This is the latest in a series of frustrating events in the leadership of the CRC. The previous Executive Director resigned suddenly two years ago, then other high-level leaders stepped down, and back in 2005 the appointed Executive Director stepped down from ministry before his first day on the job.

Just days before the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) Board of Trustees was to meet with the nominee for Executive Director, they were informed that the nominee had withdrawn from consideration.

This is the latest in a series of frustrating events in the leadership of the CRC. The previous Executive Director resigned suddenly two years ago, then other high-level leaders stepped down, and back in 2005 the appointed Executive Director stepped down from ministry before his first day on the job.

The interim Executive Director, Joel Boot, and Deputy Executive Director, Peter Borgdorff, were asked to stay on for another year as the search committee goes back to the drawing board.

“Moves like this (late process withdrawals) raise the anxiety level in the church around leadership issues,” said one CRC minister on Facebook.

The search committee for the next Executive Director had already put in nine months of reviewing applications and interviewing candidates.  The desire for broad input from various sectors of the bi-national denomination also meant many travel miles for their meetings. The plan was to nominate the best applicant to the denomination’s Board of Trustees during their May 2-3 meeting, and then have the nominee be finally approved by Synod 2013 in June. The withdrawing candidate’s name has not been released and the reasons for withdrawing have been withheld. With little time remaining before June’s meeting of synod, it is “unlikely that the Board will present a new nominee in time,” according to Gayla Postma, News Editor for The Banner, the CRC’s monthly publication.

CRC Executive Director difficulties go back to 2005. Synod 2005 appointed Calvin Bremer to be the next Executive Director. Then, before Bremer’s scheduled first day on the job, he publicly resigned from ministry altogether. He admitted to “poor judgment” in choosing his Director of Development, though assuring everyone there was no moral failing on his part.

In 2006, Jerry Dykstra took the position. He had a focus of getting the denomination to focus more on supporting the congregations. Then, on April 5, 2011, Dykstra suddenly resigned. Officially, the resignation was for personal reasons, not moral failing, and from a decision mutually agreed upon with the Board of Trustees. But confidentiality shrouded the matter in mystery.

On April 17, 2011, the Grand Rapids Press reported that Jerry Dykstra was asked to step down by the Board of Trustees. While “stressing he did not want to criticize the board’s action, Dykstra said he ‘did not know it was coming’ prior to meeting with board members April 5.” Dykstra did say, “It’s certainly not how I would have handled it with any of my staff… Why would we not have done a smooth transition and hand-off, so the way was well-prepared and well-paved for the next person? It’s a little too abrupt.”

A string of resignations from other positions followed. Just a month after Dykstra resigned, the Director of Denominational Ministries resigned. In September, the Director of Denominational Advancement announced his resignation.

Unanswered questions came to a boil at Synod 2011, which called for a task force to review the culture and structure of the CRC. In 2012, the Task Force Reviewing Structure and Culture would bring more light to Dykstra’s resignation: “The previous Executive Director (with the approval of the Board of Trustees and synod) moved from a structure in which the primary working relationships and counsel were no longer with the agency directors but with senior leadership within the Denominational Office. Over time, this arrangement led to confusion, suspicion, and poor working relationships.”

Ultimately, the Executive Director position is a tough position to fill as well as occupy.

One member of the Executive Director Search Committee explained it this way: “We are looking for an exceptional and specific type of leader to do very difficult work in a challenging environment. These kinds of setbacks while disappointing are not uncommon. It takes courage for the BOT to disappoint an expectant denomination hoping for some bolt from the blue to make things right.”

Rev. Aaron Vriesman is Pastor of North Blendon Christian Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Mich.