Best Selling Products

• One yearly payment of $265 or equal monthly payments
• Choice of any eight books per year

– Automatic: The member will automatically receive all 8 new releases from the RFPA during his or her membership year.

– Customize*: The member will contact the office when they would like a new book. This includes all new releases and/or any hard copy books from the "All Books" section of the RFPA website.

• Free eBook of any of the eight books selected (upon request)
• Standard Bearer subscription included
• Standard Bearer eSubscription included
• Ignited by the Word (children’s magazine) subscription included
• 35% off discount on all book purchases above and beyond the eight books selected

*Please note: The Customize membership operates under a "use it or lose it" policy. If you do not contact the office with your book selections prior to the end of your membership year, any books not redeemed will not be rolled over into the next membership year.

• One yearly payment of $160 or equal monthly payments
  
• Choice of any four books per year

– Automatic: The member will automatically receive four new "core" releases. These are the books that the RFPA judges to be the most valuable or of most interest to its core audience.

– Customize*: The member will contact the office when they would like a new book. This includes all new releases and/or any hard copy books from the "All Books" section of the RFPA website.

• Free eBook of any of the four books selected (upon request)
  
• Standard Bearer subscription included
  
• Standard Bearer eSubscription included
  
• 35% off discount on all book purchases above and beyond the four books selected
  

North America’s oldest continuously published subscriber-based Reformed magazine!

The Standard Bearer is a semi-monthly, 24-page print magazine devoted to explaining and defending Reformed doctrine, promoting the Reformed life of the Church and believer, and combating old and new errors that threaten to disrupt the Reformed faith and life. For 100 years, the Standard Bearer has boldly and unashamedly testified to the faith of the Protestant Reformation.

This periodical was the first of the RFPA’s publications, having been first published in 1924, and today has thousands of subscribers worldwide.

• U.S. hard copy subscription includes an eSubscription automatically

An annual subscription includes 21 issues of the Standard Bearer (Please note: The SB publishes only one issue for June, July, and August).

 

What others have been saying about the SB:
"I am an avid reader of your magazine, whom is truly grateful for the spiritual rearing of us brethren who are confined. I truly appreciate God through his grace that there still is that remnant who is sound and uncompromising in the exegete of Scripture. Your soundness is yearned for and honored abroad and throughout." —a subscriber in Florida

"The Standard Bearer is an encouragement to be a voice in the wilderness of doctrinal meandering." —a subscriber in Maine

"I have no idea how many years I have been privileged to be a subscriber of the Standard Bearer...I know it has been not only a blessing, but I have grown spiritually in the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!" —a subscriber in Florida

"It is the only periodical I subscribe to...the articles are uplifting, inspiring, and thoroughly Christ-centered." —a subscriber in Kentucky

• One yearly payment of $160 or equal monthly payments
• Choice of any four books per year

– Automatic: The member will automatically receive four new "core" releases. These are the books that the RFPA judges to be the most valuable or of most interest to its core audience.

– Customize*: The member will contact the office when they would like a new book. This includes all new releases and/or any hard copy books from the "All Books" section of the RFPA website.

• Free eBook of any of the four books selected (upon request)
• Standard Bearer subscription included
• Standard Bearer eSubscription included
• 35% off discount on all book purchases above and beyond the four books selected

*Please note: The Customize membership operates under a "use it or lose it" policy. If you do not contact the office with your book selections prior to the end of your membership year, any books not redeemed will not be rolled over into the next membership year.

• One yearly payment of $265 or equal monthly payments
• Choice of any eight books per year

– Automatic: The member will automatically receive all 8 new releases from the RFPA during his or her membership year.

– Customize*: The member will contact the office when they would like a new book. This includes all new releases and/or any hard copy books from the "All Books" section of the RFPA website.

• Free eBook of any of the eight books selected (upon request)
• Standard Bearer subscription included
• Standard Bearer eSubscription included
• Ignited by the Word (children’s magazine) subscription included
• 35% off discount on all book purchases above and beyond the eight books selected

*Please note: The Customize membership operates under a "use it or lose it" policy. If you do not contact the office with your book selections prior to the end of your membership year, any books not redeemed will not be rolled over into the next membership year.

  Click for a sample

We’re bombarded with antichristian messages everywhere in life, and from casual hookups to casual sex, our culture’s messages on dating are no different.

But Christians don’t have to follow these norms. The Bible gives us a better way.

It’s a way of chastity and wisdom. A way that understands that marriage—the end goal of dating—is for life. The person you marry will shape who you become spiritually. And that person will also be the father or mother to the children God is pleased to give you some day.

Pastorally and accessibly, Joshua Engelsma answers the practical questions of Reformed, Christian dating based on the truth that we must date differently—with marriage as the goal and scripture as the guide.

Read reviews by Kristin Stiles (booksataglance.com), James Admiraal (The Outlook), Gary Eriks (PRCA), Cory Griess (PRCA), Michelle Hofman (Young Calvinists), Jim Regnerus, Charles Terpstra (The Three R's Blog), Jon Van Dyk (Christian Renewal), Mrs. Ricky Pronk (The Messenger), and Sarah Vandergugten (Clarion)!

Joshua Engelsma is a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches of America. He lives in Doon, Iowa, with his wife, Courtney, and six children. He has served as pastor of Doon Protestant Reformed Church since 2014.

• 160 pages
• softcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-59-7
• Release date: October 15, 2019

eBook version available

audiobook version available

 Click to look inside

Doctrine according to Godliness is perfect for older youths or adults who have questions on Reformed theology and want answers quickly. The book consists of short, easy-to-read explanations of more than 235 topics of Reformed theology. The sections are both comprehensive yet succinct, each only a page or two long. An index to the subject titles allows the reader to find a title under any of its key words. The book makes an especially good resource for older young people in doctrine classes, for newcomers to the Reformed faith on domestic or foreign mission fields, and for those studying doctrine with a view toward church membership.

One would expect a book of this kind to be quite dry and tedious to read, but Doctrine according to Godliness is warm, personal, and has a definite devotional feel to it.

Ronald Hanko was ordained and installed in 1979 as minister at Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Throughout his time as a minister of the Word, he also served congregations in Houston, TX; Lynden, WA; and as a missionary in Northern Ireland. He has authored multiple RFPA books.

• 352 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-84-0
• Release date: 2004, 2012, 2018

3rd edition

Click for sample chapters

This Bible storybook is one of the RFPA's best selling publications!

Come, Ye Children has been a favorite of Reformed children for decades. A Christian school teacher and gifted storyteller, the author tells 198 Bible stories from Genesis to Acts in language easily understood by young children. Each story is true to scripture and includes a thought to remember and an illustrative drawing.

For this current edition, the pictures have been edited so that they no longer include pictures of Christ.

What others are saying about this book:

"All Christian homes, schools, and church libraries should definitely add this to their holdings." —Christian Observer

"Each story is scripturally sound and written from a Reformed perspective, with the covenant theme woven throughout." —The Outlook

• 606 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-27-7
• Release date: 1983, 1998, 2010

Also available in Tagalog!

 Click to look inside

Peace for the Troubled Heart is a genuinely Reformed devotional, breathing the rich experience of the believing child of God.

Comprised of 37 meditations written by Herman Hoeksema, this book addresses the theme of struggle and suffering in this life of every believer as a pilgrim of this world. Hoeksema, in his warm, personal, often poetic style, masterfully exercises the spiritual gift of devotional writing.

Read a review by Joe Holstege (Young Calvinists).

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964. 

• 304 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-05-3
• Release date: 2010

eBook version available

Other Books in the Reformed Spirituality Series:

All Glory to the Only Good God

Communion with God

Click to look inside

A few days before Jesus gave his life on the cross, his disciples asked, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3). Christ responded with the Olivet Discourse, a detailed teaching on the doctrine of the last things.

We need to understand the signs of Christ’s coming for our comfort as we look for “that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Christ had two concerns. First, his disciples must know the signs of his coming, which are footsteps of his approach. But Christ is not satisfied with mere “sign-gazing,” which can lead to speculation and idle, foolish living. He did not give signs to satisfy our curiosities, but so that we will be ready for him when he returns. Therefore, Christ’s second concern was the readiness of his disciples, which is expressed in his urgent and repeated warnings to watch for his coming in light of the signs.

Watch, pray, and serve the Lord with an eye to the signs of his return!

Read reviews by Ryan Barnhill (PRCA), Jerome Julien (URC), and Dr. Julian Kennedy (CPRC). 

Martyn McGeown is a pastor in the Protestant Reformed Churches. He is also the editor of the RFPA blog and the author of multiple RFPA publications.

• 304 pages
• softcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-14-6
• Release date: December 1, 2016

eBook version available

 Look inside the book! 

What is your only comfort in life and death?

That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

I Belong is a picture book (ages 4-7) that explains each comforting phrase of Heidelberg Catechism Question and Answer 1 to young children, in language that they understand. Colorful illustrations of a diverse group of children will capture readers’ imaginations as they learn what it means to belong to their faithful Savior.

This book can be used as a short book of devotions for families with younger children or can be read by older children on their own.

It’s comforting to belong to God because you know he will care for you. The Bible tells you that when you pass through the deep waters and when you walk through the fire, God will be with you.

Read reviews by Annemarieke Ryskamp (The Outlook), Amanda DeBoer (Clarion), and Kristin Stiles (Books at a Glance)! Also, learn more about the book by checking out our post on Challies.com!

Joyce Holstege has taught kindergarten at Heritage Christian School, located in her hometown of Hudsonville, Michigan, since 1995. Joyce holds a BA in English: Education from Grand Valley State University. She enjoys reading, gardening, and all things arts and crafts.

Meagan Krosschell lives in Randolph, Wisconsin. She studies graphic design at Madison College and enjoys drawing, camping, and ice hockey.

• 50 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-7368154-1-0
• Release date: 2022

Click below for a speech given by the I Belong author at the annual Reformed Free Publishing Association meeting on September 22, 2022.

The Standard Bearer now comes in an eSubscription format! Receive 1 year of EXCLUSIVE access to the latest Standard Bearer issues in three digital formats:

1. Flipbook digital reader
2. eBook (mobi and epub)
3. PDF

Please allow 24-48 hours after your purchase for us to grant you access to the exclusive eSubscriber page.

Each time a new issue is posted, you should receive an email notification.

What others are saying about the SB:

"I am an avid reader of your magazine, whom is truly grateful for the spiritual rearing of us brethren who are confined. I truly appreciate God through his grace that there still is that remnant who is sound and uncompromising in the exegete of Scripture. Your soundness is yearned for and honored abroad and throughout." —a subscriber in Florida

"The Standard Bearer is an encouragement to be a voice in the wilderness of doctrinal meandering." —a subscriber in Maine

"I have no idea how many years I have been privileged to be a subscriber of the Standard Bearer...I know it has been not only a blessing, but I have grown spiritually in the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!" —a subscriber in Florida

"It is the only periodical I subscribe to...the articles are uplifting, inspiring, and thoroughly Christ-centered." —a subscriber in Kentucky

"It is an excellent publication. I read each issue from cover to cover, and have learned so very much about the Reformed, biblical faith. Thank you for faithfully publishing it. Thanks to all those who submit articles." —a subscriber in Alberta, Canada

  Click to look inside

A biblical, doctrinal, and Christ-centered devotional, this book addresses the theme of the believer’s communion with God. Each meditation expresses the knowing, desiring, feeling, and acting of the faith of the heart that is near to God and in fellowship with him in Christ by the Holy Spirit.

Communion with God is the second part of the Reformed Spirituality series comprised of meditations written by Herman Hoeksema.

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.

• 368 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-06-0
• Release date: 2011

eBook version available

Other Books in the Reformed Spirituality Series:

Peace for the Troubled Heart

All Glory to the Only Good God 

 Click to look inside

Contending for the Faith presents the history of heretics that have troubled the church over the last two thousand years, treating errors from AD 100 (Marcion) to the present day (federal vision theology). What sets this book apart is its evaluation of every heresy from a consistently and unashamedly Reformed perspective. The reader will readily grasp the significance of the early heretics as Herman Hanko demonstrates the connection between their heresies and the errors arising later in history. The vibrant writing style brings the heretics—ancient and modern—to life. This trustworthy guide to the heretics equips believers today to "contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 1:3).

Contending for the Faith is a companion volume to Hanko's Portraits of Faithful Saints, a book of short biographies of the defenders of the truth from as far back as AD 100.

Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.

 Click for sample

Convinced that instruction on marriage is for God’s youth early on, Pastor Cory Griess has provided a distinctive devotional aid for family worship. Parents, do not delay! Before our children enter the dating scene, where feelings tend to inhibit clear Christian thought, we must ground them now in scriptural principles. The youth of the church will soon make pivotal decisions in their dating years that will permanently affect their married lives. Here is a biblical, insightful, and practical guide for Christian parents, many of whom have vowed at baptism to train their children in the doctrines of scripture to the utmost of their power. —Pastor Jonathan Mahtani

Read reviews by Joshua Engelsma (author of Dating Differently), Don E. Galardi, Sacha Walicord, and Grant Van Leuven.

Cory Griess is a pastor and seminary professor in the Protestant Reformed Churches of America. He and his wife, Lael, live in Grand Rapids, MI, where he currently serves as Professor of Practical Theology and New Testament Studies at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Lael, have six children, all born in Northwest Iowa where he pastored for nine years before moving to Michigan in 2018.

• 112 pages
• softcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-71-9
• Release date: August 4, 2020

eBook version available

3rd edition

 Look inside the book

This revised third edition is the accepted standard for the interpretation and application of the Church Order of Dordrecht by Reformed and Presbyterian denominations. This weighty and time-tested commentary instructs us today on the need for a book of order for biblical consistency in church government.

• 464 pages
• ISBN 978-1-936054-25-1

Hardcover version available

 Click the PDF to view a digital sample (pdf) of the SB from 2019.

*Please note that there is a limit of one free issue per customer.

The Standard Bearer is North America’s oldest continuously published subscriber-based Reformed magazine!

The Standard Bearer is a semi-monthly, 24-page print magazine devoted to explaining and defending Reformed doctrine, promoting the Reformed life of the church and believer, and combating old and new errors that threaten to disrupt the Reformed faith and life. For almost 100 years, the Standard Bearer has boldly and unashamedly testified to the faith of the Protestant Reformation. This periodical was the first of the RFPA’s publications, first published in 1924, and today has more than 2,200 subscribers worldwide.

An annual subscription includes 21 issues of the Standard Bearer (only one issue for June, July, and August).

What others are saying:
"I am an avid reader of your magazine and am truly grateful for the spiritual rearing of us brethren who are confined. I truly appreciate God through his grace that there still is that remnant who is sound and uncompromising in the exegete of Scripture. Your soundness is yearned for and honored abroad and throughout." —a subscriber in Florida

"The Standard Bearer is an encouragement to be a voice in the wilderness of doctrinal meandering." —a subscriber in Maine

"[The SB] is an excellent publication. I read each issue from cover to cover, and have learned so very much about the Reformed, biblical faith. Thank you for faithfully publishing it. Thanks to all those who submit articles." —a subscriber in Alberta, Canada

 Click to look inside

An orthodox commentary on the confession, that is, one that is in wholehearted accord with the teachings of the confession, and resolutely faithful to them, will be profitable to Reformed Christians and churches in the twenty-first century, not only for invaluable instruction in the Reformed faith, but also for the maintenance and defense of Reformed orthodoxy.

Founded on holy scripture, the Belgic Confession determines sound doctrine for Reformed churches and believers. This doctrine is rich, lovely, and powerful. The confession also authoritatively exposes contemporary heresies. As they read this commentary which proclaims the doctrine and authority of the confession, all believers who love the Reformed faith will be faithfully guided in the truth of the “old paths.”

Volume one covers Articles 1-21 of the Belgic Confession.

Read reviews by Herman Hanko and Nathan Langerak.

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.

• 368 pages
• ISBN 978-1-944555-34-4

 3rd edition

 Click to look inside

Is there a "well-meant offer" of salvation to all men? Or is the call of the gospel restricted to the elect only? Is there an alternative to these two extremes?

This book sets forth and defends the Reformed position of the gospel call to all mankind.

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.

• 224 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-936054-35-0
• Release date: 1980, 1994, 2014

eBook version available

Click to look inside

This alphabet book is a collection of Bible passages, short rhymes, and detailed illustrations designed to teach young children of their heavenly Father’s almighty power and his faithfulness to fulfill the promises he makes to them as children of his covenant. Use this book to instruct your children in the truths of salvation for all of God’s people and especially his littlest lambs.

Read reviews by Old Schoolhouse bloggers (click on the link and scroll down to the bottom of the page for 40 reviews!) and Worth a Bowed Head.

What others are saying about this book:

"Share this lovely ABC book with your youngest children. Mrs. Meyer’s colorful, detailed illustrations please the eyes; her simple, rhyming verses gratify the ears; and the selected scripture texts delight the soul. What better way to introduce our little ones to the alphabet than with the word of him who is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last?"

—Sarah Mowery, children’s and youth literature reviewer for Perspectives in Covenant Education

"[I] think it's super inspiring to see RFPA's commitment to providing believers with resources that deepen their understanding of the Reformed faith. My mom gifted my son your 'T is for Tree' book and he loves it!" —Madison H.

Connie Meyer is a 1982 graduate of Calvin College with a BA in art education. She is a wife and the mother to five children, and has written three books of art curriculum for the RFPA under the series title Behold the Beauty.

• 32 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-27-6
• Release date: 2018

eBook version available

Now in its 6th printing!

 Click to look inside

Behold, He Cometh is an essay-style commentary on the much disputed book of Revelation. By careful exegesis, the author gives a solidly Reformed, amillennial interpretation of scripture. This book sets forth in clear, concise language the comforting truths concerning the end times.

What others are saying about this book:

"...lucid, simple style...In interpreting the symbolism, the author is refreshingly sane." —Peace & Truth magazine

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964. 

• 800 pages
• hardcover  
• ISBN 978-1-944555-45-0
• Release date: 1969, 1974, 1980, 1986, 2000, 2018

eBook version available

 Click for the FREE bonus material

*This bonus material will be emailed to you as a downloadable PDF file if you proceed through the checkout process

This material includes Gottschalk's Shorter Confession, Longer Confession, and Extant Fragments. As with all of Gottschalk’s work, he wrote the original documents in Latin. The English translations of the Longer Confession and the Extant Fragments are by Ronald Hanko and are used with his permission.

Although Gottschalk’s Longer Confession was composed in prison as an explanation of his beliefs regarding the doctrines of predestination and sovereign grace, the Confession is also written in the form of a prayer to God.

Gottschalk’s intention was to explain, defend, and prove these doctrines that he loved so much, which explains why he would write these things in the form of a prayer. His deep love for the truth was at the same time a deep love for God, and prayer is the chief means by which one directly expresses such love. Thus, Gottschalk’s Longer Confession became the profoundly devotional piece of writing that it is.

This exposition on what the author calls "one of the richest and most beautiful parts of the word of God" is clear in language, simple and warm in teaching, rich in practical application, and faithful to Scripture. This exposition is addressed not to the scholars, but to the very same audience for whom the apostle wrote the epistle: the "beloved of God, called to be saints."

What others are saying about the book:

"...the best combination of theology and devotional reading that I have come across in a long time." —Evangelical Times

"...the personal benefits from this exposition are as fine gold." —New Focus

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.

• 728 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-0-616206-71-0
• Release date: May 16, 2014

eBook version available

Prosperous Wicked and Plagued Saints is a commentary on Psalm 73 that sets forth the truth of God’s goodness to his people in their trouble and of God’s curse on the wicked in their prosperity.

In light of the teaching of Psalm 73, the book takes issue with a theory about earthly prosperity and earthly woe that, for all its strange popularity with Reformed and evangelical Christians, only intensifies the believer’s temptation to doubt in the hour of trouble: the theory of common grace.

What others are saying about the book:

"This book arrived yesterday and I'll finish it today. Can't recommend it enough...The prosperity of the wicked is an illusion. What grace is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul? The answer is none. While it's popular today to say things like, 'God is good all the time and all the time God is good' or 'Have a blessed day' or 'I am blessed,' let's not be deceived. God is good towards His elect alone. All things work together FOR GOOD to those who are CALLED, to those who are in Christ Jesus and ONLY those who are in Christ Jesus." - Tim, from Arkansas

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. He has authored many RFPA books.

• 120 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-96-3
• Release date: July 25, 2014

eBook version available

 Click to look inside

The parables form a substantial part of our Savior's ministry, and this is ample reason for us to give good attention to them. With simple and familiar earthly pictures, Jesus tells us what the kingdom of heaven is like.

"The author takes each parable and by careful exegesis opens up its rich seam of spiritual instruction, and gives a faithful and solidly Reformed interpretation. He shows us gospel mysteries of immense beauty, power, encouragement, practical relevance, and everlasting worth for citizens of a kingdom that is not of this world."

Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.

• 432 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-82-6
• Release date: January 12, 2015

eBook version available

 Click to look inside

An orthodox commentary on the confession, that is, one that is in wholehearted accord with the teachings of the confession, and resolutely faithful to them, will be profitable to Reformed Christians and churches in the twenty-first century, not only for invaluable instruction in the Reformed faith, but also for the maintenance and defense of Reformed orthodoxy.

Founded on holy scripture, the Belgic Confession determines sound doctrine for Reformed churches and believers. This doctrine is rich, lovely, and powerful. The confession also authoritatively exposes contemporary heresies. As they read this commentary which proclaims the doctrine and authority of the confession, all believers who love the Reformed faith will be faithfully guided in the truth of the “old paths.”

Volume one covers Articles 1-21 of the Belgic Confession.

Read reviews by Herman Hanko and Nathan Langerak.

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books. 

• 368 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-1-944555-33-7
• Release date: June 1, 2018

Some professing Christians deny the necessity of church membership. Others join a church for unsubstantial reasons or leave a church for trivial, often selfish reasons. Many remain members of apostatizing churches because of family or traditional ties. Some Christians find themselves in areas or countries where no true church exists or can be formed. They ask, sometimes in anguish, "What must we do?"

Seemingly forgotten today is the truth that Jesus Christ institutes his catholic church in organized congregations that are clearly identified by objective marks. These are true churches, in distinction from false and apostatizing churches.

In the form of letters to an inquiring (though not always appreciative) European audience, this book addresses the issue of church membership in the twenty-first century.  This instruction is applicable to all believers and is based on scripture, the Belgic Confession, and the important, but little known, controversy of John Calvin with the Nicodemites.

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.

• 184 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-1-936054-03-9
• Release date: 2010

Click to look inside

This beautiful paperback is the perfect gift for anyone, young or old. This book discusses the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (found in Galatians 5:22, 23) that proceed from that fountain, Christ, and which by his Spirit he works in his saints. The author encourages branches of believers and their seed unto a life of good fruit-bearing.

New author Richard J. Smit first wrote about the fruit of the Spirit in a series of articles that appeared in the Standard Bearer and now appear in book form in this new book. 

Richard J. Smit has been a minister in the Protestant Reformed churches since his ordination in 1996. He has served as a missionary to the Philippines twice, ministering for over a decade to the saints there. Fruit of the Spirit is his first book.

• 155 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-936054-21-3
• Release date: December 31, 2012

eBook version available

Audiobook version available

 Click to look inside

Written as a response to Dr. Richard J. Mouw's He Shines in All That's Fair: Culture and Common Grace, this book examines the theory of common grace in the light of scripture and the Reformed confessions, challenges Shines' claim to be part of the body of Reformed truth, and proposes an alternative to common grace.

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.

• 112 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-81-9
• Release date: June 24, 2014

eBook version available

Other Books in the Rightly Dividing Series:

Reformed Worship

Always Reforming

Sixteenth Century Reformation

Today the central doctrine of the Reformation—justification by faith alone—is under attack, even by many in historically Reformed and Presbyterian denominations. Under the guise of a “new perspective on Paul,” revisionist theologians are resurrecting the old heresy of justification by faith and works. They give this a new name—the federal vision. But it is nothing else than the error of the Judaizers that Paul condemns in the Epistle to the Galatians.

In direct contradiction of the federal vision heresy, the author stands squarely in the tradition of Luther and Calvin. From an uncompromisingly Reformed perspective, he clearly and positively expounds the epistle, emphasizing the truth of justification by faith alone, as well as the liberty this truth gives to God’s people.

Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.

• 448 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-04-6
• Release date: January 1, 2014

eBook version available 

Praise His Majesty is a sheet music book containing 254 Psalter tunes arranged for beginning pianists. Teachers of piano will find this book a worthwhile supplement to their students’ course of study. The beginning piano student will be able to play the first few songs after only a few piano lessons, and adults with limited experience on the piano may also find this book to be of value. 

The book gradually progresses to levels that are more difficult. Upon completion of this book, a pianist of any level should be ready to play out of The Psalter itself.

This 8½ x 11 book has a sturdy semi-concealed double-wire binding and glossy nylon laminate covers.

What others are saying about the book:

I have taught piano lessons for many years now, and I have found this book a wonderful way to introduce Psalter playing to my students. They all love to play Psalters as soon as possible, but it takes a long time before most of them are ready to play from our regular Psalter. So I find this book a great addition to my teaching material, and my students all love it as well. - Jeanne K.

• 180 pages
• softcover, spiral bound
• ISBN 978-0-916206-92-5
• Release date: 2005

Covenant and election are two of the most prominent and most important truths in Scripture. They run through the Bible like two grand, harmonious themes in symphony. These two doctrines and their relation are the twofold subject of this book.

The author illumines covenant and election from the controversial history of the confession of the teachings and their relation to the Reformed tradition—from John Calvin in the sixteenth-century through the fathers of the Secession churches in the nineteenth-century Netherlands to the twentieth-century theologians Herman Bavinck and Herman Hoeksema.

David J. Engelsma served as minister to several Protestant Reformed congregations until he was appointed to the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1988 as professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament studies. He also served as editor of the "Standard Bearer" from 1988-2002. Prof. Engelsma has lectured and preached throughout the British Isles on behalf of the British Reformed Fellowship, which is devoted to the spread and defense of the Reformed faith in the United Kingdom. He lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife and is the father of 9 children. He has authored many RFPA books.

• 288 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-02-2
• Release date: 2011

"And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).

In this beloved volume, Hoeksema refutes the common misinterpretation of this phrase and pastorally brings home to the believer its rich, personal meaning, explaining the doctrine of sovereign, particular grace regarding coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

What others are saying about this book:

"An excellent book, and so much needed in this day of dishwater doctrine. It displays God on the throne, not man." —Christian Literature World

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.

• 126 pages
• paperback 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-67-3
• Release date: July 25, 2014

eBook version available

This set contains volumes 1 and 2 of the Reformed Dogmatics series by Herman Hoeksema. Buy the books individually here: Volume 1 and Volume 2.

2nd edition

This is a two-volume series titled Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Hoeksema. A clear, systematic study and exposition of Reformed theology written by a man who held the Chair of Dogmatics for some forty years at the Protestant Reformed seminary, the book is divided into the six generally-accepted branches of theology (theology, anthropology, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology). This scholarly work is logical, Scripturally sound, and faithful to the Reformed creeds and traditions.

Read a review by M. Eugene Osterhaven (Christianity Today).

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.

eBook version of the set available here.

Written over the course of a thirty-year ministry, this thorough commentary on the book of beginnings is useful as a Bible study aid or devotional. The author brings a wealth of information to the believer by way of an interesting narrative.

Robert C. Harbach (1914-1996) graduated from the Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1955 and was ordained in October of that year.  He served congregations in Washington, Michigan, and as home missionary before his retirement from active ministry in 1979. 

• 950 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-69-7
• Release date: 2001

 Click to view sample lesson

This Grade 2 workbook covers 2 Samuel through Malachi.

What others are saying about this book:

"I have been homeschooling now for 19 years. When our family first started homeschooling we bought a package curriculum from a company named Covenant Home. Included in that package was the Gertrude Hoeksema curriculum. We have used it in our home for years. I now own a small business that provides a one day per week enrichment program for homeschooled students (K-8th). We will be using the curriculum this year in one of our classes during the Bible lesson. I was so thrilled to discover that [the RFPA] carried exactly what I was looking for!" - Jenny Watts, The Friday Program

• 55 pages
• paperback 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-17-3
• Release date: 1978, 1992, 1996, 2003, 2020

Click to read sample

Ave and her best friend Katie lived for many years as nuns in a convent in Nimbschen. But one day the two women and several other nuns decided they must flee the convent for the city of Wittenberg so that they could worship the Lord in a way pleasing to him.

After their respective marriages, Ave moved away from Wittenberg, while Katie remained in the city with her new husband, Dr. Martin Luther. Over the years, the women wrote each other many letters and remained close friends and “sisters in the Lord.”

Now, in a novel set almost three decades later, Ave has received news that Katie has died. Determined to share her friend’s story, Ave begins to relay her memories of Katie and share the letters she has kept for all these years. Her desire is only that we learn what her friend Katie came to learn over fifty-three years on this earth: trust in the Lord, who strengthens the hearts of all who hope in him (Psalm 31:24).

Read reviews by Kristin Dykstra, Sarah Mowery, Eva and Mina Boekestein (The Outlook), Ronald Cammenga (Standard Bearer), and Jason Van Vliet (Clarion).

• 208 pages
  
• softcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-53-5
• Release date: April 1, 2020

eBook version available

 Click to look inside the book

In his first epistle Peter writes to the saints in Asia Minor from the perspective of their lives as pilgrims. As sojourners in a strange land, they are on a journey through this world toward their eternal home.

How must these pilgrims (and how must we), torn between this world and the next, walk in all the relationships of this life? Peter’s answers this question in his letter which serves as a pilgrim’s manual.

Believers will find A Pilgrim’s Manual to be full of instruction, comfort, and hope as they wend their way toward their eternal home.

Read reviews on Amazon.com.

Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.

• 352 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-14-5
• Release date: 2012

2nd edition

What does the Bible teach regarding God’s attitude to the reprobate ungodly? What are the implications that God has an attitude of favor to the wicked? Do the Psalms support or give the lie to the theory of common grace? Does Zwier’s “triple cord” of biblical texts hold firm, or is it cut to ribbons?

Read this classic work and gain new appreciation for the truth that God’s goodness is always particular.

Herman Hoeksema (HH) (1886-1965) was ordained into the ministry in the Christian Reformed Churches in 1915. He is considered one of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. He taught in the Seminary of the Protestant Reformed Churches from its founding and until his retirement in 1964.

• 144 pages
• ISBN 978-1-936054-91-6

Paperback version available

How many Christians can confidently say that they have “mastered” the art of prayer? Probably no one. Hanko’s work, When You Pray, is blessedly refreshing in his admission that none of us is good at prayer—including himself. Yet, over the years of one’s life, the author assures us, a person can make progress in praying. 

Hanko shares with his readers homely yet highly meaningful lessons he learned from growing up in a covenant family and covenantal church community. He also details the specific benefits of praying to the sovereign God of the universe, who knows our sins and weaknesses but loves us still. Valuable is this clear explanation of how God can be likened to the father of an earthly family, loving and caring for his own dear children. Eye-opening and helpful too is the author’s pinpointing of misconceptions people have about God and prayer that bar them from praying in a God-honoring way. 

If you have found your devotional life to be frequently barren, reading what the author has learned the hard way over fifty years in ministry will give you a renewed desire to fellowship with your Father in prayer.

Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.

• 192 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-94-9
• Release date: 2006, 2019

eBook version available

audiobook version available

 Click to look inside

Knowing God in the Last Days is an explanation of the general epistle of Peter to the early New Testament church. The primary theme of the letter is the knowledge of God, a concept that occurs many times and in various contexts throughout the book. This short epistle contains a wealth of instruction for the church today.

The secondary theme of 2 Peter is the application of the knowledge of God to the last days in which we live. Especially in his third chapter, Peter reveals to the church the knowledge of God as it relates to the end times.

Based on exegesis of the Greek text, this commentary gives clarity of explanation to God’s people regarding necessary and important aspects of today’s Christian life. May all who read be edified.

Read reviews by Dr. Julian Kennedy (CPRC) and Martyn McGeown (PRCA).

Mark Homer Hoeksema (1949-2021) was the son of a Protestant Reformed minister. He had a great love for church history, facilitating and recording many dozens of interviews and profiles with men and women in the Reformed church tradition. Many of these can be found in the archives of the Standard Bearer and the Beacon Lights, a publication for Reformed young people of which he was editor-in-chief for some years. He also wrote numerous Bible study guides for the RFPA. 

• 96 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-22-1
• Release date: August 9, 2017

eBook version available

Click here for a Table of Contents!

Click here to read a sample chapter!

The great Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck (1854–1921) was famous for his study of many disciplines, including psychology. The pinnacle of his studies in theological psychology is Biblical and Religious Psychology. The book is divided into two parts which work in harmony to cultivate a theological anthropology that attends to who man psychologically is, in relation to God, according to both special and general revelation. Both readers acquainted with Bavinck and new readers will be captivated by the author’s typically rich and erudite style. 

Biblical and Religious Psychology, translated by Herman Hanko and edited by Gregory Parker Jr, with revisions by Annemarieke Ryskamp, is an enlightening and stimulating work that will help all readers think more deeply about the relationship between theology and psychology and appreciate the theological complexities of being human.

What others are saying about the book:

In recent years there has been a renewal of interest in a “theological psychology.” While a rift may have existed in the recent past between theology and psychology, this has not always been the case. Herman Bavinck was one of many theologians who thought deeply about the connection between these two disciplines. He did this in a time when psychology was asserting itself as a science. For anyone interested in how one can put the words “biblical” and “psychology” together, this is an important work to consider. The readers will find themselves challenged and encouraged to take up the task of constructing a “theological psychology” anew. – Cameron Clausing, lecturer in applied theology and missional engagement at Christ College (Sydney, Australia)

This book showcases Bavinck’s attentiveness to the empirical granularity of biblical teaching on humanity. Further, the text represents Bavinckʼs mature writings on these topics, so readers who want a fuller picture of his reflections on the issue cannot neglect reading these texts. The editors and translators should be celebrated for bringing this accessible yet profound work to a wider audience, and the incisive introduction by John Bolt makes it all the more worthwhile. Take up and read! – N. Gray Sutanto, assistant professor of systematic theology of Reformed Theological Seminary (Washington D.C.), author of God and Knowledge: Herman Bavinck’s Theological Epistemology, cotranslator and coeditor of Herman Bavinck’s Christian Worldview

Bavinck spent his career as a theologian thinking about the human subject. Here you get his final thoughts on the psyche, consciousness, and particularly what the Bible teaches about human beings and how we respond to God’s presence. This is the work of the mature Bavinck, which makes it worth paying attention to. – Cory Brock, minister in the Free Church of Scotland at St. Columba’s (Edinburgh) and lecturer in systematic theology and preaching at Edinburgh Theological Seminary

As the 20th century dawned, the discipline of psychology celebrated its emancipation from the Bible and theology. As the new psychology was explaining more and more of the human experience, the rich, previously theologically informed constructs such as soul, spirit, and heart were being reduced to mere consciousness that could be measured in a laboratory. The divorce between psychology and theology seemed to be final. However, thanks to the work of Hanko, Ryskamp and Parker, we now know this was not the case. In their very readable translation of Bavinckʼs Biblical and Religious Psychology, we see that Bavinck was still trying to carve out a place for a theological informed psychology. Not only will this volume be of historical benefit, but Bavinck’s treatment of the human soul in all of its fullness can and should inform contemporary psychology-theology integration discussions. – Bryan N. Maier, associate professor of Psychology and Counseling at Cairn University

When framed in a biblical anthropology, psychology as the study of human soul activity is a necessary and valuable tool for educating children. – John Bolt, "Introduction," professor emeritus of Calvin Theological Seminary and editor of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics (Gereformeerde Dogmatiek)

I consider this material to be of such interest and help, especially to those who are engaged in the work of teaching covenant children, that a translation and publication of it is worthwhile in spite of elements with which I disagree. Bavinck did work in the area of Christian psychology which is not to be found in any English writings. – Herman Hanko, "Translator's Foreword," professor emeritus of Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary

Read reviews by John Jambura, @reformedandreading, and @biblebookstheology.

HERMAN BAVINCK (1854-1921) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. He earned his doctorate from the University of Leiden in 1880. He taught at the Theological School in Kampen and Free University of Amsterdam. He is well regarded as the foremost theologian of neo-Calvinism.

• 288 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-959515-06-7
  
• Release date: February 2024

eBook version available

 Click to view a sample lesson

This workbook for Grade 4 covers Genesis 1 through 1 Samuel.

What others are saying about this book:

"I have been homeschooling now for 19 years. When our family first started homeschooling we bought a package curriculum from a company named Covenant Home. Included in that package was the Gertrude Hoeksema curriculum. We have used it in our home for years. I now own a small business that provides a one day per week enrichment program for homeschooled students (K-8th). We will be using the curriculum this year in one of our classes during the Bible lesson. I was so thrilled to discover that [the RFPA] carried exactly what I was looking for!" - Jenny Watts, The Friday Program 

• 71 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-36-X
• Release date: 1988, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2018

 Click to view sample worksheet

This workbook for Grade 6 covers the intertestamentary period and New Testament history in the Gospel and Acts.

• 74 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-45-9

What others are saying about this book:

"I have been homeschooling now for 19 years. When our family first started homeschooling we bought a package curriculum from a company named Covenant Home. Included in that package was the Gertrude Hoeksema curriculum. We have used it in our home for years. I now own a small business that provides a one day per week enrichment program for homeschooled students (K-8th). We will be using the curriculum this year in one of our classes during the Bible lesson. I was so thrilled to discover that [the RFPA] carried exactly what I was looking for!" - Jenny Watts, The Friday Program

North America’s oldest continuously published subscriber-based Reformed magazine!

The Standard Bearer is a semi-monthly, 24-page print magazine devoted to explaining and defending Reformed doctrine, promoting the Reformed life of the Church and believer, and combating old and new errors that threaten to disrupt the Reformed faith and life. For 100 years, the Standard Bearer has boldly and unashamedly testified to the faith of the Protestant Reformation.

This periodical was the first of the RFPA’s publications, having been first published in 1924, and today has thousands of subscribers worldwide.

• International hard copy subscription includes an eSubscription automatically

An annual subscription includes 21 issues of the Standard Bearer (Please note: The SB publishes only one issue for June, July, and August).

What others are saying about the SB:

"I am an avid reader of your magazine, whom is truly grateful for the spiritual rearing of us brethren who are confined. I truly appreciate God through his grace that there still is that remnant who is sound and uncompromising in the exegete of Scripture. Your soundness is yearned for and honored abroad and throughout." —a subscriber in Florida

"The Standard Bearer is an encouragement to be a voice in the wilderness of doctrinal meandering." —a subscriber in Maine

"I have no idea how many years I have been privileged to be a subscriber of the Standard Bearer...I know it has been not only a blessing, but I have grown spiritually in the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!" —a subscriber in Florida

"It is the only periodical I subscribe to...the articles are uplifting, inspiring, and thoroughly Christ-centered." —a subscriber in Kentucky

Are you looking for a specific article or topic that was addressed in a past issue of the Standard Bearer? The Standard Bearer digital index for Volumes 1-99 is now available in a searchable PDF format.

The Standard Bearer digital index will help you locate a specific article or topic, an article written by a certain author, book reviews, etc.

A link to download the complete PDF of the index will be emailed to you after you receive your order confirmation.

Indexes included in this file: Subject, Textual, Book Reviews, and Title.

NOTE: This digital index is separate from the Standard Bearer searchable archives of past SB articles, which is available online free of charge at sb.rfpa.org.

Featuring over a dozen authors, Always Reforming demonstrates that the Spirit of Christ has carried on the reforming work of Christ in the sixteenth century in one particular branch of the church of the Reformation. A successor to The Sixteenth-Century Reformation of the Church, this book traces the continuing reformation in the Netherlands in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, and in the Protestant Reformed Churches in North America in the twentieth century.

• 318 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-99-4 
• Edited by David Engelsma
• Release date: June 6, 2016

eBook version available 

Other Books in the Rightly Dividing Series:

Common Grace Revisited

Reformed Worship

Sixteenth Century Reformation

The five points of Calvinism (TULIP) are clearly explained and defended in this wonderful teaching tool. Typical objections to the "doctrines of grace" are answered using Scripture and the Reformed creeds as the authors present their arguments in an easy-to-follow format.

Ronald Hanko was ordained and installed in 1979 as minister at Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Throughout his time as a minister of the Word, he also served congregations in Houston, TX; Lynden, WA; and as a missionary in Northern Ireland. He has authored multiple RFPA books.

Ronald L. Cammenga is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament Studies at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. He is a former pastor, and he and his wife, Rhonda, have eleven children and many grandchildren living in four states.

• 264 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-74-1 
• Release date: 2002