The Christian Action Foundation (CAF) has been in existence for about five years. Just recently an attempt was made to make it a national and international force in the lives of believers. This attempt took the form of the First Christian Social Action Congress. The Congress was held in Sioux Center, Iowa at the campus of Dordt College on July 8–10. The main purpose of the congress was to present position papers on the need for Christian Social Action, and to inspire Christians to see the great emphasis that Scripture places upon this important principle.
On Tuesday evening, July 8, Professor E. L. Hebden Taylor, Professor of Economics at Dort College, presented an address entitled “Let My People Go,” in which he set forth the basic need for Christian Action. He pointed out that America is filled with the “Pharaoh’s” of big business, labor, big government, and education. The Christian is called upon by God in his Word to say to these “Pharaoh’s,” “Let my people go that they may serve the Lord.” Taylor pointed out how each of these “Pharaoh’s” has indeed enslaved us. Education has not brought the utopia that it has promised; television has enslaved mankind into the materialism that was fostered by a false ideal of capitalism; and labor only thinks of man as a functional being devoid of a heart and soul that must seek after God. Thus the Christian must return to the Word of God with its emphasis upon the love of God, and its call to man to be a peculiar people, obedient to God’s commands. This can be done only by Christian Social Action.
The ‘Wednesday meetings were devoted to a presentation of the various relationships that Christian Action must take toward the spheres of life. Rev. John Hulst, college chaplain and Professor of Bible at Dort College, began the series of lectures with a paper entitled, “Christian Action—Pro Hege” in which he answered three basic questions: What is Christian Action? Why Christian Action? and How Christian Action? The emphasis was upon the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and his absolute authority in all of life.
Following the paper by Rev. Hulst, a lecture was presented by Rev. B. J. Haan, president of Dart College, entitled, “Christian Action and the Church” in which he pointed out that the Belgic Confession presents a most beautiful and clear description of the church as the body of believers and the church as an institute. Christian Action, said Haan, must be the task of the church as a body of believers. Thus the institutional church must not usurp the task of the church as organism, in the sense that the institutional church no longer remains true to its Cod-appointed task of preaching the Word. This becomes the case when die institutional church becomes involved with social problems and programs, goals to which the church as organism is called by God. Thus following the Belgic Confession, Rev. Haan pointed out that we must retain the Biblic distinction that is so beautifully laid out in this Confession between the Church as organism and the church as institute; and that each of these must carry out its task to the glory of God.
The afternoon session on Wednesday was taken up first of all by a paper read by Rev. John C. Vander Stelt, Instructor of Bible and Philosophy at Dort College, in which he defined the relationship between “Christian Action and Sphere Sovereignty.” In many ways, this paper was the heart of the Congress, for it states in concise terms the Biblical basis for Christian Social Action. The principle of sphere sovereignty is that each societal sphere, e.g., the home, the church, the state, entertainment, the school, etc., is sovereign in the sense that its authority is not derived from any other sphere, nor from itself. It has been divinely delegated to it by God so that, when man lives in obedience to it, this sphere will come to its own more and more and the free development of the other zones of life will not be thwarted. The law of God is central in life, and it alone must be the basis for our action. So working in these various spheres, Christians can provide a new direction for the social, industrial, political, educational, and ecclesiastical areas of life.
The final paper was presented by Rev. Louis Tamminga, pastor of the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center, Iowa, and president of CAF. His paper presented “Christian Action-Our Program” in which he recommended four proposals which were subsequently adopted at the business session of the First Christian Social Congress. These proposals recommended first a broader base from which to draw financial support. Unless we maintain adequate finances, we cannot hope to continue our program of study, action, and expansion. The second recommendation dealt with membership growth. It urged the board to conduct a national drive for members so that all Evangelical Christians can catch the vision of Biblical Christian Action in all of life. The third recommendation concerned itself with communication, calling for a monthly paper to disseminate the ideals and progress of CAF. And the fourth pleaded for the immediate appointment of a full-time qualified director to organize and be in charge of the growing program of CAF.
The evening meetings were inspirational in nature. At the banquet attended by nearly 400 enthusiastic supporters of CAF, Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel, pastor of the Princeton Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Mich., pointed out on the basis of Mark 13:34 the command to Christian Action in the interim between the first and second coming of Christ. Following the banquet, Dr. Joel Nederhood, radio minister of the Christian Reformed Church, presented a stirring appeal to back the program of CA F in a speech “Christian Action – Is it Practical?” Thus ended the first Christian Social Action Congress. It was a small beginning, but it was a bold beginning just the same. Hopefully this first Christian Action Congress will be followed by one next year in the Chicago area. God has blessed the efforts of CAF abundantly, and we appeal to all Evangelical Christians to join forces with us in carrying out the commands of God’s Word.
Henry Vanden Heuvel, pastor of Princeton Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On Tuesday evening, July 8, Professor E. L. Hebden Taylor, Professor of Economics at Dort College, presented an address entitled “Let My People Go,” in which he set forth the basic need for Christian Action. He pointed out that America is filled with the “Pharaoh’s” of big business, labor, big government, and education. The Christian is called upon by God in his Word to say to these “Pharaoh’s,” “Let my people go that they may serve the Lord.” Taylor pointed out how each of these “Pharaoh’s” has indeed enslaved us. Education has not brought the utopia that it has promised; television has enslaved mankind into the materialism that was fostered by a false ideal of capitalism; and labor only thinks of man as a functional being devoid of a heart and soul that must seek after God. Thus the Christian must return to the Word of God with its emphasis upon the love of God, and its call to man to be a peculiar people, obedient to God’s commands. This can be done only by Christian Social Action.
The ‘Wednesday meetings were devoted to a presentation of the various relationships that Christian Action must take toward the spheres of life. Rev. John Hulst, college chaplain and Professor of Bible at Dort College, began the series of lectures with a paper entitled, “Christian Action—Pro Hege” in which he answered three basic questions: What is Christian Action? Why Christian Action? and How Christian Action? The emphasis was upon the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and his absolute authority in all of life.
Following the paper by Rev. Hulst, a lecture was presented by Rev. B. J. Haan, president of Dart College, entitled, “Christian Action and the Church” in which he pointed out that the Belgic Confession presents a most beautiful and clear description of the church as the body of believers and the church as an institute. Christian Action, said Haan, must be the task of the church as a body of believers. Thus the institutional church must not usurp the task of the church as organism, in the sense that the institutional church no longer remains true to its Cod-appointed task of preaching the Word. This becomes the case when die institutional church becomes involved with social problems and programs, goals to which the church as organism is called by God. Thus following the Belgic Confession, Rev. Haan pointed out that we must retain the Biblic distinction that is so beautifully laid out in this Confession between the Church as organism and the church as institute; and that each of these must carry out its task to the glory of God.
The afternoon session on Wednesday was taken up first of all by a paper read by Rev. John C. Vander Stelt, Instructor of Bible and Philosophy at Dort College, in which he defined the relationship between “Christian Action and Sphere Sovereignty.” In many ways, this paper was the heart of the Congress, for it states in concise terms the Biblical basis for Christian Social Action. The principle of sphere sovereignty is that each societal sphere, e.g., the home, the church, the state, entertainment, the school, etc., is sovereign in the sense that its authority is not derived from any other sphere, nor from itself. It has been divinely delegated to it by God so that, when man lives in obedience to it, this sphere will come to its own more and more and the free development of the other zones of life will not be thwarted. The law of God is central in life, and it alone must be the basis for our action. So working in these various spheres, Christians can provide a new direction for the social, industrial, political, educational, and ecclesiastical areas of life.
The final paper was presented by Rev. Louis Tamminga, pastor of the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center, Iowa, and president of CAF. His paper presented “Christian Action-Our Program” in which he recommended four proposals which were subsequently adopted at the business session of the First Christian Social Congress. These proposals recommended first a broader base from which to draw financial support. Unless we maintain adequate finances, we cannot hope to continue our program of study, action, and expansion. The second recommendation dealt with membership growth. It urged the board to conduct a national drive for members so that all Evangelical Christians can catch the vision of Biblical Christian Action in all of life. The third recommendation concerned itself with communication, calling for a monthly paper to disseminate the ideals and progress of CAF. And the fourth pleaded for the immediate appointment of a full-time qualified director to organize and be in charge of the growing program of CAF.
The evening meetings were inspirational in nature. At the banquet attended by nearly 400 enthusiastic supporters of CAF, Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel, pastor of the Princeton Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Mich., pointed out on the basis of Mark 13:34 the command to Christian Action in the interim between the first and second coming of Christ. Following the banquet, Dr. Joel Nederhood, radio minister of the Christian Reformed Church, presented a stirring appeal to back the program of CA F in a speech “Christian Action – Is it Practical?” Thus ended the first Christian Social Action Congress. It was a small beginning, but it was a bold beginning just the same. Hopefully this first Christian Action Congress will be followed by one next year in the Chicago area. God has blessed the efforts of CAF abundantly, and we appeal to all Evangelical Christians to join forces with us in carrying out the commands of God’s Word.
Henry Vanden Heuvel, pastor of Princeton Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan.