A new year is upon us! All things change, but what stays the same is the Lord, our God. He does not change in himself, and he does not change in his purpose to save his people. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How does that not comfort his people?

We rush toward our end, but that end is glorious in Christ. It is the end that opens to the new beginning in heaven. What hope we have!

To the work of publishing that hope and all the truth connected with that hope, Sword and Shield is dedicated. As Sword and Shield enters the new year, the purpose of the magazine has not changed. The purpose is to publish the truth, specifically the glorious truth of the Reformed faith and as that is maintained in the Reformed Protestant Churches.

The magazine is not a church paper; and if it ever becomes one, then it should be put out of its misery quickly. We are free to criticize churches and specifically the Reformed Protestant Churches. The paper does not have its right to existence in the institute of the church but in the office of believer, to whom is given the glorious privilege of confessing the name of Jesus in the world. Believers’ voices may not and cannot be silenced. And their voices can be directed in criticism against the very churches of which they are members. Yet we publish the truth of the Reformed faith as it is maintained in the Reformed Protestant Churches, and we are thankful for the denomination that at present the word of God can sound forth from her pulpits.

And that truth we want the world to hear. We love that truth, and we hope that you do too. Please drop us a line if you are reading and profiting from the content of Sword and Shield. You can drop us a line too if you disagree with the content of the magazine. We publish friend and foe. Only let the foe know that we will respond on the pages of our paper.

The January issue of Sword and Shield is dedicated to the annual meeting of Reformed Believers Publishing. Each year in October the annual meeting is held. The highlight of the meeting is a keynote address. This year it was given by Rev. Tyler Ophoff on the vital subject of the antithesis. His speech forms the basis of the guest editorial this month. At the meeting there were also comments from the board president. The board president is Mr. Joel Langerak, and he gave the audience a reminder of the truth for which Sword and Shield contends and its reason for existence in the world. Rev. Luke Bomers closed the meeting by speaking about Jehoshaphat’s strengthening of the kingdom of Judah against Israel, the false church of the northern ten tribes. His speech was a short, biblical exposition of the truth for which Reverend Ophoff contended in his speech. These speeches are included in the issue as well.

At the annual meeting the results of the board elections were announced. Retiring from the board are Aaron Cleveland, Jason Cleveland, and Dan Schipper. Elected in their places were Brent Snippe, Bob Vermeer, and Lee Wiltjer. We thank the retiring board members for their years of service to the cause of Sword and Shield. And we welcome aboard the newly elected men.

Rounding out the issue are a message from the board of Reformed Believers Publishing titled “Renewed unto Strength as Eagles” by Mr. Eddie Ophoff and the Running Footmen contribution from Mr. Craig Ferguson titled “Faith, Not Fear.”

We pray that you will be edified by the articles and contributions and that they warm your hearts, inform your minds, lift your spirits, and give you courage through the precious truth of Jesus Christ.

“In glory exult, ye saints of the Lord; with songs in the night high praises accord; go forth in His service and strong in His might to conquer all evil and stand for the right.”¹