“Truly God has more for this denomination instead of an ongoing church decline. The question is what are we going to do collectively?” Tim Sheridan, director of church planting for Resonate Global Mission, said that was the question of Synod 2025, and it only gave a year to have a plan for a 10-year response.
Developed collaboratively between June 2025 and April 2026, Sheridan presented to the delegates of Synod 2026 Resonate’s proposed 10-year strategic plan for church planting.
Synod is the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. It is meeting June 12-18 in Grand Rapids, Mich.
“Resonate doesn’t plant churches. It hasn’t planted a single church. You plant churches,” Sheridan emphasized. “Our goal is to come alongside you and support.”
“Why plant churches? It is because of the gospel,” Sheridan said. “It is this good-news announcement that the kingdom of God has come, that God's redemptive purposes—to renew all things and free all of us from the power and effects of sin—that power, that kingdom is here now.”
Sheridan said what he presented shouldn’t be seen as a “church growth strategy. That won't last.” Rather it must be rooted in deep conviction of the gospel and the New Testament stories that embody what it means to make disciples of all nations and to “bear witness to this good news through the entirety of our lives.”
It starts with a plea for the church to begin by laying a foundation of prayer and fasting, which independent of Zach King’s general secretary address, Sheridan called “Project Antioch.”
“We boldly declare that the starting request is that we commit to pray and fast. … How will you respond?” Sheridan asked delegates.
From that foundation there are five other elements to prioritize: discipleship multiplication, leadership development, church planting pathways, legacy (or closing church) pathways, and funding and capacity development.
Sheridan described where he sees the Christian Reformed Church changing. “God is doing something extremely new. … Churches are being planted currently in languages such as Farsi, Arabic, Punjabi, Mandarin, Spanish, and Korean. It’s an exciting time.”
“The global church is actually being multiplied,” Sheridan said, suggesting that working beyond North America with the global church can help churches become renewed, catching the hope of that momentum to then work within their local churches and communities.
Sheridan said this is an action plan, not another report to sit on a shelf. It includes milestones: where does the church need to be in one year, three years, and five years in order to make these goals real? In one year the goal is that the CRCNA would have designed and aligned an ideal church plant journey with clear ownership across denominational agencies, classes, and congregations for each stage of multiplication from disciple, to leader, to church planter, to launch; along with a funding plan to support implementation.
On April 30 one possibility to support funding came as an invitation from the Lilly Endowment to apply for a substantial grant to strengthen denominational growth for church planting.
Sheridan ended his presentation by sharing some personal thoughts. “I long to see the impact of the gospel of Jesus Christ. … The gospel has changed my life,” he said. And despite not having ever imagined himself working in denominational ministry, he said God has led him to a place of deep conviction.
“To not allow the bureaucracy, or the fear of failure, or the voice that likes to whisper in my ear, ‘you don’t have enough,’ ‘you don’t have what it takes to pull this off,’ to set that aside. To cry out to the Lord, together, in unison and in desperation, and to lean into together for the sake of the gospel. I’m all in on this. I’m willing to give the next 10 years of my life to this. What could God do if we learn to trust one another and lean in together and sacrifice for the sake of this gospel?”
Delegates were receptive to Sheridan’s presentation and also very enthusiastic for King’s remarks. The specific recommendations from Resonate to Synod 2026 will come to plenary sessions between June 15 and 18.
Synod 2026, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is meeting June 12-18 on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich. Go to crcna.org/synod for the livestream, photos, reports, and a live blog of synod proceedings and decisions. Find daily news and our video Synod Recap at thebanner.org/synod.