Ministries Join in Historic Decision. Mocking God 20. Help, Hope, and Healing. Synod Chaplains Provide Incarnational Ministry

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1 July/August 2015 thebanner.org 16 Mocking God 20 Help, Hope, and Healing 50 Chaplains Provide Incarnational Ministry Synod Two Ministries Join in Historic Decision

2 A Bible for Those Who Can t Read The Solar Talking Bible Easy to use Powerful speaker Solar powered A Talking Bible was Dabo s answer to prayer. South Ethiopia: Dabo and other non-reading Christians in her village have been praying and waiting for God to bless them with access to His Word for more than five years. Recently, some women travelling near her village had Talking Bibles in the Borana language they were sharing with family and friends. When Dabo heard God s Word in her heart language, she knew it was an answer to prayer. Dabo received a Talking Bible and began inviting her neighbors to come and listen. With no pastors or evangelists in her area, Dabo has become the listening Bible study leader to her village by playing the Talking Bible. The number of believers in her village is now close to 300! Will you prayerfully consider a gift to help place more Talking Bibles in villages like Dabo s so those who are unable to read can listen and learn from God s Word in their language? Please donate today at: Enhancing Trust Accredited for special offerings Talking Bibles International 419 East Grand Avenue, Escondido, CA Telephone: BIBLE ( ) or

3 Written in English and in Spanish by Catherine Gunsalus González, Columbia Theological Seminary. How did the church train and instruct those who wished to join it? How did its worship, particularly in baptism and in communion, respond to the challenge of shaping and nurturing believers who would have to live their faith in a hostile environment? Today the church begins to face similar conditions. Cómo era que la iglesia instruía y adiestraba a quienes deseaban unirse a ella? En qué modos el culto de la iglesia respondía al reto de formar y nutrir a aquellos creyentes que tendrían que vivir en un ambiente hostil? Hoy la iglesia se enfrenta a retos semejantes. more web resources in Spanish Resources in the Ancient Church for Today s Worship Calvin institute of Christian Worship worship.calvin.edu thebanner.org July/August 2015 THE BANNER 3

4 growing generosity since 1976 Barnabas Foundation advances God s kingdom with quality Planned Giving and Estate Planning services. What Christians like you are saying about our services... A very non-threatening discussion based on God s principles dealing with family issues and a good stewardship of the Lord s gifts. This is a fantastic service. The beauty of dealing with Barnabas Foundation is that you know you are working with like-minded folks. Very helpful, and got us moving to take care of our financial concerns. These services are provided in an atmosphere of complete confidence and trust. Stewardship is a way of life. Living generously is an expression of God s love. Toll-free at THE BANNER July/August 2015 thebanner.org

5 Summer 2015 (College students with disabilities) BreakingBarriers everybody belongs everybody serves To Be Served or to Serve, That is the Question by Chantal Huinink Waterloo CRC, Waterloo Campus Ministry, Waterloo ON I am a Christian, a woman, a daughter, a niece, a cousin, and a friend. I am a social justice and accessibility advocate, a speaker, and a writer. I am a swimmer, a sports enthusiast, and music lover. I am a graduate of psychology as well as a student of divinity and social work. I will soon be a chaplain and social worker. I also happen to have a physical disability known as cerebral palsy. The support of campus ministry has provided me the friendship, guidance, time, and space to lay out the multiple pieces of my human identity and wrestle with how the puzzle pieces best fit together. I have had the joy and privilege of being a valued member of campus ministry communities in Guelph and Waterloo ON throughout my undergraduate and graduate schooling. My experience in campus ministry has enabled my faith to grow in step with my academic learning and has also prepared me to serve my church and my community beyond my time at university. Being a valued member of campus ministry did not simply mean that worship, Bible study, dinners, discussion groups, and other social events were hosted in accessible places that would accommodate my power wheelchair. In fact, most times it meant the opposite. Campus ministry and the people who comprise it enabled me to go where my wheelchair could not. Ministers and students alike quickly learned how to lift me out of my chair and into people s non-accessible More online Thanks for checking out our special Banner edition of our award-winning quarterly newsletter. On our website ( find More articles about college students with disabilities Free Breaking Barriers subscription Breaking Barriers in Spanish and Korean Back issues on many different themes mstephenson@crcna.org tdeyoung@rca.org Chantal Huinink received an undergradute degree in Psychology and Human Development and is completing a Masters of Divinity and Social Work. houses and vehicles, so that I could be wherever they were and go wherever they were going. I have even traveled to a winter cottage via toboggan, because it was not possible to bring my power wheelchair through the woods in the deep snow. The effort it took to bring me into a non-accessible location showed me more about God s love and his ability to overcome life s barriers than meeting in a barrier-free location could have. Having had cerebral palsy since birth, I was accustomed to able-bodied people serving me, but I was not accustomed to serving others. Thankfully, being a valued member of the campus ministry community meant that I was seen as more than my disability. Gifts and abilities I barely knew that I had in the areas of hospitality, teaching, and leadership were recognized and nurtured. More importantly, it was expected that I would serve the community through them. Developing valued roles that fit my God-given gifts and abilities gave me a sense of belonging to the community and increased my awareness of my value to God and to others. Such awareness has empowered me and given me the desire to serve God and love others in every way that I possibly can. I am very grateful to campus ministers James Vander Berg and Brian Bork and to my friends from campus ministry! n 2015 Disability Concerns ministries of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America.

6 A DEGREE YOU CAN BELIEVE EVE IN The rapid rate of change in our world makes choosing a career path difficult. You need a dynamic university education where theory meets experience. Along the way, you ll be challenged to deepen your faith as you discover your world and transform your mind. You ll find more than a future job. You ll find your place in God s world. This is your calling. This is Redeemer. FIND OUT MORE AT Helping Leaders Churches Disciples Flourish Coaching You Partnering with Faith Formation Ministries Launched at Synod 2015 Rev. Mike Johnson, D.Min. Executive Director Teaching Resourcing 6 THE BANNER July/August 2015 thebanner.org

7 Volume 150 Number Features 16 Mocking God: Freedom of Speech in a Blasphemous World The Christian Reformed Church has startlingly clear teaching on blasphemy and justice. by Robert Joustra 20 Help, Hope, and Healing: When a Family Member Has Addictions STuDy QueSTIonS online How the church can do a better job of ministering to families of people with addictions. by H. David Schuringa synod 2015 highlights Obscure Servants: 2015 Candidates for Ministry 10 Welcome the men and women called to ministry in the Christian Reformed Church. In Our View: Synod 2015: Moving Forward with Hope and Optimism by Gayla R. Postma 26 This year synod made a number of historic decisions. Missions 28 Denominational Life 30 Education 32 Finance 38 Ecumenical 40 Farewells 44 Look Who Came to Synod Cover: Synod 2015 overwhelmingly approved the plans to unify Christian Reformed Home Missions (CRHM) and Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) into one global mission agency for the CRC. Moses Chung (l) and Gary Bekker are the directors of World Missions and Home Missions. Read the full story on page 28. photo by Karen Huttenga Cover photo by istockphoto Departments Editorial: Don t Walk Away by Bob De Moor 9 We cannot avoid the conversation about same sex relationships. Catch Your Breath: You Are Mine by Elaine May 15 Nothing else matters! Just for Kids: Drama in a Tomato Patch by Joanne De Jonge 18 Plants talk to each other and to animals and bugs without using a single word. Leadership: The Elder as Shepherd by Louis Tamminga 23 Caring for the spiritual well-being of God s people. Tuned In: Balm for the Busy Times by Allison Backous Troy 24 Finding art and beauty when you can t find time. Next: Why I Am Still Christian Reformed by Aren Plante 62 I refuse to abandon the Christian Reformed Church. Punch Lines 63 Together Doing More Chaplains Provide Incarnational Ministry by Chris Meehan 50 CRC chaplains serve the spiritual needs of thousands of individuals and families in crisis every week. The View from Here: God Is Blessing Us by Steven Timmermans 54 thebanner.org July/August 2015 THE BANNER 5

8 Church Position Announcements Pastor: 2nd CRC of Fremont, MI is in need of a Pastor to share the good news of Jesus Christ to our congregation and community. For more information and our church profile, please contact Jason DeKuiper at jdekuiper@comcast.net. Pastor/Candidate Bethel CRC in Saskatoon Sk is offering a one year renewable term for the pastor position. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact or nienhuis@ sasktel.net PASTOR Faith Community Fellowship CRC in Mount Vernon, WA is seeking a pastor who would be dedicated to the preaching of the Word and to providing pastoral care to our congregation. For more information as well as our church profile, please contact Chris Ledeboer at cledeboer@hotmail.com. PASTORS Hope Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in Courtice near Oshawa Ontario, is looking for two pastors who will serve in a team ministry that will take our church into its next chapter. The pastors will succeed our current pastor when he retires. We are a growing, diverse congregation committed to vibrant, contemporary worship. We are excited about pursuing ways to implement our mission to believe, belong, bless, and we re eagerly anticipating what God has planned for the next phase of our development. If you can see yourself as part of a team ministry in an ethnically diverse church in which nearly half the members are under the age of 25, we d love to chat with you. Contact our Succession Planning Committee at hfsuccession@gmail.com or call the Committee s chairperson, Stan Baker at Church Planter/Campus Ministry Seeking full time Ministry Leader for a Church Plant with a special focus on Campus Ministry. The goal is to develop a new self-sustaining Christian community. Key roles will include developing relationships and nurturing spirituality, evangelizing and discipling new Christians, establishing a permanent presence in the the community where people can regularly worship and hear God s Word creating missional ministry opportunities and developing Christian leaders in service to Christ s church. The ministry will be located in Oshawa, ON near the University Institute of Technology (UOIT). For more information please contact us at sc.noscp@gmail.com PASTORS Pella 2 CRC is seeking a new pastor as ours enters a new phase of his career in interim pastoral placements. Our 250-member church is in Pella, IA and is now accepting candidates. Interested persons may contact sharesavana@gmail.com. Pastor Hope CRC in Rapid City, SD is seeking a pastor to lead our congregation in the beautiful Black Hills. We are looking to fill a vacancy for our retiring Pastor in October. Our congregation is small but vibrant. Contact hopecrc@juno.com or Eric at PASTOR Grace Valley Christian Reformed Church in Las Vegas is looking for a senior pastor who is compassionate, caring and sensitive to the needs of others. A pastor with the following qualities is greatly needed: preacher/speaker; leader; writer and effective at: planning and encouraging, bringing in new members and cultivates close devotional relationships. Send resume to office@gvcrc.org. Youth & Family Pastor: The First Reformed Church in Friesland, WI has begun a search for a Youth & Family Discipleship Pastor. For more information on this exciting opportunity: info@chapter-next.com WORSHIP COORDINATOR POSITION Jubilee Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, is looking for a Worship Coordinator to provide planning and leadership in our worship ministry (20 hrs/wk). We re a creative and inter-generational church community. Our worship coordinator will be a skilled leader, organizer, encourager, and good at helping others grow in their gifts for worship. A lead instrument and musical ability are required for this position. You will work in a multi-staffed environment and collaborate with staff and volunteers to create meaningful, Spirit-led worship. For more information, for a copy of the job description, or to submit your application, please contact carolyn.elzinga@sympatico.ca WORSHIP/MUSIC DIRECTOR: Cornerstone Christian Reformed Church of Chilliwack, BC has an immediate opening for a part time Director of Worship/Music. The qualified applicant will have a deep love for Christ and His Church and a passion to give expression to our Reformed world-view utilizing a broad range of musical skills in a blended worship setting. For a position description and to submit a resume and application please contact the church office at office@ cornerstonecrc.ca or Pastor of Youth & Congregation at Clinton CRC, located in Southwestern Ontario, surrounded by natural beauty. We are looking for a person to work with new and mature Christians to use their God given gifts for service within our congregation and community. This person must be enthusiastic about God, organized, self-motivated, and willing to work in a team environment. Some preaching throughout the year will also be expected Our church profile is available at visit our website or contact search committee at (Phil Dykstra) pddykstra@ fastgenetics.com. FT Administrative Secretary at Clinton CRC To fulfill this position one must have strong computer skills, be punctual with deadlines, organized and receptive in a Christ-like manner. Our church profile is available at visit our website or contact search committee at (Phil Dykstra) pddykstra@fastgenetics.com ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Creston CRC (Grand Rapids, MI) Part-time position responsible to the senior pastor and church council for guiding the administrative operations of our 100-year-old, urban church. For a complete job description visit 8 THE BANNER July/August 2015 thebanner.org