Len Vander Zee
I've been a pastor in the CRC for over 40 years, serving most recently in South Bend, Indiana, for 16 years. Six years ago I made a transition to work as editor in chief and theological editor for Faith Alive. While I sometimes miss pastoral ministry, the challenge of learning a whole new line of work at my age was scary and thrilling at the same time. I've always loved writing, and I've found the same rewards helping others express their ideas. My work at Faith Alive carries the challenge of providing individuals and churches with resources that will help them be better disciples of Jesus and be better able to understand and live their faith. If you want to see my own writing, check out Christ, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper from IVP.
Posted in: Liturgical Forms Committee and the Problem With Public Profession of Faith
This is a very fine presentation of the dynamics and elements of belonging to Christ and his church, and I appreciate the way in which the author urges a greater sensitivity to the levels of belonging that are present in any given congregation.
My only caveat is that baptism is only mentioned once, and in passing, whereas baptism is the central sacrament of belonging in the NT. Almost every time there is a call to faith, baptism is the first step. Also, baptism is the standard by which people are to judge their belonging, and the life that entails. (See Romans 6: 1-12)
Public Profession of Faith is closely connected with baptism. In the case of infant baptism, it is one's personal response to the belonging Christ and his church that baptism signifies and seals. In the case of adult believers, it accompanies baptism as one's personal commitment to follow the Lord which their baptism signifies and seals.
So, anyone who is baptized already belongs to Christ by virtue of their baptism. This is not the same as just anyone affiliated with a congregation in some way, but is the central mark of their belonging. I don't think this changes the graceful description of the ways in which we deal with the various levels of belonging in this post, but I do think that baptism needs a bigger emphasis as it does in the NT.
It also is important when thinking of Public Profession of faith as a response to one's baptism. In that case it is an important and necessary landmark in the process of belonging. And this is where the quotation from Romans 10: 9-10 comes in. If a person is baptized as an infant, it is important, and perhaps necessary, in my opinion, for that person to acknowledge publicly, as he or she has been baptized publicly, their faith in Christ.
Posted in: How Should a Worship Service Begin?
It seems to me that since God is the center of worship, and we can't worship God without the help of God the Holy Spirit, we should begin with a prayer, often called the Invocation.
A good example comes from the Book of Common Prayer:
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, so that we may truly love you
and worthily praise your holy name; through our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Posted in: Sermon-Centricity on Sunday
My reaction to the survey is a resounding "duh." Since reformation churches have been experiencing the "centrality of the sermon" for centuries, it's no wonder that the people on the pew think it's the main event.
The real issue is what we left behind in this historical evolution. What we left behind is the dual foci of word and sacrament that goes all the way back to the New Testament and early church (and was advocated by Calvin himself).
Today there is a remarkable movement across the board, from Reformed to Pentecostal, of balancing the Word with the Eucharist every Lord's Day. For example, check out the number of CRC and RCA church plants that have instituted weekly Eucharist from the start. If you attend a church that has rediscovered this ancient practice, you will realize that the sermon is enriched, embodied, and affirmed when the congregation gathers at the table to receive Christ in the bread and wine.
As Dutch theologian Von Alman put it: ending the service without the Supper is like ending a sentence with a colon rather than a period. Something important and climactic is missing.