Our Shared Ministry is a place to hear, discuss, and celebrate the ministry that we, as the Christian Reformed Church, are involved in across North America and around the world.
It’s common for people to believe it can’t happen in their congregation. As we’ve seen in these other instances, though, it can and it does happen even among “our” churches. Here are a few key things to keep in mind if your congregation finds itself navigating similar situations.
“We live in a culture that promotes a Hollywood fantasy that if you’re with your soulmate, everything will be hunky dory—you’ll live happily ever after—and there will be no issues,” said Rev. Deb Koster, producer of Family Fire. “The reality is that we’re all broken, and we’re trying to find ways to live together in fellowship, sharp edges and all.”
With Nicaragua’s rainy season fast approaching, Luis and Alba Lopez knew their family was in a dire situation—their roof wouldn’t be able to withstand the rainstorms.
Begun as a three-year pilot project in 12 classes (U.S. Upper Midwest, California, and Southern Ontario), the goal of Connections is to bring denominational resources to Christian Reformed churches in ways that are responsive and easily accessed.
One of the five desired futures expressed in our denominational ministry plan, Our Journey 2020, focuses on collaboration.
Much of the conversation between Gibson and Jennings centered around the topic of theological education and how many scholars today are wrestling with one big question for themselves. As for Jennings, he pursues “the question of God and race.”
Synod 2016 recognized the financial gap in the ministry shares system and asked that the program be reconsidered. It instructed staff to prioritize and evaluate existing programs and to develop a proposal for reimagining ministry shares. This proposal will be brought to Synod 2019 for discussion and decision.
In the heart of the newly renovated Christian Reformed Church in North America offices in Burlington, Ont. a quilt hangs prominently. It includes blocks from 65 different Christian Reformed people from across North America.
“Depression stole my life in every way imaginable,” said Leenza Thompson, a student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “[I felt] completely empty at some points, like I was just a shell of a human. . . . I really felt like I was a waste of space on earth. I felt that no one could ever love me.”
Every week, Victor (not his real name) tunes in to one of his favorite television programs from his home in Chile. One day, the message felt a little too close to home. “I was tempted to change the channel,” recalled Victor. “But I decided to keep listening.”
While the person you meet in the grocery store may not recognize the denominational name “Christian Reformed Church in North America,” you can find common ground by simply saying your church is part of the Christian church.
While we may no longer sing from the same hymnal or even in the same language, there is much more in our worship that unites than divides.
World Renew has a vision: a world where people experience and extend Christ's compassion and live together in hope as God's community. They claim God’s deep passion for justice and mercy as their motivation.
World Renew has been serving and walking with communities in Tanzania for over 25 years. Partnering with the local church, the African Inland Church Tanzania, World Renew seeks to see God glorified, churches strengthened, and people moved out of poverty.
Three of us rode together to Detroit, Mich., to the Inspire 2017 conference with much anticipation. I’m not sure what I was looking for, but I do know this: That I needed to be inspired. I needed to know that the Christian Reformed Church in North America is alive and well.
Nadeana was not a leader. At least, that’s what she believed before beginning her internship with Western Campus Ministry. Now she’s encouraging other students to be leaders too.
We need men and women of God who understand the times in which we live and can show us how to give witness to the faith we have in Christ.
Four years ago, Sarah Hoogendoorn pulled out of the ministerial candidacy process. She had acquired her Masters of Divinity degree and had begun working at a church in Alberta but then discovered that she was not called to church ministry.
Students are formed as ministry leaders in a variety of ways and will face a variety of leadership situations upon graduation.
The autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, was chosen for its challenging historical and firsthand account of slavery, racism, and injustice in the 19th-century society that openly condoned slavery
The church in Cambodia is young, and so are its leaders. That’s why Resonate missionaries Gil and Joyce Suh come alongside young, first-generation Christian leaders like Narith* to disciple, train, and mentor them—like a Barnabas to many young Pauls.
Jamila Abdulahi, a peasant farmer in Nasarawa State, gives thanks to God for giving her and her husband a baby girl.
Three churches in central Etobicoke, a western suburb of Toronto, joined together to address the issue of lack of affordable housing in the greater Toronto area of Ontario.
Can you imagine an entire church, congregation, or denomination “doing” discipleship?
