Times have changed in the Christian Reformed Church, and that was very much on display at Synod 2019, the annual leadership meeting of the CRC.

Synod 2019’s officers William Koopmans, Thea Leunk, José Rayas, and Melissa Van Dyk were happy with how this year’s synod went. 

Synod is the annual leadership meeting of the Christian Reformed Church.

Synod 2019 has not withdrawn observations from Synod 2012 related to climate change. It has asked for more clarity on future considerations of justice issues.

Synod 2019 (the general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church) declares Kinism a heresy.

Asked by East Hills, a congregation in Vernon, B.C., to deepen awareness in the denomination of the plight of the Palestinians and plead their cause to the governments of Canada and the U.S., 

Delegates accepted limiting speech length, but resisted any attempt to mandate who classes may send as delegates.

Synod 2019 took up much of what the Synod Review Task Force recommended, altered some of the recommendations, and rejected a few of them.

All officers elected to serve Synod 2019 took turns chairing during deliberations of the Christian Reformed Church’s general assembly. 

Synod 2019 is just the fourth annual general assembly of the CRC to include deacons as delegates. While not every classis sent a deacon delegate this year, deacons who came found the participation valuable and eye-opening.

Synod 2019 has moved ahead on stronger requirements to address abuse of power that happens all too often in the church.

Hearing and reading from a litany written by Sharon Fennema, delegates and gathered visitors lamented: “For the breaching of relationships and the abuse of sacred trust, we cry out.”

Sometimes it’s the slow train that eludes detection. 

Over the past 15 years, the office of commissioned pastor has burgeoned.

More pastors are trained now in places like Western Seminary, Regent College, and Fuller Seminary.

Synod 2019 made changes in how pastors who have been ordained in other churches can enter the CRC.

Bivocational pastors can help small churches maintain their life together when financial resources are scarce.

Church planters who come to synod said they sometimes feel like “fish out of water.” 

One group that was closely following the debate about a new ministry share system were the presidents of the colleges associated with the Christian Reformed Church.

Now that Synod 2019 has adopted radical changes to the ministry share system, how will the new system be rolled out?

Synod 2019 upends the ministry share system that has been in place for more than 150 years. 

Synod 2019 (annual meeting of the Christian Reformed Church) radically changed the ministry share system, but the change has been a long time coming. 

Synod 2019 joyfully welcomed 42 new candidates for the office of minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church.