A New Minister for the Reformed Protestant Churches

Sword and Shield is an independent religious paper published by the independent organization Reformed Believers Publishing. Our independence is that we are free from all ecclesiastical control. The magazine is free to criticize any ecclesiastical decision, and no church decision will bind us and our writing. Because we believe that the Reformed Protestant Churches at present have and promote the truth, we support those churches. Our little paper was the midwife that helped deliver the baby, and so we are interested in how the little girl grows and in the developments in her life.

There has been another exciting development in the life of the Reformed Protestant Churches that, because of our own enthusiasm, we eagerly report to the readers. The development has to do with our congregation in Canada, Cornerstone Reformed Protestant Church, which meets for worship in its church building in Teeswater, Ontario.

The members of Cornerstone came out of the Protestant Reformed Churches early in the history of the Reformed Protestant reformation. The congregation has its roots in the Orthodox Christian Reformed Church in that area of Ontario and later became Wingham Protestant Reformed Church. The congregation of Cornerstone has endured its own growing pains and struggles regarding the school and the antithesis. That congregation too has had faithless members leave but has been unwavering in its support of the truth.

The congregation has not had a minister since its organization but has soldiered on using the means of technology and the occasional pulpit supply of the other busy ministers of the Reformed Protestant Churches.

Now the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven has given to the congregation of Cornerstone the gift of a minister.

10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. (Eph. 4:10–13)

That gift of a minister is Earl David Kamps, now Rev. Earl Kamps. Earl’s parents are Earl and Gloria Kamps, who were founding members of Second Reformed Protestant Church. Earl was in seminary training in the Reformed Protestant Churches since her formation. He did an internship at Second and a residency at Cornerstone before being examined by the Reformed Protestant Classis in September 2025. Reverend Kamps was installed into the ministry of the word and sacraments on November 23, 2025. He is young, but so was Timothy. And Paul said to Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth.” Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit can use youth as well as the grey head. We commend him to the grace of God and pray that Reverend Kamps may have a long and fruitful ministry in the truth.

The laying on of hands

Deacon Craig Ferguson, Rev. Earl Kamps, Elder Henry DeVries, Elder Travis Hanko