wfn.org | [CRC NEWS] CRC reaffirms commitment to Christian education

["Henry Hess" <hessh@crcna.ca>]

June 17, 2005  Palos Heights, Ill. - Synod 2005 last night reaffirmed
the commitment of the Christian Reformed Church to Christian day school
education. In declaring that churches need to support both Christian
education and evangelism, synod suggested that schools have a role of
evangelism by accepting children from non-Christian families.

The CRC has historically supported Christian day schools, but support
for those schools has been waning in many Christian Reformed
communities. Synod called on church councils to diligently encourage
establishing and maintaining schools that teach the Reformed vision of
Christ's lordship. It also said councils should urge parents to make
sure their children are educated in harmony with that vision.

In addition to supporting Christian schools, synod urged churches to do
a better job of explaining the Reformed view of life. "It's a danger for
churches to flog Christian schools without explaining the Reformed
vision that leads to it," Rev. Hendrik Bruinsma of Classis Toronto said.
"It's always important to get back to the vision."

Verney Kho, one of synod's seven female advisers, told synod that she
first learned about Jesus in a Christian school. "Many of us came from
non-Christian families and it was because of Christian schools that we
came to the Lord at an early age," Kho said. "Help Christian schools to
be open to non-Christian families."

Synod commended the report to the churches and also asked the
denomination's Board of Trustees to publish a document that articulates
the CRC's position on Christian day school education. Delegates also
adopted recommendations to help churches promote Christian education in
communities where there are no Christian day schools and little chance
of starting one.

In a farewell address to synod Rev. Peter Borgdorff, who is retiring
this year as the CRC's executive director of ministries, told delegates
he has been greatly blessed by the opportunities to serve the church
during the past 36 years, including 13 years as EDM.

Borgdorff said he will continue working for the church in retirement.
"You don't walk away from the church," he said.  "I have loved it with
all my heart.... I will continue to love it and serve in whatever
capacity I can."

He challenged the church leaders never to forget that the church is a
community formed by God and that it is big.  "I believe in Church with a
capital 'C', Classis with a capital 'C', and Denomination with a capital
'D'." he told synod.

He said the healthy church needs to practice discernment because "there
is so much we don't yet understand," and that it needs to live and work
interdependently.  "We're making progress," he said, "but we're not yet
where we need to be."

Coming up:
Synod has almost finished its work and is expected to end this morning.
Among the things still to be completed are discussions of ways to assist
needy and smaller churches and a variety of housekeeping items.

Contact Henry Hess, Synod News Officer, at 708-293-2108.