Introduction

In this series of articles on Church growth in the Christian Reformed Churches around the world we can also include an analysis of a sister church to which the CRC has historical, ethnic, theological and ecclesiastical ties. Like the CRC, the GKN is a product of the Afscheiding (Secession) of 1834 and the Doleantie (Kuyper) movement of 1886, when certain Reformed Christians within the state church of the Netherlands separated from t he state church and formed their own congregations. The separation or secession was due to many factors which included the liberal and oppressive hierarachical condition of the state church, as well as the pietistic and independent spirit of the seceders. The Doleantie added a rational and culturally progressive dimension to the secession churches. The CRC, which came into formal existence in 1857, is also a by–product of the Afshceiding and Doleantie, as the bulk of its membership were Dutch and Reformed immigrants.

Historically, the Dutch state church (Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk: NHK) was considered liberal in her deviations from Biblical and Reformed standards, while the GKN was considered more conservative and orthodox in her interpretations of Scripture and confession. That traditional view has radically changed. Now one finds conservatives within both the NHK and GKN as well as many liberals. Both churches are theologically split. Conservatives with the NHK are organized in fellows hips such as the Gereformeerde Bond (Reformed Fellowship) or individual churches take it upon themselves to call orthodox ministers and perpetuate orthodoxy at the local level. In the GKN there seems to be very little organization among the conservatives.

The curse of theological pluralism within the denominations has crippled the church. Its condition reminds one of the words of Jesus:

“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand” (Mt. 12:25).

One finds regrouping taking place within t he denomination, as well as outside of these denominational walls. Churches such as the Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken (CGK), Gereformeerde Gemeenten (GG), Oude Gereformeerde (OG), find their roots in the NHK, while the Gereformeerde Kerken (vrijgemaakt), both the Binnen Verbond and the Buiten Verbond find t heir roots in the GKN. It seems that this process of splitting has proceded far enough to provide the Dutch Reformed Christian with a smorgasbord variety of religious and reformed expressions to suit his taste.

Religious pluralism has come into the Reformed Churches not only over conservative doctrinal hairsplitting, but also because of the lack of discipline against liberalism. Liberal teachings which openly deny the truth of Scripture and the integrity of the confessions are allowed to remain within the confines of the church (GKN). Men such as Wiersinga and Kuitert remain in the denomination without being disciplined and attract a following of ministers, members and even churches. Secular notions concerning evolution, humanism, and communism (to name the obvious) are well engrained in the Church. Liberalism is heard from the pulpits. At a service which I attended the preacher informed the congregation (on the basis of Psalm 1:1, and Mt. 25) that it did not matter whether we were Jewish, Christian, Muslim or whatever; as long as we did what was right, that was good enough. He continued by saying: “Het is niet wat je gelooft maar wat je doet” (It is not what you believe but what you do). Then came the gospel call: “Do mee, Do mee, Do mee” (participate, participate, participate). When the preacher finished preaching it was disappointing to see the elder shake his hand (which is the traditional sign that the sermon was acceptable) and together with the minister walk out of the door to the consistory room. It is understandable that preachers deliver liberal sermons (The CRC is not immune to that either.), but it is far more serious that the elder s do not discern what is gospel and what is cheap grace. If the elder cannot discipline the preaching of the Word, then the true administration (and meaning) of the sacraments, as well as the exercise of discipline will falter. A complete reversal is taking place within the GKN. The factors of liberalism, hierarchical oppression, and apathy which caused the seceders to form new churches, are now clearly manifested within the GKN.

What has happened within the GKN? There are many ways in which to analyze this question and, depending on ones own presuppositions to give a variety of answers. The presuppositions in this article will be the Biblical teachings as found in the 3 forms of unity of the Reformed Churches. The instruments used to analyze the above question are church growth statistics in which we find evidences as to how the Church is growing and why she is growing this way. Church growth is measured by gathering statistics on evangelism growth, transfer membership growth, natural growth and total numerical growth. The information was gathered while on a trip to the Netherlands when it was possible to purchase a 1980 Yearbook, read articles, interview and speak with members, office-bearers and ministers. For an outsider to the GKN it is difficult to make a detailed analysis but for a member of Christ’s Church it is possible to know what’s going on in the Christian Church universal, due to its common basis. The statistics cited are from the 1980 Yearbook which contains the 1978 information. The interpretation of the statistics will indicate what is happening within the GKN and what would be applicable to 1979 and 1980.

   

Evangelism Growth (EG)

According to the 1980 Yearbook of the GKN, evangelism growth was minimal, which suggests that the GKN is neglecting her evangelistic responsibilities.

The irony that is portrayed in the Yearbook is that only 470 adult baptisms were recorded in a church with a membership of over 866,000. A total of 593 members came to the GKN from non–church backgrounds. Added to this irony is the fact that 13,000–14,000 members were actively involved in the GKN evangelism programs. Even though there is interest in doing evangelism, the GKN records a minimal amount of converts from outside of the church.

The traditional definition for evangelism in t he GKN was “the proclamation of the gospel to them who are estranged from the gospel” (Yearbook, “Jaaroverzicht,” pg. 520). More specifically this refers to the non–church people. The GKN has outreaches to Muslims, 3rd world students and Surinamers. Efforts and plans are being made to reach the growing number of non–church people in the Netherlands as well. However, despite all the programs and good intentions, the adult baptism figure stands at 470.

Perhaps some will say that converts are not important, and that as long as there is a witness in Word or Deed, the rest is up to God. This is not the experience of a healthy Body of Christ. A healthy Church plants but also harvests. (Acts 2:41) Perhaps the harvest is not the same in every church, but there must be a harvest. Is the GKN able to receive new Christian converts into her churches? Will new converts be filled with the milk and meat of the gospel?

There is an attempt to redefine evangelism (Yearbook, “Jaaroverzicht,” p. 520) as witness in life–style, good deeds and working together. The emphasis is more on Deed than Word ministry. Hopefully the Church will recover her Word ministry and keep the balance between Deed and Word. We must always realize that good works are prepared by the Lord so we can carry them out. The recipients of the ‘good works’ should know where these blessings are coming from and why (Eph. 2:10, Romans 2:4).

Another area of evangelism toward which the Church is starting to direct itself is among the baptized members who have left the church. The Yearbook reports 1896 baptized members leaving the GKN. As one member of the GKN put it: “Before we can expect to evangelize in the world we must evangelize in the church . . .”

Evangelism within the church is necessary before evangelism to the world can be properly and fruitfully practised. The Yearbook reports that some members within the GKN present an obstacle to evangelism in that they either don’t know the gospel or they are not interested in the gospel or they are against the content of the gospel. Such resistance undermines effective evangelism growth.

The following are popular theories as to why results of evangelism are so meager.

1) The Netherlands contains so many nominal and confessing Christians, that non–church people are hard to locate.

2) New converts are more attracted to fundamental and evangelical Churches than the GKN.

3) The GKN has too much cultural and doctrinal baggage involved in her tradition which makes it difficult for an outsider to join the church.

The above might be good sociological reasons for slow evangelism-growth, but they are no valid excuses for failing to carry out the evangelism mandate (Mt. 28:19f). Reformed churches in similar situations and facing the same factors have more growth than the GKN. The GKN must examine their lack of fruitfulness in gathering in the non–Christians. Any leadership, membership, theologies and other factors which would prevent them from being evangelistically responsible must be rooted out.

What has the Church gained if she wins a few members through the evangelism committee while she loses thousands of baptized members and confessing members? The evangelism committee might add a few names to the Church rolls but the elders scratch them off by the dozens. As with the CRC in America, the GKN must become the kind of church which is spiritually responsible and able to fulfill her evangelism mandate in the world, and be part of the building of the Body of Christ.

Transfer Growth

Transfer growth is calculated by adding the members coming into the church and substracting those who left. A gain of 1 person does not mean that only one person transferred but that the overall gain was 1.

The GKN Yearbook has an interesting title for transfer growth, namely: “Grensverkeer,” or “Border-crossings.” There are many Church borders and non-Church borders which GKN members are crossing. These borders can be divided into four categories 1) Reformed, 2) Catholic, 3) Evangelical, and 4) non-Church.

The Reformed groups experienced a moderate number of border crossings. Of these groups, only the Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken gained more than they lost to the GKN (-74). The GKN gained 30 from the GK, 312 from the NHK, 25 from the GG. These border-crossings can be both theological or sociological. Many cross-denominational marriages take place and hence occasion transfer of membership. In 1978 there were 2848 cross-denominational marriages in the GKN. One also hears of membership transfer due to theological issues. Sometimes whole sections of a church switch denominational titles. Considering the turmoil in the GKN between the liberals and conservatives one can expect a continuation of the regrouping process under the conservative element of the GKN and Reformed Churches.

The GKN gained 150 more members than she lost from the RCC. Again this could be purely sociological or perhaps theological. Within the Reformed Churches there is an effort to work with the RCC. Exchange of pulpits and ecumenical meetings are very common.

The GKN lost more members to Fundamental and Evangelical Churches such as 104 to the Baptist, 71 to the Free Evang. Congregation, 18 to the Salvation Army and 357 to the Pentecostal groups. Considering the total membership of the GKN and the tremendous impact Pentecostalism bas had, these numbers are not very high.

When we review the membership transfer between churches we notice a movement from the right to the left. Members are being gained from the RCC and NHK but being lost to the Evangelical Churches. The GKN comes out as moderate, being able to accommodate both the right and the left.

The largest transfer movement was to nonChurch categories, totaling 1869 loss.

The total transfer loss amounted to 1,196 in 1978, contributing to the overall loss of over 2,000 members in the GKN in 1978.

Membership Growth

The number of people becoming confessing members in the GKN increased in 1978. There were 477,685 members in 1978 and 476,601 members in 1977 an increase of 1,084. On the other hand, the GKN lost 3,005 baptized members since 1977. Interestingly enough, the lowest source of membership loss was through church discipline. In 1978 only 20 confessing members were disciplined from the Church. This number was lower than the 23 in 1977 and the 81 in 1976. Also, 39 baptized members were disciplined from the Church bringing the total to 59. This number seems very small when one considers that 231 were disciplined in 1979 in the CRC, which has a total membership of roughly one third the size of the GKN.

Membership growth is not primarily due to evangelism, nor because of transfer growth, but mainly due to the Christian family. Biological growth is the greatest source of membership. There were 389,258 baptized members in the GKN of which 11,433 were children of GKN members baptized in 1978. The Christian family as well as the Christian schools and societies provide a positive environment for church growth, a marked and consistent feature of most Reformed Churches.

Natural Growth

Natural growth consists of biological growth and loss within the Church. We have mentioned the large amount of births within the Church. Deaths were about one-half that amount, 477 baptized members died and 5,855 confessing members passed away. Despite the number of deaths, the natural growth within the church accounted for 5,131 me mbers in 1978.

Natural growth, as a source of Church membership, is decreasing within the GKN, as well as in the CRC. This drop can be attributed to smaller family planning and changing attitudes toward the family. An increasing threat to the family, perhaps not within the church, is the acceptability of abortion in the Netherlands. Even the new Christian party, the CDA is not strong on its abortion stand.

Natural growth is the strongest element of Church growth within the GKN.

Total Numerical Growth

The following summary of statistics are recorded in the Yearbook and arranged according to church growth categories.

1) Evangelism: 470 Adult baptisms, 593 total from non-Church background 2) Transfer growth: -1,195 figured in with membership growth 3) Membership growth: A. Baptized members -338 B. Confessing members: -1,857 Total: -2,195 4) Natural growth A. Baptized members of GKN 11,433 B. Baptized members who died -447 C. Confessing members who died -5,855 Total 5,131 5) Total membership A. Baptized members 389,258 (1978), 392.263 (1977), 394,856 (1976) B. Confessing members 477,685 (1978), 476,601 (1977), 473,016 (1976) Total 866,943 (1978), 868,864 (1977), 867,872 (1976)

Conclusion

In interpreting the 1978 statistics we have the advantage of living in 1980 and seeing whether the church growth analysis is accurate or not. Do the same patterns continue? Where are the GKN going? It would take more of an expert on the GKN to answer these questions in detail, therefore the writer will conclude with some closing comments.

There seems to be an erosion of authority in the GKN. Whereas in the past the authority of the Church was based on the Bible and the 3 Forms of Unity, now the ‘silence of Scripture’ is a popular argument. Other voices are listened to such as those of science, political ideologies and philosophies which contradict Scriptural teachings. This split authority is seen in interpreting the Bible, carrying out the duties of office as well as living the Christian life.

No doubt every Church faces the issues of increasing secularization and liberalization but it is the mark of the true Church to withstand and counteract the non–Christian movements and to do this as a whole Church. The GKN as a denomination is faltering in this area, though some local churches still seek to and do manifest the marks of the true Church (Belgic Confession, Art. 29). The question arises: “Can the CRC maintain fellowship with a Church which is manifesting the marks of the false church?”

How can the GKN be helped? Undoubtedly the revival or reformation has to come from within. This will be very difficult because the basic means for Church action and discipline, the eldership or consistory has been undermined to include members who Biblically and confessionally should not be there. The recent report and decision to allow practicing homosexuals to be church members and officebearers undermines the building of Biblical offices in the Church. It will be difficult to obtain or maintain the true preaching of the Word, as ministers are allowed to be liberal or conservative. It will be difficult to have communion of the saints, if the elders cannot properly oversee the members and the administration of the sacraments.

The CRC has opportunity to address the GKN through the Reformed Ecumenical Synod as well as through synodical action. The ecclesiastical sins must not be tolerated but addressed seriously. The CRC must also prepare for the onslaught of the same heresies. We historically know that some leaders in the CRC follow the trends in the Netherlands. We can expect the issue of children at the Lord’s Supper to be raised within the CRC as it has already been raised in the Netherlands. Those who are concerned about these issues should formulate a Biblical and confessional stance so that they will be prepared to meet the challenge when it arises.

Finally, may it be our hope and prayer that the GKN will return to her only source and strength, Christ as revealed through Word and Spirit, and so bring glory to God.