Mark Hofman
From Grand Rapids, MI. Served in MT, CA, and now back in MI
Grandson of two CRCNA pastors
Finding my way through this blessed journey of ministry, God helping me.
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Posted in: "Zoomed Out" COVID Reflections On the Ascension
Great post, thanks Anthony!
Posted in: Delegates From Classis Voting Opposite From Classis Vote on an Issue
Ever since the very first "synod" (Acts 15) there have been challenges between rival parties. Circumcision or not. Arians vs. Athanasians. For vs. against____"fill in the blank." And so on...
What I notice is Luke's description of how Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in Asia as they were heading back to Antioch (Acts 14:23). They "committed them [the elders] to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust." (NIV)
Just as Paul and Barnabas entrusted those elders to God, so the believers in Antioch sent them to Jerusalem. Without trust, we have nothing. But that trust in not in our own abilities, or knowledge, or politcal skill. That trust is in the Lord.
Posted in: World Communion of Reformed Churches
I agree with your comments Lou. While I was busy at work in the press room as a steward, I was able to hear enough on the floor that gave me pause as well. I began following our ecumenical relationships at a young age due to my own grandfather's participation in RES/REC during the 80's. My hope is that future pastors and leaders in the CRCNA won't forget the legacies of Schrotenboer, Lont, or van Houten (to name just a few). I also pray that, particularly as we assess the value(s) of the Belhar and Accra confessions in the coming months/years, we will not neglect our relationships with our other ecumenical partners (i.e. member denominations of the NAE or EFC) due to the excitement of this new communion.
Posted in: Developing Christian Leaders - Necessity or Afterthought?
Amen, Chris. Very excited about the LXC and it's future impact on the CRC.
Just a curious question. You point out that your list is "a blend of heart and hands" while also including "kingdom minded" - is the "head" intentionally or unintentionally left out?
I ask given my concerns with the current draft of the LXC manifesto which specifically describes lobbying Calvin Seminary to make it's curriculum more "relational." I realize that buzzwords can be simply that (just buzzwords), but what would your comments be on the importance of theological education?
Posted in: Developing Christian Leaders - Necessity or Afterthought?
Chris,
I've been thinking a lot about what many of my peers said in the video from the LXC website. One major theme was simply: being asked to be involved. As a "Minister of Discipleship" here at Bethel CRC (Manhattan, MT) this is one of my main job descriptions - asking about felt needs and equipping leaders to step into those roles. My experience growing up in the CRC was that while many in the church were often busied with too many leadership roles, they would coincidentally claim they were not gifted or trained enough to take on other, similar tasks (worship leading, mentoring, teaching - as they would say, things requiring theological "training").
Prof. Carl Bosma from Calvin Seminary came to my ordination last summer and preached on Ephesians 4, explaining the need for leaders who train leaders. He talked about the crisis of leadership in many churches where the pastor is seen as the only qualified person. But what was so helpful (and what left the biggest impact on our congregation) was that he said we needed to multiply - both in terms of literal churches but also in terms of educating leaders. I've been a fan of the LDN model since 2004 when I ment Jerry Holleman down in Texas. Bethel, MT is also the "home" church Dave Feddes from CLI. These men represent a direction that I fully support in terms of where the future leaders of the CRC might be trained. But what I appreciate most about what Jerry, Carl and Dave have all said in different ways, is that head knowledge is still an important factor in the process.
I've studied the "C's" and I agree that they are informed and guided by our theological premise. But for so many who are potential leaders in the CRC, these premises are all too often assumed instead of articulated. Many pastors lament the loss of confessional knowledge/awareness in our congreations. We don't catechise just to cram Q&A's into our youth's heads. Our prayer is that such knowledge is a factor in the creation of competence and character. This was why I felt that my theological training was worth the pain; and I think for many leaders, the same is often true.
I hope that in the future I will have a chance to talk with you and others in the LXC about this issue. I'm sure these same sentiments are shared by many of you and I look forward to learning from your experiences and theirs.
Posted in: My Dream for the Christian Reformed Church
John,
Amen! on recapturing our creational "roots" in exegesis, theology and preaching. As a recent seminary grad with a bachelor's in biology, I find in our congregations too little attention given to those members who spend Mon-Fri in the labratory.
The fear that a capitulation to God's voice in creation might co-opt our view of scriptural authority seems strange in light of the confession's clear statement in Art. 2: that scripture is the way God "makes himself known to us more openly." The implication is that God is openly revealing himself in creation, even if incompletly. The reaction(s) to neo-orthodoxy in the 50's-60's, along with subsequent debates about scriptural authority, seem to have gotten us off track with what Berkhof said regarding the need for general revelation: that it "maintains the connection between nature and grace, between the world and the kingdom of God, between the natural and the moral order, between creation and re-creation." This connection keeps special revelation from being "suspended in the air" and instead shows how scripture "touches the life of the world at every point." (Systematic Theology, Introduction, principium III, B, 1, b.)
This is what I find so many "searches" and "seekers" are truly looking for. Not a church fashioned according to their own interests, but a community which actively uncovers this deep connection between God's work and Word. How exciting it will be if our pulpits continue to be filled with laureates of both of God's books!
Posted in: Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
I'll throw one in, Meg!
In the N. Illinois overture, the complete statement was "to mandate all denom. agencies and the BOT to focus and prioritize their energies to develop concrete strategies..."
I agree with you that anxeity should not be the primary ground or reason for developing strategic planning. But was that the context in which the ministry plan of the denomination was developed?
My real curious question is about whether or not most leaders withing the denomination (boards, agencies, congregational) even pay attention to the Ministry Plan (c. 1997, updated 2010)
I agree with the overture, like you, as far as it calls us to focus and prioritize. But what I don't think this entails is ignoring our core value of affirming a kingdom perspective. Let's pray that every Synod helps us as a denomination to focus and prioritize our energies!
Posted in: An Officer and a (Gentle) Delegate?
Jim,
Said as a naïve, frist-time delegate: please don't mistake willingess for desire.
Plus, I thought you did a great job last year, for what it's worth.
Also, while I'm on here, I threw you a question on the CRC pastor's facebook page about a program committee decision. If you're interested/able - I'll ask it here again. I don't fully understand the process so I was curious, is there a reason the overtures from Columbia (#3) and Grandville (#6) are split up between the synodical services advisory committees? I see that the two committee's have different focuses (polity and programs), but the overtures seem closely related...
Maybe a differnt blog post is in order for us new-timers. Cheers,
Mark
Posted in: Drama Queen
"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government" ~Thomas Jefferson
This quote has, especially as of late, been abused by many to justify competing approaches to debt ceilings and budgets. While there may be widom there, a main task for any representative body is to instill a sense of cooperation instead of entitlement between local and federal/central expressions of government.
We should pray that as we continue to debate the culture, structure and overall vision of our church governance, we don't lose sight of our shared mission through the fog of competing ideas
Thanks for the provoking post, Paul