The Christian Reformed Church in North America has nominated Rev.Joel Boot to serve as the denomination’s interim Executive Director, Board Of Trustees President Rev. Mark Vermaire announced today.

Rev. Boot, who serves as pastor of Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church in Jenison, Mich., is considering the nomination. He told the Board he would do his best to give an answer by June 5.

“It is a tremendous honor and an even larger responsibility,” Rev. Boot said in an interview. “The invitation is certainly one I take seriously. I am trying to determine if it comes not only from the Board but also from
God.”

The nomination marks the next stage in the process of selecting a leader to replace Rev. Jerry Dykstra, who resigned on April 5 after nearly five years as executive director.

If Rev. Boot accepts the nomination, it would be for a term of two years, through June 2013. This will allow time for a task force looking at denominational structure and culture to complete its work. The board will
ask Synod 2011 to ratify the appointment when it meets starting June 10.

Rev. Boot has been the pastor at Ridgewood since 1992. Prior to that, he pastored congregations in Grand Rapids and Dearborn, Mich., and Le Mars, Iowa. He has served nine times as a delegate to synod, including three times as its president and once as vice president. He served two terms on the board of Calvin Theological Seminary, part of that time as board president, as well as on the board of what is now Faith Alive Christian Resources.