pilgrim people

Add to the request for warm breezes and oceanside huts reduced fuel costs. (Oh, and I want to be able to fly before I hit 50, no make that 45.) Funny how the world looks the same wherever you go, even here.

God causes all things, even the price of gas, to work together for the good of God's elect. Romans 8:28. It may keep the Elect from wandering far from home. It may keep the Elect close to Christ URC. It may get the fat Elect (hey, I resemble that remark) to lose a few pounds by riding their bike. :-)

True, but it will certainly cause the elect to look for a better deal.

Does anyone in San Diego know where it's sold cheaper than $3.83?

am i right, then, in asuming that all the elect have gone to the us since gas in germany is $8.86 a gallon?

We're up to $1.40 a litre (4 litres = 1 gallon). So, no complaining.

Mark,

That's where socialized healthcare gets you. ;-)

Matthias,

Where in Germany do you live?

hi everyone, i dont suppose this helps but here in the uk we are paying around $10 a gallon and we have our own oil supply in the north sea :-(

even if domestic oil cost more, at least we would not be paying money to people in the middle east who want to kill us and at least we could stay out of the middle east and have no more oil wars. It's a win win.

Thanks Matthias, Mark, and Ian!

It makes us feel better and stop whining (at least slows it down) when we hear about such prices in Europe. And, you did it will grace.

I see a good role for you all. We could have a front page column in our newspapers called: "What Europe thinks about the issues facing America". I am serious. It is good to have another perspective, even if we don't always agree with you.

By the way, is the UK considered part of Europe? There is another reason for more contact. :-) Thanks.

mike,

i'm living at the border to switzerland, not far from basel in the very south-west of germany. currently i'm attending a small evangelical seminary, since there's not much confessional reformed christianity left in switzerland / germany i'm thankful for every rescource on the internet i can get ...

Hi Matthias!

Here are a few of my recommendations for Confessional Reformed doctrine resources on the internet:
1. www.prca.org/index.html
This contains great articles, the Standard Bearer bi-monthly publication, sermons (reading and audio), and many other resources of the Protestant Reformed Churches.
2. www.monergism.com
This may be one of the most widely favorite sites.
3. www.reformeddoctrine.org
This is my favorite. :-) (It is my web site.) It also contains many links.

There are many other good sites, but I will leave those to the other writers to recommend. Thank you.

Yours truly,
Bill

Matthias,

I lived in Heidelberg from 89-92. My wife and I miss it a lot. It's really great to hear of confessional Reformed people in Germany. What church are you part of?

mike,

for the last 2 years i attended a calvinistic baptist church. However, some months ago the pastor of this church changed his mind about baptism and is therefore going to plant a presbyterian church in basel after summer. to my knowledge that's going to be the second confessional reformed congregation in switzerland. the situation in germany is not much better at the moment. Some people (belonging to the pca) are currently planning to set up a church in heidelberg... so there's hope. (the countries that gave you luther,olevianus, ursinus, zwingli ... definately need your prayer, guys!)

in january i visited a friend of mine in heidelberg, who was at that time attending a course on pauline theology at the university. The only time i joined him , was a rather disappointing experience: the prof took over an hour to persuade the students of paul teaching
universalism...

Dear Father in Heaven:

We pray for Matthias and the people of Germany and Switzerland. Please raise up Reformed preachers and teachers to teach them and help them. Please cause a Great Reawakening to the teachings of Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and other Reformers who once taught there. Please gather them together to form new faithful Confessional Reformed Churches that please You.

Please give them "the love of the truth so as to be saved". 2 Thessalonians 2:10-13. Please give them and fill them with Your Holy Spirit to guide them in all truth. John 16:13. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

"the prof took over an hour to persuade the students of paul teaching universalism" Sad. And to think that Ursinus once taught there.

That's encouraging news about the plant in Heidelberg, however. It would be tremendous to see Three Forms of Unity-confessing churches spring up around Germany.

What woudl you say are the greatest challenges to Reformed Christianity in Germany right now?

mike,

actually, as far as i know, those churches that are going to be planted will not adhere to the three forms of unity, but rather to the westminster standards.

concerning your question about challenges to reformed christianity in germany.
first, one has to be aware of the fact, that reformed christianity in its conservative, evangelical form has practically died out in germany, because liberal theology has captured the major state churches (both lutheran and reformed) and the universities. so, when i now speak of confessional reformed churches being planted they have no recent tradition in their own country they can built on. Everything has to be started from scratch.

There is in germany a growing number of people that becomes aware of reformed soteriology, mainly through books being translated from english. Most of those people however consider reformed ecclesiology (especially infant baptism),piety and liturgy to be connected with the dusty, traditionalistic state churches. There is also suspicion towards confessions and catechisms as being a danger to their view of sola scriptura (which some people call "solo scriptura"). The evangelical movement as a whole is being influenced by everthing you can find in america as well: seeker-sensitive pragmatism, emergent thinking, dull worship music, anti-intellectualism etc.
To answer your question, the greatest challenges are:
- laying firm foundations for a, (Lord willing) growing reformed community
- finding the right way to relate to culture and evangelicalism in germany
- getting solid reformed literature in german for both the people in the pew and the pulpit
- for the more distant future: starting a reformed seminary in order to train pastors and missionaries.

i appreciate your interest and all your prayers.
your blog and the audio-resources of christURC are really helpful in a lot of ways. may the Lord continue to bless your work, your church and your family.

matthias