Episode 234: Synod 2025 — Unashamedly Embracing Our Reformed Identity — Stephen Terpstra (Part 1)
“…The Boomers were in charge for a really long time—an outsized amount of time relative to generational change…Their idea of openness became more and more an idea of deconstruction…to almost eventually say, ‘We're so sorry that we believe something. We'll stop it; we'll just believe what you believe or not believe anything at all’…Somehow uncertainty is a virtue…There's this giant philosophical confusion…But we do have a God, and…he has revealed himself reliably and fully. And what he revealed, therefore, can be truly and certainly known. And that's what the world needs. And that's what we have to offer. And I hope that's the direction we head in increasingly.” —Stephen Terpstra
Summary of This Episode
This week on the Messy Reformation podcast, Jason and Willy are joined by Rev. Stephen Terpstra (previously interviewed on episodes 85-86). Stephen is now the senior pastor of First CRC in Orange City, IA after twelve years of pastoring at Borculo CRC in Michigan. He was delegated by Classis Heartland and served as president of Synod 2025. He also served as the vice-president of Synod 2024.
The conversation begins with what Stephen’s experience of being president was like and then comparing the two roles. He shares it was an honor to be chosen, but it’s also a bit frustrating as he doesn’t get to engage content or debate on the floor as much. He describes it as somewhat of a rules enforcer and facilitator role. Serving as the vice-president helped him to have a basic understanding of the procedure, relationships, and functions, but there are certainly differences. Rather than spending time in an assigned advisory committee, he floated around to various committees. This allowed him to be aware of what would be coming to the floor, to see progress being made, and encouraging carefully-worded reports to help conversation move freely.
He describes the work of officers as both tiring and joyful. Stephen shares a lot of what’s involved is answering questions to help the delegates. He considers meals with various delegates and groups on behalf of synod as a highlight. He believes the increased participation of people from diverse backgrounds in the synod proceedings may be helped by the interactions with and encouraging by officers and others. While some have knocked synods for a lack of diversity, he sees an increasing comfortableness and visibility among the delegates from minority backgrounds in recent years.
Jason asks what Stephen’s overall view of Synod 2025 was. He shares that he was encouraged. That doesn’t mean everyone agreed on everything or that it went the way he would have liked, but Stephen sensed a growing “confessional integrity.” He shares, “Everybody who was there seemed content with where we are and…looking to the future. So, now the question was not so much, ‘Are we going to theologically go this way or that way?’…The question was, ‘What is the wisest thing we can do to move the ball forward?’…I think this was a synod of trying to find wisdom for how…we take the next steps.”
The three spend quite a bit of time at the end of this episode talking about the shifting theological culture of the CRC. Stephen suggests, “…The Boomers were in charge for a really long time—an outsized amount of time relative to generational change…Their idea of openness became more and more an idea of deconstruction…to almost eventually say, ‘We're so sorry that we believe something. We'll stop it; we'll just believe what you believe or not believe anything at all’…Somehow uncertainty is a virtue…There's this giant philosophical confusion…But we do have a God, and…he has revealed himself reliably and fully. And what he revealed, therefore, can be truly and certainly known. And that's what the world needs. And that's what we have to offer. And I hope that's the direction we head in increasingly.” They share some of the treasures or theological giants in or connected to the CRC that we should easily get excited by, as those in other traditions do. Perhaps we’re nearing a day when we aren’t afraid to appreciate them.