Best Selling Products

 Click to look inside

The contemporary heresy of the federal vision is wreaking havoc on the Reformed and Presbyterian churches in North America. The author exposes the ugly root of the heresy (a conditional covenant) and sets forth the truth of the unconditional covenant, proclaiming the Reformation’s gospel of salvation by grace alone.

Read reviews by Ian A. Hewitson (Westminster Theological Seminary) and Douglas Douma (A Place for Thoughts).

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.

• 252 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-07-7
• Release date: 2012

Click the video below to watch an author interview, or follow the two links to see Feb and Mar 2023 interviews on the book by Rev. Don Veitch on his YouTube channel!

Federal Vision interview with Don Veitch, part one 

Federal Vision interview with Don Veitch, part two

This book teaches children...

• what God’s law is: his ten words to his people
• how we obey God's law: by loving him and our neighbor
• why we keep God's law: to thank him for delivering us from our sin, to be assured that he has made us his children, and more

This book explains and applies each commandment in two to three chapters, covering both what God forbids and requires. Chapters include discussion questions, a Bible memory verse, and a related psalm to be sung.

Read reviews by Amanda DeBoer (Clarion), Judy Joyce (Embracing a Healthy Family), Abby VanSolkema (The Left Fork), Dawn Peluso (Schoolin' Swag), Vanessa Le (The Outlook), and Todd and Nicole Kooienga (The Grandville Gleaner)! Also, check out our feature on Challies.com here!

Ronald L. Cammenga is professor of dogmatics and Old Testament studies at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Ten Commandments is his first children's book.

Ana Sebastián is a digital illustrator and visual development artist based in Madrid, Spain. 

• 63 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-30-7
• Release date: May 2023

Find other Reformed children's books here.

Find other New Releases here.

Other books in the Doctrine for Children series: COMING SOON!

eBook version available

 Click to look inside

"The book is controversial. It was controversial when it was written. It is still controversial in Reformed churches..."

Originally published in Dutch (De Gemeene Gratis) at the end of the nineteenth century, Particular Grace's explanation and development of the gospel of salvation by the grace of God in Jesus Christ was controversial then and continues to be so today. But by no means is the book controversy alone. Within is the lively, warm writing of a Reformed theologian who influenced much of the Reformed church world in his time. Kuyper is fresh. Kuyper is fervent. Kuyper storms the heart of the believer.

Read a review by David Engelsma.

What others are saying about the book:

"The Reformed Free Publishing Association has accomplished a breakthrough. For the first time, with the possible exception of Kuyper's work on the Holy Spirit, the Kuyper of sound Reformed doctrine and church reformation is presented to the English reading public."

"The book is biblical, deliberately and pervasively so."

"Reformed believers will surely be impressed with the power of the author's language and argument, the breadth of this acquaintance with past and contemporary discussion, and the cumulative weight of his case. They will also find Kuyper surprisingly fresh and pointed. Many contemporary denials of particular grace are anticipated by his arguments." —Mid-America Journal of Theology

• 376 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-66-1
• Release date: May 16, 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 (eBook) and Volume 2 (eBook).

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.

What others are saying about these books:

"This is Herman Hoeksema’s greatest book, and he did not live to see it published. Reformed Dogmatics is the deposit of the mature thinking of an authentic theologian; it displays a breadth of thought and a richness of insight and originality little known to those who knew the author only in terms of that theological controversy which created his public image but overshadowed his theological stature." - James Daane (Reformed Journal)

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.

Hardcover version of the set available here.

 Click to look inside

O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. —Psalm 136:3–5 (KJV)

God’s mercy endures forever. And the same mercy he displayed in the creation of the world and to his people Israel, he also reveals to his children in Jesus Christ. The words of this psalm and illustrator Kathleen DeJong’s beautiful acrylics and line drawings will inspire covenant children and their parents to thank God each day for his unending mercies.

Read reviews by Mary Beth Lubbers, Sarah Mowery (Perspectives), Kelly (Hope in the Chaos), and Amy Butler (The Write Balance).

What others have said about this book:

"Not all illustrations of Scripture are lawful or tasteful. However, Kathleen’s book of pictures carefully captures the beauty of God’s mercy described in Psalm 136. Each sketch has the imprint not only of a skilled artist but also of one who has meditated on God’s Word. Both children and adults will grow in gratitude to God by pondering the inspired text as it is illuminated by insightful art."  — Jon Mahtani, Pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church

"Kathleen DeJong has beautifully illustrated Psalm 136 in this book. Some of these detailed, vibrant pictures portray actual historical events from scripture; others portray the spiritual reality behind biblical events. I especially appreciate that the book begins and ends with illustrations that remind us that the psalms were meant to be sung by God’s people—people who always rejoice in the goodness and mercy of their God." — Karen Van Baren, Reformed Christian school teacher

Kathleen DeJong is a freelance artist from the greater Chicago area. She has done art projects for various businesses, including book illustration, murals, portraits, pet paintings, and assorted ceramics.

• 36 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-43-6
• Release date: 2018

Can believers and their children understand more about God’s covenant fellowship with his people with his people if they have a better understanding of the inner, triune life of God in himself? Does the life of Jesus Christ revealed in the Holy Scriptures help? What have Augustine, John Calvin, Karl Barth, Leonardo Boff and others offered on this topic?

Trinity and Covenant: God as Holy Family by Professor David Engelsma answers these questions and more.

In the light of profound insights of Augustine, following the lead of certain theologians in the Reformed tradition, and on the basis of the Holy Scripture, this book conceives the life of God in himself as fundamentally family fellowship. The fellowship of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit determines the nature of God’s works in the creating and redeeming humanity. The reader of this book will grow in the understanding of God’s covenant fellowship with his people.

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.

• 158 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-93-2
• Release date: June 24, 2014

eBook version available

Written by two young ministers embroiled in conflict, this book was originally published in Dutch in 1923. Dead aim is taken at the doctrine of common grace, and great care is taken to prove its errors using Scripture and the Reformed creeds. The doctrine of the antithesis and the organic idea of the covenant are also developed. This is a logical refutation of a common error, as well as a lesson in twentieth-century Reformed church history.

Henry Danhof and Herman Hoeksema are considered two of the founding "fathers" of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. 

• 288 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-73-4
• Release date: 1923 (Dutch), 2003

eBook version available

As the subtitle indicates, The Reformed Faith of John Calvin is a summary (not an abridgment) in one volume of John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. In a succinct, systematic way, the book sets forth the essence of the great reformer's teachings in his Institutes on all the truths of the Christian religion.

Throughout, this sum of Calvin's explanation and defense of the truths of the Christian faith is either expressed or supported by quotations of Calvin. The book is replete with quotations from the Institutes (in the judgment of the author, the most important and vivid statements of Calvin), so that the reader hears Calvin himself.

One who reads this book will know the Institutes and its comprehensive, powerful instruction in the Reformed faith—the faith of the sixteenth-century Reformation of the church and the faith of true churches of Christ in the twenty-first century.

The book also gives a brief explanation of certain of Calvin's teachings, offers analysis of Calvin's doctrine, applies the reformer's teachings to contemporary doctrinal issues, and even, rarely, becomes so bold as to criticize Calvin's doctrine, for instance, Calvin's teaching that the magistrate is called to enforce the first table of the law of God.

Many seminarians, pastors, elders, and laity, perhaps even a theologian or two, although desirous of learning the content of the Institutes, are put off from reading it by the sheer size of the massive, two-volume work or are hindered by the demands of their calling. This summary will supply their want and, it is hoped, motivate them to read the Institutes itself.

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.

• 472 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-00-8 
• Release date: February 4, 2016

eBook version available

What is and is not acceptable in a church service? Many churches today cater to the whims of their members when answering this question. This book, using the regulative principle and scripture as its guides, lays the groundwork for decision making regarding public worship.

Table of Contents

1 The Regulative Principle of Worship, David J. Engelsma 1
2 The Basis of the Regulative Principle of Worship, David J. Engelsma 6
3 The Regulative Principle of Worship Applied, David J. Engelsma 13
4 The Regulative Principle of Worship and Singing, David J. Engelsma 20
5 Contemporary Worship Practices, Barry Gritters 28
6 A Reformed Critique of Contemporary Worship, Barry Gritters 35
7 Proper Worship, Barry Gritters 39
8 The Active Participation of Believers, Charles Terpstra 44
9 A Conscious Involvement, Charles Terpstra 50
10 A Serious Preparation for Worship, Charles Terpstra 55

• 70 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-83-3
• Release date: April 5, 2016

eBook version available

Other Books in the Rightly Dividing Series:

Common Grace Revisited

Always Reforming

Sixteenth Century Reformation

Reformed Education is an explanation for the people of God of the fundamentals of Christian day-school education. The book demonstrates that the basis of the Christian school is God's covenant of grace with believers and their children. Treating such vital subjects as the place of Scripture and the creeds in the school, the biblical view of culture, the qualifications and calling of the Christian schoolteacher, and the goal of education, the author contends that the covenant of God controls and shapes all aspects of the Christian school.

In the course of this explanation, the book defends Christian schools against serious challenges—challenges as old as the claim that the state schools are adequate and challenges as new as the home-schooling movement.

This is the book to put in the hands of all believing parents. It will encourage those committed to Christian education. It will educate those who are doubtful. Christian schoolteachers will benefit from the book's description of their work: a divine calling to help in the rearing of the covenant child. Indeed, if the author is right in saying that all members of the church, whether parents or not, should support the Christian education of the children of believers as the church's own children, all can read the book with profit.

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 978-0-916206-63-5
• Release date: 1977, 1981, 2000

 Click to see sample lesson

The epistle to the Romans, written by Paul from Corinth, has four main purposes. First, Paul’s purpose was to set forth in a clear and logical manner the major Christian doctrines, with emphasis on the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Second, he intends to strengthen the church in its hope. Third, he instructs the mixed Jewish and Gentile church at Rome concerning the rejection of the Jews as a nation and the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church. Fourth, he admonishes the church concerning living various aspects of the Christian life.

Answering the questions asked in this guide will lead God’s people to an understanding of both its doctrinal and practical aspects.

This guide is split into 16 chapters. Each chapter can be used as a "lesson" for personal or group study.

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
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-936054-92-3
• Release date: 2015

Find all Bible study guides here.

NEW in 2024! Click here for a printable PDF series of quizzes on the Canons of Dordt.

These quiz questions and answers were written by Rev. Martyn McGeown, who authored the book Grace and Assurance.

"I have written these quizzes on the Canons of Dordt, mostly true or false questions, to help our people study the creeds. I used these at Providence PRC in catechism class and in the Providence Post newsletter. Try them out, test yourselves and your friends and family, and may the questions spur you on to familiarize yourselves with the confessions." -Martyn McGeown, 2024

 Click to look inside Grace and Assurance

In 1618-19, the great Synod of Dordt met to counter the Arminian error that was threatening the peace and welfare of the Reformed churches in the Netherlands. The fruit of their deliberations were the Canons of Dordt, a creed which has defined the Calvinist and Reformed faith for centuries.

This accessible commentary on the Canons leads readers through the comforting message of the creed: being wholly saved by God’s grace—not one’s own merit—comes with the steadfast assurance of eternal and unchangeable election.

Read reviews by Ron Cammenga (PRTJ), Jake Dykstra (Beacon Lights), Derrick Span, and Philip Harbach and Clayton Spronk.

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.

• 384 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-40-5

Paperback version available

NEW in 2024! Click here for a printable PDF series of quizzes on the Canons of Dordt.

These quiz questions and answers were written by Rev. Martyn McGeown, who authored the book Grace and Assurance.

"I have written these quizzes on the Canons of Dordt, mostly true or false questions, to help our people study the creeds. I used these at Providence PRC in catechism class and in the Providence Post newsletter. Try them out, test yourselves and your friends and family, and may the questions spur you on to familiarize yourselves with the confessions." -Martyn McGeown, 2024

 Click to look inside Grace and Assurance

In 1618-19, the great Synod of Dordt met to counter the Arminian error that was threatening the peace and welfare of the Reformed churches in the Netherlands. The fruit of their deliberations were the Canons of Dordt, a creed which has defined the Calvinist and Reformed faith for centuries.

This accessible commentary on the Canons leads readers through the comforting message of the creed: being wholly saved by God’s grace—not one’s own merit—comes with the steadfast assurance of eternal and unchangeable election.

Read reviews by Ron Cammenga (PRTJ), Jake Dykstra (Beacon Lights), Derrick Span, and Philip Harbach and Clayton Spronk.

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.

• 384 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-39-9
• Release date: September 6, 2018

eBook version available

 Click to look inside

This collection of short biographies details the lives of fifty-two professing believers who lived and died for Christ. Read about old favorites, such as Augustine and Luther, and learn about the obscure, though equally influential Christians, such as Cocceius and Olevianus. Not sentimental or fictionalized, these accounts tell what Christians actually said and did during difficult times, and they prepare the reader to face opposition today.

What others are saying about the book:

"While Portraits of Faithful Saints may not make the official textbook lists in some seminaries, students are going to latch on to Hanko's latest as an indispensable cheatsheet on the biography of theologians—the Halley's Handbook of its field."—Christian Observer

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.

• 464 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-1-944555-24-5
• Release date: 1999, 2018

eBook version available

In this book, a reader will find practical instruction on finding a godly marriage partner and maintaining a godly marriage. The author, a pastor for many years, is keenly attuned to the obstacles and problems facing many marriage-seeking Christians today, and he shares spiritual wisdom pertaining to relationships that lead to marriage.

• 62 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-68-0
• Release date: 2001

3rd edition

 Click to look inside

Although this book’s controversial contention that marriage is an unbreakable bond for life gets the most attention today, the book is a mainly positive explanation and application of the Bible’s teaching about marriage in all of marriage’s aspects. Marriage is a Reformed pastor’s instruction and exhortation to married couples, especially young married couples, with the purpose that they glorify God in their marriages and enjoy the bliss of this blessed communion of life. The second section is a history of the church’s doctrine and practice of marriage from Augustine and the early church through Calvin and the Reformation to the contemporary chaos.

The timeliness of the book is evident simply from the rate of divorce, not alone in North America in the early twenty-first century, but also in Reformed churches throughout the world.

What others have said about this book:

“This is one of those books that you wish could be put into the hands of every married couple and those contemplating marriage…If the contents of this book were put into practice, society would become more stable and broken homes would be few and far between.” –The Gospel Witness

“…one of the finest among the flood of such books flowing off the presses…The book [has] a theological depth and seriousness often lacking in non-Reformed books on this subject.” –Reformed Herald

“A book that says many biblical things about sex, children, family, the mystery of marriage. Recommended for laypersons and preachers alike.” –The Reformed Journal

“This book does faithfully reflect the teachings of God’s Word on marriage.” –The Banner

“A pastor, husband, and father speaks of marriage and its relationships in terms that few want to hear today–even in the church.” –Moody

“…there is much to be learned from this book for it touches upon much where the rubber hits the road in marriage.” –Ray Hoekzema, Trowel and Sword

“If ever there is a book which is vital reading for the church in our day, it is this one….This book is essential reading…and particularly should it be part of the staple diet offered to young people contemplating marriage.”  ALSO “…these books…challenged my views on the vexed subject of divorce and remarriage…they also caused me to re-examine my whole attitude to marriage in general and my own marriage in particular, and to re-appraise my role as husband, lover and head of the family.” –John Lowery, British Reformed Journal

“…Engelsma’s book is ideal for any who has an interest in the subject…Ministers, elders, deacons, husbands, wives, parents, young people, and engaged couples, especially engaged couples, should read it. They will do so with life-long profit.” –R.J. Hooper, The Tamar Reformed Witness

“…Engelsma…presents a rich, biblically based view of marriage.” –New Oxford Review

“…Engelsma…provides what may well be the clearest expression of God’s heart on the matter of marriage in print today. In simple, readable form, the author sets out the biblical view of marriage.”-Charles Crisimier III, Standard Bearer

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. 

• 256 pages
• paperback 
• ISBN 978-1-936054-51-0
• Release date: 1975, 1998, 2014

eBook version available

 Click to look inside

This book recounts much of the gripping history of the schism of 1953 within the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC), the culmination of the hard-fought battle for sovereign grace in the covenant. The book includes new, important details that have not been previously published and also provides the history of the controversial adoption by the PRCA of the Declaration of Principles, the document that in some ways occasioned the schism of 1953. In the appendices of the book, Engelsma gives a brief, valuable commentary on the Declaration, the first such commentary to be written.

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. 

• 304 pages
• Hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-19-0
• Release date: June 16, 2013

 Click to look inside

The key to understanding Reformed doctrine is found in the title of the first chapter in this book: "God is God." This truth sets the tone for all thirteen chapters—six on God and seven on man. Each chapter on God directs the reader’s attention to a different biblical aspect of the sovereign of the universe: God as God, as creator, as Lord, as good, as the living God, and as love. 

The seven chapters about man open the biblical teaching about a subject often misinterpreted today. Clear explanation is given concerning man’s covenantal relationship to God, his creation in the image of God, his fall, and his totally depraved nature. Like the chapters in part one, these also emphasize that God is God.

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.

• 152 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-87-1
• Release date: March 25, 2016

eBook version available

Click for sample lesson

The epistle to the Hebrews is one of the more difficult books of the Bible to interpret. Yet it is important to study, primarily because it helps us to understand the relation between the Old and New Testaments. Those who sometimes struggle with the interpretation but who nevertheless persevere will find in Hebrews the rich fruit of learning and edification.

This publication explores the main theme of Hebrews, the relation between the Old Testament and the New Testament, as well as two sub-themes. One is the concept better, a term used twelve times in the epistle to help define the relation between the testaments. The other is the emphasis on faith as contrasted with sight.

This guide is split into 6 "parts." Each part is made up of 3-10 sections that can be used as "lessons" for personal or group study.

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
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-944555-28-3
• Release date: 2017

Find all Bible study guides here.

This book recounts much of the gripping history of the schism of 1953 within the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC), the culmination of the hard fought battle for sovereign grace in the covenant. The book includes new, important details that have not been previously published and also provides the history of the controversial adoption by the PRCA of the Declaration of Principles, the document that in some ways occasioned the schism of 1953. In the appendices of the book, Engelsma gives a brief, valuable commentary on the Declaration, the first commentary to be written.

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. 

• 304 pages
• ISBN 978-1-936054-27-5

The statement in Article 28 of the Belgic Confession that all believers are “in duty bound to join and unite themselves with” an instituted church that has the three marks of the true church has proved to be controversial in North America and Europe. Engelsma’s recent book, Bound to Join, addresses the doctrine of church membership and has received criticism from both expected and unexpected critics.

This book answers those critics, defending the doctrine of church membership and demonstrating that love for the universal, invisible church invariably expresses itself by love for the manifestation of this church in the church institute. This book also examines the "house church" movement and the claim by such men as Harold Camping that the church age has ended.

This book is a must-read, especially for those who have read Bound to Join!

Read reviews on Christianbook.com and Amazon.com.

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.

• 160 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978–1–936054–13–8
• Release date: 2012

2nd edition

Originally written in 1552, this treatise by Calvin on the doctrines of predestination and providence represents his mature thoughts on these subjects.
 
In the previous edition, Calvin's treatise was divided into two parts according to the subject matter. This edition of Calvin's Calvinism puts the related topics of predestination and providence together, the way Calvin himself addressed them in his original.
 
Calvin's Calvinism features brief historical introductions to the treatise and to Calvin's replies to a former friend who wrote against this treatise. These replies are also included in this edition.

Read a review by C. Matthew McMahon (A Puritan's Mind). 

• 330 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-88-8
• Translated by Henry Cole
• Edited by Russell J. Dykstra
• Release date: 1987, 2009

eBook version available

Unfolding Covenant History is a series that includes Old Testament history syllabi written by the late Homer C. Hoeksema, with additional syllabi written by David J. Engelsma, his successor as Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Recognizing the work's potential for the edification and comfort to all of God's people, the RFPA originally undertook the publication of this series of hardcover volumes under the editorship of Mark H. Hoeksema, son of Homer Hoeksema.

The unique feature of these volumes, which distinguishes them from other such writings, is their emphasis on the theme of God's covenant of grace as the unifying principle of Old Testament history and of the very gospel itself. The reader's appreciation for this truth will grow during the unfolding of the meaning of the covenant as this history progresses through the books of the Old Testament. 

From Creation to the Flood, the 1st volume in the Unfolding series, covers Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 6. Though a small portion of the Scriptures, this period encompasses 1,650 years of biblical history! In this volume, Hoeksema shows that the "book of beginnings" holds significance for God's people today and endures to the end of the ages.

• 368 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-64-2
• Release date: December 8, 2015

RELATED PRODUCTS

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6 (eBook)

Click to look inside

With the publication of this book is completed a Reformed, full-scale, commentary on the Belgic Confession, of which there are few in English today. This second volume is not a summary of the Confession, nor a compilation of sermons loosely based on the Confession, but a commentary. It explains the Confession, article by article, doctrine by doctrine.

Volume two begins with the Confession’s opening article on the doctrine of salvation, continues with the Confession’s lengthy treatment of the doctrine of the church, and concludes with the Confession’s explanation of the doctrine of the last things—eschatology.

Volume two covers Articles 22-37 of the Belgic Confession and includes indexes for both volume 1 and volume 2.

Read reviews by Allen Brummel, H. David Schuringa (Christian Renewal) and Ronald Cammenga (PRTJ Nov 2019).

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. 

• 400 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-1-944555-35-1
• Release date: June 5, 2019

Unfolding Covenant History is a series that includes Old Testament history syllabi written by the late Homer C. Hoeksema, with additional syllabi written by David J. Engelsma, his successor as Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Recognizing the work's potential for the edification and comfort to all of God's people, the RFPA originally undertook the publication of this series of hardcover volumes under the editorship of Mark H. Hoeksema, son of Homer Hoeksema.

The unique feature of these volumes, which distinguishes them from other such writings, is their emphasis on the theme of God's covenant of grace as the unifying principle of Old Testament history and of the very gospel itself. The reader's appreciation for this truth will grow during the unfolding of the meaning of the covenant as this history progresses through the books of the Old Testament.

This 2nd volume (From the Flood to Isaac) of the Unfolding series is divided into three parts: the postdiluvian world and the patriarchal eras of Abraham and Isaac. The postdiluvian section covers the changed earth after the flood, the establishment by God of the sword-power ordinance, the covenant with Noah, Noah’s prophetic blessing and cursing, Nimrod, Babel, and the genealogy/chronology provided for Shem’s generations. Though the facts about the first two patriarchs are familiar, the covenantal perspective on those lives makes for a much richer interpretation than most readers have ever before encountered. 

• 328 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-70-3
• Release date: December 8, 2015

RELATED PRODUCTS

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6 (eBook)

This set contains volumes 1 and 2 of the Sermons on Isaiah commentaries. Buy the books individually here: Volume 1 and Volume 2. 

The prophecy of Isaiah occupies a large place in the Old Testament canon of Scripture, not only from the viewpoint of its length, but also from the perspective of its significance. Second only to the psalms, it is the book most frequently quoted in the New Testament. Among the books of the prophets, it is quoted by Jesus and his apostles in support of the New Testament gospel of grace more frequently than all of the other prophets put together. In addition, Isaiah’s vocabulary is richer than that of any other prophet, and even more comprehensive and diverse than that of the psalms.

Why did Jesus and his apostles quote from Isaiah as often as they did? What did the author of this book see in the prophecy of Isaiah that made him concentrate much of his preaching on this book for some thirty years?

The answer lies in the messianic characteristic of the book; Isaiah speaks of Christ. Sometimes the prophecy is indirect, vague, and difficult to understand. At other times clear, literal, and straightforward. In either case, Isaiah always speaks of the coming of the Messiah implying both the judgment of the wicked world and the salvation of Zion.

The author of these books, Homer C. Hoeksema loved the prophecy of Isaiah and preached on 125 different passages from the Bible book. Redeemed with Judgment: Sermons on Isaiah are transcribed and edited collections of these sermons.

Homer C. Hoeksema (1923-1989) was the second son of Herman Hoeksema, born during the turmoil of the Common Grace controversy which led to the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches. He served charges in Iowa and Illinois before being called to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary, where he taught Dogmatics and New Testament studies. He also served for years as the editor of The Standard Bearer and wrote many books for the RFPA.

Click to look inside

The nativity story is the message of salvation, for in the words of the Nicene Creed, “Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God…for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.” Jesus was born for our salvation!

Follow the inspired evangelists, Matthew and Luke, as they relate the wonderful events that surround the birth and early childhood of Jesus Christ. Marvel at the announcement of the angel Gabriel. Rejoice with Mary, Elizabeth, the unborn John, and Joseph. Trace the steps of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, where the Savior is born. Listen to the heavenly song of the angelic host as they announce the gospel to lowly shepherds. Meet patient Simeon and aged Anna in the temple, and hear Simeon’s mysterious prophecy of the Savior’s rejection. Make the long trek from the east with the wise men who eagerly seek him that is born King of the Jews. Enter the palace of ruthless King Herod and witness his satanic enmity against the newborn Savior. Flee with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus to Egypt to escape the king’s wrath. Observe Jesus’ childhood development in Nazareth, and, finally, accompany Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem in his twelfth year, where he must be about his Father’s business. 

Read reviews by Jerome Julien (The Outlook), Joseph Holstege, Jonathan Langerak, and Stephan Regnerus. 

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.

• 288 pages
• ISBN 978-1-944555-56-6

Hardcover version available

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
• ISBN 978-1-936054-24-4

Hardcover version available

Unfolding Covenant History is a series that includes Old Testament history syllabi written by the late Homer C. Hoeksema, with additional syllabi written by David J. Engelsma, his successor as Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Recognizing the work's potential for the edification and comfort to all of God's people, the RFPA originally undertook the publication of this series of hardcover volumes under the editorship of Mark H. Hoeksema, son of Homer Hoeksema.

The unique feature of these volumes, which distinguishes them from other such writings, is their emphasis on the theme of God's covenant of grace as the unifying principle of Old Testament history and of the very gospel itself. The reader's appreciation for this truth will grow during the unfolding of the meaning of the covenant as this history progresses through the books of the Old Testament.

Volume 3 (From Jacob to the Exodus) of the Unfolding series is divided into three parts: the history of Jacob, the history of Joseph, and the history of the bondage and exodus of Israel from Egypt.

Jacob is a very strong character in the history of God's covenant. His sins and shortcomings, as well as his penchant for running ahead of the Lord, are described in detail by the author. Yet, the great strength of his faith in the covenant promise of God is the overriding theme. The history of this father of the tribes of Israel makes for interesting reading.

The history of Joseph is perhaps even more intriguing. The story of his life, from his being sold into slavery to his ascension to a position as ruler of Egypt, is almost stranger than fiction. The author explains how—through the awesome power of God's sovereign providence by means of Joseph—the line of the covenant was preserved, and the fledgling nation of Israel came to live in Egypt.

The section on the bondage and exodus details the increasingly oppressive bondage of God's people. It describes the ten plagues visited by God upon Egypt, culminating in God's powerful deliverance of his people from the land of bondage, which is typical of our deliverance from the dominion of sin.

• 344 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-78-9
• Release date: December 8, 2015

RELATED PRODUCTS

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6 

Using Scripture as his guide, author Herman Hanko in this book develops the truth of God's covenant as it relates to the baptism of the infants of believers. "We" (the elect people of God) and "our children" are and should be inseparably linked because they both belong to the covenant of grace, though some Christian denominations deny this beautiful truth when they refuse to baptize their children.

What others are saying about this book:

"Excellent." – Douglas Wilson (Goodreads)

"One of the best biblical arguments I've read for the case for covenantal infant baptism." – Chris G. (Goodreads)

Read reviews by Henry Pieter Kik (Westminster Theological Seminary) and Russell J. Dykstra (The Standard Bearer).

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.

• 184 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-616206-79-6
• Release date: 2004

Look inside the book

The author’s narrative recounts the reformation of the church in 1834, when Hendrik de Cock witnessed against the false doctrines and unspiritual character of the state Reformed church of the Netherlands. After having been unceremoniously suspended and deposed from office, he led his congregation to return to the biblical worship of God in Christ Jesus as set forth in the Reformed creeds, which represents the faith of God’s saints throughout the ages. His witness has inspired the witness of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world until this day.

This book therefore recounts one man’s struggle against the perversions of scripture by the vast majority of ordained pastors in the state Reformed church with its million or more spiritually sleeping members. Contra mundum was the character of this struggle for the truth. De Cock’s witness therefore was a trumpet blast in the night of spiritual darkness that awakened God’s people at the morn of a new day, while at the same time it angered and galvanized the unfaithful ecclesiastical administrators in opposition. De Cock gave witness to the sole authority of sacred scripture and to the binding authority of the Reformed creeds, which for Reformed believers is derived from the binding authority of the Bible. 

Read reviews by Dr. Wes Bredenhof, Prof. David Engelsma, Dr. Eugene Heideman, Rev. E. T. Kirkland, Rev. Cornelius Pronk, Rev. Clayton Spronk, Rev. Pieter VanderMeyden, and Charles Terpstra (The Three R's blog).

Read reviews on Goodreads.com here.

Find more reviews at the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church (NI) bookstore page here.

Marvin Kamps (1940-2014) was a minister of the word in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1976-1993. He served congregations in Iowa, Washington, and West Michigan.

• 512 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-936054-32-9
• Release date: March 21, 2014

eBook version available

  Click to look inside

The book of Job is God’s commentary on the suffering and trials of his people. The book describes suffering on a scale seldom seen but shows our weaknesses and the temptations we face when under the hand of God or when called to bring comfort to others who are suffering. For that reason it is instructive and corrective but is also of great comfort, for it points those who are suffering to God’s sovereignty in trials and to his faithfulness and saving grace to his own.

God speaks to our trials from the viewpoint, first, of his own interactions with Satan, then from the viewpoint of Job’s interactions with his friends, and finally as the one who appears to Job and his friends in a tornado.

This work is not meant to be an exhaustive, verse-by-verse explanation of the book of Job but is an attempt to show how the book fits together and leads up to its grand climax in the appearance of God. It also attempts to show that Job has often been misunderstood and maligned, and though guilty of sin, as we all are in suffering, is nevertheless one whose faith and hope in God are sure. May it be of help to all who love God as Job did, especially when the God they love chastises and corrects them as he does all of his children.

Read reviews by Jerome Julian (The Outlook), Joseph Holstege (The Standard Bearer), Martyn McGeown (PRTJ), Matthew DeBoer (PRCA), and Randall C. Bailey (JETS).

Ronald Hanko was ordained and installed in 1979 as minister at Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Throughout 38 years 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, including Doctrine According to Godliness: A Primer of Reformed Doctrine and The Coming of Zion’s Redeemer: The Prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

• 160 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN: 978-1-944555-82-5
• Release date: 2021

eBook version available

 Click to view a sample lesson

This textbook 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 

• 372 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-35-1
• Release date: 1988, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2018

Marvelously free of worldly Christmas sentiments, this meditation focuses on the great wonder of Christ's birth as a fulfillment of God's promise to save his people. In this beautiful devotional, the reader is led through the mysterious circumstances and events surrounding Jesus' birth to contemplate God's faithfulness.

What others are saying about this book:

"Though the themes are old, the manner in which Rev. H. Hoeksema treats them is original. This book...is worth reading. It is excellent in every respect." —Wm. Hendriksen (The Banner)

Read a review by Joshua Vink.

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.

• 206 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-31-4
• Release date: 1944, 1986

 Click to look inside

Does the eternal, unchangeable, all-powerful, and sovereign God really have a temporal, changeable and weak desire to save those whom he has unconditionally reprobated (Rom. 9:22), for whom the Son did not die (John 12:31) and whom the Holy Spirit will not regenerate, sanctify or glorify (John 3:8)?

Pelagianism, semi-Pelagianism, Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, Anabaptism, Arminianism, Amyraldism, and Marrowism say yes to the well-meant offer of the gospel. The biblical, Augustinian, Reformed, and creedal position is no!

Emeritus professor of church history Herman Hanko guides us through fascinating doctrinal controversies in the early, Reformation, and modern eras of the church, taking us to North Africa, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, and America, and emphasizing the teaching of the great theologians, such as Augustine and John Calvin, on God’s particular grace, which is always irresistible and never fails or is frustrated.

In dealing with the historical perspective of God's absolutely sovereign grace versus the well-meant offer, this book fills a gap in the literature, and does so in a way that is warm and easily understood.

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.

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. 

• 272 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-10-8
• Release date: December 1, 2016

eBook version available

Click to see sample lesson

Written by Luke, Acts is the continuation of his gospel narrative. In Acts we find a three-fold theme. First, it is the history of the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the fulfillment of Christ’s promise that he would pour out his Spirit on his people. Second, Acts sets forth the doctrine of the church, which in its simplicity is the model for the organization and operation of the Spirit-led church of all ages. Third, Acts is evangelistic, recording the spread of the gospel through the preaching of the word of Christ.

Thus Acts is a paradigm for the New Testament church throughout its history.

The question format of this study guide is intended to provoke study, discussion, and thought, in order to facilitate an understanding of Acts, whether in Bible studies or on a personal level.

This guide is split into 28 chapters, with each chapter corresponding to a chapter in Acts. Each chapter is made up of 3-5 sections that can be used as "lessons" for personal or group study.

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. 

• 176 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-936054-93-0
• Release date: 2015

Find all Bible study guides here.

Click for a sample

Click here for an excerpt of the book on the reformation21.org blog, and read more on vocation from the author here on the Ligonier Ministries blog.

How can I pick the right job?

Actually, you don’t need to choose a job that’s “perfect for you.” But you do need to be faithful and productive in ways that honor God in your work life.

Here’s a better question: As a believer, how can I determine what I am supposed to do, and then do it well?

The doctrine of calling, or vocation, leads us to the answer. Because for those who are “called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28), God provides a place, a time, and the gifts necessary to work for him in this world.

This book will help you do three things:

1. Ponder the doctrine of vocation—learn what it means to have a calling and what Scripture teaches about work.
2. Prepare for vocational living—determine the skills and character traits you’ll need and learn how to sort through your vocational options, remaining faithful to your other callings as you work.
3. Practice vocation—apply biblical disciplines to succeed at work and relate work to the rest of who you are as a Christian.

God placed us in his world to work for his glory. You might not know exactly what he has planned for you, but you must—and can—be faithful where he calls you to be.

Table of Contents:

Introduction
PART ONE: PONDERING VOCATION
1 What Is Vocation?
2 What Is Work?
3 How Is Calling Related to Conversion?
PART TWO: PREPARING FOR YOUR VOCATION
4 Have Something to Offer
5 Choose Wisely
6 Remember Your Other Vocations
PART THREE: PRACTICING VOCATION
7 Work Well
8 Be Sure to Rest
9 Manage Money Wisely
APPENDIX: QUESTIONS ABOUT VOCATION
Appendix A What If I Hate My Job?
Appendix B Is My Vocation Compromised by Sin?
Appendix C Should I Go to College?
Appendix D Is Military Service a Good Option for Me?
Appendix E Am I Called to the Ministry?
Notes

What others are saying about this book:

"Finding My Vocation by Pastor Bill Boekestein is a timely book. Many young people are questioning the traditional assumptions about how to find their niche in life. This book masterfully unpacks calling in the space of 100 pages. Simple without being shallow, Boekestein exams the biblical concept of vocation as well as how to prepare and practice one’s vocation. The content of each chapter is illustrated by the stories of people that were interviewed over the course of writing the book. Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling will be a birthday gift for all my grandchildren who are trying to find their calling. I could not make a better recommendation than that."
– Tedd Tripp, author of Shepherding a Child's Heart, pastor emeritus, conference speaker

"Pastor Bill Boekestein has done young people—and the whole church, really—a tremendous service by providing an accessible overview of the Bible's teaching on vocation. We are most happy, and God most glorified, when we “live in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called.” This book will help you do just that. I commend it highly."
– Jonathan Landry Cruse, pastor, Community Presbyterian Church, Kalamazoo, MI

"Pastor Boekestein has written a book that is all at once practical, motivating, challenging, and encouraging.  The normal feel-good platitudes of the day won’t cut it, and Bill dives into a scriptural take on one of the most important issues and considerations we will ever face.  His communication style is clear and succinct yet with true depth and richness that makes the key takeaways of the book really stick.  I cannot recommend this enough!"
– David Bahnsen, author of Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life

“Thoroughly Reformed. [Boekestein] includes good quotes from the Reformed fathers, confessions, and Scripture...I encourage those in high school and college to read this book, especially if they are struggling to find a vocation. But it is not only for a segment of people struggling to find their vocational calling. Those who know what God is calling them to do and those who are doing it will benefit as well. Parents, grandparents, and counselors will benefit greatly from the book to help the coming generations settle on a vocation that fits them and is honoring to God. I personally found it beneficial, as I work in the kingdom calling God has given to me."
– Garry Eriks, pastor, Unity Protestant Reformed Church, Byron Center, MI

The doctrine of vocation is a surprisingly important one. If you come to a firm understanding of this doctrine while you are young, it will serve you well for the rest of your life. That is why I am so pleased with this book. It addresses sound teaching and faithful application to teens and young adults—the very people who have a whole lifetime of vocation ahead of them.
– Tim Challies, founder of the Challies blog and author of Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Positivity

"Young people seeking God’s will for their life’s calling will discover a treasure trove of wisdom in William Boekestein’s Finding my Vocation. Vocation covers all of life. As they prayerfully make decisions for the future, they will consider biblical principles of work and relationships, they will assess their God-given talents and providential circumstances, they will aim to serve their family and their neighbor, and they will honor God. A rich, fulfilling, Christ-centered life awaits them if they follow the principles found on these pages."
– Mary Beeke, author of Teach Them to Work: Building a Positive Work Ethic in Our Children

"Three things are most important in life: Knowing God, marrying the right person, and finding the right vocation. William Boekestein's thoughtful book may help young people follow a good path and recalibrate if they've gone astray."
– Marvin Olasky, author, chairman at Zenger House, and former editor of WORLD magazine

"In this book, William Boekestein shows us a true pastoral heart. He lays out biblical principles that can enable young readers to seek a vocation that fits them and then do it with gracefulness and God-glorifying purpose. As a founding chancellor of a Christian university in Africa, I will want to put this book into the hands of all our students. The truths in this book could have far-reaching results on our continent!"
– Conrad Mbewe, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church and founding chancellor of the African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia

"God brings us to our vocations, but his callings still require our preparation and discernment.  William Boekestein has written an engaging, biblically and theologically-informed guide for young people trying to figure out where God wants them to serve that is both practical and spiritual.  But it is also a guide for those of us already deep in our vocations who perhaps do not fully realize the role vocations play in the Christian life."
– Gene Edward Veith, professor emeritus of literature at Patrick Henry College and author of God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life

"I am often asked by worried parents if their teenager should go to college or not. They often mistake an apathy towards higher education as depression, a lack of drive, or just pure laziness. I wonder if in most cases it is a lack of purpose. Many of these parents have fallen into the trap of thinking that a college education is the only avenue to a respectable life. It’s simply not true. I value a liberal arts education, and hopefully the children of these worried parents received one in high school. This does not mean, however, that only a white-collar occupation can provide true purpose. Nonsense! Our value, identity, and purpose cannot be satisfactorily defined by salary, position, or social standing. The doctrine of vocation frees us from this false choice. We are first freed from sin on account of Christ. Now that we are free, God uses us, no, he calls us to be his coworkers in the world. What title or amount of money could satisfy our yearning for purpose more than that? This book needed to be written. This is tough stuff, isn’t it? Especially for teenagers trying to figure out what to do with their lives. Boekestein will help these young Christians navigate these tough questions. He puts the gospel first and by doing so frees the worried teen about their standing before God, but he also shows them that whatever their vocation it is honored by God. God gives them a divine purpose in life."
– Michael Berg, author of Vocation: The Setting for Human Flourishing

"Hardly a week goes by when I am not asked an earnest and serious question about vocation. Often it has to do with preparation for work; sometimes it has to do with enduring a job that seems unfulfilling. This short book offers clear, practical, but most importantly, biblical advice on the nature of work, its place in the Christian’s life, and how to engage in what God gives us to do. I recommend it highly."
– Jonathan Master, president, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

"Very thought-provoking and practical and...helpful for teens."
– Martyn McGeown, author, pastor, Providence Protestant Reformed Church, Grandville, MI

"Many people spend more of their lives working than any other activity. This wise book blends the insights of several Reformed confessions, the Puritans, and many contemporary voices to create a valuable guide for young people and their parents on vocation. Boekestein is to be commended for this biblical, wise, and highly practical treatment on calling and service to God and our neighbor."
– Tom Schwanda, associate professor of Christian formation and ministry, emeritus, Wheaton College

"Mastering his usual literary skills, William Boekestein covers every aspect of the doctrine of vocation particularly as it applies to young people thinking about their future. Accompanied by true-life examples, this helpful guide is especially timely in a society characterized by a contrasting mixture of high expectations and common anxieties. Even someone like me who has left youthful days far behind can benefit from this reminder and these practical suggestions on how to “lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him” (1 Cor. 7:17 ESV). Because of the abundance of scriptural references and pertinent quotations, I have found this book more devotional and nourishing than I would have expected. Highly recommended for the whole family."
– Simonetta Carr, author of the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series

Read reviews from Wes Bredenhof (Clarion) and @kristiyaknow_reviews. Read more about this book at Redeemed Reader and Challies.com. Listen to podcast conversations on this book via 3GT (Three Guys Theologizing), Moody Radio, and the Laymen's Lounge.

William Boekestein is the pastor of Immanuel Fellowship Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan and the author of numerous books. He worked in residential construction and taught at a Christian school for several years. He and his wife have four children.

• 168 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-1-959515-29-6
  
• Release date: August/September 2024

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, @biblebookstheology, and Marc Daniel Rivera (KristiyaKnow).

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
• ISBN 978-1-959515-07-4

Hardcover version available

 Click to look inside 

Brought into English for the first time is this commentary on the Reformed baptism form by Bastiaan Wielenga, a prominent minister of the word in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) in the early to mid 1900s. This commentary sets forth, defends, and applies the creedal Reformed faith concerning the covenant of grace—the foundation of baptism. This commentary will be especially helpful to Reformed churches, ministers, and other members in its explanation of the baptism form’s authoritative treatment of covenant and election in relation to the baptism of infants.  The faith of every believer concerning the sacrament of baptism will be expanded and enriched by the commentary. 

From the author’s preface: “The ardent desire of my heart is that by the publication of this writing many people reading this work learn to regard baptism more purely, appreciate it more warmly, and more zealously plead the covenantal promises on behalf of believers and their children, before the throne of him who calls himself I Am That I Am."

Read reviews by Prof. David J. Engelsma (PRCA), Jerome Julien (The Outlook), Nathan Langerak, Martyn McGeown (The Standard Bearer), and Carl Schouls (The Messenger).

Bastiaan Wielenga was a minister of the word in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (GKN) in the early- to mid-1900s. He attended the Theological School in Kampen and earned his doctorate at the University of Heidelberg in 1899.

• 448 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-12-2
• Release date: August 25, 2016

eBook version available

Other Books in this Series:

Reformed Lord's Supper Form

This set contains one copy each of volumes 1 through 6 in the Unfolding Covenant History series. Each individual title can be purchased separately through the blue links below.

Volume 1 - From Creation to the Flood
by Homer C. Hoeksema
368 pages
hardcover

Volume 2 - From the Flood to Isaac
by Homer C. Hoeksema
328 pages
hardcover

Volume 3 - From Jacob to the Exodus
by Homer C. Hoeksema
344 pages
hardcover

Volume 4 - Through the Wilderness into Canaan
by Homer C. Hoeksema
414 pages
hardcover

Volume 5 - Judges and Ruth
by David J. Engelsma
238 pages
hardcover

Volume 6 - From Samuel to Solomon
by David J. Engelsma
224 pages
hardcover


Follow Old Testament history using God's covenant as the basis for a proper understanding of the unfolding events! Volumes 1-6 of an estimated 8-volume series are now available. 

What others are saying about this set: 

"These very readable volumes are a veritable treasure store, into which, when the believer dips, he will surely increase his spiritual wealth." —The Outlook 

"The best books for understanding Bible history. I have them all, and use them!"—Carol B.

The eBook version of this set is available here.

From sketches of the lives of Martin Luther and John Calvin to an explanation of the reformers’ distinctive doctrine of the last things, this book ranges widely over the sixteenth-century Reformation of the church.

The Sixteenth-Century Reformation of the Church is divided into three parts: (fascinating) “Lives”; (significant) “History”; and (fundamental) “Doctrines and Issues.”

Written for believers and their children, rather than for scholars, the 23 short but meaty articles will serve to introduce the Reformation to the reader who is ignorant of that grand work of Christ; to remind the reader who is familiar with the Reformation of its glories and worth; and to ground the believing reader in the truth of the Reformation confessed, as well as to help him or her in the holy life the Reformation called for. Especially the young people of the covenant will benefit from this book.

The writers are ministers of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America and of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia.

What others are saying about this book:

"As Reformation Day gets closer, I would recommend this book to any teen or adult who would like to learn more about the Reformation and those who were involved in it." - Andrew Pastoor (Grandville Gleaner).

• 202 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-95-6
• Release date: 2007

Other Books in the Rightly Dividing Series:

Common Grace Revisited

Reformed Worship

Always Reforming

2nd edition

 Click to look inside

Better to Marry provides straightforward, practical instruction for single and married believers alike, taken directly from the classic Bible passages on sex and marriage. Two appendices treat the remarriage and prohibition of the remarriage of the "innocent party."

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. 

• 128 pages
• paperback 
• ISBN 978-1-936054-38-1
• Release date: 1993, 2014

eBook version available

 Click to view sample lesson

Workbook for Grade 5 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 

• 75 pages
• paperback
• ISBN 978-0-916206-41-6
• Release date: 1991, 1997

 Click to view sample lesson

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

What others have said 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 

• 338 pages
• hardcover 
• ISBN 978-0-916206-44-4
• Release date: 1993, 2000

RELATED PRODUCTS 

Show Me Thy Ways Workbook (Grade 6)

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
• ISBN 978-1-936054-40-4

Hardcover version available

 Click to look inside

This book is a critique of Abraham Kuyper’s cultural theory of a common grace of God and of the grandiose mission of this grace, and of those who confess the theory and evidently intend to promote it so that it accomplishes the end Kuyper claimed. The book exposes Kuyper’s biblical basis for his theory and its practical mission.

The first and main part of the book is a much-expanded version of the public lecture given in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2014 under the auspices of the evangelism society of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Wyoming, Michigan. The second part of the book consists of questions raised by the audience at the conclusion of the lecture and of the answers by the speaker at the lecture. 

Read reviews by Robert Burford (Frankston South, Australia), Arie den Hartog (PRCA), William Gibson (the English Churchman), Dr. Julian Kennedy (CPRC), Craig Ferguson, and Gerry Wisz (Christian Renewal)

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.

• 192 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-1-944555-02-3
• Release date: May 9, 2016

eBook version available

 Click to look inside

The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers defends the Reformed faith of the covenant of God by exposing the view of the covenant from which the attack of the "federal vision" arises. At the same time, the book sets forth the doctrine of the covenant that safeguards and promotes the gospel of sovereign grace, demonstrating that this covenant doctrine is biblical, confessional, and traditionally Reformed.

Since the controversy centers on the inclusion of the children of believers in the covenant, this book emphasizes the rightful place of children in the covenant of grace and the proper rearing of them. The author gives consideration to the views of the Protestant Reformed Churches, Baptists, the Netherlands Reformed congregations, and the Canadian Reformed Churches ("liberated") on this topic. Leading representatives of these churches and traditions join in the discussion. 

What others are saying about the book:

"The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers strikes a death blow to the heart of heresy which is sweeping through Reformed churches." —English Churchman

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.

• 250 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-91-8
• Release date: January 12, 2015

eBook version available

Unfolding Covenant History is a series that includes Old Testament history syllabi written by the late Homer C. Hoeksema, with additional syllabi written by David J. Engelsma, his successor as Professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Wyoming, Michigan. Recognizing the work's potential for the edification and comfort to all of God's people, the RFPA originally undertook the publication of this series of hardcover volumes under the editorship of Mark H. Hoeksema, son of Homer Hoeksema.

The unique feature of these volumes, which distinguishes them from other such writings, is their emphasis on the theme of God's covenant of grace as the unifying principle of Old Testament history and of the very gospel itself. The reader's appreciation for this truth will grow during the unfolding of the meaning of the covenant as this history progresses through the books of the Old Testament.

Volume 4 (Through the Wilderness Into Canaan) of the Unfolding series describes the journey of Israel from Egypt to the land of promise, as well as their conquering and inheritance of Canaan.

In the section on the wanderings in the wilderness, the author details Israel's journey to Mt. Sinai, where by the giving of God's law they were constituted as a covenant nation. He narrates their eventful progress towards Canaan, and their drawing back in unbelief when they were at the very door of the promised land.

After their fulfillment of God's sentence to wander for forty years in the wilderness because of their unbelief, God's people must learn anew to trust in Jehovah as they seek to dispossess the inhabitants of the land of promise. Under the leadership of Joshua, and despite much stumbling, Israel learns to expect the victory from their covenant God, and finally subdues and inherits Canaan.

• 414 pages
• hardcover
• ISBN 978-0-916206-80-2
• Release date: December 8, 2015

RELATED PRODUCTS

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6

Unfolding Covenant History set, vol. 1 through 6 (eBook)