Report on the first Euro Regional Conference (March 2007)

A first Regional Conference of ICRC memberchurches in Europe was organised by seven European member churches of ICRC in Soest (The Netherlands). The third day of this meeting (March 8) implied a missions’ day so as to focus on mission reflection and activities of the churches involved. From several European countries representatives of churches and organisations had been invited, viz. Ireland, England/Wales, Scotland, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Belarus, Ukraine.

We like to share with you what happened on this great day of missions. It really was a heart-warming opportunity of meeting delegates of sixteen European churches. A great experience of communication on information regarding mission fields, experience of missionaries, education and training programs of missions. Several items had been discussed being put on the agenda

(1) In his opening devotion the Rev. Dr. Leendert J. Joosse from RCN (Lib.) focussed on the missionary mandate. Plenty of people may rightly focus on Mathew 28. Sixteenth and seventeenth century Reformers understood Romans 10: 14-17 to be the heart of our missions mandate, however. The apostle Paul then says: Christ sends his servants into this world so that Gods word is proclaimed. According to Reformed thinking every minister therefore is a messenger of Christ, rather a door of Christ to the world so that people hear Him speaking (see verse 14: ‘how can they hear, viz. Him speaking, without someone preaching to them?’) making people responsible for having heard His promise. Preachers are sent to appeal upon people and call on the name of the Lord so as to be saved.

(2) Representatives of churches and organisations adressed their presentations as they did on previous days at this conference. Delegates from Poland, Italy (Milan), Mission to the World (PCA) communicated the activities in Ukrain, World Witness of ARPC (activities in Russia and Germany, Fundament (Dutch activities in Eastern Europe) and in France.

Thereafter the rev. David Millar introduced the position of the Missions Committee of ICRC, the survey which has been published and the Newsletter which was distributed making the representatives aware of the duties of our Missions Committee.

(3) Nine workshops had been organised to discuss the respective subjects: (a) Witness to Israel (b) One church and many cultures, (c) Urban Mission, (d) Postmodernism as a challenge, (e) Comeback of Religion in Western culture, (f) Outreach and nationalism, (g) Baltic Reformed Seminary, (h) E-mission and Media Support, (i) Church planting in cities. Just to give you a taste of what had been presented and discussed I like to dwell on some workshops.

Michael Mulder (CRC-NL) exposed the work in Israel of the Rev. Kees Jan Rodenburg and the Centre for Israel Studies being established in 2002. It promotes relationship with an Institute of rabbi’s and interface dialogue so as to deepen contacts with the elite in Israel and assist in establishing adequate communication. The dialogue is propagated because when an appeal upon people is made to call on Jesus as our Saviour it will break off the dialogue. Another workshop dealt with postmodernism in Europe. David Robertson of Dundee proposed to reach out in depths into the hearts and minds of peoples. He works in his home city trying to win hearts and minds of modern young people an be engrossed into their mentality of today. He suggested not to shrink away of mobility and consider it a threat to the congregation because fear does not help and serve people. Kees Haak explained the comeback of religion today in modern culture. Religion happens to appear once again as a mere social event in stead of being a fundamental persuasion. He views this comeback of religion as a pagan attitude. In the afternoon the workshop on church planting adressed the context of cities and what is done in Amsterdam was felt to be an instructive model for activities in Riga (Lithunia) and Milan (Italy) as well to some extent.

(4) During the evening session the face of islam in postmodern Europe had been discussed. During past centuries two important battles occurred against Islam in Europe. Raphael Israels considers the overwhelming rise of muslims as a third islamic invasion of Europe. The speaker the Rev. Lucius de Graaff analysed the thinking of another author Tariq Ramadan of the Erasmus University at Rotterdam in particular on western muslims and the future of Islam. This philosopher understands the position of Islam as interim period and purports an economic and educational appeal for the islamisation of Europe. Rev. De Graaff considers islam as a challenge in stead of being a threat on our contininent. Reformed doctrines answers the need of muslims and is to be understood as an answer to the call of the minaret. Formost the doctrine of Gods trinity is to be communicated to muslims Jesus being more than a prophet and God being greater than we can think of. Also infant baptism and the promise of the Lord exposes the mercy of God without any need of force. When communicating the Gospel it may also be emphasized that life is one over against evangelistic theology and Islam making people aware of the sound doctrine in everyday life and political and social attitudes. So to christians God may use the spreading of Islam in Europe as a challenge to His churches and reach out.

(5) In a bussineslike session for the evaluation of this conference and promote its findings everyone appeaered to enjoy this first regional conference in Europe and it was stressed that a wide range policy on invitations to faithful churches and organisations may be furthered. Especially the exchange and communication of theological education institutes of reformed churches was greatly applauded. A proposal to have another conference organised in November 2008 was tabled and the decision had been taken to have this proposal sent to the respective ICRC churches in Europe. Also the Free Church of Scotland and its theological institution will be asked to research into all existing mission programs and field of reformed and presbyterian churches in Europe so as to have a broad survey on missionary activities and projects. The sugestion also was raised to dwell on Calvins missionary intent and have a conference planned in 2010 due to the memory of the first worldconference in Edinburgh in 1910. For this first regional cionference of churches in Europe has been a heartfelt need and treasured opportunity to meet each other and assist in implementing our missionary mandat Christ Jesus gave us to perform.

Your MC members in Europe
Rev. David Miller (FCS)
Rev. Dr. Leendert J. Joosse (RCN)