From: Darrell128@aol.com Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 16:41:19 -0500 (EST) Subject: Media Alert 97/02/25: SW Michigan Classis to Vote Tonight on RCA Affirmation of Media Alert: Classis of Southwest Michigan to Vote Tonight on Whether All Reformed Church in America Ministers and Churches Should Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is Through Christ Alone When the Classis of Southwest Michigan convenes tonight at Greenwood Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, it will become the first of the Reformed Church in America's eight Michigan classes [regional units of church government] in Michigan to vote on a pending amendment to the denomination's Book of Church Order that would require each RCA minister and church to inform classis on whether "the doctrines of the gospel [are] preached in your church in their purity in conformity with... the truth that divine redemption from sin is only by grace through faith in the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the only mediator between God and humankind." Media Alert: For Immediate Release Classis of Southwest Michigan to Vote Tonight on Whether All Reformed Church in America Ministers and Churches Should Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is Through Christ Alone * 7 pm vote at Greenwood Reformed Church of Kalamazoo to be first Michigan vote in national polling on church order amendment ratification * ABC News to feature RCA conflict in Thursday "World News Tonight" by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (February 25, 1997) URNS -- When the Classis of Southwest Michigan convenes tonight at Greenwood Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, it will become the first of the Reformed Church in America's eight Michigan classes [regional units of church government] in Michigan to vote on a pending amendment to the denomination's Book of Church Order that would require each RCA minister and church to inform classis on whether "the doctrines of the gospel [are] preached in your church in their purity in conformity with... the truth that divine redemption from sin is only by grace through faith in the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the only mediator between God and humankind." The classis is scheduled to convene at 7 pm tonight at Greenwood Reformed Church, 1815 Winton Ave., in Kalamazoo. The controversial and potentially divisive amendment to the Reformed Church in America's Book of Church Order will be voted on by each of the 312,000-member denomination's 46 classes over the next few months. Most RCA classes meet in March; a few meet in February and others in May. If ratified by two-thirds of the classes and passed a second time at this summer's General Synod, the new question would follow up on two "constitutional inquiries" that each RCA classis is already required to ask each year to all ministers and elder delegates to classis. Currently, each church must inform classis on whether the doctrines of the gospel are preached in conformity with "the Word of God" and "the Standards of the Reformed Church in America," namely, the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and Canons of Dort. The controversy stems from the continuing conflict in the RCA's Muskegon Classis over the views of Rev. Richard Rhem and a related conflict in the Southwest Michigan Classis over an article in the Kalamazoo Gazette by Rev. Don Van Hoeven. Rhem, pastor of the large Christ Community Church of Spring Lake, Michigan, originally came under scrutiny for his support of homosexual practice and was later disciplined by the Muskegon Classis for his views on salvation apart from Christ and the nature of Scripture. Van Hoeven, retired RCA campus minister at Western Michigan University, was later formally rebuked by the Classis of Southwest Michigan for an article in the Kalamazoo Gazette, later reprinted in other newspapers, supporting Rhem's theological views. Rhem's church was originally permitted to withdraw from the RCA with its property but the settlement is on hold pending resolution of a decade-old allegation of "gross sexual misconduct" against Rhem -- dismissed by the Muskegon Classis on the grounds of insufficient evidence -- that is currently on appeal to the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes. While Rhem has asked to leave quietly, Van Hoeven has chosen to appeal his rebuke to the regional synod which will hear his appeal at its regular May assembly. The RCA conflict over Rhem, touched off by a 1995 article in the Grand Haven Tribune on Rhem's church allowing a predominantly homosexual congregation to meet on its premises, has attracted attention not only from the Muskegon and statewide media but also led to a front page article in New York Times, several articles in the nationwide evangelical magazine Christianity Today, co ntinuing coverage in Religion News Service and Evangelical Press Service that has been widely distributed throughout the religious and secular news media, and an upcoming feature on Rhem this Thursday, Feb. 27, on ABC's "World News Tonight" with Peter Jennings dealing with the subject of religious intolerance in America. Passage of the church order amendment is by no means assured. In RCA polity, amendments to the church order are proposed by a simple majority of the delegates at one General Synod and go into effect only if approved by a two-thirds majority of the classes and a simple majority of the delegates at the next General Synod. The proposal to explicitly require ministers and churches to answer whether they preach that salvation is only through Christ was adopted by a 148-112 majority at the 1996 General Synod. The required ratification by two-thirds of the classes has previously stopped other highly controversial church order amendments -- including women in office, which was only allowed in the RCA after the General Synod refused to discipline churches and classes which ordained women despite the failure of efforts to get the necessary 2/3 majority of classes to ratify the church order changes to explicitly allow women to be ordained. The church order amendment originated with an overture from the Classis of Northern Michigan, which explicitly cited articles in the Grand Rapids Press on Rev. Richard Rhem of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, as grounds for its overture. "Those in the RCA teaching heterodoxy (that there are other ways to salvation besides Jesus Christ and that salvation is possible in Christ without saving faith) are disrupting the unity of the RCA by bringing in destructive heresies which cannot be tolerated if Christians are to be loyal to the Lord Jesus Christ," stated the Northern Michigan overture. "It is the duty of modern-day church elders to protect the church from false teaching." Although passed by a slim majority, the church order amendment was followed by a number of even stronger recommendations at the 1996 General Synod. Acting on an overture from the Classis of California, the RCA adopted a strongly worded statement "joyfully and gladly" reaffirming that "God's work in Christ alone reveals the deepest truths about God, our life, and our world. God's work in Christ alone saves all who believe. Indeed, there is salvation in no one else, as the Old and New Testaments themselves teach." A similar overture from the Regional Synod of Mid-America was considered answered by the response to the California overture. Responding to a related California overture, the RCA's General Synod also voted to "reaffirm the historic position of the Reformed Church in America that the Bible is the Word of God, our only rule of faith and practice, as articulated by the Belgic Confession and interpreted by the 1963 General Synod adoption of a 'Revised Declaration on Holy Scripture.'" "Part of this that's a little unusual is not that there's theological debate, but that there would be a change in the questions a congregation is asked to respond to each year," said RCA communications coordinator Rev. Wayne Antworth. "Adding another question to that is a bit unusual." Antworth noted that passage of the church order amendment wouldn't necessarily mean that those who disagreed would be disciplined since each classis would have to decide how it would process negative replies to the constitutional inquiries. "It is the classis that is always responsible for supervising a minister in his doctrine and life," said Antworth. While the additional constitutional question could result in questioning the credentials of many additional RCA ministers, at least two RCA ministers are already in the disciplinary process. Rhem, the minister whose teachings touched off the controversy, was most recently dealt with at a February 21 hearing before the Overtures and Judicial Business committee of the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes which will determine how to proceed on an unrelated charge of "gross sexual misconduct" that so far has not been substantiated by the classis or the regional synod. The appeal of retired Kalamazoo minister Rev. Don Van Hoeven, who was formally rebuked by the Classis of Southwest Michigan for a Kalamazoo Gazette article expressing agreement with Rhem's theological position, has already been advanced to the Regional Synod Assembly with a recommendation that his appeal be dismissed. Upcoming RCA Classis Votes in Michigan: February 25: Classis of Southwest Michigan 7 pm, Greenwood RCA, Kalamazoo March 4: Classis of Muskegon 9 am, Ferry Memorial, Montague March 8: Classis of Lake Erie * 9 am, New Hope RCA, Columbus OH March 11: Classis of Northern Michigan 10 am, Community RCA, Charlevoix March 18: Classis of North Grand Rapids [date confirmed, not time or place] Classis of South Grand Rapids 6:30 pm (?), Grace RCA, Wyoming Classis of Zeeland 7 pm, Haarlem RCA, Holland March 25: Classis of Holland 6 pm, Third RCA, Holland * Note: the Classis of Lake Erie includes RCA churches in Ohio as well as eastern Michigan and metropolitan Detroit. Time, place, and date have been confirmed but it is possible that the Book of Church Order amendment will be voted on at a different time. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1996-013: Special Meeting of RCA's Muskegon Classis Discusses Homosexuality, Scripture, Salvation Apart from Christ #1996-023: Muskegon RCA Classis: No Room for Pastor Questioning Salvation Apart from Christ, Authority of Scripture #1996-086: Muskegon Classis Rebukes Rhem for "Heretical" Views, Restarts Negotiations "to Reach a Mutually Acceptable Separation Agreement" with Christ Community Church #1996-091: Rhem Conflict Leads to Homosexuality Debate in Muskegon #1996-092: Back to the Drawing Board: Muskegon Classis Tables Proposed Settlement with Pastor of RCA's Fourth-Largest Church #1996-093: Dr. Jonathan Gerstner on Rhem: "Tragedy is the Only Word" #1996-094: Second RCA Minister Faces Discipline for Theological Views #1996-103: Classis Muskegon Averts Heresy Trial, Completes Separation Agreement with Richard Rhem, Christ Community Church #1996-110: Appeal Stalls Settlement Agreement on Rev. Richard Rhem; Protests Greet Upcoming Rhem Keynote Speech for RCA Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics on "The Church in Conflict... Can Non-Believers be Saved?" #1996-118: Rhem to Reformed Church in America: "The Bible is a Wax Nose" #1997-001: Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against Richard Rhem #1997-002: Rhem's Attorney Responds: "Classis... Has Engaged in Conspiratorial Actions Which Were Maliciously Calculated to Damage Rev. Richard Rhem and Christ Community Church" #1997-007: Appeal of Charges Against Rhem Sent Back to Committee by RCA's Regional Synod Executive Committee; Van Hoeven Appeal to Proceed with Recommendation of Dismissal #1997-019: Reformed Church in America Classes Poised to Vote on Church Order Change: Should All RCA Ministers and Churches Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is Through Christ Alone? Contact List: Rev. E. Wayne Antworth, Director, RCA Stewardship & Communication Services 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 O: (212) 870-2954 * FAX: (212) 870-2499 Roger W. Boer, Esq., Partner, Rhoades, McKee, Boer, Goodrich & Titta, Attorneys at Law 161 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 600, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2793 O: (616) 235-3500 * FAX: (616) 459-5102 Ms. Jennifer Liggett, Stated Clerk, Classis of Southwest Michigan 302 Academy St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007 H/O: (616) 349-6260 Rev. Richard Rhem, Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * H: (616) 846-7777 * F: (616) 842-3476 Rev. Donald Van Hoeven 1024 Westfall, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 * H: (616) 381-8586 Rev. Richard Veenstra, Classis Minister, Classis of Muskegon (RCA) 17432 North Shore Estates Rd., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 788-2321 * H: (616) 842-0454 Rev. Sherwin Weener, Synod Minister, Regional Synod of the Great Lakes 4500 - 60th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 O: (616) 698-7071 * H: (616) 457-3572 Rev. Arthur Wiers, President, Classis of Southwest Michigan 910 Jenks Blvd., Kalamazoo, MI 49006 O: (616) 349-9788 * H: (616) 349-6415 Ron Zoet, Director of Operations, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * F: (616) 842-3476 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nrma97-2.txt .