Bob Heerspink: A Media Ministry Visionary
As he lay in his hospital bed a day or so before he passed away, Rev. Robert Heerspink asked his friend, Rev. Peter Borgdorff, interim deputy director of the Christian Reformed Church, to pick a passage and to recite a few verses from the Bible.
Psalm 91 came immediately to Borgdorff's mind because it provided comfort and yet also spoke to the deep faith that Heerspink, director of Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI), exemplified in many ways.
The psalm begins: "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. They say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust'."
Heerspink, who died Saturday, October 1, after a three-month struggle with pancreatic cancer, will be remembered today in a service at La Grave Avenue CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.
In many ways, Heerspink's friends most fondly remember his deep faith, personality, pastoral presence and abilities as an administrator and communicator.
"Bob was tender and sensitive to human situations and yet was able to make the tough calls when he needed to," said Sybren Vander Zwaag, former president of the BTGMI board.
"He had a great sense of humor and I was privileged to have spent a lot of time with him. Our work was challenging, tough, rewarding and fun. Bob made it easy and I will miss him terribly."
He was also a devoted husband and father. When he died, he was surrounded in prayer and song by members of his family. He leaves his wife, Edie, and children, Eric and Katie, Joel, and Amy, and his father, Harvey Heerspink.
His wife chronicled his struggle with cancer on a CarePages website, making it clear that her husband dealt with pain and yet kept his mind and heart focused on the Lord.
In one, she wrote: "We will remain steadfast and wait for the Lord to make His will known to us. We are resting in Christ's love."
The untimely death of Heerspink, 57, has left many people, especially in the BTGMI ministry, grieving the loss of a leader, mentor and stabilizing presence.
They say he was a pastor to them and a man with a clear vision for reaching people around the world through various media with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.
"His faith was visible in the way he treated people," said Rev. Paul Mpindi, team leader of BTGMI's French-language ministry. "He was not arrogant. He was humble. I saw no malice in him. He made working with him enjoyable. I will miss him very much."
After being ordained on Nov. 4, 1979, Heerspink served as pastor at Eastmanville CRC and then went on to serve at Prairie Edge CRC, Cottonwood CRC, and Faith Community CRC, all in Michigan. During his years of pastoral ministry, he was an adjunct faculty member at Calvin Theological Seminary.
As director of BTGMI, he expanded its English-language ministries, opened work in India, forged partnerships with several other ministries, and encouraged the use of the Internet and a range of social medial tools to spread the Gospel.
Heerspink embodied the concept of stewardship, says Rev. Jimmy Lin, team leader of BTGMI's Chinese-language ministry.
"Bob's concept of stewardship not only applies to the usual case of finance, but also to time management, spiritual gifts, our relationship with others, our bodies, our tongues, and literally every aspect of our lives because he truly believed that everything is from God," said Lin.
Heerspink believed that giving of one's self and resources to others was the fruit of a person's faith.
"Bob talked of stewardship as being at the core of a Christian. Bob believed that stewardship of our time, talent and treasure is what God calls us to do," said Henry Doorn, executive director of the Barnabas Foundation, a faith-based financial planning organization.
Another hallmark of Heerspink's approach was collaboration. He was always looking for ways to work together, such as a partnership he helped to create between BTGMI and Words of Hope, the media ministry of the Reformed Church in America.
"As our organizations grew in cooperative efforts, Bob and I also grew closer as colleagues and friends," said David Bast, president of Words of Hope. "Eventually that personal rapport led to a collaboration as co-hosts of a new Bible-teaching radio program called Groundwork."
Heerspink also led BTGMI into a working relationship with the Timothy Leadership Training Institute, which holds training programs for church leaders around the world. His vision was of a church that links with Christians everywhere in as many ways as possible.
"He recognized that in working with other Christians we all could be more effective," said Chuck Powell, president of the Timothy Leadership Training Institute. "He brought a vision of building the Kingdom that was bigger than any one person, ministry or denomination."
Heerspink, who often traveled to encourage BTGMI ministries worldwide, could not have done the things he did without the solid support of his wife, Edie, said Carol Woltjer, secretary of the BTGMI board.
"Edie was behind this in a major way. Bob could do all that he could because of the support she gave," said Woltjer. "I thank God for Bob's ministry and thank his family for sharing Bob with the ministry."
After a prayer service in Grand Rapids, Borgdorff echoed the sentiments of many other people, inside and outside the CRC, about the life and legacy of Heerspink.
"Bob Heerspink was an outstanding churchman and leader in the CRC . . . His influence reached far beyond Back to God Ministries into the denomination and the church at large," said Borgdorff. "Bob was a very loyal friend, a compassionate person and a diligent servant."
Bruce Persenaire, current president of the BTGMI board, added: "Bob brought the CRC with him on his trips. While we appreciated his leadership and vision, we saw how much he was respected in the denomination. Above all, he was a servant."
Those who wish may make memorial contributions can to do so by giving to Back to God Ministries International, the Christian Reformed Church Foundation, or the Barnabas Foundation. Condolences may be sent online at www.mkdfuneralhome.com.
