Classis Michigan Classis Michigan
7th Meeting Agenda Classis Michigan Classis Michigan
7th Meeting AgendaOfficers of the Day
| Chairman | Rev. Joel Vander Kooi |
| ViceChairman | Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen |
| Clerk | Rev. W. H. Oord |
| Treasurer | Mr. Clarence Kamstra |
| Church | Minister |
| Allendale | Rev. Mark Zylstra |
| Alto Grace | Rev. Peter Adams |
| Byron Center Covenant | Rev. Steve McGee |
| Caledonia Trinity | Rev. Brian Vos |
| Dutton | Rev. Paul Murphy |
| Eastmanville | Rev. Steve De Boer |
| Grand Rapids Beverly | Rev. Casey Freswick |
| Grand Rapids Walker | Rev. Joel Vander Kooi |
| Hudsonville Cornerstone | Rev. Tim Perkins |
| Jenison Bethel | Rev. Derrick Vander Meulen |
| Kalamazoo Covenant | Rev. Phil Vos |
| Olive Center Faith | Rev. W. H. Oord |
9:00 finish with fifteen minute coffee breaks at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm; meal breaks at 12 noon to 1:00 pm and 5:00 to 6:00 pm.
a. Walker URC has requested a Candidacy Examination for Mr. Christopher Post.
b. Dutton URC has requested a Candidacy Examination for Mr. Ancel Merwin.
c. Sermon Critics
i. Mr. Post Elder Robert Tjapkes and Elder Willis Van Dyk
ii. Mr. Merwin Rev. Steve Poelman and to be announced.
d. Practica Rev. E. Knott
e. Bible Knowledge Rev. P. Adams
f. Biblical Exegesis Greek NT Rev. C. Freswick
g. Biblical Exegesis Hebrew OT Rev. B. Vos
h. Confessional Knowledge Rev. M. Zylstra
i. Reformed Doctrine Rev. P. Murphy
j. Church History Rev. S. McGee
k. Ethics Rev. A. Besteman
a. A request was received from the Bethany United Reformed Church to have Classis participate in a colloquium doctum for Rev. M. Groenendyk.
b. Conducting the Colloquium Doctum Rev. Art Besteman
The overture is enclosed separate from the Agenda.
a. Concept Minutes
b. Date and Place for the next meeting
[Bethel URC would be next in the rotation.]
c. Thanks to host church
d. Prayer
e. Adjournment
1Editor's note: There is no Article 11 in these minutes.
May 1. 2000
Classis Michigan
Attn: Rev. Wybren Oord
Stated Clerk of Classis Michigan
12191 Polk St.
Holland, MI 49424
Dear Bretheren:
We are writing this as an overture to Classis Michigan to seek clarification of Article 14, Church Order, URC. We believe that the Consistory of Cornerstone URC has misinterpreted Article 14, applied it to Article 15, and has not followed the doctrine of Sola Scriptura.
The Council of Cornerstone URC duly nominated Mr. Bill Grysen for the office of Deacon. The congregation was properly informed of his nomination and no official objections were raised. Mr. Grysen was elected as Deacon at the Congregational meeting on December 6, 1999. His election was ratified by the Council subsequent to the meeting. Following these actions, the Consistory received a few objections to Mr. Grysen's election to Deacon. The Consistory then took the authority upon itself to remove Mr. Grysen from his elected office and intentionally eliminated all discussion and input from the Deacons. Because he was nominated by the Council, the Deacons rightfully should have been included in this process. The Consistory's action violates Article 12, Church Order, URC.
The reason the Consistory gave for their action was that Mr. Grysen did not send his children to a "Christian school". The Elders maintain that Article 14 applies to the office of Deacon and mandates attendance at a Christian school or homeschool as a requirement to be an office bearer.
This action has been protested in writing by us to the Cornerstone Consistory; however, their answer was not biblically sufficient for us.
We believe the actions taken by Cornerstone URC's Consistory to be inconsistent with the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and that Article 14 does not mandate Christian school attendance. Many of the Christian schools approved by the Consistory contradict foundational biblical truths such as creation, male headship, and the inerrancy and authority of the Scriptures.
We are asking for clarification on Article 14, whether it explicitly applies to the office of Deacon and whether it mandates Christian school attendance for the children of office bearers. We believe Article 14 does not require mandatory Christian school attendance as this would seem to violate Sola Scripture.
Deut 6:7 is referring to parental responsibility and involvement in biblical instruction of covenant youth and does not relinquish this responsibility to any other individual or institution. To mandate the institutionalization of this parental responsibility goes beyond God's Word.
I Timothy 3 gives believers the qualifications to be an office bearer. These God instituted qualifications are sufficient and do not require additional conditions.
Titus 1:5-9 also gives us qualifications for office bearers and instruction outside of the family is not mentioned.
This is a weighty matter which must be addressed by a broader assembly. We do this in love that His kingdom may go forward and in faithfulness to God's Word. We recognize that nothing can bind man's conscience except God's Word. Therefore, we must base our view on requirements for office bearers on Sola Scriptura.
In Christ's Service,
Alan J. Wychers, Joel E. Vanden Heuvel,
Gene L. Oosterhouse, David B. De Boer
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