Defining Culture

Former RCA General Secretary, Ed Mulder, used to describe the denomination as a family. In some ways he was correct even though there have been numerous folks who have argued against such thinking. As a smaller denomination, and an even smaller agency within the denomination, I believe that in some ways we do relate as family members. We encourage and challenge one another as we live as a community of faith in love, appreciation and disagreement when it is warranted. And perhaps even when it is not warranted. We were either born into this family, or were adopted into it. We have traditions that need to continue and we have dysfunctions that require correction and healing. The heart of who we are is found in relationships and the covenants of faith that direct and determine our interactions. I believe that the sense of family, although not all of who we are, is a distinctive of the culture in which we reside.

Our current General Secretary, Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, describes the RCA culture, as he understands it, in his book Leadership From Inside Out:

“Our culture in the Reformed Church in America has evolved, of course, in the context of the changing American society; yet distinctive features exist that describe the Reformed Church’s “culture.” For instance, we respect and expect good preaching. We value teaching and learning. We take intellectual life and theology seriously. Our church government is well developed, with an emphasis on order and orderliness. We affirm collegiality and corporate responsibility, and we hope for moderation and tolerance. We attend to business thoroughly and well.” (Pg. 72)

The culture and ethos of the RCA family is distinctively “Reformed” and we rely heavily on an understanding and “life – practice” of covenant and grace. The MFCA and the program it oversees attempts to develop and form leaders who find themselves at home in the culture described above. It values a preparation process that results in individuals who are competent and equipped to lead others through preaching, teaching, and counseling. (Included in this are evangelizing, prophesying and apostolic leadership as suggested by Ephesians 4 and emphasized by some of the emerging church folks).

Our program attempts to reflect our culture as it emphasizes character and competency. We expect seminaries to train individuals in many of these competencies and rely heavily on supervised ministry settings, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and the care process of the classis to accomplish both the development and determination that persons enter ministry adequately prepared. All this is done relationally as individuals who care about each other and have a desire to be part of the same tribe.

Unlike some of the accusations thrown our way, we do not aspire to only credential those who are 100% followers of John Calvin, Karl Barth or even John Piper. Diversity and differing philosophies are not only tolerated but often celebrated. We aspire to meet the leadership needs of the future church by credentialing educated and competent people with good character who are Christ followers. These individuals will hopefully bring knowledge and conviction to their respective ministries that are both Reformed and missional.

In the RCA family the goals set before us can be accomplished in various ways. We include the local congregation, the classis and seminaries in meeting our objectives. We require those who are able, to complete a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree because we believe it is a valuable process toward preparation. For those who cannot complete a degree, we have the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) which includes customized ways and means to prepare candidates at the levels that meet the same standards as those who have earned the M.Div. The RCA regularly evaluates and measures the processes in place and their effectiveness and as the “loose-leaf” Book of Church Order (BCO) implies, we are prepared to make changes for the better where they are needed.

The RCA culture include certain lifestyles and values. We tend to be good at challenging one another when necessary and are always prepared to change and grow into being more faithful servants. In my mother-in-law’s dining room there is a picture on the wall of an older man praying before he eats his meal. I have seen the same picture hanging on the wall in a house I pass on my bike rides. It makes a statement about the people who live in these homes. I believe the denomination has a similar picture hanging on its wall as it lives out of, and into, the culture that is RCA. It is a picture that represents who the family is – in this case a family that is prayerful and trusts in God who provides for us daily.