January 2012 | www.thebanner.org 38 40
to Say Noto theBelhar The Beauty ofBelonging The Beauty Over theLine: Why We Need
20 in Faith? Growing Are You
24 Churches Healthy Pastors, Healthy
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C e l e b r a t i n g 2 5 Y e a r s thJe anuary Series January 4– 24
Listen l Learn l Discern l 2012
Covenant Fine Arts Center 4 Wednesday 5 Thursday 6 Friday SHERRY TURKLE * JOHN VARINEAU EDITH MIRANTE * 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. EST Alone Together: Why We in partnership with the GR Symphony Burma on the Brink: Can Expect More from Technology The Uses, Misuses and a Southeast Asia Disaster free admission and Less from Each Other Abuses of Music Zone Achieve Democracy and Environmental Justice? Underwritten by Underwritten by www.calvin.edu/january Van Wyk Risk & Financial Calvin Academy for Underwritten by Management Lifelong Learning I.C.N. Foundation
9 Monday 10 Tuesday 11 Wednesday 12 Thursday 13 Friday ERIC METAXAS * PEDRO NOGUERA * GABE LYONS * MICHAEL GERSON JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, A Broader, Bolder Approach The Next Christians: How a New Religion and Politics in Adventures on the Appalachian Prophet, Spy to Education Generation is Restoring the Faith a New Era Trail: True Stories of Lightning Strikes, Stalkers, and World Records Underwritten by Underwritten by Underwritten by Underwritten by The Richard & Helen DeVos GMB Architects + Engineers The Christian Reformed Gary & Henrietta Byker Chair Underwritten by Foundation Church in North America in Christian Perspectives Barnes & Thornburg
16 Monday 17 Tuesday 18 Wednesday 19 Thursday 20 Friday ADAM TAYLOR * JOEL SALATIN * DAVID GERGEN REZA ASLAN * RALPH EDMUND * in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Dancing with Dinner The 2012 Elections: The Future of the Real Solutions for Haiti’s Future Mobilizing Hope: Faith- Issues and Answers New Middle East Inspired Activism for a Underwritten by Underwritten by Post-Civil Rights Generation Holland Litho Underwritten by Underwritten by Miller Johnson Printing Services Peter C. and Emajean John & Mary Loeks Underwritten by Cook Foundation and Meijer, Inc. Spectrum Health
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34 Remote Webcast Sites Across Michigan, the U.S. and Abroad! Downtown Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Fremont, Midland, McBain, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Troy, and St. Joseph, Michigan; Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington; Canada and Lithuania. Visit our website for specific details, including time zones, for each location. All presentations are at 12:30-1:30 p.m. EST. Volume 147 | Number 01 | 2012
Features Are You Growing in Faith? web q’s 20 Measuring your height is easy. But what about measuring your faith? by Robert Keeley Growing Old Graciously 34 The number-one step for gracious living at any age. by Jim Kok
Departments Editorial: Too Much Information? by Bob De Moor 6 Googling the meaning of life.
Catch Your Breath: ‘Amy Made That!’ by Diane Van Ryn 7 Imagine your delight. Imagine God’s.
IMHO: Theology in the Light of Science by J. Cameron Fraser 8 Do we need to adjust our theology to changing scientific findings?
Letters to the Editor 8
News: ‘The Good Wife’ and the CRC. 10
Frequently Asked Questions 19 Lording it over your children is neither good nor godly.
Next: What Do You Really Believe? by Aaron Vriesman 23 I realized that though I could give lip service to the right answers, I did not really believe them.
Just for Kids: Your Marvelous Machine by Joanne De Jonge 32 It greases its joints, washes its windows, and mends itself!
On the Journey: Waking Up by Anthony Kozluski 35 How God used 92-year-old Alice to save a prisoner.
Tuned In: On Being a Christian and a Writer by Kristy Quist 36 Bret Lott gives us some answers.
Reformed Matters: Over the Line: Why We Need to Say No to the Belhar by Nick Monsma 38 web q’s Adopting the Belhar as a confession would cause us to step over the line in areas of both freedom and constraint.
Discipleship: The Beauty of Belonging by Harold Hiemstra 40 What I learned from an old man about the blessing of belonging.
Punch Lines 47
Together doing moRe Healthy Pastors, Healthy Churches by Chris Meehan 24 Today’s congregations need strong servant leaders.
The View from Here: The Prognosis Is Good by Joel Boot 28
Cover Photo by istockphoto
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 5 Editorial
The Magazine of the Christian Reformed Church Too Much Information? www.thebanner.org
The way we mark the change from one year into another is entirely arbitrary. Bob De Moor Editor There is not a single good astronomical reason to make it January 1. On that date our orbit around the sun is neither at its apogee nor its perigee. We’re well past the winter solstice and Judy Hardy Associate Editor months away from the equinox. It’s strictly a cultural convention. Henry Hess Editor, Church@Work
And yet stepping into a “new year” always makes me muse on the purpose of life, especially Dean R. Heetderks Art Director when I’m shoveling snow off the sidewalk. A bit of repetitive upper-body exercise frees the mind to roam in esoteric places. Joyce Kane Editorial Assistant Now, back inside from shoveling, not having found an answer to life’s meaning, I try Gayla R. Postma News Editor
Googling it. Fingers are still frozen, so touch typing must temporarily make way for the Kristy Quist Tuned In Editor biblical “seek and thou shalt find” method of keyboarding: “W-h-a-t i-s t-h-e m-e-a-n-i-n-g o-f l-i-f-e-?” Sandy Swartzentruber Copy Editor The marvels of technology! Within 0.13 Pete Euwema Graphic Design second (Google actually boasts how quickly For finding answers Frank Gutbrod Graphic Design it responds) I receive an answer. But wait . . . a problem. It’s not what I feared: to some important Tan error message along the lines of “System error” or “Entry not understood,” or “Shouldn’t Contact Us you be shoveling the driveway?” questions, science 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue SE The opposite happens. In that split second Grand Rapids, Michigan 49560 I receive 48,900,000 entries to my question. and technology Address Changes and Subscriptions Aye, there’s the rub. 800-777-7270 or visit our website at The right answer might be there, but how aren’t much use. www.thebanner.org do I find it? Suppose I blow through one answer Classified Advertising per second: it still might take me 4,500 working days to ferret out the right one. Another 616-224-0725 [email protected] dilemma: if I do stumble across the right answer, how will I recognize it? Display Advertising
Maybe breaking the question down into byte-sized chunks will help. No dice: 616-224-0729 [email protected] www.thebanner.org • Q. What happens when I die? (458,000,000 results in 0.18 second) Editorial • Q. Which religion is the right one? (355,000,000 results in 0.16 second) 616-224-0785 [email protected] • Q. How can I be happy? (2,320,000,000 in 0.15 second) • Q. Who am I? (393,000,000 in 0.12 second) News • Q. How do I know right from wrong? (164,000,000 in 0.18 second) 613-330-3145 [email protected] For finding answers to some important questions, science and technology aren’t much use. I wish Google would have come back with a single, honest response that works on at least Published monthly (12 issues per year). 48,900,000 levels: “God knows.” Periodicals postage paid at Grand Rapids, Mich. Postmaster, send address changes That answer might point me, say, to Ecclesiastes 12, which honestly tells me that my past to: The Banner, 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, year didn’t amount to much—including the snow shoveling—and the next year won’t either. Grand Rapids, MI 49560. Canadian That immediately winnows down the many false entries the database between my ears keeps publications mail agreement #40063614. generating. And it directs me to the only real answer to my question: “Fear God and keep his Return undeliverable Canadian addresses commandments, for this is the whole of a person” (Eccl. 12:13—from the Hebrew). to: The Banner, 3475 Mainway, PO Box Our relationship to our Abba and living out God’s love is what we’re all about. It lends substance 5070, STN LCD 1, Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8. to our being. It’s because we mean so much to God that we matter at all and matter forever— Copyright 2012, Faith Alive Christian including all the stuff we step over and into in 2012. Resources, a ministry of the Christian For the rest of 2012 I resolve to spend less time search- Rev. Bob De Moor is editor Reformed Church. Printed in U.S.A. ing Google and more looking for answers in the Word. of The Banner and pastor The Banner (ISSN0005-5557). Vol. 147, No. 01, 2012. You too? n of preaching and administration for West End Member of Associated Church Press and CRC, Edmonton, Alberta. Evangelical Press Association.
6 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Catch your breath
‘Amy Made That!’
hen my daughter delight. As we admired her works of art, Right there, as I sat on the floor with Amy was a pre- she would loudly and joyfully announce, 15 children ages 3-8, God spoke to me. I schooler, she loved to “Amy made that!” heard no still, quiet voice; God spoke right delight us with her “Amy made that!” became an everyday out loud to my heart. He said, “I love you W homemade creations. expression in our home. Nine years later, because I made you. I take such joy in One such creation was a piece of con- we still lovingly say, “Amy made that!” what I have created. I know every detail struction paper onto which she glued when she shows us a more sophisticated of you.” many pieces of yarn. She further drawing of a dog or a horse. What an awesome God we serve. He adorned the paper with squiggles of Recently, while leading Children in weaves transforming experiences into glorious colors from her enormous Worship at our church, I was again days and moments of our lives—experi- collection of markers. This masterpiece reminded of the joy we feel when we cre- ences that deepen our knowledge, our was made for the purpose of expressing ate something. I noticed a bracelet made love, and our trust in him. God selects her love to us, her parents. of simple plastic beads on the wrist of these teachable moments for his children There were many other creations over one young boy. It caught my eye because through wrinkles in time, turning years the years, in various media, all expressive Amy and I had made more than 50 such into mere seconds. He is a God of sur- of her inner artist and her love for bracelets several months earlier for a prise, a God of wonder, a God of mystery. Mommy and Daddy. Amy’s creations school fund-raiser. I knew immediately A God who knows every detail of his were quite beautiful. Many have been that this boy’s bracelet was one I had creation. A God who takes joy in us packed away as treasured heirlooms. I made. I remembered the beads. I remem- because he made us. n have little doubt that when we unpack bered thoughtfully placing the silver- them in years to come, they will not have colored spacers between the orange and lost their beauty. blue beads. I remembered how much I It was not, however, the beauty of wanted it to be special. I felt proud and Diane Van Ryn lives in Florida with her husband and her Amy’s creations or the fact that her pre- joyful about this little plastic bracelet. At daughter, Amy. She is actively cious little fingers made them that brought 50 years old, I felt an overwhelming desire involved in the children’s us so much joy. It was, instead, the pre- to say, “Diane made that!” worship and GEMS ministries sentation of her gifts that elicited our Suddenly, God spoke. of Bradenton (Fla.) Christian Reformed Church.
Everything has being
through the love of God.
—Julian of Norwich
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 7 In My Humble Opinion
Theology in the Light of Science
This may seem a long Vos addresses the controversy surround- ing the historical creation and fall of way from denying the Adam and Eve. Vos adapts Abraham Kuyper’s helpful distinction that “the historicity of Christ’s historiography of the Bible was not that of a camera but more like that of an resurrection. artist’s brush.” Taking it far beyond what I respectfully suggest Kuyper intended, he argues that an event may be “his- torical” without being “literal,” just as “Harriet Beecher Stowe’s ‘Topsy’ was more historical than any living African American girl.” World Sorrow IMHO The article ends with the expectation I too am sometimes overwhelmed with In his Easter editorial (“Christ Has Risen that as theology learns from the findings of science “however tentative they may be sadness at the thought of all the suffer- Indeed!” April 2011), Bob DeMoor asserts . . . in the end our Christian faith will be ing in our world (“World Sorrow,” that we “can and may question and debate more vital than ever.” Perhaps, but surely December 2011). From now on when I points of doctrine, biblical interpretation, this is not intended to mean that we should get discouraged and think my impact is morality, and mission. . . . But we may adjust our understanding of Scripture to too small to matter, I will remember that never deny the actually-happened, literally the most tentative of scientific findings. every choice I make for Christ is just one historical reality of Christ’s bodily resur- Responding to the current findings of of “thousands of small acts of love illu- rection from the dead. It is the heart of the Human Genome Project, “which minating the world.” This is part of what the gospel and of our faith.” indicate strongly that the human race, as it means to be a member of the body of Although this viewpoint is not con- now constituted, did not descend from Christ: we belong to something bigger troversial in the CRC, it is in Protestant- one human pair,” Vos finds a rethinking than ourselves! ism generally. Many mainline Protestant of the historicity of Adam and Eve to be —Jillian Burden theologians see Jesus as no more than a a biblically faithful way of interpreting Grand Rapids, Mich. great teacher or a revolutionary who died the early chapters of Genesis. a martyr’s death. He “rose again” only in This may seem a long way from denying Women in Office the sense that his Spirit lives on in the the historicity of Christ’s resurrection. But Nothing [in the article] was mentioned lives of his followers. given the theological significance of the about women who become elders and/or Others reject this. They want to retain New Testament parallel between the first the heart of the historic Christian faith, and second Adam (Christ) on which our deacons, which makes it seem like it’s more yet have difficulty accepting the historical entire salvation hangs, is it not an entirely about money than ministry. In some trustworthiness of the Bible. They believe possible (if distant) development? n smaller gospel churches a pastor—male or female—may have to do like the that certain events in the Bible, such as Visit thebanner.org for a longer the creation of Adam and Eve, the virgin aversion of this article. apostle Paul and become a “tentmaker” to birth, or the resurrection of Christ, may support themselves and pastor a congrega- not have actually happened in real his- tion. Perhaps the Holy Spirit may call them tory; what matters is the spiritual truth Rev. J. Cameron Fraser is pastor to minister regardless of whether or not a of First Christian Reformed these events are intended to convey. Church, Lethbridge, Alberta. salary is attached to the position. In his article “How Should We Read —Bob Wierdsma the Bible?” (November 2011), Clarence Peterborough, Ontario
8 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org More Global Warnings Article 2 of the Belgic Confession reminds Over the past 24 hours I’ve read Vos’s I have some questions in response to us that we know God first “by the creation, brilliant article three times. I can’t get Brian Martin’s article (“Global preservation, and government of the Kuyper’s idea of camera versus artist’s Warning(s),” November 2012). If the universe” (general revelation) and second brush out of my head. “Do we have the goal of manmade climate change believ- through Scripture (special revelation). right to tell the Spirit how to write the ers is to direct our climate in a positive Thus, we are called to know him better Bible?” What a profoundly humbling way, who decides when the ideal climate both through the study of Scripture and question! is achieved? What is the correct tem- creation. Recent surveys show that more —John Van Sloten perature for a given region? Was it the than 95% of researchers around the world Calgary, Ontario temperature of 100, 500, or 1,000 years actively involved in studying the earth’s ago? I agree that we need to be the best climate system—a remarkable component possible stewards of God’s creation. I’m of that creation that allows life on earth— just glad I don’t have to be the one to agree with the conclusions put forth by decide. . . . I have enough trouble with Dr. Martin. Let’s stop the denial and move Corrections my thermostat. forward in fulfilling our mandate of car- • We reported that Rev. Gary Hutt retired —Terry Tinklenberg ing for the earth and all that is in it. from New Hope CRC in Spokane, WA Edgerton, Minn. —Henry Hengeveld (“Snowbirds of a Feather Worship Willowdale, Ontario Together,” December 2012). Truth is As a Christian economist who cares for that he retired from Ebenezer CRC in this world, I do not believe that the case How to Read the Bible Leota, MN. for aggressive anti-global-warming poli- Rev. Vos’s article (“How Should We Read • The Banner incorrectly reported that cies is sufficiently strong to warrant their the Bible?” November 2011) is a welcome Rev. Naji Umran was released from implementation. It would be much better challenge to fundamentalism, and his the ministry (December 2011). In fact, to use the resources these policies would apparent acceptance of scientific inquiry his eligibility for call was extended absorb to address the world problems of strengthens his position. But his argument for one year. • Rev. Jimmy Lin has been named starvation, disease, and poverty. is diminished by equating spirituality, an interim director of Back to God Min- —Joseph Schaafsma, Professor Emeritus unscientific proposition, with rational istries International, not “interim University of Victoria, British Columbia scientific enquiry. administrative director” as we incor- —Ray Stellingwerff rectly reported (“Back to God Director The question of why [we have a] rapid Surrey, British Columbia Passes Away,” November 2011). increase in consumption of fossil fuels should be included in the discussion [of How should we read the Bible? Is it OK global warming]. This increase correlates to dismiss its veracity, denying both its closely with world population growth. inerrancy and perspicuity, as Clarence More people mean more houses, more Vos does with his metaphorical “artist’s roads, more cars, more energy, more food, brush”? How about some childlike “trust more deforestation, more pollution, and on little legs”? It’s almost as if children’s the like. Every human life is precious to minds were designed to understand cre- God, but will overpopulation make the ation truth, which is perhaps why Jesus world unlivable? made room for them on his lap. —John G. Pousma —Mel Mulder Denver, Colo. Banning, Calif.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 9 Julianna Margulies plays Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife. nNews Correspoendents wsmain character, lawyer Alicia Florrick (played by For correspondents’ email addresses, ‘The Good Wife’ see www.thebanner.org. Julianna Margulies). Gayla R. Postma News Editor and the CRC The show’s executive Email: [email protected] Jeff Arnold iewers of the CRC per- producer and co-creator, Classes Kalamazoo, Lake Erie 734-790-0843 suasion were highly Robert King, said the CRC Sarah J. Boonstra surprised when a char- connection was that he met Classes Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone 303-247-0697 acter in a December some CRC students years Anita Brinkman episode of “The Good ago when he attended Classes Chatham, Huron 519-354-9126 VWife” identified herself as a mem- Westmont College, a Chris- Jenny deGroot Classes BC North-West, BC South-East ber of the Christian Reformed tian liberal arts school in 604-888-5505 Church in North America. Santa Barbara, Calif.
Monica deRegt Media S haw of Global Courtesy Classes Hamilton, Niagara, Toronto One of the most popular dra- “We wanted the char- 905-385-6697 Melissa Holtrop mas on network television today, acter to be a little more hard-line. letter to the Kings and CBS, object- Classes Central Plains, Chicago South, “The Good Wife” is broadcast on She had a strong argument for her ing to what he termed the carica- Northern Illinois 708-217-7197 CBS in the U.S. and on Global in beliefs [but also believed] that turing of the CRC’s position on Calvin Hulstein Canada. Jesus tempered the need for pun- homosexuality. He asked CBS not Classes Atlantic NE, Hackensack, Hudson 860-644-8512 In the episode called “Parent- ishment. It felt like the CRC fit our to re-air the episode without Jonathan J. Kim interests,” he said, acknowledging Classis Pacific Hanmi ing Made Easy,” the CRC character either editing it or providing an 626-616-0411 was fired from her job as a profes- that members of the CRC hold a apology for misrepresenting the Daina Kraai Classes Muskegon, Northern Michigan sor because of her religious views range of views. CRC’s position “on this important 517-896-8855 about homosexuality. She was Rev. Joel Boot, executive direc- and sensitive topic.” Rachel deKoning Kraay Classes Alberta North, Alberta South & being defended by the show’s tor of the denomination, wrote a LuAnn Westerhuis, 56, of Fleet- Saskatchewan 403-782-9917 wood CRC in Surrey, British Colum- Noah Kruis bia, said, “The portrayal of the Classes Grand Rapids East, Grand Rapids North West Michigan Youths character could very well fit a CRC 616-558-8166 church member, but, certainly, not Kate Padilla Classes Iakota, Heartland, Northcentral Iowa Mentored for Leadership all CRC members have the same 616-834-1476 my Westra and Ryan Struyk political or social views.” Classes Grand Rapids South, Thornapple Christy Carlin Andrea Kloet DeVries, 42, said Valley 616-550-6723 AKnetch have, she wished the denomination Amy Toornstra for the past six years, were not associated with the Classes Columbia,Pacific Northwest 503-399-9165 been working to controversial topic of homosexu- Susan Vanden Berg develop leadership Classes Holland & Zeeland ality. “Christianity is much more 616-212-7281 in their young people than one topic,” she said. DeVries Roxanne Van Farowe Classis Illiana, Southeast U.S. from Oakdale Park attends Meadowlands Fellowship 919-477-2084 Christian Reformed Brenda Visser CRC in Ancaster, Ontario. Classes Eastern Canada, Quinte Church and Madison Rev. Pieter Pereboom, pastor 613-924-1792 Participants in the Grand Rapids Initiative Square Church. of First CRC in London, Ontario, Heidi Wicker for Leaders gather at their graduation Classes California South, Central California, One of the ways thought the portrayal of the Greater L.A., ceremonies at Oakdale Park CRC. 209-599-3799 t h e y d o t h a t i s church was largely negative, but Carla Wiersema Classes Lake Superior, Minnkota and through technology-free retreats designed to create space to he did appreciate that the char- Wisconsin practice theological thinking and reflection. 807-630-2325 acter insisted on reading the Old Carolyn Koster Yost Knetch identifies the participants as “future elders and pastors— Testament command in the light Classes Georgetown, Grandville 616-516-9175 leaders of cities and communities.” of the grace and mercy won for Louis Tamminga Now the high school participants in the program are passing us in Christ. a In Memoriam articles 616-949-4539 on what they have learned to middle school youths in their con- —Gayla R. Postma If your region is not listed here, please gregations. a contact the news editor. For more, including the letter —Noah J.K. Kruis written to CBS, please visit www.thebanner.org.
10 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Check thebanner.org for athe expanded story.
CRC in Canada Lowers Afghanistan Priority In Memoriam he Christian Reformed Church give it less focus. Hogeterp said, dian public was not interested in in Canada is giving less prior- “If and when opportunities arise the complexities of peace building Tity to the peace-building to address the issue, we will do so. in Afghanistan—this impression effort in Afghanistan. So while we are not dropping was common among, but not The CRC in Canada speaks to this file, it is no longer a core exclusive to, government MPs.” the government via the Christian priority.” Hogeterp noted that setting Reformed Centre for Public Dia- The presence of Canada in aside the Afghanistan file is very logue (formerly known as Com- Afghanistan has been costly— disquieting. “Suspending this work Rev. Albert Helder mittee for Contact with the Gov- both in lives and dollars. The now feels premature, like we are 1942-2011 ernment). For the past five years, change from combat to training letting down people in Afghani- Rev. Albert Helder, 69, whose chal- since 2006, the Afghanistan file has been welcomed by many stan. There are no solutions for lenging ministry made people has been one of the group’s two Canadians. this kind of disquiet.” a think, and whose example helped core issues. Hogeterp noted, “As far back —Gayla R. Postma people integrate their faith into But now, according to Centre as late 2009, I began hearing a everyday life, passed away sud- director Mike Hogeterp, they will consistent message that the Cana- denly from heart complications following surgery. Helder graduated from Calvin Ontario Church Gets Surprise Visit from Robin Mark Theological Seminary and was a embers of Immanuel doctoral candidate at Fuller Theo- Chr istian R efor med logical Seminary, Pasadena, Calif. MChurch in Hamilton, Helder was concerned not only Ontario, were treated to an unex- about the spiritual but also the pected surprise Nov. 20 when mental and emotional aspects of the ministry. Thus he began his Robin Mark, a well-known Chris- ministry in the Christian Reformed tian recording artist from Belfast, Church in the chaplaincy of Pine Rest Ireland, dropped in to help lead Christian Hospital in Michigan. worship that morning. Helder’s parish ministry Mark, who wrote “Days of Eli- included churches in Iowa, Colo- jah” and “Jesus, All for Jesus,” was rado, Hawaii, British Columbia, and in southern Ontario for a Promise California. Keepers convention, and Rick
a de R e g t Helder was deeply loved by the Verkerk, a member of Immanuel, congregations he served and was Moni c arranged for Mark to join them. equally devoted to the CRC Robin Mark (right) joins Imman- Mark, who started his musical Rev. Henry Kranenburg kept the denomination. In his preaching he uel’s worship team, from left: career by leading worship in his plan under wraps together with Rev. made the Scriptures become alive Klaas Hoekstra, Ann teGroten- own church, said he welcomed Mark Knetsch for several months to and relevant to today’s world. huise (on piano), Rev. Mark avoid unmanageable crowds of the unique chance to play with Under his guidance churches Knetsch, and Audrey Benja- people showing up to hear the local musicians and to encourage became more inclusive communi- mins. singer. “An important element for the congregation through shared ties of unconditional love. us was to keep it ‘our’ worship and worship. He is survived by his wife, Sandy, not have it become a Robin Mark and worship team, who found out “I am a big fan of being com- two children and their spouses, and event,” Kranenburg explained. “We about the special visitor at the mitted to the local church,” he said. three grandchildren. a planned the liturgy that way, both pre-service practice. “At first I felt “If you start by serving there, and —Louis M. Tamminga nervous, but when we started I in its opening and in its structure. you are faithful where [God] has Further information on recently Worship is about God, and that is realized my purpose in being there placed you, he can and will open deceased ministers is available at who we are there for.” hadn’t changed. It was about wor- the doors for more opportunities www.thebanner.org and in the front “I didn’t believe it,” said Audrey ship, and Robin Mark accented to serve him in other ways.” a pages of the Christian Reformed Benjamins, a member of the praise that.” —Monica deRegt Church’s annual Yearbook.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 11 news schools. I made eye contact with Churches Learn those who were representing First the Parable of the Nations peoples. Feelings of cul- pability continue to haunt me.” Blanket The CRC’s Canadian Aboriginal lankets covered the church Ministry Committee, the Christian floor at New Hope Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dia- BReformed Church in Calgary, logue, and the Edmonton Native Alberta. They represented land in Healing Centre, a ministry of the a blanket exercise that walks par- Christian Reformed Church, all helped to bring the exercise to ticipants through the history of Participants at First CRC in Edmonton, Alberta, engaged in the Alberta in recent weeks. relationships between First blanket exercise. Since its creation in 1996, the Nations people and those who “I entered into the process of mixed motives and unintended blanket exercise has been con- arrived in Canada as explorers and hoping to discern and understand consequences. I was asked to play ducted hundreds of times with settlers. what God might be saying through the role of the ‘European’ in the thousands of people of all ages Rev. John Van Sloten, pastor at reenactment, taking land, handing this 500-year-long text,” he said. and from all backgrounds. a New Hope, used the blanket exer- out smallpox-laden blankets, and “The blanket exercise enabled our —Rachel deKoning Kraay cise as his sermon during a Sunday community to relive a parable of ushering children to residential morning service. judgment, of greed and injustice, Congregation Boosts Write for The Banner! Organ Donor Registrations The Banner is seeking a writer in western Michigan (Grandville- Hudsonville-Jenison area) and a writer in Arizona/New Mexico. If you like to write and have a passion for telling stories of how God is at work in churches in your area, we’d like to hear from you. We’d especially welcome writers from diverse ethnic back- grounds. All expressions of interest should be addressed via email to Gayla Postma, News Editor, at [email protected]. Please include a resume or letter outlining your news-writing experience and some recent samples of your work
Minnesota Congregation Celebrates 125 Years ucknow Community Christian irst Christian Reformed Church of Prinsburg, Minn., celebrated Kelsey Burgsma (left) assists Reformed Church, Ontario, its 125th anniversary with the theme “125 Years of God’s Amaz- Gerry teRaa hosted an organ donor reg- ing Love . . . . And May All Who Follow Find Us Faithful!” L years. “When she died, we felt at F istry blitz recently as a way of Established in 1886 by settlers from the Netherlands, the charter a loss,” said Rev. Rita Klein-Geltink, members included nine families and a number of individuals, some supporting Coffee Break Bible the church’s pastor. “[This] was one of whose grandchildren and great-grandchildren are still members. study member Ruth Pritchard and small thing we could do to offer First CRC celebrated throughout 2011, reenacting practices remembering her great-grand- support and encouragement to from years past, such as men and women sitting on opposite sides daughter Alyssa. Ruth and her family.” of the sanctuary, and members even dressing in period clothing. Born with half a heart, Alyssa The church was pleased not Marilyn DeGroot, a longtime member, said, “Throughout these underwent seven open-heart only to surpass the goal of 50 new 125 years, God has led and will continue to lead us. May we and surgeries before dying at age 7 registrations (by two), but to dis- those who come behind us also be faithful.” earlier this year. cover that many members had —Rachel deKoning Kraay The Coffee Break group had already registered. prayed often for Alyssa over the —Anita Brinkman
12 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org The float the church created for Railroad Days—in celebration Check thebanner.org for of their 100th anniversary athe expanded story.
In Memoriam The Ten Commandments for Kids he Ten Commandments isn’t exactly unchartered Tterritory for pastors. But when Rev. Ben Van Rev. Robert Heerspink Arragon began searching for 1953-2011 Iowa Church Celebrates 100th Birthday a way to reach youngsters in Rev. Robert Heerspink, head of First Christian Reformed the Christian Reformed Church’s n May 1911, 11 families gath- The church celebrated its Church, Detroit, with a mean- media ministry, Back to God Min- ered for what would later 100th anniversary with a dinner, ingful explanation of the com- istries International, a careful and Ibecome Sanborn (Iowa) Chris- a program of memories, and a mandments, he ended up visionary administrator, and gos- tian Reformed Church. display of pictures showing every- constructing his own version. pel communicator at heart, died Sanborn CRC has a history of thing from the first church build- The children’s version at age 57 of pancreatic cancer. deep roots. Of the current mem- ing, parsonage, pulpit, and chair, ranges from the most basic, Heerspink received his M.Div. bers, five families have attended to financial reports dating back to such as “We will not take what and Master of Theology degrees for six generations, and eight the 1930s and written in Dutch. doesn’t belong to us” (no. 8), from Calvin Theological Seminary, families have attended for five —Kate Padilla and “We will listen to our and a Doctor of Divinity degree generations. moms and dads and obey from Trinity Evangelical Divinity them” (no. 5), to command- School in Deerfield, Ill. Korean Coffee Break at Meadowlands ments that took a bit more Heerspink served four Christian Fellowship CRC thought: “We will respect our Reformed congregations in bodies and the bodies of Michigan. In 2006, Heerspink was other people” (no. 7). appointed director of Back to God The creative process Ministries International and filled wasn’t as simple as one that position till his death. would imagine. “Trying to Heerspink was a “church man” translate [the command- at heart. He possessed consider- ments] into more childlike able leadership gifts. His work for language also had to do with the CRC was marked by a deep applying more to a kid’s sense of theological integrity. a de R e g t perspective or a kid’s life,” Prominent in Heerspink’s
Moni c Van Arragon said. ministry was his emphasis on Ontario Church Offers ESL Coffee Break While most of the com- stewardship. He wrote a book on mandments have a direct that fundamental calling: offee Break Bible study leaders from Meadowlands Fellowship behavioral tie kids can relate Becoming a Firstfruits Congregation, Christian Reformed Church in Ancaster, Ontario, wanted to reach to, the commandment published by Faith Alive. He also out to the Korean moms of exchange students attending the C regarding adultery became wrote numerous Today daily nearby Christian school. the biggest challenge. Van devotionals. When it became apparent that a language barrier prevented the Arragon estimates he wrote Heerspink is survived by his Korean women from fully participating in Coffee Break, Carla Wikkerink, 10 versions of the seventh wife, Edith, three children, and one an ESL teacher and Coffee Break group leader, agreed to lead a sepa- commandment before set- daughter-in-law. a rate Bible study for them. tling on a final one. —Louis M. Tamminga Min Jin said she feels this is a very important time, spiritually, in her For the whole set, and life. “God has brought me here to strengthen my faith more and more,” more, please visit www.the- she said. a banner.org. —Jeff Arnold —Monica de Regt
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 13 news New Jersey Bowlers Strike Out Hunger ighty-five people enjoyed bowling, fellowship, food, and fun on a recent Saturday while raising money for the food Epantry of New Hope Community Ministries. New Hope is a diaconal outreach in Prospect Park, N.J., supported by several area Christian Reformed churches. Delegates of Classis Alberta Sponsors rented 15 lanes at a local bowling alley for $120 South/Saskatchewan view Cree per lane. In return they received 2.5 hours of bowling, shoe art. rentals, pizza, and soda for everyone bowling their lane. Many families and people of all ages attended. reForming Relation- The lane rentals, a silent auction, and additional donations raised $1,250 for the food pantry. ships with Aborigi- Barbara Adams, a New Hope volunteer, said, “I liked this nal Communities event. We could bring our grandchildren and give back while having fun as a family.” through Art —Calvin Hulstein or Classis Alberta South/ Tim Steen bowls at the Strike Out Hunger Saskatchewan (a regional event for New Hope Ministries. Fgroup of churches), a field trip was on the agenda of the fall Emily Wilson meeting. Diaconal Ministries Canada Celebrates 10 Years Delegates viewed an exhibit iaconal Ministries Canada many people have been involved Joe Doef, chair of the DMC of “Kisemanito Pakitinasuwin” (DMC), a ministry of the in diaconal work throughout the board for 2011-2012 and repre- (“The Creator’s Sacrifice”), a series DChristian Reformed Church years. sentative of Classis Alberta North, of paintings by self-taught Cree that equips deacons, celebrated DMC’s roots date back to 1960 a regional group of churches, said, artist Ovide Bighetty. 10 years since formally organizing and the formation of the All- “For all deacons, but especially for “These paintings depict the in 2001. DMC serves deacons in Ontario Diaconal Conference first-time deacons, DMC has been Easter story in Woodland Cree the approximately 250 congrega- (AODC). Western Canada diacon- a great source of help, informa- artistic style,” said Steve van de tions of the CRC in Canada. ates also organized diaconal tion, and encouragement, and it’s Hoef, Justice and Reconciliation Deacons of Woodynook Chris- conferences. Eventually leaders of my prayer that it will continue to Mobilizer for Canadian Ministries tian Reformed Church in Lacombe, all the conferences sought greater do that till Christ returns.” of the Christian Reformed Alberta, organized a celebration levels of cooperation, which ulti- —Rachel deKoning Kraay Church. to acknowledge the anniversary mately led to the formation of the The paintings are being shown but also to recognize just how national organization. across the country as part of the reForming Relationships tour organized by the CRC’s Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee. One of the stops will be at Synod 2012 in Ancaster, Ontario, in June. “The tour is about forging and deepening relationships between Christian Reformed and Aboriginal communities,” explained van de Hoef. “These paintings have served as a point of contact and a bridge between Aboriginal and non- Deacons of Woodynook CRC in Lacombe, Alberta, hosted Aboriginal people.” a
g Kraay c hel deKonin Diaconal Ministries Canada’s 10th anniversary celebration. a
R —Rachel deKoning Kraay
14 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Black Eyed Peas Inspire Students in Philadelphia ou might not expect an One of the banners alternative hip-hop created by Ayuda Center Ygroup, the Black Eyed art students. Peas, to inspire Christian banners, but art students at The students picked 10 the Ayuda Community Cen- words to represent their ter rewrote the lewd lyrics vision for their future and of the Black Eyed Peas song the future of their neighbor- “Imma Be,” which is slang for hood. “I’m going to be.” Aryione, 13, chose the The center is a diaconal word Godly because she outreach of Spirit & Truth “wants to tell everyone else National Bible Bee qualifier Kaitlyn Fellowship Christian about God.” Eliannys, 11, Vredevoogd Reformed Church in North chose Loved because she Philadelphia, Pa. wants to be surrounded by
Michigan Girl Competes Michaelanne Harriman, Mi c haelanne H arri m an people who love her. the center’s arts director, said students Students then spent the summer designing in National Bible Bee rewrote the song to include lyrics like: and sewing a banner for each word. The ban- aitlyn Vredevoogd, 14, from Lake “Imma be praising God with my whole ners were hung in Hunting Park for a reduced City (Mich.) Christian Reformed crew. installation fee and displayed for six weeks last Church, recently competed in the K “Imma be living up there even though I’m fall. National Bible Bee, put on in Nashville, living down here. —Calvin Hulstein Tenn., by the Shelby Kennedy Founda- tion. To qualify, Kaitlyn had to memorize Indiana Pastors’ Partnership an Answer to Prayer over 500 verses and study the book of ev. Jim Halstead, pastor 1 Peter this past summer, and then com- of Community Chris- pete in a local bee at the end of August. Rtian Reformed Church The local competition included both a in Fort Wayne, Ind., and written part testing her knowledge of Reginald Blackmon, bishop the book of 1 Peter and an oral part of Latter Rain Ministries, met requiring her to recite verses from while watching their sons memory. To compete at nationals, Kaitlyn play basketball. had to memorize another 200 verses and When they discovered study 2 Peter. they were both pastors who “I get goose bumps when I think of share a love of John Piper what God can do with those 700 verses and a similar way of thinking that Kaitlyn knows,” said Amy Vredevoogd, when it comes to Reformed Kaitlyn’s mother. theology, their conversations Reginald Blackmon (left) and Jim Halstead Although Kaitlyn did not make it to shifted quickly from basket- the top 15 for semifinals, she enjoyed the ball to a shared passion for reaching their community. family discipleship celebration surround- The two pastors now pray with one another each Monday and have started planning ing the competition. how to share the gospel with people living in two apartment complexes within a mile of “For me the highlight was meeting Halstead’s church. people who had been studying the same “I had been asking God who I should partner with,” said Halstead. “That’s when I met books of the Bible and memorizing the Reginald and found someone who has the same philosophy of ministry I do. same verses as me,” said Kaitlyn. a “We’re two peas in a pod.” a —Daina Kraai —Jeff Arnold
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 15 news Looking Back and Looking Ahead on CRWRC’s Birthday s the Christian Reformed Q: What do you see as mile- World Relief Committee stones? prepares to celebrate its AR: For me, two things make the most 50th birthday in 2012, The impact. One is watching a child die Banner’s news editor sat from malnutrition. Once you’ve seen downA with co-directors Andrew that, you never want to see it again. Ryskamp and Ida Mutoigo. Ryskamp The other one is when you sit in a has been with CRWRC since 1974 and community that is Muslim, and you has served as director of CRWRC-US [know that] you can save hundreds since 1998. Mutoigo has been with of lives in terms of the physical CRWRC since 1985 and has served as sense—but when you know it’s hav- director of CRWRC-Canada since ing a spiritual impact, that’s huge. 2006. The tsunami was huge, but what’s memorable is sitting with community Q: As you look back over your his- leaders whose homes are rebuilt, but tory with CRWRC, what words come they don’t know what to do with their to mind? grief. We’re able to talk about that AR: For me, it’s an ongoing journey of from our own faith perspective. That spiritual growth. For the organization, doesn’t require a tsunami to happen. it has been ministry growth. Poverty is the tsunami of everyday IM: God’s grace, especially as I reflect life. on the deep generosity of people in IM: In terms of disasters, Katrina and our churches and how that has the tsunami were key. Katrina in the grown—the generous heart for people U.S. opened up volunteerism, and in poverty and disaster. we’ve connected with thousands of volunteers. In terms of poverty, the Q: What has CRWRC excelled at, and whole Bangladesh program: how [the what do you wish could have been people] have connected from local done better? organizations to institutions that IM: The partnership model is our address whole regions through strong strength. Partnering with local orga- Bringing running water to desperate communities local ownership, affecting large num- nizations is a strong achievement. bers. In terms of justice, [it is] West Another key achievement is the whole Disaster Response (DRS) pro- Africa, where an irrigation scheme was going to shift people off their gramming, the quality of that in North America and internationally. land with no compensation, and they were able to negotiate through It’s been a real highlight to see the expansion of money we have advocacy a more reasonable settlement. managed and leveraged in terms of grants and partnerships. From the field level, I would have liked to have done more integra- Q: As you look at CRWRC right now, what are the bright spots you tion of worldview and values transformation at an earlier stage. We see? could have had so much more impact. IM: Some of the bright spots I see are an expanded audience of inter- AR: Community strengthening with involvement of the church has ested donors in North America beyond the CRC, and a lot more open- been central. ness of other churches and other alliances to joining us. These give a What I wish we would have been able to accomplish more strongly huge opportunity for greater impact, and then there are the global is the involvement of the church in North America in that, and the alliances. Another bright spot is the stronger justice orientation of understanding they have of the principles involved in good develop- youth and young adults. There is a huge opportunity for us to tap into ment. We want our denomination, our churches, and our donors to that. Volunteerism—groups coming into DRS—is another bright be so involved in our work that they not only support the work inter- spot. nationally but incorporate the same principles at home for transforma- AR: It’s sort of humbling that we’ve become an agency of choice to tion of their own communities. partner with. The other is that people want to partner with us because
16 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Check thebanner.org for athe expanded story. they appreciate [our] philosophy of ministry, our approach to the global church through ACT Alliance and other [organizations]. Those countries, community empowerment. are partnerships that we have connected with that have even bigger possibilities for reaching even more people than just [in-house] col- Q: As you look ahead, what are the challenges you see? laboration. IM: Like all charities, we face greater scrutiny and skepticism. When IM: Through Canadian Foodgrains Bank, in one year we might gener- people find us, it takes a lot of work [to overcome skepticism] because ate around $1 million in support from the CRC. But because we are a people start with a distrust level, rather than assume [we are] worthy lead organization to implement those programs on the field where of investment. The other trend is more interest in designated giving, food security programs are needed, we manage $10 million. It multi- so money that can support the core of what we do is harder now to plies the impact that CRWRC is able to have and leverages the resources raise. People are drawn more into a disaster mode, yet longer term it we receive to do much more. is so important to mitigate against the disasters. That’s where the CRC, then, is at a crossroads. Structurally, manag- AR: For me it is addressing injustice. Justice has been politicized in ing an organization with over 100 employees and a budget of $40 North America, so raising issues that are systemic in nature to the million (about half the denomination’s budget, excluding Calvin College) causes of what we face on the field are more difficult to address. When demands a different system or structure to make it flourish and grow we start talking about a justice issue, people may interpret it as a rather than one that keeps it under an umbrella. An umbrella closes left-leaning political stance as opposed to seeing it as biblical justice in. We see it upside down—connected and rooted in the CRC but open called for in Isaiah 58. to continue to grow and flourish. Can systems of the denomination flex enough to allow an agency to have growth potential to flourish Q: You told the Board of Trustees of the denomination about the without tying it down to the restrictions that fit for the others and choices the CRC has to make about the role of CRWRC looking without losing the connection to our constituents? ahead. Can you say a bit more about that? We don’t want [the CRC] to feel like we’re World Vision or a lesser AR: We’ve become a player in the field of global NGOs, but there are priority. [The CRC is] the source through which we can then leverage all people who would still like us to be more of an in-house diaconal these other partnerships. That’s a very important relationship to us.
Q: What do you want the church to focus on during this anniversary year? AR: Celebrate what a relatively small denomination is able to accom- plish in ministry worldwide, not only through CRWRC but through all of its ministries. For a small denomination to be recognized internation- ally at government levels and at other alliance levels, the impact is disproportionate to the size of the denomination. IM: I hope we really celebrate the heroes in the communities, the ones that are really on the frontlines. We don’t often hear about them or see the lives that are being changed, the faithful mothers who volunteer to train other mothers; partner staff, some who have died in service because of risks encountered; to celebrate and appreciate God’s work through these strong Christian lead- ers who had a heart for their community. Homes being built after the earthquake in Haiti —Gayla R. Postma ministry, an extension of deacons’ work. They would like us to just work with Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed Home Missions and limit us to what we can only do together. What we’re saying is, if we unleash the potential that exists in CRWRC and other agencies, we can unleash a whole movement of ministry involvement in the denomination. It would be less contained; it m a would be a ministry explosion. CRWRC is not con-
cerned about just the CRC. We connect with the Post R . Gayla
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 17 Don’t Invite Them to Church in Salt Lake City on’t invite them to church. That’s the new newsDevangelism strategy of Texas CRC Brings a church in Salt Lake City, Utah. New Life to Old Neighborhood Mountain Springs Com- reputed for being a center for drug munity Christian Reformed trade and high levels of crime. Church is using Karen Wilk’s Members from the supporting book Don’t Invite Them to churches gather donations of Church as a guide for small- A Don’t Invite Them to Church household supplies and meet group discussions. once a month to sort and distrib- discussion at Mountain Springs Wilk’s book, published by Community CRC in Utah. ute the items to residents who can Faith Alive Christian use them. The group also takes Resources, is described as a tool to help congregations move from time to visit and pray with these being a “come and see” church to being a “go and be” one. neighbors. “Of the 15 people in the class, every one of them has a story The task force meets regularly of what God is doing with them in their community,” said Rev. Members of the Old Town with residents to ask for their help Peter DeVries, senior pastor of Mountain Springs. Spring Heights Task Force at in identifying the needs of the Jim Gutzwiller, a member of the church’s council, sees the book work together community. “They feel like they’re as a way of taking church to his neighbors instead of bringing few local churches in Spring, being listened to,” said Rev. Andy them to church. Recently he and his wife invited their neighbors Texas, have banded together Sytsma, pastor of New Life. over for dinner. Ato help a small impoverished The task force has also helped “We weren’t doing it to evangelize them. We [did] it to estab- neighborhood in the city. with a number of other projects, lish a relationship with them,” he said. “It’s a start, and we’ll see New Life Christian Reformed including home repairs and work- where we go from there.” Church has partnered with four ing with the county and the local Another member of the group, Pat VanHeyst, said it takes the other churches to form the Old electricity provider to supply the pressure off of having to always think of something new. “[It’s Town Spring Heights Task Force, neighborhood with street lights. about] walking alongside people,” she said. a and together they are making a a —Sarah Boonstra difference in a community once —Sarah Boonstra In the News Again, their six children, who all have university degrees. 32 Years Later Dreams have come true for this olks on the west coast of Brit- family—and still do. “Traffic report- ish Columbia who hear the ing is a dream assignment for me,” Fwords “Traffic is moving well” said Luu. She lives in nearby White may be listening to the voice of Rock with her husband. “We do Ann Luu, the newly appointed our best to stay in touch with the traffic specialist for CTV B.C.’s CRC families that helped us settle “Morning Live.” down in Canada.” Luu traces her Canadian roots The Luu family was one of a to Living Hope Christian Reformed number of families sponsored by Church in Abbotsford, British Living Hope CRC in the late 70s. Columbia, where she and her More recently the church has family were welcomed 32 years The Luu family (back row, l-r): Lynn, Helen, Tim, Ann, Nicole; (front sponsored people from Iraq, ago. row, l-r): parents Kieu and Mui, Laura Sudan, and Syria. The church com- The church sponsored Kieu The family made a treacherous Now retired, the elderly Luus munity is presently awaiting and Mui Luu and their six children, boat trip to Malaysia, fleeing war- moved on from Living Hope, join- permission to sponsor two more one of whom was Ann. Church torn Vietnam. Prior to that, Luu’s ing a local Chinese church where families who have fled from Turkey member Tina Kruk was instrumen- parents had fled communist they felt comfortable within their and are waiting in Cyprus. a tal in helping the Luus settle into China. Their arrival in Canada was own language group. They take —Jenny deGroot their new community. an answer to hopes and prayers. great joy in the achievement of
18 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org FAQs Relationships Lording it over your children Our 23-year-old son is neither good nor godly. Q has left home and moved in with his girl- continuing to extend hospitality to them, and Here are two true stories from small con- friend of two years. What being gracious, loving, and accepting of them, gregations. A university student said to me, is our role and responsibil- even while disagreeing. “In our final year of high school, it suddenly —Judy Cook struck my friends and me one night how much ity as Christian parents? our congregation had loved us from day one. Judy Cook is a family therapist living in Hamilton, We decided to put on a thank-you dinner for The first, sometimes difficult, truth to Ontario. She is a member of Meadowlands Fel- them before we left for university.” A middle- remember is that basically your parent- A lowship Christian Reformed Church in Ancaster, aged woman from a tiny rural congregation ing is over. In the same way that you relin- Ontario. You may e-mail her at judycook.the- said, “At the age of 12 I was asked to play piano quished responsibility for your son’s physical [email protected]. All responses will be because our organist suddenly passed away. and material welfare once he became an adult, held in the strictest confidence. I don’t know how they were able to sing those you must also relinquish responsibility for the first months as I stumbled through the hymns. Editor’s note: Watch for a feature article on choices he makes with respect to lifestyle. For But every Sunday without fail they thanked this topic in our February issue. instance, you can no longer “make” him go to me, and I knew they loved me.” church and neither can you insist that he get Walking with children and teens (and married before cohabiting. To try to force adult Faith Formation adults) so that they know they are loved is children to follow your rules, even if what you the central discipleship calling of every con- Our small (but committed!) congrega- want for them is good and godly, is manipula- gregation. Ask your 18-year-olds how they Q tion will never be able to afford a paid tion, with the result that your relationship is received God’s love through the body, and youth pastor, and some of us fear that our conditional on your being in charge. Lording then prayerfully make adjustments as you ministry to children and teens will always it over your children is, of course, neither good seek to live out Paul’s beautiful prayer for the struggle because of this. Is there hope for nor godly. church in Ephesians 3:14-21. us smaller congregations? The transition from being responsible for —Syd Hielema your son to being responsible to him is not an Some of the strongest ministry to chil- Syd Hielema is a professor of religion and theology easy one. Being responsible to someone A dren and teens occurs in congregations at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, includes letting him know what you believe your size. Almost every time this strength Ontario, and a member of the CRC’s Synodical is the right thing to do (for example, waiting comes from the same source, which can best Faith Formation Study Committee. n until marriage before living together with his be described by paraphrasing the opening girlfriend), as well as inviting him to talk about verses of 1 Cor. 13: his faith in God and what that might mean for Our congregation may have the most his lifestyle. But it also includes listening to his qualified youth pastor imaginable, but if viewpoint and respecting his right to choose differently without changing your acceptance we do not have love, we are only resound- of him and his girlfriend. Your role as parents ing gongs or clanging cymbals. We can has changed from taking care of your son and have the latest curricula and bring in top- keeping him safe (physically, but also morally notch consultants to train our volunteers, and spiritually), to the role of friendship and but without love, we are nothing. We can of having influence rather than control. cover all the costs to send our teens to the Your Christian responsibility can certainly splashiest conventions and mission trips, include praying for your son and his girlfriend, but without love, we gain nothing.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 19 by Robert J. Keeley web q’s
Are You Growing in Faith?
H o w d o y o u k n o w ?
20 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org hen I was growing up, attend worship regularly? It makes good sense that someone the doorframe of our kitchen was who is growing in faith will worship with God’s people often. covered with pencil marks. Every once But we can’t just count the number of worship services in a while my mom would stand me attended. Does someone who worships eight times a month next to it and make a new mark. I would have a deeper faith than someone who worships four times carefully measure from the floor to the a month? Maybe worshiping eight times a month vs. four mark and announce how tall I was. I was times a month doesn’t tell us much, but eight times vs. one one of those kids who had a late growth spurt, so I measured time might tell us something. my height a lot. Active involvement in church isn’t just worship attendance, Measuring your height is easy. Measuring your faith, on the though. It means participating in the life of the congregation. other hand, is not so easy. We have a clear idea of what “taller” I’m on our church’s education committee, for example, so that means, but we really don’t have a clear definition of what a counts for something, right? But faith is not the same thing as richer or deeper faith looks like. attending committee meetings. (If it were, the Christian So what do we mean when we talk about “growing in faith”? Reformed Church would be in fantastic shape!) So while par- What are we looking for? How do I know if my faith is growing? ticipation is part of what we’re looking for, being involved in How do I know if the faith of others is growing? Are the things committees or even attending church potlucks doesn’t really we’re doing to encourage faith in our children and teens work- indicate a growing faith either. ing? Do our church programs help people to have a deeper and We can also look more broadly at the way people live their richer faith? Is there a way to know whether our efforts to instill lives. Some people in my church, for example, have the skills faith are effective? to build houses and, in their retirement, have volunteered to Perhaps faith is one of those things that’s hard to define but do that in our community on a weekly basis. This is a great we know it when we see it. ministry, and many people have benefited from their selfless Think of someone you know who has a particularly deep service. Do these volunteers have a deep faith? Maybe. But faith. I’m not talking about someone famous like the late maybe not. Their service is noteworthy and an example to Mother Teresa. I mean someone you really know. It might be others, but we’re looking for more than just that, right? After a parent or a grandparent. A pastor or an elder. A child or a all, organizations like the Peace Corps or Habitat for Human- teen. Have you got someone in mind? Now, why did you ity are filled with people who give of themselves, but some of choose that person? them have no faith commitment at all. You probably chose that person because of what you have So just looking at what people do is problematic for measur- observed about the way she lives her life. Maybe you chose him ing how deep someone’s faith is. That’s because the ways I use because of the way he welcomes people into his home or because my gifts in Christ’s service might look different from the way of the great advice she gives. Those are good things, but they you use your gifts. The same thing is true about involvement are difficult to measure. in our local congregation. For example, those who lead in music One possible measure of deep faith might be active involve- or in speaking do not necessarily have a deeper faith than those ment in a local congregation. For example, does this person who listen. They simply have different gifts.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 21 We need To
Theological Accents are not just impor- know our As we think about this, we end up with an amalgam of things tant for teens, but that mix together both to inform our faith life and indicate for all of us to brothers how we are doing. In her book Almost Christian, Kenda continue to grow Creasy Dean notes that teens who have a vibrant faith have in faith. We need four “theological accents.” They have “a creed to believe in, to have a place in and sisters a community to belong to, a call to live out and a hope to our church com- hold on to” (p. 42). I found her list helpful as I thought about munity with God’s my own faith life. Let’s look at this list a little more closely. people. We need to in Christ, know our brothers 1. Creed and sisters in Knowing what we believe is an important facet of a deep Christ, and they faith. This means the work of education is important in and they need need to know us. our churches and in our homes. By spending time in God’s That means mak- Word and studying what others have written and said about ing involvement in to know us. God, we get to know God better and we grow in our under- our local church a standing of our faith. high priority. And we need to make sure we and our children 2. Community are involved in good church education programs. We can be We were made to live in community with each other. Our serious about our call and what it means to do the tasks God modern emphasis on individualism runs counter to God’s has given us as people of faith. We also need to keep talking to call for us to be a community of faith together. We need each other. A life of faith thrives on conversation with other others to hold us accountable, to teach us, to worship with Christians. Our talk must be authentic and reflect our ups and us, to help us, and to be helped by us. If we are not part of downs, our dreams and disappointments, but it also should be a community of believers, we are missing an important laced with our thoughts about God’s place in our lives. element in our growth as Christians. Channels of Grace 3. Call Faith is a gift from God, but there are things that Christians We are each called to live out our faith in ways that are have done for centuries, faith practices, that play a powerful uniquely “us.” We sometimes think of “call” in terms of role in shaping our faith. These practices are not only indica- vocation, but it is bigger than that. My call is different from tors of our faith but they also help us to grow in faith—things your call, but we have each been called to bring our gifts, like prayer, worship, reading God’s Word, and practicing our abilities, and even our weaknesses in service to God and hospitality. to other people. Our lives have meaning because we have a We do not look at these practices as chores or as something God-given purpose. we do out of obligation. Rather, faith practices are gifts from 4. Hope God. By engaging in them we open ourselves up to more fully Faith is not just an academic exercise; it is a way of life that experience God’s work in our lives; they are channels of grace has a trajectory. We are working not just for a heavenly reward, that help our faith grow. So while it isn’t possible to measure but for the coming of Christ’s kingdom. We look forward faith as easily as we measure our height, we can have a pretty to the day when wrongs will be righted and injustice will be good idea of which direction we’re heading. n no more. We have a hope that all things will work together for good (Rom. 8:28). We have confidence that God wins. Robert J. Keeley is a professor of education In studies of teenagers and religion, teens who exhibit the at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. four accents above also exhibit a lot of the behaviors we mentioned earlier (church attendance, congregational involvement, lives of service) plus many more. These things
22 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org next
What Do You Really Believe?
is weak. This must be why Jesus so often In your 20s or 30s? We want to hear what’s on said, “You of little faith!” to the apostles. your mind as it relates to living out your faith The apostles had no problem thinking Jesus in today’s world. Please send manuscripts was correct in everything he said. But when (600 words) to [email protected]. it came time for Peter to walk on water to (And, no, you don’t have to be ordained!) Jesus, he began to sink. In the same way, we can bear witness that our salvation is by grace My counselor read the following state- alone, then feel terrible guilt over mistakes we ments to me, waiting for me to say “I agree” made years ago. In saying the Apostles’ Creed or “I disagree” after each: we can affirm “the resurrection of the body” • I may want to please people I care about, but while deeply fearing our own death. I don’t have to please them all the time. If asked, I would affirm with the Heidel- • If I refuse to do a favor for people, that berg Catechism that I have had my sins doesn’t mean I don’t like them. forgiven and have been made forever right
N EXT • If I say no to people and they get angry, that with God as if I had never been a sinner. Yet does not mean I should have said yes. I will get defensive instead of apologize when Each time he read a statement, I imme- someone approaches me about something diately knew the correct answer—the one hurtful I’ve said. I will attempt to fight for I realized that he was looking for. Of course I don’t have my own righteousness instead of accepting to please everybody all the time. Of course the righteousness given to me by faith in I don’t have to say yes to someone if he or Jesus Christ. My true belief is exposed: I though I could she gets angry with me. actually believe my righteousness comes I knew enough to agree with the state- from my image as a good person. ments, but everything inside me shouted, I would never disagree that God loves me give lip service to “No! I disagree!” As a pastor I have said those unconditionally and that God’s love is all I very things to others in my office, and even need. Yet my day can be ruined if someone the right answers, from the pulpit. But at that moment I realized is upset with me. I feel guilty that I cannot that though I could give lip service to the be at every meeting. I feel inferior when a right answers, I did not really believe them. sermon isn’t a knockout. My true belief I did not really In the Reformed tradition of the Chris- seems to be that God’s love is not good tian faith, we emphasize accurate theology. enough and that my importance is based on believe them. We want to possess the right answers about my performance. God, humanity, and life. I appreciate this God is showing me the difference between about the Reformed tradition. The way knowing the truth and actually believing it. Christians express their faith has changed Now I scrutinize my behavior to see what much over the centuries and varies greatly my true beliefs are: What might I really in different cultures around the world. Doc- believe if I enjoy seeing people I dislike “get trines, however, do not change. Jesus Christ what they deserve”? What do I believe about and his identity are the same yesterday, today, the holy catholic church if I make snide and forever. The Reformed tradition does comments about classis or synod or fellow an excellent job of handing down the faith believers in other denominations? that was once for all given in Jesus Christ. I have been thankful that God has placed Yet in my own spiritual walk with the concern for right doctrine on my heart. Now Lord, I am seeing that I can know all the I am thankful God is showing me what it right answers regarding doctrines and not means to truly believe. n really believe them in my heart. The problem is not that I disagree with anything in our creeds or confessions. I agree with every- Rev. Aaron Vriesman is pastor of North Blendon thing. But my actual belief in many of them Christian Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Mich.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 23 N EXT togetherdoingPROMOTING HEALTHYmore CHURCHES Healthy Pastors, Healthy Churches By Chris Meehan
group of young men joked Rev. Jeff Brower, pastor of Bethel CRC in “We are focused on reaching out to and laughed as they rolled Waupun, Wisc., paddles down a river as part the hard-core, streetwise young men in balls down the lane at a of the Go Green Group our neighborhood with the underlying crowded bowling alley in purpose of building strong, trusting Grand Rapids, Mich. in Grand Rapids don’t have jobs and relationships with one another.” A few pumped their arms, rarely have enough money to splurge on Often the group met around tables at Aand a loud cheer went up when one of a night out. So Rev. Jerome Burton, pas- the church for Bible studies tailored to them rolled a strike. tor of Coit, applied for a grant to encour- their needs. Some went to Coit as chil- They were a little rowdy, but it was age them. dren, but none now attend church. clear they were having fun—thanks to a Burton says the ministry provides “an A week or so after the group meetings grant from a Christian Reformed Church opportunity to witness to our neighbors concluded, one of the young men did program called Sustaining Congregational and show that we care, and that we are come to church with his young child. Coit Excellence (SCE). committed to being a part of the solution members greeted him warmly. These young men from the neighbor- to improving the quality of life in our Besides SCE, the Christian Reformed hood around Coit Community Church community. Church also supports the Sustaining
24 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org togetherdoingmore Pastoral Excellence (SPE) program for And there are other benefits. People encouraging and supporting pastors and often ask Vos why he works in the Barn- pastors’ spouses. yard. He tells them simply that CrossWay, SPE and SCE have been active for out of love for Christ, is reaching out to several years, touching many lives and the community. A few Barnyard visitors boosting the health of many churches, have since ended up attending Cross- including Coit Community Church. Way. Lis Van Harten, who directs both the “I also know that my personal involve- SPE and SCE programs, says, “Today’s ment in the market has blown away the congregations need strong servant lead- stereotypes that people have about pas- ers who can adapt to, change, and grow tors,” says Vos. with their congregations. For this, pastors Ann Foster, coordinator of the market, must develop character, knowledge, and says the Barnyard has been quite a draw, Kids work on a craft in the Barnyard while skills.” bringing in hundreds of children to play their parents shop at the farmers’ market. SCE, she said, emphasizes prayer and and do activities as their parents shop for thanksgiving to God. It helps churches produce. Without being overtly evange- Rev. Verlan Van Ee, pastor of Living to develop a sense of purpose and encour- listic, she says, church members reflect Hope Community (CRC) in Fox Lake, ages congregations to look outward to qualities that attract people to them. Wis., says the pastors also bolstered their meet needs in their communities so that “The farmers’ market is really the only health by hiking through the woods, they can thrive into the future. high-profile thing that happens in Salmon canoeing, and rock climbing. Reaching into the Community Creek, and the church has helped to make One of the purposes of the group has SPE and SCE work in many ways. For it happen,” says Foster. been to get outdoors, to revel in God’s example, funds from an SCE grant help Going Green good creation, says Van Ee. CrossWay Church, a Christian Reformed SPE grants nourish the hearts and spirits Another SPE group included more congregation in Vancouver, Wash., run of pastors, helping them stretch and grow, than a dozen pastors from scattered com- the Barnyard, a children’s play and become healthier, and experience a deeper munities in eastern Canada. An SPE grant activities area at a farmers’ market in connection to God. helped the isolated pastors, who traveled Salmon Creek, Wash. The “Go Green” group in Wisconsin, many miles to meet, feel less alone and CrossWay Pastor Brad Vos says the for example, met to talk about their min- enjoy more collegiality. Barnyard gives church members the chance istries and how they could improve, The pastors meet monthly for lunch, to live their faith outside the walls of the especially so their churches could glimpse fellowship, prayer, and reflection on church and to return to church with a what healthy Christian outreach looks experiences of the past month. deeper sense of mission and purpose. like. Seeking the grace and work and pres- ence of God, the group strives to “reflect upon the sometimes very ordinary and Members of the Young Men’s Group of sometimes very strange little moments Coit Community Church that make up the life of parish ministry,” says Rev. Ken Gehrels, pastor of Calvin CRC near Ottawa. n
Chris Meehan is news and media relations manager for CRC Communications and a member of Coit Community Church.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 25 togetherdoingPROMOTING HEALTHYmore CHURCHES Evaluations that Help
Pastors Flourish By Norm Thomasma and Jeanne Kallemeyn
Cecil VanNiejenhuis, Norm Thomasma, and Jeanne Kallemeyn from the CRC’s Office of Pastor-Church Relations work on the Evaluation Essentials training tool.
even years into his ministry, and tell him if had gone off track and, if them to critique my preaching and lead- “Pastor James” realized he no so, how and where. ership skills.” longer felt the fire and passion The evaluation process is proving to The ground rules were simple: If the for ministry that he once had. be a successful way for pastors and church pastor judged a comment to be more He wondered if he had lost leaders to undergo a checkup, like going hurtful than helpful, he would ask the himself, his direction, and his to the dentist or physician for routine person to reframe the comment or leave connectionS to God. care—and to see whether something more the room. Similarly, he reserved the right Instead of ignoring his thoughts and serious needs attention. to leave the room. soldiering on, or simply leaving the “What was unique about the pastor “After explaining that I was sincere in church, he sought an in-depth evaluation performance process is that it was pastor- asking for input, they offered numerous of his ministry. led. I set up and led the process,” Pastor suggestions for ways I could more effectively “Was it a classic case of burnout? Or James says. lead our ministries and more effectively was it something else? I decided to face “I identified two areas in which I felt communicate in preaching,” he said. the challenge and get it fixed,” he said. particularly vulnerable: leadership and “The team then assisted me in process- He read up on the topic, joined a Sus- preaching. I asked for input from the ing what we heard, and together we taining Pastoral Excellence peer group, church family. With the assistance of a developed an action plan, a plan that has and—most important—asked his elders five-person team, we invited a random guided me and, I believe, has blessed the to honestly assess him and his ministry group of members to a meeting. I asked church.”
26 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org togetherdoingmore Evaluations need to fit the Pastor-Church Relations Fast Facts • The mandate for the CRC’s Office of Pastor-Church congregation, the pastor, and Relations is to provide programs of “healing and preven- tion” for ministers, staff, councils, and congregations. the situation. • Ministry Shares funding enables the office to offer these services to con- The evaluation process may not well. In fact, poorly conducted or gregations. be for all pastors, but it can help poorly conceived evaluations can • Throughout the years the methods some pastors to flourish. do more harm than good. And what of delivering these programs have In place for more than a year, will work in one congregation may been adjusted to the needs of con- the evaluation process from the not be appropriate for another.” gregations as well as to the staffing CRC’s Office of Pastor-Church That’s why the Office of Pastor- of the Office of Pastor-Church Rela- Relations is called Evaluation Essen- Church Relations wrote the train- tions. tials for Congregational Leaders, ing tool Evaluation Essentials, rather • In June 2010, two copies of the Setting the Table for Healthy Con- than a simple how-to booklet. Evaluation Essentials training tool were sent to every versations. The CRC’s Sustaining Evaluations need to fit the congre- Christian Reformed church. As of October 2011, 50 Pastoral Excellence program helped gation, the pastor, and the situation. congregations had requested almost 300 additional to put it together. Working through the training tool copies. Pastors aren’t the only ones ask- increases the likelihood that that • Calvin Theological Seminary uses Evaluation Essentials ing for evaluation. Phone calls and will happen. as a class resource. emails from churches to the Office One pastor of a church in • To obtain a copy of Evaluation Essentials, contact of Pastor-Church Relations often Ontario obtained Evaluation Essen- Jeanne Kallemeyn for hard copies (see contact sound something like this: tials for each member of his execu- information below), or download a pdf from the “Hi, do you have some tive council as they reviewed the Resources section at crcna.org/pcr. evaluation materials we can use church’s ongoing staff evaluation • The Office of Pastor-Church Relations works with with our pastor?” process. He said they found affir- and through pastoral mentors, regional pastors, and mation for many things the pastor church visitors to provide support, encouragement, “Good question; what did you had been doing. and counsel to congregations and staff, and to access use the last time you evaluated Another pastor of a church in resources. your pastor?” Colorado downloaded the booklet For more information, see crcna.org/pcr. “Oh, we have not evaluated our from the CRCNA website. “Reading —Jeanne Kallemeyn pastor for a long time.” through Evaluation Essentials is Contact Us challenging our elders to rethink Rev. Norm Thomasma, “Oh, so why are you thinking the evaluation process for all our director of Pastor-Church Relations: of an evaluation now?” staff,” the pastor said. n 616.224.0764 “Well, things have not been [email protected]. Rev. Norm Thomasma going so well lately. “ Rev. Cecil VanNiejenhuis, is director of the pastor/congregation consultant: Rev. Norm Thomasma, director Office of Pastor- 616.224.0746 of the Office of Pastor-Church Church Relations. Relations, says his office concluded [email protected]. that councils and congregations do Jeanne Kallemeyn Jeanne Kallemeyn, not generally think about evalua- is staff ministry staff ministry specialist: specialist for Pastor- 616.726.1152 tions until there is conflict. Church Relations. [email protected]. “It is understandable why pas- tors and congregants passively Laura Palsrok, conspire to avoid regular evalua- administrative assistant: 616.224.0837 tions,” he said. “They take time and [email protected]. effort, and they need to be done
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 27 togetherdoingThe moreView from Here The Prognosis Is Good
he Christian Reformed Church is a diverse family of Here was a church in which hospitality was important. “ healthy congregations, assemblies, and ministries Church members listened to each other before they spoke. expressing the good news of God’s kingdom that They cared for one another’s needs before making their own transforms lives and communities worldwide.” known. They sought out people they did not know. They shared Did you know that the Board of Trustees of the meals together and laughter and tears. They shared them- Christian Reformed Church reaffirmed the above selves. inT 2010 as our denomination’s vision statement? Here was a church in which the sound of splashing water The Board also agreed that “The ministry priority of the or the scent of pressed grapes brought warmth to hearts and Christian Reformed Church is to create and sustain healthy tears to eyes and filled the air with the electricity of faith. Bread congregations for the purpose fed souls hungry for closeness of transforming lives and com- to God. Worship services never munities worldwide.” seemed too long, never seemed So, you might ask, just what long enough. is it that makes for a healthy Here was a church in which, congregation? even when people disagreed— Some might say that meeting especially when they dis- the budget is a good indication agreed—they shared the same of a congregation’s health. Oth- position: kneeling. They spoke ers might look at a church’s not only to each other, but to programs. Still others might God on behalf of each other. consider such things as the “Amen” meant not only that a church facility, parking spaces, prayer was finished but that the or community involvement. pray-ers believed that the God While any and all of those have something to do with congre- to whom they prayed had lovingly heard. Prayer was not their gational health, none by itself—and not all of them together— last resort but their first impulse, not the end of things but the make a church healthy. very beginning. If I could show you a church that grew phenomenally—by This was a healthy congregation. And there are many healthy as much as 2,500 percent—after one spectacular worship ser- congregations in the Christian Reformed Church today. We vice, would you be inclined to consider it a healthy congrega- are made continually healthier in these important ways: teach- tion? ing, fellowship, sacraments, and prayer. The Bible describes it this way: “They devoted themselves These essentials receive additional power through such to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking programs as Sustaining Pastoral Excellence and Sustaining of bread and to prayer. . . . And the Lord added to their number Congregational Excellence. They are encouraged and enhanced daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42, 47). by the dedicated work of Pastor-Church Relations. And by Here was a church in which God’s Word was central—not God’s amazing grace they are available to us all. only on a pulpit or podium in the front of the sanctuary, but The One who came not to declare us healthy but to diagnose in the hearts and minds of the members. They placed it first and treat the sick provides this prescription for good health. in their lives. They consulted it first in their decisions. They Wherever such “treatment” is not only offered but received, listened to it before making plans. They put it before their the prognosis is truly good. n families. They gave it first place, without exception.
Just what is it that Rev. Joel Boot is executive director of the makes for a healthy Christian Reformed Church in North America. congregation?
28 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Here and There
Calvin Professor Writes Text on Christianity in China alvin history professor China,” said Larry Herzberg, Daniel Bays recently professor of Chinese and Japa- released A New History nese languages for Calvin. “His of Christianity in China, latest book on the subject is not theC first comprehensive history only an important contribution of Christianity in China to but is extremely interesting and come out in years. readable.” Bays’s book explores the Bays hopes the book will period before Western coun- fuel an interest in China. “For tries first established missions Christians, it should be of inter- in China. He also writes about est because it’s one of the places the first-known Christians in Christianity is booming in China, the Nestorians—adher- numbers, in self-confidence,” A young man reads through his copy of Cada Dia, a BTGMI ents of the Church of the he said. “China has a lot to offer publication. East—who entered the country the world.” n A Different Kind of Christmas Card in the seventh century. —Myrna Anderson, In his book, Bays corrects Calvin College idnéa, who lives in Campos dos Goytacazes, Bra- many misconcep- zil, received a surprise Christmas “card” from a tions that Western colleague at work. Christianity has The envelope contained a Christmas devotional about Chinese Chris- bookletS called Cada Dia Natal. Sidnéa was so moved tian culture and by the devotions, she signed up for an annual subscrip- about the political tion, noting that it was a blessing in her life. climate Chinese Every year LPC (Luz Para o Caminho), Back to God Christians live in Ministries International’s Portuguese media outreach in today. Brazil, creates and distributes a special Christmas version While a history of their monthly devotional booklet, Cada Dia. professor at the Each month LPC prints and distributes more than University of Kansas 20,000 Cada Dia booklets. But at Christmastime it in the 1970s, Bays prints many more (900,000 in 2011), as some people earned a grant to who receive these monthly devotionals —as well as conduct research on members of local congregations and businesses—order China. In 1996, he Cada Dia Natal to distribute as Christmas cards to collected 20 schol- friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. arly essays on the One woman, who received a copy from her doctor, history of Christian- wrote, “I read the messages about Jesus and was moved ity in China in a to trust in him.” book titled Christi- José works as a traveling salesman in the town of anity in China from the 18th Ilha Solteira. One afternoon while working he received Daniel Bays has written a book Century to the Present. In 2000, a copy of Cada Dia Natal. Later, at home, he began to on the history of Christianity in Bays came to Calvin and began read it, shared the devotions with his family, then called China. building the college’s Asian to subscribe to the monthly Cada Dia. “Thank you so Studies Program. much for the great tool that I could share with my “Dan Bays is one of the family,” he told the LPC staff. n world’s leading scholars on the —Nancy VanderMeer, history of Christianity in Back to God Ministries International
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 29 Here and There togetherdoingmorenotorious San Salvadoran Two Voices from San Salvador community of Iberia. Instead of just holding n April, I was returning to evangelistic crusades, he has Managua, Nicaragua, from gotten to know the young a visit to Seeds of a New people and listened carefully Creation, the partner with to their needs. Iwhich Christian Reformed Today gang violence has World Missions does ministry diminished, and several gang in El Salvador. members have become active Riding to the airport in the Christians. Pastor Landaverde capital city of San Salvador, I insisted to Wadkins that “mak- spoke with the taxi driver, ing Jesus the Lord of our lives who told me he had been Eliberto Juárez with his wife, Ethel, and children, Luis Enrique and Sofia must mean more than just assaulted numerous times, personal morality—it must often with a pistol to his head. Statistically, it’s true that in Yet I wished the taxi driver extend outward into all aspects He cursed his country and the wake of the 1980-1992 civil could have listened to another of life.” said he should have left 40 war, El Salvador has been one voice, the voice of Timothy Wadkins discovered a com- years ago when his brother of the 10 most violent coun- Wadkins. mon thread in his conversa- fled. tries in the world. Wadkins, a professor at tions with evangelical pastors Canisius College in Buffalo, like Vega and Landaverde. All Rev. Richard Sytsma ‘Called to Serve’ N.Y., has spent several years participated in the two-year ev. Richard Sytsma, dean of students and international researching the influence of training program of Seeds of student adviser for Calvin Theological Seminary, plans Christianity on El Salvadoran a New Creation. to retire this year after serving the seminary for more society. He has found that Eliberto Juárez, the pro- than a decade. “As a faculty member, he has exemplified many evangelical churches gram coordinator, told me ‘CalledR to Serve,’ the theme and focus of CTS,” said Rev. Jul have had an unexpected there was a time he had pretty Medenblik, president of the seminary. impact. much given up on the church Having come to CTS after 32 years in Japan with Christian Among the evangelical making a difference in El Sal- Reformed World Missions, Sytsma leaders Wadkins interviewed vador. But now he can see a used his international experience to was Mario Vega, the pastor better country for his children serve students, helping them deter- of Elim, a megachurch with because of the hopeful signs mine where God is calling them to 120, 000 members. he sees in the church. ministry. While Elim remains firm Seeds of New Creation He has earned many titles of about the need for personal training emphasizes God’s respect among the students: “pastor,” regeneration through Christ, redemptive purposes and “doctor,” “father,” “brother,” and Pastor Vega and his staff have encourages students to apply “friend.” begun to discuss engaging the gospel to the mission of Sytsma has visited students in the structural evil in society. the church, to the family, to hospital, been a family counselor, and Vega told Wadkins, “It is vocational life, and to trans- stood at the gravesite of a student’s not enough just to preach the formation of the commu- Richard Sytsma will be child. He has picked up students from gospel or give aid to the poor. nity. retiring from Calvin the airport to welcome them to Grand We must speak out against and I wish my cabbie friend Theological Seminary. attempt to change those con- Rapids, Mich., and he has shed tears could see that El Salvador. n with them as they are prayed over and blessed to take up new ditions that cause poverty.” —Joel Huyser, Christian ministry opportunities. Wadkins also interviewed Reformed World Missions A search process is underway for a replacement, though CTS Pastor Pedro Landaverde, a field leader for Central is clear that the spirit of service Rev. Sytsma and his wife, San- pastor for Elim who works America with youths and gangs in the dra, have so freely shared will be very hard to replace. n —Calvin Theological Seminary
30 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org togetherdoingmore Coaching Inspires Indiana Pastor hen Rev. Arturo aged. He considered resign- Olguin arrived in ing from the church. DeMotte, Ind., in But Viviana Cornejo, a 2008 to start Com- coach who works with Chris- Wmunidad Agua Viva, he was tian Reformed Home Missions’ both enthusiastic and amazed Hispanic Ministries, came to by the support from local his assistance. She discussed churches and businesses. with Olguin what the church’s “Everything was perfect,” leadership could look like, and he recalls. “I couldn’t have shared plans for helping the been more grateful to the church to get back on its feet Rev. Arturo Olguin and his reminded me who I was and Lord.” and to grow. family motivated [me] to get the However, leadership “I was like any person leadership situation,” says strength, the courage, and the challenges became appar- addicted to positivism and Olguin. solutions I needed.” n ent, eventually causing illusions, and I didn’t want to “I’m grateful to the Lord —Laura Posthumus, Olguin to become frus- pay attention to any recom- for Viviana’s words, which Christian Reformed trated, tired, and discour- mendation in solving the didn’t just encourage me, but Home Missions Transformation, One Kiosk at a Time nother riot was begin- had been destroyed, some by ning when Abdul, a his own hands. He also recalled 19-year-old man in how many people had strug- Anglo-Jos, Nigeria, gled and borrowed money to Ashouted a plea: “Friends, open the businesses again. friends, please don’t touch this He promised himself to kiosk!” never again let his religious Youths from one religion differences lead him to destroy were about to burn down the someone’s livelihood. business of a family from a “Guys, do this for me, different religious background. please; it’s the right thing to Unlike previous times, how- do,” Abdul begged. ever, Abdul was determined to “Have you gone soft? Are stop it. you an arna [infidel] friend Abdul shouted, “This man now?” they asked. has worked hard to rebuild “He has done nothing this kiosk after it was burnt in The aftermath of inter-religious In the past, Abdul was one wrong. Let the man be. He has the last crisis. We all enjoy violence in Nigeria. of the ringleaders of violence a wife and family to care for,” Abdul said. buying things from his has incorporated peace and in the neighborhood. Eventually, his friends shop.” reconciliation work into its During one of the CRWRC relented and left the kiosk “Move away or we will drag community development youth meetings, Abdul and his alone. n you away!” his friends program there. colleagues, however, discussed —Talitha Pam, CRWRC replied. The hope is to help people how vandalizing, destroying, Constituency Bridger/ Violence between Christian recognize the humanity of all and burning buildings limited Programme Assistant and Muslim groups in Nigeria their neighbors and the good the ability of the community has been an all-too-frequent that can occur when people to grow and how innocent occurrence. That’s why the work together. Abdul is one of people suffered the most. Christian Reformed World the participants in CRWRC’s Abdul reflected on the Relief Committee (CRWRC) program. many shops and kiosks that
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 31 just for kids Your Marvelous Machine Your body is a marvelous machine. your liver to work, your heart to beat, and your stomach to Put the right stuff into your mouth, and your body digest your food—all at once! changes it, mixes it, and uses it to make just what you need Yet your whole body works without a thought from you. to live well. It greases your joints, washes your “windows,” mends itself, Do you know exactly what is inside you? Where it is and plus a whole lot more. It’s a marvelous machine, and it’s what it does? Do you know how to make it work? Of course yours. It’s designed just for you by God. not! You would not be able to survive if you had to order ott H olladay Automatic Window Washers n by Sc I llustratio Nobody likes dirty windows. You can’t see through them. So you wash them. It’s the same with your eyes. If you have dirt in your eyes, you won’t be able to see where you’re going. But you don’t have to wash your eyes, do you? They wash themselves! You blink without even knowing it every two to 10 seconds. Each time you blink, tears bathe your eyes to keep them clean and moist. When you get a speck of dirt in your eye, your tears work overtime. Your eye waters like crazy until the dirt washes out. Then you wipe the tears away with a tissue and get on with life. Like almost everything else in your body, tears have a little something extra. In this case it’s called lysozyme, and it’s a germ killer. Lysozyme automatically deactivates most germs and viruses within five minutes of the time they hit your eyeballs. Without lysozyme in your tears, you could go blind from an eye infection. Did you ever think about that? Probably not. But don’t worry. You don’t have to. Your automatic window washers and their super cleaning fluid are all part of your marvelous machine. Your turn: Try to keep your eyes open without blinking for one full minute. Can you do it? Do tears form anyway?
32 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Perfect Thermostat What temperature should your body be? What temperature is it now? Should you cool it? Heat it? Do you know how? Your hypothalamus does. That’s the part of your brain that controls your body tem- perature (among other things). It’s your body’s Joint Juice thermostat. If you’re too cold, it turns up the heat by making you shiver. If you’re too hot, Got a door that squeaks or is hard to open? it makes you sweat. It’s more complicated What do you do about it? than that, but you get the idea. Most adults will tell you, “Spray the hinges You’re alive and comfortable, right? Then with WD-40” –that’s a type of grease. Presto! your thermostat is working perfectly. The “frozen” parts move again. Parts that rub together need to be greased to keep them working smoothly. Think about this for a minute: Got a knee that won’t bend? A finger that won’t curl? A shoulder that’s frozen in place? Probably not. That’s because your body greases its joints. It actually makes its own “WD-40.” It’s called synovial fluid. It’s thick and stringy like a raw egg white, and it greases many of your joints. Automatically. Before they freeze up or refuse to work. Synovial fluid is one of the most important fluids found in your body. Imagine for a min- ute that none of your joints were greased. You couldn’t walk, use your hands, talk, or even eat. Thank God for your joint juice! Try this: Tape all your fingers on one hand Your Skin Knitter together at the joints. You shouldn’t be able to bend them. Try to live that way for What do you do when you have a rip in your clothes? one full day. You ask someone to mend it or you sew it together yourself, right? Then do this: Bend your knees and kneel How about a cut or a scratch that makes you bleed? on the floor. Let your arms hang straight Nine times out of 10 you don’t have to sew it or go in down, then bend your elbows to bring your for repair. Wash the area and cover it to keep it clean. hands up. Now bring your hands together Then wait. and thank God for your well-greased joints. First, white cells in your blood will rush to the cut. Thank God for your marvelous machine! They fight germs that try to get in. Then platelets in your blood clump together to close the leak. Then a scab forms to cover and protect the torn skin. Beneath the scab, a miracle happens. Your skin mends itself! It grows together; it “knits” itself back together, Joanne De Jonge is a and stops knitting when the tear is repaired. freelance writer and a Scientists can tell you in more detail what happens. former U.S. National Each thing happens in order and at just the right time. Park Ranger. She It’s really complicated and very finely tuned. attends West Valley Christian Fellowship in Phoenix, Ariz. The gist of it is this: you have a perfect skin knitter, created by God, who knit you together before you were born (see Psalm 139). www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 33 Relating
Growing Old Graciously
If you are in the latter half of While shopping at a gigantic arts-and- share in God’s image. God distributes your life and you chronically belittle crafts show, Bert made a point of stopping lovingkindness indiscriminately, without yourself or quietly claim to be of little at as many of the 200 booths as he could. regard for who deserves it. value to the human race, it is time to stop At each booth he thanked the owner, who The younger generation, especially, such utterances. was usually the artist who had created needs the affirmation of their elders. They are not true. You may feel that the objects for sale. He said, “Thank you Grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neigh- way at times, but your feelings lie. Here for making the world a more beautiful bor kids, other people’s children—they all are some important things to remember. and interesting place by crafting your art need to hear compliments and kind words
You have something every living human being needs. As you grow older and other pressures and responsibilities change or drop away, a new opportunity is open for you. It is that of being an encour- ager—a support to the younger generation Iand to your peers as well. What a great new title to own: “I am an encourager.” Inscribe that on your heart. It is the number-one step for gracious living at any age. Inside you are many unspoken words of appreciation, admiration, and encour- agement. Inside you are compliments that have never been expressed, kind words aching to be given away. You have smiles to spread everywhere you go. And you need never run out.
There is no human being who cannot You must abandon any tendency to think of use what you are carrying around. That is why you must abandon any ten- yourself as of little value in this world. dency to think of yourself as of little value in this world. Everyone you meet needs so nicely.” The artists were usually caught from older folks. Send a note or email or what you have! off guard but then beamed with appre- text. Better yet, say it in person. Some time ago I was visiting a retirement ciation for the kind words. Gracious living is giving support and home, and a woman came up to me and Bert had changed his spectacles. spirit-lifting words at the car wash, the identified herself. After we chatted a bit, I Instead of seeing merchants wanting to grocery store, the bank, and every place said to her, “You are beautiful!” She glowed take his money, he saw creators of beauty else. Graciousness is forgetting yourself like she had been plugged into an electric making their inspired pieces available. and giving to others. And you have plenty socket. Anyone can offer such a gift. He realized they deserved appreciation to give until your final breath. n Retirement years free us for a more and needed encouragement. He found deliberate and intentional career in that his praise and support were like cups brightening our environment. of cool water to thirsting souls. Jim Kok is director of care Bert is 84 years old and intent on fol- ministry at the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, lowing Jesus’ instruction to let his light Growing old graciously means rec- Calif. He is also a clinical shine. He understands how he can ognizing in everyone around you a pastoral education brighten other’s lives. Here is just one need for appreciation, admiration, supervisor and author of several books, example. and encouragement. In doing so we including 90% of Helping Is Just Showing Up.
34 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org On the Journey
Waking Up
or some people, waking up is simply something they do every morning. I want to share with you what “waking F up” means to me. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area without the help of a mother and father—just my sister and brother. We I will forever were very poor, and we struggled to survive. With no spiritual guidance, we be grateful ran wild and got into the wrong crowd, which led to making many wrong deci- to Alice for sions. I became a thief, a drug dealer, and a drug user. reaching out I now realize that God had his hand on me. As I look back on those traumatic to me. years, I see signs that God was with me and that his arms were open wide. For example, I once noticed a guy road Ministry, a Bible study program. I It’s not always easy following Jesus passing out gospel tracts on the street. leaped at the opportunity. because of all the spiritual warfare we go Another time I saw people entering a I will forever be grateful to Alice for through when we walk with Christ, but church on Sunday. Though I had no clue reaching out to me. The study and her I now have an inner peace and a purpose what they would be doing in the church letters have brought me to a wonderful for living. I have a deep desire to share (my spiritual eyes were closed), I knew relationship with God and with her. the message of salvation with other pris- there was a God. One day, while reading a lesson, I expe- oners and have been making progress I continued living the only life I knew with getting others to enroll in the Cross- until I was placed in detention, then in rienced a feeling of warmth from my head to the tips of my toes. It brought me to my road Bible study. foster homes, and finally in a state prison. Every morning I start my day off right. Under the “three-strikes law” I am serv- knees, and I had tears running down my face. I felt at peace with the Lord and those I read the Word so I can build on my ing a 36-year-to-life sentence. I am 34 personal relationship with our Lord and years old and without hope of living life around me. I now realize that God was showing his approval of me, giving me Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that when we outside prison walls. choose to live as Christ’s disciples, we find Life in prison is hard, with much assurance that I belong to him. Later, in another lesson, I learned the life as God meant it to be. When we stop fighting for territory and status. Life- trying to seek our way and instead seek threatening dangers lurk everywhere. need to confess my sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. I did this and now know God’s way, he gives us what we wanted One day my cellmate, who has a praying all along—he wakes us up! that I am a member of God’s family. I family, said to me, “A.K., God is watch- Again, my thanks to Alice and the CRC believe this is what woke me up! I now ing over us. Just think about the times for sponsoring the Crossroad ministry. we have not been hurt when there was see all the blessings God provides me It has been a lifesaver for me! n no way we could get out of a terrible despite my past. situation.” I could not get his comment Prison life continues to be grim. When out of my mind. I became a Christian and began attending Anthony Kozlowski is About this time I received a letter from the church service and reading and study- an inmate at Susanville Alice Koolstra, a 92-year-old member of ing my Bible, I experienced some bad (Calif.) State Prison. San Jose (Calif.) Christian Reformed remarks, but I figured out that God will Church, inviting me to enroll in Cross- take care of me.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 35 Tuned IN On Being a Christian and a Writer
Bret Lott is an author and a Christian, Q. My book club read A Song I Knew by and his new novel, Dead Low Tide (Ran- Heart, your contemporary Southern dom House), comes out this month. His story based on Ruth and Naomi. We other books include Jewel, A Song I Knew wondered why you made Ruth infer- by Heart, and Ancient Highway. You can tile. The glory of Ruth’s story is that read much more of Kristy Quist’s interview she becomes part of the lineage of with him at www.thebanner.org. Christ, so why take that away from the Ruth in your story? Q. Your new novel, Dead Low Tide, is the A. I wrestled with this for a long time. sequel to The Hunt Club. In that novel, Here’s why: I knew that I was writing the protagonist is Huger Dillard, a a retelling of the book of Ruth from 15-year-old boy mired in the lies, sins, the Bible, and I knew that . . . I better and mysteries of his community. What not trounce on what is truly and deeply made you decide to return to his most important about that story: the story? fact this woman, Ruth, is in the direct A. I was haunted by these two people, lineage of our Savior. My understand- Unc and Huger, over the years between ing of Christ is that he lived and died then and now. They were interesting once and once only for all of human- people who had been ushered to a new ity—and if I wrote a book that even place in their relationship to each intimated that there could ever be other, and I just wondered what had another Christ born, then I would be happened between them all these years admirable” (Phil. 4:8). How would you in deep trouble with the Author of this later. The strange thing about writing respond to those concerns? sacred text. I didn’t want anyone to a novel is that you meet these people, A. All I can say—and I mean this in love, think out to the end of what could be, find out all about them, watch them and without any sense of irony at all— were the Ruth in my story to have had act under duress, solve or not solve is don’t read books that have those a child, and find there at the end of problems—and then you walk away elements to them. I won’t defend to that tendril of thought the notion that and never hear from them again. This them what I do when it comes to using another savior could ever be born to was an opportunity to go back and foul language or sex or violence. I us again. That’s why. n find out what they’d been up to. Oh, simply see the world as being a fallen and to write another murder mystery— place, and my job as a writer is to Bret Lott is the author of which was a lot of fun. portray that fallen state, and to portray numerous novels. He teaches Q. Many Christians find it difficult to as well the fact of redemption being at the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. read books with profanity or vulgar available within that fallen state. We language, sex, or violence, believing need to focus on those things Paul that those things cannot fall into the exhorts us to, but I think Paul may be category of “whatever is true, whatever speaking of these things because the is noble, whatever is right, whatever is opposite of those are always around pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is us, always present—our job is to focus on the good, true, and beautiful, but we only know these because they stand in relief to the opposite. A book that is solely filled with the good denies the Christ walked reality of conflict and sorrow and sin that is everywhere present. When boldly into the Christ came to live among us, he didn’t have his apostles scour every room he sin of the world entered of its offensiveness; instead, and pointed to it he walked boldly into the sin of the world and pointed to it every day he every day. was alive.
36 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Invisible Empires Kicking at the The Language of by Sara Groves Darkness: Bruce reviewed by Allison Backous Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Cockburn and In Sara Groves’s album Invis- reviewed by Sonya the Christian ible Empires, we hear a famil- VanderVeen Feddema Imagination iar contrast: the “frenetic” by Brian J. Walsh work of human hands, which Victoria, an abused and hate- reviewed by Robert J. Keeley sends us into anxiety and filled foster child who has lived disconnection, and the work in 32 homes by the time she is Singer/song- of God, which is slow, deep, 10 years old, is given one more writer Bruce and loving. For Groves, God’s atten- chance. Elizabeth offers her Cockburn tion to us in the midst of all things—technological unconditional love and teaches h a s b e e n advancements, inner conflicts, and spiritual struggles—is her the language of flowers, called a con- both mystery and miracle. The album’s melodies, both established temporary gospel soul and pop harmony, offer a tight weave of the in the Victo- psalmist tensions that mark this contrast for us, and the longing to rian era. because he see “mystery rise up to meet [us].” (Fair Trade) H o w e v e r , helps listen- Elizabeth’s ers see the past and Vic- world in new ways. Brian Pray as You Go toria’s rage Walsh agrees. In Kicking at the reviewed by Robert J. Keeley converge in a Darkness he points out many tragic event of the spiritual themes in Pray as You Go is an audio podcast that forever Cockburn’s music. Walsh’s produced by Jesuit Media Associates changes their writing is clear and his analy- in England. It is not a sermon, a lives. Diffen- sis is thoughtful and helpful. “thought for the day,” or a Bible baugh, herself a foster mother, Sometimes academic, some- study. Rather it is a 10- to 13-minute masterfully weaves the themes times personal, his reflections daily podcast that combines Scrip- of emotional pain, forgiveness, show us that he has done his ture, music, and a few questions for reflection. I used it for a and family with the language homework, but also that he number of months as the first thing I listened to on my daily of flowers. (Ballantine) has a deep emotional connec- commute, and it was a wonderful way to start that part of my tion to the music. This book day. Get it free from iTunes or at www.pray-as-you-go.org. will be much appreciated by both casual and serious fans of Cockburn. (Brazos) Flyaway by Lucy Christopher reviewed by Sonya VanderVeen Feddema Thirteen-year-old Isla and her father share a passion for the swans that winter on a lake nearby. When her father becomes ill, Isla’s world is turned upside down. While visiting him in the hospital, Isla meets a softhearted, gravely ill boy named Harry. He shares her excitement about a young swan that lives, separate from the flock, on the lake behind the hos- pital. This juvenile novel celebrates both a family that struggles to survive calamity and to heal relationships, and the awkward, tender, and unlikely love between two teenagers. Ages 10 and up. (Scho- lastic) Check thebanner.org for links to find out more about these titles.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 37 Reformed Matters Over the Line: Why We Need to Say No to the Belhar
The Belhar Confession was written by South African Reformed Christians in the 1980s. It declares the church’s Before we adopt it, opposition to apartheid (the forced separation of people based on race) and to the theology that supported it. we must consider As a denomination, we are discussing whether we should adopt the Belhar Confession to stand alongside the Belgic what that would mean Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort. Synod, the Christian Reformed Church’s annual bi-national assembly, will vote on this in June 2012. in practice . We might agree with the themes of the Belhar: unity, recon- ciliation, and justice. We might like what it would say to other Christians and to the world if we adopted it. But before we adopt it, we must consider what that would mean in practice. confessional documents and require ministers, elders, deacons, When we examine how we use our confessions in the CRC, and some others to sign a Form of Subscription agreeing to TI find that it would be a mistake to adopt the Belhar as a con- them. By signing this form, they promise to teach and defend fessional standard. We use our confessions to mark the line the doctrines taught in those confessions, without exception, between freedom and constraint in the teaching and practice and to disagree only by means of a formal discussion with the of the church, and adopting the Belhar Confession is likely to assemblies of the church. This “full confessional subscription” cause us to step over that line on both sides. is our way of being faithful to Scripture and pursuing a church unity that includes both freedom and constraint—freedom in What’s a Confession For? those things that are non-essential and constraint in the things In the CRC we use our confessions for many purposes: for that are. professing our common faith in worship, for teaching the Our practice of full confessional subscription has been at Christian faith to our children, for declaring to the world what the heart of some major controversies that have shaped our we believe. But one use sets us apart from many other denom- faith tradition. Our theological ancestors have repeatedly inations: we use our confessions to clearly mark the line divid- defended full confessional subscription: at the Synod of Dort ing where there may be variation within the church from where in 1618-19, during the Secession of the 1830s, in the Acts of we must be uniform in our teaching and practice. Synod 1976, and even as recently as last summer. According to We allow freedom within the Christian Reformed Church the instructions of Synod 2011, the new Form of Subscription even on significant issues like the ordination of women and that will be proposed to Synod 2012 must include “positive, the structure of the worship service. In fact, our Lord Jesus declarative commitments to teach, defend, and actively promote requires his church to protect freedom of conviction and prac- the confessions and Reformed doctrine of the CRCNA,” and tice in certain areas (see Romans 14). must take a strong stance on the “scope and binding nature of But the church can’t allow freedom and variation in every- the commitment” (Acts of Synod 2011, p. 871). thing. Our Lord also requires his church to make sure that We keep returning to full confessional subscription because some teachings and practices are consistent in all congregations we believe that it is the best way to maintain the unity and (see Titus 1). This cannot be done if every church leader has purity of the church, clearly marking the line between areas of the freedom to define the message of Scripture for himself freedom and constraint. The practice is something we should or herself. celebrate as our history, as our way of striving to be faithful to Somehow we need to find and illuminate the line between Scripture, as a piece of our definition of church unity, and as areas of freedom and areas of constraint. To do this, we adopt part of who we are as the CRC.
38 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Reformed
Stepping Over the Line Belhar teaches; unity cannot be established through constraint, Should we begin using the Belhar Confession in the same but only through freedom. manner? It might seem so. Throughout our history as a church, and as recently as a The Belhar is structured in such a way that it specifically few months ago, we have affirmed the opposite. The Belhar describes things that must be taught and others that may not. seems to conflict directly with our understanding of church It also describes some of the marvelous truths of God’s Word unity as a mixture of freedom and constraint, and with our regarding the unity of the church, reconciliation among people consistent practice of requiring full confessional subscription. groups, and care for the disadvantaged. Down the road, when a minister is accused of teaching some- But despite those strengths, we should not require full con- thing that is in conflict with the Christian faith, all he or she fessional subscription to the Belhar Confession. Using the would have to do is point to this article in the Belhar, which Belhar to guide us between freedom and constraint would would be part of our confessional standards to which we all cause us to step over the line on both sides: exercising constraint submit. The article says that freedom of conviction must be where we should allow freedom, and giving freedom where we respected. How, then, could we tell a pastor that he or she may should exercise constraint. not teach, for example, that Jesus Christ was not fully divine? Immediately upon adopting the Belhar, we would step over How could we even continue to use our Form of Subscription? the line on one side—constraining teaching in areas where The Belhar Confession would push us over the line, allowing there should be freedom. We might agree on the major themes freedom in areas where teaching should be constrained. of the confession, but many in the CRC have found points that Other denominations might not face these problems in they cannot agree with. For example, I and many others object adopting the Belhar because they use their confessions differ- to the teaching that God “is in a special way the God of the ently. But we face them because we use confessions to mark a destitute, the poor and the wronged” (Article 4). God, I believe, clear line between areas of freedom and constraint in the teach- is God in the same way to all of those who put their faith in ing and practice of the church. The Belhar Confession is not Jesus Christ. fit for this purpose. If we try to use it in this way, we will likely Are the disputed points of such importance and so clearly be unfaithful to Scripture by stepping over the line on both taught in Scripture that we may not permit any officebearer to sides—constraining in areas of freedom, and giving freedom disagree with them? This is a serious question. The church in areas where there should be constraint. must protect legitimate freedom. Since the Belhar teaches some We can and should affirm much of what the Belhar teaches, legitimately debatable things, it would be a mistake to adopt but we should not adopt it as a fourth confession for our it as a confession in the CRC and force an end to those debates. church. n web q’s We would be constraining teaching in areas where freedom must be protected. The Belhar is likely to push us over the line on the other side as well, so that we allow freedom in areas where there should be constraint. In the first article of the Belhar Confes- sion, which describes the unity of the church, we read that this unity “can be established only in freedom and not under con- straint.” And according to the next sentence, “in freedom and not under constraint” means that the variety of convictions Rev. Nick Monsma is pastor of East Palmyra Christian Reformed Church, New York. that arise within the church, among other things, must be seen as an opportunity for mutual enrichment. Different convictions within the church must be tolerated and even celebrated, the
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 39 discipleship
The Beauty of Belonging
After lengthy discussion featuring the gamut of opinions and emotions, the time The man’s demure wife, came for a vote by secret ballot. The final tally told the future of a congregation seated next to him, simply reached eager to move forward and build a new up to the bottom of his sport coat house of worship: more than 85 percent were in favor of the project. On that and gave two brisk tugs. convincing note the meeting adjourned with prayer. But it was hardly the end of the story. The next morning the elderly man vehemently opposed to the project took a walk. In the course of his walk he stopped at the house of the church trea- surer, where he dropped off a sizeable check made out to the New Church Building Fund. Had someone convinced him to change his mind? Had a divine epiphany brought this about? Neither of the above. But he was a churchman. This was his church, and the members were his brothers and sisters in Christ. He was one of them, and n northwest Iowa the newer members of the church, he they had spoken. He had an obligation in the 1970s few things had recently retired from the farm and to support their decision. He had been provoked as much passion moved to a new home in this town, blessed, and he would do his part. as hog prices, high school bringing with him a reputation as a Few lessons in the history of my min- basketball . . . or congre- staunch churchman. He spoke with pas- istry were impressed on me quite as gational meetings. sion, his defiant opposition to the pro- indelibly as what I learned from this old I Excitement and antic- posal obvious to all. He enumerated man about the blessing of belonging. To ipation thickened the air as parishioners multiple reasons for his stance: a weak be a member of the body of Christ is to entered the church. This particular con- economy, low prices, a perfectly good, realize the joy of belonging, with all its gregational meeting was sure to be one serviceable old church building. rights and privileges. In a world of war- of the most important in the history of Listening to what seemed like an ring opinions and ideologies, of clashing the church—its significance heightened unceasing rant, I was wondering how to agendas and passionate disagreement, by the fact that, for the first time, women graciously bring it to a close, when help the truth and beauty of belonging is a were granted the right to vote. came from an unexpected source. The priceless comfort to savor. n The issue at stake was whether or not man’s demure wife, seated next to him, to build a new house of worship. The simply reached up to the bottom of his building was old and the church kept sport coat and gave two brisk tugs. growing. Perhaps now was the time. I Immediately the tirade ended, and he called the meeting to order, read appro- meekly sat down. I was perhaps the only Rev. Harold Hiemstra is a priate Scripture, and led in a prayer witness to this “power” display, and thus retired minister in the Christian asking for wisdom and unity without for the rest of the evening my most dif- Reformed Church who is in the process of writing his politicking. ficult task was not controlling the meet- memoirs. He works part-time Then the floor opened for discussion. ing but rather stopping myself from as a chaplain for Bethany Home in Ripon, An elderly man rose to speak. One of laughing out loud. Calif., and is a member of Almond Valley CRC.
40 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org Advertising Information To Advertise: Place your classified ad online at www.TheBanner.org/classifieds. Deadlines: February 2012 issue is 1/2/2012; March issue is 1/30/2012. If you are unable to submit your ad online you may continue to email it to classifieds@ Visit www.thebanner.org for complete details. TheBanner.org or fax it to 616-224-0834. If you have questions, call 616-224-0725.
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Denominational and Church’s 125th Anniversary Birthdays LaGrave Avenue CRC of Grand Rapids MI will observe 125 years Classical Announcements of God’s grace on Sundays, Feb. 19 and 26. Former members and friends are invited to attend. See our website, www.lagravecrc.org, or call the Calls Accepted office, 616.454.7204, for more information. 100th Birthday Candidate Terence Visser to the Willard Christian Reformed Church’s 100th Anniversary Lucille Roeters of Redlands, CA will be 100 on Dec. 29, 2011. A Church in Willard, Ohio. First Christian Ref Church of Hanford, CA will celebrate 100 Family birthday party is being held for her at her residence in Plymouth Eligible for Call years of God’s faithfulness on June 3, 2012. We invite all friends, former Village, which will include 2 Sons, 3 Grandchildren, 4 Great-Grand- staff, and past members to attend. Please contact the church office children, and 2 Great-Great Grandchildren. We are pleased to announce that STEVEN ECKERSLEY has now 559-582-4423 or [email protected] completed his academic requirements and is eligible for call as a 90th Birthday candidate for the ministry of the Word. Church’s 50th Anniversary Cornelia Bruxvoort (Kay) 90 years old on February 6, 2012. Rev. Joel R. Boot, Executive Director Orangewood CRC Phoenix, Az will celebrate 50 years of God’s faithfulness March 17-18, 2012. We invite all friends and former Best Wishes from Don and Theresa and family. Greetings may be sent Financial Aid members to fellowship with us March 17 @ 7pm and worship service to: 110 Nth 5th Ave. W.#305, Newton, IA 50208 Students Classis Zeeland preparing for ordained/nonordained March 18 @ 10am. Jennie (Kroonenberg) Bultman 3570 Westshire Circle, Dela- ministry in the CRC are invited to apply for financial aid to the Classis Worship Services van, WI 53115 will celebrate her 90th birthday on January 16. We, her Ministry Leadership Team for the 2012-2013 school year. For informa- tion, contact Judi Steenwyk, (616) 772-1772. All requests need to be Sunlight Community CRC Invites those in the area to attend our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are thankful for her received by April l, 2012. Sunday evening service 6pm January - March “Exploring Jesus’ Parables life and her influence in our lives. Happy Birthday! 772-879-6326 Classis Heartland Students preparing for ministry in the CRC Gerald Huizenga celebrated his 90th may apply for aid to assist them in their studies by contacting Rev. LK. ALFRED MINISTRY-CRC/RCA winter ministry-join us in worship! Birthday on December 27. Dad and Grandpa Kevin Muyskens, P. O. Box 114; Sheldon, IA 51201. 712-324-4523 Every Sunday, 10:30 AM, 5:50 PM thru April 22. Located on Rt. 17/92 we thank God for you and for the service Deadline for applications is February 1. in Lk. Alfred, Fl., close to Winter Haven & Route 27. Phone 863-422-2187, you gave your country and community. 863-422-6442. cf, www.lakealfred ministry.org. Meetings of Classis Winter Church Services in Mesa, AZ. Please join us for our Classis Illiana will meet on Tuesday, March 6 at 9:00 a.m. at Sunday Worship Service at Maranatha Comm. CRC in Mesa, AZ. We are Bethel CRC in DeMotte, IN. Please email all items for the agenda to a winter church and our services start the 1st Sunday in December Eva vanDorp (Stuve), 30 Litz Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2G 0V1 [email protected] by January 24. Laryn Zoerhof, Stated Clerk through the 2nd Sunday in April. For more information contact, Rev. celebrates her 90th birthday Jan 20. We thank God for her many years. Retirement Gary Hutt @ 509-499-4561. Love from your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Rev. John L. Witvliet pastor of Blythefield CRC, is retiring after 44 years of ministry. Blythefield CRC will be having a farewell service of praise and thanksgiving on January 15 at 10:00 am. Thank you Pastor Witvliet and Betty for your many years of faithful service. Rev. Keith Bulthuis pastor of the Bethany CRC in Gallup, New Mexico, is retiring after 40 years in ministry. Friends and former members are invited to a weekend of thanks and praise, with a Com- munity Open House on Saturday, January 21, and two worship services (10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.) on Sunday January 22, 2012. We give thanks NewNewA MexicoMexicoDVENTURE 2012 to God for Pastor Keith’s 27 years of ministry at Bethany, and we thank WITH DR. JAMES C. SCHAAP, DR. ROBERT DE HAAN, & DIANNE DE WIT Keith and Pat for all their years of faithful service. For more information, contact [email protected]. MAY 31 - JUNE 8 Rev. Tom Niehof pastor at Trinity CRC in Ames, IA is retiring after 30+ years of ministry. Friends and members of Pastor Tom’s previous churches are invited to join our congregation for a farewell service on Jan. 15, 2012 at 9:30. A luncheon will be served at 11:00. Congregational Announcements For more information, contact Dianne De Wit in the Dordt College Change in Time of Worship Advancement O ce at (712) 722-6029 or [email protected] or go to www.dordt.edu/events/new_mexico/ The morning service of the Pine Grove Community Chr. Ref. Church of Pinellas Park FL, has been changed to 9:15 AM.
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 41 80th Birthday 60th Anniversary ZIGTERMAN Ron and Chris (Dykstra) 8643 Kelly Drive, St John, IN 46373, will celebrate 60 years of marriage on January 18th. Children: Tom & Rev. Eugene F. Rubingh 1935 Hidden Oak Ct., SE GR, MI 49546 den Dulk Ron and Alice (Hofman) celebrated their 50th wedding Alicia, Pam and Bob Miedema, Gwen and Scott Vanderlee, and Myra and will be 80 yrs. young Dec.19, 2011! Cake & celebrating will take place anniversary on December 1, 2011. We thank God for the blessing you Curt Miller; 14 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren. Your love and after the 11am worship at Church of the Servant on January 1, 2012. have been in so many lives. With love from your children - Kathy (and faithfulness to God and to each other is a blessing to all of us. Please join us there! Steve) Van Duyn, Vickie (and Dan) Altena, and Kevin (and Peri) den Dulk – and your many grandchildren, other family, and friends. Obituaries Anniversaries VAN DAM Fred & Alida of Hawthorne, NJ celebrated 60 years of mar- riage on November 30. With our children and grandchildren we thank Canaan Ruth (Brink) age 84 went home to be with her Lord on Nov. God for his blessings. 2, 2011. She was preceded in death by her husband Larry in 1987 and 70th Anniversary by her four brothers. Surviving are her sisters, Myra and Kathryn, and Van Dyke Dr. Louis Y. and Martena (Buys) Van Dyke, of Sioux Center, KOOI Earl and Henrietta (Koopmans) celebrated their 70th anniversary two stepsons, Rich and Chuck Canaan. IA, celebrated 60 years of marriage on Dec. 21, 2011. Their heritage December 22 and Earl’s 90th birthday November 22. 4 Siblings, 6 De Young John E. Sr. age 89. 321 N Blackhawk Dr, Westmont, IL 60559. from the Lord is their children, Steve and Vonnie Van Dyke, Alan and children, 24 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and their spouses Husband of the late Helen J. De Young, nee Glupker. Father of Nancy De Cyndie Van Dyke, Joan and Terry Crull, Mike and Lillian Van Dyke and give thanks to God for his faithfulness Young, John E. Jr. (Rachel) De Young, Robert (Karen) De Young and Sue Wayne Van Dyke, 9 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, who De Young. Grandfather of John III (Rhonda) and David (Jennifer) De Young, 65th Anniversary testify to their love and faithfulness. Tessa (Jaime) Bunn, Melissa and Becca De Young; great-grandfather of Boer Harry and Beatrice of DeMotte, IN will celebrate 65 years of Kate, William and Wyatt De Young. Brother of Norman (JoAnn) De Young, Van Hofwegen Allan & Rosalee (Elders) married Oct 19, 1951, the late Carole (George) Hoekstra, and the late Ken (Doris) De Young. marriage on January 1. They and their family (4 children, 13 grandchil- celebrated their 60th anniversary Aug 13 at their home in Ontario, CA dren, 20 great- grandchildren) give thanks to God for His blessings. with an Hawaiian Luau with family and friends. Their children Debby Elzinga Julia Ann of Meridian, Idaho left this home to be with her Lord Jesus on October 19, 2011. She was 80 years of age. Julia was BOONSTRA Harold & Ann (Weidenaar), Jan. 24, 15245 S. Catalina & Lee Wielenga, Julie & Rolando Recinos, Bryan & Rosemary Kamper, born in Exmorra, Netherlands in 1931. At age 20, she married Symon Dr., Unit 2, Orland Park, IL, 60462. Children: Richard & Trena Boonstra, Nancy & Gerben Leyendekker, Heidi & Jim De Bie, Allan & Lynette Van Elzinga. Immediately afterwards they emigrated to Sarnia, Ontario. Jackie Archer, Donald & Janet Kosmal, 9 grandchildren, 10 great- Hofwegen, 19 grandchildren and 2 great-grandsons rejoiced with In several years they moved to Wyckoff, NJ, where they would make grandchildren. We love you Mom & Dad! them in God’s love and blessings. their home for some 40 years. She is sorely missed by her companion
Church Position Announcements
FULL TIME PASTOR Phoenix CRC, Phoenix, AZ. We are a growing Senior Pastor First Reformed Church of Grandville MI is looking Pastor: Lafayette, IN CRC is looking for an experienced church- congregation located in a central Phoenix neighborhood. We desire for a new senior pastor. We are a multi-generational church and we planter type of pastor to lead us in our plan to relocate our ministry an experienced pastor who is committed to passionate preaching seek a gifted and talented leader to challenge and guide us into the to a new site in our growing community. If you have the gifts to lead and able to work with all age groups as well as the neighborhood future. Our congregation is community-minded, family-oriented, in this exciting ministry venture while serving as senior pastor of a community. If interested, contact Andy Keizer, search@phoenix and has a strong history and tradition for foreign missions. For a job loving, caring congregation, please respond by sending your minis- crc.org, 623-875-5871, website: www.phoenixcrc.org description and additional info about the church, please visit: www. try profile to: Lafayette Christian Reformed Church, 1200 Tippecanoe firstgrandville.org and click on the pastor search link. To apply for the PASTOR: Kingston, Ontario’s Westside Fellowship CRC is a small St., Lafayette, IN 47904 or mail to: [email protected] Our position, please send an RCA profile to pastorsearchteam@firstgrand- Search Team Chairman is Norbert Fisher at (765)447-4659. church with a big heart in an historic university city of 117,000 on ville.org. the shores of Lake Ontario. We are seeking a pastor who relates well Worship Coordinator Fellowship CRC in Brighton, a growing Cong. Care Coordinator Fellowship CRC in Brighton, ON, a to all ages, and will help us grow as a church through using his or her and dynamic church of 500+ is seeking a Worship Coordinator. The growing and dynamic church of 500+, is seeking a Congregational gifts of empowering leadership, engaging preaching, and effective successful applicant of this part time position would help organize Care Coordinator. This p/t position would be filled by someone who worship planning. The new pastor will help renew our educational our talented musicians and praise teams, provide leadership and ministry and will support our efforts to reach out to our community. can guide our Congregational Care Team and our Small Group leaders, encourage formation of new Small Groups, inspire inter-generational meet with the pastors and worship committee to plan blended For further information, or to submit a pastoral profile please email worship services and occasionally lead in the ministry of music. Ideal [email protected] ministry, coordinate with our pastors to improve member care and may be asked to participate in some worship services. Please contact candidate would be able to play piano, guitar or organ. Please contact Worship Director Milwood CRC, Kalamazoo, MI, is seeking a Roxanne Ewing [email protected]. Tony Jeronimus 613-475-4455 or [email protected]. part-time worship director. A job description can be requested from Haven CRC in Zeeland, MI is seeking a full time Pastor. Please direct Missing Youth Director Last seen in Holland, Mi wearing holy Patti Landstra, [email protected]. all inquiries and communications to: Rick Huizenga, Search Team, thrift store jeans and a “Got God’” t-shirt. Works well with others; great Co-Pastor: First CRC DeMotte IN is seeking a Pastor of Worship and 541 Alice St. Zeeland, MI 49464 or email to [email protected] or with teenagers and parents. Equips others while following God’s call. Discipleship to partner in ministry with our Pastor of Worship and phone at 616-886-1355. Has full-time passion for part-time pay. Reward: Seeing the next Pastoral Care. We seek an individual who will be able to help us Pastor POSITION Available San Diego, CA CRC is seeking a generation grow in their commitment to Jesus Christ. If you would implement our vision to grow our faith and share the good news of pastor. We are looking to grow through community outreach and like to help our kids become spiritually passionate followers of Jesus Jesus Christ with our neighbors. Please check our website for a job missions. Our new pastor will have a commitment to sound Biblical Christ, please visit our website at www.calvinministries.org. description at www.1stcrcdemotte.org and direct your inquiry to the teaching, faithfully leading us according to God’s will. Sermons will executive committee at [email protected]. PASTOR First Reformed Church is a friendly & caring congregation, be delivered with enthusiasm and sincerity and will be relevant to with a wide diversity of ages. Our vision for the future involves Senior Pastor Position Langley Immanuel CRC, located near all age groups. Loving God & our neighbors and joining God in His outreach & discipleship. Prairie City is a small community 20 minutes mission is central to all we do. Check us out at sdcrc.org. For informa- Vancouver in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, is seeking a full-time east of Des Moines, Iowa. For more info contact the church at frcprai- tion contact [email protected]. Please respond by end senior pastor. We are prayerfully seeking an experienced pastor who [email protected] or 515 994-2250. is committed to Christ-centered preaching, who promotes relational, of February 2012. PASTOR: Trinity CRC of Ames, IA is seeking a pastor to lead our intergenerational ministry and pastoral care, and who is willing to Senior Pastor River Terrace Church is an energetic, multi-gener- work with our existing staff team. If you feel God may be calling you ational, spiritually diverse Christian Reformed church, located on the congregation with passion and vision in this unique university-based to our congregation consult our church profile and other resources edge of the Michigan State University campus. As a congregation we community. Trinity is a small but closely-connected church family available on our church website at www.langleyimmanuelcrc.ca. You seek to cultivate hearts and minds to flourish in Christ. Responsibilities looking to build in numbers and offer a distinctive witness of God’s may also contact the search committee at their confidential e-mail of the Senior Pastor include preaching, worship, and leadership as kingdom. We are looking for someone with the gifts and the desire address: [email protected], or by contacting pastor of the congregation and head of staff. More info at www.riv- necessary to minister to a broad audience of singles, college students, Bert Moes at 604-534-0283. The search committee’s mandate limits erterrace.org Send resumes and letters of interest by March 1, 2012 families and youth. If interested in learning more, please contact Bill our search to male applicants who are a member of the Christian to: Search Committee, River Terrace Church, 1509 River Terrace Drive, Bokhoven, [email protected] or 515-450-2755. Website: www. Reformed Church in North America. East Lansing, MI 48823 or [email protected]. amestrinity.org
42 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org of 60 years, Symon. She is also survived by 4 sons, Jerry (Beth), Henry grandchildren and 7 great-great grandcildren. Correspondence: Ria and Calvin College. Her death came somewhat unexpectedly despite a (Katherine), Bill (Laurel) and Glenn (Caryl). In addition, she leaves Zong 1494 St. John’s Rd. Innisfil, ON Can. L9S 4N6 15 year struggle with chronic illnesses. Memorials to the Grand Rapids behind 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Donations in Christian School Association - http://www.grcs.org or the American Vanden Akker Maynard (Mike), 84, November 10, 2011; 391 Purga- Julia’s honor can be sent to Eastern Christian School Association. Autoimmune Related Diseases Association - http://www.aarda.org tory Rd, Whitinsville, MA 01588. He will be missed by his wife of 58 EMMELKAMP Margaret age 96, of Manhattan, MT, went home to be years, Irene (Vander Baan); children: Duane & Paula Vanden Akker, Lori VAN WYK Anna M., age 86, November 22, 2011; 19917 Edinburgh, with the Lord on November 14, 2011. Her husband, Andrew, and & Mark Miedema, Bruce & Laura Vanden Akker, Diane & Rev. Paul DeVr- Frankfort, IL 60423. Beloved wife of William, loving mother of Linda daughter, Kathy, preceded her in death. She is survived by her children, ies, Keith Vanden Akker & fiance Naomi Youngsma; 14 grandchildren. (Thomas) Somerville, Judith (John) Brogan, William (Lora Lockwood), Eldean (Len) Kamp, Truman (Vivian) Emmelkamp, Larry (Helen) Marilyn, Karen, and Robert (Laura). Cherished grandmother of 8 and Van Putten Sharon A. (nee Zeephat) of Naples, FL traveled Home to Emmelkamp, Keith (Karen) Emmelkamp, Ken (Ardene) Emmelkamp, great-grandmother of one. Forever in our hearts. her Lord and Saviour on November 9, 2011 at age 67. She was the and son-in-law, Cor Pool; 19 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren loving wife of 47 years to Allen J. Van Putten and is survived by children and 4 step-great-grandchildren. she treasured: Debra L. Van Putten and Vicki L. Ruiter (Jon). Cherished HAGLUND Lloyd, 82, went to be with the Lord on November 5, 2011. 4831 grandmother of Timothy Ruiter, Charlie Ruiter and Juliana Ruiter. It was Employment E Surrey Ave., Scottsdale AZ 85254. Survived by his wife Jeanette (nee her family that was most precious to her. Dear sister-in-law of Mary Van Schipper), son Evan, daughter Brenda (Bruce) Lund. 4 grandchildren Putten, Ronald (Gertrude) Van Putten and Laurie (Thomas) Vanden- Nanny Jobs Northlight Nannies employs energetic nannies/sitters for Hoekstra Drewes “Duke”, 83, of DeMotte, IN went to be with our Heuvel. She was preceded in death by her father (Neil) and brother Grand Rapids, MI area families. Part & Full-time jobs offer great oppor- Lord on October 20, 2011. Duke was preceded in death by his parents, (Rich) and is survived by her mother and two sisters. Sharon was born Herman and Effie (Kooyenga) Hoekstra and two brothers, Menno and and raised in Chicago, IL and attended Chicago Christian High School tunities for young adults. Contact [email protected]. Thomas. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn (Schurman), and four sons: Jim (Cindy), Jack (Lynn), Dave (Barb), Don (Lisa); eight grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren; a brother Jake (Illinois) and a sister Thelma C alvin TheologiC al Seminary Kok, of California. is looking for a Kamstra Peter, age 91, on Nov. 13, 2011 in Scottsdale, AZ. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 66 years Charlotte. Loving Professor of Missiology father to Bill and Peter Kamstra and Charlotte Bakker (Tom). Devoted grandfather to Jonathan Bakker (Katie) and Sarah Madderom (Jona- with the following responsibilities: thon) and great-grandfather to Samantha and Joshua Madderom and Tommy Bakker. To God be the Glory. • Teaching M.A., M.Div., and Th.M. courses in the theology of mission, evangelism, cross-cultural ministry, world religions, church planting, and church renewal Kimm Allan, 89, passed away Sept. 28, 2011. Survived by wife, Evelyn (Vander Ark), children: Henry Kimm, Mary Ann Kimm, Judy (Allie) • Promoting interest in the field of missiology Rein, Arlene (Dan) Lubbers, Dan (Jan) Kimm, June (Karl) DeJonge, 11 • Connecting with partners engaged in mission work grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren. • Participating in the new Institute for Global Church Planting and Renewal Kooy Lifelong Lynden, Wa. resident, Sarah Kooy, nee Oordt, passed away November 5, 2011 at the age of 81. She is survived by her loving We encourage applications from women and members of ethnic husband of 62 years, Harold; children Byron (Karen) Kooy and Jane minority groups. Applicants must be committed to the confessions (Irv) Timmermans, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. and mission of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. LIGTENBERG Vernon, age 89, went to his heavenly home on October To submit nominations or to get further information, 31, 2011. 4754 Calle Camarada, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. He is dearly visit www.calvinseminary.edu/jobopenings missed by Verla (nee Houseman), his loving wife of 65 years; his children, Sheri Ligtenberg and Candy Ornee (Glenn); and his grand- children, Jamie Gilliland (Korey) and Danny Ornee. Beloved “Papa” to great grandchildren, Alana, Kaden and Brooke Gilliland. MEIJERS Enno Jan - 1932-2011 (Barrie, ON, Canada) Following his wife (Lenie) by eleven months, Dad left this life confident that he 3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 would be received by his Saviour. Early on Dad knew and celebrated his dependence on the faithfulness of God. This served him well when he emigrated from Holland to Canada in 1953 where he and Mom raised a family, served and participated in church and enjoyed a lively immigrant community. In 1977 the family moved to Connecticut; then to Iowa in 1980. Dad thrived everywhere he went. He was a good Director of Back to God friend, an honourable and well-liked employer and a faithful family man. Caring for his ailing wife was his highest priority in the last ten Ministries International years of his life and he did so with love. Dad and Mom have six children, fifteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. We are: Helena The Christian Reformed Church in North America is seeking a Director of Back to (Henk) Top-Meijers, Daarlerveen, NL; Hinke (Ed) Meijers-Weening, God Ministries International (BTGMI). BTGMI fulfills a vital role in proclaiming the Calgary, AB; Gloria (Calvin) Van-Eek Meijers, Kitchener, ON; Corinna Meijers, Brentwood Bay, BC; Enno (Ruby) Meijers, Barrie, ON; Phyllis gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world using various media that effectively (Jeff) Alberts-Meijers, Barrie, ON. communicate Christ in the “language of the heart” of the viewers and listeners.
MULDER Ida, nee Tameling, 96, formerly of Westchester, IL went to The Director will give leadership in the strategic planning process and execution of be with Our Lord on November 4th, 2011. 1670 Spring Valley Drive, policies that support the mission of BTGMI and the Christian Reformed Church. Colorado Springs, CO 80921. Wife of the late George F. Mulder Sr.; Mother of Arlene (Philip) Bosma, Norma Turucz, Raymond (Cathy) They will be able to articulate the vision and mission for developing worldwide Mulder and the late George F. Mulder Jr; Grandmother of thirteen; partnerships. Great-Grandmother of thirteen. Preceded in death by four brothers and four sisters. The successful candidate will have demonstrated skills in casting vision, thinking Sytsma Marten, passed away peacefully on November 22, 2011 in strategically, have experience working in a leadership capacity, working in a global his 98th year. Predeceased by his loving wife Julia (Jeltje) Sytsma (nee context and be an ordained minister of the Word in the CRC. Visit the web site at Swart) on September 18, 2011 in her 95th year. Lovingly remembered www.crcna.org for a complete job description and additional information about by their children, Ria & Al Zong, Thea & Clarence Smit, Tina & Lloyd BTGMI. To apply send cover letter and resume to [email protected] by February Dekkema, Ann & (Ed) deceased VanHamburg, Emily & David Johnston, 15, 2012. The process will remain open until a nominee to fill the position is identified. Suzanne Sytsma (deceased) Julia Pearl & Scott Urquhart, Andy & Conny Sytsma and JoAnn & Henry VanMeggelen. 30 grandchildren, 62 great-
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 43 Caregivers Needed Are you interested in working for the best CARING FOR AGING PARENTS? Visiting Angels offers in-home assisted Weekly Rental Fully furnished beautiful 4 bedroom lakefront home, living assistance services company in West Michigan? Visiting Angels living. Our caregivers will prepare meals, do light housekeeping, run errands, 30 minutes NE of Calvin/Seminary in Rockford. Go to www.sandybot- is looking for people who can be excellent, not average; make a con- provide transportation to appointments, and joyful companionship. Whether tomrentals.com 641-843-8473 you need a few hours a day or live-in care, for assisted independent living nection with our clients; be perfectly dependable; practice compassion Lake Mich cottage Lakefront, Whitehall area; clean, 3BR/2BA; in your home anywhere in West Michigan call Trish Borgdorff at 616-243- and work with integrity. Contact Heather at 616-243-7080 or heather@ private setting, sandy beach. Nearby: golf, canoe, hike, ride horses, 7080 or toll free at 888-264-3580. TRIP Participant. vangels.com or visit our website at www.vangels.com and complete bike, dunes, Mich’s Adv. No pets please. $1500/wk. 248-344-0996 or an online application. [email protected] Development Director Camp Roger is seeking a a full-time Real Estate: Summer Cottages Four side-by-side, 2- and 3-bedroom lakefront Development Director to help lead Camp Roger’s healthy ministry. cottages on 800-acre Fremont Lake near Grand Rapids, MI. Each sleeps Sales and Rental 4-6. Rates are in $650/$750 range. Includes boats, grills, firewood, Information is available at camproger.org. Please contact Doug Vander- 165 feet of sandy lakefront. Email [email protected] well, Executive Director at 616-874-7286 or [email protected] SCOTTSDALE CONDO - FOR RENT 2bd, 2 bath - Mc dowell mt views, cottage rental South Haven cottage 4 miles north of South Haven, GM Certified Tech Need an experienced technician for dealer in pool, hottub, gym, 1150 sq ft; Dec-Jan Mar-May @ $750 wk - 2500 a Month- Details 512-591-7088 or 269-341-9752 ck out our add on Homeaway.com listing # 388246 616-340-6038 beautiful Conrad, MT. Excellent hunting & fishing, 65 miles from Duck Lake cottage for rent yr. around in Traverse City area. Sleeps Glacier Nat’l Park! Visit www.vanmotors.com call 800-368-7575 or Condo for rent GULF SHORES- on the beach,2 bedroom - $1000.00 up to 17 and located on 10 acres of privacy. 4 bedrooms/3 baths. email: [email protected] per month, discount for additional months-Available, Dec-Jan-Feb. Call 616 335-2293 or 616 638-363 231-709-0511 Beautiful Long Boat Key, Florida near Sarasota, Bradenton. 2 BR LOG COTTAGE FOR RENT Baldwin, MI on quiet Reed Lake. 2 levels. 2 BA condo directly on white sandy beach. Newly decorated. $1,000 Sleeps 10. Huge porch, beautiful wooded view. Rowboat, canoe, per week and up depending on season. 630-655-2888. paddle boat with private dock & small beach. $750 per week. 904- 284-0097 or [email protected] for brochure. NAPLES AREA 2 bd. gated condo, great pool, beautiful residential area near gulf. Monthly anytime or lease Jan-Mar, get Dec or Apr free. BEAUFORT, NC: 1 br furnished cottages for rent in historic coastal Other months available. 616-974-6828. town, near beaches, w/d, TV, internet, grill, bikes. www.theshell cottage.com (252)-504-6262 Anna Maria Island, FL Condos pool, beach access, linens, fully equipped. 1 and 2 bedrooms. $650-750/wk. D. Redeker, 941-778-1915. Business ManageMent faculty redekercondos.com position – Tenure track position starts Travel August 16, 2012. Ph.D. preferred; Expertise Bonita Springs, FL vacation rental - 1 BR, 1 BA across street from in global business or entrepreneurship. gulf beach. Great opportunity due to cancellation - available 2/5/12 to 3/19/12 (1 week min) 616-977-0039 for info & reasonable rates Holiday In Holland in our self-contained cabin or suite. We cheMistry faculty position – Tenure Winter in Florida Effi. & 1/1/ Apts w/full kitchen. Util. incl. fr also offer vehicle rentals and track position starts August 16, 2012. Ph.D. $350/w + taxes. Special monthly rates. 1 mile to Anna Maria Island- tours. Fully furnished house for preferred; ABD considered. Bradenton. Hurry few left. Call 941-794-1238 Sorry No Pets rent in Holland Aug. to Feb. Naples, Fl Condo Bay front gated condo 2BR/2BA. Great pool, hot www.chestnutlane.nl coMMunication arts faculty tub - 1.5 blocks to the beach. Available Feb, April-Dec. http://tinyurl. position – Tenure track starts August 16, com/726v3wv Call 231-620-9259 Holy Land 10 days April 30-May 9, 2012 Visit Sepphoris, Sea of 2012. Ph.D. preferred; A generalist position Galilee, Capernaum, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Masada, open to various specialties. Kissimme home for rent New, 6 bedroom, 4 bath, fully furnished home with private pool, 3 miles from Disney. www. floridavacahome. Qumran. Dr. George and Fran Kroeze, $2599. 616- 532-3770 fgkroeze@ yahoo.com. coMputer science faculty position com. 708-372-2586 – Tenure track position starts August 16, CONDO FOR RENT No. Hutchinson, Is, FL, 2 bedrooms & den, 2 baths, Easter in Jerusalem with archaeologist Neal Bierling Mar 23-Apr 2012. Ph.D. preferred; Master’s degree in on ocean and river. Avail. Jan @$2600 & Feb @$3600. call 616-283-2385 9. [email protected] for itinerary/price 616-676-2380 Computer Science considered; Expertise in or [email protected] applied mathematics or information FOR RENT IN FLORIDA: Condo near Clearwater, 2 BR, 2 BA, greatroom, Products and Services technology desirable. new appliances, very clean, quiet, near shopping, beaches, golf courses. Avail. Dec 2011 - Apr 2012. Weekly/monthly rates, reasonable. Contact Absolutely Best Prices paid for religious books. Contact Credo half tiMe Math instructor practitioner [email protected] or 708-946-0265. Books, 1540 Pinnacle East SW, Wyoming, MI 49509, ph. (616) 249-9291. position – Renewable term position [email protected] starts August 16, 2012. Master’s degree in Vacation Rental JENSEN BEACH, FL Turtle Reef Club-2 br, 2ba unit on Atlantic ocean, sleeps 6. $1100 wk. Weeks available in Dec, Jan, A. A. A. Professional Air Duct Cleaning - Providing superior mathematics or mathematics education AND Feb, Mar, Apr. Email: [email protected] 616-836-0136 successful K-12 teaching experience required. air duct cleaning using the latest equipment and technology. For a Bradenton, Fl For sale, Gulf Lakes - 55+ manufactured home. 2b, free estimate call 616-534-6710 or 616-887-7925. psychology faculty position – 2b, sunroom - launi - covered car port, furnished. 941-755-7606 BOERS’ TRANSFER & STORAGE, INC Offering professional moving Renewable term position, which could Weekly Rental: Douglas/Saugatuck, MI: Walk to the beaches of services within the United States and Canada. EXCELLENT CLERGY DIS- become tenure track starts August 16, 2012. Lake Michigan from this Newly remodeled Vacation Home, 7Br, 4Ba- COUNTS and an approved mover for retired CRC clergy! 13325 Riley Street, Ph.D. required, ABD considered; Expertise in -comfortably sleeps up to 14. Call Ken @ 630-268-1531 or email Holland, MI; 1-800-433-9799 or 616-399-2690 email: larry@boerstrans- clinical or counseling psychology required. [email protected] for info. fer.com; www.boerstransfer.com Agent for Mayflower Transit, LLC. Ft. Myers Pool Home for Rent 2 bed, 2 bath, sleeps 10, heated Kelderman Remodeling Interior and Exterior Remodeling. pool, hot tub, bikes, quiet cul-de-sac. 9 mi. to beach. Photos available. Including Kitchens, baths, basements, additions. Quality work from For additional job openings and 905-332-6711 an experienced, honest person. References available. Call Mark 616- 299-1865 application instructions, please visit WEEKLY RENTAL: Douglas/Saugatuck, MI: Newly built Lake Michigan www.trnty.edu/jobopenings. family guest house, 2br, loft w/ 2.5ba - sleeps 8-10. Lake Mi view & WN Law PLLC - A law firm providing honest, ethical legal advice in private beach. Call Ken @ 630-268-1531 or email [email protected] the areas of Family Law, Criminal Law, Bankruptcy & Social Security. for info. For a free consultation call 616-723-3143; email: renee@thewnlawfirm. 866.trin.4.Me com; www.thewnlawfirm.com Kentwood Home for rent near GR Beautiful 3,000 sq/ft, 4-5 www.trnty.edu bedroom home, two car garage and pole barn storage. $1,200/month Grand Rapids Area Realtor Calvin Grad, Accredited Buyer’s + utilities: 810-417-6281 Agent, extraordinary customer service, exceptional marketing of your Trinity is an equal opportunity SOUTHERN MICHIGAN CONDO Thinking of getting away Thanksgiv- listing, ready to work hard for you. Diane (Dykstra) Ebbers, Greenridge employer and welcomes applications ing, Christmas or Summer of 2012. Think South Haven, Michigan, right Realty. 616-893-2598, [email protected] from diverse candidates. on the beach! Sleeps 8, 2 full and 1/2 baths, professionally decorated, Horse Trailer: Two horse trailer free for re-homin, contact me @ wireless service and flatscreen TVs. Call Phil @ 269 344-8303 [email protected] for more details.
44 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org It’s tIme DORDT COLLEGE Faculty Positions to get the Dordt College is seeking applications for the following areas beginning August 2012: Education Construction Management / Engineering Choir Tour 2012 Agriculture (one year position) church English March 22-30 History Music Events: Spanish 3/23 Pella, IA Accounting Marketing 3/25 Lutheran Church of Hope Biology Des Moines, IA ⋅ Morning Services Chemistry back and Evening Concert Social Work / Criminal Justice Theatre Arts - Directing & Teaching 3/27 Calvin College Chapel Theatre Arts - Technical & Lighting Grand Rapids, MI ⋅ 7:30 pm together. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Application reviews will begin immediately. Qualified With , a new inter- Christian Worship) persons committed to a Reformed, Biblical perspective and educational philosophy are encouraged to send a generational faith nurture 3/28 Trinity College Ozinga Chapel letter of interest and curriculum vitae/resume to: Palos Heights, IL ⋅ 7:30 pm Dr. Erik Hoekstra, Provost resource, you can invite 3/30 Joplin, Missouri Dordt College 498 4th Ave. NE everyone in your congregation Sioux Center, IA 51250-1697 Fax: (712) 722-6035 to a monthly celebration to E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.dordt.edu/prospective_employees/faculty/ share a meal P.O Box 41 Rehoboth, NM 87322 Dordt College is an equal opportunity institution that strongly (505) 863-4412 encourages the applications of women, minorities, and disabled persons. hear and see part of http://www.rcsnm.org/upcomingevents.cfm God’s story CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA do activities to bring the story home
reflect and praise God . . . and do all this Includes information about: Add shipping and handling and applicable sales YEARBOOKtax as follows: Classical Personnel and Statistics Churches and Ministries • If your order totals TOGETHER. Ministers $1.00-$25.00…add $5.50 $25.01-$50.00…add $6.95 Ministry Associates $50.01-$100.00…add $8.95 Non-Ordained Staff $100.01-$150.00…add $11.95 Want to try for FREE? Denominational Offices and Committees $150.01-$200.00…add $15.95 Ministry share for 2012 $200.01-$300.00…add $22.95 Where to send contributions over $300.00…8% of the order total Please indicate number of copies you wish to order: Maximum charge is $75.00 Visit the website at • Michigan residents…add 6% for sales tax (unless Regular Edition #466120 $12.99US/ CDN ______tax exempt) www.WECurriculum.org Spiral-bound #466121 $14.99US/ CDN ______• In Canada…add 5% for GST (registration number: CD #466123 $8.99US/ CDN ______R126032408) • Overseas customers should pay U.S. prices in U.S. Name ______dollars (you will be billed for actual postage) • Make checks payable to Faith Alive. Address ______To order, call or send payment to: City, State/Province ______Faith Alive Christian Resources 2850 Kalamazoo Ave, SE Zip/Postal code ______Grand Rapids, MI 49560-0001 1-800-333-8300 Phone ______616-224-0728 Published by Email ______FAX: 1-888-642-8606 Faith Alive Christian Resources 1-800-333-8300 Available January 27, 2012
2012 www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 45 JOHN SUK Not Sure A Pastor’s Journey from Faith to Doubt Foreword by NICHOLAS WOLTERSTORFF
“John Suk is as honest as the Extraordinary Results Bible. With an angular, unfor- Kuyper College is a school for those who truly want to make a gettable voice he joins the difference. Our vision for the world is what motivates students psalmists who dare to lament to come here. They want to live lives of significance after they their losses before the face of graduate. And they are doing so—with extraordinary results—as God because even lament is at they use what they’ve learned at Kuyper to touch the lives of others. bottom an expression of faith. A memorable book!” Making a Difference — Cornelius Plantinga Jr. Kuyper alumni are making a difference in more than 50 countries around the world. As social workers, pastors, teachers, professors, accountants, worship leaders, healthcare providers, and in many other professions they are helping to build God’s Kingdom. Exceptional Value Kuyper’s high-quality education is very affordable. Tuition costs are significantly lower than comparable Christian colleges—an average of $6000 less per year. In addition, Kuyper offers many scholarship opportunities. A Christian Leadership College As a ministry-focused Christian leadership college, Kuyper puts biblical faith first in the academic and educational experience of our students. We equip our students to become Leaders—training them to take responsibility for who they are, to accept where God has placed them, and then, with the skills He’s given them, to go out and make a godly impact on those around them. It is this commitment to Christian leadership, undergirded by our Reformed ISBN 978-0-8028-6650-9 worldview and by the extraordinary results-driven commitment of 224 pages · paperback · $18.00 our students to lives of service, that makes Kuyper College unique in our educational mission. At your bookstore, or call 800-253-7521 www.eerdmans.com
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46 THE BANNER | January 2012 | www.thebanner.org HUMOR
Punch Lines
he was in the bathroom, put- fter entertaining our family ulletin blooper: What has made you smile S ting on her makeup under A for dinner one Sunday noon, B Song: “Be Thou My Vision” lately? Got a joke or funny the watchful eyes of her young I went to rest in my LazyBoy. (Blue Hymnal #468) incident you’d care to share granddaughter, as she’d done Soon our little granddaughter (Congregation sins quietly on with your wider church family? many times before. was standing at my side. I said, verse 1 and increases in volume Please send it to The Banner at After she applied her lipstick “Adalyn, would you like to sit on on each verse.) 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand and started to leave, the little one Grandma’s lap?” —Mark Boer Rapids, MI 49560; or email it said, “But Grandma, you forgot to As she hopped into grandpa’s to [email protected]. ank fell asleep while Thanks! kiss the toilet paper goodbye!” chair, she responded happily, “Oh, H watching Monday night —Pat Schnoor no thank you, Grandma. I’ll just sit football and remained in his on my own lap.” y 3-year-old daughter chair through the night. —Helen H. De Weerd Kaylyn and I were making The next morning his wife couple of dog owners were M cookies one afternoon. We put ne day early in our marriage shook him and said, “Hank, it’s arguing about whose pet A them on the table to cool. I told we were driving along a twenty to seven.” was smarter. O “ W h o ’s w i n n i n g ? ” h e “My dog is so smart that every Kaylyn that she would have to wait country road, not saying a word. responded. morning he waits for the paper to have a cookie until she ate all An earlier discussion had led to —George Vander Weit boy to come around. He tips the her supper. an argument, and neither of us was kid and then brings the newspa- A few minutes later I saw her about to concede our position. per to me along with my morning eating a cookie, and said, “I told As we passed a barnyard of coffee,” said the first. you that you had to finish your mules and pigs, I asked my wife “I know,” said the second dinner before you got a cookie!” sarcastically, “Are they relatives of owner. “Don’t worry, Mom,” she said. yours?” “How do you know?” “I asked Jesus if I could have a “Yup,” she said. “I married into “My dog told me.” cookie, and he said yes!” the family.” —John Veltkamp —Tracey Braam —Clarence A. Wildeboer
woman came storming up A to the receptionist’s desk at the office of an eye surgeon. “Someone stole my wig while I was having surgery yesterday,” she complained. The doctor came out and tried to calm her down. “I assure you that no one on my staff would have done such a thing,” he said. “Why do you think it was taken here?” “After the operation, I noticed the wig I was wearing was cheap- looking and ugly.” “I think,” the surgeon explained gently, “that means your cataract surgery was a success.” —John Veltkamp “I’ll tell ya—it takes chasing cars to a whole new level.”
www.thebanner.org | January 2012 | THE BANNER 47 You support the work of CANADIAN MINISTRIES and 13 other life-changing ministries when you contribute to Ministry Shares. crcna.org/MinistryShares