December 16, 2023

Dear Rockford Reformed Church family and friends,

Years ago, an older, disgruntled gentleman in my congregation declared to me that with all the change in the world, I want one thing that doesn’t change and that’s “my church.” I understand. Where do I sign up for that? I could use the rest of an extended, comfortable routine. In one of my favorite books (Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands), Paul David Tripp wrote that “The central work of God’s kingdom is change.” When John the Baptist proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matt. 3:2), it was a call to think and act in new ways. The vision of our church is all about a gospel-fueled change toward our Lord’s kingdom rule with love, sacrifice, and beautiful renewal.

We wind down a year of denominational change and being squeezed into the Family Life Center and we will make the turn into a year of a renewed, welcoming facility and a change with staffing. And it’s all for the vision of renewed hearts, relationships, families, and our community—for his glory.

In our congregational meeting last Sunday, we affirmed going forward with a budget that includes changes for ministry staffing/leadership in 2024. We are grateful to have Andrew Zokoe focus on nurturing our middle and high school students. Tim VanderZwaag will provide leadership on a part-time basis for a newly developing post-high ministry. 

One important element of our vision is to develop and raise up kingdom/church leaders. A massive shift is underway where very few—especially young—people are being called into ministry, pursuing a seminary degree full-time, and then becoming available to serve in full-time pastoral or other church ministry positions. At the same time, large numbers of pastors are stepping down or retiring from ministry so that there is an increasing shortage of solid, well-equipped leaders to serve the greater church.

And so, for example, Mike Fisk completed a degree at Kuyper last year and continues to learn, preach, and grow for future ministry. And did you know that because of the passions, leadership, and gifting that we observed in Tim VanderZwaag, who was working in a trade, we encouraged him to consider that God may be calling him into ministry? After discernment/prayer for Tim and Kass for more than a year, Tim quit his job and started full-time at Kuyper College beginning in August. And so, while Tim invests in a ministry for post-high adults, we will invest in him for long-term gospel and kingdom leadership. We want to constantly work to develop our staff and leaders for the kingdom renewal to which we are called. Just last week, I was greatly encouraged to hear about another one of our members who is discerning whether God is calling him into ministry work.

Emillie Clayton’s role will change a bit as well. In alignment with her gifts and passions, she will continue on a part-time basis as our “Community Connection Coordinator.” She will work to champion, equip for, and encourage us toward connecting in our community through KidsHope, Volunteers In Service, North Kent Connect, hospitality, and Organic Outreach. One of our great challenges toward change is opening ourselves to new relationships with those who are newly joining us and so, we will keep pressing together toward this.

The renovation is moving along with significant change. While furniture and colors have been finalized and drywall is being hung/finished, there have also been a few delays so that the estimated move-in date will be in March.

God can accomplish staggering change and renewal without us. But he chooses to give his Son as a faithful sacrifice to transform us toward giving ourselves as a faithful sacrifice. Our faithfulness and sacrifice include our giving—especially at this time of year. The Welcome Initiative “refresh” toward our giving for the renovation yielded new and increased pledges so that we now have 85 pledges totaling $1.1 million. Through November, 73% has been given toward the total pledged. We praise God for that!

God’s abundant provision for each one of us over this past year should be wonderfully reflected in our giving toward the exciting change and renewal that he has for us in the New Year. Thank you for your sacrificial support and provision. I am glad to be in the saddle with you all for the journey. We step into a New Year with confidence in the Savior who was born into a manger. He is worthy of our love, our sacrifice, our giving, and our lives.

God is with us,

Pastor Tim