Classis Heartland Videos Share Stories of Healing, Mentorship, Growth
“Things don’t go well when a church is divided,” said Randy, an elder at First Christian Reformed Church in the small town of Hospers, Iowa, in a short video. “That’s for sure.”
Like many small congregations, First CRC has faced its share of challenges. But what’s remarkable is the way this church has leaned into those difficulties with intention, healing, and hope. Leaders of other churches in Classis Heartland said they were blessed to learn about and celebrate First CRC’s story at a recent classis meeting, thanks to a new video project.
“We really want to encourage churches by seeing what other churches are doing in mission,” said Keith Muyskens, chair of the Classis Heartland Home Missions Committee (CHMC), about the video series. “Whether our congregation is a small rural traditional church or a newer plant, we are all capable of making an impact in our communities with the good news of the kingdom of God. We want to show those stories."
Because classis meetings are time limited, there aren’t opportunities for attendees to go and visit churches to hear their stories. So the classis recently decided to make short videos about each CRC in the region. And they plan to show one or two of the video stories at each meeting.
Mark Volkers, an instructor of digital media production at Dort University, is helping to make the project happen.
“Our CHMC made the decision to do one or two videos per classis meeting for a few reasons,” Volkers explained. “We want to share concerns and joys around classis, and we want to help all the other churches in classis get a quick, in-depth idea of what’s happening at each congregation. Most pastors, elders, and deacons don’t have the time to go see what’s happening, so a video can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.”
The story from First CRC was one of the first videos that Volkers and his team produced. In it Pastor Aaron Gonzalez explains that when he first arrived at the church, his focus wasn’t on changing everything — it was on listening.
“It was about learning where the church was at,” Gonzalez said, “—and then learning how to build up from the blessings that were already there.”
Instead of tearing down long-standing traditions, he asked, “What should we keep?” That question became a guiding principle as the church worked to bridge generations and shape its identity moving forward.
What the congregation found was that tradition and growth didn’t have to be at odds. Long-established practices still had deep meaning and relevance — even for young families. In fact, those families often found comfort in the church’s heritage, and value in the wisdom and consistency it provided.
Deb, a longtime member of the church, knew that reaching younger generations with warmth and hospitality would be essential if the church was to flourish. Her peer Tracy, who had recently moved to Hospers, experienced this approach firsthand. After visiting several churches, Tracy said, she and her husband found themselves drawn to First CRC. “It met us perfectly for the moment,” she said. They felt loved, welcomed, and embraced by the church’s warm community and traditional atmosphere.
Mentorship quickly emerged as another of the church’s strengths. “One particularly valuable thing we older folks can offer,” said Tracy, “is mentorship. Young families need support — and we’re here to give it.” This intergenerational connection has become a cornerstone of the church’s growth. It’s not just about preserving the past; it’s about passing it on with love.
Of course, being part of a small church community isn’t always easy. Caleb, a deacon at First CRC, acknowledged that having fewer people often means more responsibility for each member. “You can’t hide in the shadows,” he said. “Getting involved is a blessing, and it grows the church family. It’s not always easy, but it’s still good.”
For Gonzalez, the vision extends beyond growing just one church. “There is so much potential for growth in Classis Heartland,” he said. “The idea that there aren’t enough people here to attend church just doesn’t apply. Our leadership is wise and open. I would encourage every church to ask: How can we grow?”
First CRC’s story is one of healing, unity, and intentional growth. Through mentorship, multigenerational collaboration, and a willingness to honor the past while embracing the future, this small church is finding its way — and flourishing.
A second video on the Classis Heartland site features Prairie Lane CRC in Omaha, Neb.
“We have a different sort of energy at our church from what we have had in a long time,” said Michael, an elder at Prairie Lane CRC. “An organization asked if they could use our building two years ago, and they did not know that was an answer to our prayer. I’m not sure we even knew it was an answer to our prayer.”
The organization is one that works with refugees. They wanted to use the Prairie Lane church’s empty rooms during the week for citizenship and ESL (English as a second language) classes. The church agreed and also began providing volunteers to assist with the classes. As relationships grew, some of the refugee families began attending church services.
“As an immigrant coming to a foreign land, not knowing anybody, not knowing the language, not having basic needs met, I’ve found that the persons who step up to help you will always have a special place,” said Pierre, an immigrant to Omaha and now a member of Prairie Lane CRC. “The person who helped you learn English, the person who helped you meet those needs when no one else was there—you never forget that person. As Christians, we want to be the ones who step up to do things like that.”
Today, Prairie Lane is blessed by the diversity of people who have come through their doors. Pastor Chad Van Gingkel said he provides newcomers with training in Reformed theology and the Reformed worldview. And he trusts that the community as a whole has been blessed by it.
“Prairie Lane embraces people coming in, meets their needs, and builds people up,” said Ruth, a Sunday school teacher. “Prairie Lane sees that the kingdom of God is bigger than the Christian Reformed Church. The kingdom of God is a lot of places. We can go and expand God’s kingdom. We can go and work where God tells us to work. We are not bound by the church walls.”
Additional stories will be available on the Classis Heartland website as they are produced.
