CURRICULUM VITAE
MY STORY (IN A NUTSHELL)
Born on January 25, 1951 in the Netherlands, I was raised in a Christian home, nurtured in the context of the Reformed faith, and a professing member of the Gereformeerde Kerk, Nederland (GKN). In 1972 I emigrated to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. I worked as a machine operator in a sheet metal factory and as a truck driver for greenhouse operators. During this time in Canada (1972-1974), I went through a period of spiritual renewal and became very involved in the work of the Maranatha Christian Reformed Church in St. Catharines.
Sensing a call to evangelistic work, I decided to attend the Reformed Bible College in Grand Rapids, Michigan for further training. While there for one year, I changed directions and began attending Calvin College to pursue a liberal arts education, majoring in classical Greek, and thus preparing for seminary entrance. In 1978 I graduated from Calvin College and entered Calvin Theological Seminary to prepare for ordained, pastoral ministry in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. In 1981 I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. Also, in 1977 I married Rosanne Bierma; the Lord has blessed us richly with four children: Jessica, Joy, Elliot, and Eric.
After a one-year internship at the Dearborn CRC, I received a call to serve the North Blendon CRC in Hudsonville, MI as an ordained pastor. I served that church from 1982-1988. In the spring of 1988 we moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where I served the Des Moines CRC until 1995. At that time I received and accepted a call from the Providence CRC in Beamsville, Ontario, Canada. While working full-time as an ordained pastor, I pursued my doctoral studies in the area of Christian worship. In 1998 I graduated from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill. with a Doctorate of Ministry in Worship.
Formal Education:
1998 Northern Baptist Theological Seminary: D.Min (with distinction)
1982 Calvin Theological Seminary: M.Div.
1978 Calvin College: AB
PASTORAL MINISTRY RELATED EXPERIENCE
2005-Present Ordained Minister: Calvary CRC, Edina,
Minnesota
1995-2004 Ordained Minister: Providence CRC, Ontario, Canada
1988-1995 Ordained Minister: Des Moines CRC, Des Moines, Iowa
1982-1988 Ordained Minister: North Blendon CRC, Hudsonville, Michigan
1981-1982 Internship Dearborn CRC, Dearborn, Michigan
2005-present Alternate Synodical Deputy for Classis Lake Superior
2002-2004 Church Visitor (Classis Niagara)
1999-2004 Member/Chair of Student Fund Committee (Classis Niagara)
1999 Delegate to Synod
1998-1999
Member of the Editorial Council of Calvin Institute of Christian
Worship at Calvin College
1997-1999 Member of the Editorial Council of Reformed Worship journal
1995-1997 CRC Home Missions Committee (Classis Niagara)
1992-1994 CRC Home Missions Church Growth Consulting (Midwest USA)
1992-1994 Church Visitor (Classis Pella)
1990 Delegate to Synod
1989-1994 CRC Home Missions Committee (Classis Pella)
1985-1987 CRC Home Missions Committee (Classis Zeeland)
1999-present Formally on staff as an adjunct professor teaching The Church Year at Dr.
Robert Webber’s Institute for Worship Studies (Florida Campus)
(Doctoral program: D.W.S or Doctor of Worship Studies)
January 4-12, 2005
June 8-16, 2004
January 6-14, 2004
June 10-18, 2003
January 6-14, 2003
June 11-19, 2002
January 8-16, 2002
June 13-20, 2001
January 17-24, 2001
June 7-June 14, 2000
1982-present Catechetical/church school/Adult church classes related instruction
1979-1981 Calvin College: assistant professor (part time) Dutch language
DOCTORAL THESIS/PROJECT SUPERVISION
June, 2005 Chris Monroe: “The
Stations of the Cross: A Worship Course for
the
Disciples Class of Vinton Baptist Church, Vinton, Virginia.”
June, 2005 Mark Mahaffie: “A
Worship Study Course and Services for
Advent
and Christmas Designed to Enhance the Spiritual Growth
for
Sequoia Heights Baptist Church, Manteca, California.”
June, 2005 Edna Grenz: “Enriching
the Journey with Jesus for the People of
First
Baptist Church in Vancouver. BC Through a Workshop
Overview
of the Christian Year, and Particularly Through a Series
Aimed
at Enhancing the Advent Season.”
June, 2005 Lyndell Vaught: “A Daily Worship Guide Book to Promote
Personal
Christian Worship During Holy Week Among Senior
Adults,
Ages 65-85 at the Silver Serenaders Choir, Dallas, Texas.”
June, 2004 Robin Ziegenfuss: “A Strategic Worship
Transition Plan to Assist
First
Christian Church of Council Bluffs, Iowa, in Moving From a
450
to a 1000 Seat Worship Space”
June, 2003 Rebecca Whited: “A New Discipleship Curriculum
to Enhance
Worship
at Tallmadge Lutheran Church”
June, 2003 Tracy Ainsworth: A Sourcebook for the Christian
Year for Use by
Churches
in the Advent Christian Denomination”
June, 2003 Julie Gibson: “A Worship Curriculum for
Commissioned Lay
Pastor
Candidates, Boise Presbytery, PCUSA”
June, 2002 Ryan
Forbes: “A Study Course to Equip the Lay Worship Leaders of North Broad
Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia”
June, 2002 David
Ellison: “A Worship Guide For the Season of Advent For the Adult Choir of
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.”
PUBLISHING: BOOK REVIEWS, ARTICLES, ETC.
1999 “Bending God’s Ear.” Reformed Worship, June 1999, number 52. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications
1998 Privately
published: (Doct. Thesis) The
Significance of Baptism as Taught
Specifically in the Providence Christian Reformed Church and Generally in the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
July 11-22, 2005 Seminars in Christian Scholarship: Participant in “How to Teach
Worship in Congregations and Schools.” Dr. John Witvliet.
January 24, 2004 “Reflections on Worship” (Workshop at Rehoboth CRC, Niagara Falls)
March 29, 2003 “Feasts, Festivals, and the Arts” (Worship and the Arts, Niagara,
sponsored by Jubilee CRC, St. Catharines)
The core of my calling is:
To
help people encounter the Lord Jesus Christ by providing leadership in
worshiping
the triune God, by preaching the gospel, and by teaching the
Scriptures
in the context of pastoral ministry.