URCNA Church Planting Conference

I spent the first part of this week in Denver at the United Reformed Church planting conference--a voluntary and ad hoc gathering devoted to planting new URCNA churches.  I'm chatting with Dr. Brian Lee (who used to attend Christ Reformed in Anaheim, before he started Christ Reformed in Washington DC), and Rev. Danny Hyde, of the Oceanside URC.

The URCNA is young -- a mere 15 years old.  We are not terribly experienced, nor well-organized when it comes to church planting.  The conference was designed to develop ways to remedy that.

We know that planting confessional Reformed churches with our particular distinctives is a tough thing in North America.  But we also trust in God's grace and power to call his people to faith, and to form new churches.

So far in our short history we've planted fifteen new churches which have organized, and we have thirteen more which are in various stages of development (South Orange County, CA, Brea, CA, Ventura, CA, Colorado Springs, CO, Washington, DC, Kauai, HI, Chicago Heights, IL [spanish], Grand Rapids, MI, Missoula, MT, New York , NY, Scarborough, ON, Toronto, ON, and Sioux Falls, SD).

If you know of anyone who lives in these areas, please send them our way!

It was great to see so many of our pastors, church-planters, and elders present--more than sixty of us!  Looks like we'll do it again next year.

The Consolation of Prophecy -- Growing Churches Churches Conference, April 1-2

First Chino URC is hosting the annual Growing Reformed Churches Conference on April 1-2, 2011.

The theme of this year's conference is "The Consolation of Prophecy."

This year's speakers include Dr. Robert Godfrey, Dr. Cornel Venema, Dr. Dennis Johnson, and some middle-aged bald guy (me).  I'm speaking on the signs of the end.

Here's the conference brochure:

Click Here

"Planting, Watering, Growing: Planting Confessionally Reformed Churches in the 21st Century" Is Now Available!

Here's the publisher's description (Reformation Heritage Books):

Product Description

 As a response to the unique challenges facing the twenty-first-century American church, church planting has become a popular topic. But at a time when churches that spread the seed of the Word through preaching, the sacraments, and prayer are greatly needed, much of the focus has been on planting churches that adapt pop culture to meet “consumer demand.”  In Planting, Watering,Growing, the authors of this collection of essays weave together theological wisdom, personal experiences, and practical suggestions, guiding readers through the foundations and methods of planting confessional churches that uphold the Word of God

I wrote a chapter entitled, "Planning the Plant: Some Thoughts on Preparing to Plant a New Church."

For ordering information, Click Here

A New Book on Church Planting -- "Planting, Watering, Growing: Planting Confessionally Reformed Churches in the 21st Century"

The long-anticipated volume on church planting edited by Daniel R. Hyde and Shane Lems will be out soon!

I wrote the chapter entitled "Planning the Plant."

Here's the publisher's advertisement and Ordering Information.

 As a response to the unique challenges facing the twenty-first-century American church, church planting has become a popular topic. But at a time when churches that spread the seed of the Word through preaching, the sacraments, and prayer are greatly needed, much of the focus has been on planting churches that adapt pop culture to meet “consumer demand.”  In Planting, Watering, Feeding, the authors of this collection of essays weave together theological wisdom, personal experiences, and practical suggestions, guiding readers through the foundations and methods of planting confessional churches that uphold the Word of God.

Endorsements:

The Reformed churches confess a missional faith. We confess that God the Son came voluntarily and was sent (missio) by the Father to be the Redeemer and that He has, in turn, sent His church to proclaim the good news, to plant churches, to administer the sacraments and discipline. Few books on church planting and mission combine a passion for the glory of Christ, a heartfelt concern for the lost, and a commitment to the means of grace. This volume does just that and therefore is essential reading for those seeking to serve Christ’s mission Christ’s way. - R. Scott Clark, Professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California

When so many seek to plant and grow churches with slick marketing, demographics studies, and decaf cappuccinos, Hyde and Lems bring a robust, Christ-centered, and confessionally Reformed approach to church planting. Scripturally informed, confessionally sound, and practically minded, this book offers sage counsel for anyone interested in home missions and church planting. - J. V. Fesko, Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary California

The twenty-first-century Western world is seen by many as having moved into a post-Christian era. The church is divided and declining and increasingly is becoming a despised and persecuted minority. However true that may be, there is another sense in which there has never been a century that is more like the first century than this one. In the days of the book of Acts, the culture was pluralistic and the church was all the things that it is today; yet never was there a time of greater gospel growth and of the church being more widely established within a single generation. That was a century of opportunity, and ours is too. The contributors to this volume on church planting in the twenty-first century see today’s world very much in the light of the world in which the apostles labored. Each one of them, directly or indirectly, has been involved in seeing new churches planted, and together they provide the church with a resource that makes us look with optimism and confidence at the opportunities we have to see Christ continue to build His church. They challenge the church of our day to lift its eyes and see a harvest that is there to be reaped. - Mark G. Johnston, Senior Pastor of Proclamation Presbyterian Church (PCA), Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Table of Contents:
Foreword: Was the Reformation Missions-Minded?—Michael S. Horton
Introduction—Daniel R. Hyde and Shane Lems

Part 1: The Foundation of Planting Churches
1               The Fruitful Grain of Wheat—Brian Vos
2               The Sovereign Spirit of Missions: Thoughts on Acts 16:6–10 and Church Planting—Daniel R. Hyde
3               The Reformed Confessions and Missions—Wes Bredenhof
4               No Church, No Problem?—Michael S. Horton

Part 2: The Methods of Planting Churches
5               Church Planting Principles from the Book of Acts—Daniel R. Hyde
6               Heart Preparation in Church Planting—Paul T. Murphy
7               Church Planting: A Covenantal and Organic Approach—Paul T. Murphy
8               Planning the Plant: Some Thoughts on Preparing to Plant a New Church—Kim Riddlebarger

Part 3: The Work of Planting Churches
9               On Being a Church Planter—Daniel R. Hyde
10            Being a Welcoming Church Plant—Kevin Efflandt
11            Flock and Family: A Biblical Balance—Shane Lems
12            Declare His Praise among the Nations: Public Worship as the Heart of Evangelism—Daniel R. Hyde
13            “How’s the Food?” The Church Plant’s Most Important Ingredient—Michael G. Brown
14           Church Membership and the Church Plant—Michael G. Brown
15            Shepherding Toward Maturity, Part 1: The Authority in Church Planting— Spencer Aalsburg
16            Shepherding Toward Maturity, Part 2: Identifying a Mature Church Plant— Spencer Aalsburg
17            Motivation: The Planting Church and the Planted Church—Eric Tuininga

Part 4: The Context of Planting Churches
18            Church Planting in a Melting Pot—Shane Lems
19            The Cultural Factor in Church Planting—Mitchell Persaud
20            Growing Contextually Reformed Churches: Oxymoron or Opportunity?—Phil Grotenhuis
21            Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?—Michael S. Horton

Epilogue—Daniel R. Hyde and Shane Lems
Appendix A Church-Plant Timeline: A Big and Brief Picture of a Plant—Daniel R. Hyde and Shane Lems
Appendix B The Steering Committee—Spencer Aalsburg
Appendix C Guidelines for the Steering Committee—Spencer Aalsburg
Selected Bibliography
Contributors
Scripture Index
Confessions Index

About the Editors: Daniel R. Hyde and Shane Lems are the church planters and pastors of the Oceanside United Reformed Church in Carlsbad/Oceanside, California, and United Reformed Church of Sunnyside in Sunnyside, Washington.

Contributors: Michael S. Horton, Brian Vos, Wes Bredenhof, Paul T. Murphy, Kim Riddlebarger, Kevin Efflandt, Michael G. Brown, Spencer Aalsburg, Eric Tuininga, Mitchell Persaud, Phil Grotenhuis

Brian Lee's Editorial in the Daily Caller

Back in the day, Brian Lee attended Christ Reformed Church, and often taught our catechism service while still attending Westminster Seminary.

Dr. Brian Lee is now the pastor of the "other" Christ Reformed Church in Washington DC.

Brian's editorial piece on Christianity and Politics was published in the Daily Caller.  Here's the link: Christianity and Politics

New URC Plant in Missoula, MT

Live in Missoula?  Know anyone who does?

There is a new Bible study meeting there with the intention of forming a URCNA congregation.  Jared Beaird is the church planter.  The potential church plant is under the oversight of the Belgrade URC.  Jared is a recent WSC graduate and a good guy.

Here's the info:  Missoula church plant

Lecture Series on Preaching at the "Other" Christ Reformed Church in DC

Christ Reformed Church (URCNA) in our nation's capital is hosting a weekly series entitled "Preaching in the Capital."

The lectures explore the current state of preaching as well as ways to recover the Reformation's focus upon the preaching of Christ.

If you live in the DC area, or know someone who does, here's the link with all the info.  Click here

The pastor of the "other" Christ Reformed Church is Dr. Brian Lee, who was first licensed to exhort at the "original" Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim.  Confused yet?

A Synodical Ordeal

Quite frankly, the 2010 URCNA Synod in London, Ontario, was an ordeal.  At least it was for me.

Along with Christ Reformed's elder delegate, I made my way from the OC to London, Ontario.  But our bags remained in Detroit . . .  We finally got our stuff the next day.  Good thing.  I was getting a bit gamey.

Some guy sitting about three rows back on the flight from LA to Detroit was hacking and snorting his head off.  Sure enough, I was getting sick by Tuesday night and spent much of synod stoned on cold tablets trying not to cough, sneeze or make other gross sounds.  Nothing worse than sitting next to someone coughing, snorting and repeatedly clearing their throats.  I did my best to keep quiet, but that meant sneaking off to go blow my nose every 20 minutes or so . . .

The delegates worked from 8:00 a.m. in the morning until 11:00 p.m. for four straight days.  Despite the grueling schedule, the 200 or so sleep-deprived bone-weary men kept plowing ahead with few signs of the usual crabbiness that goes with that kind of stress and fatigue.  I was impressed with the level of civility shown under such duress.  I know I was tired and crabby!

Adding insult to fatigue, apparently, American Reformed ministers are viewed as a security risk by Canadian authorities!  Here I am getting frisked in front of a bunch of my fellow ministers and synod attendees on the same flight out with me (hence the photo).  I'll bet the security people were looking for Cuban cigars--the contraband most likely to be found on a Reformed minister's person.

Yes, synod was an ordeal.  But . . . 

The nine points of Synod Schereville were re-affirmed by a large margin.  When it came time to approve the study report on justification and the Federal Vision, the matter came to the floor in the form of six recommendations.  The first recommendation (to receive the report) passed without dissent.  Then the second recommendation passed.  Then came the third, the heart of the report.  Not a single "nay."  When it became clear that the vote was unanimous, someone out in the hall applauded.  Before long virtually all the delegates inside began applauding.  Then, there was a cheer or two, and I can only describe the atmosphere in the room as one of spontaneous heart-felt joy.  Never seen anything like it!  About as close as the Reformed come to a "second blessing."

So, if synod was an ordeal, it was well worth it.  The gospel was cheered, the Federal Vision was rejected by every one of the delegates to our synod. 

And once I've caught up on my sleep and my cold is long gone, what will remain is the unanimous vote of Synod London 2010, when the delegates cheered as the gospel was affirmed and the Federal Vision condemned!

Thanks be to God!

Off to Synod . . .

Well, I'm off next week to the URNCA synod, in London, Ontario.  Synod will be held on the campus of the University of Western Ontario.

Although I enjoy seeing old friends, I'm not one who enjoys a week's worth of committee work.  But we do have some important things on the agenda, including a report on the doctrine of justification and the federal vision, the issue of possible federative unity with the Canadian Reformed Churches, as well as several other pressing matters facing our churches.

For the past six years, I've been the chair of the liturgical forms and confessions committee (we are working on a new URCNA hymnal), and will be glad to hand those duties off to someone new.

Lord willing, I'll return to the big OC the next week for a bit, and then it is off to the Eastern Sierras for our annual summer vacation with church friends.  I look forward to that all year!

It has been a very productive summer so far.  I've been able to complete a big chunk of the first draft on my book on the two kingdoms.  The book will focus on our duties as Christian citizens. 

I'm tackling questions about the origin and authority of the civil kingdom. the relationship of the Great Commission to the Cultural Mandate, the redemptive role and mission of the kingdom of Christ (in the midst of the civil kingdom), the question of whether or not the United States is a Christian nation (in one sense it might be, in another sense it cannot be), the dark side of the state and the question of civil disobedience, as well as our duties to the civil kingdom as Christian citizens (praying for those in authority, obeying the law, and yes, even paying taxes). 

It is not a book about politics per se, but instead focuses upon the application of Reformed two kingdom theory to our duties as American citizens.  What does it mean to be a Christian and an American?  Political partisans (on either side) probably won't like my answer.  Theonomists and neo-Calvinists won't either!

Hopefully, I'll find a publisher and get it published well before the 2012 elections!

If I get a good Wi-Fi connection, I may have a few updates from synod.  If not, Lord willing, I'll return in a week or so.

I'm in Denver/Loveland This Weekend (May 21-23)

Here's the scoop from the Corem Deo Reformation Church website.

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An Evening with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Dr. Kim Riddlebarger, pastor of Christ Reformed Church of Anaheim, CA, and co-host of the White Horse Inn, will be in Denver for a one-evening conference:

“Antichrist: The Ultimate End-Times Foe.”

The conference, hosted by Coram Deo Reformation Church, will be held at Horizon Community Church, 2121 Dad Clark Dr., Highlands Ranch, CO.
Friday Evening May 21^st, 7:00 PM.

For more information and registration,  www.coramdeourc.org

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I'll also be preaching both services at Calvary United Reformed Church, on Sunday May 23 (10:00 AM; 12:15 PM).  The church is located at 3901 14th St. S.W. Loveland, CO. 80537.