Joel Boot Shares Parting Words
Banner editor Rev. Robert De Moor and executive director emeritus Rev. Joel Boot.
Karen Huttenga
Now that the Christian Reformed Church has appointed both an executive director and a director of ministries and administration, Rev. Joel Boot can finally step into retirement.
What began as a two-year assignment stretched into four years. Boot served as interim executive director from 2011 to 2014 and as interim director of ministries and administration from 2014 to 2015.
Boot gave words of advice to the church in his parting address to Synod 2015.
“I’ve been telling the Christian Reformed Church that the ground is shaking beneath our feet, but God is the still point in a trembling universe,” he said.
Boot shared 10 suggestions for a life of ministry, including the following: When you’re a leader, be extra sure to be an even better follower. Remember that the church is bigger than we are, and God is bigger than both. And never forget that the word pastor must be a verb before it earns the right to be a noun.
“Can I plead with the church that we also remember just to be nice?” he added. “We need not agree when we discuss, and we must never be angry.”
Synod president Rev. Bruce Persenaire responded by telling Boot: “I thank you that you brought your pastor’s heart [to denominational leadership]. Thank you for getting us off shaky ground and getting us on a little more solid ground.”
For continuous coverage of Synod 2015 including the live webcast, news, video recordings, photos, liveblog, social media links, and more visit www.crcna.org/synod.
