Episode 203: Confessional Renewal—Passing Down Confessional Heritage—Willem de Vries (Part 2)
“I'm seeing resurgence among the younger generations that have a burgeoning desire for the truth…I believe too many of our young people leave the church because of the hypocrisy that they've seen and witnessed in their own parents' lives and in their lives of leaders that they thought they could respect…In the denomination, [there] is a growing desire for authenticity in matters of faith–authenticity and knowing and expressing what we believe [and] to know…express…teach and live out what our creeds and confessions teach…The focus that we've had over the last three years at Synod on this one particular Lord's Day…has opened people's minds and hearts [to see what else is in the confessions].” — Willem de Vries
On this episode of the Messy Reformation, we jump back into Jason’s conversation with Wim (Willem) deVries, pastor of Moline CRC, as they discuss catechism learning strategies. Wim highlights the model being used at Trinity CRC in Sparta is starting out around 3rd grade in a Wednesday after-school program. He sees it, not as indoctrination, but rather as “a fun environment [and] wonderful way to effectively move the next generation into a truth-loving, Christ-adoring, future leadership of the church.” Jason highlights “Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds” by Starr Meade (https://www.amazon.com/Comforting-Hearts-Teaching-Minds-Heidelberg/dp/1596384654), a good devotional that he was influenced by Wim to get and use for family devotions. Wim still uses that with his own family, and it’s a good resource to use before or after sermons on the Catechism that he’s been working through.
Jason moves the conversation to look at the CRCNA and what has Wim noticed recently as encouraging or discouraging. He shares, “I'm seeing resurgence among the younger generations that have a burgeoning desire for the truth…I believe too many of our young people leave the church because of the hypocrisy that they've seen and witnessed in their own parents' lives and in their lives of leaders that they thought they could respect…In the denomination, [there] is a growing desire for authenticity in matters of faith–authenticity and knowing and expressing what we believe [and] to know…express…teach and live out what our creeds and confessions teach…The focus that we've had over the last three years at Synod on this one particular Lord's Day…has opened people's minds and hearts [to see what else is in the confessions].”
There are discouraging things, too, though. “...What I don't see much of is a desire to submit to the church's authority, let alone the word of God…something that we all vow before God to do as members…When Synod calls churches and individuals to repentance for the sake of truth and for the sake of the very gospel of Jesus Christ, and then…you see churches and individuals saying, ‘Oh, they're kicking us out,’ or…they're resigning their positions and turning tail down the road, I lament that repentance is not an option…What they're doing in large part is playing the part of victim instead, and that's from our culture's influence…” Jason shares evidence of at least one church repenting, which both are happy to hear has happened, but wish we would see more.
Jason reminds us that the actions of recent synods towards discipline have been directed toward repentance. Comparing it to parents and children, if the goal isn’t repentance, then your discipline is abuse. We need people to point things out in our lives by way of correction or rebuke, no matter how much we might not like it. There are things we get blind to, and sometimes we need God to put someone in our lives to stop us and encourage us to repent lest we fall into disruption.
They talk a bit about authority and the beauty of the CRC’s structure that people who come outside the denomination have tended to value more than those in it. It is a means of holding leaders accountable and keeping checks and balances. Jason shares that he’s been working through Louis Berkhof and doing some work to be shared about the theological understandings of denominations and why we have what we have.
As they start to head towards the end, they look to the future. Wim shares, “It’s hard to know exactly how God is moving, [but] following him in faithfulness…is crucial, and I think we’re making good strides…On the local level…[get back to and continue] the ordinary means of grace and…the basics of the faith–the preaching of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments, and the proper administration of church discipline...We’ve let some things slide…We’ve relied on certain structures…and other people…There’s a period of time when the Christian Reformed Church was weak and didn’t take care of those basics.”
He brings up two opportunities for listeners to consider in the months ahead that will dive into this. On March 15, 2025, Hillcrest CRC in Hudsonville, MI is hosting “Our Three Forms of Unity,” a training event, which The Messy Reformation is one of the sponsors of. More info can be found : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/our-three-forms-of-unity-tickets-1050672167737. Also, coming up April 28-30, 2025 is our own conference at Green Lake Conference Center, in which The Messy Reformation team will be working through a theology of the church, especially with regard to Bavinck’s writings. More info can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-messy-reformation-conference-the-spiritual-heart-of-a-reformed-church-tickets-1057223366549.
Not just in these events, but in the church and in individuals’ lives, Wim reminds us God is moving. So, his prayer is “...that we will be sensitive to the movement of the Spirit…and continue to trust the Lord…We can be confident that there is nothing that this culture [or] world [or] any of us from within its walls can throw at it to destroy it.”