Subject: NR #1995-006: Classis Bans MARS professor from CRC Pulpits To Reach RBPS Staff, Contact: Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer [For news tips or content-related inquiries] Voice: (616) 674-8446 * FAX: (616) 674-8454 * E-Mail: Darrell128@AOL.com PO Box 691, Lawrence, MI 49064-0691 Wayne Martin, Circulation Manager [For missing or back issue inquiries] Voice: (708) 895-2139 * FAX: (708) 963-6342 * E-Mail: WayneM55@AOL.com 3539 Madison, Lansing, IL 60438 Ron Ellens, Subscription Services [For subscription inquiries or address changes] Voice: (708) 331-0847 * FAX: (708) 636-9366 16424 Cottage Grove, South Holland, IL 60473 NR #1995-006: For Immediate Release Classis Bans Leading Professor at Mid-America Reformed Seminary from Preaching in Christian Reformed Pulpits by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service (January 13, 1995) RBPS - In an unexpected move, Classis of the Heartland has sent a notice to every classis in the Christian Reformed denomination informing them that two former CRC ministers, Mid-America Reformed Seminary professor Dr. Nelson Kloosterman and former Orange City First CRC pastor Rev. Ralph Pontier, have no right to preach from any Christian Reformed pulpit. In a December 8 letter, Classis of the Heartland stated clerk Rev. Jack Gray informed all other classes in the Christian Reformed denomination that "Richard Venema has a right to Christian Reformed pulpits through our ecclesiastical fellowship with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, but neither Nelson Kloosterman nor Ralph Pontier have any right to a Christian Reformed pulpit." The letter follows closely on the heels of a decision made at a special December 7 classis meeting addressing the status of three ministers who had recently left the CRC. Pontier and Kloosterman left during a secession from First CRC in Orange City, Iowa, and retired minister Dr. Richard Venema decided to leave Sheldon (IA) CRC on his own and join the Presbytery of the Dakotas of the Orthodox Presbyterian denomination. However, Classis of the Heartland never officially adopted the note and the note never appears in the December 7 minutes. "I wrote the letter and I summarized in my own words what I judged classis to have decided," said Gray. "I quoted the minutes on the three ministers but that final paragraph is mine." The practical effect of the note is not entirely clear. In 1904, synod decided that "ministers of other denominations are permitted to preach in the churches provided that the consistory is convinced that such a minister is committed to the Reformed confessions" (Acts of Synod 1904, p. 39; cf. Manual of Christian Reformed Church Government, p. 252). The 1904 precedent involved ministers of the Reformed Church in America, from which the CRC seceded in 1857 and which at that time had no ecclesiastical relationship with the Christian Reformed denomination. Use of the 1904 precedent is by no means limited to conservatives; some Christian Reformed congregations have even gone as far as inviting female Presbyterian Church (USA) and Reformed Church in America ministers to fill Christian Reformed pulpits. "We can make statements but we don't have any effective way to police that, nor do I think that's really our intent," said Gray. "I'm sure Kloosterman is going to continue to preach in as many CRC's after classis as before." "Sometimes a clarification muddies as much as it clarified, but I think in this case with Dr. Kloosterman who travels around considerably, it seemed to me as a stated clerk important that the classes understood the intent and the practical result of what Classis of the Heartland did," said Gray. "In the eyes of Classis of the Heartland, those two gentlemen, from a denominational-ecclesiastical point of view, don't have a right to access CRC pulpits. That's the way it is officially, but we all know we make exceptions to the rule based on 1904." Neither Kloosterman nor Pontier were happy with Gray's letter to other Christian Reformed classes - and both were particularly annoyed that they learned of the pulpit ban from the news media rather than from the letters Grey sent them on December 8 which make no mention of the pulpit ban. "I have never been notified by Pastor Jack of his interpretation of the classis decision and perhaps he was too busy to let me know," said Kloosterman. "I don't understand why Pastor Jack finds it necessary to circulate an interpretation of a classis decision that contradicts synodical precedent and borders on sectarianism," continued Kloosterman. "Pastor Jack's decision tends to place denominational loyalty above commitment to the Reformed confessions." "I have enjoyed my years of ministry in the Christian Reformed denomination and believe that the people of the Christian Reformed denomination are more discerning with regard to commitment to the Reformed confessions than what Pastor Jack may imagine," said Kloosterman. "He feels they need to protect them while the synodical decision permits any minister committed to the Reformed confessions to occupy a pulpit with consistorial approval." Pontier echoed Kloosterman's concern about the pulpit ban. "I consider it to have been a privilege to have been a Christian Reformed minister for 16 years, and consider many in the CRC to be my brothers and sisters in Christ," said Pontier. "Many of them share the same concerns I have about the denomination, and I see myself separating from the trends in the denomination rather than separating from those who are my brothers." Kloosterman said the number of pulpit requests he received had declined recently and suspected the pulpit ban might be the cause of the decline. However, Kloosterman continues to receive preaching requests from Christian Reformed congregations. Due to his role as a parish pastor, Pontier ordinarily receives fewer requests to fill the pulpits of other churches, but has twice filled the Orange City First CRC pulpit since seceding from the congregation. "I've done two CRC funerals for members of First Church in Orange City, one after the secession but before the deposition and one after the deposition, but that's a family matter so I suppose that doesn't count," said Pontier. At least some in the church from which Kloosterman and Pontier seceded also felt the letter to Christian Reformed classes was out of line. "Many people in First CRC, including the council itself, are distressed by this decision," said Dr. Cornel Venema, son of Dr. Richard Venema and fellow professor with Kloosterman at Mid-America Reformed Seminary. The younger Venema, who remained in First CRC despite the secession from the denomination of his father, colleague, and pastor, noted that the First CRC council had informed Classis of the Heartland by letter that "neither the Council nor any of its members have sought to have either of these men disciplined." "An attempt to impose any declaration which implies a de facto disciplinary action could aggravate the situation we as a Council must deal with within our congregation, as well as relationships between family and friends who are divided in the aftermath of our church split," the First CRC letter continued. "In recent weeks we have witnessed positive signs of the healing process beginning to take hold and we would be very disappointed to see this progress undermined by any decision of Classis." Venema wondered why the classis did not follow the request of the First CRC letter. "Everything seems to be measured in terms of the Christian Reformed Church, but the foundational question is our relationship to Jesus Christ," said Venema. "You can't make adherence to a denomination a fundamental criterion for faithfulness. I thought we believe in a church that is much larger and bigger than the Christian Reformed Church." Gray, however, rebutted suggestions that the classis had acted without regard to the pain of families which had been split by the secession. "I think classis did this with a great deal of personal pain and sorrow," said Gray. "This was no joyful thing, we got rid of these guys; these are friends, colleagues, we very deeply regret their departure from the Christian Reformed Church." "Lest Classis of the Heartland appear heartless that should be said, our classis was really pained by their actions - a great deal of pain," said Gray. Crossreferences to Related RBPS Articles: #1995-007: Three Conservative Ministers Declared "Dismissed" or "Deposed" for Leaving Christian Reformed Denomination Contact List: Rev. Jack Gray, Stated Clerk, Classis of the Heartland 708 - 5th St., Orange City, IA 51041-1804 * O: (712) 737-2797 * H: (712) 737-2997 Dr. Nelson Kloosterman, Professor, Mid-America Reformed Seminary Rt. 2, Box 163, Orange City, IA 51041 * O: (712) 737-3446 * H: (712) 737-4838 * FAX: (712) 737-3318 Rev. Ralph Pontier, Pastor, Redeemer Alliance Reformed Church 207 Kansas Ave. NW, Orange City, IA 51041 * H: (712) 737-4901 Dr. Cornelis Venema, Professor, Mid-America Reformed Seminary Rt. 2, Box 163, Orange City, IA 51041 * (712) 737-4838 Dr. Richard Venema 1930 E. 6th St., Sheldon, IA 51201 * H: (712) 324-2993 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-006.txt .