Episode 235: Synod 2025 — Build Something Better Than Your Complaints — Stephen Terpstra (Part 2)
“Being a pastor [or] missionary is not always comfortable…but somewhere along the way we lost the sense that it’s worth it…Christ is worth it, and the gospel, and the people that Christ has bought with his blood are worth it. They’re worth sacrifice and suffering and going to the ends of the earth. It may be a little bit less comfortable in this life, but what a short life it is anyway…This issue of encouraging people to go into ministry has got to be at the very forefront of what we’re doing the next couple of decades.” —Steven Terpstra
Summary of This Episode
Jason and Willy are back this week with Rev. Stephen Terpstra, senior pastor of First CRC in Orange City, IA and president of Synod 2025. As the focus returns to Synod, Stephen shares that he was most encouraged by the discussions and votes around things like Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) and the binational structure of the CRCNA. While he wasn’t surprised by the outcome of the MAiD discussion, and acknowledges the vote likely would have been the same with little discussion, he appreciated that Synod united around “deploring” the taking of life at any stage and offered wonderful pastoral guidelines. “…We can contribute to the conversation in our culture in a huge way [with] a theology of suffering…because we live in a culture that wants to avoid all suffering…That’s not possible in this world…We can help.”
In the binational discussion, he shares, “…We not only want, but deeply value our unity and the diverse experiences that come with that…from every corner of the continent.” When it comes to governments and borders, Stephen shares, “We speak into the governments of our age, but I don’t want to let them define me…I refuse to let them bring me to despair. I can be really sad about what governments do—and I often am, but they can’t steal my joy because they’re not my savior.”
Stephen points out, as president, these conversations are significant and they need to happen. Jason adds, because Synod is livestreamed and recorded, people are watching. Our small denomination has the chance to speak to the broader world and other denominations. Stephen sees Synod as doing “….leadership and pastoral work as we deliberate, and as we send delegates back home to their classes to relate what happened, and as we think through the issues of our day—which is what Synod is supposed to do. That's how we help each other. We have this collection of wisdom.”
In terms of discouragements, Stephen doesn’t have many things to name. The biggest thing is the shortage of pastors and missionaries, and the attempts and lack thereof to solve that. He puts forth a plea for people to encourage those who are gifted to consider pastoral ministry. “Being a pastor [or] missionary is not always comfortable…but somewhere along the way we lost the sense that it’s worth it…Christ is worth it, and the gospel, and the people that Christ has bought with his blood are worth it. They’re worth sacrifice and suffering and going to the ends of the earth. It may be a little bit less comfortable in this life, but what a short life it is anyway…This issue of encouraging people to go into ministry has got to be at the very forefront of what we’re doing the next couple of decades.”
Stephen shares that he wasn’t necessarily surprised by the virtual church discussion but thinks it likely warranted more discussion and clarity. For him, a significant piece is the regulative principle of worship. He sums that up, “…The church is not just whatever we want it to be. The church is God’s. He defines its boundaries, and he gives its means as I talked about…in my closing sermon. So, I think the idea that we could just make church whatever we want it to be…is dangerous…It’s important that we think really, really deeply, ‘How can we be what God commands and regulates us to be in different contexts?’ That’s a critical conversation…I just don’t want to experiment.” He goes on to share that we need to slow down and have deep conversations on a variety of issues. Whether virtual church or the nature of pastors, elders, deacons, and commissioned pastors, we can’t just take an inexpensive or fast way out.
Looking forward, he encourages us to get back to and get excited about the basics. For example, “I’m not sure that there is 100% unanimity on what the gospel is, and if we get that wrong, then everything falls apart.” He sees things that sometimes get categorized as being abstract theology as having a necessary and practical place for the church. He reminds us, “There’s a doxological element to theology that we miss sometimes…That works itself out in preaching, in new people for ministry, in church planting, global missions—all of it.” He encourages each of us to be encouraged about the direction of the CRC and to be active—not just making snide comments about things we don’t like, but “Do something, lead.”