Reformed Free Publishing Association
Dear family,
There is not much new to report since my last update. On Friday we caught up on some work. Just this morning (Saturday) we visited with the council of the Berean PRC. It was nice to become acquainted with these men, since we will not have the opportunity to worship with their congregation during our trip.
The work of our missionary is the work of preaching and teaching the gospel. This is the power of God to salvation. One of the ways that this essential work is supported is through book distribution. Rev. Smit, our former missionary to the Philippines, recently spoke on and wrote about this aspect of the work (cf. "The Role of Reformed Literature in Foreign Missions" in SB 92, no. 4), and I've been reminded of this countless times during our brief visit here.
The Kleyns run a booming book operation. And they are unique, one of the few distributors of solid Reformed literature in the Philippines. They receive regular shipments of material published by the RFPA, usually through the delegations that have been visiting. For example, we carried 100 lbs. of books in our luggage to help fill their constantly depleting stock. I don't remember a single day while we've been here where the Kleyns have not received some order for books, filled some order for books, or made some delivery of books to an excited buyer. Contacts in many different parts of the Philippines are hungrily devouring this material.
The response to our literature is often, although certainly not always, positive. Some who may not have been very familiar with the Protestant Reformed Churches before have become better acquainted with us and the Reformed faith that we confess through these books. You might hear one man say that he was blessed by reading Herman Hoeksema's Reformed Dogmatics. You might hear another individual express gratitude for a copy of Prof. Hanko's For Thy Truth's Sake that he discovered. Another might say that he benefited from Prof. Cammenga and Rev. Hanko's book Saved by Grace. In the remarkable providence of God, He is using such means to cause His kingdom to come and His name to be hallowed.
To the RFPA: Keep bringing the good books! To all readers: Keep reading!
As we are about to begin the Sabbath, we pray that you might have a blessed day in preparation for it. We miss you all.
In the love of Christ,
Rev. Engelsma
