March 2025

Summary: A recent meeting of the COD included reviewing and sending back for edits a proposed update to the process for receiving exceptions to the Statement of Beliefs of the Christian Reformed Church. It ended with a unison, virtual reciting of the CRCNA’s mission statement

Being hosted outside North America for the first time, the annual Kuyper Conference will honor evangelist Stephen Tong as the 2025 recipient of the Kuyper Prize.

Pastor Henry Eshuis, compassionate, thoughtful, and caring to all he encountered, died Dec. 2, 2024. He was 90.

A humble man who modeled Christ’s compassionate servant’s heart, Pastor Paul Sausser died Jan. 8 after five years of living with cancer. He was 65.

A pastor and chaplain who nurtured many interests, Peter Kranenburg's life was defined by the power and grace of Jesus Christ. He died Jan. 7 at age 95.

A powerful and transformational preacher, Bob Ritsema pastored six congregations and served one outreach ministry. He died Oct. 29, 2024, at age 80.

At the recent celebration of life service for Bill Dykstra, a friend described the big smile Bill always had when he told the story of how God led him into lifelong ministry.

As a pastor and chaplain, Tom Dykstra consistently demonstrated his faithfulness, dedication, and compassion for others. He died Jan. 3, at age 69.

David Zandstra, arrested in July 2023 to face murder and kidnapping charges in the 1975 death of an 8-year-old girl, was found not guilty as his trial ended Jan. 17. A previous suspension of his ministerial credentials will be reconsidered.

Christians around the world are being attacked and killed, forced to flee and driven underground, the annual report finds.

San Jose (Calif.) Christian Reformed Church was close to closing five years ago. In December it celebrated the first joint worship service with three congregational partners.

What can we learn from Christian Reformed churches that reported growth through evangelism? 

With ministry share giving down, the Council of Delegates of the Christian Reformed Church is considering “ways to reduce governance costs, fund synod, and use time wisely.” A report will come in May.

Trinity Christian College’s women’s soccer team won the National Christian College Athletic Association Division I championship.

The Christian Reformed Church in North America’s Ministers Pension Plans, subject of some critical overtures in 2024, will now be managed by CEB Services, headed by former CRCNA CFO John Bolt.

Hosted by a Christian Reformed pastor serving as dean of chapel at Dordt University, and produced with a fellow former missionary, Missions Upside Down revisits gospel-sharing history and looks to the future in a six-part series.