South Grandville

Making Profession of Faith at South Grandville CRC

Mary Kortman

Faith Formation Team Mandate and Membership
The Steps to Making Profession of Faith at SGCRC
Definition and Meaning of Profession of Faith
Age Appropriate Guidelines for Profession of Faith
When Should Children Be Allowed at the Table?
The Role of the Mentor
Age Appropriate Curriculum Resources for Mentors and Mentees
Age Appropriate Worship Forms for Public Profession of Faith
Procedures for Acceptance of Adult Membership Privileges and Responsibilities
Continuing Contact with Those Who Do Not Make Profession of Faith

1. Task Force Mandate and Faith Formation Team Membership

In June of 2009 the Council of South Grandville Christian Reformed Church established a Faith Formation Team with the following mandate:

Think biblically, theologically, culturally, and pastorally about the theology and practice of profession of faith.
Write guidelines regarding profession of faith that include age appropriate preparation and practices.
Design a mentoring ministry that pairs children, young people and adults with mature Christians with the two-fold goal of discipling the mentee in the Christian faith and preparing the mentee for making a profession of faith.
Explore curriculum plans that help children, young people, and adults explore Biblical truths and work toward making a profession of faith.
Devise a follow-up plan for those who do not make a profession of faith prior to age 18.
Develop a plan for children and young people who desire to make a profession of faith, whose families do not belong to the church.
Develop a recommendation to the Consistory for the practice and policies regarding profession of faith at South Grandville CRC.

This document was developed by the Faith Formation Team in fulfillment of the above mandate.

Faith Formation Team:

Mary Kortman, Chairperson and Director of Worship
Holli Gort, Director of Education
Molli Brunsting, Director of Outreach
Pete Retsema, Youth Director
Arch VandenBosch
Jim Mellema
Luanne Mellema
Pat Hulsebus
Dan Mouw, ex offico

2. The Steps to Making Profession of Faith at South Grandville CRC

The desire to make a profession of faith is expressed.

With a young child this Holy Spirit given desire will most often be expressed in a love for Jesus and an interest in participating in the Lord’s Supper.
With older children, youth, and adults, this Holy Spirit given desire will also include a sense of calling to live one’s life for Christ and a desire to participate more fully in the life of the church.
The pastor or an elder is made aware of the desire to make profession of faith.
The pastor or elder arranges for a mentor relationship*. The mentor and child/youth/adult will arrange for the pre-profession of faith sessions that will lead to profession of faith.
With young children these preparation sessions will most often be in a one-on-one mentor relationship.
With older children, youth, and adults, these preparation sessions may also be done in a small group.
After the preparation sessions, a meeting for a faith interview with the elders will be arranged.
With young children this faith interview may be arranged with a couple of elder representatives and the child’s parent(s).
With older children, youth, and adults this faith interview will most often be celebrated with the whole consistory.
The pastor and worship director will arrange for the profession of faith to be shared with the congregation during a worship service.

*The person making Profession of Faith (or in the case of a young child – the parents) may suggest an appropriate mentor.

3. Definition and Meaning of Profession of Faith

Throughout this document, when we refer to “profession of faith” we mean the one-time public act of stating our loyalty to Jesus Christ as Lord which leads to a new level of discipleship and the privilege of participation in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

We are all members of Christ’s church as signified in the sacrament of baptism. Profession of faith redefines the responsibilities and privileges of this church membership. (For some adults, of course, baptism is accompanied by their profession of faith). When we profess our faith and personally accept the promises made in baptism, we – in an age appropriate manner -- take on new discipleship responsibilities in the church. Those who make a public profession of faith are expected to demonstrate a deep desire to participate in the life of the church and greater involvement in witness and service for Christ in the world.* We also warmly invite those who have made profession of faith to the privilege of joining other whole-hearted disciples at the table of the Lord.

There are, of course, “professions of faith” to which we are all called other than this “one-time public act of stating our loyalty to Jesus Christ as Lord.” When the Bible instructs us to “profess our faith before others” or “proclaim the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord” for example, it is not so much a reference to the process of taking on greater discipleship responsibilities and gaining access to the Lord’s Supper as it is to witnessing to the truth of the Gospel in our everyday lives. And once we have made the “one-time public act of stating our loyalty to Jesus Christ” in a worship service, we can still have the repeated joy of giving our testimony again and again. So, while there are many different ways of professing our faith, in this document we will consistently mean the “one-time public act of stating our loyalty to Jesus Christ as Lord which leads to a new level of discipleship and the privilege of participation in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.”

*In the case of a child, it is expected that this desire will grow as the child matures.

4. Age Appropriate Guidelines for Profession of Faith

In the process of making profession of faith, the age of the individual making a profession will determine the shape and content of the preparation. What follows are the approved age appropriate guidelines. In this process, all mentors and small group leaders are to be approved by the Pastor, Consistory, or Faith Formation Director. Ideally, one mentor will be paired with one mentee. If a small group is formed, it should consist of 1 leader and no more than 4 participants.

A.) Age Appropriate Categories
1.) Elementary School Age (Kindergarten through 5th Grade, or ages 5 - 10)

A child discusses making POF with parents and/or a church member.
Parents (or Church Member) inform Pastor / Elder of child’s intent to make POF.
If both parent and pastor / elder feel that the child is sincere and ready to make POF, then an appropriate mentor shall be selected.
The mentor meets with child for a recommended 5 times (or more) prior to child making a public POF.
The mentor and mentee meet with the pastor one or more times (at the discretion of the pastor).
The mentor and mentee meet with the consistory for a faith interview.
The public POF is scheduled.
Mentors are encouraged to continue meeting with the child after they make POF.
Upon entering their senior year of high school, the young adult will be asked to sign a letter, reaffirming their childhood POF and welcoming them into adult/voting membership of the church.

2.) Junior High School (Grades 6 to 8, or ages 11 - 13)

Child discusses making POF with parents and/or a church member.
Parents (or church member) inform pastor / elder of child’s intent to make POF.
If both parent and pastor / elder feel that the child is sincere and ready to make POF – then an appropriate mentor or small group shall be selected.
For this age category the youth has 2 options.
A 1:1 mentor that meets with child ordinarily 5 times (or more) prior to child making a public POF (preferred option).
A POF small group that will ordinarily meet 5 times (or more) prior to child making a public POF.
The mentor and mentee meet with the pastor one or more times (at the discretion of the pastor).
The mentor and mentee meet with the consistory for a faith interview.
The public POF is scheduled.
Mentors/ small group Leaders are encouraged to continue meeting with the child after the POF is made.
Upon entering their senior year of high school, the young adult will be asked to sign a letter, reaffirming their childhood POF and welcoming them into adult/voting membership of the church.

3.) High School (Grades 9 to 12, or ages 14 - 18)

Young adult discusses making POF with parent / pastor / elder / youth group leader/ church member.
An appropriate mentor or small group is selected for the young adult.
For this age category the Youth has 2 options.
A 1:1 mentor that meets with youth ordinarily 5 times prior to making a public POF (preferred option).
A POF small group that will ordinarily meet 5 times prior to making a public POF.
The mentor and mentee meet with the pastor one or more times (at the discretion of the pastor).
The mentor and mentee meet with the consistory for a faith interview.
The public POF is scheduled.
Mentors are encouraged to meet with young person after they make POF.
At the discretion of the elders, adult privileges may be extended to a young adult who makes a public POF during their high school years.

4.) Post High (College to Adult, or beyond age 18)

Adult discusses making POF with pastor / elder.
Normally an adult is paired with a mentor – to meet a number of times at the discretion of the pastor and mentor prior to making public POF.
The mentor and mentee meet with the pastor one or more times (at the discretion of the pastor).
The mentor and mentee meet with the elders for a faith interview.
The public POF is scheduled.
Mentors are encouraged to continue meeting with new adult professing members after they make POF. The mentor and household elder will also encourage the individual to participate in the various ministries of South Grandville (for example, small groups).

B.) Modification to Profession of Faith Guidelines:

Any modifications will be determined by the consistory and are to be used only in rare occasions where special circumstances apply.
1.) For any age appropriate category – the following exemptions could apply:
       a.) Individual may have to only meet with pastor and one elder instead of entire consistory.
       b.) Individual may not have to make a profession of faith in front of the entire congregation.
       c.)     Individual may not have to be paired with a mentor.
2.) Special needs will be dealt with on a case by case basis
        a.) Cognitively impaired young people or adults desiring to make profession of faith.

b.) Children or young people who participate in children and youth ministries and belong to non-member families.

5. When Should Children Be Allowed at the Table?

The question about when children should start participating in the Lord’s Supper is a difficult one. Some within the Christian Reformed Church argue that -- on the basis of a child’s membership in Christ’s church through baptism – children ought to always be welcomed to the table. Others believe that an “age appropriate” profession of faith needs to be made prior to a child’s inclusion in the sacrament. There is a growing consensus, however, both in our denomination as a whole and our congregation, that children ought to be invited to the Lord’s Supper at an earlier age than was the custom in the past.

There are many reasons – in addition to the foundational one that children are members of the church by virtue of baptism -- why many people would encourage children to participate in the Lord’s Supper at a younger age. Among them is the way in which our Lord Jesus included young children when others would have them stay away. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14). Another compelling argument for including children in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is the way in which children were the center of educational attention in the Passover meal. Since the Lord’s Supper is based in some ways on the Passover, and children had a clear participatory role in that meal (Exodus 12:26), some people make the conclusion that children ought to participate in some manner in the Lord’s Supper. Still another reason to include young children is the recognition that the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is a “means of grace” by which we are “nourished and refreshed with his body and blood” (Heidelberg Catechism Q & A #77). Many of us feel deeply concerned about depriving our children of this much needed nourishment. Finally, it ought to be remembered that no one – whether a child or an adult -- is invited to the table of the Lord because of good behavior, mental ability, mastery of church teachings, or a high level of maturity in Christ. The Lord’s Supper is about accepting grace with a humble heart. According to Jesus, nobody does that as well as a child (Matthew 18:2-4).

For these reasons (and others) the Christian Reformed Church recognizes that our children rightfully belong with us at the Lord’s Supper well before they have the ability to make a fully informed, mature commitment to the teachings of the church. Consequently, the Synod (1988) of our denomination declared that:
Our children ought to be encouraged to make profession of faith as soon as they are ready to do so.
Profession of faith does not yet require our children to accept adult responsibilities within the congregation. The church will continue to provide instruction in the Bible and the confessions. It will grant adult responsibilities when the child reaches age eighteen.

So, according to Synod, “children ought to be encouraged to make profession of faith as soon as they are ready to do so.” But how do we judge when they are ready? In the church, the primary responsible person(s) for assessing a young child’s readiness to participate in the Lord’s Supper is the parent(s). The elders will affirm that judgment of readiness. In making that assessment, the parent needs to be aware that we expect differences in “age appropriate professions of faith” according to the regular stages of faith development. Parents need to know that a young child will both experience and express his or her faith in different ways than those in other stages of spiritual development. The different ways in which people articulate their faith at these different stages is not a measure of the sincerity of their profession.

Young children (toddlers) have only a vague conceptual idea about God and Jesus, but they experience God’s love – especially through the love of their parents. They confess their faith through simple memorized statements, prayers, and songs.
Elementary age children begin to have an idea about God and about how God saves us through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. They can tell the simple gospel story. They can experience the love of God not only through parents, but also through teachers and friends. They can read the Bible stories and pray on their own and express their faith in their own words.
Adolescents (after about the age of 12) start to think in a different way as their brains develop. They are able to ask a whole new order of questions about the faith and its implications. They can understand the basic teachings of the Scripture and our confessions and apply these teaching to life. They experience the love of God more and more through peers and mentors as well as their parents. Adolescents can verbalize personalized beliefs, doubts, and life commitments.
Young and older adults are able to summarize the teachings of the Bible and confessions in the light of their life experiences. Their own devotional life with God and their experience in Christian community will show in their statements of faith. They can make adult commitments to the teachings of the church and to Christ as Lord through the responsibilities of adult membership.

South Grandville CRC recognizes these natural stages of faith development and acknowledges that an age appropriate profession of faith can be made at each stage. When a person appears before the consistory in the profession of faith process, the elders will interview that person with expectations that match their place in this developmental sequence. You will also notice that the preparation process for profession of faith outlined in this document is designed with this development in mind. We suggest that parents also apply this developmental understanding when they assess the readiness of their child in making a profession of faith.

In determining readiness, parents may want to be alert to the following signs of the Holy Spirit working within their children:

The child naturally expresses trust in and love for Jesus.
The child shows an enduring interest in and desire for the Lord’s Supper.
The child understands that the bread and cup show God’s saving love in Jesus.
The child is willing to go through the process of making profession of faith.

If these signs are present and the parent decides that the child is ready for participation in the Lord’s Supper, the next step to begin the process of profession of faith is simple. Just contact a pastor, or an elder, or a member of the ministry staff and they will begin the process by helping you find a mentor for your child and by supplying the materials used in preparation for profession of faith. You will find more information about mentors and the process we use in preparing someone for profession of faith in the rest of this document.

6. The Role of a Mentor

You’ve been asked to be a mentor and you’ve agreed to the task…but now what?

What is a Mentor?
The answer to this question is best approached by telling you “who” is a mentor, or more correctly still, who was “Mentor”. Mentor was the tutor of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus in the Greek mythology, The Odyssey. From these roots, we get our definition of a mentor as a wise counselor. But Mentor did much more than merely help Telemachus a couple hours a week with his Roman numerals; he was a trainer, a disciplinarian, and fully responsible for young Teley’s health and well being. Mentor was his constant companion. The relationship became a close friendship win which the older, more experienced, guided the younger in the ways of life.

The name “Mentor” has stuck for those who share themselves in a one-on-one teaching relationship, and in the context of the church and Christian brothers and sisters, we often call this teaching relationship “discipleship.” The Apostle Paul and his young friend Timothy had this kind of relationship. Along with building his knowledge and experience, Paul poured his heart into Timothy. The relationship went far beyond any contracted formality. Paul loved Timothy as a son, and their relationship became a lifelong commitment to each other.

Getting Started
Before you begin your role as a mentor you will be required to review and state your understanding of South Grandville’s safety and abuse prevention policies. As a mentor you will need to contact your mentee’s parents or guardian. Invite them to support you in prayer and be sure to remind the parents of the child’s assignments and future meeting times. Let them know where and how often you plan to meet. Before each session, pray about the meeting and review the entire lesson. At the end of the process you will stand with the mentee as they go before the church leadership and again on the day of their public profession of faith.

As a mentor it will be your job to listen, affirm, challenge spiritual growth, teach basic Reformed Christian beliefs, and be a faith model to the person you are mentoring. It sounds like a lofty task, but remember you are not being asked to be the perfect Christian. You’re being asked to share honestly your joys and pains as a follower of Christ. You are also not being asked to be a Bible expert! You don’t have to know all the answers, you just have to be there to listen and help explore Godly solutions to everyday cares and concerns. Be a warm, welcoming presence in their lives. Be slow to judge, quick to forgive, and openly show your love for God. Most importantly, commit the time and energy needed for this process, empathize with their concerns, and enjoy the time you spend with your mentee.

As you begin your role as mentor, it also helps to know and understand that there are stages to the mentoring process. It doesn’t all happen in the first meeting. You can expect to begin your mentoring relationship with non-threatening activities and sharing just factual information. As you continue to spend time with one another greater trust is established and more personal questions and conversations are explored. Eventually you will be secure enough in your relationship that you will both begin to reveal more personal information with ease. Finally as your time commitment to the pre-profession mentoring process nears an end, you will have to transition into something else. You will need to decide if you want to continue to meet, or move onto something such as a supportive friendship or a prayer partner relationship. It is very important that you be realistic as you determine your next steps. Be sure that you do not over promise something you cannot deliver.

Hang in There
This all sounds like a simple, neat process, but every relationship comes with its fair share of awkwardness, challenges, and disappointments. It is normal to begin with high expectations but then wonder if you are doing something wrong when the relationship doesn’t measure up to what you imagined. Keep in mind, you and your mentee are both human, and try to be patient with yourself. However, if after a few meetings you feel as though you are not making any progress, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Am I talking too much? In order for the relationship to work there needs to be equal participation. Try asking open ended questions. Be sure to listen attentively. Don’t be afraid of silence. Maybe your mentee just needs a minute to think about the question and how to respond.

Are we incompatible? Yes, sometimes personalities do clash but remember in most cases, this person requested you personally. The family of God is made up of all kinds of people. Keep an open heart. Maybe God is asking you to change your attitude and learn how to love and accept someone you wouldn’t naturally choose as a friend.

Is this normal behavior for a person of this age? If you find your mentee forgetting meeting times or not completing assignments, try to remember what you were like at that age. Were you always on time, always responsible, and completed all your assignments? Chances are that you were not. We all fail sometimes. As a mentor you need to be a loving, forgiving, and encouraging presence in their lives. Do remind the mentee of the mutual commitment you both made. Reschedule the missed meeting or assignment and move on.

Does your mentee really want to be a part of the process? If you suspect that your mentee is not sincere, or they confess to an ulterior motive (everyone else was doing it, or they felt pressured by mom and dad) before calling it quits, consider how best to encourage them. You may want to change from a pre-profession focus to something more general like taking time to discuss spiritual questions.

If you determine that none of the above situations apply and you are still looking for ways to help build the mentor/mentee relationship here are a few ideas;

Hang out – take your mentee on everyday errands or share a meal together
Laugh together - humor is a great levelier, next time you meet, share a joke
Use email and/or Facebook – communicate in a way that connects with your mentee
Realize mentoring is a mutual relationship - pray for each other, respect each other, talk and listen, and as you teach don’t be too proud to be taught
Be liberal with affirmation – don’t just say nice things, do nice things

There are many rewards that come with being a mentor. Not only are you fulfilling the great commission to “go and make disciples” you are getting an opportunity to re-affirm your faith and re-learn something familiar from a new perspective. God’s blessing to you as you begin!

Pray (daily)
Adopt the Apostle Paul’s attitude; “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” (Eph. 1:16). As a faith mentor, you are engaging in spiritual warfare. While your mentee is growing in faith, defend them in prayer. Pray for the relationship that is just beginning between you and your mentee. Pray for wisdom.

7. Age Appropriate Curriculum Resources for Mentors and Mentees

The following resources have been approved by the denomination for use in small group or mentoring sessions (all are published by Faith Alive Christian Resources):

Leading a Child to Jesus: Tips for guiding a child’s faith journey in age-appropriate ways.

Q&A: A Summary of Biblical Teachings: A summary of the creeds and confessions of the Reformed/ Presbyterian tradition (written at a fifth-grade reading level).

Walk With Me: Believe Series. (grades 6 - 8)

I Believe: Getting Ready to Profess My Faith, Jesse Schut. (young teens).

Quest of Faith: Understanding What You Confess, Robert De Moor. (older teens – adult).

These resources will be made available to mentors as soon as the mentoring relationship is arranged.

Training sessions and ongoing communication with mentors who are in mentoring relationships will be provided by one or more of South Grandville CRC’s staff members.

8. Age Appropriate Worship Forms for Public Profession of Faith

At South Grandville CRC every profession of faith is a joyous communal event. In our worship services we would like to make sure that we do not neglect to celebrate the “communal” aspect. While a profession of faith is obviously a very personal statement of one’s loyalty to Jesus Christ as Lord, what we do in a worship service always involves the whole covenant family of God.

When an individual makes a profession of faith the whole Christian community is involved. In many cases, it is the same Christian community that made promises at this person’s baptism. It is the same Christian community that has prayed for and nurtured the individual over the years. And it is the same Christian community that has an opportunity to reaffirm its faith along with the individual who is taking his or her stand for Christ.

So, in the worship service where profession of faith is celebrated, we want to make sure that not all of the attention is focused on the individual who makes his or her profession of faith. First and foremost, it is God who is the center of attention in every act of worship. God is the one who gives, nurtures, and sustains the faith that is professed and it is God who ought to receive the primary thanks. But we must also include the covenant community in our rituals. This community has had, and will continue to have, a significant role in the formation and growth of the faith of the individual making the profession. And, of course, we will also want to acknowledge and encourage the individual who is personally responding to God’s call to live a life in loyalty to Jesus as Lord.

So, we have identified the following principles regarding the worship practices of profession of faith at South Grandville CRC:

Each profession of faith must focus on God the Father as the giver and sustainer of faith.
Each profession of faith must, in an age appropriate way, present the opportunity for a personalized expression of love and loyalty to Jesus Christ as Lord and a reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Each profession of faith must include, in an age appropriate way, an acknowledgement of the truth of the Gospel as revealed in the Scriptures and affirmed in the confessions, a claiming of the promises of baptism, and a dedication to growth under the authority of the church.
Each profession of faith must involve the whole covenant community in a pledge of support for the one making a profession, and in a reaffirmation of faith and commitment.

What follows in this section of the document are some samples of simple, age appropriate worship formats for profession of faith that are formulated according to the principles we have identified. The Pastor and Worship Director are willing to work with each person for a personalized or customized profession of faith format as long as it conforms to these principles.

Example #1: Profession of Faith of Younger Children with Mentor Participation

Introduction to Profession of Faith

Sisters and brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ, today we are delighted to celebrate God’s grace in the lives of __________________. When they were given the sacrament of baptism, they were welcomed into the covenant family of God. Now they want to join that family as it gathers around the Lord’s table in the sacrament of communion. So, today they will respond in faith to God’s promises in baptism, profess their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and pledge to join us in giving “glory to God by following the Father’s call to become mature through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The elders of South Grandville CRC have heard their testimonies and have rejoiced in their faith. So now I invite ____________________ and their profession of faith mentors ____________________ to come forward so that we can all celebrate God’s grace together.

Welcome

__________________, you stand here today as a result of your desire to profess your faith in Christ and participate in the Lord’s Supper. We welcome you warmly and want you to know how happy we are that you have made this important decision. We also want to remind you that you have not been alone in making it. For many years you have been surrounded by the prayers of your parents and this congregation. When you were baptized we all blessed you and promise to pray for you.

Mentor Introduction

On behalf of the whole congregation I want to thank ____________________ for serving as profession of faith mentors for ____________________. We appreciate your investment in things of eternal significance and the time that you have devoted to preparing _________________ for their elder interview and this day of celebration.

[Optional according to the mentor]: We would be interested in hearing from you your comments on something of significance as ___________________ was preparing for profession of faith.

Responsive Reading

Introduction: With joy and anticipation of God’s blessing, let us profess our faith in the words printed in our orders of worship. Please be aware that the litany ends as we profess our faith with the whole church in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. Please stand, if you are able.

Pastor: We are promised in the Scriptures (Romans 10:9) that “If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Mentor: ________________ do you believe that Jesus is your Savior from sin and do you trust him as Lord of your life?

I believe in Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

Congregation: Praise God! We, too, reaffirm our faith and joyfully declare with you: “Jesus is Lord!”

Mentor: ________________ will you promise to continue to learn more about God and his Word, and will you continue to serve God with us in your life and in your worship?

I promise.

Congregation: Praise God! We, too, reaffirm our promise to continue to learn and to serve with you.

Mentor: _____________________, will you allow us, as representatives of the church of Jesus Christ in which you are a member by baptism, to encourage you in your faith and to hold you responsible for the profession and promise you have made?

I will.

Congregation: Praise God! We, too, reaffirm our pledge to be mutually accountable to each other in the Lord.

Pastor: ____________________, because you have responded to your baptism by telling us your personal faith in Jesus Christ, we now welcome you to join the family of God at the table of the Lord. Strengthened by this heavenly food and drink, we will travel together on the journey toward maturity in Christ and the promised land of God’s kingdom. Rejoice together with the church of all places and ages in the words of the Apostles Creed.

All: The Apostles Creed (words on screen)

Presentation

[Congregation seated]

___________________, to encourage you to grow in Christ, we give you with this devotional book and this certificate of your profession of faith in Christ.

Prayer

[With the “laying on of hands” by the pastor, mentor(s), family and friends]

Our covenant God, we thank you for leading _________________ to the faith they expressed today. We call down the blessing of your Holy Spirit upon them. Guard them, we pray, from sin and evil and the attacks of the devil. Empower them to follow through on the profession and promises they have made. May the fellowship of the Lord’s table strengthen them in faith and in service. Help them to continue to learn more about you and to grow in acts of love with all your people. Bring us all, one day, to that great wedding feast, where, clothed in the white robes of Christ’s righteousness, we will eat and drink with him in the new heaven and earth forever. Amen.

Hymn of Thanksgiving and Dedication (or appropriate special music)

Example #2: Profession of Faith of Younger Children without Mentor Participation

Introduction to Profession of Faith

Sisters and brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ, today we are delighted to celebrate God’s grace in the live of ___________. When they were given the sacrament of baptism, they were welcomed into the covenant family of God. Now they want to join that family as it gathers around the Lord’s table in the sacrament of communion. So, today they will 1) respond in faith to God’s promises in baptism, 2) profess their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and 3) pledge to join us in giving “glory to God by following the Father’s call to become mature through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The elders of South Grandville CRC have heard their testimonies and have rejoiced in their faith. So now I invite ________ to come forward so that we can all celebrate God’s grace together.

Welcome

__________, you stand here today as a result of your desire to profess your faith in Christ and participate in the Lord’s Supper. We welcome you warmly and want you to know how happy we are that you have made this important decision. We also want to remind you that you have not been alone in making it. For many years you have been surrounded by the prayers of your parents and this congregation. When you were baptized we all blessed you and promise to pray for you.

Mentor Introduction

On behalf of the whole congregation I want to thank _______ for serving as profession of faith mentor for ______ and to ________ for serving as the mentor for ________. We appreciate your investment in things of eternal significance and the time that you have devoted to preparing ________ for their elder interview and this day of celebration.

Responsive Reading

Introduction: With joy and anticipation of God’s blessing, let us profess our faith in the words printed in our orders of worship. Please be aware that the litany ends as we profess our faith with the whole church in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. Please stand now, if you are able.

Pastor: We are promised in the Scriptures (Romans 10:9) that “If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

__________ do you believe that Jesus is your Savior from sin and do you trust him as Lord of your life?

I believe in Jesus as my Savior and Lord.

Congregation: Praise God! We, too, reaffirm our faith and joyfully declare with you: “Jesus is Lord!”

Pastor: __________, will you promise to continue to learn more about God and his Word, and will you continue to serve God with us in your life and in your worship?

I promise.

Congregation: Praise God! We, too, reaffirm our promise to continue to learn and to serve with you.

Pastor: ___________, will you allow us, as representatives of the church of Jesus Christ in which you are a member by baptism, to encourage you in your faith and to hold you responsible for the profession and promise you have made?

I will.

Congregation: Praise God! We, too, reaffirm our pledge to be mutually accountable to each other in the Lord.

Pastor: ___________, because you have responded to your baptism by declaring your personal faith in Jesus Christ, we now welcome you to join the family of God at the table of the Lord. Strengthened by this heavenly food and drink, we will travel together on the journey toward maturity in Christ and the promised land of God’s kingdom. Rejoice together with the church of all places and ages in the words of the Apostles Creed.

All: The Apostles Creed (words on screen)

Presentation

[Congregation seated]

____________, to encourage you to grow in Christ, we give you with this devotional book and this certificate of your profession of faith in Christ.

Prayer

[With the “laying on of hands” by the pastor, mentor(s), family and friends]

Our covenant God, we thank you for leading _________ to the faith they expressed today. We call down the blessing of your Holy Spirit upon them. Guard them, we pray, from sin and evil and the attacks of the devil. Empower them to follow through on the profession and promises they have made. May the fellowship of the Lord’s table strengthen them in faith and in service. Help them to continue to learn more about you and to grow in acts of love with all your people. Bring us all, one day, to that great wedding feast, where, clothed in the white robes of Christ’s righteousness, we will eat and drink with him in the new heaven and earth forever. Amen.

Hymn of Thanksgiving and Dedication (Or appropriate special music)

Example #3: Profession of Faith of Youth in Question and Answer Form

Introduction to Profession of Faith

Sisters and brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ, today we are delighted to celebrate God’s grace in the lives of __________________. When they were given the sacrament of baptism, they were welcomed into the covenant family of God. Now they want to join more fully into the life of the congregation and celebrate with that family as it gathers around the Lord’s table in the sacrament of communion. So, today they will respond in faith to God’s promises in baptism, profess their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and pledge to join us in giving “glory to God by following the Father’s call to become mature through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The elders of South Grandville CRC have heard their testimonies and have rejoiced in their faith. So now I invite ____________________ and their profession of faith mentors ____________________ to come forward so that we can all celebrate God’s grace together.

Welcome

__________________, you stand here today as a result of your desire to profess your faith in Christ and participate in the Lord’s Supper. We welcome you warmly and want you to know how happy we are that you have made this important decision. We also want to remind you that you have not been alone in making it. For many years you have been surrounded by the prayers of your parents and this congregation. When you were baptized we all blessed you and promise to pray for you.

Mentor Introduction

On behalf of the whole congregation I want to thank ____________________ for serving as profession of faith mentors for ____________________. We appreciate your investment in things of eternal significance and the time that you have devoted to preparing _________________ for their elder interview and this day of celebration.

[Optional according to the mentor]: We would be interested in hearing from you your comments on something of significance as ___________________ was preparing for profession of faith.

Questions and Answers

____________, you have made a testimony of your faith before the elders of this congregation. Now, in order to celebrate God’s gift of faith to you with the whole family of God at South Grandville CRC, I invite you to share that testimony by answering the following questions:

Do you trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and do you believe that he is the one who forgives your sins and gives you eternal life?
Do you know that you belong to the family of God, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and do you know that this belonging is signified in your baptism?
Do you promise to continue to learn more about God and his Word and do you promise to serve him with your life and worship?

I do.

Congregational Commitment

People of God, please stand to pledge your support for ______________ by using the words printed in your orders of worship:

Thanks be to God! We pledge you ______________ our love, encouragement, and prayers.

And now each one of us has the opportunity to join ____________ in personally reaffirming our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed (words on screen). Speak now from the heart:

Presentation

[Congregation seated]

____________, to encourage you to grow in Christ, we give you with this devotional book and this certificate of your profession of faith in Christ.

Prayer

[With the “laying on of hands” by the pastor, mentor(s), family and friends]

Our covenant God, we thank you for leading _________ to the faith they expressed today. We call down the blessing of your Holy Spirit upon them. Guard them, we pray, from sin and evil and the attacks of the devil. Empower them to follow through on the profession and promises they have made. May the fellowship of the Lord’s table strengthen them in faith and in service. Help them to continue to learn more about you and to grow in acts of love with all your people. Bring us all, one day, to that great wedding feast, where, clothed in the white robes of Christ’s righteousness, we will eat and drink with him in the new heaven and earth forever. Amen.

Hymn of Thanksgiving and Dedication (Or appropriate special music)

Example #4: Profession of Faith of Youth in Interview / Testimony Form

Introduction to Profession of Faith

Sisters and brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ, today we are delighted to celebrate God’s grace in the lives of __________________. When they were given the sacrament of baptism, they were welcomed into the covenant family of God. Now they want to join more fully into the life of the congregation and celebrate with that family as it gathers around the Lord’s table in the sacrament of communion. So, today they will respond in faith to God’s promises in baptism, profess their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and pledge to join us in giving “glory to God by following the Father’s call to become mature through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The elders of South Grandville CRC have heard their testimonies and have rejoiced in their faith. So now I invite ____________________ and their profession of faith mentors ____________________ to come forward so that we can all celebrate God’s grace together.

Welcome

__________________, you stand here today as a result of your desire to profess your faith in Christ and participate in the Lord’s Supper. We welcome you warmly and want you to know how happy we are that you have made this important decision. We also want to remind you that you have not been alone in making it. For many years you have been surrounded by the prayers of your parents and this congregation. When you were baptized we all blessed you and promise to pray for you.

Mentor Introduction

On behalf of the whole congregation I want to thank ____________________ for serving as profession of faith mentors for ____________________. We appreciate your investment in things of eternal significance and the time that you have devoted to preparing _________________ for their elder interview and this day of celebration.

[Optional according to the mentor]: We would be interested in hearing from you your comments on something of significance as ___________________ was preparing for profession of faith.

Interview / Testimony

____________, you have made a testimony of your faith before the elders of this congregation. Now, in order to celebrate God’s gift of faith to you with the whole family of God at South Grandville CRC, I invite you to share that testimony.

Would you tell us something about how you know that God loves you?

How do you know that Jesus saves you from your sin and makes you right with God?

Tell us why you know that you love Jesus and want to follow him.

What are you going to do to get to know Jesus better and to serve him better as the years go by?

Congregational Commitment

People of God, please stand to pledge your support for ______________ by using the words printed in our orders of worship:

Thanks be to God! We pledge you ______________ our love, encouragement, and prayers.

And now each one of us has the opportunity to join ____________ in personally reaffirming our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

Presentation

[Congregation seated]

____________, to encourage you to grow in Christ, we give you with this devotional book and this certificate of your profession of faith in Christ.

Prayer

[With the “laying on of hands” by the pastor, mentor(s), family and friends]

Our covenant God, we thank you for leading _________ to the faith they expressed today. We call down the blessing of your Holy Spirit upon them. Guard them, we pray, from sin and evil and the attacks of the devil. Empower them to follow through on the profession and promises they have made. May the fellowship of the Lord’s table strengthen them in faith and in service. Help them to continue to learn more about you and to grow in acts of love with all your people. Bring us all, one day, to that great wedding feast, where, clothed in the white robes of Christ’s righteousness, we will eat and drink with him in the new heaven and earth forever. Amen.

Hymn of Thanksgiving and Dedication (Or appropriate special music)

Example #5: Profession of Faith for Older Youth and Adults

This form can be selected from the appropriate form in the back of the Psalter Hymn on pages 963 through 971. In each of these forms for Profession of Faith, a personal wording of the testimony is encouraged in place of the question and answer format.

9. Procedures for Acceptance of Adult Privileges and Responsibilities

When someone has made a profession of faith at a young age, the following steps will lead to the assumption of adult privileges and responsibilities in the church:

Any young person who has reached 18 years may contact a pastor or elders and request adult membership in the church.
When the person has decided to accept adult privileges and responsibilities, he or she will meet with a pastor or elder to express that decision and to reflect with them on his or her faith journey that has led to the decision.
The pastor or elder will bring a recommendation regarding adult membership to the Consistory.
Upon approval by the consistory, the adult membership status will be communicated to the congregation. The young adult will be invited and encouraged to give a testimony of his or her adult faith in a worship service – or whatever other means is appropriate for such public expression.

Those who have made a profession of faith at a younger age and who do not request adult membership will be contacted by the Youth Director or their household elder early in their senior year of high school. The Youth Director or household elder will explain what adult membership involves and invite the individual to request adult membership status.

The names of those who do not desire adult membership status will be referred to the consistory. The elders will make a case by case determination regarding the continuing privilege of the Lord’s Supper for those who do not respond to an invitation to request adult membership.

10. Continuing Contact with Those Who Do Not Make Profession of Faith

It is important to each of us at South Grandville CRC that every person enters into a life-long relationship with Jesus Christ. We make it a priority to nurture the faith formation of all who attend our services and participate in our ministries. It is the expectation that the Education Director and the Youth Director at South Grandville CRC will intentionally weave the topic of profession of faith into the faith formation process. Throughout the elementary, middle school and high school years, church school teachers, Cadet and Gems leaders, catechism teachers, the Youth Director, Pastor, and household elders will look for ways to connect with children and young people on a deep level about their faith in God. The director of SGCRC’s mentoring ministry will continuously look for opportunities to invite children, young people or new Christians into a mentoring relationship. The Youth Director, director of mentoring ministries, and/or household elder team, will also meet individually with all high school students (or youth ages 14 – 18) to give them an opportunity to ask questions, share comments or concerns regarding their personal faith journey, and to extend an invitation to make a profession of faith.

Just as each person is unique, we at South Grandville recognize that each person’s faith journey is also unique. Some will have a desire to profess their faith at a very young age. Others will desire to make a profession before a big transition in their life, such as the first time they leave home, or before they get married. There are also those who choose not to profess their faith and join a church until they reach adulthood. It is for those reasons that SGCRC has developed a basic contact plan for those who do not make a public profession of faith prior to reaching adulthood.

The Youth Director will maintain contact with graduated seniors throughout their post-high years and will appoint others to do the same. The Youth Director will also supply a list of all graduating seniors (or youth who reach age 18) to the shepherding elders on a yearly basis with the understanding that all will receive continued contact by someone from SGCRC. The Youth Director will also coordinate a prayer partner ministry for all South Grandville graduates. Through these contacts, continuing care will be expressed and an ongoing invitation will be given to make a profession of faith.