Episode 204: The Hospitality of Building a Joyful Church Community — Bob Pollema (Part 1)

"Church should be a place where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came…Relationships and listening are key to building a healthy, growing church…A welcoming church culture means being intentional about opening up circles to include newcomers.” — Bob Pollema

Summary of This Episode

On The Messy Reformation this week, Jason and WIlly are joined by Rev. Bob Pollema, pastor at Faith CRC in Sioux Center, IA, where he has served for about the last 9 years. He previously planted and pastored a church in Las Vegas, NV as well as the pastored at Bunde CRC (MN). Early in the conversation, Bob shares that he grew up just down the road from where he is now, so there is a lot of familiarity with Sioux Center and the Dordt University community, which is also where his wife teaches. 

Bob’s joyfulness is evident, and that is something he also sees in the church he’s serving. There is a lot to be joyful about in terms of members joining and families growing in the congregation as well as recent building projects to expand space. The new stage in life he finds himself in–parenting adult children–has been a catalyst to start a BIble study with others who are also at that stage in life that’s been beneficial. While things are really good overall, he and Faith have also experienced some dark and sorrowful parts of ministry in recent years. He’s seen personal and communal growth through those times.

We hear a little bit about his journey to ministry. He initially thought he wanted to be a game warden, but through his now wife’s involvement in missions, he started getting more plugged into ministry work. He spent time in Central America, and over time saw God preparing and confirming him for ministry. 

Bob has the unique context of pastoring in a college town, which Jason asks what that’s like. He’s quite honest–he’s been able to see “waves” of attendance that change from year to year. He definitely enjoys meeting new people, and so college students who attend during the academic year is a highlight of his ministry. With Dordt continuing to increase in enrollment, most of the Sioux Center-area churches get to see students.  As far as ministry, they seek to involve them in worship as well as providing opportunities for fellowship and Bible study as well as to serve in the church’s ministries. However, they also work to find a balance–they’re primary ministry is with the community, not just to Dordt.  

Being in a town and area with multiple Christian Reformed congregations near each other, Bob is grateful for camaraderie with fellow pastors. There is friction at times over things that happen at Synod or life, but overall it’s good. He points out, though, that those relationships don’t go as deep as he might like. He wonders if there is opportunity for better openness, accountability, and support among them. This brings up the idea of a classical regional pastor. Some classes have these–someone who pastor the pastors or at least be a “safe place” to hear somebody’s heart, as Bob describes it. Jason shared that’s something he’s tried to work on through revitalization efforts, but it may require some more formal efforts. Life is hard and pastoring is hard, this could be really beneficial. Come back next week for the rest of the conversation!