Wherein the General Secretary of the CRCNA suggests the denomination is only now, in 2023, catching up to the promise God gave to Abraham in Genesis 12 because it has more Latino and Korean churches
You’ll get a fuller view of this perspective as you spend more time in the CRC. For the GR establishment, “Diversity” is a romantic idea for 3rd or 4th generation private school Dutch Americans. It’s feeds their hope that they may one day be accepted by other smart liberals uncomfortable outside of their cultural context.
When you get this excursion into The Banner done, you have to read this confessional which references a great old article, “It’s Time to Burn The Wooden Shoes.” I find this mentality fascinating in a Christian and supposedly confessionally Reformed denomination. I think it may be something you have to interact with before you understand why we are where we are.
Speaking as a prospective member, I would have really appreciated more details about this upfront. The church my family started attending was not particularly Dutch and has many members who do not have that Dutch CRC background. This difference between our church and the Grand Rapids churches was something that was touched on in our new members class. But it was never really explained to us what the rest of the denomination was like or what that would mean for us as individuals if we became CRC members.
Honestly, coming at this from an outsider, there really is no way to prepare you for all of it. I have spent years trying to understand it and its subtle variations. In response, have tried hard to pastor my three congregations to be biblically Reformed, not Dutch Reformed. And in the end, that must be the future of the CRC; all members united in the timeless message of God’s word, not what part of Holland our grandparents came from, and what Christian school you graduated from.
You’ll get a fuller view of this perspective as you spend more time in the CRC. For the GR establishment, “Diversity” is a romantic idea for 3rd or 4th generation private school Dutch Americans. It’s feeds their hope that they may one day be accepted by other smart liberals uncomfortable outside of their cultural context.
When you get this excursion into The Banner done, you have to read this confessional which references a great old article, “It’s Time to Burn The Wooden Shoes.” I find this mentality fascinating in a Christian and supposedly confessionally Reformed denomination. I think it may be something you have to interact with before you understand why we are where we are.
https://confessionalouthouse.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/dutch-guilt-editorial-on-an-editorial/
Speaking as a prospective member, I would have really appreciated more details about this upfront. The church my family started attending was not particularly Dutch and has many members who do not have that Dutch CRC background. This difference between our church and the Grand Rapids churches was something that was touched on in our new members class. But it was never really explained to us what the rest of the denomination was like or what that would mean for us as individuals if we became CRC members.
Honestly, coming at this from an outsider, there really is no way to prepare you for all of it. I have spent years trying to understand it and its subtle variations. In response, have tried hard to pastor my three congregations to be biblically Reformed, not Dutch Reformed. And in the end, that must be the future of the CRC; all members united in the timeless message of God’s word, not what part of Holland our grandparents came from, and what Christian school you graduated from.