Episode 166: The Need for Confessional Unity in the CRCNA - Tim Blackmon (Part 1)
“…I’ve grown in my appreciation for how much…we are a covenantal denomination—that we covenant to believe things together, to work together, to worship together, to serve and do ministries together, and to be held accountable…The synod is the place where ideas and policies are discussed and ideas matter—ideas have legs. I felt like if there is something that I can do, even in the smallest possible ways to highlight or to reinforce the very things that I have loved about Christian Reformed theology and its tradition for the last 30 years—if there's something that I can do to help revive that and encourage the flourishing of that and I felt like I can at least do my little part and serve in a little committee.” -Tim Blackmon
Summary of This Episode
Welcome back to the Messy Reformation podcast where Jason is joined this week by Rev. Tim Blackmon, pastor of Second CRC in Grand Haven, MI. He previously pastored congregations in Moreno Valley, CA, Folsom, CA (which he planted), and The Hague, Netherlands, as well as serving as chaplain at Wheaton College. While born in the Netherlands and not knowing the CRC even existed for much of his life prior to ministry, there are familiar aspects that we’ve heard from others.
Tim studied in France at what he describes as a classical, evangelical, non-denominational Bible college that educated people from a variety of nationalities who were seeking to be pastors typically in Europe and Africa. Part of his education required him to write a catechism or credo-type statement, and he began looking for a Baptist systematic theology since that’s what he was raised in. What he found instead was Louis Berkhof, and in his writing, he found coherent, theologically consistent, robust answers that fit him. His awareness of Calvin Theological Seminary came as a result of seeing Berkhof had been the president there. His subsequent awareness of the Christian Reformed Church came by learning his CTS classmates were on track for ordination in this denomination. Whereas he considers himself to be an adult convert to Reformed theology and saw it as a new and exciting treasure, he was surprised his classmates did not share the same zeal.
Jason probes Tim’s thoughts about the reason behind that—especially as he comes from the Netherlands, where a lot of our theological tradition places its origins. He sees it as a result of assimilation—the move from the old country to the new country connects with a dissociation of the culture and ethos of the old and a seeming need to adopt new ways. “I think…there was an intrinsically different way of doing church in the Reformed tradition that when you put it in a different context, particularly American…which loves the theater and the spectacle and…bigness and muchness and greatness, there is this identity struggle…Frankly, I think in some cases it leads to a loss of identity and…some self-loathing of where we've come from and an attempt to reinvent ourselves in the new country. I think that's part of it.”
Having shared that when he returned to the Hague, it was not only the church he grew up in, but also where he preached his first sermon at age 16, Jason sets Tim up to share some of how he discerned his call to ministry. Tim recognizes that age in his life as being a massive time of conversion. He was raised in the church, but that’s when he recognized a rebirth. He was being discipled intentionally by a youth pastor, who presented the opportunity to give the message at a youth service. Tim didn’t have to give much thought—he was willing, and when he walked out that morning, he knew this was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life and turned towards theological education.
As the episode is wrapping up, Jason jumps the conversation to Synod 2023, where they met while serving on the same advisory committee. This was Tim’s first synod, and he shares why he wanted to go: “…I’ve grown in my appreciation for how much…we are a covenantal denomination—that we covenant to believe things together, to work together, to worship together, to serve and do ministries together, and to be held accountable…The synod is the place where ideas and policies are discussed and ideas matter—ideas have legs. I felt like if there is something that I can do, even in the smallest possible ways to highlight or to reinforce the very things that I have loved about Christian Reformed theology and its tradition for the last 30 years—if there's something that I can do to help revive that and encourage the flourishing of that and I felt like I can at least do my little part and serve in a little committee.”
They spend some time talking about their committee’s seemingly impossible task when there were so many different overtures to comb through and for Jason to facilitate well. While Tim shares lightly that he at times wanted Jason to speak from his convictions a bit more in committee, he deeply admired the space he made for all members to work and deliberate together toward their report. The episode ends as we hear a similar sentiment to last time—perhaps the delay on discussing gravamen to 2024 is beneficial for giving it the time it deserves.