A Milestone of the Multi-ethnic Ministry of Synod

The ethnic CRC power in Synod 

Synods 2023 and 2024 were the most significant milestone of multi-ethnic ministry among CRC ever. Not many people notice the importance of the contribution of multi-ethnic CRCs in synodical decisions. After 50 years that CRC decided to be a multi-ethnic church, year 2024 is the year that multi ethnic churches shaped the entire CRCNA and made meaningful change in the direction of the denomination.

Not only is the CRC binational, with Canada and the USA, but also it is a multi-ethnic denomination. Since the first Korean church joined the CRC in the 1970s, the Korean church has grown, and now there are 110 Korean speaking churches in the CRC. There about 50 Hispanic churches, a dozen Chinese CRCs. And some are using French, Arabic, etc.. In sum, about 230 CRC churches are using other languages than English in their worship services. That is about 21 percent of the entire 1100 CRC churches. It is just a little less than the number of Canadian CRC congregations.

I have been watching the discussion over the Human Sexuality Report, and I felt the debate was very hot but the tug-of-war was very close. In my observation it would be 60:40 or 55:45 among English spoken CRCs. If this was the number of Synod 2023, the winning group could not pursue the next step so boldly, considering the big number of the opposite side. That was my expectation and naïve prediction before Synod 2023.

Let's do the math.

I was wrong. I was astonished when the HSR was accepted by 70:30. Besides 230 non-English speaking CRCs, we have 870 English speaking CRCs. If it divided 5.5 versus 4.5 as I predicted, it would mean it would be 478 versus 392 churches. But if we add up 230 churches to the conservative group, since most ethnic churches in the USA seem to be against the same-sex matter, the number of the conservative group is increased to 708 and makes the ratio also increase 6.4 versus 3.6.  I did not calculate the ethnic fact when I did the math.

The number of ethnic churches made a big change in the result of the discussion at synod in 2023 and 2024. This was the most important event in the history of the ethnic ministry of CRCNA of the past 50 years of being a multi-ethnic denomination. This is a huge decision made by ethnic CRCs and Korean, Hispanic, Chinese and others spoke out with one voice and weighed significantly.

The missing point

No matter where you are between conservative or progressive over the HSR, you must see the power of the non-English speaking churches. Even before we finally recognized the power and numbers of the ethnic churches among us, they shaped our future. I do not want to say I am in favor the HSR or not. What I want to tell here is the recognition of the existence and the power of the ethnic CRC.

Do we fully embrace them to be a full members of CRC? 

Really? 

Did we provide our resources in their languages and invite them into our discussion or do we habitually regard them as a token that shows the CRC is open to all nations and languages? Are you sure that their pastors read the Belgic Confession and their church members are familiar with the Heidelberg Catechism as we are? Did we eagerly teach the CRC church order so that they can run the church according to the same rule as we do? Did we check and help their council to adopt a term system of officers as we do?

Did we invite them when we talked about the HSR report and provide enough information? Are you sure those immigrant CRC congregations understand why the Supreme court made that decision and what make them to decide from what basis?

No one can easily say 'yes' over these question. Then we have seen they were the second level even though nobody tells as they are. Let's admit we have been neglecting our brothers until today.

Urgent call

It may be too early to tell whether this kind of contribution is desirable or not. But it is a painful truth that CRC had neglected to take care of those 230 ethnic churches in budget, training, and in participation in denominational activities. However this firmly tells us we should not see our non-English speaking CRCs as second-level any more. 

It clearly teaches us to embrace our ethnic churches more than ever. This is an urgent call for us to reach out to ethnic churches. It is a call of the importance about walking together with those ethnic CRCs in the same Reformed ministry principal and practice. Let them speak more in our meetings and guarantee that they can speak at least 20 percent of the time of the meetings as they have the power.

Pray CRC to listen this urgent call.