Handel's Hallelujah Chorus At Harderwyk on Christmas Day

Join Your Voice and Sing

Handel's Hallelujah Chorus

Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25

10 am

• Harderwyk Minstries Sanctuary
• 1627 West Lakewood Blvd.
• Holland, MI 49424

One of the highlights of our worship of God at Celebration-Harderwyk each year is the close of our Christmas Day service when participants are invited to come forward during the closing hymn to form a "walk-up choir" for the singing of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.  

Sheet music will be provided

Feeling a bit rusty?  You can review and prepare your part with these rehearsal videos

Soprano Part - https://youtu.be/4lr0TD1jhxA

Alto Part - https://youtu.be/OgOeehMCfys

Tenor Part - https://youtu.be/0-zsntqOZ98

Bass Part - https://youtu.be/ETu0pgjZDaU

CS Lewis On The Immanent and Transcendent Frames of Reference

In my sermon on Sunday, December 11 I asked the congregation this question: How do you "see" the world around you? I was not asking so much about the matter of physical sight, but about the matter of world view; not the biology of eyesight, but the assumptions that affect perception and understanding.

I proposed an answer that is circulating from the philosopher Charles Taylor using language of "Immanent Frame" and "Transcendent Frame." You can watch the sermon and see if it was helpful.

CLICK for Amazon link

The same issue was wonderfully handled by CS Lewis though as well years ago, in his book God in the Dock in chapter 7, "Religion and Science," set as a conversation with a friend.  Here is a clip to give you a taste:

According to your theory (Lewis speaking here) people in the old days didn't know that Nature was governed by fixed laws. I'm pointing out that the story shows that St. Joseph knew that law just as well as you do."

"But he came to believe in the Virgin Birth afterwards, didn't he?"

"Quite. But he didn't do so because he was under any illusion as to where babies came from in the ordinary course of Nature. He believed in the Virgin Birth as something supernatural. He knew Nature works in fixed, regular ways: but he also believed that there existed something beyond Nature which could interfere with her workings—from outside, so to speak."

CLICK HERE to read the full 2 page essay.

It is taken from the full book on this site - CLICK HERE

CS Lewis and World War I - Fascinating Context For Watching "All Quiet On The Western Front"

 I took time recently to watch the new release "All Quiet on the Western Front" that is streaming on Netflix.  It is a hard movie to watch in many regards.  You see the painful pointlessness of trench warfare in World War I, the differing experieces  and perspectives of the "glory of war" - all those things that make the original novel one of the great works of the 20th century.

A few days later, while reading and discussing CS Lewis with a friend, I realized there was a fascinating story that could be connected to the film.  Namely, that both CS Lewis (Mere Christianity, Chronicles of Narnia, God in the Dock, The Problem of Pain) and his friend JRR Tolkein (Lord of the Rings) had served in the British Army in the same setting.  Both men saw some of the most inhumane experiences that the 20th century could dream up.  One entered the war as a practicing Catholic, the other as a committed atheist.  A decade later, both were deeply committed Christians, brilliant writers, Oxford professors and good friends.

I'd recommend that you take time to 

• Read CS Lewis and the Great War by Joseph Loconte in the National Review - CLICK HERE for the article
• View A Hobbit, A Wardrobe and A Great War - 5 minutes on YouTube - CLICK HERE  

Then go ahead and watch All Quiet On The Western Front with those men in mind.

Texts and Recordings for Bach @ Celebration Service - Sunday, Nov 13 @ 9 am

 November 2022 Music Recordings and Translations

Our thanks to Director Scott VandenBerg for providing these texts and links to quality recordings for the music used in our November 13 worship service.

A Kind Word For Sabbath-Keeping

Several weeks ago I began a sermon on the Ten Commandments with some probing questions at the expense of an well-remebered tradition in the Christian Reformed Church: Sabbath-Keeping.  (CLICK HERE and fast-forward to 39:10 for the sermon)  For better or for worse - and in truth I might say there is a little of each at play here - those days are long gone.

In the interest of full consideration though, I'd like to pass on a portion of a recent post by Tish Harrision Warren in the NY Times that caught my eye.  As she often does, she is able to find a life-giving wisdom among the practices of authentic gospel-centered practice that captures the original intent and inspires modern faith.

When Philip Schaff, a 19th-century Swiss German theologian, immigrated to the United States, he was impressed by the ability of ideologically disparate religious groups to collaborate politically to solve social ills. For Schaff and many others, a key issue in the burgeoning industrialist economy of the North was the preservation of time for worship, rest and family life to preserve the dignity of the worker. They looked to Sabbath laws, in part, to help achieve this. Schaff stressed that keeping theSabbath wasn’t merely a religious observance but served a civic function. It was a practical way,through time itself, to treat workers as valuable humans with whole lives to be lived.

In an 1863 address to the National Sabbath Convention, Schaff argued that “Sabbath rest” is necessary for both body and soul; that it preserves “health, wealth and the temporal happiness and prosperity of individuals and communities.” He went on to say that “our energy and restless activityas a nation, our teeming wealth and prosperity and our very liberty makes the Sabbath a special necessity for us.” He called Sabbath laws a check and limit to the “degrading worship of the almighty dollar.” “Take away the Sabbath,” Schaff said, “and you destroy the most humane and democratic institution,” which is made particularly for “the man of labor and toil, of poverty and sorrow.”

I don’t expect us to put blue laws back on the books. I understand that most Americans — including religious Americans — no longer observe a strict day of rest. I also understand, of course, that the Sabbath lands on different days for different religious traditions. Still, with the boundaryless work of the digital age, with consumer pressure for retail stores and e-commerce companies to remain open at all times, and with our unholy worship of productivity and convenience, the spirit of these laws is more needed than ever before. What practices now limit “our restless activity as a nation”? What resources are there in our culture to curb the “degrading worship of the almighty dollar”?

Excerpted from We Are Humans, Not Machines by Tish Harrison Warren.  New York Times, October 16, 2022

CLICK HERE for the full post - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/16/opinion/work-rest-sabbath.html

It may ask that you set up an account that gives you very limited and free access to the NY Times online and her weekly newsletter.

"Adult Dialogue" on Wednesday Evenings

"Adult Dialogue" Following Community Night

On Wednesday evenings at 6:15 following Community Night Dinner, we will be offering an option for adults not involved serving with GEMS and Cadets.  Watch the schedule for a variety of solo sessions interspersed with a regular offering of discussions centered on the book Do You Believe? by Paul David Tripp.

Come for dinner at 5:15.  Stay for a variety of growth and fellowship opportunities.

"Adult Dialogue" Schedule - Session Details Below

• Wed, Oct 19 - Do You Believe - chpt1
• Wed, Oct 26 - Do You Believe - chpt 2
• Wed, Nov 2 - The Music and Impact of JS Bach
• Wed, Von 9 - Do You Believe - chpt 3

The Music & Impact of JS Bach

In many ways, the music of JS Bach is the musical flowering of Martin Luther's 150 years earlier rediscovery of the Gospel of God's Grace that we call the Reformation.  Much of it was written for the worship of the local church that employed him.  While certainly a musician of outstanding genius, that genius was both the given and shaped by a deep experience of Jesus.

Led by Scott Vanden Berg - Director of Instrumental Music at Holland Christian High School and Director of the Holland Bach Society - and Dr David Keep - Assistant Professor of Music at Hope College - focused on the music and impact of JS Bach as we prepare for the upcoming Bach @ Celebration on Sunday, Nov 13.

"Do You Believe?" By Paul David Tripp

Several groups at Harderwyk are already using and growing by reading and reflecting on this book together - including the Council.  One week we will focus on a single, core Christian doctrine and the following week focus on it's real-life application.  Come and participate - Pastor Darwin will have a one-page summary and brief overview of the focus.  Uou can also purchase the book and read one chapter - about 20 minutes - as preparation as well

CLICK HERE for Amazon link.

Amazon Description: 

Doctrine―what Christians believe―directly influences how they live. The biblical truths about God, humanity, and the world are not merely about knowing more―they are also about loving God and making sense of this life and the life to come. But what happens when there is disparity between what believers confess and how they live?

In his latest book, Do You Believe?, pastor and bestselling author Paul David Tripp takes a close look at 12 core doctrines and how they engage and transform the human heart and mind. According to Tripp, “true belief is always lived.” To demonstrate, he unpacks each doctrine and presents its relevance for the Christian life. As readers explore topics such as the doctrine of God, the holiness of God, and the doctrine of Scripture, they will be fueled to fall deeper in love with and stand in awe of their Creator and Father―putting the truths of God’s word on display for all the world to see.

I Think This May Be How It Looks When Done Right?

Matt Chandler is pretty different from me.  He is an "All-Texas born-and-bred" guy.  Mega-church pastor. Southern Baptist Convention.  For all of that difference though, I have over the years appreciated Matt's focus on the Gospel of God's Grace.  I've read blog posts, heard sermons and used his videos for discipling mission teams.

So I was sad when I started seeing the headlines about him stepping down from his pastorate for a season because of an indiscretion.  "Oh no!" I thought.  Another crash and burn big-church pastor story.  "And I sorta liked Matt."

Then my Harderwyk colleague Pastor Aaron VanDerVeen shared with us all the video of the announcement made to the church in Texas that Matt serves.  CLICK HERE for a video of that announcement.  I'm showing this from the church's own website with their written announcement for background.  It's about 18 minutes in length.  

I watched and was struck: no "act of adultery."  The direct messages in question were not clandestine or secret from his central relationships.  The woman who raised the questions was taken seriously.  Matt went immediately to speak with people that he was accountable to.  There was a long, prayerful process with outside, independent review.  It felt painfully long and discrete, but then, it was apparently done well and the wheels of justice always seem slow.  Decisions were made by leadership and the congregation brought into them in remarkably open and transparent ways.  The pastor was dealt with, while the others were kept protected from public focus.

All in all, from what I could see over several weeks, I began to think that maybe this is what it looks like to do accountabity well in a local church in light of the Gospel.  Perhaps I'm not seeing everything.  Time will tell.  But after some time to look and ponder, maybe this IS how accountability should move forward.  Four things in partcicular seem to stand out to me:

Pastors Should Be Held To A Higher Standard - I think this is what Paul meant in I Timothy 3:2 when he wrote his friend Timothy that elders should be "above reproach."  It's not that we are better than anyone else or less broken or get extra credit for good behavior.  It is about the position of pastoral leadership is consequential enough that we must be of good character as demonstrated over time.  When we mess up, people and their faith get wounded or confused.

Gospel Grace For Everyone - Still, the Gospel of God's Grace is for everyone - pastors included.  When a problem arises - or perhaps better for this case: "begins to arise" - the Gospel gives an understanding, a compassion and a hope that go well beyond either protecting the organization or pastor on the one side or throwing him under the bus on the other.  A clear-eyed diagnosis of the problem with a hopeful treatment aimed at care, healing and restoration for all affected can be hard work, but it is what the Gospel calls us to

Quick and Real Repentance - I am so thankful that Matt took seriously the person and the conversation that started all of this.  I'm thankful that he was quick to take the matter to people who were ready to pursue this with integrity.  Matt already had safe people with accountable relationships.  Apparently the structure was already in place to deal with a problem.  The process itself took time, but getting it started did not seem to.

We're In This Together - It seems that neither Matt, the friend he was messaging nor her friend who first raised the concerns were boxed out or isolated for the purpose of determining an outcome.  To a remarkable extent, it seems everyone was considered, listened to and protected.

As you might expect in the United States today, there were plenty of negative headlines and judgements for Matt and the Village Church through all this.  No need to give them more creedance, but at this point, I'm thankful for their quick, caring response, catching a "seed problem" before it grew bigger and more damaging.  That's my read.

CLICK HERE for the initial report on the incident in Christianity Today, a reliable source.

Parenting Resources & Research From Pastor Bill

My wife and I began the parenting adventure in a different century.  That gives us some historical perspective on what parents face today.  

Now, as an overdue grandparent and pastor of young families, I find myself very, very aware of how dramatically the world that we parent in has  changed.  Technology, entertainment and social pressures have altered the ocean of life that families will grow in.  No wise parent would face those waters alone.  Here are three GREAT resources for encouraging and equipping parents in this new setting.   

By the way, they are in alphabetical and not rank order.  You’ll want to read them all, even if you are raising only boys or only girls.  Odds are still good that your kids will eventually bring home your potential “child-in-law” and you’ll want to get started understanding that gender NOW!

Learning To Engage A Child's Heart - Paul David Tripp

Over the years I have come to appreciate the work of Paul David Tripp in so many forms.  Books like New Morning Mercies and Lead, various live and recorded seminars as well as his website.  Everything has been helpful for me.

Probably nothing stands out as much though as a brief segment of a parenting seminar more than 5 years ago.  "Five Questions You Must Ask Your Kids" is the best twelve minutes in gospel-centered equipping for parents I have ever seen.  How I wish I had seen it while my kids were still in the house.

I remember using it in a teacher's In-Service Training at Grace Christian School in Alexandria, LA with great impact.  It has helped me in counseling of others, as well as sorting out my own responses to circumstances in my life.

Take time to watch, learn, listen and then apply.  CLICK HERE for a downloadable worksheet with the Five Questions.

Celebration Children’s Ministry - Fall 2022

Children's Ministry At Celebration-Harderwyk

These days, children come from a variety of circumstances and situations.  Our calling is to join Jesus in welcoming children of all ages and situations, as well as the families, parents, grand-parents and care-givers who bring them.  With the new school year about to start for 2002, this seemed like a good time for me to review the Celebration Children's Ministry offerings.

For each Sunday Morning Service

Nursery – Clean, safe space for kids ages birth thru 4 years. The smiling face

welcoming you will be Shaina Heerspink or Olinda Sheldon.  Snacks, cribs toys and more.  Everything your child needs to feel comfortable while you worship.  Nursery is located down the stairs and immediate left from the covered North Entrance of the Red Brick Building.  There will be helpers to get your child registered with emergency contact information for during the service should a need come up.  Depending on our need, the next step would be to collect a team of “once-a-month-on-rotation” Celebration volunteers to keep a 4:1 child to adult ratio in this group.

K-3^rd Children’s Church – NEW -- Beginning September 11, we will open a new classroom for this age-group led by Maddi Stegenga and/or Emma Bareman.After the Children’s Message, kids will be dismissed to head downstairs for an interactive lesson coordinated with the message in the Worship Service.  

We will be following curriculum called The Story that will include material for families at home as well.  In the fall, we hope to build another team of “once-a-month-on-rotation” Celebration volunteers who will assist the teachers and keep a 6:1 child to adult ratio in this group.

Children’s Message – During the service itself, Pastor Bill or a special guest will invite the kids down to the front row for a special story and prayer.  This may not happen when we have communion or a missionary moment, but we always love to include our kids.  From there, kids can return to the seats or head downstairs to our Nursery or K-3^rd Class. 

Renovated Balcony Space – This project is now underway to refurbish a portion of our balcony to provide flat, quiet and protective space so anyone who brings kids can more easily let them “be kids” while they stay with them in the balcony.  Squirmy is not a problem here!  There will be a “living room feel” with thick carpet, kid-sized chairs and tables as well as quiet crafts, resources and learning materials.  We hope to have this completed by mid-September.

Discovery Binder – Pick one up for each child in the Narthex as you enter.  There will be pencils, paper and Bible activities suitable for use in the pews

Available Roles For Volunteers

Nursery Assistants

No preparation, simply presence.  Our Nursery Leaders will know each child and our resources.  You can serve from a rocking chair, read a story or hand out snacks.

Children’s Church Assistants

No preparation, simply presence.  Our teachers will be gifted, prepared and equipped to teach and lead our children into a deeper relationship with Jesus.  Assistants are needed to be present and assist as needed.  Help a child stay focused.  Help with distributing materials.  Provide some extra attention and encouragement.

 Prayer Team

We are looking for a person or persons with the gifts of service, administration and/or intercession who can organize and focus the prayer life of the Celebration community for our Children’s ministry staff, volunteers, children and their families.

Serve Children In Our Other Worshipping Communities

The opportunity to serve Harderwyk children is at more than just Celebration.  Would you consider worshipping at Celebration, then joining a Children’s Ministry Team at WaterShed or Fusion on a rotating schedule?

 What is Your Interest?

Perhaps you have a particular passion or dream for ministry: a way to serve our children with the love of Jesus.  Do you have a particular gifting, experience or training that the Father could use?  Feel free to talk with Becky or Pastor Bill or both! 

 

Each of Us Involved and Supporting - How We Think About Volunteers

The Scriptures teach that each member of the Body of Christ has a God-given gift for serving in the mission of God.  Our goal is to help each person in the Celebration Community identify their gift, develop it with biblical understanding and support so that they can invest it with God in His work in a way that is appropriate to each person’s interests, availability and maturity. 

Three Values that empower our volunteers:

• Serving With Others – Teams provide encouragement, accountability and support.  We aim to bring people together in service as we pursue the mission of God together.
• Serving With Support – We aim to provide the materials, training, direction and teamwork that make volunteering a positive experience.
• Serving With Sabbath – All of us need refreshment with our service.  We aim to schedule our volunteers with a healthy pace of service in mind.

Harderwyk Children’s Ministry Director Becky Visser wants to know and pray for each staff and volunteer member of our Children’s Ministry.  She will want a time for conversation with each volunteer in order to share life stories, identify interests, gifts and availability as well as review practices, policies and ensure a good experience for all.  Harderwyk policy includes a background check for all staff and volunteers who serve with our children.  Contact Becky through the Harderwyk Office or email her directly: Becky@Harderwyk.com

Celebration Children's Ministry Assistant Janet Glassford is a dedicated presence for the Celebration Service - our "boots-on-the-ground" for all questions Children's Ministry.  She can help you find a classroom, bathroom or an answer.  You can contact here by email: Janet@Harderwyk.com 

 

 Vacation Bible School For 2023

June 26 - June 29

 

 

 

 

More on "Content and Delivery"

I recently posted some reflections on the need for God's people to pay attention to both "Content" and "Delivery" when responding to the questions of our neighbors and culture.  CLICK HERE

Another Metaphor: "Position" and "Posture"

As I have been working with Pastor Aaron and Pastor JB each week on our Summer Sermon Series on Wisdom, we have used the words "Postion" - like "Content" - and "Posture" - like "Delivery" - to get at the same distinction.  That is to say, Wisdom in Proverbs is often as much about the "Posture" of the one speaking as it is the correctness of their "Position."  Each are important in a Both/And sort of relationship.

God's Wisdom For Navigating Life - Time & Kathy Keller

I should not have been surprised when I came across another angle on this same distinction in Proverbs in the daily devotional by Tim & Kathy Keller that we are using as a supplement resource for the series.  See if you don't agree:

"Content" or "Position"

July 2 - THE GOD OF TRUTH. Concern for truthfulness is not merely practical but right. Business schools’ ethics classes advise honesty as the most profitable business policy. But God desires honesty in business even when, as here, dishonesty in scales and balances could make you a lot of money and never be found out. The reason? God is truth by nature—all his words are flawless and true.  .  .  We are to “put on the new self, created to be like God” (Ephesians 4:24) and “therefore . . . speak truthfully to [our] neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25). We must be truthful if we are to be like God, for he cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), he always keeps his promises (2 Corinthians 1:20). He always means exactly what he says and says exactly what he means—he cannot be inconsistent with himself. Above all, Jesus is Truth itself (John 14:6). He reveals God, the ultimate truth, perfectly (John 1:18; Hebrews 1:3).

"Delivery" or "Posture"

July 3 - KIND WORDS. The second mark of good speech is kindness. It is not enough for words to be truthful. The word translated as kind means “personal and kind, pleasant and sweet, timely and thoughtful.” Because our words must be life-giving (15:4), we must never use truth as a weapon. You must ask yourself why you are telling the truth. Is it to win an argument? To punish or pay back by embarrassing the other person? To undermine something true that the person is saying but you don’t want to hear? To defend your pride? To complain? To make yourself look good to others?

St. Paul says every word must pass this test—“that it may benefit those who listen . . . according to their needs” (Ephesians 4:29). When you tell the truth, you should always have a “ministry motive.” You should only confront to help another person achieve illumination and understanding or to remove distance and barriers between you and the other person. Speak the truth, but in love (Ephesians 4:15). If you do so, it can lift up even someone sinking in anxiety and fear.

July 4 - GENTLE WORDS. When Proverbs talks of kind words, it speaks of our speech’s motives. When it speaks of gentle words, it is speaking of speech’s form—its tone and demeanor. Being gentle does not mean agreeing (August 6), but it does mean being respectful and friendly. We are called to speak gently even (or especially) in an angry confrontation, rather than answering with harsh, hard words in kind. Speaking gently in such moments is difficult, not least because of the fear of appearing weak.  .  .  Ironically, gentle speech is ultimately more persuasive than “so take that!” arguments. Harsh words play well with people who already agree with you, but they won’t persuade or help the truth to spread. Follow the one who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return (1 Peter 2:23).

Keller, Timothy; Keller, Kathy. God's Wisdom for Navigating Life (pp. 183-185). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

CLICK HERE for the Amazon link to the Keller's book.  Consider spending 5 minutes each day with them growing deeper in the Heavenly Father's wisdom as you navigate your life.

My Own Reflections On The Dobbs Decision Overturning Roe v Wade

There has been sooooooo much WRITTEN and shouted about the recent Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court that overturned the Roe v Wade decision and returned the legal matter of abortion to the legislatures of the various states.  What more could I add?  Why would I even want to engage the noise?

Those are reasonable questions.  What I will do for my congregation and any others interested is share some of the most helpful resources that I have come across lately for informing my thought and prayers in the hope that it will be helpful for you as well.

The Supreme Court Decision - Dobbs v Jackson Women's Heath

It is free and accessible for download if you CLICK HERE.  It is also 213 pages.  BUT I found it actually very readable, even if it is long.  It is clearly written and laid out, enough so, that I found the time I put in it to be helpful and worthwhile.  Even if you just read a few pages, it seems reasonable to encourage everyone to look at the decision itself, and not just someone's opinion about someone's opinion about someone else's opinion about what another person said about something they have not read anyway.

How To Respond To A Colleague Mourning Roe

At this stage of my life, I am painfully aware that I usually need the MOST help when I am engaging a person whose convictions and opinions differ from mine.  This post by The Gospel Coalition was helpful for my weakness, my prayers and my thinking.  CLICK HERE

Sixty Questions For Pro-Choice Christians

I would consider myself a "Pro-Life" Christian, but these questions really helped me stop and consider WHY I am pro-life and what that might mean.  I appreciate writers who help me think more deeply about things I often grow to assume.  Honestly, I am not sure that my pro-choice friends would want to ponder these questions at this moment - that's why I put the "Mourning Roe" post earlier - but this is a resource that served to clarify and renew my heart and thinking.  CLICK HERE

EPC National Leadership Team issues statement on U.S.Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade

Our Heavenly Father has placed us in the church so that we can navigate life in community under the authority of the Spirit speaking through the words of the Bible.  This is a helpful statement from the leadership team of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the denomination with which I am ordained and accountable to.  CLICK HERE for the three-page statement.

Let's Talk Some More

As always, if I have sparked something that you would like to follow up on, please call the Harderwyk Ministries office and let's arrange to talk more - whether over the phone, over coffee or even several conversations.  Grace Abounding!

General Assembly - June 2022 - ReCharged By God's Grace

This past Sunday - June 26 - we had a full and wonderful morning of worship at Celebration-Harderwyk.  I had also just returned home from 3 days at the General Assembly of the denomination with which I am ordained.  Those days were sooooo encouraging and empowering that I was ready to share multiple stories, but promised instead to put a few on the blog for the sake of time during the service. So, here we go .  .  .

Some History Here For Me

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC from here on) was formed in 1981 at Ward Church in Livonia, MI.  By 1986, the First Presbyterian Church in Houma, LA, where I was serving as pastor, had transferred it's affiliation to the EPC becoming the first EPC congregation in the state of Louisiana.  In June of 1988, I moved to Michigan to pastor Mt Pleasant Community Church, an EPC congregation where I served for 12 years.  This included many trips and meetings at Ward.

For me then, attending the 42nd General Assembly of the EPC at Ward Church felt like a real homecoming. Friends from college, from communities where I have pastored, missionaries sent from our churches and colleagues in ministry from around the country for over 40 years.  I was also encouraged and energized by the new initiatives and leadership.  The meetings lived up to their theme: ReCharge - Acts 1:8 - But You Will Receive Power .  .  .

CLICK HERE for the original 3:32 YouTube Invitation video.  Pastor Scott McKee follwed me at Mt Pleasant in 1999, and later moved to Ward Church.  Under his leadership that church has had a marvelous season of ministry and engagement with metro Detroit.    CLICK HERE for the 27:08 sermon by Scott that was part of our Wednesday evening Worship Service as he teaches about praying for our grandchildren - and more.  

Andrew Brunson

Andrew was a missionary pastor of the EPC serving in Turkey who was imprisoned by their government in October 2016.  Held in deplorable conditions for just over two years, Andrew was eventually released.  He returned to the US, was reunited with his family and church for a season of recovery.  Andrew was a keynote speaker at our Pre-Assembly Leadership Conference and with the EPC has produced a series of 8 YouTube videos called to Prepare To Stand where he reflects of his captivity, what he discovered about facing persecution and how we can prepare our hearts for difficult times as believers.  CLICK HERE for the playlist of all the videos.  Even better, CLICK HERE for the EPC page that includes downloadable copies of these videos as well as a study guide.

Moderator - My Favorite Moment of the Assembly

We elected Rosemary Lukens, a lay Elder from the Seattle area, as Assembly moderator for this meeting and the upcoming year as our first order of business.  CLICK HERE to learn more about her.  Even better, CLICK HERE for a 17-minute YouTube of her nomination, investiture and vision speech.  It was inspiring for me!

Rosemary moderated the assembly through its business across several days of meetings, but her most inspiring moment of leadership came at the Wednesday evening commissioning of missionaries - our new World Outreach workers.

This commissioning service has become a highpoint of each year's assembly.  Since Andrew Brunson's imprisonment, our missionaries have included in their vows to "by God's grace remain faithful even to martyrdom," so it always a sober moment.  Because of our focus on unreached Muslim people groups, the livestream, recordings and photos of the service are stopped for the security of the people.  At the prayer of commissioning, the new missionaries with their families and representatives from their sending churchs and the Assembly all gather for the apostolic laying on of hands and a season of commissioning prayer.  It was during this time that I opened my eyes to see Rosemary - the highest officer of our denomination - on her knees and praying, having swept up several of the children who's families were beginning service as only a grandmother could.  For me to see in one person the highest officer of our movement on her knees as a grandmother in prayer leaves me weeping even as I recount the story.

CLICK HERE for the 3-page report of our outgoing Moderator Brad Strait, pastor of Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Englewood, CO, as he reflects on the previous year of service.

Revelation 7:9 Task Force

The work of this group is to support all EPC churchs to more likely reflect the church of Revelation 7:9 -  there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,b standing before the thronec and before the Lamb.  CLICK HERE for documents of their report.    CLICK HERE to learn more about the 5Point7 church in Detroit and Pastor Brian Evans.  This congregation is a great example of the Rev 7:9 Task Force and our church planting resources working together.  CLICK HERE for a 5-minute YouTube that presents 5Point7 Church to the GA as this year's winner of our Hess Award for Church Ministry.

Abortion Addressed By The Supreme Court

As the Assembly was still in session on Friday, we realized that the US Supreme Court had rendered their Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v Wade and returned the matter of abortion to the legislatures of the individual states.  CLICK HERE for summary of that moment and official response from our National Leadership Team.

Closing Session - Great Is Thy Faithfulness

CLICK HERE for a 1:33 video of the closing act of this Assembly, led by Rev Glenn Meyers, our "Singing Moderator" from the previous 40th Assembly.  It was an "on-demand encore!" 

Finally

I hope you can get a sense of the refreshment that our national meeting was for Mary Lynn and I from just these few stories, and that you can find the same refreshment.  That's not always the case with national church meetings.  The EPC is not a perfect place, nor are we perfect people.  I have stories about some of that as well, but save that for another time.  Or I could tell you even more stories from last week.  Grace Abounding!!

Identifying the Real Point of Disagreement: Reflecting On the CRC's Adoption of the Human Sexuality Report

 A local TV news report on the adoption this week of the Human Sexuality Report by the General Synod of the CRCNA meeting in Grand Rapids began by saying, "The discussion has centered on beliefs surrounding the LGBTQ+ community."  I am thankful that they cast the discussion on "beliefs" rather than personal or community conflict.  If it is heard, that is helpful distinction.

To be sure, there are persons and communities that disagree here.  But these persons and communities are gathered around a particular set of beliefs that are competing with one another.  I would hope that the people involved can remain respectful, even as we figure out the consequnces of differing beliefs and learn how best to negotiate them.

Let me dig a bit deeper into this by offering a more nuanced view of the disagreement and what it may mean.

First, There Is An "Experience"

As I have pondered this situation, it seems to me that everything begins with an "experience" that a person has.  In this case, a person has an experience of Same-Sex Attraction.  That experience is real, even powerful and attractive, but in isolation, it is hard to know what to make of it.  On this level, it is simply an "experience."  No more, no less.

For discussion, let's label this as "Experience A," but I think you can use my framework to reflect on many different "experiences."  That experience is real, but it also raises a question: What do I make of that "experience," for us: "Experience A"?

Second, There Is An "Understanding" Of That "Experience"

Once a person has an experience of some type, there may be a variety of ways to "understand" that experience.  For a variety of reasons, the same experience can be understood in different ways by different people for different reasons.  What is different is not the experience itself.  The difference is the "understanding" given to that "experience."

Any particular "understanding" is developed over time from a variety of sources - previous experiences and outcomes, convictions, social connections and beliefs to name a few.

In our case, "Understanding A," for all of its reasons, considers "Experience A" to be a gift of God, and so a blessing to be affirmed and lived out if a person is to be fully themselves.  By contrast, "Understanding B" considers "Experience A" to fall short of God's intention, being a result of the brokenness in the creation.  As powerful and attractive as the experience itself may be, it also comes with some harm and risk, so is best avoided.

"Experience A," in and of itself, is the same.  But whether you view that "Experience A" through "Understanding A" or "Understanding B" has an enormous impact on the outcomes and behaviors that follow.

Then, There Will Be "Behaviors" That Follow

We move now from a single "experience," interpreted by two different, even conflcting, "understandings."  Those different understandings will lead down different paths of behavior.  "Behavior A" - in this case an example might be performing a Same-Sex wedding - follows naturally from "Understanding A" of the one "experience" even as "Behavior B" - not doing that Same-Sex wedding - follows naturally from "Understanding B" when applied to the identical "experience."  "Behavior A" and "Behavior B" will be different because the underlying "understanding" of the "experience" in question is different.

Finally, Communities Gather Around Those Different Understandings and Behaviors

There is not a particular problem when people gather together around share convictions.  That is how various sports teams have dedicated followings.

But how are we to manage life when differing communities are in conflict?  One response is for the communities to seperate from one another.  Another, is to let the conflict play out until one community has won, and the other has lost.

A better way might be to recognize that the communities are brought together by different behaviors and then try to allow for or reduce those behaviors.  A "live and let live" sort of approach.  This may work well for less important differences - like your favorite college football team - but when the different communities are formed around different behaviors that result from different understandings that are deeply held and formative, that may prove impossible or even dangerous.  For example, a totalitarian Marxist and I will not be able to get along on much of anything, because our deeply held "understandings" of the experiences of the world are simply too different to be ignored over time.

So, in my proposal, "experiences" are interpreted by "understandings" that lead to "behaviors" that eventually gather "communities.  Seeing these multiple layers help us navigate conflict and seek reconciliation.

Back to the CRC and Its Newly Adopted HSR

It seems to me that within the CRC there are now differing communities that advocate different behaviors as acceptable regarding LGBTQ+ issues.  For example, one community would support the "behavior" of Same-Sex Marriage and another would not.

The difference between these two communities and the behaviors that they find acceptable grow from two very different "understandings" applied to the "experience" of SSA.  A new question emerges: can those two differing "understandings" be reconcilied, and if not, can they even co-exist??

In my view, the point of conflict is not the experience of SSA.  That is real and as I listen, I understand that it is powerful.  The point of conflict is how are we to understand that experience.  That is where the difference between the various communities and their responses begin.  We need to pay attention to that level of difference.

A Mental Exercise

Try working through my 4-step perspective by starting with a different "experience" to be considred by different "understandings" that lead to different "behaviors" that gather different "communities."  For the exercise, make "Experience B" something like "the initial spark of sexual attraction to a person other than my spouse."

As always, I am willing to follow up with any further ideas, clarifications, questions or cups of coffee.  Feel free to contact me through the Harderwyk Ministries office so we can look for a suitable way to move forward together in conversation.

Juneteenth: The Good News Will Not Rest Until Everyone Has Heard!

This Sunday turns out to be Juneteenth, a holiday traditionally connected with the African-American community that I first became acquianted with with through colleagues and congregations that were predominantly African-American.  I am thankful and inspired to celebrate the holiday with my African-American friends.

There are many ways to engage and learn from a culture different than your own.  One important way is to learn the "formative stories" that have shaped that community.  The Exodus was a formative story for Israel.  The Plymouth Pilgrims serves(ed?) that way in the United States.  The History of Juneteenth is that formative story for African-Americans.  One that can shape us all for the better.

The Story And Some Context

On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln, in one of the most important and audacious moves in American history, declared the Emancipation Proclamation.  In effect, he declared the enslaved people of a foreign country - the Confederate Southern States - to be free.  This was in the depths of the Civil War at a time that the battle was not going well for Federal troops.

The War would continue in all it's death and fury from that day.  Ponder Chancellorsville and the death of Stonewall Jackson, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Sherman's March to the Sea and so much more.  Blood and battle for more than two years until Palm Sunday, April 9, 1865 when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse.  Later that week, on Good Friday, President Abraham Lincoln would be assinated by John Wilkes Booth.

It would be another two more months AFTER Lincoln's assassination, on June 19, 1865 - nearly two and one-half years after the declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation - that Major General Gordon Granger and his Union Troops would arrive in Galveston, Texas and deliver the message: "The Civil War is now over!"  The Union had won and would now enforce the end of chattel slavery throughout the United States.

Having been declared free on January 1, 1863, the enslaved people and the legal structures that held them, were not finally free throughout the country until another two and one-half years of costly battle.  Juneteenth is the holiday marking the arrival of that news to all the people it was meant for and the final establishment of freedom in fact, and not just word.

"The Good News Will Not Rest Until Everyone Has Heard!"

I have heard those words, or words like them, ring out in church celebrations of Juneteenth, and I am thankful to be moved by them every time.  I am reminded of the cost and perseverance that it took to not only declare an end to chattel slavery in the United States, but to make it the law of the land.  I am sobered to see in the history that followed, how diligent we must be to maintain and extend that freedom to all people over time and circumstance.  I am saddened at how often we have failed in that diligence.

Finally, I'm reminded of the Gospel of God's Grace and how the unfinished task of the Great Commission calls me to faithful service: "The Good News Will Not Rest Until Everyone Has Heard!"  

A Sermon For The Holiday

While preparing to lead Celebration-Harderwyk in worship this Sunday coinciding with Juneteenth, I came across an address worth sharing by one of my favorite American preachers: Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.  

I recognize that the unbelieving world would only notice our differences.  We are from different generations and historical contexts.  He is Black and I am white.  Over the years of reading his books and sermons though, I have come to hear in him the voice of a senior mentor and even colleague.  We are both pastors in the local church setting.  We have each baptized people into the faith, served the Lord's Supper, exposited the Scriptures, balanced budgets, run Sunday Schools, enjoyed potlucks and repented of our ongoing sin.  He was also called to a national platform that has shaped the Gospel into me and perhaps through me into the congregations I serve.

Here is a closing paragraph from an April 25, 1957 speech by Dr. King with more information and link to the entire sermon below.  You will note that I've maintained his language and the style of reference common to that time.

The Negro leader must stress the fact that the aim of the Negro should never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding. We must make it clear that it is injustice which we seek to defeat and not persons who may happen to be unjust. We have before us the glorious opportunity to inject a new dimension of love into the veins of our civilization. Our motto must be, “Freedom and justice through love.” Not through violence; not through hate; no not even through boycotts; but through love. As we struggle for freedom in America it may be necessary to boycott at times. But we must remember as we boycott that a boycott is not an end within itself; it is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor and challenge his false sense of superiority. But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends. The type of love that I stress here is not eros, a sort of esthetic or romantic love; not philia, a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends; but it is agape which is understanding goodwill for all men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. It is the love of God working in the lives of men. This is the love that may well be the salvation of our civilization. God grant that the leadership of the Negro race will remain true to these basic principles.

• Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. - "The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation’s Chief Moral Dilemma," Address Delivered on 25 April 1957 at the Conference on Christian Faith and Human Relations in Nashville, TN.  CLICK HERE for the entire manuscript

And if you have read this far, I'll say with a smile, that another way to learn of and from another culture is to share the food that they love (and make!) around their table.  For Juneteenth, it's ribs!!  Grace Abounding to Dr. Raymond Franklin, all the brothers and sisters of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Chruch in Alexandria, LA, and to the Tuesday Night Prayer Warriors.  Thanks so much for your many invitations and grace.

Added June 24, 2024

CLICK HERE for ‘Been So Long Praying’: 4 Reasons Why I Observe Juneteenth by Steve Bateman

Some will complain that Juneteenth is too close to Independence Day, distracting from celebrating our nation’s birthday. But maybe we need this reminder that on July 4, 1776, Thomas Jefferson’s claim that “all men are created equal” didn’t include his slaves at Monticello. And no one can say that Jefferson, or any of the slaveholding founders, hadn’t been warned. Other Christians had been calling out the hypocrisy for years.

Considering both Independence Days together is a truer analogy of how the good news spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. The initial impediment to the gospel’s advance was ethnocentric pride. The gospel isn’t just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, and there’s no partiality with God.

Devotional Resources For Everyday Wisdom: Harderwyk's Sermon Series for Summer 2022

Here are some resources that will add to your daily spiritual formation with the Everyday Wisdom Sermon Series:

God's Wisdom For Navigating Live by Tim & Kathy Keller - CLICK HERE for Amazon link to the book

This one-year collection of daily devotions has provided the study outline for the Summer 2022 Harderwyk Sermon Series Everyday Wisdom.  The Kellers gather themes mainly from Proverbs, but also Ecclesiastes, Job and elsewhere and provide a daily reflection, question and prayer.

The Gospel One Proverb At a Time - Paul Tripp's Bible Study - CLICK HERE for free website with videos.

Here is another trusted author for Harderwyk preachers.  Paul David Tripp is author of: 

• Lead - CLICK HERE for Amazon link
• Do You Believe? - CLICK HERE for Amazon link
• New Morning Mercies - CLICK HERE for Amazon link

This video series of 41 different 5 minute teachings through the Book of Proverbs would be a great addition to your daily learning through the couse of the sermon series.

Bible Project

We are all huge fans of the Bible Project and their memorable videos - especially for context and perspective.  For this Everyday Wisdom Series consider working these into your prayer and devotional routine:

• Proverbs Bible Book Over Video - CLICK HERE for an 8 minute video overview of Proverbs.
• Wisdom Book Collection Video Series - CLICK HERE for videos on Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job - about 5-7 minutes each - that will help you see how together these books give you a fuller vision of Wisdom.
• Wisdom Podcast Series - CLICK HERE for an 8-episode podcast, or add Bible Project to your own podcast subscriptions.

Simply Read the Book of Proverbs - With 31 chapters you can easily assemble a daily reading plan, simply read the chapter number of Proverbs to the day of each month.  Read the first chapter on the first day of the month, chapter 2 on the second day and so on.  To dig deeper, try using the SOAPS outline for Bible medidation found on the Harderwyk Spiritual Formation Resources Page.  CLICK HERE for that.

Welcoming A Guest Is Different Than Taking Attendance

I have been very encouraged by the number and frequency of first-time visitors that seem to be finding their way to Celebration these days.

I have also been stumped about how we - that is to say "All-Of-Us-That-Make-Up-Celebration" - can better identify, welcome, and engage with these first-time visitors. It is a heartache for me to sit in my office on Monday with a recollection of a new face "sitting about two-thirds back and on my left and in front of BLANK."  Did they bump my fist after the service?  Did I see them at coffee??  And I can't answer my own questions.  Yikes!

Most people who have spent years going to church are accustomed to "passing that name pad thing."  I thought about that and remembered my own experience with those as a worshipper and a pastor.  I dug into some research to get a sense of what others are finding.  In a nutshell, fewer and fewer people are willing to "sign in."  This is especially true of those who are "just visiting," or "checking things out" for a first-time, the very people you would like to have contact with.

What I'm realizing more and more, is that there is a critical difference between "taking attendance" and "welcoming a guest."  The "Welcome Pad" sign-in method is just taking attendance.  At best.

Taking attendance helps keep up with those who already belong or identify with us.  Welcoming a guest opens a relational door for those who would feel "outside" on their first Sunday.  It actively invites them to take a next step "in."

Taking attendance helps us see "who of us is missing."  Welcoming a guest helps us ask, "Who is the Father bringing?" or "Who is the Father calling us to serve?"

A ministry mentor once told me that, "You want your worship space and service space to say to a guest: We are glad you came, and we actually thought before-hand about how to make you welcome."  We had you in mind - or someone like you - even before you arrived.  Welcome!  You are the answer to our prayers and preparation.

Have you ever been to one of those, "new, seeker-sensitive-startup-type-churches"?  I'm not willing to go "hook, line and sinker" with everything associated with a church like that, but I do observe two things: They don't pass the "Welcome Binder" to connect with visitors, and they typically do a great job of identifying, welcoming and engaging their first-time visitors.

I am pretty certain that there is no system, plan or program we can put in place that will solve this dilemma. It will take the people of Celebration being involved.  A good system for welcoming can support people doing the welcoming, but it cannot replace them or run without them.  It is "insiders" that have the power to make "outsiders" feel welcome.  The Father uses people to communicate and demonstrate His grace. This is so central to the Gospel that God Himself became a people to make the Gospel possible.  A good system for welcoming can support people doing the welcoming, but it cannot replace them or run without them.

So pray with me.  Let's talk and brainstorm.  If the Father is bringing people, how does He want to motivate and equip us to welcome them with His love?

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Does this get some thoughts and questions going in your mind?  As always, feel free to make contact with me - you can add a comment below or through the Harderwyk Ministries office - and let's talk.

Perhaps you'd also be interested in this post: "How the Stand and Greet Time Disappeared in Churches and How To Replace It."  CLICK HERE

Or even "The Amazing Shift of Four "Front Doors" in Churches" - CLICK HERE

Both Content & Delivery Matter When The Church Answers Questions

Looks like a summer of church controversy is headed our way with regard to LGBTQ+ issues.  I see the United Methodist Church melting down, the Reformed Church in America planning for a gracious division and the CRCNA nervously approaching a major position paper all on this one topic.  So how to navigate both inside our local churches, our institutions and our communities as well as the outside world that will evaluate our answers?

As the pastor of a congregation of real people, I have been praying and considering this very question.  In that process, I have come to conceive of the challenge as a matter of getting two very tricky things right at the same time.  Content and Delivery, I would say.  As a local church leader, I want to get right both the Content of my response and the delivery of my response, in order to serve my people well and make the Gospel clear both to us and to those onlookers who will be listening.

Content

This would be the answers to questions that people have, the guidance and counsel I give and the decisions that I and other leaders will invariably have to make.  What will the substance of my response in these areas be?

For my part, I want to make sure any Content I have is faithful to the Scripture and respectful of the confessions of my church which are the history of God and His people.  I will need to understand the questions that my neighbors are asking, and the answers, often different than mine, that others are offering them.  I will want to be clear and understandable in what I say.

But as a follower of Jesus, there is, in fact, content to be faithful to.  I want to get that right both for the sake of my listeners and to be faithful to my Redeemer.  There are some answers that are simply not mine to make up.  I can only deliver them.

Delivery

One of the things that fascinates me most about the Jesus we meet in the Gospels is how able He is to welcome and interact with such a divergent - even conflicting - collection of people.  The sick, the sinner and the self-righteous all feel welcome to engage with him.  He Himself WAS the message, and He never changed that with anyone.  Some would eventually scheme and kill Him for that very message, but He never drove them away, and at least at the beginning, all of those people would seek Him out.

Since His content never changed with the audience, I think what made the way clear for people to engage Him is what I will call "Delivery."  There was something in the way Jesus interacted with people, both before and after He actually spoke, that made them want to seek Him out.

He was a good listener.  He never shamed anyone.  There was an amazing wisdom and clarity of insight in His words.  He was "no respecter of persons," is one expression used of Him.  All that and more, they willingly came to Him.

I am sad to admit, that such has not always been the case with my interactions.  For a variety of reasons, that I seem slow to come to grips with honestly, people who are different than me find it safer to run or fight than to engage.

So, this Delivery element is important.  I think we are called to not only deliver the Content that Jesus would, but also with the Delivery that Jesus would.  If I get the Content right, I still miss the mark if I don't get the Delivery right as well.  

Now, it's also true that if I don't get the Content right, I can't make up for that lack by getting the Delivery right.

Content and Delivery are a Both/And proposition and not an Either/Or.   At least if we are going to be faithful to the life and message that we experience in the Gospel of Jesus.

An Example

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the denomination in which I am ordained, has attempted to work this "Content & Delivery" approach out on the subject of LGTBQ+ questions in a way that has been very helpful for my own guidance, prayer and ministry.  We have a "Position Paper on Human Sexuality" that presents the "Content" - CLICK HERE - concisely with an abundance of Scripture references for further study.  That was followed with a "Pastoral Letter on Human Sexuality" that focused on the "Delivery" or better yet, pastoral ministry side.  CLICK HERE for that paper - and note that it is nearly ten times longer!

Reflections on The Human Sexuality Report Coming to the CRCNA General Synod in June of 2022

Part of the approaching tumult of the summer that I mentioned in the beginning is related to the paper on Human Sexuality being presented for consideration and adoption to this summer's General Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids.  CLICK HERE to see an Executive Summary (12 pages) and CLICK HERE to look at the full report of 176 pages.

My brief reflections: The committee that was tasked with producing this report was given a challenging charge and overall, in my mind, they did a commendable job.  They certainly invested amazing effort.  I would support it, if I were a part of the CRC.

That said, it seems very long on Content - 176 pages.  Lots of words - even good words - on an explosive topic seem like a setup for confusion and contention, particularly to the outside world.  

There are sections on "Pastoral Care" that would speak to the Delivery component in my model.  Still, it is the Delivery side that churches have been weakest in the past, that is where our mistakes cause real pain and even harm, and that is where most people - this is certainly the case for me - find it hardest to represent the Gospel well.

At Harderwyk, we are using the Grace & Truth 1.0 material by Preston Sprinkle gather people in a small group setting to reflect and consider how we navigate conversations and relationships related to LGBTQ+ people and issues.  CLICK HERE for a link to a previous post on this.

Here's a few questions:  

Which of those two - Content or Delivery - is it your more natural response to the questions of our culture?  Which of the two is hardest for you to live up to with your neighbors?  Where do you most need the work of the Holy Spirit  if you are to be more like Jesus in communicating with the people you encounter?

If this has raised some questions for you, feel free to leave a comment or, better yet, let's find a way to talk.  Catch me after worship on Sunday perhaps, or call the Harderwyk Ministries office during the week and we can arrange a time to sit down together that works for us both.