. For this reason , Reformed Baptist Churches generally tend to follow “the regulative principle“ in worship. We believe that God is most glorified when He is worshipped in the way in which He has most clearly directed us to worship Him. The true worship of God must include prayer, congregational singing, offering, Scripture reading and exposition of Scripture. Nothing can be more glorious on earth than to assemble with the church and to hear His Word read , sung , prayed and preached. It is this conviction that explains the reverence and seriousness with which we approach the worship of God.
Reformed Baptists believe that the church is central to the purposes of God on the earth. The church alone is the special dwelling place of God upon the earth (Eph. 2:22). God ultimately directs this world for the benefit of His church ! The Great Commission of the church is fulfilled as preachers of the gospel are sent out by churches to plant new churches by means of conversion, baptism, and discipleship (Matt 28 : 18-20). If you want to be where the special presence of God is, then find a biblical church made up of true believers!
Reformed Baptists believe that salvation radically alters the life of the convert. The Jesus we proclaim is a very great Saviour. He does not leave His people in their sin. He came to save His people FROM their sins (Matt. 1:21). We proclaim the biblical truth that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17). We proclaim the Jesus who came to make a people zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). We reject as unbiblical the modern notion that a man can embrace Christ as Saviour and reject His Lordship. The word of God nowhere teaches that Christ can be divided. If you have Christ then this will show in the bearing of fruit in your conversion.
In summary : Reformed Baptists are rooted in the 16th Century Reformation , a movement which is rooted in a return to the authority of Scripture alone – connecting the reformation to the faith and practise of the early church.
Reformed Baptists believe that conversion is by the Grace of God alone ( sovereignly applied by the Holy Spirit) through Faith alone in Christ alone . This conversion is followed by biblical believers baptism and discipleship in the church.
Reformed Baptists believe that the Church is God’s primary institution and tool for sanctification of His people . Reformed Baptists make much of the church, because she alone is His body!
On Sunday evening ( 15/11/2009) we had our Youth Awards evening at Eastside Baptist Church . Our church seeks to encourage parents not to neglect the spiritual training of their children . The church' desires to help children to learn and to absorb the word of God , just as a body would absorb the nutrients that food provides. We remember that Jesus said : " Man shall not live by bread alone , but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Children were greatly helped this year to memorize Scripture passages. Our prayer is that the Word of God stored in the hearts of these children , and brought to life by the Holy Spirit in due course will make a real difference in Namibia . Namibia's children will remain greatly neglected , and our country will continue to be morally and spiritually impoverished, if we continue to withhold the training in the Word of God from them.
Below follows the address that Pastor Rieck gave to parents and children after the awards :
" Train a child in the way he should go , and when he is old he will not turn from it." [Proverbs 22:6]
Train !
The Hebrew word used here for ‘ to train’[1] is apparently a rare one in biblical use . It can include the idea of initiation or dedication [2]and of instruction [3].
Thus, if we combine the two aspects in which the word is used in the scriptures , there emerges a richer flavour to this word .
The child training process begins with a conscientious dedication of the child by the parents to the Lord , when they dedicate themselves as parents and their child before the assembly of God’s people , who promise to help them in this sacred duty . Successful spiritual training by parents can only ever be done in the strength of the Lord .
This training continues throughout the child’s life at home.
The training envisaged here is primarily that of ‘ spiritual training’ – the most important and foundational part of preparing a child for life ! Unfortunately many parents are only concerned about getting their children trained in academic fields and neglect to train their children in this foundational area . In this regard Paul reminds Timothy that training in godliness is vastly superior to any other kind of training . He says : “ Train yourself to be godly . For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things , holding promise for both the present life and the life to come .” (1Tim 4:7,8).
Parents and children , do you realize thatin training children for godliness, we do not train them only for the here and now , but also for the hereafter !
So we see then that a biblical view of training must have as its primary goal to lead the child to Christ the Saviour. “Continually make your child’s soul a priority “ , says Bishop Ryle .
Furthermore , the goal of training is to prepare the child to love and obey God and His Word for life !
Now, children will not love God naturally . They are after all also constituted sinners . They must be born again- like every one . But fortunately in God’s providence children are soft clay in the hands of the Potter . They are humble and willing to listen , although this stage passes very quickly!
But, take courage! Once they are born again , the parental training will come to full fruition . Whatever you have taught your child before their conversion is not wasted . It is stored up for future use! From the moment they are born again, they can really live to the glory of God , living on all the spiritual stores that you have invested into them .
So , please note that while you as a parent cannot save your child , you are certainly called to prepare them for that time – and you may do so in the certain hope that this will happen ! God loves to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him (Lk 11:13)
This implies a consistency in spiritual training , which the godly Bishop Ryle describes in his excellent booklet “ The duty of parents “ in 17 points ![4] His 4th point is this: “Train your children with an abiding persuasion on your mind that much depends on you” . For this task you are given 18 or so years by God !
2. Parents – you must train your children !
We have already made this point , but it may be useful to emphasize this point again . The Bible envisages that the substantial , foundational training of a child is to be done by parents. From a biblical perspective it is the parent’s primary responsibility to train their children , and not the government , not the school , and not the church . [In fact , the government has no biblical authority /mandate at all from God to regulate the training of children!] . These institutions may be helpful to the process of education and training , but they are secondary to the training that the child receives from its parents .
Does this mean that the parent must do all the training ? No ! But it does mean that all the training must come back to the parent . If for instance your child hears in his biology class that our human race has evolved from green slime to monkeys to human beings (i.e. from the goo – to the zoo – to you!) , then as a Christian parent it is your duty to correct that teaching by showing your children that mankind is fearfully and wonderfully and purposefully made by God (Genesis 1; 2 ; Psalm 139) . Your children , whether in a home school environment or in a school environment will continually be bombarded with such issues . Life after all is lived in a sinful, imperfect world . You cannot keep your children from these things , but you can help them to see through these things , as Bishop Ryle says ( #2) “ with all tenderness , affection and patience” . Parents , help your children to reason from the Scriptures . That pre- supposes of course that you must know the Scriptures .
3. The way he should go versus the way he would go
Always remember that children are born with a decided bias towards evil , and therefore if you let them choose for themselves, they are certain to choose wrong . Children left to themselves do not become better children . (see the example of the street children of our city)
Parents you must take charge of your children- do not give them up to their own wayward tastes and inclinations . They do not yet know what is good for their mind and body and soul .
4. A great promise : A child well trained will not depart from the Lord .
Parents, you have a great promise on your side ! And children will be best equipped for life by such parents who care for them . A child well trained in the way which we have described will not depart from the Lord !
Many children shall rise up in the day of Judgement , and bless God for their parents for the good training they have received , even if the parents had seen but little fruit and evidences of these things in their own lives .
Go forward then in faith , and be sure that your labour shall not be in vain.
JC Ryle says : Three times did Elijah stretch himself upon the widows dead child , before it revived. ( 1 Kings 17:21) .Take example from him and persevere!
[1] German : “gewoehne deinen Knaben... “ ; Afrikaans : “Oefen die seun…”
[2] E.g. the word is used in this sense in Deut 20:5; 1 Ki 8:63 ; 2 Chron 7:5 ; Title to Psalm 30
