WELCOME TO
TOM STARK’S WEBSITE
tomstarkinlansing.com
The following materials are
from the years since I came as organizing pastor of the University Reformed
Church in East Lansing, Michigan (1966) until my retirement in August,
2002, and from the years since then. Some materials were for church membership
classes, or for the Board of Elders, Consistory, or the congregation. Some were
prepared for the Classis of South Grand Rapids (Reformed Church in America-
R.C.A.), and many were in response to issues and needs in the R.C.A. Some are
from documents issued in the R.C.A. Do
not hesitate to copy- a copyright line is included in this Table of Contents
("copyright") and on some of the documents only to protect me from
having something copyrighted and being unable to use it myself. Comments are
welcomed at: Tom Stark, 2226 Bolley, Lansing, MI
48912. Email - starktomel@aol.com
1. FRAGMENTS AND REFLECTIONS- FIFTY YEARS IN UNIVERSITY REFORMED CHURCH, EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN, 1966- 2016, by Tom Stark, retired pastor, Lansing, Michigan, November 2016,
ISSUES IN THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA- FOUR PAPERS
1. RESPONSE
TO THE PETITION FROM PEACE REFORMED CHURCH, TO THE CLASSIS OF SOUTH GRAND
RAPIDS, TO LEAVE THE RCA AND TRANSFER TO THE EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
(7 pages)-
South Grand Rapids classis October 21, 2014
2. WHY
"COMPLEMENTARIANS" HAVE A PLACE IN THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA (6
pages)-
I am very interested in the
"conscience clauses", because I helped write them in 1980. Before the RCA voted to remove the
"conscience clauses" in June 2013 I sent a paper to many friends in
the RCA, and, after the action was final in June, I again sent the paper, with
some additions, to many friends. The
title is "Why 'Complementarians' Have a Place in the Reformed Church in America".
3. WHY
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE BELHAR CONFESSION IN THE RCA (14 pages)-
When our classis of South Grand Rapids was voting on the Belhar
Confession in October 2009 I was asked to present the case in favor of the Belhar Confession. I
prepared a written paper which went out in advance and also an oral
presentation for the classis meeting. Our classis voted for the Belhar Confession, and the General Synod in June 2010 gave
it final approval as an additional doctrinal standard of the RCA. My paper, "Why I am Grateful for the Belhar Confession in the RCA", also includes
quotations from others who have written since 2010.
4. EXAMINING
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA'S STAND ON HOMOSEXUALITY (6 pages)-
This is a summary of the RCA's past actions concerning
homosexuality and suggestions of work that lies ahead.
5.
UNIVERSITY
TRANSFER COMMITTEE REPORT TO CLASSIS - January 7, 2015- (5 pages). After this report there are a number of
appendices. Appendix A includes the
relevant section from the Book of Church
Order - 5 pages. Appendix B is the
University Reformed Church petition to transfer to the Presbyterian Church in America (40
pages). Appendixes C-1, C-2, and C-3 are
papers 2, 3, and 4 above. Appendix D is
a two-page summary response by the committee to the three main problems cited
in the withdrawal petition. Appendix E
is a two-page item from the PCA Great Lakes Presbytery.
6.
RESPONSE
TO THE REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY TRANSFER COMMITTEE TO THE GREAT LAKES CITY
CLASSIS- FOR THE MEETING OF MARCH 21, 2015- by Tom Stark (4 pages)
7.
APPENDIX ONE- SOME
THINGS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY REFORMED CHURCH, EAST LANSING,
MICHIGAN, March 2015- by Tom Stark (4 pages)
8.
APPENDIX TWO: SOME
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA: March 2015-
by Tom Stark (9 pages)
9.
EXCERPTS
FROM THE MINUTES OF THE GREAT LAKES CITY CLASSIS, REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA, MARCH 21, 2015
(3 pages)
I. THE CHURCH
- "The Church of Jesus
Christ” : Basic Principles for Understanding
the Church", from a sermon outline-
3 pages. copyright
- "The Call to the
Ministry (Especially Pastor/Teacher)", with a significant
quotation from pioneer RCA missionary, Rev. Sam Hofman,
on the training of ministers in Chiapas state, Mexico, 5 pages. copyright
- "Conversational
Prayer Meetings", by William Lantz, a helpful approach to group
prayer. 3 pages.
II. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
- "Christ and
Scripture" A classic treatment of Christ's view of Scripture by
Dr. Kenneth Kantzer, the former Dean of Trinity
Evangelical Divinity School and editor of "Christianity Today".
6 pages.
- Daily Bible Reading
- Introduction
to “A Plan For Bible Reading”
- "A
Plan For Bible Reading" Daily readings from four different books
of the Bible, usually a chapter from each, reading the Old Testament
once, the New Testament and Book of Psalms twice in a year. In a booklet
form, from Robert Murray McCheyne.
- “Choosing
a Bible Translation”, Notes on a number of U.S. Protestant
translations from the last 60 years, especially the Today’s New
International Version (TNIV), with pastoral thoughts for a congregation
making a change. 28 pages.
III. A Handbook for
Christian Small Groups A resource especially for group leaders. 33 pp. copyright
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction- page 3
II. What are Christian Small Group- page 3
III. Why We Encourage Small Groups- page 3
IV. What Can Happen in Christian Small
Groups- page 5
V. How Christian Small Groups Can Start-
page 6
VI. Common Characteristics and Variety in Christian
Small Groups- page 7
VII. Leadership in Small Groups- page 9
VIII. Help in Making Groups Effective- page
11
1.
How
to invite others when beginning a group
2.
Physical
surroundings for group meetings
3.
Sharing
questions
4.
Arriving
at group goals
5.
Principles
in building relationships
6.
Handling
conflicts in a group
7.
Evaluation
time for a group
8.
How
a group can divide and grow
9.
How
to handle the ending of a group
IX. Four Parts of Preparing and Leading an
Inductive Bible Study- page 18
1.
Personal
preparation
2.
Formulating
questions
3.
Leading
discussions
4.
Applying
the Bible in a group
X. Sample Application Questions for Four
Scripture Passages- page 23
XI. Examples of Sharing Questions- page 25
XII. Teaching People to Pray in a Small
Group- page 29
XIII. Resources for Groups- page 31
XIV. What Small Groups are Not- page 32
IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT
- "The
Holy Spirit", a teaching outline, 4 pages. copyright
- "What
Christians Believe About the Holy Spirit", a short summary, 2
pages
- "The Gifts of the Holy
Spirit", a teaching outline, 5 pages. copyright
- "Baptism
with the Spirit: a Spectrum of Views", sketch and 8 categories
from Michael Eaton’s Baptism with the Spirit- the Teaching of Martyn
Lloyd-Jones, 3 pages
- "The
Scriptural Basis for a Healing Ministry", a sermon outline, 4
pages. copyright
- "The
Holy Spirit’s Gifts of Prophecy and Discernment", a teaching
paper, 6 pages. copyright
- "Revival",
a short outline, with quotes from Ian Murray’s Revivals and Revivalism,
3 pages
V. THE SACRAMENTS
- BAPTISM
- "Christian Baptism",
a short summary, 4 pages. copyright
- "Infant
Baptism", by Rev. Francis Schaeffer, 10 pages
- "Various Views of Infant
Baptism", a one-page chart of 7 views
- "Infant Baptism Report",
a statement for the South Grand Rapids Classis Executive Committee, from
a special committee- Tom Stark, Robert Bast,
George Kroeze, initiated by concern over an RCA
minister whose children were not baptized. 4 pages
- "Presumptive
Regeneration" - The view formerly required in the Christian
Reformed Church (from 1908 to 1968). It still has obvious influence in
the CRC, and even in the RCA, though it was never endorsed as RCA
doctrine. Also discussed in Louis Berkhof's Systematic
Theology. 2 pages.
- THE LORD’S SUPPER
- "Various
Views of the Lord’s Supper", a one-page chart of 5 views.
- "Who
Should Be Invited to Receive the Lord’s Supper- Searching for a Pastoral
Response "
- "The
Invitation for Communion, Board of Elders, University Reformed
Church, East Lansing, Michigan. Now superseded, but revealing the
pastoral struggle over whether someone has to have "membership",
be baptized, etc.
- CHILDREN AT THE LORD’S TABLE
- An
Overture to the General Synod of l989 Concerning Children at the Lord’s
Table, from the consistory of the University Reformed Church, East
Lansing, MI to the South Grand Rapids Classis, and from the Classis to
the General Synod, because of dissatisfaction with actions of earlier
General Synods. 7 pages
- "Guidelines
for Boards of Elders- Children at the Lord’s Supper", from the
1990 General Synod, R.C.A., 1 page
- "General
Synod [1990] Clarifies Reformed Church Position on Children at the Lord’s
Table", from "The Pioneer" (RCA magazine in Canada). 2
pages
- "Children
at the Lord’s Table", pastoral notes for elders and parents.
Approved in slightly revised form by the University Reformed Church Board
of Elders. c. 2001, 2 pages. copyright
- INFANT DEDICATION
- "Policy
of the Board of Elders, University Reformed Church, East Lansing, MI. Concerning the Dedication of Infants" How
one Board of Elders struggled to be responsive pastorally to parents who
could not accept infant baptism as scriptural. 1 page
- "Service
of Infant Dedication", approved by the Board of Elders,
University Reformed Church, East Lansing, MI. 1 page
VI. CASE STUDIES IN THEOLOGY, based on
Systematic Theology, by Wayne Grudem. Prepared for the Commissioned Pastor program
of the Synod of the Great Lakes, RCA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORWARD, by Dr. Ronald Geschwendt
Introduction to Theology, by
Pastor Tom Stark
I.
Rationale
for the Case Study Method
II.
Our
choice of resources
III.
What
it can mean to “do theology”
IV.
The
importance of theology in a pastor’s life
- Case Study 1 – Holy
Scripture
- Case Study 2 – The
Attributes of God
- Case
Study 3 – God in Three Persons: the Trinity
- Case
Study 4 - Creation
- Case
Study 5 – “Free Will Baptists”
- Case Study 6 –
Miracles and Prayer
- Case Study 7 – Human
Beings as Male and Female
- Case Study 8 – The
Person of Christ
- Case
Study 9 – The Atonement
- Case
Study 10 – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
- Case Study 11 –
Election and Reprobation
- Case Study 12 –
The Baptism and Filling of the holy Spirit
- Case Study 13 –
The Doctrine of the Church
- Case
Study 14 – “Baptism Requests”
- Case
Study 15 – The Holy Spirit: Personality, Fruit and Gifts
- Case Study 16 – The
Return of Christ: When and How
- Case
Study 17 – Heaven and Hell
APPENDICES
(all can be found on this web site)
1. Christ and Scripture, by Dr. Kenneth Kantzer (6 pages)
2. Revised Declaration on Holy Scripture,
RCA General Synod of 1963 (4 pp.)
3. Presumptive Regeneration, Christian
Reformed Church, Acts of Synod, 1942 (2 pp.)
4. Infant Baptism, by Francis Schaeffer
(10 pp.)
5. Infant Baptism Report, for South Grand
Rapids Classis (4 pp.)
6. Christian Baptism (4 pp.)
7. The Holy Spirit (4 pp.)
8. What Christians Believe About the Holy
Spirit (2 pp.)
9. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (5
pp.)
10. Baptism with the Spirit: a Spectrum of
Views (3 pp.)
11. The Scriptural Basis for a Healing
Ministry (4 pp.)
12. The Holy Spirit’s Gifts of Prophecy
and Discernment (6 pp.)
VII. MENTORING (OR
DISCIPLING) OTHERS: One to One and in Small Groups.
Materials for a workshop of varying
length.
Materials for a workshop of
varying length.
- Sample
Class Schedule and Commitments
- Resources for Study Together in
Mentoring
- What
Mentoring/Discipling is- and What it is Not
- Choosing
and Contacting Mentoring/Discipling Prospects
- Qualities
of a Christian Mentor/Discipler
- Built
to Last: Making Disciples in Little Communities
- Small
Groups: a Venue for Reaching Out
- Quiz
on Commitments
- Keeping
Commitments
- Conversational Prayer Meetings- see I. 3 above
- Small
Group intercessory Prayer- How to Do it
- Being a
Mentor to Someone from a Younger Generation
- How To Find a Mentor, by Fred Smith, from
“Leadership” magazine, handout
- Christ and Scripture- see II. 1 above
VIII. "THE OPPORTUNITIES
AND CHALLENGES OF CHURCH-BASED CAMPUS
MINISTRY" (Revised, March, 2007). I hope to encourage churches with a
vision and love for the campus to see the multitude of possibilities for campus
ministry. 18 pages. Copyright
IX. DIACONAL MINISTRIES
- TO THE DIACONATE –
RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE AGING, for the Board of Deacons and
Deaconesses of the University Reformed Church, April, 2006.
- DEACONESSES
- “The
Board of Deacons and Deaconesses (Diaconate)”, University Reformed
Church, East Lansing, MI, 1993, with revisions since adopted in
1981. 3 pages
- “The
Board of Deacons and Deaconesses (Diaconate), shortened version, 1999. 2 pages
- “DO
THE POOR FEEL WELCOME IN YOUR CHURCH”, by Eddy Hall, 5 pages.
copyright
X. CHRISTMAS
- "Christmas is for Giving",
from the Church Herald, 3
pages.
- "Christmas is NOT for the
Family", from the Church Herald, 4 pages
XI. THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA
- “The
Variety of Church Government Among Reformed Churches”
- “Eleven
Changes in the RCA- Procedures and Practices” A reminder of many ways
in which the RCA has changed. 3 pages
- THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
- "Revised
Declaration on Holy Scripture", from the Minutes of the 1963
General Synod, R.C.A. 4 pages
- INCLUSIVE
LANGUAGE- "Biblical Language and Worship", An address by
the late Professor Harold Nebelsick, from
Louisville Presbyterian Seminary (PCUSA), delivered at Western Theological
Seminary, March 3, 1987. 13 pages
- THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA DOCTRINAL STANDARDS
(Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of the Synod of Dort)
- "Historical
Notes on the R.C.A. Doctrinal Standards, and Their Major Problems",
8 pages. copyright
- "Notes
on the Heidelberg Catechism", 4 pages. copyright
- Letter
to the TEA [Theological Education Agency, RCA] TIMES, May 1995,
clarifying certain issues about the RCA Doctrinal Standards. 3 pages
- A
Review of Meeting Each Other: in Doctrine, Liturgy and Government.
Daniel Meeter’s book, in the RCA Historical
Series, includes the first publication since 1906 of the
"Constitution" adopted when the RCA became independent of the
Dutch Church (1792), including the significant "Explanatory
Articles", which modified some past practices. 4 pages. copyright
- Revision
of the Subscription for Ministers, from the RCA General Synod of
1972.
- "Why
We Need Our Creeds". from the Church Herald, Jan., 1973. 3
pages.
- "Why
We Need Our Creedal Declaration for Ministers", from the Church
Herald, Feb., 1973. 5 pages.
- "The
Proposed Creedal Declaration for Ministers", by Dr. Arthur Jentz, professor of philosophy at Hope College, a
member of the Theological Commission, from the Church Herald, March,
1973, 3 pages. At the Synod of 1973 (June), when final approval of the
amendment was voted on, I indicated that, based on Dr. Jentz assurances, I would not vote against final
ratification, though I would also not vote for it.
- THE EXTENT OF REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA LITURGICAL
REQUIREMENTS
- "RCA
Liturgical Requirements for Sunday Worship", 8 pp. (Some 40
supplementary pages are referenced but not included, from the 1792
Constitution, the 1906 and 1968 Liturgies, and the General Synod Minutes
of l987, l988, and l989.) copyright
- "Twenty-four
Ways that the RCA Services for the Lord’s Supper Can Be Varied". 2 pages, not exhaustive, but meant
to recognize and encourage variety. copyright
- Excerpts
from "A Matter of Trust", by Rev. Allan Janssen, "The
Church Herald", May 2001. A "hard line" on liturgical
conformity. 1 page
- Letter
to the Editor (unpublished), "The Church Herald". Summer
2001, attempting to refute Rev. Janssen’s assumptions on liturgical
conformity. In fact, he stated on August 6, 2002, in a letter following
up my review of his largely outstanding Constitutional Theology
(see below): "I may have stretched the point further than I should
have in the "Church Herald" article. In fact, I was getting at
pastors who aren’t even close to the Directory! That’s not a matter of
theological position (conservative or liberal), I’ve discovered, nor of
geography."
- A
REVIEW OF "CONSTITUTIONAL THEOLOGY", by Rev. Allan Janssen,
Eerdmans, 2000. A significant commentary on the RCA Book of Church
Order, with a few debatable positions. 4 pages. copyright
- REVIEW
AND NOTES ON "THE CHURCH SPEAKS: VOLUME 2: Papers of the
Commission on Theology, Reformed Church in America, 1985-2000". A
collection of 17 documents, some never approved by the General Synod, in
which it is difficult to trace their status in the RCA. Some are open to
significant reservations. 6 pages. copyright
- "THE
REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA’S POSITION ON ABORTION", a five-page
summary, sent to the RCA General Secretary, March 2003, challenging the
accuracy of the summary on the RCA web page, which was updated correctly
in Sept, 2003. copyright
- THE
FORMULA OF AGREEMENT (with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
the Presbyterian Church USA, and the United Church of Christ) An Overture
to the General Synod of 2000 challenging the proposed relationship with
the United Church of Christ, from the South Grand Rapids Classis, 22 pages
- THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA’S "FOURTH
OFFICE" (Professor of Theology) - An
overture to the General Synod of l992 from the South Grand Rapids
Classis to Eliminate the Fourth Office and return Professors of Theology
to classis membership. 6 pages
- SAMPLE ORDINATION EXAMS
- RCA
Senior Theology Exam 1
- RCA
Senior Theology Exam 2
- RCA
Senior Theology Exam 3
- RCA
Senior Theology Exam 4
- RCA
Senior RCA Doctrinal Standards Exam
- WOMEN IN
CHURCH OFFICES
- Excerpts
from the report of the "Committee on the Ordination of Women"
to the General Synods of 1957 and 1958. 16 pages
- "Bibliography
of works taking the ‘historic’ (compared to the ‘progressive’) view of
women in church office". (Terms taken from Women in the
Church -see bibliography), 2 pages. copyright
- "Women
in Ministry: What We Can (Almost All) Agree On", Workshop
Outline from the Institute on Women in Ministry, Western Theological
Seminary, revised and updated. 7 pages. copyright
- "Applying
the Words of the Apostle Paul- Part I", sermon outline, 6 pages.
copyright
- "An
Informational Flyer About Women in University
Reformed Church, East Lansing, MI", approved by the Consistory,
updated February, l994. Though some of the information has changed, it is
an example of how a local church can strive to encourage unity and the
use of gifts. 6 pages.
- "A
Letter to a Sister in Ministry"- a real letter, no name given
here, to try to indicate how I believe Christians can affirm one another.
2 pages. copyright
- The Reformed Church in America's
"Conscience Clause" on Women in Office
- "Women
in Church Offices: Where We Are Now", Guest Editorial in the
October 2, l981 "Church Herald", following the adoption of the
"conscience clause". 4 pages
- "Twenty
Years of the Reformed Church in America’s ‘Conscience Clause’",
January 2000, 21 pages. copyright
- Letter
to the Editor, "The Church Herald", February 1, 2002,
concerning the "Conscience Clause", 2 pages
- A
Brief History of Events Leading to the
"Conscience Clause", spring 2003, 4 pages. copyright
- May
2004- The RCA "Conscience Clauses"
- "Response
to the Commission for Women" (RCA),1999, 4 pages