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Posted on 10/01/2024 6:39:10 AM PDT by Morgana
(RNS) — At least two dozen churches in the Christian Reformed Church of North America are in the process of severing their ties with the denomination over their disagreements with its increasingly rigid stance on sexuality.
Four Michigan churches have already sent resolutions of disaffiliation to a regional geographic body called the Classis Grand Rapids East, stating that they intend to leave. Leaders of an additional five Michigan churches, also in the regional body, said they were drafting their letters, which should be received by the classis’s next business meeting.
Outside of Michigan, 15 more churches are also planning to exit the denomination, which comprises some 1,000 churches in the U.S. and Canada.
The exodus is part of a larger sorting of Christian congregations across Protestant denominations over the past 30 years as a growing number of churches have opened their doors to full membership of LGBTQ members.
In June, at its 2024 churchwide meeting, known as a synod, the Christian Reformed Church instructed LGBTQ-affirming congregations to repent, retract any divergent statements and comply with the denomination’s prescribed beliefs on sexuality. Church leaders who spoken or advocated for LGBTQ affirmation, including pastors, elders and deacons, were placed on a limited suspension.
The crisis dates back to 2022, when the denomination accepted a report on human sexuality that recommended codifying its opposition to LGBTQ sex by elevating it to the status of confession, or a declaration of faith. At the synod later that year, the delegates voted to do just that.
After waiting to see if the 2023 synod might accommodate churches with different views, Sherman Street Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids led the way to the exit. In its resolution it wrote: “Our policy of full inclusion is settled, as is our determination to allow space for a variety of views and to embrace the resulting tension.”
The church had already reallocated its financial giving or “ministry shares” away from the denominational entities as a first step, said the Rev. Jen Holmes Curran, the co-pastor. Instead, it donated to nonprofits that work with LGBTQ people experiencing religion-related trauma.
The denomination’s Church Order, a document that gives guidance and sets rules for CRC churches, outlines a process for churches wanting to break away. First, church councils must agree to disaffiliate; then they must send a letter to the classis, which in turn must try to dissuade the congregation. If that effort fails, the church must hold two membership-wide votes before it formally disaffiliates.
Among those churches that have now drafted a resolution to disaffiliate is Neland Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, which the denomination had tried to discipline for years for ordaining a deacon in a same-sex marriage.
“It’s very sad because in 99% of our doctrines we align (with the denomination),” said the Rev. Joel DeMoor, co-pastor of Neland Avenue. “The questions raised in care for the marginalized in this way have led to such an impasse. Whatever happens, I have no doubt we will stick to our mission: extending to all the deep welcome of Christ.”
The four churches whose resolutions of disaffiliation have already been received by the classis include Calvin Church, Grace Church, Church of the Servant and Sherman Street.
These Grand Rapids congregations have strong ties to Calvin University, with many influential faculty, provosts and former presidents of the flagship Christian Reformed Church school among their members. They include historians Joel Carpenter, George Marsden and Kristin Kobes du Mez as well as theologians Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff.
Calvin faculty may attend non-Christian Reformed churches, though they are still required to subscribe to the Christian Reformed confessional stances or submit a statement of confessional difficulty, called a gravamen.
A denominational spokesperson acknowledged that “some are now in the process of disaffiliating, or are considering taking that step,” and said the denomination won’t know exactly how many for several more months.
Some disaffiliating churches are considering joining other denominations. The Reformed Church in America is an obvious alternative because it shares theological and historical roots with the Christian Reformed Church. Two years ago, 43 theologically conservative congregations in the Reformed Church in America split off from the denomination. But others include the United Church of Christ as well as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — denominations that allow for LGBTQ ordination and marriage.
In the U.S., the United Methodist Church is among the Protestant denominations with the biggest splits. In that denomination, 25% of its churches broke away, fearing the United Methodist Church was about to lift its LGBTQ+ bans on ordination and marriage, which it did earlier this year.
Some Christian Reformed Church congregations wanting to break away have found resources and counseling through an independent group created in 2023 called “Better Together,” which has brought together a wide range of concerned churches for dialogue.
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pagans
“. . . with its increasingly rigid stance on sexuality.”
These conservative churches are just so unreasonable. They’re actually evil. /s
This looks like the opposite of what’s been happening in Methodist churches. With the United Methodists, the local churches are leaving the hedonist pushing denomination so they can be right with the Bible. In this article, the CRC denomination leaders are telling the local hedonist pushing churches to get right with the Bible.
Our Methodist church pulled out of ther conference, now has a new name.
Who in their right mind would attend a church where it is known that the preacher engages or finds no fault in the sexual molestation of young boys. These denominations are devolving by embracing neo pagan, hedonistic decadence. Their foundations have rotted and the entire structures are collapsing.
"Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
Jesus said “who is without sin cast the first stone” but also told the woman “go and sin no more”.
Crackdown on Sexuality = No LGBTQI Grooming of Children
The left likes the first one but wishes to ignore the second quote.
Plus it’s those affirming the traditional faith that are “increasingly rigid.” It’s not the hedonists that are increasingly, monomaniacally devoted to their fleshly desires. Oh no! They are flexible and open-minded. It’s those who understand that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever who are “rigid” and increasingly so!
The sodomite “churches” want to leave from the true Christian branch of churches.
When they talk about inclusiveness, they are actually telling the congregation to embrace the sin of sodomy and sexual deviancy.
I say let them leave (or better yet, kick them out), and watch how fast they go bankrupt.
The final apostasy has been set into motion for a while now.
Will there be a great apostasy during the end times?
https://www.gotquestions.org/great-apostasy.html
What does it mean that there will be a great falling away before Christ returns (2 Thessalonians 2:3)?
https://www.gotquestions.org/great-falling-away.html
First we were asked to TOLERATE them
Next came the command to ACCEPT them
Then came the commandment to CELEBRATE them
Next was the command to WORSHIP them.
Then, the demand them to have full ACCESS to your family
Now, you are forced to PARTICIPATE.
But never forget, the perverts and perpetrators are the “victims”.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 King James Version
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
It's Sodomy/non-Sodomy, and it cuts across denominational lines within both Christianity and Judaism.
I spell "Sodomy" with a capital-S because it is the name of a religion.
More specifically, the officially promoted religion of the ruling class.
It's even taught in elementary schools.
Since those disaffiliating churches allow open, clearly identified sinful practices as a norm, I, as a kleptomaniac, am heading right over there, Them offering coffers are ripe for the picking. Might even start a Ponzi scheme while I’m at it..../S
“It’s very sad because in 99% of our doctrines we align (with the denomination),”
It’s just a little bity ball of poop in an otherwise delicious salad, surely one can just ignore and enjoy....
That’s the same hogwash as in the Catholic Church. Just let a little evil in so we can stay the same size or even grow. If only Jesus would have cut a deal with the Pharisees....
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