Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 8 July, 2007
“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth:
unite my heart to fear thy name” (Ps. 86:11)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Stephen, the First Christian Martyr (1)
Acts 6:1-7
I. A Church Problem
II. A New Office
III. A Glorious Result
Psalms: 96:1-7; 91:1-5; 63:1-8; 119:33-40
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Stephen, the First Christian Martyr (2)
Acts 6:8-15
I. The Wonder Worker
II. The Wise Disputer
III. The Falsely Accused
Psalms: 114:1-8; 91:6-11; 4:1-7; 119:161-168
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: https://cprc.co.uk/live-streaming/
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider:
Don Doezema: “… the conflict [in Acts 6-7] was never, strictly speaking, a personal one. Calvin is right when he says that ‘the Church was attacked in the person of one man.’ They hated Stephen, in other words, because he belonged to the church. Their hostility toward the church, in turn, was an expression of their hatred of Christ, to whom the church belongs. And where Christ is most clearly seen, as He was in the work and message of Stephen, there will also be manifest the fury of Satan, in the opposition of the wicked world” (Upon This Rock, vol. 3, p. 76).
Announcements (subject to God’s will):
The Beacon Lights are available on the back table.
At this past Monday’s consistory meeting, we received official notification of the establishment of a sister-church relationship with the PRCA.
Membership Class: Tuesday, 7:50 PM at the Hallidays.
Last Week’s Offerings: General Fund – £621.54, Building Fund – £403.40. Donations: £100 (Building Fund), £50 (Building Fund), £10 (C. R. News).
The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day, 15 July (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846MW), is entitled “Search and Know” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Advanced Notices: Thurs., 12 July, CPRC Stall in Ballee Playing Fields
Wed., 25 July, CPRC Stall at Clogher Valley Show
Sat., 28 July, CPRC Stall at Antrim Agricultural Show
Fri., 17 Aug., Lecture in Limerick on “The Psalms vs. Common Grace”
Fri., 14 Sept., Lecture in S. Wales on “The Perseverance of the Saints”
Fri., 26 Oct., Reformation Day Lecture in Portadown Minor Town Hall
Fri., 2 Nov., Reformation Day Lecture in Ballymena Protestant Hall
On 22 & 29 July and 5 August, Rev. Michael DeVries, pastor of Wingham PRC in Wingham, Ontario, Canada, will be preaching for us. On 12 August, Elder Philip Rainey and Seminarian Martyn McGeown will lead the services. Rev. Stewart will be in the U.S. from 16 July to the 13 August. He will be preaching in the U.S. as follows: 22 July – AM in Hudsonville PRC, and PM in South Holland PRC. 29 July & 5 August – AM & PM in Hope PRC in Redlands, CA. 12 August – AM in Faith PRC, and PM in Georgetown PRC.
Website: Five German translations were added this week, as well as an article entitled “Does God Really Desire to Save the Reprobate.”
PRC News: Elder Peter Vander Schaaf and Prof. R. Dykstra left on Friday on behalf of the Contact Committee to visit amongst others Dr. J. Klautke in Germany and Rev. R. Ilyasov in Russia. They plan to return home on July 23. Please remember this in your prayers. The new trio for the Philippines is Revs. DeVries (Wingham, ON), Haak (Georgetown, MI), and W. Langerak (Southeast, MI).
Encouraging Quotes:
“The article ‘The Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Sodomy’ is a good bit of reading. 10 out of 10. I am going to photocopy it and hand it out to people in the Presbyterian Church.” – Co. Armagh
“I am forwarding a cheque toward the expense of continuing to send me copies of the Covenant Reformed News, and other items of literature. All that I have been sent is greatly appreciated.” – Norfolk
“… Your article about John Wesley and review of the Tomkin’s book surfaced when I looked for information about Wesley heresy from Google. I was raised in a Free Methodist church, which is based on Wesley doctrine. Now I embrace a Reformed view, saved not because of any choice I made … I now regard Wesley as a wolf who has wrought incalculable damage to generations in the Protestant churches … Thank you for your work.” – Idaho, USA
“I received the 5 copies of Keeping God’s Covenant and have distributed 2 to my Christian friends. Thanks for these copies … It is a good reminder to Christians to live up to the precepts and commandments of God by His grace. May the Lord be pleased to use this book to build up His church in these perilous times.”
– Singapore
“I am a Roman Catholic, a Franciscan Friar and a priest … I came across the article [on your website] on St. Patrick and while I would not agree with all your observations, I felt I had to write and say that the article was one of the best I had read in a long, long time on Patrick the man and not the myth … I would like to use some of the article for a paper I am writing on the nature of early Christianity in Europe … I thoroughly enjoyed it and will have no hesitation in recommending it to any of my Catholic friends and fellow priests …” – Kent
“We received this afternoon the books that you gave us. Thank you so much. These will be a great help to us here. I also thank you for the forwarded articles and bulletin from you.” – Philippines
“It was a true blessing to translate the ‘TULIP’ article by Prof. Barry Gritters [into Ukrainian]. Such a beautiful doctrine! I have attached my translation and hope many will be blessed by it too.” – Lincolnshire
“Thank you for the excellent CD and further news … I look forward to your visit in September …” – S. Wales
“I was so happy when I went on your site and saw the five chapters translated in French. There are so little written in French about Calvinism. We are distributing those Five Points to every pastor that we know, even to our Baptist Association. They reply to us that they were happy to have it in French … We pray and thank the Lord for your ministry and your international site. May God use it as He pleases … Yes, I am very interested to receive the C. R. News …” – Quebec, Canada
“Please find enclosed a cheque for the books. Thank you also for the other items. The Protestant Reformed Theological Journal looks very interesting and will further my understanding of the covenant—particularly as it relates to Adam, and also the issues raised by the Federal Vision heresy currently going the rounds. The devil indeed is a very diligent bishop! The meditations from the Psalms [by Gerrit Vos] looks like being a truly spiritual feast.” – W. Midlands
“Thank you very much. You don’t know how much your web site has blessed me and how much I have learned thanks to you.” – Co. Antrim
“I like Hoeksema’s ‘The Curse-Reward of the Wicked Well-Doer’ and his ‘The Christian and Culture’ for he demonstrates that the common grace idea that without the restraint of sin by God we would become like unto devils is unwarranted. Engelsma’s pamphlet on ‘The Reformed Worldview on Behalf of a Godly Culture’ is also superb.” – Cheshire
“I finished the book Sin and Grace. It was a great book and very helpful to understand the error of common grace. Now I’m going to start with [Righteous By Faith Alone] from Hoeksema, which I am really looking forward to.” – Netherlands
“I am really interested in the truth of Scripture. At present I am getting a lot of conflicting and different ideas of what a Christian is. However I shall do as the Bereans advised and check for myself through God’s Word. I find your web site a very good source of getting to the meat of Scripture and as I am a very poor reader I enjoy your audio.” – Co. Armagh
“I read your ‘Letter to the Editor,’ published in the Belfast Telegraph today, which I accessed through the Burning Bush website of Rev. Ivan Foster of Kilskeery Free Pres. Church. Rev. Foster’s position on homosexuality is equally plain, consistent and biblical, but it was refreshing to hear from another church leader from among the Protestant community speaking the truth in love! Indeed, I was so moved by it, I wrote an e-mail to Sermon Audio and asked them to consider posting it on the Breaking News section of their website.” – Ohio, USA
