Guide to Synod 2026

How to Use This Guide

This guide is a jumping-off point to the Agenda for Synod 2026 and to the Agenda Supplement for Synod 2026 (which is not yet fully available at this time of writing).

This is a digital document and does not contain references to page numbers in the printed Agenda. Instead, hyperlinks will take you to the page being referenced in the electronic version of the Agenda.

The parts of the agenda that most synod-watchers usually focus on are the following:

• reports and recommendations from synod-appointed study committees and task forces
• overtures (requests) coming from church councils and classes, and sometimes from individuals
  (see Rules for Synodical Procedure, pp. 12-13)
• how the Council of Delegates has fulfilled assignments given to it by previous synods 

In addition, this guide includes summaries of reports from CRCNA ministries and denominationally-affiliated educational institutions. 

Table of Contents

How to Use This Guide

Reports from Synodically-Appointed Study Committees
   Defining Membership Taskforce
   Taskforce to Study Multisite Churches
   Taskforce to Develop Church Order Procedures to Discipline Officebearers
   Resonate Global Mission Ten-Year Church Planting Plan

Reports from Synodical Standing Committees
   Candidacy Committee
   Ecumenical And Interfaith Relations Committee
   Report from Historical Committee

Report from the Council of Delegates
   Program Matters
   Polity Matters
   Financial Matters

Reports from CRCNA agencies, institutions, and ministries
   Calvin Theological Seminary
   Calvin University
   Canadian Ministry Office
   ReFrame Ministries
   Resonate Global Mission
   Thrive
   World Renew
   Christian Reformed Church Loan Fund, Inc., U.S.
   Pensions

Reports from Affiliated Educational Institutions
   Dordt University
   The King's University
   Kuyper College
   Redeemer University
   Trinity Christian College

Overtures to Synod 2026

Reports from Synodically-Appointed Study Committees

Defining Membership Taskforce

The Defining Membership Task Force report provides a comprehensive theological and practical reflection on the nature of church membership within the Christian Reformed Church, specifically addressing the distinction between the commitments required of members versus officebearers.

The task force was mandated by Synod 2024 in response to overtures seeking clarification on how the Reformed confessions apply to confessing members who are not officebearers. The report grounds membership in the biblical concepts of being "chosen for eternal life" (election, expressed through baptism) and "united in true faith" (profession of faith). While membership involves doctrinal and sacramental aspects, it is also defined as a life of ongoing discipleship and service within the "communion of saints".

The task force emphasizes that the "doctrinal understanding and competence" required for office should not be imposed as a condition for membership. This allows local consistories to admit individuals whose commitments may align more closely with ecumenical creeds than with every nuance of Reformed doctrine, recognizing that sanctification and theological understanding are continual processes of growth.

The report reaffirms that local consistories (pastors, elders, and deacons) hold the primary responsibility and "original authority" for discerning membership admissions, faith nurture, and discipline. This local focus allows leaders to:

• Navigate an increasingly diverse church environment where new members may come from non-Reformed backgrounds.
• Manage membership as a "journey" or "process" rather than a single "yes/no" moment of theological assent.
• Determine how to pastorally handle members who may be uncertain about or disagree with specific confessional interpretations.

Through interviews with church leaders, the task force identified several trends:

• Varied Membership Processes: Practices range from traditional catechesis to informal "newcomers classes".
• "Belonging before Believing": A growing trend where individuals participate in church life before formalizing membership, reflecting a shift in how the wider culture relates to the gospel.
• Inactive Members: The report notes the difficulty of managing "inactive" members in a mobile and anti-institutional culture, urging consistories to pursue these members pastorally or release them to other fellowships to maintain the integrity of the church body.

The task force concludes with several recommendations for Synod:

1. Commend the distinction between member and officebearer confessional commitments to the churches.
2. Urge consistories to take responsibility for faithful discipleship within the framework of our denominational standards.
3. Encourage the use and translation of approved liturgical forms to foster shared understanding across the diverse denomination.
4. Promote Reformed-focused classes for prospective members to establish a baseline of expectations and to evaluate resources developed outside the Reformed tradition.

Taskforce to Study Multisite Churches

The Task Force to Study Multisite Churches was established by Synod 2024 to address the fact that current Church Order and synodical regulations do not explicitly envision multisite church arrangements. The task force was mandated to provide guidance on which models best fit Reformed theology and polity, to offer “roadmaps” for churches transitioning into multisite structures, and to recommend necessary Church Order changes. The report explains that the term multisite describes not a single model but a spectrum of models ranging from “one church in many rooms” to one church in multiple locations to a decentralized church network or family of churches. These models are distinguished by five key organizational factors: governance, budget, membership, preaching, and branding. 

The report affirms the rationale for multisite expressions as a response to numerical growth, a means to extend ministry into new geographical areas, and a strategy for revitalizing dying congregations. In addition, multisite models are recognized as a strategic tool for planting for diversity and mission, allowing for language-specific or culturally distinct worship communities to thrive within existing church structures. Throughout these expressions, the task force emphasizes that Reformed ecclesiology must remain the foundation, maintaining the marks of Christ’s church. Pure preaching of the gospel, administration of the sacraments, and faithful discipline must be local and embodied rather than centralized or mediated. 

A critical distinction made in the report is between “organized” congregations, which have the maturity to ordain local elders and deacons, and “emerging” worshiping communities, which may temporarily rely on the oversight of a sponsoring council. This framework ensures that while there is flexibility for growth, there is always a clear trajectory toward local governance. To prevent abuses of power, the report stresses that authority must remain with the elected council rather than a single charismatic leader or centralized staff. 

To assist churches and classes, the report provides four “roadmaps” tailored to specific scenarios: responding to growth, extending ministry to new places, revitalizing a church, and planting for diversity and mission. These roadmaps emphasize early consultation with classis, clear pastoral oversight, and establishing transparent relationships regarding finances and membership.

In addition, the task force recommends a Supplement to Church Order Article 35, which would require classis approval for any multisite arrangement and which would mandate the maintenance of site-based membership records to ensure pastoral accountability and ecclesiastical clarity. 

Ultimately the task force concludes that multisite expressions can flourish within the CRCNA when they are deeply rooted in Reformed polity and oriented toward the health of local congregations.

Taskforce to Develop Church Order Procedures to Discipline Officebearers

This task force was formed in response to an overture from Classis Hackensack that was deferred by Synods 2022 and 2023 and adopted by Synod 2024. The main reasons for establishing this task force had to do with confusion and difficulties in applying church discipline within the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), specifically due to a lack of clear mechanisms for discipline initiated by broader assemblies. Though past synodical decisions and historical practice have affirmed the authority of broader assemblies to depose officebearers or councils, clear guidelines have been deemed necessary to prevent inconsistency. 

The task force focused its work on five areas of study:

• Biblical foundations: Discipline is rooted in God's covenant relationship with his people. In the Old Testament various leaders (elders, priests, prophets, kings) are called to provide guidance and correction to live in ways that are correct, upright, and true. The New Testament emphasizes self-discipline and communal accountability, involving interpersonal dialogue and the involvement of local church leaders. 
• Theological foundations: Christ is the Lord and head of the church, and the authority of officebearers originates solely from him. In the Reformed understanding of church governance, this authority is initially vested in the local council and then delegated or “transferred” to major assemblies (classes and synods). While delegated, the authority of major assemblies is considered “greater in degree and wider in extent” because those assemblies function as “combined councils,” representing the collective authority of many churches. Their decisions are “settled and binding” unless explicitly advisory or contrary to the Word of God. Local congregations are not autonomous but willingly surrender a measure of authority to major assemblies to express denominational fellowship. 
• Historical context: The deposition of councils by classes was relatively uncontroversial in the early years of the CRC. The CRC has precedents for broader assembly intervention, especially when the wellbeing of a congregation or “churches in common” is at stake, though explicit principles are not detailed in the Church Order itself. There has been a historical tension between emphasizing local church autonomy and the authority of the classis and synod.
• Church Order considerations: Section IV of the Church Order, “The Admonition and Discipline of the Church” (Art. 78-84), states that the goal of discipline is restoration, maintaining holiness, and upholding God's honor. Commentaries consistently view discipline as a positive and necessary means of guidance, although its application has become more challenging in today’s litigious society. 
• Other denominations and their polity: The task force considered how other denominations view and practice church polity, focusing on Church Order, relationships between assemblies (council, classis, synod, or their equivalents), authority, accountability, and rules for disaffiliation. The task force found that denominations with structures similar to the CRC’s seem to be wrestling with the same issues the CRC is facing with regard to authority, accountability, and relationships between assemblies. 

The task force affirms that major assemblies do have the authority to initiate and practice discipline within minor assemblies when their relationships are properly understood. While Christ's authority is original in the local church and local councils are primarily responsible for the means of grace and the keys of the kingdom, minor assemblies delegate more than merely advisory authority to major assemblies. Major assemblies hold authority over “things in common” (shared creeds, confessions, Church Order, ministry) and can intervene when a local congregation's well-being is at risk. The decisions of major assemblies are “settled and binding,” and no council or classis has the right to dismiss those decisions, having covenanted to abide by them. 

When a minor assembly disagrees with a major assembly's decision, it has the right to appeal. If the appeal is not sustained, the minor assembly can choose to accept the decision, protest it without agitation, or disaffiliate from the denomination. Minor assemblies retain the right to disaffiliate in an orderly manner, consistent with the principles of the Church Order. 

However, if councils do not follow major assembly decisions and choose not to disaffiliate, they open themselves to discipline. This form of discipline protects the integrity of the “churches in common.” If a local council remains noncompliant after a set timeframe and appeal process, or in cases of internal congregational division, the classis or synod has the right to intervene. 

The task force proposes minimal Church Order changes, preferring the use of guidelines rather than trying to create a Church Order rule for every scenario—which would be virtually impossible. Nonetheless, the task force recommends making explicit what has always been implied: that major assemblies have the authority over minor assemblies to ensure accountability. Specifically, the task force proposes adding a supplement to Church Order Article 27-b to allow major assemblies to guide discipline processes within the minor assemblies and to declare a minor assembly as having de facto disaffiliated if it does not comply with denominational commitments. Additionally, an amendment to Article 83 is proposed to explicitly permit a major assembly, in exceptional circumstances and for the wellbeing of a congregation, to suspend and depose officebearers even when not initiated by the local council, emphasizing the high level of accountability for officebearers. The report also clarifies that the “limited suspension” enacted by Synod 2024 was for unique circumstances and should not be deemed to establish a new category of discipline. 

Ultimately the report cautions against using the Church Order in a legalistic manner and emphasizes that for the church to function well, it requires a fundamental sense of trust, respect, and love among all parties.

Resonate Global Mission Supplement: Ten-year Strategic Plan for Church Planting in the CRCNA 

The Supplement for Synod 2026 outlines an aspirational 10-year strategic plan to address decades of membership decline by transforming the CRCNA into a multiplying denomination. The five-year milestone targets planting 150 new worshiping communities by 2031. This goal relies on local classes establishing sustainable church multiplication pathways. To build this movement from the ground up, the strategy prioritizes five core areas:

• Prayer: Implementing "Project Antioch" to embed regular prayer and fasting across all regional classes.
• Discipleship: Shifting the culture from clergy-driven ministries to laity-led disciple multiplication.
• Leadership Development: Restructuring pipelines, making language and credentialing more accessible for diaspora communities, and introducing a specific "Church Planting Commissioned Pastor Certificate".
• Church Planting Pathways: Activating "Barnabas Advocates" and dedicated church planting strategists to guide planters through unified local systems.
• Legacy Pathways & Funding: Partnering with Thrive to steward closing churches so their remaining assets fund new plants, while requiring every plant, parent church, and classis to lock in explicit partnership agreements, localized "Church Plant Funds", and commitments to the denominational ministry-share program.

Ultimately, the report requests that Synod instruct the Office of General Secretary to fully design and align this continuous "church plant journey" with clear organizational ownership and sustainable funding metrics over the next twelve months.

Reports from Synodical Standing Committees

Candidacy Committee

Established in 2004, the Candidacy Committee oversees the process for those seeking ordination in the Christian Reformed Church. It emphasizes the vital importance of maintaining consistent, high standards for ordination to ensure congregations are served by leaders who are spiritually mature, theologically grounded, and held accountable. The committee members meet three times per year and report the following to Synod 2026:

• The Value of Vetting and Accountability: In a landscape of rising independent churches often lacking oversight, the CRC’s commitment to rigorous vetting—including psychological evaluations, abuse of power training, and a Code of Conduct—provides a stable and trusted environment for ministry. This focus on spiritual and theological formation has even attracted leaders from independent backgrounds seeking a more grounded community.
• Empowering Regional Leadership: The committee has increased efforts to support Classis Ministerial Leadership Teams (CMLTs). By hosting gatherings and providing resources, the committee aims to equip these regional teams to act as "catalysts" for leadership development, identifying and supporting emerging leaders in their local contexts.
• Commissioned Pastors: The committee has been exploring the evolution and biblical basis for the Office of Commissioned Pastor (CP). It defines this role as a "pastoral extension" that allows the church to utilize a variety of specialized gifts—such as youth ministry, worship, or church planting—to equip the body of Christ.
  
  The committee acknowledges that the current broad application of the CP title has led to "tension and confusion" regarding expectations and training. To resolve this, they propose clarifying the office into three distinct categories:
  
       1. Specialized congregational ministry (e.g., youth or discipleship pastors).
  
       2. Church planters or solo pastors of emerging congregations.
  
       3. Non-congregational roles, such as chaplains or missionaries.
  
  The committee recommends specific amendments to Church Order Article 23 to better define the specialized nature of the commissioned pastor role and ensure that every individual in this office receives proportional Reformed training in areas like church polity, history, and confessions.
  
  Ultimately, the committee recommends a strategy that balances a historical commitment to theological education with the flexibility needed to meet modern ministry challenges, such as "bridge ordinations" that allow individuals to serve while completing their studies.

Ecumenical And Interfaith Relations Committee

The Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee (EIRC) is appointed by synod to engage and participate in the life of the global church, particularly interacting with churches and ecumenical organizations that share the heritage of the Reformed understanding of the Christian faith, and offering advice on matters of interfaith dialogue. 

Here are a few additional highlights:

• A Comprehensive Review of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) - Concerns raised at previous synods prompted a comprehensive review of the WCRC, which this report details. 
  • Historical Context: The CRC was instrumental in the formation of the WCRC in 2010 through the merger of the Reformed Ecumenical Council and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
  • Theological and Practical Concerns: The committee identified several areas of concern, including a perceived decrease in emphasis on Reformed confessions, a reduced focus on clear gospel proclamation, and justice initiatives that some view as being shaped by ideological frameworks rather than a consistent Reformed theological rationale. There were also questions regarding the financial cost of membership and the WCRC's stance on women's ordination.
  • The Nature of the Communion: In discussions with WCRC leaders, the EIRC clarified that WCRC decisions and statements are not binding on member denominations; instead, they serve as invitations to dialogue and collective discernment.
  • Recommendation for Continued Membership: Despite the identified concerns, the EIRC recommends that the CRCNA remain a member of the WCRC. The committee argues that the benefits—maintaining a unified global witness, influencing the broader Reformed family with a confessional voice, and engaging in international forums on justice—outweigh the reasons for withdrawal.
• Bilateral Relationships - 
  • We have entered into a new "church in communion" relationship with the Alliance of Reformed Churches.
  • Following a period of significant change within the Reformed Church in America, the EIRC has begun a five-year substantial review of this relationship. Initial efforts focus on ensuring RCA pastors serving in the CRC sign the Covenant for Officebearers.
  • Following a merger of two Dutch denominations, the EIRC recommends transitioning the CRCNA's relationship with the new Nederlandse Gereformeerde Kerken (NGK) to "church in cooperation" status. While the denominations share a historic connection and Reformed confessions, the "in cooperation" status is recommended because the NGK allows local congregations autonomy regarding the inclusion of Christians in same-sex relationships.
  • The committee requests that the synod offer public prayer for three historic mission partner denominations in Nigeria currently facing significant violence and displacement.
• Interfaith Work - The committee continues to focus on regional and local engagement between Reformed congregations and neighboring faith communities, such as synagogues and mosques. 
• Committee Governance - The report also notes the appointment of various representatives to multilateral organizations such as the National Association of Evangelicals and the Canadian Council of Churches.

Report from Historical Committee

The Historical Committee is tasked by synod with the responsibility of preserving and promoting the history of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. They are responsible for the official Archives of the CRCNA and its agencies, with administrative oversight by the Hekman Library of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary. The committee also aims to cultivate knowledge and appreciation for the CRCNA's history. The committee met four times in the past year. They report:

• Digital Modernization and Archiving - A significant shift is occurring in how the church preserves its records:
  • Heritage Hall is moving away from microfilm, which has become expensive, and is now prioritizing digital formats for church minutes.
  • The archives are implementing ArchivesSpace for cataloging and Preservica for the systematic archiving of "digitally born" records. This is a critical move as physical storage areas are currently at 90 percent capacity.
  • In preparation for the 150th anniversary of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary in 2026, the archives are digitizing 50 years of the student newspaper, Chimes, and other periodicals such as Spark, Prism, and Stromata.
• Archival Collections and Research
  • Recent additions to the archives include materials related to Stanley Wiersma, CRC missions in Nigeria, Reframe Ministries, and records from congregations that have closed.
  • Heritage Hall hosted various researchers in 2025 focusing on family histories, Christian schools, Dutch American women, and race relations in Grand Rapids area churches. A specific project also began documenting the history of Korean American congregations in the Grand Rapids area.
  • Committee member Richard Sytsma published a new book, We Served Side by Side, detailing the cooperation between the CRC Japan Mission and the Reformed Church in Japan from 1951–2017.
• Church and Leadership Milestones - 
  • The report includes the names of living clergy reaching milestones of 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70 years of service in 2027. Notably, Eugene W. Los and Jack Stulp are celebrating 70 years of ordination.
  • The report outlines numerous churches who are reaching major milestone anniversaries in the year ahead including First Bellflower (CA) and Grangeville (ID) celebrating 100 years, and Rochester (NY) celebrating 150 years.

Guidance for Congregations - Local churches are reminded that council minutes should be submitted to Heritage Hall every three to five years for back-up protection. While most minutes are kept restricted for 100 years, those older than a century (many in Dutch) can be accessed with permission from the curator. Congregations are also encouraged to send commemorative booklets from anniversaries, church directories, and news clippings.

Report from the Council of Delegates

The Council of Delegates (COD) is an ecclesiastical body accountable to synod. The U.S. delegates on the COD make up the U.S. corporation, the legal entity governing the ministry activities in the U.S. The Canadian delegates make up the Canada corporation, the legal entity governing ministry activities in Canada. 

The COD Report to Synod 2026 covers its activities and recommendations from the interim period between the 2025 and 2026 synods. This includes following up on synodical assignments from Synod 2025. It also includes oversight of the ministries, financial matters, and recommendations. Among the significant matters included in this year’s COD report is a change to the way nominations are listed in the Agenda for Synod, along with significant work done to gather materials related to the nomination process for each board and committee in the CRC family of ministries (a task assigned by Synod 2025).

Program Matters

The "Program matters" section of the COD Report addresses work related to the ministry programs and personnel of the denomination, as well as program work that is beyond the scope of or in addition to material in the reports of the agencies, ministries, and institutions. Among the activities detailed in this section are a review of the work done by World Renew, as part of an ongoing process of assessing the implementation of the CRC’s ministry plan by each of the denomination’s agencies. The COD also received a report reviewing the initial work the Dignity Team has done in the first years of its existence, with a recommendation to continue that group’s work in the coming years.

Polity Matters

The polity matters section of the COD Report deals with actions taken in the past year that relate to CRCNA church polity and procedures. Most of these actions were in response to the direction and decisions of previous synods. Significant matters in this section include updates to the Rules for Synodical Procedure and to the Governance Handbook which guides the work of the COD.  

Financial Matters

The last part of the COD Report includes financial matters for the CRCNA and its ministries.

Reports from CRCNA agencies, institutions, and ministries

Each year, the official ministries of the Christian Reformed Church in North America provide an update on the work they have done in the past year as well as their plans for the year ahead. Here is a bit of what was reported this year:

Calvin Theological Seminary

Whether you’re following a call, seeking to enrich your faith, or looking to impact your corner of the world, your calling is at the heart of what is stewarded at Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS): Reformed tools, training, and education. Through the seminary’s institutes and centers, they offer opportunities for whole-person development and formation. Here are a few highlights:

• President Jul Medenblik, who has served since 2011, announced his intention to retire on June 30, 2027. A search committee for the next president has been formed.
• Dr. Ronald Feenstra is retiring after 34 years of service. New faculty members, Dr. Jessica Joustra and Dr. Jared Michelson, were approved in 2025 and begin their ministry in Systematic Theology in summer 2026. 
• Rev. David Beelen has been appointed as the Director of Vocational Formation.
• Fall 2025 saw a total of 412 students, including 120 new students (a significant increase from 76 the previous year).
• There was a notable rise in Canadian students (from 33 to 58) following the implementation of an “at-par” tuition initiative, which keeps tuition costs equal between Canadian and U.S. dollars.
• The student body represents 31 countries, with nearly 40% of degree-seeking students coming from outside the U.S. and Canada.
• CTS launched a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2023 and is currently searching for a new director of the program. The seminary also completed revisions to its M.A. and M.Div. curricula to focus on four core pillars: Context, Gospel, Calling, and Person.
• The Board approved a plan centered on four themes: Compelling invitation, Holistic learning journeys, Organizational excellence, and Cultivating abundance.
• A new 46-apartment student housing project held its ribbon-cutting in October 2025 to accommodate the growing number of second-career students and families.
• In partnership with Calvin University, the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) provides a Christian liberal arts education to 101 incarcerated men at the Handlon Correctional Facility. To date, 88 students have earned B.A. degrees through this initiative.

In response to instructions from Synod 2025, CTS has refined its policies regarding the confessional commitment of all instructional personnel.

• Regular Faculty: Must be sound in doctrine, ordinarily ordained in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), and are required to sign the Covenant for Officebearers. They must maintain membership in a CRC congregation; if their local church disaffiliates from the CRCNA, they have two years to move their membership to another CRC congregation.
• Auxiliary Instructional Personnel: Adjunct faculty and mentors must sign an agreement to adhere to the CRC’s teachings, creeds, and confessions. The report also clarifies that "adhere" includes agreement with the CRCNA’s understanding of a biblical theology of human sexuality.

Calvin University

Founded in 1876, Calvin University is a globally recognized, top-ranked liberal arts institution rooted in the Reformed Christian tradition. With a mission to equip students to think deeply, act justly, and live wholeheartedly, Calvin prepares graduates to serve as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world.

Offering more than 100 undergraduate majors and a growing portfolio of graduate programs, Calvin is equipping the next generation of leaders to navigate and shape a rapidly changing world. Momentum and impact are evident across campus:

• For the third consecutive year, Calvin welcomed more than 1,000 new students in Fall 2025, contributing to a remarkable 35% enrollment increase since 2020.
• Calvin was ranked #1 in Undergraduate Teaching in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report and earned recognition as a Carnegie-classified research institution, underscoring both teaching excellence and academic rigor.
• Recent academic innovation includes the launch of a Master of Social Work program, new aerospace engineering concentrations, and Wayfinder, a humanities-based program designed for adult learners facing barriers to higher education.

Following instructions from Synod 2025, the Board of Trustees clarified its policies on confessional commitment:

• All 31 trustees must demonstrate conduct aligned with the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) standards.
• A majority of the board (16 of 31 "classical trustees") must have unqualified convictional alignment, meaning they cannot express a confessional difficulty (gravamen).
• For the remaining 15 "non-classical" trustees, the board prefers full alignment but allows for a gravamen process in rare cases where specific professional skills are needed. Any such difficulty must be a "settled conviction" against a teaching—not just curiosity—and must be biblically and confessionally grounded.

Canadian Ministry Office

The Canadian Ministry Office equips churches through administrative support and three key justice ministries to foster reconciliation and belonging. This includes the Centre for Public Dialogue which promotes a positive voice of Christian faith in Canadian public life through political dialogue, and active citizenship. It includes Indigenous Ministry which supports healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada; and Intercultural Ministry, which helps the church to become a place of belonging for people of all backgrounds. Here are a few recent highlights:

• The Canadian Office provides essential resources for church management, including guidance on finance, human resources, and capital campaigns. A key highlight is the Bridge App, currently used by over 130 churches and 14,000 members, which processes more than $18 million in donations annually. Financially, all ministry activities for the period were completed within the approved budget, with additional grant support from Thrive for specific initiatives.
• Centre for Public Dialogue (CPD) promotes a Christian voice in Canadian political life, focusing on justice, hope, and reconciliation. Their work includes legislative advocacy regarding climate justice, refugee rights, and medical assistance in dying (MAiD). They also produce the "Do Justice" blog and facilitate workshops for youth and campus ministries.
• Indigenous Ministry responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action. They focus on educating churches about the history of colonization through programs such as the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, Hearts Exchanged, and On-The-Land Learning events.
• Intercultural Ministry works to form a "holistic and reforming body of Christ" where people of all backgrounds experience belonging. In 2025, they focused on intercultural cohorts, helping churches transition from theoretical conversations to practical hospitality, and inclusive worship.

The ministries emphasize deep collaboration with one another and with external partners like World Renew and KAIROS Canada. Moving forward, the office plans to:

• Launch a justice educational series in 2026.
• Expand On-The-Land Learning to foster practical reconciliation with local Indigenous communities.
• Pilot an intercultural adaptation of the Hearts Exchanged program to deepen community engagement.

ReFrame Ministries

Relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, ReFrame Ministries proclaims the gospel, disciples believers, and strengthens the church through media in nine major languages. With a vision that the lives and worldviews of all people around the globe will be transformed by God’s gospel message.

ReFrame creates contextual Bible studies, devotionals, and other resources, produced in audio, video, and text formats. These are distributed through broadcast, digital, interactive, and print media — including radio, television, ebooks, email, mobile apps, mobile messaging, podcasts, social media, websites, live events, books, booklets, and newsletters — to proclaim the gospel, disciple believers, and strengthen the church throughout the world.

Working with international partners, the ministry maintains a physical presence in over 50 countries, with a digital reach extending into at least 183 countries. This reach is especially significant in regions where traditional missions are restricted or where Christians face persecution — places where ReFrame's media may be the only access people have to the gospel.

ReFrame offers several widely used resources in North America to help people engage in God’s Word and grow in their faith.  These include:

• Today: a daily Bible reading and reflection, delivered by email, web, mobile app, radio, podcast, and print
• Kids Corner: weekly resources for kids and caregivers, delivered by email, web, and mobile app
• Groundwork: a weekly half-hour program focused on biblical foundations, delivered by email, radio, and podcast

Impact at a Glance:

• Daily Devotionals: 
  • 1.9 million devotional booklets printed per year 
  • 400,000 emails sent per day
• Audio Programs:
  • 36 podcasts published weekly
• Video Programs:
  • 272 videos published per year

Resonate Global Mission

Resonate is your Christian Reformed mission agency formed by the joining of Christian Reformed Home Missions and Christian Reformed World Missions. They partner with churches in three key ways which they call Core Initiatives: Global Mission, Local Mission, and Church Planting. These broad categories help Resonate continue more than a century of passion for God’s mission around the globe—and lead the CRCNA to join in. Here are some recent highlights:

1. Global Mission - Resonate partners with missionaries and global leaders in more than 40 countries. This work focuses on long-term relational presence, discipling new believers, and strengthening local churches. Key activities include:

• Encourages churches to engage in God’s work worldwide.
• Strengthens relationships between churches and global missionaries through storytelling, prayer, and partnerships.
• Emphasizes mutual learning and shared responsibility for global mission.

2. Local Mission - Resonate partners with congregations helping them live and share the gospel in their own neighborhoods through coaching and training. Highlights include:

• Helps churches live missionally in their own neighborhoods.
• Supports leaders through coaching, tools (e.g. Witness Curriculum), and ministry opportunities (e.g., Witness Trips, campus ministry).
• Encourages churches to see local and global mission as interconnected.

3. Church Planting - Resonate partners with churches and classes to assess, support, and nurture new church plants that are contextually diverse. Highlights include:

• Following a mandate from Synod 2025, a comprehensive 10-year denominational plan for church planting is being developed. This report will be submitted in the Agenda supplement in mid-May.
• Advances the creation of new, diverse Christian communities where they did not exist previously.
• Provides coaching, leadership development, and support systems for planters.

4. Engagement Strategy - Across all areas, Resonate:

• Partners with classes through presence, discernment, and collaboration.
• Supports congregations through relationships, coaching, and resources.
• Emphasizes shared ownership of mission across the denomination.

5. Key Needs for the Future - Specifically Church Planting

• Financial support: Churches and classes are encouraged to invest and use existing funds.
• Greater inclusion: Ensure diverse and nontraditional church planters are fully included in classis life.
• Strong relationships: Encourage visits and direct engagement with church plants.

Thrive

As the congregational support agency of the CRCNA, Thrive equips churches and ministry leaders with the encouragement, connections, and tools they need to flourish. As churches and ministry leaders identify needs within their local contexts, Thrive works to connect them with practitioners, peers, and resources to support their growth and renewal. Thrive staff are pastors, seasoned ministry leaders, and practitioners in the areas of disability access, worship, faith formation, pastoral support, justice, abuse prevention, and more. They are eager to develop tools or serve as compassionate resources to equip every CRC congregation to thrive. Here are a few highlights:

• Thrive is pivoting toward regionalized support for youth, young adults, and worship ministry to ensure resources are contextually relevant.
• The addition of the Customer Service Team has enhanced Thrive's ability to remain nimble and responsive to congregational resourcing needs.
• Responding to a call from synod, Thrive is establishing a specific support track for pastors’ spouses, including the development of local resources for councils and classes.
• Efforts have focused on supporting faith practices in the home and gathering children’s ministry leaders to address their specific needs.
• Thrive hosted a Pastors’ Gathering for 116 participants and facilitates mentoring groups for various leaders, including chaplains, Black women clergy, and pastors of vulnerable congregations.
• The ministry supports intercultural cohorts, translates resources through the Revelation 7 fund, and ensures all staff complete Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessments.
• Thrive hosts events to help congregations welcome newcomers and partners with the RCA to provide disability and accessibility resources.
• A new Church Renewal Journey is being developed, offering customized learning and discernment paths for congregations at different stages.

Thrive collaborates closely with Resonate Global Mission to align church renewal and planting efforts. Financial sustainability for these initiatives is bolstered by grants from Lilly Endowment Inc., which specifically support faith formation, pastoral well-being, and church renewal.

World Renew

Compelled by God’s deep passion for justice and mercy, World Renew joins communities around the world to renew hope, reconcile lives, and restore creation. It reaches out in Christ’s name to support people who are facing extreme poverty, hunger, and disaster by using a participatory, locally led approach across three primary sectors:

• Community Development: Focuses on food security (sustainable agriculture), community health (maternal and child health), and economic opportunity through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs).
• Justice and Peace: Addresses systemic barriers such as weak governance and discrimination through peacebuilding and advocacy.
• Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs: Provides rapid response to international disasters and coordinates Disaster Response Services (DRS) in North America to rebuild homes for the vulnerable.

This work is guided by several core strategic pillars:

• Spiritual Discipline: World Renew integrates prayer into its global work and provides devotionals and worship resources to help churches engage with global needs.
• Intergenerational Engagement: The organization emphasizes listening to all generations, offering Equipped to Educate curriculum for schools and hosting learning trips that involve both seniors and youth.
• Diversity and Unity: By partnering with diverse global organizations and focusing on justice and reconciliation advocacy, World Renew promotes a sense of belonging. This includes participating in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
• Holistic Mission: The agency focuses on "holistic ministry," providing for physical needs like food and water as a reflection of Christ's love, though it does not tie its services to direct evangelism or church membership.

Here are some recent highlights:

• Served 720,633 participants across 1,449 communities globally.
• Partnered with 58 church-based agencies and local organizations.
• Engaged 340,982 people in development programs and provided disaster response assistance to 379,651 individuals.
• Repaired or rebuilt 209 homes and supported the resettlement of 183 refugees in Canada.
• Received financial support from 669 congregations and 8,108 households.

Christian Reformed Church Loan Fund, Inc., U.S.

The Loan Fund helps CRC congregations finance capital improvements through low-interest loans funded through equity, donations, and investment certificates. As of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the Fund remains financially strong, reporting a growth in net assets to $6.37 million, despite a slight decrease in total assets to $15.2 million.

A few key highlights

• The Fund generated $741,419 in revenue with a surplus of $129,636 reinvested to maintain low rates. While investment certificates declined by $550,000, this was a significantly smaller drop than the $2.12 million decline seen in 2024.
• The loan portfolio has declined by nearly half over the last decade, from $18.5 million in 2016 to $10.22 million in 2025. In FY 2025, the Fund closed two loans totaling $1.26 million in Michigan and Washington.
• To combat declining portfolios and support growth, the Fund has introduced:
  • First Church Building Loan Program: Offers newer congregations loans at 1.5% below the current rate to help them secure their first permanent locations.
  • Expanded Lending: Seeking to expand eligibility to CRCNA-related organizations, such as Christian schools, which were previously excluded.
  • Planned Giving Program: A new initiative in development to engage long-term investors and provide equity for future generations of churches.
• The Loan Fund asks synod to ratify amended Articles of Incorporation to allow for expanded lending.

Pensions

The CRCNA has defined benefit pension plans for ordained ministers of the Word serving in the United States and Canada. Here are some recent highlights:

• As of December 31, 2025, there are 2,052 total participants in the ministers pensions plan, including 788 active ministers and 842 receiving benefit payments.
• The market value of the investment portfolios has grown, reaching approximately $132 million (U.S.) and $98.2 million (Canada) by the end of 2025.
• Trustees are currently exploring broader retirement options, including potentially blending defined contribution elements into the existing plans, with recommendations expected for Synod 2026. They are also evaluating how to equitably incorporate pastors transitioning from the Reformed Church in America (RCA).
• The pension board also oversees the defined-contribution plans for employees.In the U.S., employers contribute up to 6%, with an additional 4% match; in Canada, employers contribute up to 9%. As of late 2025, these plans held approximately $47.4 million (U.S.) and $6.6 million (Canada).
• The pension board recommends transferring oversight of these plans from the Pension Trustees to the respective national ministry organizations. This is intended to improve fiduciary alignment and allow the plans to better reflect the specific workforce needs and regulatory requirements of each country.

Reports from Affiliated Educational Institutions

While Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary are the official educational institutions of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, there are also several additional institutions of higher education that have been started and supported by Christian Reformed congregations and their members. Dordt University, The King’s University, Kuyper College, Redeemer University, and Trinity Christian College all provide reports to synod each year. In particular, this section of reports notes the closure of Trinity after 66 years of providing transformative Christian higher education. 

Dordt University

The King’s University

Kuyper College

Redeemer University

Trinity Christian College

Overtures to Synod 2026

In CRC polity, an overture is a formal written proposal that is sent to an assembly such as council, classis, or synod. An overture raises a question or concern about something the assembly has authority over, and requests action. This year synod has received several overtures ranging from administrative procedures to confessional requirements for denominational institutions. Here is a summary of each: 

Confessional Alignment and Gravamina

Several overtures focus on strengthening confessional integrity and ecclesiastical order by proposing stricter alignment for denominational employees and members of the Council of Delegates. These include overtures related to the gravamen process (Overtures 7-9), as well as the requirements for membership on the COD (Overture 5), for CRC staff alignment with the confessions (Overture 6), and for the work of the CRC’s educational institutions (Overtures 15-18). In addition, one of the overtures requests whether to remove the mention of the contemporary testimony “Our World Belongs to God” from the Covenant for Officebearers (Overture 11).

Ecclesiology, Vision, and Mission

Several overtures focus specifically on Reformed theology and the CRC’s identity as a Reformed denomination. They suggest the rejection of exclusively digital churches (Overture 21) and the condemnation of Christian Nationalism (Overture 25). They also call for a revision of the CRCNA’s mission and vision statements (Overture 20), and for a review of synodical regulations about worship in CRC congregations (Overture 23).

In addition, an overture from Classis Wisconsin (Overture 27) requests the appointment of a study committee on Reformed Ecclesiology to articulate a theological center for CRCNA congregations. It asks the committee to synthesize the work of various independent task forces (such as those on virtual churches, multisite models, and membership) into a cohesive theological vision. The classis believes this is necessary to ensure that church planting and renewal efforts are grounded in a clear understanding of what the church is called to be, rather than just what it is called to do.

Church Order and Administrative Governance

A significant number of overtures debate specific issues in CRC Church Order. Church Order is the governing document of the Christian Reformed Church in North America that provides regulations for its organization, ministry, and church government. Based on Reformed principles, it acts as a binding covenant among churches to manage offices, assemblies, and discipline. Overtures in this area include requests to develop resources for merging classes (Overture 31) and to revise the denomination’s language for describing membership transfers (Overture 22). In addition, several overtures address questions of synodical process (Overtures 3-4) and the means by which Church Order updates are proposed (Overture 14).

Synodical Planning and Procedures

Several overtures deal with the annual meeting of synod itself. Several overtures are responding to proposals in the COD report which recommended that synod only meet every other year, and made other suggestions related to the denomination’s governance costs. These responses from the classes request that synod to continue with annual in-person synods and reject the proposal to move to biennial meetings (Overtures 26-29). In addition, several overtures request clarity about financial priorities and the way the denomination’s ministries are funded (Overtures 30 and 32).

Discipline Procedures and Legal Oversight

This year, synod has received a taskforce report related to Church Order Procedures to Discipline Officebearers. Several overtures offer reactions to specific recommendations of that report, requesting changes to the report’s proposals (Overtures 34-36).