crc/rca collaboration

[Chris Meehan <cmeehan@crcna.org>]

>REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA

>NEWS RELEASE

CRC, RCA Launch Joint Church-Planting Movement

>APRIL 18, 2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and the Reformed Church in America (RCA)
have announced that they are pooling resources in an innovative
church-planting movement that will spread the gospel by reaching out to
people in the places where they live.

Denominational leaders described the project as “a movement of
Christ-followers” that will bring God’s redemptive love into cities, to wns,
and villages across North America.

They said the strength of the joint approach will be its ability to develop
visionary leaders and church planters who are theologically prepared and
equipped to start and multiply churches that present the gospel in a way
that is biblical, authentic, and contextual.

Seed funding for this project is being provided by the two denominations as
well as a significant grant from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation.  A
spokesperson for the Foundation said Rich and Helen have a deep interest in
expanding the Reformed witness through evangelism and “are very enthusias tic
about the two denominations working together.”

Tim Vink, coordinator for church multiplication for the RCA and leader of
the joint implementation team, said the church-planting project “will
increase our ability to plant the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in many
more lives and communities across North America.

“The collaboration will accelerate a sustainable, integrated multiplicati on
system that will raise our hopes higher, stir fresh vision and strategic
plans, and match the strengths of both denominations” in a way that will
maximize an expanded Reformed witness in North America, Vink added

>.

The two denominations are creating what they describe as “an integrated,
seamless process that will focus on advancing evangelism in North America. ”
A Multiplication Movement Implementation Team made up of passionate church
planters and leaders from the CRC and RCA will work to catalyze a united
effort in planting churches.

This is an intentional journey, moving from collaboration to greater
integration of our church planting support systems for increased gospel
impact, says Jul Medenblik, church planting team leader for the CRC and
president-elect of Calvin Theological Seminary.  He said that, “Together  we
want to discern the movement of the gospel of Jesus Christ in North America
and to follow that leading.”

To launch the project, the two denominations have selected four test areas
called Kingdom Enterprise Zones, where a combination of leadership,
resources, and opportunity provide “a laboratory of learning.” The four
areas are in Florida, Arizona, California, and West Michigan.

Although this will be the most high-profile example of collaboration,
denominational leaders pointed out that the CRC and RCA have been working
together in many areas during recent years, including church planting.

>For more information, please contact:

Paul Boice, Director of Communication Reformed Church in America,

>616-541-0890, email – pboice@rca.org

Henry Hess, Director of Communication, Christian Reformed Church,

>905-336-2920,  email -  hhess@crcna.org

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