Dr. Jack Van Marion
"Pastor Jack"
MY STORY (IN A NUTSHELL)
Born on January 25, 1951 in the Netherlands, I was raised in a Christian home, nurtured in the context of the Reformed faith, and a professing member of the Gereformeerde Kerk, Nederland (GKN). In 1972 I emigrated to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. I worked as a machine operator in a sheet metal factory and as a truck driver for greenhouse operators. During this time in Canada (1972-1974), I went through a period of spiritual renewal and became very involved in the work of the Maranatha Christian Reformed Church in St. Catharines.
Sensing a call to evangelistic work, I decided to attend the Reformed Bible College in Grand Rapids, Michigan for further training. While there for one year, I changed directions and began attending Calvin College to pursue a liberal arts education, majoring in classical Greek, and thus preparing for seminary entrance. In 1978 I graduated from Calvin College and entered Calvin Theological Seminary to prepare for ordained, pastoral ministry in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. In 1981 I graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. Also, in 1977 I married Rosanne Bierma; the Lord has blessed us richly with four children: Jessica, Joy, Elliot, and Eric.
After a one-year internship at the Dearborn CRC, I received a call to serve the North Blendon CRC in Hudsonville, MI as an ordained pastor. I served that church from 1982-1988. In the spring of 1988 we moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where I served the Des Moines CRC until 1995. At that time I received and accepted a call from the Providence CRC in Beamsville, Ontario, Canada. While working full-time as an ordained pastor, I pursued my doctoral studies in the area of Christian worship. In 1998 I graduated from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill. with a Doctorate of Ministry in Worship. In January of 2005, we returned to the USA to pursue a call to provide leadership, especially in the area of preaching and teaching, at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Edina, Minnesota.
Formal Education:
1998 Northern Baptist Theological Seminary: D.Min (with distinction)
1982 Calvin Theological Seminary: M.Div.
1978 Calvin College: AB
PASTORAL MINISTRY RELATED EXPERIENCE
2005-Present Ordained Minister: Calvary CRC,
Edina, Minnesota
1995-2004 Ordained Minister: Providence CRC, Ontario, Canada
1988-1995 Ordained Minister: Des Moines CRC, Des Moines, Iowa
1982-1988 Ordained Minister: North Blendon CRC, Hudsonville, Michigan
1981-1982 Internship Dearborn CRC, Dearborn, Michigan
2002-2004 Church Visitor (Classis Niagara)
1999-2004 Member/Chair of Student Fund Committee (Classis Niagara)
1999 Delegate to Synod
1998-1999
Member of the Editorial Council of Calvin Institute of Christian
Worship at Calvin College
1997-1999 Member of the Editorial Council of Reformed Worship journal
1995-1997 CRC Home Missions Committee (Classis Niagara)
1992-1994 CRC Home Missions Church Growth Consulting (Midwest USA)
1992-1994 Church Visitor (Classis Pella)
1990 Delegate to Synod
1989-1994 CRC Home Missions Committee (Classis Pella)
1985-1987 CRC Home Missions Committee (Classis Zeeland)
1999-present Formally on staff as an adjunct professor teaching The Church Year at Dr. Robert Webber’s Institute for Worship Studies (Florida Campus)
(Doctoral program: D.W.S or Doctor of Worship Studies)
June 13-21, 2006
January 3-11, 2006
June 8-16, 2005
January 4-12, 2005
June 8-16, 2004
January 6-14, 2004
June 10-18, 2003
January 6-14, 2003
June 11-19, 2002
January 8-16, 2002
June 13-20, 2001
January 17-24, 2001
June 7-June 14, 2000
1982-present Catechetical/church school/Adult church classes related instruction
1979-1981 Calvin College: assistant professor (part time) Dutch language
DOCTORAL THESIS/PROJECT SUPERVISION
June 2006 Calvin Lam: A Training Manual for Purpose-Driven Worship Leaders at Richmond Hill Chinese Community Church, Toronto, Canada.
June 2006 Gerzinus Hoekstra: A Resource Guide of Seasons and Symbols for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Choir, Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.
June 2006 Sharon Kivell: Fostering Harmony Through Healing Workshops at St. Ninian's Anglican Church, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
June 2006 Glen Gray: A Paradigm for Renewal: Seven Pilot Studies for Interculturated Holy Communion at the American College, Phoenix, Arizona.
June 2005 Chris Monroe: The Stations of the Cross: A Worship Course for the Disciples Class of Vinton Baptist Church, Vinton, Virginia.
June 2005 Mark Mahaffie: A Worship Study Course and Services for Advent and Christmas Designed to Enhance the Spiritual Growth for Sequoia Heights Baptist Church, Manteca, California.
June 2005 Edna Grenz: Enriching the Journey with Jesus for the People of First Baptist Church in Vancouver, BC, Through a Workshop Overview of the Christian Year, and Particularly Through a Series Aimed at Enhancing the Advent Season.
June 2005 Lyndell Vaught: A Daily Worship Guide Book to Promote Personal Christian Worship During Holy Week Among Senior Adults, Ages 65-85, at the Silver Serenaders Choir, Dallas, Texas.
June 2004 Robin Ziegenfuss:
A Strategic Worship Transition Plan to Assist
June 2003 Rebecca Whited:
A New Discipleship Curriculum to Enhance
June 2003 Tracy Ainsworth:
A Sourcebook for the Christian Year for Use by
June 2003 Julie Gibson:
A Worship Curriculum for Commissioned Lay
June 2002 Ryan Forbes: A Study Course to Equip the Lay Worship Leaders of North Broad Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia
June 2002 David Ellison: A Worship Guide For the Season of Advent For the Adult Choir of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
PUBLISHING: BOOK REVIEWS, ARTICLES, ETC.
1999 “Bending God’s Ear.” Reformed Worship, June 1999, number 52. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications
1998 Privately published: (Doct. Thesis) The Significance of Baptism as Taught
Specifically in the Providence Christian Reformed Church and Generally in the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
January 2006: Calvin Institute of Christian Worship: Symposium on Worship. Presented two workshops: on "Remember Your (Infant) Baptism" and on "The Presence of the Ascended Christ in the Eucharist."
July 11-22, 2005: Seminars in Christian Scholarship: Participant in "How To Teach Worship in Congregations and Schools," Dr. John Witvliet.
January 24, 2004: Reflections on Worship (Workshop at Rehoboth CRC, Niagara Falls)
March 29, 2003: Feasts, Festivals, and the Arts” (Worship and the Arts, Niagara, sponsored by Jubilee CRC, St. Catharines)
The core of my calling is:
To
help people encounter the Lord Jesus Christ by providing leadership in
worshiping
the triune God, by preaching the gospel, and by teaching the
Scriptures
in the context of pastoral ministry.