I have been asked repeatedly about our connection with the Church of God (COG) in Aylmer. When the questions first started to come I had never spoken to Henry Hildebrandt and knew very little about his church. In the weeks and months that followed I spoke with Henry on separate occasions and in person. At that initial meeting with Henry I asked him a series of pointed questions. I was concerned. I was glad his church was open, but I had heard rumors of heresy and cultish behaviour and wanted to hear it from him. Ordinarily I might have dismissed a group like his outright. But the COG Aylmer was one of the very few churches in Ontario that remained open through the lockdowns, and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. So, I asked him about his view of Scripture, his view of salvation, his understanding of the person and work of Christ and so on. And I came away mostly satisfied. There were clear differences between us, but on th...
Over the last sixteen years, I have spent a lot of time in the Puritans. Early on in my pastoral ministry, I resolved to read at least ten pages of Puritan writings a day. While I have not always been consistent, I have made Puritan reading a significant priority. Though I have read other material, the bulk of my time has been given to their works, which have profoundly shaped my thinking on a host of issues. When I have questions, I instinctively turn—not to contemporary voices—but to the Puritans. They aren’t perfect, but they are safe. I have noticed, however, that the ideology and practices of younger generations of Reformed believers have been largely shaped by the influence of popular contemporary figures, many of whom find their platform on social media. This hasn’t been good for the Church. Had our young men been steeped in the writings of their forefathers in general—particularly the Puritans—the Church today would be in a far healthier state. Some were puzzled—even dism...
When I was examined (in October 2011) by the Canadian Presbytery of the ARP I was asked about Federal Vision. I told the court it was heresy. I said I believed Doug Wilson and company were espousing heresy. Following the meeting I was taken aside by men who knew Doug Wilson and urged to consider the possibility that I had misunderstood them. In the years that followed I encountered many reformed men who thought very highly of Doug Wilson, and the general consensus was that he had been misunderstood. Over and over again I was told he didn't believe what I thought he believed. I didn't have the time to pursue it myself, so I chose to believe these men. I took a charitable view of Wilson and Moscow and eventually began recommending some of their resources, though with some misgivings. Then, in 2020, Doug Wilson (and the church in Moscow) took a stand against covid regulations. I was thrilled. I was still more grateful when (in 20...
Amen. My church tonight prayed for you gentlemen.
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting this together. We're often praying for you brethren.
ReplyDeleteIn Christ,
Neil van der Wel
Satan has taken control of most of the churches now.
ReplyDelete