Episode 157: Losing Trust in a Denomination - What the CRC can learn from the RCA - Seth Atsma (Part 2)
“…The only way that a decision gets made in Reformed polity that doesn’t represent the majority of the churches is when there’s political maneuvering going on and political stuff…When that happens, and that seems like what happened in the RCA, the majority of the churches [choose to leave] because you’re making decisions that are not in line. And then you lose your whole denomination that way.” -Jason Ruis
Summary of This Episode
Jason and Willy are back with Rev. Seth Atsma, pastor of Chandler Reformed Church in Chandler, MN. The bulk of this episode focuses on Seth’s observations on small church and town ministry, getting started as a pastor right around the start of the COVID pandemic, and navigating the present Reformed Church in America (RCA) situation.
Recognizing the uniqueness of being “on-loan” as a first call, Willy asks Seth how he got to Chandler Reformed. Seth shares about the practicality of needing work as he came out of seminary, but also seeing it as a good fit. A small church in a small town in the middle of the country was something he and his wife discerned would be a good match. He does point out that seminaries, including Calvin, don’t seem to be geared towards or intentionally producing rural pastors despite the heavy number of churches in our denomination in those settings.
Having started there just months before the pandemic began, it was a steep learning curve, and one of the things Seth knew needed to happen was building trust. Jason shares some insight from Tod Bolsinger’s “Canoeing the Mountains”: to be trusted leading “off the map” or in unchartered situations, you have to be trusted “on the map.” Seth learned in his Navy background what good and bad leadership looked like, and put into practice that good leaders are willing to struggle along with, to listen to, and put their principles into practice. That’s what he sought personally, but also together with the consistory to find balance between the differing views that COVID brought in the congregation he serves. One of the benefits that he saw come out of that was people learning new habits in their commitment to Christ and the church.
The recent pandemic isn’t the only stressful thing Seth and Chandler Reformed had to navigate, but there’s the recent mass exodus from the RCA over their views, polity, and practices regarding human sexuality. Seth admits some naivety when he stepped into this church—he just wanted to _lead_ a Reformed-tradition church, but he quickly found himself playing catch-up and reacting. One of the disappointing pieces he’s observed is that it doesn’t seem like the denominational leadership is paying attention to rural congregations, which are a majority of the RCA’s historical make-up. Not just himself, but the leadership and the congregation of Chandler Reformed have experienced what felt dismissive and even betrayed by the denomination that they hoped to remain in, and so they have been in the process of joining one of the U.S. break-offs, the [Alliance of Reformed Churches (ARC)](https://arc21.org/) (other newly formed denominations or affiliations include [Kingdom Network](https://kingdomnetworkusa.org/)-US, [LIFT Church Network](https://www.liftchurchnetwork.org/)-Southern California, [Reformation Canada Network (RCN)](https://reformationcanada.ca/)-CA, [Sending Network](https://thesendingnetwork.org/)-Iowa).
Reflecting on the “implosion” of the RCA, Jason states, “…The only way that a decision gets made in Reformed polity that doesn’t represent the majority of the churches is when there’s political maneuvering going on and political stuff…When that happens, and that seems like what happened in the RCA, the majority of the churches [choose to leave] because you’re making decisions that are not in line. And then you lose your whole denomination that way.” Seth agrees and talks about the importance and value of rules and a BCO (a church order). “The rules are there that we can do things well and in good order. Following the rules, that’s one way we build trust. But when we use the rules to get our way, now we’re just playing political games…and that’s the surest way to burn up trust and good faith.”
While denominations are good, no particular one is essential. Seth reminds us of the need to remember, “Hope is founded on Jesus, and the more we keep our eyes on him, a lot of the political stuff [is] put in its proper context.” He and Jason reflect on the ability for God to work through any and every denomination as he sees fit. God can still be doing good in and through a denomination like the RCA, even as they seem to be collapsing. We should be attentive to where the Spirit is at work. As Seth views the reformation in the CRC, his hope is: “Let’s commit to being faithful Christians that have the name of Jesus, not just on our hearts, but also on our lips as well.”