Episode 161: Gospel Clarity in a Time of Confusion - Repentance and Renewal in the CRC - Jonathan Spronk (Part 2)
“Just because something is punitive does not mean that its end goal is not restorative. These two things are not necessarily mutually exclusive to one another…The end goal of that is not just that they will be punished. The end goal is that we continue to call them back to repentance and into covenant with us and experience the full restoration of what we want in this denomination.” -Willy Krahnke
Summary of this Episode
Jason and Willy are back with Rev. Jonathan Spronk, the senior pastor at First CRC in Oskaloosa, IA. After wrapping up conversation on ways of showing hospitality and inviting people into relationship, Jason probes if Jonathan always planned to be in the CRC. Both he and his wife grew up in the denomination as well as much of his family, though that’s changed over time. He has chosen to remain in the CRC as he has a heart for and sees a future in it.
The desire to do ministry in the CRC is a major part of why he chose to attend Calvin Theological Seminary. While some of his mentors encouraged him to go elsewhere, his pastor recommended CTS as the best place to enter CRC ministry from. While he recognizes there were areas of weakness compared to other seminaries, it was a great blessing to him. He experienced mentoring from people on extreme opposites of the spectrum of him and was able to distinguish things to disagree on and things to learn from. He and Jason agree that CTS provided them with a much better understanding of and connectedness to the Christian Reformed Church.
One of the ways Jonathan has noticed seminary choice tend to pop up is how people will talk throughout the denomination. Those who were not born and raised in the CRC or did not attend CTS tend to be more blunt because they’re not as connected, while those who have been brought up in these institutions know there are so many relationships and so much interconnectedness that they tend to be more careful. He sees that in local churches that are multi– or inter-generational. That characteristic can be a great blessing, but painful matters also tend to affect more than just one or two people.
That leads to a discussion on the place of discipline in local churches and throughout the denomination. Jason connects the way we seek to warn and correct others as being similar to what parents must do with their children. It’s not a fun or joyful thing, and it’s hard to be the one disciplining, but it needs to be done. Jonathan shares his displeasure over how discipline regarding Neland Avenue CRC and Classis Grand Rapids East at the last Synod got brushed over as “punitive,” and therefore, not having a place. Willy captures the feeling of the trio, “Just because something is punitive does not mean that its end goal is not restorative. These two things are not necessarily mutually exclusive to one another…The end goal of that is not just that they will be punished. The end goal is that we continue to call them back to repentance and into covenant with us and experience the full restoration of what we want in this denomination.”
Jonathan points out, “None of us got into ministry or became a delegate to classis or…synod in order to punish people. I don’t want to do that. That’s not my main end goal…But at some level, biblically speaking, it enters in.” Jason references 2 Corinthians 7:8-10, “For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it–though I did regret it, for I see that the letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief…Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
Jonathan follows up with a reality when it comes to attempting discipline: pastors and others carry scars of trying to be bold, loving, and tactful when approaching others about things they shouldn’t or can’t do, and experience them leaving. Those moments feel like “it didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean we don’t keep trying…It wasn’t a failure of the gospel. It wasn’t a failure of our Lord.” Jason adds, “We know that even though we can’t see that it’s ‘working’...faithfulness to God is what works and doing the work that God has called us to.”
As the episode heads toward a close, we get Jonathan’s take at the halfway point between Synods. Jonathan believes those on the progressive side are seeing that the last two Synod meetings are not an anomaly in terms of their decisions and the majority views of the CRC. Some who are moderate or who aim for the CRC to continue as a “big-tent” are seeing that isn’t possible on the current issues. “So, now what?” The CRC is at a crossroads of determining if it is primarily going to be “a cultural identity…or are we primarily a theological denomination.” Jason concurs and shares, “...Unity founded on our doctrines and our theology is what’s going to stand the test of time as cultural winds shift and change. God doesn’t [change], and that means his Word doesn’t, and the theology doesn’t, and there is a foundation that will hold us together in the midst of all of the storms we’re going through.”
Jonathan wraps up by encouraging us and our churches to look for what brings enthusiasm, and to grow and celebrate those things. Despite the weariness, “the Spirit is still at work. Don’t lose sight of that…Continue to work towards that hope and joy that we have,” recognizing there are things not going well, but there are many things that are!