Special COD Meeting Suggests Fewer Synods and Review of Classes

“This started with a discussion about how can we save money in the governance of our denomination—synod, the Council of Delegates, the Office of General Secretary—all the things that are involved in our governance,” said Classis Muskegon delegate Drew Sweetman during a special, virtual meeting of the CRCNA’s Council of Delegates on Sept. 4. The two-hour evening meeting had one agenda item: a report suggesting ways to reduce governance costs, fund synod, and use time more wisely. 

Sweetman, who chaired the task force that drafted the report, added, “But it quickly turned into thinking more broadly about things like synod and the COD . . . we were really looking for solutions that would not only be financially advantageous but also ones that would be helpful for the governance of our denomination. I think that was our overriding goal as we worked through all of these things.”

In the end, delegates voted to receive the report and pass two of its recommendations on to Synod 2026 for approval—that synod meet every other year, and that a task force be created to evaluate the current number and organization of CRCNA classes (regional groupings of churches). A third recommendation, to require that each classis pay a financial assessment before their delegates could be seated at synod, was not adopted. 

The recommendations will now go to the churches and classes for consideration before Synod 2026.

The COD task force that drafted the report had been commissioned at the Feb. 2025 COD meeting. As part of its fiduciary responsibilities, the council recognized that ministry shares have been declining for many years and that something needed to be done in order for core aspects of denominational life to continue.

It asked the group to review all of the costs related to governance and running the ecclesiastical side of being a church community together. It also asked the group to suggest creative ideas to either bring down these costs or increase funding in order for these core aspects to continue.

“This was not a knee-jerk reaction to churches disaffiliating; nor does it represent an impending demise in the denomination,” said Michael Ten Haken, chair of the Council of Delegates, about the work of the task force. “Instead, this report and its recommendations are an example of the due diligence that is required when it comes to managing the financial resources of the Christian Reformed denomination in as stewardly a way as possible. They attempt to strike a balance between ensuring that the work we've covenanted to do together as churches is done well and in a timely fashion, over against the ever-increasing costs of that same work."

The task force met during the spring of 2025 and presented an interim report to Synod 2025 (see Acts of Synod 2025, pp. 474-78). Feedback from synod was incorporated into the final report, shared with COD members in August. In order to give churches and classes enough time for robust review and conversation about this report and its recommendations in the lead-up to Synod 2026, the COD scheduled a special meeting one month before its regular Oct. 8-11 meeting time.

“Through polls of the COD and conversations with delegates at synod, the task force heard various opinions from around the denomination on areas in which costs might be reduced. It was obvious to the task force that attendees at synod and members of the COD agree that changes need to be made in order to reduce costs and fund governance; however, there was some hesitancy at the COD level to make too many changes at once,” the introduction to the report explained.

That sentiment was clear in the COD discussion on Sept. 4 as well. Several delegates noted that while there is a need to reduce costs, they worried about what the implications of the changes might be. 

“Sometimes when we make big decisions, there are big consequences,” said Michael Johnson, delegate from Classis Rocky Mountain. “If we accept these recommendations, what might those consequences be 10 years from now?” 

Some feared that holding synod meetings less frequently would erode trust within an already fragile community. Some expressed worries about how “regular work” could get done with fewer meetings held. And many were uncertain about requiring a specific dollar amount from every classis, given that the financial situation in each classis is different. 

Sweetman explained that within the task force itself there had been similar concerns. 

“Not everyone on the task force was on board with some of these things when they were first proposed,” he said, noting that as they continued to discuss the options over the course of six months, those members changed their minds and recognized how the suggested solutions might be feasible. “I hope we are able to bring you along [during the two-hour meeting] as the task force was brought along over the past six months.”

In the end, the council voted to receive the report and pass along two of its three recommendations to churches for their review and consideration. The key recommendations are as follows: 

• That synod meet on a biennial (every other year) basis beginning in 2027, and that synod direct the COD to provide specific recommendations to Synod 2027 about how to address the candidacy process, the process for approving key denominational leadership, and other matters that are currently handled by synod annually. It is hoped that during the years when synod does not meet other gatherings of CRC peoplem such as regional events, agency conferences, or interclassis events, would be encouraged.
• That synod establish a one-year task force, working in close coordination with the classes, to review the current classis structure and make recommendations to Synod 2027 for potential classis consolidations and/or overall restructuring. 

Churches and classes are encouraged to put this report and these recommendations on their agendas for discussion in the coming year. Overtures (official communications from CRC bodies) can then be used to express agreement, concerns, or suggestions for changes to the recommendations. These will be due to the synodical services office by March 15, 2026.

The COD task force was not disbanded and will report again to the COD at its October meeting.