Episode 165: Christ at the Center - The Heart of Reformation - Victor Laarman (Part 2)

“…Reformation…[is all about] keeping Christ front and center, being filled with awe at what our Savior did for us and who he is in his humility and in his glory, and exalting Christ in your life…It’s about keeping it simple. I think the church will grow when we value getting together for worship in-person, when we value opening God’s Word and being willing to come with the attitude ‘This is Christ speaking to us, and even if I don’t fully get it or it rubs me the wrong way, I’m going to trust Christ that he knows what he’s saying,” and prayer…for God’s kingdom to come more fully in the world, in our lives…[and] for Christ to be glorified in our church and through our church and that it may grow.” -Victor Laarman

Summary of This Episode

Jason and Willy are back this week with Rev. Victor Laarman, pastor of Collingwood CRC in Ontario. The conversation picks up on the strengths of in-person corporate worship and the shortcomings of virtual-only “church.” Jason points out our current culture has people feeling loss from not having strong personal interactions and relationships, and while there’s a recognition that we need in-person fellowship, many are continuing to build virtual networks. “The end game of the…virtual ‘church’ is that it would start meeting in the metaverse…People would be meeting at ‘church’ with [virtual reality] goggles on and ‘interacting with’ people that way. There’s a bigger thing going on here—that’s disembodying us.” Victor agrees that such things cannot provide a true substitute for the rich fellowship that people are looking for. He shares the idea that there is a pandemic of loneliness.  

Jason connects these thoughts with the CRC’s practice of public profession of faith. Young people sometimes wonder why it’s necessary—isn’t our faith and its practice a personal and individual thing, “just me and Jesus”? His answer is no! “It’s [also] about you and the body of Christ…This church promised at your baptism that they would raise you in the fear and nurture of the Lord, that you would be part of this body…[So, part of publicly celebrating that does show] this [communal] aspect to the faith…and Jesus…saved you to be part of his body.” Victor adds the public expression also functions as a beautiful example and even ministry to younger kids are who looking up to their peers and seeing their public faith. Willy expands on our covenantal beliefs—public profession of faith allows us to highlight what God’s been doing. “It’s not just about me and my Bible, alone, by myself. It's about this communion of saints that he's provided me with that can be holding me accountable, that I can be contributing my gifts to, and I can submit myself to local elders.” Recognizing different traditions have different practices based on different views, they have a good conversation about personal doctrinal convictions and gracious ecumenism among Christians.

The discussion changes directions to spend some time discussing the last Synod and the upcoming Synod, which delegates are being chosen for. Victor really did enjoy his Synod experience last year and the CRC “staying the course” on marriage and sexuality. “That’s one of those things—being a contrast-community in the world, we have something more beautiful and wonderful in Scripture around sexuality than the world offers, and we need to hold onto that.” He also appreciated being among people that are more like-minded than the typically more progressive culture of southern Ontario. At the same time, he was discouraged by the pacing of Synod and the unseating at the close of last year’s meeting. He will not be heading to Synod 2024, but both he and Jason see some potential benefit to the delayed business of gravamen/gravamina as this year will have to give it its necessary time.

Being Canadian, he shares a little about his impressions of the “Toward a Canadian CRC” group. Over the last several months, this group of people who are interested in some separation of the Canadian part of the CRC from the US has been more public on Facebook. Victor sees it as tragic and hurtful, but also unlikely to happen in a massive and quick way. Our polity would require each council voting to separate from the current denomination, and it would further diminish the Canadian voice and presence in the CRCNA. So, any real movement is unlikely in the near future.

Victor offers a beautiful conclusion to this episode: “…Reformation…[is all about] keeping Christ front and center, being filled with awe at what our Savior did for us and who he is in his humility and in his glory, and exalting Christ in your life…It’s about keeping it simple. I think the church will grow when we value getting together for worship in-person, when we value opening God’s Word and being willing to come with the attitude ‘This is Christ speaking to us, and even if I don’t fully get it or it rubs me the wrong way, I’m going to trust Christ that he knows what he’s saying,” and prayer…for God’s kingdom to come more fully in the world, in our lives…[and] for Christ to be glorified in our church and through our church and that it may grow.”