Last Issue and the 2011 Summer Schedule

The last regular issue of the MFCA newsletter, Candidates' Care, is off the press. The MFCA will no longer publish a regular monthly newsletter and will communicate mostly by way of website, newsfeeds and blogs. There may still be an occassional special edition planned for occassions such as when new schedules being released. See the tentative schedule for the summer of 2011 below...

The newsletter started as TEA Times, named for the agency at that time, the Theological Education Agency (TEA). It has served as an effective communication tool and will provide us with an historical trail of what happened when, if not of the past twenty-five years, at least we have a recorded history for Cor's nineteen years. It has caused folks to react in appreciation as well as anger. Cor remembers well the time he wrote about the family dog having to be euthanized and how the office received an outpouring of empathy as well as strong criticism for using a professional journal for personal therapeutic reflections.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE 2011

Seminar on Pastoral Formation Residential
May 23 – 27, 2011
Holland, MI

RCA Standards
June 6 – 10, 2011
Holland, MI

RCA History & Missions
June 6 – 10, 2011
Holland, MI

RCA Worship
June 13 – 17, 2011
Holland, MI

General Synod
June 17 – 22, 2011
Grand Rapids, MI

RCA Polity
June 22 – 25, 2011
Holland, MI

The other day I received a link to a YouTube video. It is a short 4 minute video on how social media/networking is revolutionizing the way in which we do business, connect with people and stay updated on a daily basis. I strongly recommend it...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

Summer Intensives June 2009

Dr. Paul Fries has been teaching RCA Standards for MFCA since the mid-1990's. In the pictures he is captured utilizing similar hand motions in both 2003 (below) and now in 2009 (right). The haircut is somewhat different.

Seminar Begins in Holland, MI

June 1st saw a smaller group than planned gather at Geneva Shores in Holland, Michigan for the week long residential component of the Seminar for Pastoral Formation. Dr. Jaco Hamman of Western Theological Seminary is leading the seminar for the second time. The seminar, a regular part of the curriculum at WTS is new to the MFCA. It was approved by the board as an alternative to Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in 2007.

The group pictured include from left to right: Jose Garreton (Toronto, Ont.), Rob Kamrath (Grand Rapids, MI), Ben Falconer (East Lansing, MI), Jason DeVries (Dyer, IN), Tim Ehrhardt (Ames, IA), Jodi & Imos Wu (Staten Island, NY) and Rev. Dr. Jaco Hamman.

General Synod and Some Thoughts for the Future

The 2009 General Synod is only days away. A number of MFCA candidates will be joining students from New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) and Western Theological Seminary (WTS) for the General Synod Seminarian Seminar (GS3). This experience has always been rewarding for all the participants and it is noticeable in who has been involved in GS3 when ministers come to General Synod as official delegates – they clearly know the procedures and have the confidence for full participation.

The other thing that allows people to participate more efficiently in the life of the denomination is the RCA Polity course. Each RCA minister is required to take polity and the MFCA offers the course as a summer intensive and a distance online course. The winter 2009 course has just finished with nine students enrolled this year. As part of the course dialogue I include topics that are current and relevant to the life of the denomination. Topics such as the Belhar Confession, the conscience clauses, Our Call, and the missional structures report have been the focus of the class discussions. This year’s participants had some great ideas and I believe these individuals will be difference makers in the RCA of the future.

As a final assignment I ask the students to write an overture that they believe deserves to go to this year’s General Synod. There were a number of mock overtures submitted that had merit and could have been submitted to General Synod. I will include one of them below. This overture was chosen because it does an excellent job in making the case for what it proposes as well as represents something that I believe needs further consideration by the denomination. Not only do I believe that we need to break down structures in such a way that we have fewer classes and regional synods allowing us to call people into staff positions where they can use their expertise and give their full time attention to their area of responsibility. But, I truly believe that the supervision and oversight of those preparing for ministry, both ordained Ministers of Word and sacrament and Commissioned Pastors, need more focused and quality attention by qualified individuals. The only way I see this occurring is if we do not assign this responsibility to 46 different classes – most of which do not have the resources and expertise to do this well. I believe that we need to identify a small number of assemblies (this overture suggests four) and one professional educator / facilitator per assembly who has as their sole responsibility of this function.

I hope you appreciate this overture as much I did:

The Classis of “A,” the Classis of “B,” the Classis of “C” and the Classis of “D” (or all of the classes of Region X) overture the General Synod to generally affirm the concepts of the Missional Structures Task Force Report of 2007 as a catalyst toward the fulfillment of “Our Call;” and further, to instruct the General Synod Council to restructure denominational assemblies so as to better support our missional ecclesiology, by which 1) our 8 regional synods are reduced to 4 regional synods whose primary purpose is to facilitate learning and growth of pastors and churches toward the discipleship, leadership, mission and multi-racial future aspects of “Our Call,” and 2) our 46 classes are reduced to 20 classes whose primary purpose is to provide leadership of the pastors and churches toward the church revitalization and church multiplication aspects of “Our Call;” with basic judicatory responsibilities remaining the same in each assembly except that the regional synods bear the responsibility of supervision of students of theology; and finally to report all of the above to the General Synod of 2011 for adoption.

Reasons:

1. The Missional Structures Task Force completed their assigned charge by the General Synod of 2005 with excellence, and the 2007 report of the task force merits our blessing and affirmation.
2. As a group empowered by the General Synod and the Lord to conduct missional reflection on the structure of our present 4 assemblies, the core conceptual recommendation of the Missional Structures Task Force should be accepted, which is that the present structure of our assemblies has not been able to effectively empower the missional engagement of our congregations and thus needs a fundamental change in the number and relationship of assemblies (Missional Structures Task Force Report 2.2 2007, pp. 11-12).
3. Whereas the Missional Structures Task Force called for not less than “15 middle assemblies” to replace the 8 regional synods and the 45 classes, we believe that the existing structure of 4 assemblies has been an important part of our history and has been effective over the life of the denomination. It is important that we approach the necessary change within the existing infrastructure (Missional Structures Task Force Report 2.2 2007, pp. 21-22).
4. “Our Call” necessitates that we change our approach to being missional. It is rooted in church revitalization and church multiplication. We must leverage our greatest structural strength, which is the lower assemblies of consistories and classes, to lead into our denominational vision. In order for our lower assemblies to lead in this way, they need to be released from some of their administrative burden.
5. Our current structure of 8 regional synods and 46 classes is not effective. It is unacceptable for us to continue the duplicity and inefficiency of such a large number of assemblies. Our best strategy for addressing these problems is to reduce the total by approximately one-half. This amount of reduction is “doable” by keeping some level of consistency while also enacting enough change to make a substantial difference in being missional.
6. By reducing the number of regional synods and classes, we will be able to be more focused and aligned as a denomination and to pool resources for instituting greater helps toward our end.
7. The specific purpose of regional synods has been questioned in the past. While they do good work and support our polity well, they have not been employed as significantly as possible. "Programs designed and staffed by regional synods may be among the most effective, simply because they have been developed to meet the unique needs of a specific geographical area" (MGS 2000, p. 433). The emphasis of regional synods toward learning and growth initiatives for our pastors and churches will bring the focus that has been missing for regional synods and at the same time bring the leadership we need.

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.

New Blog for Classis Candidate Care

Classis Responsibilities for Candidates in the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry Process

The Reformed Church in America (RCA) utilizes a dual track process for preparing and credentialing candidates pursuing ordination to minister of Word and sacrament. The agents designated by the General Synod; New Brunswick Theological Seminary, the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency, and Western Theological Seminary, have responsibility for one of the tracks and award the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry. The candidate’s classis is responsible for “orthodoxy” and grants licensure and ordains. The process being explained by this document is that of the classis.

Approximately a decade ago, Article 8 (Supervision of Students of Theology) of the Book of Church Order (BCO), Part II was rewritten to alter the assessment procedures available to the classis in regard to candidates pursuing ordination by means of the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry. The introduction of the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) resulted in separating the classis assessment process from the seminary curriculum and the M.Div. degree. The categories were redefined and the means of assessment was revised in such a manner that competence is to be determined and actual examination language is lost. In other words, assessment is not necessarily a traditional examination and creative possibilities are not only implied, but encouraged.

The weakness in the pre-2000 approach to examining students was that it tended to separate areas for examination into the discrete subjects of the theological curriculum of a seminary rather than taking an integrative approach that more closely matched the actual practice of ministry in congregations and other ministry settings. The shift from examination to assessment not only invites classes to exercise creativity and imagination in their means of assessment, the shift from academic subject to broader areas of competence invites them to think in a more integrative way.

The current BCO now reads as follows :

As candidates pursue their preparation
The classis shall satisfy itself that the candidate exhibits:
(1) Appropriate character and call to the ministry of Word and sacrament;
(2) Comprehension of Scripture and of the history, theology, and church order of the Reformed Church in America;
(3) Requisite skills in interpretation and proclamation of Scripture, including sufficient Greek and Hebrew to understand the nuances of the biblical text;
(4) Competence for ministry;
(5) Commitment to the unity of the church, the ministry of all Christians, and the proclamation of the gospel. (BCO 1.II.8 Section 6)

When the candidate has earned the Certificate of Fitness for Ministry
The classis shall examine the candidate for licensure and ordination by satisfying itself that the candidate is competent in:
(1) Theology
(2) The nature and administration of the sacraments
(3) Knowledge of and adherence to the Constitution (Standards, the Government and Disciplinary Procedures, and the Liturgy) of the Reformed Church in America
(4) The history and program of Reformed Church mission (BCO 1.II.8 Section 7)

The transition for incorporating the new definitions has been a rather difficult one for many classes, and some have opted to stay with old and established procedures, not changing anything. This document proposes to assist classes in understanding the new definitions and provide tools for the role of assessment and support. It is important to note that the role can be less of an “examiner,” and more of an agent, satisfying itself in creative ways that competencies and qualities are possessed by ministerial candidates.

Seminaries: Not Just for Pastors Anymore | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Seminaries: Not Just for Pastors Anymore | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

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What I'm Reading

I have started reading "Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale" by Ian Morgan Cron... I am 70 pages into it. It appears to be a worthwhile fictional read that will provide valuable insights into ministry and spiritual formation...

This past week I was at a seminar with Don Cousins, former pastor at Willow Creek. He spoke on the having your heart right with God in order to be a leader. He gave the group the following:

10 signs of a healthy heart (one that is not hardened)

1. A tongue that blesses
2. Thoughts that are pure Matthew 15:19
3. Thankfulness 1 Thessalonians 5:18
4. Peace filled spirit Ephesians 4:31-32
5. Desire to worship God
6. Contentment in all circumstances
7. Hunger for God’s word Psalm 119:9ff
8. Demonstrated humility
9. Commitment to personal holiness
10. Whole hearted devotion to the Lord 1 John

Funding Future Education

I have been writing about the financial crisis and how it is affecting our candidates. Below is my December newsletter article. I want folks to know about the Fund for Theological Education and encourage individuals to check out the following link:

http://www.thefund.org/programs/

The church I attend has started to collect employment opportunities and posting them on their web site. More than ever before, people in our congregation are losing their jobs for reasons beyond their control. The sermon series surrounding Thanksgiving is titled “Firm Footing in a Failing Economy.” I find myself coming to the conclusion that those of us in the church are obligated to not only get on our knees and pray for these difficult times and what they are doing to the “least of these,” but we are also to be the people of “hope.”

All the experts now agree that we are in a “depression,” perhaps as serious as the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Times are difficult and in one month’s time, since writing my newsletter article about hard financial times for the November issue, things have gotten significantly worse. At the same time, both Canada and the USA have had elections and the results tell me that people are looking for hope in the leaders chosen as they promise us “change.”

At Christmas time the news of change and hope are to be found in the words of the angel – “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:9. I encourage everyone to seek their hope in Jesus and to gather together as the covenant people of God in both worship and strategic planning about their futures.

Times such as these will often bring more people to my doorstep. As people discern what it means to lose their job and become more reliant on their Lord they often sense that the hand of the Lord is leading them into ministry. I believe that God calls individuals into ministry through difficult financial times because it causes them to evaluate what is important in their lives. When faith and a relationship with Jesus become the most important, it causes individuals to make their whole life and vocation a service to God. I praise the Lord for that!

At the same time, it brings me back to the reality of the economy. As more individuals are entering ministry there will be a need to prepare those called. It costs significant amounts of money to provide adequate education and formational experiences. It is time for us to become creative and generous. The MFCA Board of Trustees has asked me to document and recommend a plan which will consider the hardship faced by candidates. I hope to do this over the Christmas break. If you want to share your ideas with me, it again would be welcome. Below are two responses I received from a similar request last month.

Have a blessed and hope filled Christmas!

Cor

The Economic Crisis and Our Finances

I would be fooling myself if I said that I am not concerned about the economic crisis that is occurring in the world today. Bank failures, stock market declines, and acknowledgements that we are in a severe recession are regular newspaper headlines. I have watched my personal retirement fund decline by 40%. More important, I observe the poor being hit hard in this crisis as food and gas prices make everyday living a struggle for survival.

More than once in the last months I have intentionally turned to the Sermon on the Mount for comfort and perspective. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6:11f) These words are powerful reminders that we have a sovereign God and that He has made promises in His Word that we can rely on.

But, that doesn’t mean we might not have to adjust our lifestyles and perhaps face some times of hardship and struggling. There have been a number of candidates in the MFCA program who have been hit hard by the economy. Some have had their nest-egg erode and have been forced to pick up extra jobs and go part-time in their studies in order to make ends meet.

Theological education has become expensive and many candidates have incurred large student loans in order to complete their preparation. Some will end up with student loans over $100,000 when they graduate. The average debt for candidates seven years ago was around $18,000.00. I suspect it is much higher today. If reading this prompts you to share your situation, I will gladly collect information and stories for future newsletters. Write me at (ckors@rca.org)

The dilemma for those going into ministry is the fact that the potential to realistically earn enough to pay off debt is not good. For many it will be years and years before the student debt will be eliminated. I read in the November issue of Leadership the latest statistics collected. They are as follows:

The 2009 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff surveyed 4,800 U.S. churches, representing about 11,000 employees. Among the report’s findings:
• Churches that draw 101 to 300 people for worship services each week typically offer senior pastors a compensation package of $72,664 (this includes base salary, housing allowance, pension/retirement contribution, continuing education, health insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance, but not car, cell phone, or book allowances). That figure grows to $88,502 – a 22 percent increase – when attendance averages between 301 and 500 people, and $102,623 – a 41 percent increase - when attendance averages between 501 and 750.
• Music, choir, and worship pastors average about $51,954 at churches of 101 to 300 people, while their peers at churches of 501 to 750 people average $62,781.
• For senior pastors, the gap in compensation between those with doctoral degrees and those without remains distinct. Including benefits, those with a doctorate earn $14,000 more per year than those who complete a master’s degree, and $24,000 more per year than pastors with a bachelor’s.
-The 2009 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, available at yourchurchresources.com.

When I read the “classis minimums” for RCA salaries I see figures mostly around $30,000 - $40,000; add $8,000 - $12,000 for housing. Although listed as minimums, in many regions of the RCA these are the actual salaries for pastors. The potential for candidates to repay student debt is appearing more difficult as time goes along.

The matter of finances for seminary students and candidates for ministry has been a concern for many years. These are not the days of 40 years ago when those who were called to ministry received a free education. The churches saw this as their responsibility. Back in the early 1990s I served on a task force which looked at the classis procedures for the preparation of ministers. The statement in the report which was unveiled at the General Synod of 1993 said the following regarding finances:

“The classis should have a policy concerning the financial support of candidates and a procedure for monitoring the material well-being of candidates. The policy should be designed to optimize the financial resources available to the candidate from (a) personal savings and current income, (b) the student’s greater family, (c) sponsors who believe in the student’s potential, (d) the home congregation, (e) the home classis, (f) seminary scholarships, grants and loan funds. The classis committee for care and supervision should recommend a debt limit (including consideration of preexisting debt) based on a realistic assessment of the candidate’s earning potential and other financial obligations. The classis committee should regularly monitor the candidate’s financial condition to assure that the candidate and his/her dependents have adequate income for their material needs, including health care, and to assure that the candidate’s debt burden does not exceed what can be realistically repaid from the income likely to be realized in ministry.” (Pg. 333, MGS,1993)

I continue to support the intent of this statement despite the fact it is somewhat idealistic in these times. The MFCA Board of Trustees is also keenly invested in improving the situation of emerging church leaders in the RCA. The board has asked the General Synod Council (GSC) for a collaborative effort by the different parties in the denomination to do something about the finances and material well-being of candidates.

General Secretary, Wes Granberg-Michaelson, on behalf of the GSC, responded to the board request with the following:

“… we are committed to exploring future ways in which we might increase financial support to MFCA candidates and to other emerging pastors. You realize the difficult challenges that confront this task. But this is an opportune time to begin examining our current levels of support to MFCA and to our seminaries, and to ask whether there are new ways in which we could enhance that support in a denomination-wide manner, especially as there is so much variance in levels of classis support for candidates.” (Letter of October 28, 2008)

Obviously, finances should not be our main concern and the words of Jesus need to be at the center of how we operate. At the same time, I believe we have a responsibility to individuals and the church to provide for those who are in ministry and preparing for ministry. We cannot allow the economic crisis of 2008 hinder God’s mission for the future.

Cor

Making Jesus the Focus of Ministry

“…when the story of Jesus ceases to be the center point of our message, the church becomes weak and unbalanced.” (Pg. 187) These words by David T. Olson in the book The American Church in Crisis have stayed with me since I read them. The question for me has been – “If this is true for the church, is it equally true for the preparation process of church leaders, and, what does it look like to keep Jesus at the center of ministerial formation?”

I know that years ago, when I began this job, it was not uncommon to have people share with me that they felt they were in danger of “losing their faith” while in seminary. That is much less true today and I hear many accounts of people who experienced spiritual growth during their seminary days. Spiritual disciplines such as personal retreats, prayer and fasting are common practice amongst the candidates in the program at present. When I meet with candidates I often witness tears because people feel compelled to share their love relationship with Jesus. I ask myself, “What has changed and what is being done differently in seminaries and agencies such as the MFCA?”

One thing that is different is the fact that many individuals sacrifice more financially today. To have people incur $50,000 - $100,000 worth of student loan debt is not unheard of. Scripture implies that sacrifice and suffering draw people into a deeper and more meaningful relationship to Jesus. Another thing that is more prevalent today, compared to eighteen years ago when I started this position, is that people tend to spend more of their time in actual ministry as compared to the classroom. Although this means that the formational time is extended, very few complete the M.Div. degree in three years, it means that people are engaged in active day-to-day ministry.

It was also the case that eighteen years ago, many candidates were prone to specialize in pastoral care and counseling. As a matter of fact, that was even true for me and my seminary experience. In those days, late seventies, there was equal interest in social justice. Today, if people have an area of special interest it tends to be “church planting.” This makes for a different ethos among seminarians. As opposed to extending a ministry of care and presence, many candidates have a zeal for evangelism and entrepreneurial pursuits. What comes with this emphasis is an energy and emotion that feels different. Notice I did not say better, just different resulting in other types of ministers. I would suggest that it lends itself better to passion and in turn keeping a love relationship with Jesus at the center of one’s focus. Remember, I’m placing myself with the care and pastoral counseling folks.

Olson in his book suggests that church planting and the things that go along with it bring a health and prosperity to the church. He would imply, and I would conclude, that with this emphasis toward health and passion for planting churches comes an authentic, deep and meaningful love relationship with Jesus. The following quotes would make this argument:

“Healthy cultural adaptations and theological vitality occur more often in a denomination that excels at church planting, because the ferment of new ideas and ministry solutions is more robust.” (Pg. 158)

“New churches are critical to the health and vitality of the American church in general and denominations in particular. Strong, healthy new churches produce enormous benefit to their denomination and to the whole American church.” (Pg. 144)

“New churches are more effective than established churches at conversion growth.” (Pg. 156)

“Many of the people in the emerging culture do not share the philosophical assumptions of 50-year-old churches or even of churches that are 20 years old. Largely unaware of these changes, many churches continue to operate in modes and mentalities that no longer resonate with our culture.” (Pg. 161)

“The denominations that are declining today are slow and cautious, concerned about preservation and safety, often alienated from many of their own churches and its members. The denominations that are thriving today are nimble, fast, and multiplying strategically through grassroots ownership of the denomination’s missional vision.” (Pg. 115)

“New churches lower the age profile of the American church, increase its multiethnicity, and better position the whole church for future changes.” (Pg. 155)

I believe that the new climate of church planting and conversion growth is a good one. It is not only encouraging and causing people to fall in love with Jesus, but it is creating leaders who have at the center of their being a deep love for the Lord. These are good times indeed!

Gender Imbalance in the Pews

Recently, a thread I read regularly discussed the absence of men in our North American churches... I submitted the following:

Dear Friends ~

Thank you for bringing this crucial matter to our attention…

I believe that gender balance in our churches is important, therefore the creation of programs and support networks should be done with the needs of every group in mind. I am reluctant to argue against women’s ministries since these have been necessary in the past and continue to meet needs in the present. I also do not see value in the creation of a parallel men’s organization in the RCA at this time. There have to be more creative ways to address the ratio inequity and the involvement of men in the life of the church. After all, if one looks at the history of the RCA, a majority of efforts have been led by men with male “paradigms” as the foundation. I think it is fair to say that men have had, and continue to have, a strong influence in shaping the life of the church.

While at the “One Thing” conference in San Antonio, Texas in January I noted that a visible majority of participants were men. Not only were they men, but many were younger men who were passionate about the gospel and about growing the church/kingdom. I saw the event as a positive step toward getting people involved in Christ’s mission, many of them being men. Perhaps our emphasis should be on bringing a healthy gender balance to all facets of church life by making the focus the larger mission.

Recently I was encouraged to read the book “The American Church in Crisis” by David T. Olson (2008). In it Olson refers to David Murrow’s comments about the male – female imbalance of our churches and adds the following on his own:

“Research has also found that younger churches and growing churches have more balanced male – female ratios.” (Pg. 88)… “A study in 2000 from Switzerland provides insight on the importance of male attendance on the religious development of children in that country. ‘In summary, if a father does not go to church, no matter how regular the mother is in her religious practice, only one child in 50 becomes a regular church attendee. But if a father attends regularly, then regardless of the practice of the mother, at least one child in three will become a regular church attendee.’ The research seems to indicate that a balanced male-female ratio in a church correlates positively with growth.” (Pg. 89).

Let’s think in terms of balance and not get pre-occupied with who gets the “prodigal son (daughter)” treatment… Let’s be creative in challenging men to know and love Jesus!

Cor

The Shack - It makes you cry and think

I picked up the book at the Fuller Seminary Bookstore... Numerous people at Fuller were reading the book and they were bringing the author, William Young, to Fuller to speak.

I read the book in one sitting and was intrigued by it... Not only did I continually think to myself, "I am glad this is fiction," but, I also wondered if Young had not come up with a marvelous new way to explain the Trinity - a meaningful theological treatise.

The August 2008 issue of Christianity Today did a book review on the book and the author, Derek Keefe, recognizes that "The Shack's most prominent critics see troubling theological claims inherent in the story. Some argue, for example, that its Trinity erases important distinctions between the three persons, others that the book is anti-church." I personally appreciated how the Trinity was presented by blurring distinctives between the three persons of the Trinity - emphasizing three distinct persons, yet one.

I'd be interested in the perspectives of others...

Cor

Dr. Tim Brown teaching RCA Worship

It was at this year’s General Synod at Hope College in Holland, Michigan where I found myself at one point in time sitting beside the presidents of the RCA seminaries – we had a number of things to talk about, things such as theological education assessments, Certificates of Fitness for Ministry and how the Red Sox were doing. Most of the time it was Dr. Mast and Dr. Voskuil at the table, but, at one point Dr. Tim Brown, newly appointed president at WTS, also sat down and joined us. The conversation quickly turned to the MFCA summer intensive courses and who was teaching when.

It was during this particular conversation about the summer intensives that it dawned on me how privileged we were in the RCA to have these individuals as willing faculty members ready to take on extra assignments. In the midst of their busy schedules these men regularly make themselves available to teach for MFCA. Whereas they could perceive MFCA as an unnecessary evil or competition for their seminaries, they have become partners and with enthusiasm they teach in the MFCA program. Not only do they teach, but they are encourager's of the students and share their love for the RCA with them. They are also, without a doubt, amongst the best in their fields.

I believe that Tim Brown, Gregg Mast and Dennis Voskuil are men of God who are selflessly using their gifts to serve the RCA and the future leadership of the Church. The challenges of theological education continue to mount and I am grateful that these men have accepted the positions they have.

Brown and Mast also serve on MFCA certification committees. Recently, one of the committee members, Rev. Shirley Heeg, wrote a piece on her experience in her church’s newsletter about a recent meeting of one of the committees. It happened to focus on one of the presidents and it is included in our newsletter…

Cor

Reflecting…on something I observed at denominational meetings

As usual, he welcomes others with an easy smile as they enter the room. It’s one of the first things you notice about this professor, an intangible gift that he brings to the interview process at hand. He is the one among us who will summarize our conclusions later because we are all confident that he will deliver that information with both skill and kindness. Time and again, I have seen these ministry students relax in spite of their anxieties about the significance of this step in the process. In effect, he has opened the “second door” in the room, the door to trust.

I think how remarkable that is in itself and, yet, something even more rare is sure to follow. At previous meetings, I’ve discovered that behind this initial welcome is a genuine commitment to praise. I don’t know about you, but over the years I’ve learned to distrust a quick smile followed by words of flattery. Wisely, I think. There was a time when a traveling insurance agent flashed that kind of smile and used those sorts of words to press John and me to buy coverage we couldn’t afford. He ended up embezzling from our account and his own company. When we were younger, we both probably had “buyer’s regret” as often as we came down with the common cold. Consequently, we often remind each other not to fall for everything, not to trust without reservation. But, still, our hearts keep hoping.

We hope because there is always the possibility of coming across someone who genuinely welcomes and who genuinely praises – that is, someone who welcomes and praises without guile, without leverage, without ulterior motives, except to share the hope with us that all will be well here in this gathering. In this professor, I have met the “genuine article,” as they say. And it is good.

Given that I know I can be fooled, you may wonder how I recognize the difference. Let me tell you how I know he is genuine. This man measures up well against the biblical standard of praise. He frequently begins his prayers with a psalm. “Praise the Lord, How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise God!” (Ps. 147:1) And yet, where many of us might read or recite those same words, he seems to be able to absorb them differently. The goodness of God, God’s steadfast love, God’s creativity and joy and power and justice work like a caffeine-boost to energize his thoughts. They brighten his smile. They become the lenses through which he views the world and, blessedly, the lenses through which he sees me.

I’ve found that those who praise God like this are, at the same time, also more thankful for others. For example, the apostle Paul’s letters usually begin with a combination of praise for God accompanied by thankfulness for the persons he’s addressing. That’s because, at its core, praising is an expression of enjoyment, welling-up and spilling-over.

On the other hand, Paul’s letters do move on to include admonitions and call for corrections. In his writings, the psalmist does not gloss over strong, personal feelings and disappointments either. ‘Here it comes,’ we might think. ‘Praise is the bait and now we’re in for the hook.’ But not so. Surprisingly, reality checks are received differently when they follow genuine praise. This is what Paul calls “truth spoken in love.” When praise is offered humbly and without thought for personal gain, it allows us graceful space within which to look at ourselves without feeling threatened. It offers access to self-awareness, to any repentance that may be needed and to the possibility of change. Surely, praise is essential to the Christian community.

But, I suspect, most of us reserve our words of praise for coaching little-league or tee-ball, for describing our grand-children to our friends and maybe for anniversary cards as long as they don’t get too “mushy.” And, of course, for hymns during Sunday morning worship. We might unlatch that door-chain, don’t you think? Or, like we are doing in the church office these days, prop that door wide-open for all the fresh air we can get!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)

“Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 147:20 and elsewhere and everywhere…)

Pastor Shirley

How Pastors View Theological Education

Daniel Aleshire of the Association of Theological Schools

The following fifteen points are some of the statements that the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) ‘Schools and the Church’ task force heard as they carried on conversation with a wide variety of pastors and judicatory leaders over the past three years. They provided the basis for stimulating dialogue at ATS meetings and are shared here in order to begin discussions in the RCA as well.

Many of the items mentioned are not new to the RCA and some would say that both the RCA seminaries and MFCA are evaluating comments such as these and making adjustments where warranted. Others would argue that even these statements are outdated or incorrect. Let us know what you think of these comments...

• 1. The church needs pastors who can be change agents without destroying congregations.
• 2. Since we cannot foresee the future of the church for which we are preparing graduates, it is important that we educate candidates to be flexible and lifelong learners.
• 3. Seminaries should be preparing not learned ministers (an older paradigm) but missionary agents.
• 4. Seminaries cannot teach leadership or the pastoral disciplines apart from ministry settings.
• 5. Separating the practical from the theoretical is a mistake; we need reflective practitioners.
• 6. Faculty tend to talk to academic colleagues rather than practitioners.
• 7. Seminary is good for producing overeducated chaplains to minister to 50-80 people. But they are not preparing leaders to do catalytic change. They are preparing people for a dying church.
• 8. Seminaries are threatened by emerging alternate routes to ministry
• 9. Our congregations are full of anxiety and pastors so full of anxiety they cannot lead.
• 10. We need people who are passionate, who are gifted, and who know how to multiply their gifts. It is hard to find those people in ‘off the shelf’ recent seminary graduates.
• 11. Important in this whole conversation is the question of ecclesiology. There is a bigger picture here than just the local congregation. We need to see the ministry as part of a bigger picture. The localized scene alone is not just the church.
• 12. Many seminarians and recent graduates want to do church planting rather than work in an established ministry.
• 13. Seminaries have a bias against larger churches.
• 14. Denominations are going to be less of a factor. They were products of a particular set of circumstances that no longer exist.
• 15. The complexity of the Pastor’s role today.

Pastor as Person Begins Residential Intensive

Kirsten Shepler-Ross, Ina Montoya and Mark Veldt gather before the class commences.

Dr. Jaco Hamman welcomes Ann Blakeslee; Matt Schuring and Chris Cano look on.

It was a cold and gray Tuesday morning after a hot and humid Memorial Day... The participants of the inaugural MFCA Pastor as Person Seminar gathered at Geneva Shores in Holland, Michigan. The residential component, which happens after 14 weeks of interaction online, will take place Tuesday through Saturday on the shores of Lake Michigan. Participants will be sharing verbatim reports from ministry experiences and present their family genograms along with other organized learning activities.

Dalton Will Share His Story at MFCA Dinner

Howard Dalton

Each year someone is asked to speak at the MFCA dinner at General Synod. This year the dinner will be on Monday evening, June 9^th and Fr. Howard Dalton (Howie), an Approved Alternate Route (AAR) candidate, will be sharing his story. Dalton, a Roman Catholic priest for 28 years, is now the Administrator at Brick Reformed Church in Montgomery, NY. Five years after leaving the priesthood he married Patty – the two of them lead Tres Dias retreats, a ministry aimed at spiritual renewal.

Dalton writes the following:

“I was raised to attend to the poor and the needy. I grew up in a house absolutely filled with faith and prayer. I see the differences in people and their sense of self, their gifts and limitations, and I try to serve them as Jesus did.”

Everyone is invited to join the MFCA staff and alums for this special time together. The exact location will be announced at General Synod and the scheduled starting time is 5:30 PM.

Discerning Call

The first time I meet new potential candidates my question tends to be the same one, “Can you tell me about your call to ministry of Word and sacrament?” In doing so I was expecting clear testimony about God’s call on the person’s life. Admittedly, I was impatient with those who could not provide a clear account of their “call.”

After reading John Ortberg’s article in Leadership Journal entitled “God’s Call Waiting: What do you do when ‘the call’ to ministry isn’t clear?” I realized that the question I ask might not be the best one, and most certainly, my impatience was wrong altogether. Ortberg writes:

“But I never got marching orders [a clear call from God]. Partly , I think, it may have been because God knows that I will grow much more as a person if I have to figure things out and exercise judgment and make a decision and accept responsibility than if I just got a postcard and followed directions.” (Leadership, Spring 2008, pg. 20)

Ortberg suggests that it may be OK if an individual can’t give testimony to a clear “call” on their life and that it may be helpful to the individual and the church to discover God’s purpose in community as together, people identify gifts and God’s purpose for their ministry. This may well mean that individuals have to move out of their comfort zone and not equate a sense of call with a sense of fulfillment. Many candidates have told me that they discerned their call by whether or not they were happy and fulfilled in what they were doing… the restlessness for them was gone and therefore they interpreted this as being called to the new idea or what they were doing at that time. This notion could be a romanticized and altruistic concept of “call” and may well be different from what God has in mind.

“For a calling is very different than a quest for fulfillment. A calling, though we glamorize it, is not glamorous. It is a response to a summons. It is a kind of surrender. It is a willingness to die to the past and move into the future. … The future—even if it’s hard—is better than nostalgia.” (Pg. 21)

Ortberg’s article, though brief, is one of the best discussions I have read about “call.” He doesn’t pretend to know what call is, and yet, is able to warn about pitfalls that could camouflage our call. He gives permission to those struggling with their call, to be content with the ambiguity and suggests we might just have to work our way into it, or as he says, “?sail our way there”?. Almost to the point where we have to accept that we may fall into our purposed call unbeknownst to us but clearly orchestrated by the hand of God. To read the article in its entirety get a copy of the spring Leadership Journal or request a copy from the MFCA office.

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