Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity

Christian Reformed Church in North America

A congregation of the Christian Reformed Church, confessionally Reformed under the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort, which its elders, deacons, and ministers sign without reservation. Its worship, regulated by the consistory, centres on the preached Word, and the church keeps the tradition of gathering twice on the Lord's Day, the second service often preaching the Catechism. Children of confessing members are baptized, and young people profess their faith after catechism classes; the Lord's Supper is held at least every three months. The congregation owns its building and calls its own minister, with the classis approving the call; whether women serve as elders and ministers is each congregation's choice. Many of its families send their children to a Christian day school.

All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.

At a glance

Faith	Christianity
Its words	church, church, sanctuary; the pastor leads the worship service; the sermon; Sunday; the Bible
Worship	word focus, reserved, moderate formality (0.67 of 1); seated on pews
Music	organ expected; chant discouraged; recorded discouraged
The room's sound	likes a ringing room (organ and choir)
Its year	western; major observance; fasts none
Leans	conservative on moral questions, neutral on economic ones
Polity	presbyterian; leaders come by call; property local
Leaders	one leader, full time, trained by seminary; marriage any
Belonging	high commitment, formal discipline, admitted by board
Giving	tithing taught; collected by plate, online
Way of life	alcohol moderation, dress casual, sabbath observed

The week's services

Day	Time	Service	Led by	People look for it
Sunday	9:30 am	Reformed worship	the pastor	expected
Sunday	5:00 pm	Reformed worship	the pastor	expected

Leader: a pastor. With none (a vacancy, or no one hired), the church holds a Lay-led service in place of its own, led by the laity, which costs everyone at it 0.04; on sabbatical a supply pastor stands in ($800 a month).
Communion (quarterly), passed among the people: nothing needs to be placed to serve it. Everyone receives, infants too.
Baptism: needs a font, a baptistry, or an immersion font, built and installed; until there is one, those wanting baptism wait.
Lay helpers at each service: Required: 2 elders (at communion).

Rites

Profession of Faith (quarterly, +0.025 to those there): Young people raised in the church, after catechism classes and an interview with the elders, publicly profess their faith before the congregation and become confessing members.
Installation of Officebearers (yearly, +0.015 to those there): Newly elected elders and deacons are ordained and installed before the congregation using the church's prescribed form.
Family Visiting (yearly, +0.02 to those there): Each year two elders visit every household in their district at home, to read scripture, ask about each one's spiritual life, and pray together.

Baptism, confirmation, and joining

Baptized elsewhere: it recognizes any baptism in the name of the Trinity. Someone so baptized is received at a service after about 2 weeks (a week from another of its churches).
Not baptized (or baptized where it doesn't recognize it): a candidate who is baptized and received at the same service.
Joining age: 16.
The church's children are baptized as babies, and are baptized members, without a vote until confirmed.
Profession of Faith: from about 16, a class of 6 months (in a classroom or an office, led by the pastor or a catechism teacher) prepares them, and the rite makes them full members at 16 or so. It's held only when there are candidates.
Kinds of belonging: confessing members (votes, may hold office); baptized members; received by its board.
What it means: being baptized, confirmed, or received is worth +0.1 to the person, +0.05 to family there, and +0.03 to everyone else at the service. It roots them: a rooted household drifts away only 0.6 times as often, and if it does fall away, it has a 25% chance of coming home each Christmas Eve and Easter for ten years.

Giving, and what goes up

How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.

How it's given: the offering, by a plate passed at each main service, and giving online. A visiting household puts $5 to $25 in the plate. Those who give online give whether or not they come (8% more a month).
Fundraisers: only the modest ones (below).
Owed above: Ministry shares, $250 a year for each member, to the Synod (voluntary).
Owed above: Pension assessment, $37.20 a year for each member, to the Synod; not kept, it costs the wider body's regard.
Owed above: Classis quota, $50 a year for each member, to the Classis; not kept, it costs the wider body's regard.

The pastor, the staff, and who decides

How the pastor comes: advertised and called: the members vote, then the Classis must consent, from the wider body's list.
Paid: full time.
Candidates: three apply; trained at seminary; women among them where the congregation ordains them; most married; about one married candidate in seven comes as a couple, caring for 75 more.
Tenure: settled for about 8 years, then may be called elsewhere.
Staff it can hire or name (see Staff and volunteers):
- Bivocational pastor ($22,000–$38,000; cares for 75)
- Pastor ($55,000–$85,000 + $18,000 benefits, full time; cares for 150)
- Associate pastor ($42,000–$62,000 + $15,000 benefits, full time; cares for 100 more)
- Deacon (up to $6,000; from the members; cares for 30 more)
- Choir director / organist / pianist ($15,000–$35,000; leads the music (up to +0.06))
- Caretaker ($18,000–$30,000; slows the building's wear)
- Church secretary ($20,000–$35,000; runs the office (+50 to the leader's reach, once))
- Youth director ($20,000–$40,000; up to +0.08 for households with young people)
Its boards: the council (deciding, over everything); the consistory (deciding, over calls and the spiritual life); the diaconate (deciding, over the money).
Renovations: The council votes.
New construction: The members vote.
Calling a leader: The members vote, then the Classis must consent.
Who votes: confessing members, 16 and over.

Life together

What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.

Ministries of its own: Choir.
Ministries every tradition can run that it's offered: Blood drive, Food pantry, Health clinic, Preschool, Youth group.
Fundraisers of its own: Soup supper.
Shared fundraisers it may hold (only the modest ones): Bake sale, Car wash, Rummage sale.
Tenants it can take: A scout troop, A twelve-step group, Another congregation, Dance classes, Parties and receptions, Polling place and forums, Wedding receptions.
Auxiliaries: Coffee Break, GEMS and Cadets.
Outreach: invitation Sunday, planting a new church (Community → Evangelism).
Places beyond the congregation: the Christian school.
Dilemmas of its own faith (besides those every congregation meets): A petition for cushions, The bells, again.
Dilemmas its code of life brings: A candidates' forum, A Masonic funeral, A matter of discipline, A raffle for the roof, A recruiter asks for the hall, Champagne at the reception.

What the building needs

required Communion tableThe Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper.
required Baptismal fontInfant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church.
required PulpitPreaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
required sacristyVestments, sacred vessels, and paraments are kept and prepared in a sacristy.
expected BannerBanners of the seasons and the church's life hang in the sanctuary.
expected Communion traysThe bread and cup are carried to the pews in trays and passed along the rows.
expected Pipe organThe congregation expects hymns led by an organ.
discouraged CrucifixThis tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
discouraged Flaming chaliceThe flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
discouraged IconIcons are not part of this tradition's worship.
discouraged Painting of ChristPictures of Christ are not part of this tradition's worship space.
discouraged StatueStatues are not part of this tradition's worship space.

What people here feel

Architectural style: Colonial brick +0.028; Modern synagogue +0.046; Gurdwara +0.052; Japanese temple +0.056; Islamic +0.05; Shinto shrine +0.05; Chinese temple +0.044; Dravidian temple +0.038; Nagara temple +0.038; Thai temple +0.038; Jain marble +0.032; Gothic +0.026.
Building fit: up to ±0.15 for everyone, the average fit of the characterful items in its worship rooms (the table below).
Acoustics: it wants a ringing room, about 2.8 seconds of reverberation: stone, plaster, a high ceiling. Up to ±0.05.
Seasonal decor: it keeps the church year: paraments and the season's decor are worth up to ±0.027.
The sermon lands by its topic and the tradition's leaning (below); the pastor's preaching adds or costs up to 0.08 more.
Communion: each communion service runs longer; a slow one costs 0.05 for every 10 minutes the service runs over (0.2 at most).

How each sermon lands

The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.

Fire & Brimstone+0.08
Marriage as God Designed+0.06
Sanctity of Life+0.06
The Last Days+0.06
Faith & Family+0.04
Faith of Our Fathers+0.04
Obedience & Discipline+0.04
Personal Holiness+0.04
Resisting Temptation+0.04
Spiritual Warfare+0.04
The Authority of Scripture+0.04
The Great Commission+0.04
Biblical Stories+0.015
Blessed Are the Peacemakers+0.015
Called by Name+0.015
Doubt & Faith+0.015
Eternal Life & Resurrection+0.015
Grace & Forgiveness+0.015
Gratitude+0.015
Hope & Comfort+0.015
Joy in All Things+0.015
Love One Another+0.015
Sabbath Rest+0.015
Saints & Witnesses+0.015
Servant Leadership+0.015
Songs of the Psalms+0.015
Stewardship & Generosity+0.015
The Church Year+0.015
The Life of Prayer+0.015
The Parables of Jesus+0.015
Care for Creation-0.02
Healing for All-0.02
Wealth & Poverty-0.02
Welcome the Stranger-0.02
Social Justice Call-0.03
Interfaith Understanding-0.05
Reading Scripture in Context-0.05
Swords into Ploughshares-0.05
The Prophets' Call-0.05
Women Who Led-0.05
Racial Justice & Reconciliation-0.075
Radical Inclusion-0.075

Every item, for this tradition

Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.

Item	Fit	Rule
Seating
Box pew	+0.333
Choir stalls	+0.167
Meeting bench	no fit
Oak pew	no fit
Row of chairs	0
Liturgical furniture
Altar	+0.333
Baptismal font	+0.333	required Infant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church.
Baptistry	no fit
Bishop's chair	+0.333
Brass eagle lectern	+0.333
Columbarium niches	+0.333
Communion rail	+0.333
Communion station	no fit
Communion table	no fit	required The Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper.
Communion trays	no fit	expected The bread and cup are carried to the pews in trays and passed along the rows.
Confessional screen	no fit
Coptic cross	0
Epitaphios	-1
Flaming chalice	-1	discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
Foot-washing basins	no fit
Haikal screen	-1
Iconostasis	-1
Immersion font	+0.333
Lectern	no fit
Litany desk	+0.333
Mercy seat	no fit
Octagonal stone font	+0.333
Paraments	no fit
Pulpit	no fit	required Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
Readers' desks	no fit
Rood screen	-1
Sanctuary lamp	+0.333
Tabernacle	+0.333
Three-bar cross	0
Thurible and stand	no fit
Music
Brass band stands	0
Chanter's stand	-0.333
Drum kit	0
Electronic organ	+1
Grand piano	0
Hammond organ	0
Handbell table	0
Pipe organ	+0.667	expected The congregation expects hymns led by an organ.
Sound system	0
Upright piano	0
Decor
Advent wreath	no fit
Banner	+1	expected Banners of the seasons and the church's life hang in the sanctuary.
Christmas Eve candles	no fit
Cross	0
Crucifix	-1	discouraged This tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
Easter lilies	no fit
Eternal flame	no fit
Flag of the church	0
Great dome	+0.333
Icon	-1	discouraged Icons are not part of this tradition's worship.
Memorial plaque	no fit
National flag	0
Painting of Christ	-1	discouraged Pictures of Christ are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Paschal candle	no fit
Plain spire	no fit
Small dome	no fit
Stained glass window	+0.333
Statue	-1	discouraged Statues are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Steeple and bells	+0.333
Votive candle stand	no fit
Furnishings
Alms box	no fit
Coffee pot	no fit
Commercial coffee pot	no fit
Computer	no fit
Crib	no fit
Desk	no fit
Desk chair	no fit
Folding table	no fit
Full-length mirror	no fit
Pillar	+0.333
Prie-dieu	+0.333
Projection screen	0
Vestment cabinet	+0.333
Wooden table	no fit
Utility
A/V rack	no fit
Camera	no fit
Cast-iron boiler	no fit
Central air conditioner	no fit
Commercial HVAC plant	no fit
Commercial stove	no fit
Congregation van	no fit
Ductless heat pump	no fit
Electric wall heater	no fit
Gas furnace	no fit
Hearing loop	no fit
Lift	no fit
Packaged heat pump	no fit
Plumbing stack	no fit
Ramp	no fit
Shuttle bus	no fit
Sink	no fit
Solar panels	no fit
Stairs	no fit
Toilet	no fit
Used school bus	no fit
Wall camera	no fit
Window air conditioner	no fit
Grounds
Evergreen tree	no fit
Flower bed	no fit
Fountain	no fit
Garden bench	no fit
Hedge	no fit
Lychgate	+0.333
Playground	no fit
Shade tree	no fit
Standing cross	no fit

Sources

Church Order and Its Supplements 2025 (CRCNA) (link)
Synod 2025 FAQ (CRCNA) (link)
Position statement: Women in Ecclesiastical Office (CRCNA) (link)
Position statement: Homosexuality (CRCNA) (link)
Position statements: Alcohol, Gambling, and Lodge and Church Membership (CRCNA) (link)
Ministry shares and the 2025 assessments memo (CRCNA Network) (link)
Christian Reformed Church in North America (Wikipedia) (link)