the magazine for Reformed young people

ns

a
esi

Eph
8

7-1

3:1
And I pray that you,

being rooted and

established in love,

may have power,

together with all

the Lords holy people,

to grasp how wide

and long and high
and deep is the

love of Christ.

contact info

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Roadside Assistance Magazine

38 Queensdale Ave. W.
Hamilton, ON
L9C 1B5
roadsideassistance@gmail.com
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what it is
Roadside Assistance is a forum for
Reformed youth. A forum is a place where
people talk together. So listen and read, but
go ahead and write something as well. We
would like you to send your articles, poems,
and art, and well do our best to include
them in the upcoming issues!
This particular forum is a place for
discussing faith matters, encouraging
one another in the faith, passing on Bible
knowledge, building and expressing our
beliefs as Reformed Christians, sharpening
hearts and minds, stimulating reading on
Bible-related issues, and educating each
other.
Do you want to write for RA? Email us your
articles and maybe your work will appear in
an upcoming issue!

behind the scenes

Board: Iwan Borst (Chief Editor), Alyssa
Tuinstra, Alina Van Goor, John Boekee,
Stephanie Visscher

Volume 8, Issue 4
December 2014
02 Editorial:
For Such a Time as This
Alina Van Goor
05 Roadquest:
Help Us Study
Iwan Borst
06 The Lord My Storm
Debbie Hofsink
07 Soli Deo Gloria
Tara Tuinstra
09 Innerviews:
Hilmer Jagersma
John Boekee
15 Creative Highway:
Evangelism
Alyssa Tuinstra

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There once was a girl. She had been taken away from her homeland and
from everything that she once knew and held dear. Her parents were dead
and the only relative she had left was a cousin. She now lived in a strange
land with strange people, strange customs, and a strange language.
Everything was new. Everything was different.
Now this girl was also very beautiful. She was so beautiful that the king
of this strange land took notice of her. He was so pleased with her that
he made her queen. But one day this girl was faced with a huge problem.
She found out something that was bad. Really bad. If she did nothing
many people could get hurt or, worse, killed. Her cousin urged her to go
to the king. Maybe he could help. The girl was very scared, but her cousin
continued to urge her: I know it has been hard to learn to live in this
new land. I know you miss your home, your friends, and your parents a
lot, but do you ever wonder why God brought you here, or why
He let you go through all these hard times? I do not
have an answer to all these questions but maybe, just
maybe, you are here for a reason. Maybe you are
in the kings palace so that you can help all these
people! Have you not considered that maybe
you have come to this royal position for such a
time as this?

Design: Jo-anne Van Iperen

01

02

This girls name

was Esther. Im sure

most of you know how the

story turns out. If you cannot
remember, read the rest of it in
the book of Esther. It is in between
Nehemiah and Job.

The story of Esther is a beautiful story

but perhaps you are wondering what could
it possibly have to do with us, here in the 21st
century? There are a lot of Scriptural truths that
could be drawn from the book of Esther but I want to
focus on just one of them right now. The point I want
to make is that, you, like Esther, are where you are
for such a time as this.

There are no coincidences or

luck or chance in this world.
Everything happens for a
purpose, even if that
purpose is not clear to us.
Even the bad things
and the hard things
have a purpose.
The
Bible
promises
us this.

Everything that happened in Esthers life happened for a reason. When

God created Esther in her mothers womb, He formed and fashioned her
and He made her very beautiful. Her beauty would later be recognized by
the king. God also, however, allowed much suffering in her life. Both her
parents died and she, along with many Israelites, went into exile and grew
up in a strange land with strange people, strange customs, and a strange
language. But, in all this, God was still at work. Everything that happened
to Esther, God saw with his watchful eye and guided with his strong and
fatherly hand. Esther became queen of Babylon and God used her to save
the lives of many of his chosen people, the Israelites.

Esther was where she was for such a time as that.

You are where you are for a reason

and for a set purpose. What this exact reason and purpose is
And you are too.

we often do not know and we will likely never understand it all on this side
of heaven. But, just because we do not understand it all, does not mean
it is not true. Maybe you can look back at things or events in your life
and see Gods hand in them. Sometimes that is hard to do but whatever
has happened to you, be it good or bad, God was in control. He has used
certain events or certain people in your life to shape you and bring you to
this point today.
Maybe this all sounds quite fanciful or overly theological to you. It might
be comforting to know that God has a plan and that He is at work, but
what does this mean practically? What does this mean for me, for my life,
right now and right where I am? A lot.
If we believe that we have been placed where we are for a reason and for
such a time as this, then that can, and should, affect how we live our lives.
The people we meet and interact with have been placed on our paths for
a reason. If we can be a help or blessing to them in any way we should
do that willingly and gladly, as instruments in the hands of God. This
can be anything from helping a friend or being a listening ear, to giving
a stranger the time or simply a smile to brighten their day. Through our
words and our actions we can win our neighbours for Christ. Who knows,
perhaps you and the interaction you have with them today may be the
only meaningful exposure of Him they will ever have. Take that chance.

But remember, you are where you are for

such a time as this.
Live your life.

03

04

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Roadquest

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Young peoples, young adults, college and careers, womens and mens
Bible studies are all in full swing. If you are attending, I hope you are
enjoying and being edified by these weekly or bi-weekly meetings. How
upbuilding and sharpening a good and open discussion can be! But I
think we all know that some Bible studies are just a bit more enjoyable
and edifying than others. Bible study topics, books and programs play an
important role in this. Every year Bible study boards across the nation
wonder what they should study next. Should they ask people for topics?
Which books of the Bible would be most engaging? Which guide will work
best? Who is going to make the questions? Is this book going to encourage
enough discussion? These are all important questions, but the outcomes
might be difficult to predict. So Roadside Assistance encourages you to
take the time this Bible study season to sit down and write a review of the
Bible study material that you are currently using or have used in the past.

What book are you using? How are you discussing it? What
has made the study worthwhile? Consider these questions
and share them with us. Let us help one another to make the
most of our Bible studies by sharing our experiences of great
resources.

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

05

THE LOR

There is a storm that rages in my soul.

Clouds of thought are pouring forth ideas

ideas that conflict,

ideas that ignite.

Thundering voices of doubt are screaming inside me;

voices of depression and anxiety

attempt to overwhelm.

Lightning bolts of inspiration flash

suddenly but brilliantly,

strengthening and intensifying my hope.

Fire burns, fueled by beliefs,

varied and conflicting.
The Lord God is my storm.

Without Him, my soul would be still and weak,

as peaceful as a man

who has come to terms with death.

Without Him, there would be no conflict in my being,

evil would reign supreme,

and doubt would take hold without opposition.
There is a storm that rages in my soul.

The storm gives me life,

The storm keeps me going.

It is what assures me that I am saved,

that God has chosen me.
The Lord God is my storm.

I rejoice in the storms winds,

in the rain,

in the thunder,

in the lightnings fires.

I am thankful for the storm.

06

it. Serving others quickly

becomes serving ourselves

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when the goal is to further our

own objectives, to gain glory or find
comfort in our own seemingly moral
accomplishments.
However, if we serve in love we can only
serve others properly, for God is love. So the
basis for serving others is actually serving God. 1
Samuel 12:24 says, But be sure to fear the LORD
and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider
what great things he has done for you. If serving

God is our number one goal, we cannot help but

serve others according to the love He has shown
us. Our motive should always be Soli Deo Gloria glory to

God alone.

You, my brothers, were called to be

free. But do not use your freedom to
indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve
one another in love (Galatians 5:13).
We are to serve one another in love. The meaning of
this is often easily lost. Service can quickly become a goodworks substitute or a way to stand out in a good light.
That is not to say that service is ever a bad thing.
It is all about the human motive behind

07

This message applies to all areas of our life service does not just
stop with volunteer hours or service trips, but our whole lives are
required to be lived in service to God. That means that our lives are
not our own but as Romans 12:1 says, they are living sacrifices to
God. This may seem like we have lost our freedom, but in truth, we
have gained much more. Gone are the shackles of sin, and
we are free to live out our lives for Gods glory. Our lives
must be lived in constant service to God. That doesnt mean we all
have to go into social services and work at soup kitchens for a living
in order to meet the gospels service requirements. Service to God
means glorifying Him in all we do and in any career choice. Now

the only question is, what do you want to do?

08

RA: Could you give us a little background on the work of

Divine Hope?

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Innerview

For this issues Innerview, Roadside Assistance board member

John Boekee interviewed Hilmer Jagersma, a third-year seminary
student at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary. This
past summer, Hilmer spent time helping at Divine Hope Reformed
Bible Seminary, a prison ministry in Illinois and Indiana.

RA: Explain to us how it is that a seminary student, not to

mention his wife and children, landed himself in prison.
HJ: So how does a seminary student from Canada end up teaching
inmates in Indiana and Illinois? Well, it all started about a year earlier
during the summer of 2013. I had just completed my first year of studies
at the Canadian Reformed Seminary and, during the course of my studies,
I had expressed interest in the work of prison ministry. Providentially, it
was at about this time that the work of Divine Hope was mentioned in an
article in Christian Renewal, and a colleague of mine shared this with me.
He suggested that I consider reaching out to them to see if they might be
interested in allowing me to volunteer with them. So I sent an email and...
after about a year of the Lord opening door after door, I found myself
about to enter prison for the very first time!

09

HJ: Divine Hope is a prison ministry program that offers theological training
to men behind bars. Currently, this ministry operates in state prisons
located in Indiana and Illinois. Divine Hope seeks to bring the Word of God
to men in prison, and to disciple and mentor them as they grow in their
faith in Jesus Christ. Most of the courses that are taught there are similar
to those that are taught at a regular seminary. The vision of Divine Hope
is that the theological education will bring about moral rehabilitation. This
change in lifestyle has been noticed by the prison staff, officials, and other
inmates. The Lord has richly blessed the Work of Divine Hope thus far and
may He continue to do so.

RA: Tell us about some of your work there.

HJ: As a guest lecturer, I was invited to teach a two-part course. For one
section I focused on a Christian approach to conflict resolution, and in
the other section I lectured on depression. This was definitely a challenge
for me, since I am certainly not an expert in either field. Thankfully, with
the encouragement and support of Rev. Nathan Brummel and others, I
began the task of studying, researching, planning, and writing. By the
time classes started in July, I felt reasonably (just barely) qualified to teach
on the assigned topics.
The more I taught, the more I learned and the time just seemed to fly by.
Before I knew it, I realized that this adventure would soon come to an end.
The change of perspective that I experienced during this short span with
Divine Hope is ironic. While I had been so nervous about beginning this
journey, after only eight weeks of teaching behind bars, I began to dread
the day that it would end.

RA: What made you nervous, other than the fact that prison
was a new experience for you?
HJ: There was certainly an uneasiness about the concept of lecturing. I
was accustomed to listening to lectures, not giving them. So certainly
there was some apprehension as I embarked upon this new adventure
-- particularly since this adventure would take place within the walls of
a medium/maximum security prison. Looking back though, Im not sure
why I worried so much. Granted, there was a short period (as I entered
prison for the first time) when I was overwhelmed by my surroundings.

10

At the same time, I was amazed at how quickly this effect wore off. Once
I entered the classroom and met the inmates I would be teaching, all the
exterior distractions soon faded away. Though many of their life stories
are quite different than mine, it was quickly apparent that we shared the
crucial bond of Christian brotherhood.

RA: Could you perhaps tell us about some of the individuals

that you met?
HJ: The students of Divine Hope are an interesting mix. On the one hand,
some have essentially no education and only very basic reading and
writing skills. Others, however, have post-secondary education. Some
come from very broken homes and have only known a life of gangs and
crimes. Others have had long and proud military careers. While there
are differences, there are certainly some things which are common to
many of the men. Two things stood out to me in particular -- the lack of a
father figure and the effects of early exposure to drugs and alcohol. The
influence that these types of factors have on young men is striking. One
such example of this is Chris. He grew up in a troubled home without a
father figure in his life. In an effort to provide for his siblings, he turned for
support to the gangs of Chicago and soon became embroiled in a life of
violence and crime. Thankfully, God has done amazing things with Chris,
and he now lives passionately and strives to follow the example of Jesus
Christ. I was also struck by his uncanny ability to memorize large portions
of the Bible. It was downright remarkable. Another student who grew up
in difficult circumstances is Carleous. Like Chris, Carleous became involved
with gangs at a young age and sadly, many of his siblings followed in his
footsteps. While in prison Carleous became a believer in Jesus Christ. He
has been a student in Divine Hope for three years, and upon his release,
he hopes to pursue further education with the hopes of becoming a
preacher of the Word. During the time that I spent with him this summer, I
was struck by Carleous gifts and abilities, and yet, he showed such a deep
humility recognizing that all he has is purely a gift of Gods grace in his life.

RA: What are some of the joys of prison ministry?

HJ: For one, its an amazing privilege to watch men change as their eyes
are opened to the truths of Scripture. Many of the men in prison know a
lot of bits and pieces of the Bible, but for the first time they begin to see
the big picture of the Gospel.

11

12

RA: You mentioned that you learned as you taught. Could

you share some of the things you learned?
HJ: I learned a ton. Let me list some things.
1. Ive discovered that this ministry is about more than just
academia. Certainly, it is important that these men are instructed
in the truths of the Gospel - this is foundational for the ministry.
However, this ministry is also deeply rooted in personal
relationships. I began to realize that as you teach about, share,
and reflect the blessing of living in Jesus Christ, you are given a
unique opportunity to mentor and disciple the men that God has
put in the classroom. In fact, it is encouraging to witness some of
our senior students as they take the initiative to become leaders
and mentors to the newer members in the class. This process of
discipleship has had a huge impact and you can see its influence
in the formation of a Bible-centered, godly community.
2. Adversity can often be a blessing. One of the things that struck
me about talking with the inmates was the fact that so many
told me that their prison sentence was the best thing that ever
happened to them. Prison brought them out of their lives of sin
to a place where they could hear the good news of salvation.
They recognize that God used the hardship of prison in order to
expose them to the truth of the gospel.
3. Dont jump to conclusions about things or people. We can be so
quick to judge others based on initial outward appearances. You
meet men who can hardly read or write, are convicted murderers,
and will be in prison for the rest of their lives. It seems almost
natural to judge these men. Yet many of these men have become
such devoted believers who testify so openly to the mercy God
has shown them. They act as a reminder of Gods grace, and
serve as a witness that Gods love is not based upon us or our
standards.

4. The Gospel is contagious. It was fascinating to see how God was

using inmates to spread the gospel of grace within the prison
system. These inmates are so excited by what God is doing in
them that they are sharing the news with everyone they come
into contact with. They stand boldly, unashamed of the message
of the Gospel. Through these inmates, who seem the least likely
of all evangelists, God is working to spread the good news of the
Gospel.

RA: What are some ways that we as Christian youth can get
more involved in prison ministry, or perhaps even in Divine
Hope?
HJ: Due to the nature of prison ministry, I will acknowledge that it is not
necessarily something that is for everybody. However there are two very
important ways you can help. One thing we can easily forget is that the
most helpful thing for any work of the Gospel, including Divine Hope, is
something that can be done by anybody. That is to pray. Colossians 4:2
says Devote yourselves to prayer. Please pray for Divine Hope, thanking
God for the work being done, and asking for His blessing on the continued
work there. Pray for the teachers, the students, that the Gospel may
continue to spread in the prisons where they are, and that the Gospel may
continue to spread to other prisons as well. The other way you can help is
financially. The seminary program is free for the inmates. But that means
the funding has to come from somewhere else. Please consider donating
to Divine Hope some of the financial blessings that the Lord has given you.

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Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
(Mark 16:15)

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How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

(Romans 10:14)

15

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of
the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
(Matthew 9:37-38)
Here am I, send me.
(Isaiah 6:8)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
(Acts 1:8)
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may
see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:16)

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to Him
be glory

in the church and

in Christ Jesus

throughout all
generations, for

ever and ever!

Amen.