wfn.org | Calvin Seminary Nominates New President

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> Calvin Seminary Nominates New President

April 26, 2010 -- The Calvin Theological Seminary
(CTS) Board of Trustees has unanimously nominated an eighth president, Rev. 
Julius Medenblik, to replace Rev. Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. as president of the 
134-year-old seminary.

Plantinga leaves office at the conclusion of the 2010-2011 school year in order 
to do more writing and to teach. The nomination is subject to interview by the 
CRC Board of Trustees and final appointment by the Christian Reformed Church 
Synod in June of this year.

Medenblik is Senior Pastor of New Life Christian Reformed Church in New Lenox, 
Ill., which he helped found. Under his leadership, the church has grown from 
four members to more than 700. He is also involved in leading church planting 
efforts of the denomination and was recently chair of the CTS Board of Trustees.

He holds a BA degree from Trinity Christian College, a juris doctor with honors 
from the University of Florida Law School and a Master of Divinity from Calvin 
Theological Seminary. He was nominated for the post by an 11-member search 
committee.

Search committee chair, the Reverend Kevin Adams said, "We are unanimous in our 
support for Jul, because we feel he possesses in abundance the gifts needed to promote 
the Seminary?s unique mission in a variety of contexts. He brings a desire to know 
students, listen to faculty and staff, and cultivate partners outside the Seminary in 
order to serve the church."

"I am humbled and energized by this opportunity," said Medenblik. "Calvin 
Theological Seminary is deeply rooted in and nurtured by the church. We have a great opportunity to 
use those roots to nourish preachers and church leaders for the ministries and new opportunities 
that await us in the mission field around each and every one of us."

In an interview, he added: "I have been blessed to serve God and His Church in an 
abundance of settings and positions ? I am energized to join the Seminary community in 
connecting theological excellence with pastoral sensitivity and insights as we serve 
together in the mission that God has before us."

Current CTS President Plantinga noted, "The Seminary has made a fresh and bold 
choice of its next president. Julius Medenblik is an ecclesiastical entrepreneur ? a 
Christian leader of proven accomplishment in the church and, as chair of Calvin 
Seminary's trustees, already a leader of the Seminary. As a trustee, he helped to shape 
the Seminary's new calendar and curriculum, so I'm confident he will steer our ship in 
the same direction he helped set for it. I look forward to working closely with Jul 
during the transition from one president to the next, and I will do so with joy."

--Calvin Theological Seminary, CRC Communications

> -- Chris Meehan
> News & Media Director
> Christian Reformed Church in North America
> 1-616-224-0849