From: Darrell128@aol.com Subject: NR 97086: RCA's Muskegon Classis: Rhem Guilty of "Gross Sexual Misconduct" NR #1997-086: Reformed Church in America's Muskegon Classis Finds Rev. Richard Rhem Guilty of "Gross Sexual Misconduct" The Muskegon Classis of the Reformed Church in America has found Rev. Richard Rhem, senior pastor of Christ Community Church of Spring Lake, Michigan, guilty of "gross sexual misconduct" and deposed him from the ordained ministry. At 2800 members with about 750 attending, Christ Community Church is by far the largest in the classis and one of the larger churches in the RCA; the deposition is the second most severe penalty the classis could have imposed. The church court verdict means the RCA will no longer recognize Rhem as a minister, thereby barring him from preaching or administering the sacraments in the 313,000-member denomination. However, Rhem's church has no intention of removing him from its pulpit and has filed a lawsuit asking the Ottawa County Circuit Court to order classis to let the church leave the RCA with its property. "We do not recognize this 'trial' and its judgment as a valid event in the life of our ministry," said Don Van Ostenberg, board of trustees chairman at Christ Community Church, in a prepared statement issued August 6. "We and our pastor resigned from the RCA on July 4, 1996. We have a dispute with Muskegon Classis over that action, which is in the civil court." Rhem and his church have been at loggerheads with the Muskegon Classis for nearly two years since Rhem's congregation allowed a church mostly composed of practicing homosexuals to meet in their building. Classis later focused on Rhem's views about the nature of Scripture and his belief that salvation is possible apart from Christ; the latter view prompted ongoing efforts to require all RCA ministers and churches to annually reaffirm that salvation is through Christ alone. NR #1997-086: For Immediate Release Reformed Church in America's Muskegon Classis Finds Rev. Richard Rhem Guilty of "Gross Sexual Misconduct" by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (August 6, 1997) URNS -- The Muskegon Classis of the Reformed Church in America has found Rev. Richard Rhem guilty of "gross sexual misconduct" and deposed him from the ordained ministry. The church court verdict means the RCA will no longer recognize Rhem as a minister, thereby barring him from preaching or administering the sacraments in the 313,000-member denomination. However, Rhem's church has no intention of removing him from its pulpit and has filed a lawsuit asking the Ottawa County Circuit Court to order classis to let the church leave the RCA with its property. "We do not recognize this 'trial' and its judgment as a valid event in the life of our ministry," said Don Van Ostenberg, board of trustees chairman at Christ Community Church of Spring Lake, Michigan, in a prepared statement issued August 6. "We and our pastor resigned from the RCA on July 4, 1996. We have a dispute with Muskegon Classis over that action, which is in the civil court." Rhem and his church have been at loggerheads with the Muskegon Classis for nearly two years since Rhem's congregation allowed a church mostly composed of practicing homosexuals to meet in their building. Classis later focused on Rhem's views about the nature of Scripture and his belief that salvation is possible apart from Christ; the latter view prompted ongoing efforts to require all RCA ministers and churches to annually reaffirm that salvation is through Christ alone. At 2800 members with about 750 attending, Christ Community Church is by far the largest in the classis and one of the larger churches in the RCA. The verdict against Rhem was the second most severe penalty classis could have applied. Lesser options were admonition, rebuke, or suspension from the ministry. The Muskegon Classis also could have excommunicated him from the denomination, thus barring him from participating in communion in any RCA church, removing him from RCA membership, and declaring that he is outside the Christian faith. Classis barred the media from the August 5 trial and sent its sergeant-at-arms to remove reporters from the parking lot of Ferry Memorial Church of Montague where the trial was held. Muskegon Classis president Rev. Mark Nieuwsma did not return calls for comment. According to classis executive committee members who declined to be identified, classis didn't release the verdict on August 5 because it wanted Rhem, who did not appear for the trial, to learn of the decision from the classis before reading it in the news media. According to sources in the classis, delegates met for over eight hours in closed session and passed four motions to declare Rhem guilty of "gross sexual misconduct," to affirm a need for reflection and prayer, to declare that Rhem was unrepentant, and to depose him from office. In a prepared statement, Rhem said he was "disappointed" by the classis vote. "This has been a difficult time made worse by a lack of civility and human decency," said Rhem. "As I said to this congregation, 'I will not defend myself, my life and my ministry are the only defense necessary.'" The deposition follows a May vote by the RCA's Regional Synod of the Great Lakes instructing classis to reconsider its earlier decision not to try Rhem on the sex charges. After reconsideration, classis voted on June 24 to conduct the trial; on July 25, Christ Community filed its civil lawsuit. In its civil lawsuit against the classis and classical executive committee, Christ Community's board of trustees alleged that the "non-recognition of the independent status" of the church by the classis "has caused stress, discord, and unrest in the church and the Spring Lake community." The lawsuit also strongly objected to the RCA's judicial procedures, arguing that the classis "is a public body, and the gathering of sixty to seventy ministers and elders to act as trier of the fact in a public judicatory without the safeguards of civil law will result in damage" to the church. "The [RCA] Book of Church Order is inappropriate to regulate the relationship between the parties, as it does not provide for even rudimentary due process, requiring Classis to be simultaneously the investigating body, the grand jury, the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury," claimed the lawsuit. "Further, it is deficient in procedural fairness and safeguards, and will allow the dissemination of falsehoods in a public proceeding." Regional synod minister Rev. Sherwin Weener objected to the claims by Rhem's attorney that he had not been afforded due process. "The Reformed Church has been exceedingly concerned about justice and fairness and certainly due process is available to every member of the Reformed Church and that certainly included Dick Rhem," said Weener. Weener referred questions about RCA procedures to Rev. Patrick Shetler, chairman of the synod overtures and judicial business committee. "Until there is approval of the classis a church remains under the jurisdiction of the Reformed Church in America," said Shetler, who strongly objected to Christ Community's lawsuit against classis. "I think it's a reprehensible act, a clear violation of Scripture, of I Corinthians 6:1-11. That any organization that would even claim to be Christian would take such action just shows total disregard for God's Word and the authority of Christ." Shetler said he didn't view the Rhem case as entirely negative. "It's a little bit of the best of times and the worst of times," said Shetler. "That the incident occurred is of course very unfortunate, but that the classis has taken a stand for biblical integrity very clearly, and the denomination as a whole, is very positive for the RCA." The sex charges against Rhem stem from allegations made by a former organist and member of the church who says Rhem conducted an extended affair with her and defended his conduct on religious grounds, thus doing spiritual damage to her and her marriage. While classis was initially willing to let Rhem and his church withdraw from the denomination after a formal rebuke for his theological views, the sex charges derailed the proposed settlement when the executive officers of classis refused to sign a negotiated separation agreement which would have let the church leave and thereby prevented the organist from processing her ultimately successful appeal to the regional synod. The organist and her ecclesiastical counsel, Rev. Mike Van Doornik, have consistently declined on-the-record comment citing RCA procedures banning circulation of commentary on pending litigation until all appeals are exhausted. Unless Rhem appeals the Muskegon Classis action within 30 days, he will forfeit his right to appeal to the Great Lakes Regional Synod or the RCA's highest assembly, the General Synod. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1996-013: Special Meeting of RCA's Muskegon Classis Discusses Homosexuality, Scripture, Salvation Apart from Christ #1996-023: Muskegon RCA Classis: No Room for Pastor Questioning Salvation Apart from Christ, Authority of Scripture #1996-086: Muskegon Classis Rebukes Rhem for "Heretical" Views, Restarts Negotiations "to Reach a Mutually Acceptable Separation Agreement" with Christ Community Church #1996-091: Rhem Conflict Leads to Homosexuality Debate in Muskegon #1996-092: Back to the Drawing Board: Muskegon Classis Tables Proposed Settlement with Pastor of RCA's Fourth-Largest Church #1996-093: Dr. Jonathan Gerstner on Rhem: "Tragedy is the Only Word" #1996-094: Second RCA Minister Faces Discipline for Theological Views #1996-103: Classis Muskegon Averts Heresy Trial, Completes Separation Agreement with Richard Rhem, Christ Community Church #1996-110: Appeal Stalls Settlement Agreement on Rev. Richard Rhem; Protests Greet Upcoming Rhem Keynote Speech for RCA Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics on "The Church in Conflict... Can Non-Believers be Saved?" #1996-118: Rhem to Reformed Church in America: "The Bible is a Wax Nose" #1997-001: Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against Richard Rhem #1997-002: Rhem's Attorney Responds: "Classis... Has Engaged in Conspiratorial Actions Which Were Maliciously Calculated to Damage Rev. Richard Rhem and Christ Community Church" #1997-007: Appeal of Charges Against Rhem Sent Back to Committee by RCA's Regional Synod Executive Committee; Van Hoeven Appeal to Proceed with Recommendation of Dismissal #1997-019: Reformed Church in America Classes Poised to Vote on Church Order Change: Should All RCA Ministers and Churches Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is Through Christ Alone? #1997-026: SW Michigan Becomes First RCA Michigan Classis to Ratify Church Order Amendment on Salvation Through Christ Alone #1997-028: Rhem Case on Hold; Muskegon Classis Affirms Salvation Through Christ Alone #1997-031: Reformed Church in America's Second and Third Largest Classes Vote to Affirm Salvation Only Through Christ #1997-032: South Grand Rapids Classis Overtures Reformed Church in America to Reject "Full Communion" with United Church of Christ Due to UCC Approval of Gay Marriage and Ordination #1997-033: Holland Classis Rejects Church Order Amendment to Require Annual Declaration that Salvation is Through Christ Alone #1997-034: Reformed Church in America Rejects Annual Declaration that Salvation is Through Christ Alone #1997-040: Typo Leads Reformed Church in America to Recommend New Vote on Salvation Apart from Christ #1997-043: RCA Committee Asks Regional Synod of the Great Lakes to Send Rhem "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Case Back to Muskegon Classis for Investigation, Possible Trial #1997-044: Great Lakes Regional Synod Minister: Reformed Church in America not "Dead," but Needs to "Wake Up" #1997-045: Reformed Church in America Regional Synod of the Great Lakes Sends Rhem "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Case Back to Muskegon Classis for Investigation, Possible Trial #1997-046: Rhem's Attorney Responds: "The RCA in Western Michigan [is] Truly a Dysfunctional Family" #1997-057: RCA's Muskegon Classis Calls Special Meeting to Consider Trial for Richard Rhem on Sexual Misconduct Charges #1997-058: Reformed Church in America's Muskegon Classis to Investigate Sexual Misconduct Charges Against Rhem #1997-079: Muskegon Classis to Meet June 24 for More Inquiry on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Charges Against Rev. Richard Rhem; Classis Also Asked by Regional Synod to Consider Charging Rhem's Church with Leaking Documents to News Media #1997-080: Muskegon Classis Seeks to Avoid Media Expose; Votes to Try Rhem on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Charges #1997-083: Christ Community Church Sues RCA Classis; Asks Civil Court to Order Classis to Let Church Depart with its Property Contact List: Rev. E. Wayne Antworth, Director, RCA Stewardship & Communication Services 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 O: (212) 870-2954 * FAX: (212) 870-2499 Roger W. Boer, Esq., Attorney for Christ Community Church Partner, Rhoades, McKee, Boer, Goodrich, & Titta 161 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 600, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2793 O: (616) 235-3500 * FAX: (616) 459-5102 * E-Mail: webmaster@grlaw.com Rev. Howard Moths, Stated Clerk, Regional Synod of the Great Lakes 2795 Rosewood St., Jenison, MI 49428 O: (616) 669-6690 * H: (616) 669-1983 * E-Mail: HMoths@aol.com Rev. Mark Nieuwsma, President, Muskegon Classis 704 South De Spelder, Grand Haven, MI 49417 O: (616) 842-4170 * H: (616) 842-2984 Rev. Richard Rhem, Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * H: (616) 846-7777 * F: (616) 842-3476 * E-Mail: christcommunity@novagate.com Rev. Patrick Shetler, Chairman, Great Lakes Synod Overtures and Judicial Business Committee 271 E. State Rd., PO Box 365, Grant, MI 49327 O: (616) 834-8668 * H: (616) 834-7246 * E-Mail: grantreformedchurch@worldnet.att.net Robert W. Sikkel, Esq., Attorney for Classis Attorney, Warner, Norcross, & Judd 400 Terrace Plaza, PO Box 900, Muskegon, MI 49443-0900 O: (616) 727-2600 Rev. Steve Smallegan, Stated Clerk, Muskegon Classis 3025 Glenside Blvd., Muskegon, MI 49441 O: (616) 759-3238 * H: (616) 755-8446 * E-Mail: SGLMusk@aol.com Rev. Merwin (Mike) Van Doornik, Counsel for Appellant 1985 Driftwood Dr., Holland, MI 49424 H: (616) 786-9155 * O: (616) 744-4781 Rev. Sherwin Weener, Synod Minister, Regional Synod of the Great Lakes 4500 - 60th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 O: (616) 698-7071 * H: (616) 457-3572 * E-Mail: SGLSherwin@aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-086.txt