file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr94-046.txt ------------------------------------------------ For Immediate Release September 19, 1994 Release #1994-46 For Further Information Contact: Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service Voice: (616) 674-8446 FAX: (616) 674-8454 E-Mail: Darrell128@AOL.com PO Box 691, Lawrence, MI 49064-0691 Four New Independent Churches Start in West Michigan Heartland of Christian Reformed Denomination - Local Independent Reformed Churches Using Closed Circuit Television, Chairs in Hallways, to Accomodate Growing Crowds by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service Grand Rapids, Mich. (September 19, 1994) RBPS - The conservative secession movement from the Christian Reformed denomination has not slowed since it began in early 1991; in fact, the number of new independent churches associated with the Alliance of Reformed Churches continues to increase. While many secessions have occurred in the Canadian province of Ontario and other locations scattered through the United States and western Canada, the movement has nowhere been stronger than the West Michigan heartland of the Christian Reformed denomination. Four new West Michigan churches have now joined the ranks, making a total of sixteen churches in the Alliance's Lake Michigan Regional Fellowship. The largest of the new congregations is a group which seceded from South Olive Christian Reformed Church, a 110-year old rural congregation east of Holland which for several years has led a fight against Calvin College professor Dr. Hessel Bouma's view that abortion is not murder because a fetus is not a "full person" or "imagebearer of God." Delegates from the church also walked out of the September 1993 meeting of Classis Holland when it seated a woman delegate. According to Rev. Wybren Oord, pastor of Faith IRC and former pastor of South Olive CRC, the secession originated with a letter from members indicating their concerns over eight Christian Reformed issues, including women in office, toleration of abortion, homosexuality, and feminine language for God. "A group of people within the church were very concerned about the direction the denomination was taking and wanted South Olive to consider going independent," said Oord. When South Olive decided not to secede as a church, six current and former elders and deacons organized a steering committee and informed the church that on May 1 they would begin worshipping as Faith Independent Reformed Church. The new church has rapidly grown since its formation, currently numbering 123 members with an attendance over 150. All but three families are from the South Olive CRC. Oord's decision to accept a call to a secession church formed by opponents of abortion and women in office is somewhat ironic. The secession occurred without Oord, a former supporter of women in office and abortion who initially bought Bouma's book to prove the conservative movement wrong. "I grew up CRC and went into the ministry with every intention of being a CRC minister for life," said Oord. "I was in favor of abortion in certain instances when I came to Calvin Seminary, but I came to see that the Bible is very clear against it; before attending Calvin Seminary I also was in favor of women in office." "I find the more I study the Scripture the more black and white the issues are and the less gray there is," said Oord. "I think the Scriptures are very clear on everything and I find it frustrating that people think they can interpret Scripture in different ways when the one who wrote the Scriptures says, 'let your yea be yea and your nay be nay.'" According to Faith IRC clerk Jim Raak, the steering committee got most of its advice from Rev. Jerome Julien, stated clerk of the Alliance. "He gave us some direction on how to approach leaving a church, just leave on good terms, not to drag it out, just go," said Raak. "He said the longer you stay in it will fester and fester. Words of encouragement were the biggest thing." Raak emphasized that Oord did not lead the secession and was not called to pastor the new church until it had been meeting for a number of weeks. "He in fact had nothing to do with starting the new church, but rumors have their way of getting around," said Raak. "We went to the congregation after a month, asked them if it would be their pleasure, and there was a unanimous vote to call him." "Since we have left I think everyone has peace of mind that we have done the right thing," Raak said. "We used to say, 'We're Christian Reformed, butx' and then add a list of where we don't agree with the synod. Now we don't have to add the word 'but' to our statement of faith." While Oord is now out of the CRC, both he and his church would prefer to maintain tolerable relations with conservative congregations which are still in the denomination. "I don't think anyone at Faith IRC has any animosity or hatred toward the CRC or toward the church we left, we just could no longer support the direction the CRC was taking," said Oord. "I see it better to have two smaller churches that aren't fighting than to have one larger church that is always fighting." Oord's CRC ministerial credentials were dealt with the September 15 meeting of Classis Holland. Classis met at Pillar CRC in Holland, founded by Albertus Van Raalte as the first Dutch Reformed immigrant congregation in West Michigan. Van Raalte led an 1834 secession from the Dutch state church, immigrated to Michigan, and joined the Reformed Church in America; his congregation joined the CRC several decades after the denomination was formed. "The president of classis asked the pastor of Pillar to read the plaque on the wall saying, 'In memory of Albertus C. Van Raalte, the first teacher of our congregation and the father of our colony, mighty in word and works," said Rev. Zack Anderson, pastor of Pine Creek CRC in Holland. "That is a good sign that some of the people in Classis Holland did not want to repeat the pain of 150 years ago." After discussion, classis voted to "dismiss" Oord from the CRC with the unders tanding that the term carried no negative implications. "We changed the fifth recommendation before us to pray for South Olive CRC, Rev. Oord's new congregation, and healing for all parties involved," said Anderson. "We did pause at that point to pray for all parties involved. Most of the delegates were concerned to be able to see South Olive heal and not create a wedge for the future, like I mentioned." The new Faith IRC is currently meeting at a Christian school in Borculo, a rural town three miles away from South Olive which already has an Alliance congregation. "We've been in the Alliance almost since it started," said Rev. Harlan Vanden Einde, pastor of Borculo CRC. "Our membership in the Alliance was more or less to have some fellowship with people of like mind in the denomination, and we've stayed even though many of the Alliance churches have left the CRC." Vanden Einde said he expected no problems with the new church in his town or its pastor. "We still get along fine, we bowl together, we serve together on the Reformed Fellowship board and ride together to the meetings," said Vanden Einde. "I haven't heard any negative comments at all with regard to the new congregation, and some of our members have visited their services." While the new Faith IRC was primarily a secession from one church, the other three new churches were formed as church plants of the Alliance's two largest congregations, Cornerstone Church in Hudsonville and Dutton Independent Reformed Church, located respectively in the west and southeast suburbs of Grand Rapids. "Cornerstone was getting too full, they went to two services but they didn't like it, so they encouraged us to start a new church in the Grandville-Jenison area," said Larry Kerkstra, chairman of the steering committee for the Independent Reformed Church of Grandville-Jenison. The new church is not yet organized and does not have a membership roll yet, but has already grown to 25 regularly attending families with 90 people. Services have been held since July 10; some people have come from Cornerstone Church, but many others have come from Jamestown, Grandville, and Jenison. Kerkstra said the congregation meets at Jenison Christian School. "They've been really, really good; they've given us excellent cooperation with no problems at all, we're not even paying for the room, just the janitorial services," said Kerkstra. "They're treating us like a supporting church, and we've got some families from our church going there." The new church has taken some of the pressure off Cornerstone Church, according to its pastor. "About the time we were facing growth problems they were showing an interest in starting a new church and we encouraged that," said Rev. Steve Arrick. "They've taken the ball and run with it. We're here for them if they need anything, but they're capable of doing things themselves." Similar problems are being faced by Dutton Independent Reformed Church, which outgrew its original building over twenty years ago. Since seceding from the CRC, Dutton has been having over 700 people attending and has been setting up chairs for up to 50 people in the hallway outside the auditorium. The older and larger of the two churches is Kettle Lake Independent Reformed Church, seven miles east of Dutton. "Many of the members who are now attending Kettle Lake left Caledonia CRC in the spring of 1993," said Elder Bruce Brink, clerk of the new church, who noted that many of the former Caledonia members had joined Dutton or Cutlerville IRC. "Some who were members of Dutton wanted to establish another smaller church separate from Dutton, including members of Ada CRC and they basically started a steering committee," said Brink. "When we heard that there was another church starting in our area we decided to see what it was like and most of us ended up staying because we agreed with the basic principles that were being preached in the church and we felt the whole counsel of God was being preached." Brink said the church began services in April of this year, formally incorporated in June, and elected its first elders and deacons in August. Membership currently stands at 17 families, but 25 to 30 families with sixty to eighty people are attending on a regular basis. Currently meeting in the local public elementary school, Brink said the congregation was looking at purchasing property and hoped to call a pastor after doing so. Dutton is also involved in planting Covenant Independent Reformed Church of Wayland, which began services on May 15. The new congregation has 25 members, all of whom were previously driving half an hour or more to Dutton, but averag e attendance is double the membership. "Everyone would love to go attend in Dutton, but some of the families have children that have to go to weekly meetings such as catechism, therefore an IR C in this area is much more practical with a view to the future," said John Ybema, steering committee member for Covenant IRC. "There is a need in this area for good Reformed preaching, area CRC churches have had their troubles and from that angle we think there is growth potential," said Ybema. "Third, there are the unchurched which should be reached with the truth of the Word of God." While currently meeting in the cafeteria of the Wayland public school, Ybema said the church was considering another location and would make decisions after seeing from what area future members were coming. Kettle Lake, Jenison, and Wayland probably will not be the last Alliance churches planted in West Michigan. Despite planting two new churches, Dutton is still setting up chairs in the hallway. Although Cornerstone Church no longer has to have two morning and two evening services, attendance pressure still forces the congregation to set up chairs in the basement so attenders can watch via closed circuit television. Contact List: Rev. Zachary (Zack) Anderson, Pastor Pine Creek Christian Reformed Church 663 Riley St. Holland, MI 49424 O: (616) 399-1413 H: (616) 399-2016 Rev. Steve Arrick, Pastor Cornerstone Church 6606 - 42nd Ave. Hudsonville, MI 49426 O: (616) 669-2190 H: (616) 669-3457 Elder Bruce Brink, Clerk Kettle Lake Independent Reformed Church 7329 Kettle Lake Dr. SE Alto, MI 49302 H: (616) 868-6477 Rev. Jerome Julien, Stated Clerk Alliance of Reformed Churches 34 Azores Crescent Cambridge, ON N1R 7Z4 (519) 622-1033 Larry Kerkstra, Steering Committee Chairman Independent Reformed Church of Grandville-Jenison 8609 Cedar Lake Dr. Jenison, MI 49428 H: (616) 457-6250 Rev. Paul Murphy, Pastor Dutton Independent Reformed Church 6940 Hanna Lake Rd. Caledonia, MI 49316 H/O: (616) 698-7467 Rev. Wybren Oord, Pastor Faith Independent Reformed Church 12191 Polk St. Holland, MI 49424 H/O: (616) 875-4654 Jim Raak, Steering Committee Secretary Faith Independent Reformed Church 12330 New Holland St. Holland, MI 49424 H: (616) 399-6903 Rev. Harlan Vanden Einde, Pastor Borculo Christian Reformed Church 6464 - 96th Ave. Zeeland, MI 49464 H/O: (616) 875-8271 John Ybema, Steering Committee Member Covenant Independent Reformed Church 2846 - 16th Hopkins, MI 49328 H: (616) 793-7282