Welcome to volume two of Sword and Shield. God be praised for giving our little publication its place in the Reformed world. And quite a place that is.

Sword and Shield begins its second year of life as the most dangerous Reformed magazine in the world. Just before this issue went to print, Rev. Nathan Langerak was suspended from the ministry of the gospel in the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC) and expelled from the fellowship of those churches by Christian discipline. What was his great sin for which Crete Protestant Reformed Church and Peace Protestant Reformed Church sought to cast him out of the kingdom of heaven? It was this: He is an editor of Sword and Shield. His consistory declared the content of this magazine to be schismatic. His consistory also declared Rev. Langerak’s association with me, who am no longer Protestant Reformed, to be schismatic. So grievous, apparently, is association with this magazine that a minister of the gospel in a Reformed church must be cast out of office for it, and he must be cast out of that church as though he were an unclean thing. I know of no other Reformed magazine in the world at present whose editors are being cast out of their churches for their association with that magazine. This must be a dangerous magazine, indeed.

Of course, the reality of the situation is that Sword and Shield was just a handy tool for the Protestant Reformed denomination to use in ridding themselves of a minister whose theological, antithetical, and polemical preaching and writing they were fed up with. Still, Sword and Shield was the tool they used to rid themselves of him. And now what will become of the other editor of Sword and Shield? Will the Protestant Reformed Churches also cast him out? And what will become of the Protestant Reformed men and women who are members of Reformed Believers Publishing, which publishes Sword and Shield? Will the PRC also cast them out? And what of the readers of the magazine, who month after month set before their eyes content that the denomination has judged to be wicked? Will the PRC also cast them out? These are perilous days to be associated with such a dangerous magazine as Sword and Shield.

But then remember what Sword and Shield stands for, as laid out in article II of the Constitution of Reformed Believers Publishing.

The purpose of Reformed Believers Publishing shall be:

A. To promote, defend, and develop the Reformed faith, which is the truth revealed in the Word of God and expressed in the Three Forms of Unity, with special emphasis on the truths of the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, particular grace, and the unconditional covenant.

B. To expose and condemn all lies repugnant to this truth.

C. To give a theological and antithetical witness to the Reformed church world and beyond by broadcasting this distinctive Reformed truth to the people of God wherever they are found.

By God’s grace Sword and Shield has been true to this purpose for all of volume one. No one has been able to contend otherwise. By God’s grace Sword and Shield will continue to hold to that purpose for all of volume two and beyond. It is no sin to be part of Sword and Shield, and it is wrong for a Reformed church to cast men out for their witness to the truth in this magazine. Let all who are associated with Sword and Shield remember the words of our Lord:

1. 21. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
   22. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
   23. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

26. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets. (Luke 6)

In other news, the board of Reformed Believers Publishing informs me that there have been enough donations for the magazine to continue to be mailed free of charge for the foreseeable future. All those who currently receive the magazine will continue to receive it at no cost. We thank God for the generosity of our donors.

Whether a businessman giving of the profits of his business or a junior high girl giving of her babysitting money, we thank you for supporting this cause in Christ’s kingdom! If you have profited from this last volume year and would like to see the magazine continue, consider making a donation to Reformed Believers Publishing. Please, and thank you.

Finally, we are just about ready to publish another Letters Edition of Sword and Shield. Keep an eye on your mailboxes around June 15. And keep the letters coming!

May God speed the truths written herein to your heart, and the next issue into your hands.