Jack Kooyman
I was born in 1953 as the third and final child of John and Elizabeth Kooyman in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My parents were Dutch immigrants who came to the U.S. shortly after World War II. I grew up in Grand Rapids attending both public and Christian schools--graduating from Grand Rapids (East) Christian High School in 1972. I began working full-time for Zondervan Publishing soon after graduating from high school--I had no interest in or plans to attend college at the time. I was laid off from this job early in 1973. After being unable to find "gainful" employment, I decided to attend Kuyper College (fka Reformed Bible College) and ended up graduating with a bachelor's degree in religous education (B.R.E.).
After college, my wife Debbie (Groeneveld)--whom I married during my Junior year of college--and I moved to Denver to live and work with adolescent boys who had been removed from their homes by the court. While in Denver, I began attending Denver Seminary—fka Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary. After two years in Denver, we moved back to the Grand Rapids area where I served a local RCA Congregation as the Minister of Youth and Education for about two years. I then continued my seminary education as a part-time student at Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS) for the next few years. While attending CTS, I began serving as the Executive Director of Degage Ministries (a ministry with the homeless community in Grand Rapids, Michigan).
While at CTS and working at Degage, I eventually realized I was not called to ministry within the local church and suspended my seminary education. Among other things, I realized that my gifts were more in the areas of administration and organizational leadership as well as development. As a result, I began graduate studies in management at Aquinas College in GR and then transferred to Western Michigan University where I completed a M.A. in Educaltional Leadership.
From 1987 - 1994 I served as a Campus Dean and then as the Vice President of Advancement at Jordan College...which closed in 1995.
After leaving the college, I was hired to serve as the first full-time Executive Director of Camp Tall Turf (aka Tall Turf Ministries), a Christian urban youth ministry with a mission focussed on racial reconciliation and youth leadership development. I served in this position from 1994 - 2013.
From 2013 to 2023, I served as Executive Director for The Holland Deacons' Conference. I retired in October 2023.
Posted in: Diakonia Redux: Will Deacons Get a Voice?
Terry,
Thanks for "jumping in" to share your perspectives and thoughts as someone who has been intimately involved in this process for several years now. I am grateful for interest and responses that Norman's post has generated thus far. I encourage those who are following this conversation to share their thoughts on the post itself or in response to any of the comments made thus far.
Posted in: Compassion
For anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of and appreciation for compassion, I strongly recommend: Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life. One of the many things I learned from reading this book was that compassion is much more about taking action than it is about a feeling or emotion. Although I read this book in the early 1980s, it helped shape my thinking about my relationship with and view of those who suffer. Today, when I hear someone mention the problem of "compassion fatigue," I am grateful that I have God who never tires of having and showing compassion to someone like me on a daily basis.
Posted in: Diakonia Redux: Will Deacons Get a Voice?
Thank you for your thoughtful comments for us to consider as we look ahead to Synod 2015. I share your concern about the possibility--perhaps even likelihood--that the delegates to Synod 2015 could get "bogged down" with all the recommended changes to the articles of church order. You raise some important questions and I would like to hear what others are thinking about it as well.
Posted in: Diakonia Redux: Will Deacons Get a Voice?
Jeff,
I think you--and others--might appreciate and benefit by reading a letter written in 1939 by deacon Hendrik Schoonekamp about the need for and importance of deacon inclusion and representation. You can read it on The Network's page for Deacons here.
Posted in: Senders, Goers, & Stayers
Abigail,
Thank you for writing about a subject that a growing number of people are doing or preparing to do, i.e., raising support for the work to which God has called or is calling them.
Having done what is commonly called "fundraising" for many years and for various Christian causes, I know that many--and probably most--Christians are acutely uncomfortable with and hesitant to "ask" for financial support. (Even though I have been at it and even guided others along the way, I still get "sweaty palms" before I talk to somebody--often as a "follow up" to a letter I wrote.) I appreciate how you came to understand how important it is to view supporters as the essential partners that they are. It's important for me to remember that asking for support is or should be more about providing someone with an opportunity and invitation to support and participate in God's work than it is about supporting me and my work. Additionally, praying for and trusting God to guide the prospective donor in their decision helps me remember that my primary job is to present the opportunity . . . whether and/or how much someone gives is God's job.
Posted in: What Do Deacons Need?
Thanks for your helpful suggestions Karl. It seems to me that most--and perhaps all--of your suggestions would apply to nearly all church "business" meetings.
Posted in: What About Justice?
Thanks for sharing this Abigail. I'm grateful for the support that OSJ and World Renew will be providing and hope many deacons and diaconates will take advantage of these resources.
Posted in: What About Justice?
Thanks for sharing this Kris! I think that event was a positive example of collaboration among organizations and neighbors to raise awareness about an important justice issue in the U.S. today. Interestingly, on the topic of immigration justice, Tim Keller makes a very compelling case from Scripture-- in Generous Justice--that how we welcome, treat, care for and include the immigrant/stranger/alien (as one of the groups in what he refers to as the "quartet of the vulnerable") is an indicator as well as a demonstration of our relationship with and love for God.
Posted in: What Do Deacons Need?
Steve,
Thanks so much for your response to this post. I'm sorry I didn't see and respond to it sooner.
I really appreciate your thoughts and suggestions regarding the use of a "Micah 6:8 principle" as a reminder and guide in all we do and how we do it as reflections and servants of Christ.
Jack
Posted in: What About Waste, Injustice, and Selfishness?
Thanks for sharing this information about BFW's Offering of Letters effort. Thanks too for doing your part in fulfilling this important part of your charge as a deacon.
Posted in: The So-Called Knock-Out Game
I believe the question as formulated is highly provocative, insensitive, and (IMHO) inappropriate for just about any discussion forum. . . . especially one focussed specifically on racial reconciliation and anti-racism. I hope--perhaps somewhat naively--that all who post questions or comments would give careful consideration and use the acronym "THiNK" before posting anything. Ask yourself, is it
1.) True
2.) Helpful
3.) Necessary
4.) Kind
Grace & Peace,
Jack
P.S. the grio just posted what I think is a more balanced report about the hysteria over the alleged incidents of "knockout" that have occurred. You can read it by clcking on this link.
Posted in: Assumptions about Deacons
Diaconal ministry is done exclusively by deacons on behalf of the church.