Episode 206: The Role of Prayer, Worship, and Community in Renewal — Robert Van Zanen (Part 1)

“I think that changing culture, perspective, changing approach…is a long process, and figuring out what that means and what works for both the people that are here and then the people that are joining in…as new people come…is a beautiful and wonderful thing. I think in some ways the church renewal work is just the work of the church. It's that work of discipleship and vision casting…I felt a lot of pressure on me…and I have to constantly remind myself it does not depend on me. It depends on God, and I just need to be faithful and do what he's calling me to do and the people of our church need to just be faithful.” — Robert VanZanen

Summary of This Episode

Merry Christmas from The Messy Reformation crew! This week, Jason and WIlly are joined by Rev. Robert Van Zanen, pastor at Restoration CRC in Middleville, MI (southeast of Grand Rapids) where he has served since 2018 as pastor and two years prior to that as a Renewal Lab intern during seminary. Rob grew up the son of missionary parents. He lived where his dad pastored in Romania and Lithuania, before the family moved back to Michigan for his teenage years. He credits his upbringing as helping him understand the importance of ministry as well as making him “internationally-minded.” While he wasn’t planning to go into ministry–education actually, the former Facing Your Future program had a significant impact on bringing his faith from being catechized to making him want to live for Jesus. Rob attended Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary, where a preaching class and the studying and talking about Scripture really pushed him towards pursuing pastoral ministry. He has a conviction to help churches reimagine ministry and reach the next generation and their neighborhoods. 

Given their shared interest in revitalization and renewal, Jason asks for the circumstances that prompted Restoration (then Middleville) CRC to pursue renewal work. Rob shares how the church has seen growth under its former pastor but that had plateaued. The community itself is not a strongly Reformed or Dutch roots community. The combination of the pastor’s upcoming retirement and eventually the pandemic provided a good transition opportunity for reflection and change.

One of the things both of them have learned is that this work is not quick. Rob shares, “I think that changing culture, perspective, changing approach…is a long process, and figuring out what that means and what works for both the people that are here and then the people that are joining in…as new people come…is a beautiful and wonderful thing. I think in some ways the church renewal work is just the work of the church. It's that work of discipleship and vision casting…I felt a lot of pressure on me…and I have to constantly remind myself it does not depend on me. It depends on God, and I just need to be faithful and do what he's calling me to do and the people of our church need to just be faithful.” 

Willy chimes in with the wise perspective, “You win someone to what you win them with…If that's programs and jokes and Cokes, then jokes and Cokes and programs, you must have always. That's just how the formula works. So what would you rather orient your church around–those…not all bad…but…superficial [things] or the ordinary means of grace, which the Lord has given to his church at our disposal every Lord's Day.” Jason agrees. What are we to be good at? “…Discipling people in the world, worshiping, praying, building community with them.”

A special note from this episode: Please pray for the Van Zanens as Rob shares his unborn child has been found to have a severe congenital heart defect, which decreases likelihood of survival through pregnancy and after birth would require multiple stage surgeries. Pray that the Lord would mercifully be at work in the body of this child, and bring comfort to Rob, his wife, and their three-year old daughter in the months to come.