The Council of Delegates (COD) of the Christian Reformed Church in North America met via video conference on September 4, 2025. This was a special meeting, held a month before the regularly-scheduled October meeting, in order to review a report, make recommendations, and present information to churches and classes with enough notice for robust review and conversation in the lead up to Synod 2026.
For the past few years, the CRCNA has seen a decline in overall giving via ministry shares. This has made it harder to maintain and budget for essential costs of being a denomination and sustaining our shared ministries. In February, the Council of Delegates approved the creation of a COD Task Force to consider ways to reduce CRCNA governance costs, fund synod, and use time more wisely. At the special, September meeting the COD discussed the report from this taskforce and made recommendations to Synod 2026.
Comments
COD meeting should also include a discussion to restore the use of the Gravamen to the issues surrounding the HSR. Stifling discussion is a tiresome method of dealing with mystery, labeling, excluding, diminishing and uninviting. When people have uncertainty, inviting narrative explanation thereof as a means of understanding and opening a discussion is a good thing. Difficulties understanding the mystery of Grace need not result in making us hide from or become mysterious to one another. It is becoming exhausting, the exclusion of persons struggling with the mystery of Grace in ways others do not. When people get tired, they look elsewhere for relief. Which leads to fewer of everything, until there is nothing left. It may take a few years, but is that what the COD wants? Saying that people cannot have or express thoughts about aspects of the mysteries of Grace is a bit childish and silly is it not? Afterall, it cannot be prevented. If COD wants discussion, does it want meaningful open discussion or exclusive discussion?
Hi Albert,
I appreciate the expression of your longings.
As a member of the COD, I would note that it is not the role of the COD to dictate or set the terms of action to synod. That would be essentially the "tail wagging the dog", as COD exists at the will of and for the service of synod. To that extent, then the COD will not take up any discussion of the nature of gravamen except as instructed by synod. For us to do otherwise would be improper and insubordinate.
But I've got really good news for you. The gravamen process and clarifications from synod allow for people with uncertainties that arise during a term of service to indeed explore and discuss those uncertainties. What the gravamen process does not allow for is those uncertainties about confessional doctrines of the church to linger indefinitely and/or develop into permanent disbelief for officebearers. To leave people in a state of uncertainty would be unloving. The gravamen process as clarified is the loving process of discipling each other in the truths that we understand from Scripture. Far from stifling discussion, what this does is structure discussion so that it is productive and seeks resolve. There is no merit in endless dithering or uncertainty.
There are indeed many mysteries of the grace of God. Chief among them is that Christ died for me, a sinner. We cannot fully understand all of the mysteries of God's rich grace, but we certainly can and should seek clarity on those things which God has laid out for us in his word. To declare as a mystery that which God has made plain is not humble or virtuous, but proud and unrighteous.
You asked "is that what the COD wants?" concerning decline. Speaking for myself I would say that as a member of the COD my main concern (or want) is not focused on numbers, but on faithfulness. Scripture again and again calls us to faithful service and further calls us to rest in the sovereignty of God for the results. I am quite comfortable with that formula.
I would encourage you to take heart in the fact that God causes institutions to rise and fall according to his good and perfect will. If we strive to be faithful to his expressed will in Scripture we can have confidence that we will be blessed as he sees fit. May God bless you and keep you.
Let's Discuss
We love your comments! Thank you for helping us uphold the Community Guidelines to make this an encouraging and respectful community for everyone.