Episode 176: A New Generation of Reformers - Cultivating Theological Depth in Youth Discipleship - Gavin Schaefer

“You are the church. If you’re a veteran saint, it might be time to empower the young people around you, give them the responsibility they’re called to…Give them something…If you’re a young person…when I say the CRC listens…that doesn’t just mean at the synodical level…Lean into the reality that you are the church…because without you, the church is a social club that only comes with a senior’s discount.” -Gavin Schaefer

Summary of This Episode

Jason and Willy are joined on this episode for the full-length conversation with Gavin Schaefer. Gavin currently lives and works with a church plant in northern Alberta while he continues in MDiv. studies at Calvin Theological Seminary, planning to be ordained in the CRCNA. Jason and Willy met Gavin at Synod 2023, where he was serving as a young adult representative.

Willy asks how he ended up in the CRC and what attracts him to it. Gavin has quite the variety of Christian traditions in his past. His parents raised him in Lutheran and Baptist churches. What brought him to Reformed convictions and finding a home in the Christian Reformed Church was exposure to R.C. Sproul. Gavin shares it was through him that he resonated with TULIP (“five-point Calvinism”) and paedobaptist (infant-baptizing) beliefs. The CRC allows him to “find his place in God’s Kingdom” in an appreciation for our presbyterian-model structure and the culture-engaging theology. Compared to other traditions, he doesn’t see the CRC pitting Christians versus the world and over-limiting personal freedom. He also believes the CRC offers one of the best—most organized—presentations of the gospel. These passions fit well with his current role in serving a congregation as someone who integrates people to serve in the church and the kingdom.  

Jason invites him to share what he learned and experienced at the last Synod. Gavin talks about being nominated by his pastor and he was interested in more exposure to CRC history and culture. Coming to Grand Rapids, he found he was listened to. While he’s on the upper end of the young adult representative age range, he and his fellow young adult reps felt valued and not just considered “the next generation” of the church—no, they are the church right now. He agrees with Jason that the tension rose as the week went on and as things unfolded in the final days, there was a bit of disbelief. He shares the young adult reps somewhat wondered if they had to be the adults in the room. How things played out did not seem to be an adult way of dealing with disagreement. Gavin will be heading back to Synod this year as a young adult representative, where he sees his role as mentoring the first-time young adult representatives.

The guys also spend a bit of time discussing youth ministry and the discipleship of young people. There’s agreement that young people—around junior high age and up—don’t need things dumbed down for them. They are optimistic about the future when they think of the young people they have met or have heard about in terms of faith. Gavin points out that leaders in the church should be ready to help young people answer questions from Scripture. There are things in the world that need to be combatted and we have a rich theological tradition with which to do that. So, when young people ask questions, we don’t have to give vague responses or just tell them to “have faith” as others do. No, God’s Word speaks addresses life in the world today and always.

Gavin points out something he learned from Dr. Michael Heiser in ministry for young people and adults, “If you teach people to think well, you’ve done discipleship well and you’ve done pastoring well.” Jason shares how John Piper has been helpful for him in that area. “Most of his preaching is helping people walk through the thought process of coming to the conclusion he had…You’re teaching them what the passage says, but you’re [also] teaching them how to read their Bible…so that when they go home and they read them, they know how to think through and figure out how to come to proper conclusions.”

Gavin is hopeful about Synod 2024. He doesn’t see the decisions or direction of the last couple of years as unloving. He trusts that God will finish the work he began. “He will purify his church and we will all be better because of it.” He encourages delegates to remember God is sovereign—he’s in control, he has his ways, so we don’t need to freak out. His closing encouragement is for believers—no matter their age—to know and remember, “You are the church. If you’re a veteran saint, it might be time to empower the young people around you, give them the responsibility they’re called to…Give them something…If you’re a young person…when I say the CRC listens…that doesn’t just mean at the synodical level…Lean into the reality that you are the church…because without you, the church is a social club that only comes with a senior’s discount.” There’s a place and a role for each of us.