Roorda Appointed as Canadian Ministries Director

The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church has appointed Rev. Darren Roorda as the denomination’s Canadian Ministries director, pending ratification by synod in June.

Roorda currently serves as the senior pastor of preaching and administration at Community Christian Reformed Church in Kitchener, Ontario. He was a member of the CRC’s Board of Trustees, but resigned prior to being appointed. He also serves on the board's Strategic Planning and Adaptive Change Team (SPACT).

In its report to the board, the search committee said that it "saw in Rev. Roorda a passion for ministry and partnership with the local church.

"He has an ability to cultivate and nurture a shared vision for the mission of the denomination, especially in the Canadian context, and to develop plans and strategies to implement that," the committee reported.

It said that Roorda can "catalyze networking and teamwork" among classes, churches and denominational agencies and that he "understands the importance of the CRCNA in Canada being a Christian voice on social justice issues and fostering ecumenical partnerships."

It also noted that Roorda "has demonstrated leadership at all levels in the denomination" and that he "possesses the required servant leadership style to work in a senior leadership team within a binational church."

In an interview by the board just prior to the appointment, Roorda said that he senses "the clear call of God" into this position.

He described himself as a person who is "visionary, creative, high energy," adding that "I want to be a pastoral person who listens well."

"I love the fact that our church is binational," he said, noting that he has experience working as a pastor in both nations.

At the same time, he said, he sees value in "a little more independence" for the CRC in Canada and in cultivating a stronger Canadian identity. "We are one church in two nations," he said, but the CRC also functions as "two nations in one church" in the way it carries out ministry.

Roorda is married with three daughters. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo (Ontario) and Calvin Theological Seminary and holds a D.Min degree from Trinity International University. Before coming to Community CRC in 2006, he served as senior pastor at Bellevue CRC in Bellevue, Wash., and as a student pastor at Edson/Peers CRC in Alberta.