Episode 110: Backtracking on Orthodoxy: A Death Sentence for the Christian Reform Church?
https://youtu.be/-_KDF8b8POo
"We've interviewed many different pastors, and have numerous connections throughout the Christian Reformed Church. And I'm even more convinced that 70-75% of this denomination has an orthodox understanding of sexuality. So if we backtrack on it--because somebody comes in and out-politics us and makes some political move and gets us to backtrack--I would bet 50% of the churches will leave and the denomination will be toast at that point. So we need to fight for the denomination." - Jason Ruis
Summary of this Episode
In this episode, we explore the dangers of trying to remain neutral or not take a stance on important issues. We argue that if someone is not for or against anything, then they are lukewarm and not truly loving anything. This has been a problem within the Christian Reformed Church for the last 40 years, as the Church has often tried to take a middle way on issues. However, we believe taking a neutral stance is not feasible, it is not possible to stand in the middle ideologically.
The lack of clarity within the Christian Reformed Church is a problem. We use examples from arguments made by people advocating for an affirming position on sexuality and point out how they do not agree on fundamental concepts such as the definition of sin, baptismal identity, and who Jesus is. It is important to define terms and ask questions to gain clarity on what people mean when they use certain words. Jason is working on a project where he is taking arguments made by people for an affirming position on sexuality and turning them into a short series of blog posts.
The current divisions in the Christian Reform Church regarding LGBTQ issues are already here, and we are only trying to shed light on them. We argue that the Christian Reform Church will die within five years if it backtracks on the orthodox understanding of sexuality. That's why we encourage conservative churches in the Christian Reform Church to rise up and send delegates to stand firm and speak up.
It's important to acknowledge that God's word in the Bible is the infallible rule of faith and life for the church. Compromising on this issue is sacrificing the gospel. The upcoming Synod is discussed, and we suggest ways to better serve and prepare orthodox individuals who may be attending. Pastors, elders, and deacons are encouraged to put their names forward to be delegates, emphasizing that one does not have to speak from the floor but should simply be faithful and vote according to God's word. The importance of having a fair representation of the denomination at Synod is stressed, and support and resources are offered to help first-time delegates be successful.
We discuss the need for the church to discipline churches and pastors who have publicly come out as affirming. Some churches and committees have refused to change course, despite rebukes from last year's Synod. We suggest that the church needs to be firm and prepared to remove churches that are not repenting. This is a painful process, but it is necessary to protect the church and lead it on the right path. We encourage people to stand firm and not backtrack on the church's position.
After the 2023 Synod, there may be a lot of shuffling in the denomination, as pastors and churches may choose to leave. We urge churches and pastors who disagree with the church's position to show integrity and leave of their own volition, rather than making the church kick them out. It's important to take a stand for what you believe in and prepare for the upcoming Synod. The church must discipline those who refuse to repent. This is necessary if we want to lead this denomination on the right path.