A foundational shift in the way their church is governed has breathed new life into a congregation in Iowa. Now leaders are responding much more effectively to people’s needs, both within and beyond the church walls.
By Josh Van Leeuwen
Intentional. Biblical. Purposeful…yet Spirit-led. Nimble…yet not reactionary.
These words have directed the dialogue of leadership at Westview Church since 2013.
Westview is a vibrant and growing congregation in Waukee, Iowa. Instinctive ministry impulses revolve around deliberate community engagement, deepening authentic relationships, genuine worship, and life-long discipleship.
The most recent chapter of Westview’s story has been an intensive effort of seeking God’s will in expanding our own kingdom participation. The harvest fields are ripe and ever-expanding in one of the nation’s fastest growing counties. Wanting to respond in faithfulness, Westview concentrated its overall ministry orientation not toward what was, or even is, but toward what could be. This meant taking honest inventory on all facets of ministry life, starting at the top.
For years Westview was led by a single, six-person elder board that bore all the responsibilities normally assigned to the elders, deacons, and consistory of a local congregation. Initial conversations about the respective biblical roles of each entity allowed the elder board to articulate what responsibilities they were (and were not) fulfilling. Further exploration commenced.
The elder board committed to prayer and pored over the Scriptures (as well as the Book of Church Order and RCA Liturgy) to best understand biblical leadership. What is the biblical calling of an elder? Of a deacon? Of congregational leadership?
Confident of their discernment, the elder board began a transition process of governance leadership that culminated in September 2014 with the formation of a first-ever deacon board, a revamped elder board, and a new governing board (consistory).
With this foundational shift in leadership, the governance ministry of Westview has found significantly increased traction. Westview’s governing board is discerning together the compelling picture of God’s preferred future for Westview in conjunction with the call of Scripture and Westview’s ministry context. The elder board is proactively caring for the congregation through personal connection and encouraging spiritual discipleship. The deacon board is leveraging the instinctive missional impulse of Westview as it pursues ministry opportunities of mission, service, justice, and mercy.
This journey has sparked a new conversational word at Westview, felt deep within our hearts and experienced daily around us, a word frequent in our denomination’s conversations: Transformation.
Josh Van Leeuwen is pastor of Westview Church (RCA) in Waukee, Iowa. Platform gives RCA members a chance to share their opinions.
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