I am deeply grateful for the invitation extended to me by the Holland-Zeeland Chapter of Reformed Fellowship to address you tonight. It was in the spring of 1951 while I was a student at Grand Rapids Christian High School that Dr. Leonard Greenway, one of the founders of the Reformed Fellowship gave me a complimentary copy of the first issue of the Torch and Trumpet which we know today as THE OUTLOOK. I quickly became a subscriber to the periodical and have through the years developed an ever growing appreciation for the commitment of the Reformed Fellowship to the precious heritage which is ours as members of the Reformed community.

A Symbolic Family

Tonight I have been assigned the topic: “AFTER 125 YEARS, WHERE ARE WE?” I invite you to recall a time in the history of God’s people when decadence had set in. The people called by God’s name were becoming hard of heart and were turning away from the worship and service of God. When dangers threatened them, they entered into alliances with godless surrounding nations. But God will not let His people go unwarned. He has raised up a prophet for such a time as this. The prophet, Isaiah, is instructed to make a large sign that could be posted in a prominent place where the people passing by could read God’s message to them. On the billboard which was probably made of stone was to be written: MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ: SWIFT IS THE BOOTY, SPEEDY IS THE PREY. It is a message of judgement. The message is to be reinforced by having Isaiah’s second son bear the same name as that to be inscribed upon the sign (Isaiah 8).

Now Isaiah having received two sons from the Lord s ays: HERE AM I AND THE CHILDREN THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME. WE ARE SIGNS AND SYMBOLS FROM THE LORD ALMIGHTY WHO DWELLS ON MOUNT ZION. Isaiah and his sons, dwelling among a people who were forgetting God and following after false security, were a constant reminder of approaching judgement but also of mercy that would be shown to them.

I suggest to you that the Christian Reformed Church was raised up 125 years ago by the Lord Almighty to be a sign and symbol, a witness to the sovereign grace of God, but also to His righteous judgement.

Our Church Growth

That church which had its beginning in 1857 when four small congregations broke away from the Reformed Church in America now numbers 756 congregations. Thea Van Halsema in her book, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH” estimates that there were probably 250 adult members in the newly founded denomination. That number has grown to 180,000 professing members, who along with the baptized members bring the membership of the Christian Reformed Church to nearly 300,000.

   

The church which had its beginning here in the colony now has a mission outreach into 18 countries. The two mission efforts which we support in Nigeria and with which we have been concerned for over 40 years have a total of 350,000 church attenders, a number larger than our own membership.

The home mission outreach extends throughout the United States and Canada with 2,400 families worshipping in Home Mission Churches each Sunday. . .

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee plans to disburse over. six and a half million dollars in programs of material and physical relief during the next 12 months.

The Back to God Hour, the radio voice of the Christian Reformed Church is carried on some two hundred stations throughout our land. The message of the Back to God Hour also goes forth in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian languages.

We could also talk about the system of Christian education on elementary, high school and college levels founded and supported by the Christian Reformed people. And it would not be idle boasting to say that this system, in academic excellence, is second to none.

We may also refer to Christian agencies and institutions of mercy which have been established and which are generously supported by the people called Christian Reformed.

The Lord has indeed done great things among us during the past 125 years, with a people whom He has raised up to be signs and symbols.

Gijsbert Haan’s Concerns

Let us go back 125 years to the year 1857. Dr.

D.H. Kromminga in his book, THE CHRISTIAN REFORMED TRADITION, tells us about Elder Gijsbert Haan who arrived in Michigan after residing for 2 years in New York and New Jersey. Elder Haan soon became an influential personage in the life of the immigrants who had come to the new world looking for new freedoms and new opportunities. Kromminga tells us about Elder Haan’s concerns: “He had found many pastors and elders of the Reformed Church who made no secret of their membership in the lodge. He had seen a minister and an elder of the Reformed Church take part in a Methodist communion service. He had noticed that a collection of hymns was displacing the Psalms in public worship and that choir singing was silencing congregational singing. He had observed the displacement of catechetical instruction by the Sunday School and of indoctrination by instruction in Bible History and he clearly forecast the disastrous results.” Kromminga adds: “Haan evidently had a remarkably correct picture of the leveling influence of American interdenominational fellowship.”

Let’s look at Haan’s concerns some 125 years later.

He was concerned about the matter of lodge membership. I well recall a minister delegate to the 1982 synod of the Christian Reformed Church saying in a committee meeting of which I was a part that at every communion service in his church they have lodge members at the communion table. This I am afraid is not an isolated case.

Haan was concerned because of participation in ecumenical services. Some time ago a member of my consistory gave me a newsclipping concerning a service in a Christian Reformed Church in a neighboring city in which a Roman Catholic priest was a participant. A colleague in the ministry told me of preaching this past summerin a Christian Reformed Church which had had a joint daily vacation Bible School with the neighboring Roman Catholic Church. And I have recently heard of another church which for several years has been involved in the same practice.

That the hymns have displaced the Psalms in many churches can be readily seen by reading the bulletins of various churches. How often the song selections are from the hymnal rather than from the Psalter.

Article 64, c of the Church Order says that: “The Heidelberg Catechism and its compendium shall be the basis of instruction” of the youth of the church. However you know as well as I how little attention is given to the Catechism and its compendium in the present Bible Way Curriculum officially adopted and produced by our denomination‘s Board of Publication.

This is where we are in regard to the concerns of Elder Haan some one hundred twenty-five years later.

But let us continue: In 1976 Classis Grand Rapids East approved for ordination a young man who had already taught for 3 years at Calvin Seminary and who was at that time teaching in a neighboring college, a position which he still holds. The candidate under consideration denied that the serpent spoke to Eve as reported in Genesis 3 and added that he believed that the earthquake reported in Matthew 28:2 should be understood as an eschatological symbol and not necessarily as a fact. In response to the protests and appeals that followed, Dr. Verhey was found to be in harmony with Report 44, the infamous. report of the Synod of 1972 which Dr. De Koster so aptly characterized as an attempt to mix water and oil.

Then in 1981 we read in the ACTS ofSYNOD that a committee appointed by the Board of Trustees of Calvin College and Seminary to study the view of Professor John Stek, against whose classroom teaching in regard to the historicity of Adam and Eve a protest had been lodged by a student, has concluded “That Professor Stek’s present theory brings him into conflict with the church’s standing confessional view of significant elements in these Genesis narratives” (Acts of Synod 1981, p. 148). We have never been informed that Professor Stek’s view has changed, yet he continues to teach at Calvin Seminary.

A letter dated February 12, 1982 was sent to each consistory in the Christian Reformed Church. The letter states: “The members of the Calvin Seminary Faculty without exception believe that Adam and Eve were created by God and are our first parents. They further accept the reality of an historical fall as recorded in the Scriptures.” The student who was rejected by the Synod of 1981 although recommended by the faculty.and defended on the floor of Synod by two faculty members of the Seminary, writes in the Banner of August 23, 1982, “Since that time, games have been played with the word “Historical.” The word has acquired such broad meaning that every professor at Calvin Seminary can affirm the “historical Adam,” though it is not very likely that all of them read the Genesis accounts as straightforward history. To this date not one voice, to the best of my knowledge, has been raised in public from Calvin Seminary challenging the judgement of Mr. Liboldt which was widely disseminated through the August 23 Banner article.

That too shows where we are after 125 years. We consider the matter of women in office. I have in my study a copy of the letter written by Dr. Melvin Hugen, a member of the faculty at Calvin Seminary, which he addressed to the Synod of 1978 pleading for t he candidacy of a woman graduate of the seminary. He concludes saying: “I urge you, the 1978 Synod, to accede to the appeal of the church of the Servant and present Marchiene Rienstra to the churches as a candidate for the ordained ministry. I also urge you to make such changes as are necessary in the Church Order.” Although the request was denied, later when Mrs. Rienstra was ordained in another denomination, two of our Calvin Seminary faculty members participated in her ordination.

Our own seminary is offering a scholarship equivalent to one year’s tuition to women wishing to pursue studies in the seminary’s M. Div program. That program is the one prescribed for those preparing for the ministry of the Word and Sacraments in the Christian Reformed Church.

I have a bulletin from a Grand Rapids Christian Reformed Church which has a distinguished history. The bulletin contains an announcement informing the congregation that they are going to proceed with the commissioning of adjunct elders and then the names of 3 women are listed. Among the duties of the adjunct elders is that of family visiting and the serving of the Lord’s Supper. This is now being done by women.

On my desk is a booklet described as A PROPOSAL AND POSITION PAPER prepared by the council of a Christian Reformed Church in a western state. The booklet which was distributed to the members of the congregation in the spring of 1982 proposes that the congregation should approve the nomination of women to the office of deacon. On page 7 of the booklet we read: “Given who we are as the church, it seems that we can proceed with very little conflict in the church. Thus we have the potential of modeling for the denomination how this can be done. We would share with them both the process and results of having women in the office of deacon.”

On page 8 of the same booklet the question is raised: “Will it create a difficult situation in our relationship with the denomination if we do elect women deacons?” The answer is as follows: “We have been very concerned to create more awareness of denomination ministries and more identification with the denomination. We will continue to do this. If we go ahead according to our information we would be joining 22 other churches who are doing the same thing for the same reasons. It would not severely jeopardize our relationship with Classis. It would not threaten our Grant-In-Aid administered by the Home Mission Board.” The proposal was adopted and the church has proceeded to ordain women as deacons contrary to the decision of the Synod.

This too is the Christian Reformed Church 125 years later. A church richly blessed by God and yet a church which is in danger of losing her heritage and the blessing of the Lord because she in far too many instances is being influenced by the spirit of the age rather than guided by the Spirit of God.

What Must Be Done?

First, we must pray! I want no one here to think that this is a trite statement or a pie in the sky panacea which really doesn’t make any difference. Recently I received a letter from the executive director of one of our denominational agencies in which he questions if the Christian Reformed Church has ever really taken seriously the importance of prayer and the tremendous difference it makes in the life of the church and her ministry. I believe the question raised in the letter is a legitimate one. God revealed to Abraham that He was willing and ready to spare the cities of the plain for the sake of 10 righteous who would be found therein. Think of the tremendous blessing which we could look for if all the members of the church who love the Lord, who accept the Bible as the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God and who treasure the Reformed Faith would unite in consecrated prayer to God on behalf of our church and her leadership. Recently the October issue of the Banner of Truth magazine came into our home. I read from p. 18 and following:

“Prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit should also be made: ‘We have reserved for this place a point which appears to us to be second to no other in its bearing on this branch of our subject; we mean family-prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. The duty and privilege of such prayer, in general, are acknowledged by every pious heart. We desire to call attention to the necessity of such prayer, as a part of daily household worship. A church is already in a state of revival when all its praying families are thus engaged in sincerity. But in the coldest times, those that fear the Lord should make conscience of bearing this matter on their hearts before God, amidst their families. Immense power is thus added to the public ministry of the Word.’ How much more would our children grow in appreciation for the church if they heard Mom and Dad praying earnestly for its well-being and advancement?”

Secondly, elders must take their calling seriously. Art. 24 of the Church Order states: “The elders, with the minister shall have supervision over the congregation and their fellow office-bearers, exercising admonition and discipline and seeing to it that everything is done decently and in order.” It is my contention that rriuch of the deviation from and weakening of our Reformed position is due to the leadership, those men who are responsible for the theological instruction of our ministers and those men who are ordained to office in the Christian Reformed Church and to whom our membership look for guidance.

The elders must assume their responsibility of supervising the life and doctrine of the minister.

They must scrutinize the practices and programs introduced by ministers into the life of the church. The late Professor Martin Monsma in the REVISED CHURCH ORDER COMMENTARY writes: “The elders should give particular heed to the ministers of the Gospel. It is of prime importance that these preach and teach correctly and effectively and that their labors are performed in all faithfulness . . . Error, disloyalty and neglect may not be tolerated in any office-bearer. That would be contrary to God’s Word and would undermine the very foundations of the churches.”

Far too much liberty has been exercised both in the pulpit and in the classroom of the church without regard for the principles of worship laid down in the Word and in defiance of the requirements of the Church Order. It is the task of the elders to exercise such supervision that neither the Word of God or the Church Order are violated.

There is a responsibility which rests upon every member of the church. We sometimes feel helpless and frustrated because there seems to be so little that can be done to halt the erosion of standards within the church. Let each member assume his responsibility in his home church. If you have concerns, if you have objections because you believe that preaching or teaching or practice in your church is contrary to the Word of God, to our Reformed Confessions or to the Church Order, let your elders know. Let them know that you expect them as the representatives of Christ Jesus to guard well that treasure which has been entrusted to their care.

Third: Several weeks ago my wife and I made a memorable trip to Iowa. We attended the first convocation of the Mid-America Reformed Seminary. What a thrill, what a blessing it was to share the fellowship of several hundred persons from fourteen different states who are committed to a high view of Scripture, who deeply love the Reformed Faith and who desire a strong preaching ministry for the Christian Reformed Church and who are willing to pray, to work and to give generously that such a ministry may be a reality.

I am not suggesting for one moment that we should desire the Mid-America Reformed Seminary to displace or to replace Calvin Seminary. I am a graduate of Calvin Seminary. I treasure the influence which some of her men have had upon my life and ministry. One of the reasons for which I am grateful for the birth of Mid-America Reformed Seminary and for which I give thanks to God, is the potential influence of the Mid-America Reformed Seminary upon Calvin Seminary. I am hopeful and I pray that the appearance of the new school will persuade the leadership of our church that not all are happy with the trend in the church and in her institutions. The leadership in the church must be reminded that there are thousands who desire the preservation of our Reformed heritage with its strong emphasis upon the Word of God.

I believe that there are some within the upper echelons of the denomination who tremble at the appearance of Mid-America Reformed Seminary. I believe that was evidenced by the unwarranted attack upon Mid-America Reformed Seminary by the editor of The Banner of April 19, 1982. It is interesting that recently a member of our Fellowship wrote a letter to the editor of The Banner in regard to the Clayton Liboldt situation. The letter appeared in the October 4, 1982 issue of the paper over the signature of Donald Blauuw. Omitted from the letter were two important concluding statements one of which was as follows: “ISN’T IT ALSO TIME THAT WE LOOK AT THE NEW MID-AMERICA REFORMED SEMINARY and give prayerful consideration to the importance of this institution?” And the writer concludes “I THINK SO!” The letter was well within space limits and yet this statement which was the heart of the letter was omitted. WHY? It was all right for the editor to ridicule the founding of Mid-America Reformed Seminary and to call into question the integrity of her founders but to print a request for prayer was denied. I think there is fear, great fear of what God could accomplish through Mid-America Reformed Seminary.

To me the establishment of the new school is an indication that God has not forgotten our Church but is mindful of the desire of many humble saints within her membership who wish to remain faithful to Him and to His Word and to the heritage which He has given. And therefore I ask, as did brother Blauuw in the unprinted portion of his letter, that you give prayerful consideration to the importance of this institution.

Not all here tonight were able to hear the magnificent address given by Dr. L. Greenway at the annual meeting of Reformed Fellowship several weeks ago. Dr. Greenway told a poignant story concerning the deathbed of Professor Samuel Volbeda who taught for many years at Calvin Seminary. Professor Volbeda’s son was sitting next to his father’s bed. The professor turned to his son and said, “Casey, if you live another twenty-five years, you will not recognize the Christian Reformed Church.” Twenty-five years have passed and many changes have taken place, possibly not as many as the professor had expected, but there is cause for concern, great concern. Each member who loves the Word and the church founded upon that Word must take seriously the fact that we have been placed here for a sign and symbol and must seek to preserve the heritage which is ours.

We cannot and we must not tolerate the presence of compromise and the continued weakening of our Reformed heritage, lest 25 years from now our sons and our daughters, reared in homes where the Word is held in high esteem and the Reformed Faith is considered God’s gift to us, should no longer be able to find a place in the church which you and I love and which was founded by our forefathers at such great sacrifice.

Note: Arthur Besteman is the pastor of the North Street Christian Reformed Church of Zeeland, Michigan, and the secretary of the Reformed Fellowship. This is his address on Nov. 18, 1982 at a meeting sponsored by the Holland-Zeeland Chapter of the Reformed Fellowship in the North Street Church.