chad vandervalk
I am someone who grew up in the CRC, and fell in love with it after I was out of it for a while.
I don’t know what else to say about myself. I have spent a lot of time in school, although I intend to go back. I am currently trying to follow God’s lead in my life, which is more difficult than I ever though possible. I am growing in grace and patience as my children grow in mischieviousness and stubborness.
I constantly feel a call to dig deeper into things that we think we know, exposing our own smallness and misunderstandings.
Most of all, I simply want to be a blessing. I want to encourage people to think, to dig, to study, to challenge, to argue. To wrestle with God and refuse to let go until he blesses them. This often leads to pain, but that pain can bring a sweetness that this earth could never bring.
Posted in: The HC is on the Cutting Edge of Youth Ministry!
amen, and amen!
Posted in: Suggestions for Topics / Content
we simply put a note in our bulletin asking those who objected to having their names in the bulletin to let us know, those names are removed. we also tried to bury the pdf file for the bulletin and only keep it up for a couple of weeks. names still come up on searches, but since it only stays on for a couple weeks, the chances of a hit are pretty slim.
it is a difficult subject to discuss, and requests for privacy need to be honoured. different laws between Canada and the US also make it difficult. Canada actually has really strict laws about what information websites can post about people.
not perfect, but we found that very few people actually objected to having their names on the bulletin online, especially for a short period of time.
Posted in: Small Group Ministry in the CRC
one of the questions I have is how to make these groups more than simple discussion places. How do we get these groups to really be open and accountable to one another? I know it starts with getting to know one another, but often the material that you get for small groups starts superficially and sets that up as the tone for the entire group time, never moving any deeper into core struggles and issues that are crucial for growing in holiness.
For example, I know that sex and money are two MAJOR areas that most of us (especially men, but women too) fail to live righteously in, where can we go to get real support for these kinds of areas.
What kinds of groups have you seen work in building real accountability into the lives of Christians?