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The image is a text-heavy advertisement or article discussing the controversial issue of women ministers within the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). It presents arguments for and against the ordination of women, framing the decision as a choice between "God's Will or Man's Will." The text criticizes the CRC's official magazine editor for refusing to print the article and discusses internal church politics and differing opinions on the matter.
Essential information:
- The central debate is whether the CRC should allow women to be ordained as ministers.
- The text argues that the decision must be based solely on "God's Will" as revealed in the Bible, not personal opinion or church bureaucracy.
- The author criticizes the editor of the CRC magazine The Banner, Rev. G. Meyer, for refusing to publish the article due to personal bias.
- The article warns that allowing individual churches to decide on women ministers (Operation Bootstrap) would compromise the CRC's confessional unity.
Partial AI Transcript of Above
"WOMEN MINISTERS – Yes Or No?
GOD’S WILL or Man’s Will?
WHY?
Most who meet the members of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) are impressed with their friendliness. But when a man is told of the issues of women ministers, women elders, etc., he shakes his head and sometimes won’t accept God’s Will over all facts of these issues. He determines what the confessional church on women ministers. What God's will? GOD’S WILL must search the Bible, not the church. The answer must be found where God has revealed His Will, in the Bible. That is why the CRC must search The Bible that transcends all other documents including all matters of our church.
The CRC is a confessional Church confessing Biblical standards and forms of worship and church government and membership conduct. So again, that is why the church as an organization needs confessional standards and forms of membership conduct and settle for nothing less. Read on for a Bible-based answer.
REASON FOR THIS ADVERTISEMENT
The official magazine of the CRC The Banner has published G. Meyer’s editorial article because he said “The Banner need the help of special issues of The Banner” of the synod, and consequently, the perfect seat to observe actions on. Actually, this title is a misnomer. It should be the “Stage-Proof and Center” because he is not just a specialist, he is a principal actor. He expresses his personal bias in favor of women ministers. Publishing my article would have against his personal bias. And that is a sample of how he seizes control over the mind of CRC members. [illegible] the same of how the CRC bureaucracy can choke off access to the CRC membership when you want it to bring the biblical truth, i.e., open and above board with the CRC. Their simply was no biblical evidence.
EPPINGA REFUSES TO RIDE BULLDOZER
Mr. Eppinga’s refusal to serve on the Committee to advise on the issues of women ministers because he believes the issue is not reopened throughout the CRC. It is in the mind of the CRC’s best known, loyal, and sincere Bible believing members. In my article about a former committee, for a long time (35 yrs), however, pastor of the Lamont CRC, Rev. C. Vanden Berghe has this personal bias in favor of women ministers. The Banner and numerous other articles are proof. Since Eppinga cannot find any credible no biblical evidence for women ministers, and can provide all of the evidence against, my conscience forces me to ride along on the Committee. There were no biblical problems in my article. Neither is there now any with Mr. Eppinga's conscience belief. This means that the CRC would no longer a confessional church with members confessing the same protected standard and forms of worship and conduct. It would then become a societal type church where every individual church does its own thing. And the effects would be massive.
Mr. Eppinga’s refusal to serve on the Committee to advise on the issues of women ministers because he believes the issue is not reopened throughout the CRC. It is in the mind of the CRC’s best known, loyal, and sincere Bible believing members. In my article about a former committee, for a long time (35 yrs), however, pastor of the Lamont CRC, Rev. C. Vanden Berghe has this personal bias in favor of women ministers. The Banner and numerous other articles are proof. Since Eppinga cannot find any credible no biblical evidence for women ministers, and can provide all of the evidence against, my conscience forces me to ride along on the Committee. There were no biblical problems in my article. Neither is there now any with Mr. Eppinga's conscience belief. This means that the CRC would no longer a confessional church with members confessing the same protected standard and forms of worship and conduct. It would then become a societal type church where every individual church does its own thing. And the effects would be massive.
OPERATION BULLDOZER
JUNE 1991 - at request of a number of ministers, elders, and deacons, I sent my article to the CRC members in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota. Rev. G. Vanden Berghe had editorial article because he said “The biblical grounds” for women ministers are weak, and obviously, they needed help. His article was a test against women ministers. It was a test of the CRC members belief that God’s Word is sufficient as their only rule of faith and life. God’s Will or Man’s Will? The answer must be found where God has revealed His Will, in the Bible. The article was written and sent for the purposes of helping the CRC bureaucracy.
The CRC bureaucracy concocted many steps. The first was to appoint a ad-hoc committee. It came up with a resolution for the next synod, and ended up with a revised 28-page report in November 1991. The committee had several options. Let’s look at what the CRC bureaucracy concocted to usually get their own way. If you want a copy, you can ask your pastor or write me and include your comments: Op Dozer, 401 S. Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
Option 1
GOD’S WILL over all facts of life. The biblical principles and facts have to become the criteria. The issue is a moment. It should be the Stage-Proof and Center because he is not specialist, he is a principal actor. He expresses his personal bias in favor of women ministers. Publishing my article would be against his personal bias. And that is a sample of how he seizes control over the mind of CRC members. [illegible] the same of how the CRC bureaucracy can choke off access to the CRC membership when you want it to bring the biblical truth, i.e., open and above board with the CRC. Their simply was no biblical evidence.
GOD’S WILL over all facts of life. The biblical principles and facts have to become the criteria. The issue is a moment. It should be the Stage-Proof and Center because he is not specialist, he is a principal actor. He expresses his personal bias in favor of women ministers. Publishing my article would be against his personal bias. And that is a sample of how he seizes control over the mind of CRC members. [illegible] the same of how the CRC bureaucracy can choke off access to the CRC membership when you want it to bring the biblical truth, i.e., open and above board with the CRC. Their simply was no biblical evidence.
Option 2
The decision based on biblical defaults, i.e., we believe we have to teach that women can or cannot be church ministers. This means that the CRC would no longer be a confessional church with members confessing the same protected standard and forms of worship and conduct. It would then become a societal type church where every individual church does its own thing. And the effects would be massive.
The decision based on biblical defaults, i.e., we believe we have to teach that women can or cannot be church ministers. This means that the CRC would no longer be a confessional church with members confessing the same protected standard and forms of worship and conduct. It would then become a societal type church where every individual church does its own thing. And the effects would be massive.
Option 3
A Political Solution - designed to make everybody happy but will actually make everybody sick. This is where the bureaucracy banks. The Committee finally threw its hands up and decided the bureaucracy needed more expert advice so they came up with option three. This is a cop-out on the mandate that the CRC makes oath supported to answer all challenges to the Bible. It is just another excuse to get rid of this controversial solution. This solution would mean that the CRC would no longer be a confessional church with members confessing the same protected standard and forms of worship and conduct. It would then become a societal type church where every individual church does its own thing. And the effects would be massive.
A Political Solution - designed to make everybody happy but will actually make everybody sick. This is where the bureaucracy banks. The Committee finally threw its hands up and decided the bureaucracy needed more expert advice so they came up with option three. This is a cop-out on the mandate that the CRC makes oath supported to answer all challenges to the Bible. It is just another excuse to get rid of this controversial solution. This solution would mean that the CRC would no longer be a confessional church with members confessing the same protected standard and forms of worship and conduct. It would then become a societal type church where every individual church does its own thing. And the effects would be massive.
It would be good bye to our once respected CRC as a denomination confessing and doing doctrine. Good bye forms of unity. Good bye a membership united in a common understanding of God’s Will as presented in the Bible. Good bye to the belief in a God. Good bye to the sovereignty of God. Good bye to the need and commitment for peace and determine moral direction. This would be the supremacy for these affections of the committee written this way.
HEADQUARTERS FOR DECISION
GOD'S WILL or Man's Will?
The twenty years the Christian Reformed Church has been searching for God’s will on women in the Bible before making a decision is - is twenty years spent on the activities on issues of women ministers, women elders, etc.
But the fear of decision is at hand – JUNE 1991 is twenty years the Banner has been under lock and key. The CRC members cannot find any evidence for women and can, because increasingly emotional, politically polarized, and intellectual – polarized answers to questions related to God’s Will. A Bible-centered decision is absolutely essential. Because the CRC can only come up with its own standards, government and structure, because of the political decision, fear, power, emotional stress, group dynamics, political and emotional answers to questions related to God’s Will are choking off access to the CRC membership still wanting the answer - what should be their decision now.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer must be absolute God's Word in the Bible. It must be self evident once man knows God’s will has been there heretofore.
The following paragraphs contain analogies on how to find an answer that is based on the Bible...."
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