Paul called Christians to bear with one another (Eph. 4:2), sing truth to one another (Eph. 5:19), forgive one another (Col. 3:13), teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16), care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25), serve one another (Gal. 5:13), show hospitality toward one another (1 Pet. 4:9), and love one another (1 Pet. 4:8). Are these primarily ambiguous Christians? No, they’re not. They belong to the house church at Ephesus and the house church at Colosse and the house church at Corinth. Who are you responsible to teach and admonish? To show hospitality toward? To care for? To bear the burdens of? To sing to? To serve and edify? The context of these letters is instructive: we are called to practice the “one another” commands with those who belong to our church.

Have you ever heard a professing Christian say, “I don’t need to join a church to follow Jesus. Church membership isn’t even biblical!” Such a person would require a verse that says, “Thou shalt join a local church as a member”—and there’s not such a verse.
Is church membership biblical? Yes. The reason is that the biblical nature of church membership is established from a variety of passages and considerations. Here’s a cumulative case of ten reasons why church membership is biblical.
First, the New Testament letters were written to organized churches. People were to gather and hear the words of the apostles who exhorted and taught them. What evidence is there of organized saints? Think about the opening of Paul’s letters.
Paul wrote Philippians to “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi” (Phil. 1:1). This is a group in the Philippian church. He also mentioned “the overseers and deacons” at Philippi (1:1). These were church officers. This pair of terms means there was church government! The presence of church government suggests both leadership and an organized body of believers.
Paul wrote letters to the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1), the churches of Galatia (Gal. 1:2), and the church in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1). If you were not part of the churches in these places, you wouldn’t be reading those letters. Paul wrote his letters to recognized bodies of believers who assembled together and belonged to one another.
Second, there are reports in the New Testament of people being counted and added. We can see such reports, for example, in the book of Acts and in 1 Timothy.
In Acts 2:41, “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” In Acts 16:5, “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.”
People were added to the church. This involves a formal recognition. People were not just being baptized and then disappearing in their own individual pursuit of Jesus. People were being incorporated, added to those who professed to know and follow Christ.
In 1 Timothy 5:9, “Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband…” Apparently this church kept a record of particular church widows. This record reported the names of those who met certain criteria.
Third, elders are called to shepherd a particular flock. Elders were not tasked with shepherding random flocks. They had oversight over particular people.
In 1 Peter 5:2 we read, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you…” In Hebrews 13:17, the leaders are those who “are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.”
Who makes up this flock? Anybody who would show up to an assembly? Surely not. How do you know who to shepherd? Who are the leaders responsible for? Whose souls are they entrusted with?
There is an understanding in these passages that a flock is under the oversight of its leaders, and a “church member” is our phrase for someone who belongs to that flock.
Fourth, the practice of excommunication involves removal from something you belong to. Several passages confirm this. We will consider words from Matthew’s Gospel and from 1 Corinthians.
In Matthew 18:17, the church must treat an unrepentant sinner as “a Gentile and a tax collector,” which means as an unbeliever. In 1 Corinthians 5:2, Paul is speaking about the unrepentant person when he says, “Let him who has done this be removed from among you.” Later in that same chapter, he writes, “Purge the evil person from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13).
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God is certainly bigger than we can possibly imagine.  Theologians call that bigness incomprehensibility.  What is more, the practical nature of this doctrine cannot be overestimated. The finite cannot contain the infinite means more than God’s knowledge is different from ours. It means that His wisdom and goodness are beyond us. Any time we are tempted to think that things are not as they ought to be we need to check our finitude. 

High school students love biology class for one simple reason. They get to dissect frogs, worms and other once living things. In addition to grossing out their weak stomached classmates they also learn a thing or two.  They learn things not otherwise gleaned if the subject of dissection were still living.  The student gets to look at the frog’s internals. He can see what the stomach, heart and lungs actually look like. His biology professor can point out things he would not otherwise know and see.
But all of this dissecting is an attempt to master the object of our study. It’s not enough to watch the frog hop, eat and even mate. The student needs to “get inside” in order to really master the topic of study. To speak proverbially, the student wants to know his topic inside and out.  How different it is for the theologian.
Yes, God is the object of our study. But he can never be mastered. It is impossible to dissect God like we would an animal.  An autopsy on God is impossible. In fact, the relationship that a human has to a frog is not even close to the same relationship that we have with God.  God is both the known object and the knowing subject! How different is that from a frog!  The object we are seeking to know actually knows us exhaustively! He is our master. In fact, the only way that we can know the object we desire to know is by His self-revelation.
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Synod 2023 upheld Synod 2022’s interpretation that “unchastity” in the Heidelberg Catechism includes “homosexual sex” and upheld the “confessional status” of that interpretation. Synod was responding to overtures (formal requests) from six classes and five congregations to change the definition of “unchastity,” and change the decision around its “confessional status.”

Synod 2023 Rejects Neland Avenue CRC’s Appeal
Synod 2023 of the Christian Reformed Church in North America rejected an appeal by the council of Neland Avenue CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich., of a Synod 2022 order that called for the congregation to rescind its decision to ordain a deacon who is in a same-sex marriage.
The appeal was defeated by a vote of 124 to 47 with six delegates abstaining.
Synod 2023’s decision followed a review of the situation by an in loco committee that had been mandated to act on behalf of Synod 2022, as well as deliberation by a Synod 2023 advisory committee and passionate debate from delegates for and against the Neland council’s action.
“This has been heavy, heavy for everyone, including our committee. … I spent lots of nights weeping. Last night, I spent time weeping with a close friend. This has been hard,” said Jason Ruis of Classis Wisconsin, who chaired the advisory committee.
“There’s no desire to cause pain. Part of the heaviness of our committee is recognizing that no matter what decision we made, there would be grief and pain.”
In May 2020, the Neland Avenue council elected a person who was in a same-sex marriage to the office of deacon. Several church councils and classes (regional bodies of churches) sent communications to the Neland council, with most calling on the council to remove the deacon. Officebearers are meant to uphold the confessions and teachings of the church. Since its explicit articulation in 1973, the Christian Reformed Church has held the position that homosexual sex is contrary to the will of God as revealed in scripture.
In its appeal, Neland asserted that Church Order (articles 3 and 4) leaves “the final judgment as to who is qualified to serve” to the local council alone and that synod (in 1980) has previously identified “the local council or consistory as the appropriate body for decision making in complex pastoral situations.” Regardless, committee reporter Todd Kuperus said that neither CRC Church Order nor the Acts of Synod 1980 provided necessary grounds for Neland’s appeal.
“The church order clearly stipulates that only those who meet the biblical requirements are eligible to serve as officebearers in the Christian Reformed Church,” Kuperus said. “Thus, while local congregations have the responsibility to elect their own officebearers, they do not have the right to elect anyone who does not meet biblical requirements. … Synod has the authority to declare the biblical requirements for officebearers.”
Michael Van Denend, a delegate from Classis Grand Rapids East and an elder at Neland Avenue, defended the congregation’s position as well as the deacon, who has since completed her term and is no longer on the church council.
“You know one thing about our deacon. You know one thing,” Van Denend said. “You don’t know her. How could you? She’s a member of our congregation, our church, and it has always been the council and the congregation that makes these decisions. How can you know this person? We do, and every single fruit of the Spirit is evident (in her). … Everybody in our congregation knows this. That’s why our deacon was elected.”  (Read More)
Synod 2023 ‘Urges’ Churches to Show Love, Inclusion
In a mood of sadness over divisions in the room, Synod 2023 took several steps intended to increase inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the church.
Synod urged congregations to “be places of belonging for LGBTQ+ members seeking to follow Christ” and instructed churches “to show love to all people groups including our LGBTQ+ members and neighbors by condemning hateful or demeaning speech and violent or demeaning actions.”
“Somebody asked … how do we do this?” said Clair VanderNeut, Classis Yellowstone. “My wife’s and my answer is (to) ask somebody over to your house for a meal. Nothing tells a person more that you’re interested and you care. It’s not hard, folks.”
“I don’t know more than a handful of churches that have even tried to do those things well,” said Brandon Haan, Classis Grandville. “It costs me nothing to uphold the position of 1973. It costs many of us nothing to uphold the biblical position. But it should cost us. To open our homes and our lives and our families and our relationships to people with whom we differ. Do not go home and just stay at home. Do not think we can embody the posture of 1973 (the CRC’s first report on pastoral care to homosexual people) simply by having a list of resources. We have to actually do what we said. It’s been half a century. The time is now.” (Read More)
Synod 2023’s Discussion of ‘Confessional Difficulties’ Cut Short; Delegates Protest; Matter Pushed to Synod 2024
What began as a conversation to discuss gravamina (formal expressions of difficulty with a part of a Christian Reformed confession) in the final hour of Synod 2023, ended in delegates walking out in protest of the truncated conversation and a decision made to push the discussion to Synod 2024.
On Thursday afternoon, with just over an hour left of Synod 2023, a majority report and minority report were presented to Synod 2023 to discuss the “concept of (a) confessional difficulty gravamen.” According to the majority report, a confessional-difficulty gravamen is intended “to allow officebearers to honestly question doctrinal matters contained in our confessions, giving them space to wrestle with the biblical accuracy of these doctrines, while also ensuring that there would be a season of pastoral care provided for the officebearer in his/her struggle and search for clarification.”
The committee presented their reports. Todd Kuperus, Classis Northern Michigan and reporter for the majority report, said, “We need to have guardrails in place, and those guardrails are already in place by the confessions.” (Read More)
Synod 2023 Asks Regional Groups to ‘Guide Into Compliance’ Erring Officebearers
Synod 2023, acting without much discussion near the end of its deliberations, adopted two statements in response to an overture (formal request) from the council of Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Fremont, Mich., and an overture from Classis Minnkota, a regional group of churches. The Trinity council had called for 11 named congregations “to repent of and rescind their public affirmations of same-sex relationships.” Minnkota asked synod to instruct six named classes to begin the process of church discipline “upon its constituent churches that publicly and proudly proclaim their acceptance of blatant heterodoxy and their willingness to appoint officers (pastors, elders, and deacons) who do not meet the biblical requirements articulated in Church Order Articles 3 and 5.” (Read More)
Synod Upholds ‘Confessional Status’ on Interpretation of Unchastity
Synod 2023 upheld Synod 2022’s interpretation that “unchastity” in the Heidelberg Catechism includes “homosexual sex” and upheld the “confessional status” of that interpretation. Synod was responding to overtures (formal requests) from six classes and five congregations to change the definition of “unchastity,” and change the decision around its “confessional status.”
The committee members presented recommendations in two separate reports, with a minority opinion proposing a change from “confessional status” to a “settled and binding” decision of synod. Despite two requests from the floor during discussion to take up that minority report, only the majority report—upholding the confessional stance—was debated. And while there were two reports, Willem Delleman, Classis B.C. North-West, chair for the minority report and chair of the full committee, told delegates, “The Holy Spirit brought unity in the room (during the advisory meetings) and allowed us to listen to each other.” He said the experience of working with this group of brothers and sisters was one of the best in his life. (Read More)
Synod Says ‘No’ to Delaying Action on Human Sexuality Report
Synod 2023 turned down requests from several Christian Reformed churches and classes to delay implementation of the conclusions of the human sexuality report (HSR), which last year’s synod approved for church use.
Two regional groups of churches—Classis Alberta North and Classis Eastern Canada—sent overtures (formal requests) asking synod for a delay. Two individual congregations (Monroe Community Church, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Jubilee Fellowship CRC, St. Catherines, Ont.) also sent overtures requesting the delay, as did one individual.
The overtures argue that Synod 2022 changed the category of the CRC’s position of prohibition on homosexual sex from pastoral advice to confessional status. Because that is a dramatic change, the overtures claim, churches need three years or more (depending on the overture) to decide what actions to take and to assess the harm that LGBTQ+ people feel.
The statement adopted by Synod 2023, however, argues that the urgency of pastoral care for LGBTQ+ people is a reason not to delay implementing the recommendations in the HSR. The statement claims to be made “in a spirit of lament for failing in our pastoral care to … the LGBTQ+ community.” (Read More)
‘Assisted Suicide’ Will Be Addressed with a Task Force and a Position Statement
Synod 2023 agreed that the Christian Reformed Church needs a statement on assisted suicide. It has tasked the general secretary to “promptly create” an interim statement, realizing he could not speak for synod. It also appointed a task force to make a comprehensive report.
Almost all the delegates were in agreement with that action.
Mark Quist, Classis Rocky Mountain, said, “I would love to have something official and clearer from the church,” especially as his state has already approved assisted suicide. “I need guidance,” Quist said.
“As a Canadian, this is our lived experience,” said Victor Laarman, Classis Huron. “It’s absolutely diabolical and we need a statement about it.” (Read More)
Synod ‘Strongly Advises’ Against Weddings Without Civil Sanction
Synod 2023 strongly advised pastors in the Christian Reformed Church not to officiate marriages that will not be licensed by the civil government. Synod also instructed the Office of the General Secretary to send its report on “ecclesiastical marriage” to the churches for guidance.
In an ecclesiastical marriage, a couple is married “in the eyes of the church but not in the eyes of the state,” said the statement adopted by synod. CRC pastors should not solemnize such marriages, synod decided, for three reasons: 1) The Bible teaches submission to governing authorities. 2) Reformed churches have historically acknowledged civil marriage. 3) Solemnizing such marriages could create legal problems for pastors and participants.
However, synod encouraged churches to “respect and honor the marriages of Indigenous peoples and immigrants who did not obtain a civil marriage … and counsel them in the understanding of Christian marriage and its relationship to civil authority in (Canada or the U.S.).” (Read More)
Synod Will No Longer Read Aloud ‘Repetitious Notes’ From Complementarian* Classes
Complementarian* classes and delegates—people who theologically view women and men as having different, complementary roles—who record their protest against the seating of women delegates on the grounds that it is contrary to their reading of Scripture, will no longer hear those protests aloud on the floor of synod.
Since the seating of women delegates at synod in 2007, delegates who object to the ordination of women to the offices of the church are permitted to register their protest according to Article 45 of the Church Order.
Synod is the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church.
Every year, Classis Minnkota attaches a note to its delegates’ synod credentials that is read aloud at synod. It reads, “They wish to make clear that their protest is not against women or against using the gifts of women, but they wish to uphold their understanding of Scripture’s teaching regarding the roles of women and men.” At Synod 2023 two such communications were read, one from Minnkota and one from a delegate from Zeeland classis. (Read More)
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