Rev. Joel Boot, new executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, recently appointed Rev. Peter Borgdorff as his deputy.
Borgdorff was the CRC’s executive director of ministries for many years, and executive director for two years before he retired.
Boot has been appointed executive director for the next two years. His appointment follows the resignations of both the previous executive director and the director of denominational ministries (DDM).
“We decided early on not to replace the DDM until synod’s task force on structure has reported,” Boot said. “To appoint someone to that position in the interim would make it seem that [retaining that position] is a foregone conclusion.”
By calling Borgdorff’s position “deputy executive director,” Boot said it conveys that it is not the DDM position. “The duties need to be covered, but not necessarily in the same configuration as before,” he said.
It is not yet decided how the administrative tasks will be divided. Borgdorff said he expects he will focus more on the programmatic side, working with CRC agencies and specialized ministries, while Boot will focus more on the work of the Board of Trustees and synod.
Boot made his decisions in consultation with the Board of Trustees’ executive members.
The structure task force Boot referred to was appointed by Synod 2011 (the church’s annual leadership meeting) to conduct a review of the church’s denominational structure and culture and make recommendations to Synod 2012.
Boot will also meet with the denomination’s ministry directors on a formal basis. That group, known as the Ministries Leadership Team (MLT), had formerly been convened by the DDM.
The group has by mutual agreement been enlarged, at least for now, to include presidents of the educational institutions owned by the church (Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary), the directors of the specialized ministries, and other senior directors.
Borgdorff was already working for the denomination, traveling throughout it to facilitate discussions about the Belhar Confession. Between that and his new duties, he will be working full time. He said he will serve “as long as I am needed and am able.”
Related
CRC Executive Director Resigns
Director of Denominational Ministries Resigns
Synod Ratifies Appointment of Rev. Joel Boot
Synod Appoints Task Force to Review Church Structure
Editorial: Denominational Governance: Time to Get Back to Reformed Basics
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
