www.reformedfellowship.net DEDICATED TO THE EXPOSITION AND DEFENSE OF THE REFORMED FAITH | 74 YEARS: 1951–2025
n God’s Care for His Church n Reformation Meditation n The 15th Century
n The Brand of Luther n A Reformation of Authentic Piety n Anxiety to Peace
n Aid, Dependency, and Cultural Humility: A Reformed Christian Perspective on Global Engagement
n Facing Our Limitations: A Proper Response n Ten Special Helps and Rules Against Satan’s Devices
n Before You Believe Your Science Prof n Am I In or Out?
n Do My Works Even Matter? n Church Order Articles
n Meditation: The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
Contents | September/October | Volume
3 | God’s Care for His Church
Mr. Cornelius VanKempen
Calvary’s cross is the Fountain-Head of the river of Christ’s blood which flows around the world in ever increasing volume to bring in the sheep to be with their Great Shepherd.
4 | Reformation Meditation
Michael R. Kearney
We can think of the goals of the Reformation as a kind of reorientation of churches and hearts.
7 | The 15th Century
Mrs. Annemarieke Ryskamp
The 15th century brought changes that we are still dealing with.
10 | The Brand of Luther
Mr. Kurt Snow
In 1517, Martin Luther sparked the Reformation by posting his 95 Theses. With the help of the printing press, clear writing, short pamphlets, and strong branding, he became a bestselling author and revolutionized both theology and publishing.
13 | A Reformation of Authentic Piety
Dr. Joel R. Beeke
Exercising the piety of heart reformation was Paul’s imperative to Timothy and to the churches of his day—and it is the great need of our day.
16 | Anxiety to Peace
Miss Sophie Memmelaar
Sin is still our only disease, and Christ still the only solution.
19 | Aid, Dependency, and Cultural Humility: A Reformed Christian Perspective on Global Engagement
Miss Jillian Fisher
An article arguing that Western aid to Africa, particularly Uganda, must shift from short-term charity to long-term, sustainable partnerships that empower local communities, uphold cultural dignity, and reflect biblical principles of justice, mercy, and humility.
22 | Facing Our Limitations: A Proper Response
By Elisabeth Bloechl
A proper understanding of our limitations and our unlimited God ought to drive us to praise, thanksgiving, confession, and petition
About the cover image: Annemarieke notes: The invention of the printing press is THE highlight of the 15th century. The model print shop was made for me by my dad. The box was for sale in the Gutenberg museum in Mainz that we visited. My model print shop is an exact copy of Gutenberg’s print shop. My dad even made a candle to hang on the ceiling.
24 | Ten Special Helps and Rules Against Satan’s Devices, by Thomas Brooks (2)
Submitted and Edited by Mrs. Annemarieke Ryskamp
Part 2 consisting of helps 8-10.
27 | Before You Believe Your Science Prof
Mr. Joseph Dick
Why theistic evolution contradicts the Bible—from a Calvin grad.
29 | Am I In or Out?
Rev. William Boekestein
Lords Day 31–QA 83-85
31 | Do My Works Even Matter?
Rev. William Boekestein
Lords Day 32 - QA 86-87
33 | Church Order Articles
Rev. Greg Lubbers
Article 35 – Ecumenical Relations on a Classis Level.
Article 36 – Ecumenical Relations on a Federation Level.
35 | Meditation: The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
Rev. George van Popta
This is the tenth of ten songs based on the Heidelberg Catechism’s explanation of the Apostles’ Creed.
The 15th Century
The century from the early 1400’s until the early 1500’s (which I will call the fifteenth century) in western Europe was a period of many sweeping changes. The Middle Ages transformed into the Renaissance. The feudal system ended, and the invention of the printing press allowed changes in society that led up to the Reformation.
To show the contrast between how things were and how they changed, I will give historical examples of both in discussing the following highlights.
Pilgrims And Their Journey
For my studies at Utrecht University in Dutch Medieval Literature, I had the privilege to scour the libraries in the Netherlands for manuscripts of Dutch pilgrims who not only traveled to the Holy Land but extended their pilgrimage with a journey through the desert to Sinai. I found a total of seven travel logs, five of which were from the fifteenth century. Throughout the Middle Ages, there were people who wanted to combine their adventurous spirit with visiting relics and earning indulgences. But traveling through the Sinai desert was certainly not for the faint of heart. Says Jan van Berchem: “We needed five camels, because two persons ride on a camel in small baskets or wooden boxes which are very uncomfortable and cramped.” Those baskets were hanging on the sides of the camel and one had to actually sit in it the whole time.
The route at first was along the Red Sea (“not really red, but the sand is red”) followed by a five-day journey inland. The desert is just stone and sand, no vegetation, and deep ravines where water only flows if it has rained somewhere
Mrs. Annemarieke Ryskamp
The model print shop was made for the author by her father. This box was for sale in the Gutenberg museum in Mainz that she visited.
else. Jan or Anselm Adornes said: “We were traveling mountain up, mountain down, without ever knowing where we were, for a whole half day. Also we couldn’t find any water that day, so we had to live without anything to drink. The next day, around noon, in a valley we found water, but God knows what kind: stinking like a leek, full of vermin and muddy and dark. Our camels drank out of necessity, because they had not had anything to drink for four days, but we couldn’t stand the smell and gross taste, no matter how much sugar we put in there. We couldn’t find any water in the two following days, so some of us became very faint and were afraid to die. But God be praised, he foresaw it, because soon after we saw the monastery of Saint Catharine; we were so elated that we all felt healed.”
In the middle of the Sinai desert was—and is—a monastery called St. Catharine’s. It was established around 550 AD on an oasis and takes its name from the relics of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Her body was found in the mountains and kept by the monastery until sometime during the Middle Ages, when all of her bones were dispersed as relics.
Within the monastery walls there are several buildings and, of course, a chapel. Behind the chapel there are still some shoots of the burning bush, where Moses had to take off his shoes because the ground was holy (Exod. 3). You’re still advised to take off your shoes there.
Next to the monastery is a high mountain called the Moses Mountain. It has 7000 stone steps to the top, where (supposedly) Moses received the Ten Commandments. When you reach the top, you can see an even higher mountain called St. Catherine’s Mountain, which was also climbed by the pilgrims, although it was a much higher climb. Adornes says: “This mountain has no stairs, which was sour for us, because
often we were climbing straight up, like climbing a tree from branch to branch; it was terrible there and the higher we climbed, the more terrible. . . .” Yet most pilgrims climbed both mountains in one day!
Most pilgrims stayed for about four nights in the monastery. The names of Jan and Anselm Adornes are still engraved in the wall of the guesthouse. They were there August 24–30, 1470.
It’s no coincidence that most of the travel diaries I found were from the fifteenth century. In the Middle Ages, the pilgrims traveled in groups under the leadership (and sponsoring) of a noble man, but the Renaissance that reached western Europe in the fifteenth century brought more emphasis on the individual; the pilgrims realized they could write their own travel logs that could be read by others.
Bernhard van Breydenbach was one of those pilgrims. He was from Mainz (where the printing press was invented) and he made his journey to Palestine and Sinai in 1483. The preconceived purpose for his pilgrimage was to have his travelogue printed so it could be a travel guide. He even took an artist along, Erhard Reuwich from Utrecht, to make the illustrations. His book was printed in Latin and in Dutch.
Jacob van Maerlandt and Johannes Gutenberg
It is interesting to see the difference in impact before and after the invention of the printing press. Around 1270 AD, at the height of western Europe’s Middle Ages, a Dutch author, Jacob van Maerlandt, among many works, retold the Bible in (Medieval) Dutch. It was carefully handwritten and hand copied in the many scriptoria all over the country and it was beautifully illustrated, even with gold foil, by skilled artists. These manuscripts, written on parchment (which is
made from animal hides), are a joy to behold. Rich noblemen would sponsor the authors and illustrators and only the clergy in the many monasteries would read them. Noble women would have personal prayer books written and illustrated, because they could usually read and those little books were also precious works of art.
There are fifteen copies still existing of Van Maerlandt’s Bible, which shows that it was very popular. And even though he also wrote a work in which he criticized the church, he was never considered a threat because it never reached the common people.
Sometime before 1440, in Mainz (Germany), a man named Johannes Gutenberg was a goldsmith who wanted to get into the business of making pilgrim’s badges and tokens (they were the only mass-produced items at the time). When he couldn’t find investors, he disappeared from view for awhile, very secretive about his doings. In 1440, he appeared again with his invention of the printing press. He not only designed the screw press itself, but also the metal movable type, the hand mould, the recipes for the ink and the paper—in short, everything necessary for the printing press. The fact that more countries claim the same invention proves that the time was ripe for it.
In 1454, Gutenberg put his press to commercial use, producing right away thousands of indulgences for the church and also the famous Gutenberg Bible. As early as 1480, there were printers active in 110 different places in Germany, Netherlands, and most other western European countries. Books were suddenly made for the masses, leading to increased literacy and the spread of knowledge and ideas. It’s impossible to do justice to the scope of changes that this single invention has brought. The printing press invented the news and really the mass media. This technological innovation can even be
seen as the beginning of the scientific revolution.
It can also be seen as the end of the Medieval caste system of noblemen, clergy, and common people. This latter view is expressed by Johan Huizinga, who wrote in 1919 his famous book entitled The Waning of the Middle Ages (from the Dutch: Herfsttij der Middeleeuwen). The church and nobility were losing their control over the masses—but they didn’t go down without a fight that would last for centuries.
Reformation And Censuring
If we consider reformation to be a religious awakening primarily sought to correct abuses within the established ecclesiastical order by elevating the Bible’s authority personally and (where possible) within the church, then there was already a reformation in fourteenthcentury Netherlands. It was called Modern Devotion and the reason it didn’t spread all over western Europe was probably the fact that it happened before the printing press.
Gerard Groote (1340–1384) was a Dutch Catholic deacon who was a popular preacher and the founder of the Brethren of the Common Life. He was a key figure in the Devotio Moderna movement. Its precepts were later further disseminated in texts such as The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, because he did live during the invention of the printing press. The main point of the Modern Devotion movement was the denial of one’s own self to be achieved by silent meditation. It was also lived out in everyday life; for example, Geert Groote started in Deventer several hofjes which were small row houses that enclosed a communal garden, where widows could live safely and practice their trade.
When, over a century later, Martin Luther (1483–1546) hammered his ninety-five theses on the door of the
church in Wittenberg, he knew to dedicate them to the Bishop of Mainz; Wittenberg is only 300 miles away from Mainz, where the printing press had been in full swing since 1450.
Without the printing press, the Reformation could have never been as successful and quickly spreading as it was. But wherever printers set up shop, censorship wasn’t far behind. A good example of this is the Bible translator William Tyndale. He was banned from England because of his New Testament translation in English (1526), meant for the common people.
By the time he wanted to revise his work in 1534, over thirty thousand copies were circulating already in England. But Tyndale himself had to live in Antwerp, where many good printers and good trade routes with England were to be found. He never finished the Old Testament because he was betrayed, arrested, put in a dark dungeon, and eventually strangled and burned by a self-congratulatory church and civic officials.
Until This Day
There is much that connects us to the people who lived six centuries ago. Pilgrims made religious journeys and we still do that, too. They traveled to far away places and so do we. I even traveled in the footsteps of the pilgrims to the Sinai. They created the travel stories and the illustrated travel guides that we still enjoy. They were travelers who wanted to be known for their travels rather than for their religiosity.
The printing press started a revolution out of which we now have our mass media, and social media comes from that. Now we have Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is changing society as fast and drastically as the printing press did in the fifteenth century.
How the connection is still felt can be seen in the following recent quote from Jeff Childers’ Substack. Although
he is talking about the future of the medical world, in his Substack article of 6/27/2025, called Coffee & Covid, he wrote the following: “In the 1400’s, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, to mass-produce English-language Bibles, and in doing so lit off a bloody civil war between priests and penitents. What had once been the exclusive domain of Latinspeaking clerics -the interpretation of God’s word- was now suddenly accessible to every farmer, merchant, and cobbler who could read. The church called it heresy. The people called it revelation. For hundreds of years, Popes fulminated volcanically. Monarchs maniacally burned books. Reformers were burned on stakes. And everything changed. AI is to the medical profession as the printing press was to organized religion.”
With the Reformation, a fundamental philosophical shift about the nature and value of humans occurred. This shift was positive in the sense that more people came to personal saving faith, but in our time the emphasis on the individual has led to excesses which can be plain evil. We need to be discerning that we keep the good that the Reformation brought, and reject any evil temptations that will come into our lives also. We’re living in a time that is changing as rapidly as the fifteenth century, but by following the perfect example of the Lord Jesus and the Scriptures He affirmed, our Christian ancestors were a blessing in their day and Christians today can repeat this.
was born and raised in the Netherlands. She graduated with a master’s degree in Dutch Language and Literature from Utrecht University and worked for the Dutch l’Abri and as a secondary school teacher at United World College in Singapore. She attends Dutton United Reformed Church (MI).
Mrs. Annemarieke Ryskamp
ANXIETY to PEACE
Anxiety to Peace - First Place
Undergraduate Essay Competition
Sin does not merely corrupt our will and everyday choices; it degrades our very nature. This has been true since the Fall, and the devil continues to ambush God’s people daily through dark emotions of anxiety and distress. Article 1 of the Canons of Dort declares that the Fall brought “blindness, terrible darkness, futility, and distortion of judgment in his mind; perversity, defiance, and hardness in his heart and will; and finally impurity in all his emotions.” Events of war and famine have served to increase feelings of anxiety, and today the proliferation of social media and digital communication are having the same effect, as illustrated in “The Anxious Generation” by psychologist Jonathan Haidt. Today, more than any generation before, my generation (Gen Z) is turning to mental health professionals for the solution.
Nearly 40% of Gen Z individuals have sought professional treatment for mental health, while 42% of the total Gen Z population have received a mental illness diagnosis. Mental health professionals spend time talking through emotions and problems with the patient, but they often resort to prescribing an antidepressant or antianxiety med. Prescribing a pharmaceutical solution assumes the patient is wrestling with a biological problem. It is true that sin corrupts the natural functions and abilities of the body, but it also affects our soul, which drives our will. As hard as they may try, someone attempting to lose weight will not be successful by just taking a pill; he must actively pursue health in his everyday life. In the same way, mental health does not have a one-anddone solution with a Xanax prescription. We do not merely suffer biological damage, but a spiritual
Miss Sophie Memmelaar
sickness that stretches back to the sin of our first parents. This sickness corrupts both our body and our will. We are lost in sin and misery; we suffer external danger and damage from the world around us, but internally we are also helplessly lost in a cycle of falling for temptation. We choose the wrong methods of escape because our very way of thinking has been compromised. We need a heart change.
Belgic Confession Article 18 states that Christ “not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order that He might be a real human being. For since the soul had been lost as well as the body, He had to assume them both to save them both together.” Christ suffered the brokenness of earth and was tempted as we are; yet, in His distress, He always relied on the Father. At the climax of His life as He is preparing for the crucifixion, He pours out His heart to God His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knows there is no one who cares for Him as His Father does, so He relies on Him for strength through every earthly sorrow and tribulation. As the author of Hebrews recognizes, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15–16, ESV).
God’s people have been bought out of bondage to sin and are freed from its restraining power. We are new creatures who humbly receive grace from the hand of God because of Christ. Heidelberg Q&A #1 boldly claims that our only comfort in life and death is that we belong to Jesus Christ in body and soul. We have been fully redeemed by Christ’s blood, and we await new bodies and souls that fully glorifies God in the life to come. In the meantime, we
will suffer with imperfect bodies and a distorted will on this earth, but also with the hope and assurance that we are being made more like Christ as we trust in Him.
Trusting in Christ as the One who takes away our sin and misery means living for Him alone and relying on no other means of safety. We have been bought with a price so that we will live for Him and have full joy in Him alone, much in contrast to the advice of modern mental health experts. The issue pinpointed by professionals in young people today is that we struggle with self-love. We’ve been hurt and have suffered greatly, but that is always someone else’s fault. Whether it was your parents, social constructs, stigmas, or something else, some force in the world has caused you to doubt your own value and ability to overcome. We love our selfies, our personal profiles, our personality tests, and our social media algorithm set for instant gratification that only reinforces our misunderstanding that we are the center of the universe. We must get rid of all who oppress us and focus on living a healthy lifestyle centered on our personal well-being.
At face value, the results this focus brings may not appear harmful. It may look like becoming a “crunchy girl” who regularly detoxes, uses essential oils, cuts out sugar or carbs, and does intense workouts. These are not sinful habits, but they fuel a culture that obsesses over the body that is wasting away. Balancing your hormones may relieve some physical discomfort and having an organized routine may help you feel more put together and purposedriven, but they will not bring the peace your soul longs for. Similarly, New Age influence has caused many to spend time practicing yoga, mediation, crystals, and hypnosis with the assumption that the power to overcome distress is already inside you; you just need to unlock it.
Again, this approach overlooks the invasion of sin which pervades every ounce of our being.
In “The Bondage of the Will” argument 4, Martin Luther calls sin the ultimate disease that our flesh faces day and night. And Christ is our only remedy. When we spend so much time and energy trying to please ourselves, we spend less time building relationships with others and building a relationship with God. This is evident in the low rates of marriage and the skyrocketing reports of loneliness today. No pharmaceutical prescription or self-focused routine or “power hidden within you” can heal the wounds of sin. As Saint Augustine writes, “our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.”
Sin stretches to the heart of our being, but we have a Savior who not only regenerates our heart but watches over us in faithful love. We will face worry and the impending feeling that we are broken and insufficient, but the One who can bear all the trouble of the world stands in our place. We don’t seek perfection or satisfaction in this world; that would leave us in despair. Our hope lies in the One who overcame the world and is making all things new. In this “vale of tears,” we have a God who daily provides for our every need in His faithful providence.
Christ commands us, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt. 6:34). A mindset of expressive individualism and an internal locus of control program us to believe we are empowered to fix whatever may be wrong with us. But Christ calls us to lean on Him in a childlike trust and obedience that He will surely provide for our every need out of His abundant love and grace that surpasses anything we can imagine.
Belgic Confession Art. 13 describes
“The Doctrine of God’s Providence.”
“This doctrine gives us unspeakable comfort since it teaches us that nothing can happen to us by chance but only by the arrangement of our gracious heavenly Father. He watches over us with fatherly care, keeping all creatures under His control, so that not one of the hairs on our heads (for they are all numbered) nor even a little bird can fall to the ground without the will of our Father. In this thought we rest, knowing that he holds in check the devils and all our enemies, who cannot hurt us without his permission and will.” In a world so fixated with individualism, a world that teaches us to take matters into our own hands, we must not forget God’s provision over all things. Nothing moves apart
from His good decree; all of nature proceeds from His fatherly hand and care. This comfort allows us to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).
The effects of the disease of sin on this earth are pervasive and on the mind are real, but before resorting to the world’s solutions, let us take heart and look to the One who has overcome the world, and who daily sustains us by His good providence. It is human nature to take matters into our own hands and
assume pharmaceutical solutions or changing our human behaviors will completely solve our problems because those things are in our control. However, the reality is, God Almighty is the One ruling and directing the universe. What a comfort it is that we are called to rest in His bounteous grace. He who bore all our suffering and anxieties calls us to rest daily in His grace as He promises to supply everything we need in His love and care.
Christian home and in the Escondido United Reformed church in Escondido, CA.
Reformed Fellowship, Inc.
Needed: Your Prayers
PLEASE PRAY the Lord will bless the ongoing work of authors, editorial, and design teams and that He will guide with wisdom and insight as we develop materials to serve the church.
PLEASE PRAY that these new and upcoming releases will be used for the strengthening of Christ’s kingdom:
• Christ’s Psalms Our Psalms Bible Study
• Decently and In Order: URCNA Church Order Commentary
• Outlines for the Study of the Belgic Confession
• Glorifying and Enjoying God: 52 Devotions through the Westminster Shorter Catechism
• I Want Your Heart: 31 Meditations on Generosity
WE THANK THE LORD for our busiest catechism season yet, and as this new 2nd edition of the Life in Christ catechism goes out for another year of study, we ask you to join us in prayer for the youth of the churches. May they be built up in grace through these classes.
PLEASE PRAY that the Lord will continue to provide the necessary resources of time, talent, and funding for the work of Reformed Fellowship.
Miss Sophie Memmelaar
recently completed her freshman year at Dordt University in Sioux Center, IA. She is blessed to have grown up in a
AID, DEPENDENCY, AND CULTURAL HUMILITY: A Reformed Christian Perspective on Global Engagement
My experiences in Uganda have profoundly reshaped my perspective on how the West engages with Africa, particularly in terms of foreign aid and cultural interaction. While the West’s involvement in Africa has often been motivated by a desire to help, it has too frequently created cycles of dependency rather than empowerment. A biblical, Reformed approach to aid recognizes the dignity of all people, the importance of cultural humility, and the necessity of transitioning from relief to long-term development.
Witnessing the effects of U.S. policy, such as the withdrawal of HIV funding under President Trump’s administration, alongside Uganda’s struggles with post-colonial dependency, has led me to see the necessity of aid that is thoughtful, respectful, and rooted in biblical principles of justice, mercy, and love. I would like to explore the complexities of foreign aid, cultural humility, and the church’s responsibility in these matters, drawing on the Reformed tradition and the Three Forms of Unity.
One of the most striking lessons from my time in Uganda was the complex relationship between international aid and national self-sufficiency. The U.S. has long funded HIV/ AIDS treatment and prevention in Uganda, a necessary response during the crisis phase. However, aid that persists
Aid, Dependency, and Cultural Humility: A Reformed Christian Perspective on Global Engagement - Second Place - Undergraduate Essay Competition
Miss Jillian J. Fisher
beyond the crisis can unintentionally foster dependency rather than selfreliance. The abrupt withdrawal of U.S. funding under President Trump was devastating in the short term, but it also compelled Uganda to begin investing in its own healthcare system and research capabilities.
This highlights a broader issue: many Western nations provide ongoing relief when rehabilitation and development would be more appropriate. As Corbett and Fikkert argue in When Helping Hurts,1 aid must be tailored to the specific stage of need—relief should only be temporary, while long-term assistance should empower local development2. Uganda’s reliance on foreign aid illustrates the unintended harm that results when Western nations fail to transition from emergency relief to sustainable empowerment.
From a Reformed Christian perspective, this dynamic raises important ethical questions.
Micah 6:8 calls believers to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God,” a call that extends to how we provide aid. The Heidelberg Catechism reinforces this principle, teaching that God’s justice is restorative, seeking the well-being of all people (Q&A 105). Aid efforts should reflect this by fostering dignity and self-sufficiency rather than creating cycles of dependency.
The church has a vital role in ensuring that aid efforts align with biblical justice. The Belgic Confession (Article 36) affirms that government and public authorities should promote peace and the welfare of their people. While this article primarily addresses civil governance, its principles extend to Christian engagement in global issues. The church, as a body of
believers, must advocate for policies and aid strategies that empower rather than infantilize developing nations.
A critical failure of many Western aid efforts is their tendency to impose external solutions without understanding local contexts. This paternalistic approach contradicts the biblical view of human dignity. All people are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) and possess inherent worth and capability. True justice requires recognizing and fostering the strengths of local communities rather than perpetuating a system where they remain dependent on foreign assistance.
To effectively support sustainable development, the church must move beyond temporary relief efforts and invest in long-term solutions that cultivate self-sufficiency. This means prioritizing initiatives that equip individuals with skills, education, and resources to build their own futures. For example, instead of simply donating food and medical supplies, churches and aid organizations can focus on funding agricultural programs, vocational training, and local healthcare infrastructure. These approaches not only address immediate needs but also create pathways for lasting transformation, allowing communities to thrive without perpetual reliance on outside help.
Another crucial aspect of Western engagement with Africa is the lingering influence of colonialism. While Uganda is no longer under colonial rule, Western attitudes and interventions continue to shape how many Africans perceive themselves and their relationship with the world. A telling example is the common use of the word Muzungu to refer to white foreigners, often accompanied by an assumption that Westerners are wealthier or superior. This perception
has led some Ugandans to go as far as bleaching their skin, reflecting the harmful effects of Western cultural ideals.
The Reformed tradition offers a corrective to such distorted views. The Canons of Dort emphasize God’s sovereignty over all peoples and nations, affirming that salvation is not limited to any one ethnicity or culture (Canons of Dort, 2.8).
The church must combat the residual effects of colonialism by promoting cultural dignity and rejecting any notion of racial or cultural superiority. This requires actively working against internalized biases within both African and Western communities. It also means addressing the subtle ways in which Western missions and aid efforts may unintentionally reinforce ideas of dependency or inferiority, rather than affirming the God-given agency and worth of local leaders.
Beyond theological affirmations, practical steps must be taken to dismantle colonial-era mindsets. This involves prioritizing African leadership in church and aid initiatives, ensuring that decisions affecting Ugandan communities are made by those who understand their cultural and historical contexts best. It also requires challenging Western narratives that depict Africa solely through the lens of poverty and need, rather than recognizing the resilience, innovation, and spiritual depth that exist within these societies. By reshaping the way aid is structured and represented, the church can help create a future where partnerships are built on equality and mutual respect rather than historical hierarchies. Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 2:3–4—to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves”—
reminds us that cultural humility should guide our interactions. The church must resist paternalistic attitudes and instead foster genuine partnerships that honor the wisdom and strengths of local communities.
A significant flaw in Western aid efforts is the failure to transition from charity to empowerment. Free resources such as food and clothing, when continuously imported from abroad, undermine local economies. For instance, when Western nations send large quantities of free food to Uganda, local farmers struggle to compete, which discourages agricultural growth and deepens poverty.
A more effective approach would be to invest in local economies by purchasing food and goods from within Uganda. This would create jobs, strengthen markets, and enable sustainable development. When Helping Hurts argues that true assistance should focus on enabling people to move from poverty to selfsufficiency, rather than perpetuating cycles of dependence.3
This principle aligns with a biblical view of stewardship. Proverbs 31:8–9 calls us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” and to “defend the rights of the poor and needy.” However, defending the poor’s rights means more than just giving handouts; it involves creating systems where they can thrive independently. Aid efforts should reflect the biblical principle of work and stewardship found in Genesis 1:28, where God calls humanity to cultivate and develop the earth responsibly. Rather than maintaining perpetual aid, Western nations and churches should focus on long-term, sustainable development. This means shifting from charity-driven models to strategies that empower local institutions and economies.
In the case of Uganda’s healthcare system, this could involve funding medical training programs, supporting Ugandan-led research initiatives, and strengthening local supply chains for medical resources. By equipping Ugandans with the tools to address their own healthcare challenges, aid efforts would foster independence rather than reliance. The same principle applies to education, agriculture, and infrastructure. Instead of Western organizations running schools, Ugandan educators should be trained and empowered to shape their own educational systems. Instead of flooding local markets with foreign food aid, investments should be made in agricultural development programs that support Ugandan farmers.
Furthermore, sustainable development requires a shift in mindset from short-term relief to long-term partnership. Too often, Western aid efforts operate under the assumption that outside intervention is the primary solution to poverty. However, true transformation happens when communities are given the resources and agency to develop solutions that align with their own cultural and economic realities. This means listening to local leaders, supporting grassroots initiatives, and recognizing that development is most effective when driven from within. When Western churches and organizations take the time to understand the strengths and aspirations of the communities they serve, they can offer support that amplifies rather than replaces local efforts.
A sustainable approach to aid also fosters long-term relationships built on mutual respect rather than transactional charity. Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 about
the body of Christ emphasizes interdependence, where each member contributes to the whole. In global engagement, this means recognizing that Ugandans have as much to offer the West as the West has to offer Uganda. Western Christians must be willing to learn from and partner with African Christians, acknowledging that wisdom, faith, and resilience are not bound to geography.
If Christians and Western nations truly seek to love their global neighbors, they must shift from providing mere charity to fostering self-sufficiency. This means prioritizing investments in local economies, equipping individuals with education and skills, and ensuring that aid efforts are grounded in principles of justice, stewardship, and mercy. True aid does not merely alleviate immediate suffering but empowers communities to thrive independently. By embracing this model, we can break the cycle of dependency and contribute to the flourishing of all nations in a way that honors God and reflects His justice.
1. Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009).
2. Corbett & Fikkert, When Helping Hurts, 109.
2. Corbett and Fikkert, When Helping Hurts, 145.
Miss Jillian J. Fisher
is a senior at Dordt University studying biology, chemistry, and criminal justice to work in forensic science after graduating.
(ISSN 8750-5754) (USPS 633-980)
“Exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
—Jude 3
Journal of Reformed Fellowship, Inc.
Send all copy to:
Editor, Dan Van Dyke
3718 Earle S.W. Grandville, Michigan 49418
Email: djvan1951@gmail.com
Website: www.reformedfellowship.net
Board of Trustees
Al Rumph, President; Rev. Casey Freswick, Vice President; Rev. Doug Barnes, Secretary; Marv Mingerink, Treasurer; Dr. Andrew Compton, Vice-all; Glenn Hop, Dr. Michael Kearney, Tom Kooienga, Dr. Daniel Ragusa, and Dr. Ryan Swale, Directors
Editor: Dan Van Dyke
Contributing Editor: Dr. Cornelis P. Venema
Art, Design & Production: Jeff Steenholdt
General Manager: Hope Staal
Distribution Manager: Emily Postma
Bookkeeper: Mindy Toonstra
Outreach Specialist: Ashley Hoekman
This periodical is owned and published by Reformed Fellowship, Inc., a religious and strictly non-profit organization composed of a group of Christian believers who hold to the biblical Reformed faith. Its purpose is to advocate and propagate this faith, to nurture those who seek to live in obedience to it, to give sharpened expression to it, to stimulate the doctrinal sensitivities of those who profess it, to promote the spiritual welfare and purity of the Reformed churches and to encourage Christian action.
The publishers of this journal express their adherence to the Calvinistic creeds as formulated in the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dort, and the Westminster Confession and Catechisms.
Reformed Fellowship holds the copyright to all material published in this magazine. All contributions represent the personal views of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of Reformed Fellowship, Inc.
Subscription Policy
The Outlook (USPS 633-980) is published six times per year (bi-monthly) by Reformed Fellowship, Inc. Annual subscriptions are $30.00 per year in the United States; outside the US, $36 per year (foreign subscribers please remit payment in US Funds; Canada add GST). Digital download subscriptions are $12 annually, and are included FREE with a print subscription. Unless a definite request for discontinuance is received, it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the subscription to continue without the formality of a renewal order and he will be billed for renewal. Anyone desiring a change of address should notify the business office as early as possible in order to avoid the inconvenience of delayed delivery. Zip code should be included. Periodical postage paid at Grandville, MI and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to The Outlook, 1988 140th Avenue, Dorr MI 49323
Advertising Policy
1. The Outlook cannot accept announcements or advertising copy inconsistent with the stated purpose of RFI. All advertisements and announcements must be approved by the RFI board prior to publication. We reserve the right to reject, edit, or request resubmission of announcement text or advertising copy. Books, pamphlets, or CDs to be advertised are to be screened as to author and content prior to publication of the advertisement, and such material should not conflict with the stated purpose of RFI. We reserve the right to limit the size of all
announcements and advertisements, and to limit the number of issues in which they appear.
2. All advertisements or announcements are to be submitted via email to office@reformedfellowship.net or to the business office at 1988 140th Avenue, Dorr MI 49323, and must be received at least two months before the publication date.
3. Fees for B&W/grayscale ads: $190 for full-page, $115 for half-page, $65 for quarter-page.
4. Fees for full-color ads: $235 for full-page, $140 for half-page, $80 for quarter-page.
5. Fees for preparing artwork for ads (in addition to advertising costs above) are $140 for full-page, $115 for half-page, $90 for quarter-page. These fees are waived if advertising art is print-ready. Please submit manuscript in an email or as an MS-Word.doc attachment. If you have pictures or images, please include as JPG files.
6. Preferred final file format for print-ready ads: High Quality Print PDF.
7. Ad sizes specifications: 8.75 x 11.25, trim 8.5 x 11"
Full page non-bleed: 7.25 x 9.75"
Half page horizontal bleed: 8.625 x 5.25"
Half page horizontal non-bleed: 7.25 x 4.5"
Quarter page (non-bleed) 3.5 x 4.5"
8. This Advertising Policy supersedes all prior policies, resolutions, or other statements.
Editorial Office
Dan Van Dyke
3718 Earle S.W. Grandville, Michigan 49418
Email: djvan1951@gmail.com
Circulation Office
1988 140th Avenue, Dorr MI 49323 (616) 532-8510
Business Mailing Address
1988 140th Avenue, Dorr MI 49323
Email: office@reformedfellowship.net
Reformed Fellowship, Inc.
1988 140th Avenue
Dorr, MI 49323 (616) 532-8510
In his commentary on Church Order Article 66, Rev. Nymeyer writes: “The Church Order is not a document that should sit on the shelf apart from the life of the office-bearers and assemblies. It should be well-known and carefully followed.” Amen! A working knowledge of the Church Order should not be reserved for a few gifted or interested men, but should be required of every churchman.
As a longtime elder who desires to see more church leaders take an interest in church polity, Rev. Bradd Nymeyer’s URCNA Church Order Commentary is a readable, clear, and welcome addition to every officebearer’s library. Tolle Lege!
—Mark Van Der Molen, Elder, Immanuel URC of DeMotte, Indiana
The Rev. Bradd Nymeyer is widely recognized in the URCNA as a leading expert on our Church Order. Drawing on his extensive experience in church assemblies as well as careful study, he has written a commentary on the Church Order that is pastoral and lucid, succinct and thorough. It will be of great help to the churches and office-bearers.
—Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, President Emeritus, Westminster Seminary California
