Resources by Beeke, Joel

The church today is crippled with a comparative absence of strong and full assurance and, perhaps worst of all, most of us are scarcely aware of it. We live in a day of minimal, not maximal, assurance. How do we know this? Assurance is known by its fruits: a close life of fellowship with God; a tender, filial […]

Tim Challies interviews Dr. Joel Beeke 1. When the Puritans spoke of zeal, what were they referring to? By zeal they meant the fruit of the Spirit, especially love, exercised to a high level in the soul and activity of life. Thomas Manton said that godly zeal is ‘a higher degree of love,’ indeed the […]

An interview with Tim Challies by Joel Beeke 1. What is casuistry and why did the Puritans focus on it? Casuistry is teaching people how to know what God wants them to do in specific situations, and how to live with peace of conscience before God. It addresses particular ‘cases of conscience’ or ethical and […]

My dear mother, Johanna Beeke, aged 92, passed on into the presence of her Saviour at 3:45 a.m. on July 23, 2012. Though words seem hollow right now, I have tried to write a little of the tremendous legacy she left us five children and our spouses. Some of this material I used for leading […]

From Krabbendijke, the Netherlands, the family of my father John emigrated to America when he was seven years old, and settled in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He married Johanna VanStrien at the age of nineteen; they were blessed with fifty-three years of marriage. He was brought under saving convictions at the age of twenty-seven when the Lord […]

Nearly two hundred ministers met at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, for the 2011 Banner of Truth U.S. Ministers’ Conference. The conference theme was ‘So Great a Salvation.’ The speakers were asked to preach about various facets of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. On May 24, Rev. Mark Johnston, a Banner of Truth […]

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of […]

Objections Answered1 The major objections to limited atonement are based on textual and practical considerations. The textual objections include the following: 1. Texts in which the word world is used to describe the objects of the death of Christ’s death, as in John 3:16 and 1 John 2:2: ‘And he is the propitiation for our […]

Having seen the faultiness of the Arminian position on atonement1, let’s look at how the Calvinist view of atonement is biblical and more positive than many think. Then we will answer some common objections to the Calvinist view.2 Biblical and Theological Support for Definite Atonement Biblical terms, tenses, and testimonies make a sure case for […]

The Arminian view is by far the most popular of the four views of the atonement in the Christian church today. However, serious objections must be lodged against Arminian universal redemption, among which are these: It slanders God’s attributes It slanders God’s attributes, such as his love. Arminianism presents a love that actually doesn’t save. […]

Editoria Fiel is the organization that runs the Fiel Conference each year, which was begun twenty-four years ago by Richard Denham, Sr., an American missionary to Brazil, for the purpose of edifying ministers and promoting Reformed literature in Portuguese-speaking countries. Eighty attended the first conference which has now grown to 1,300 attendees this year, including […]

John Flavel (or Flavell) was born in 1628 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. He was the son of Richard Flavel, a minister who died of the plague in 1665 while in prison for Nonconformity. John Flavel was educated by his father in the ways of religion, then “plied his studies hard” as a commoner at University […]

Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) was the leading theologian of the nineteenth century Dutch Calvinist revival. Studies in English of Bavinck have been sparse, partly because Bavinck’s four-volume magnum opus Gereformeerde Dogmatiek, is only being translated now (volume 2 on “God and Creation” was published in early November), and partly because Bavinck has often been perceived more […]

Continued from Part I of this article. So ask yourself, What are the critics saying that might help me improve myself and my ministry? Is there a kernel of truth in this particular criticism that, if changes are made, will make me a better minister? If critics say something constructive, absorb it, confess your fault, […]

Paul’s farewell message to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:18-35) is warmly affectionate, yet full of solemn warning. Acts 20:28 is the heart of that message, and shows how we ministers must overcome wrong attitudes toward ministry with regard to ourselves and to our work. Acts 20:28 says, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all […]

Dr Joel Beeke, Grand Rapids. Puritan literature has been a major resource for my devotional reading for thirty-five years. I believe there is no group of writers in church history that can feed our minds and souls with spiritual truth as effectively as do the Puritans. With the Spirit’s blessing, here’s how Puritan writings can […]

CONFERENCE ADDRESS ONE Sometimes we use words and concepts without pausing and considering what thesephrases mean. For example, the word ‘grace’, or the word ‘faith’. What is it?29 years ago I was going off to study for the ministry under one older pastor.He gave me the initial task of writing a short essay entitled  "What […]

Maggie Paton’s letters ought to be read alongside Paton’s autobiography. James Paton wrote that he was eager to publish these letters because "they present another picture of mission life and experiences in the New Hebrides from that portrayed in the now famous Autobiography of her husband by Joel Beeke The story of John Gibson Paton […]

JOEL BEEKE IN KOREA – PART 2 The Koreans love to sing. Some of their psalters and hymnbooks include English translations, so we could often sing along at the various lectures Mary Beeke writes: [Lois Mol, Myoung Jah, and I attended most of the KIRP conference, and did some sightseeing. We toured two palaces and […]

JOEL BEEKE IN KOREA – PART 1 "I can’t get enough of Reformed theology," he said. "I’m convinced it’s biblical and is the right answer for the shallow Christianity I find in my congregation." September 25, 2002 We have had a wonderful trip to Korea. Here is a brief summary of our itinerary. Bracketed parts […]

DR. JOEL BEEKE’S EXPERIENCE IN RIGA LATVIA I would then literally talk to myself — “Focus on Jesus! Focus on Jesus!,” and would again feel God’s intervening grace. [In early January Dr Joel Beeke flew to Latvia to give a series of lectures and to preach. While he was In Riga he was attacked, robbed, […]

ESCAPE FOR YOUR LIFE! A wounded, weak, and helpless worm, On Christ’s kind arms I fall; Be thou my strength and confidence, My Jesus and my all. God speaks. Sometimes He whispers by the still small voice of the gospel to us in tender overtures of mercy through the preached Word. Sometimes He speaks through […]

On September 2 Dr Joel Beeke, Minister of the Netherlands Heritage Reformed Congregation, Grand Rapids, gave three addresses to the Salisbury Conference at Emmanuel Church, Salisbury, England, on the theme, “Calvinism: Doctrinal, Practical, Experimental.” The Conference as chaired by the pastor of the Emmanuel Church, Malcolm Watts. The following report was published in the English […]

In early October, 2000, Dr Joel Beeke of Grand Rapids buried an elderly Christian. He gave the following letter to her children after the funeral (on 1 Tim. 1:15-17), detailing his last visit with her:- The last visit I had with your dear mother last week was quite special for me, so I wrote out […]