Team Ministry

What is team ministry ??

At present "Living Hope" CRC has two pastors

Pastor Craig Hoekema and Pastor Richard Vander Vaart

Pastor Richard has joined the congregation recently his installation service was Sunday August 14

Team ministry

As teammates in ministry, we’re often asked if we’re the Senior Pastor or the Associate Pastor. This question is perfectly understandable. That’s a well-known and very worthwhile model of pastoral ministry. But it’s not the model we’re using at Living Hope.

We are team pastors or co-pastors if you like. Practically speaking, what this means is that we both preach, we both teach, we both visit, and neither of us has authority over the other. It means that when someone is looking for “the pastor,” they have two from which to choose. What thrills us most about this model of pastoral ministry is what’s often referred to as synergy. Ecclesiastes gives a good definition of synergy when it says, “Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor.” (4:9 NLT) Team ministry means there are two sets of eyes, two sets of ears, two sets of hands, and two sets of feet working as one to do pastoral ministry at Living Hope. Team ministry means that each of us has a brother to lean on, to be accountable to, to pray with, to be encouraged by, and with whom to share common challenges and joys.

We have a deep love and respect for one another and a mutual hunger to see Living Hope grow in our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. To have the opportunity to work side by side in that mission is one of God’s great gifts to us and to His church.

Pastors Craig Hoekema and Richard Vander Vaart