ChristianWeek

ABBOTSFORD, BC—Evangelicals within the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) are applauding the election of local pastor Hans Kouwenberg as their new moderator.

"Hans is part of an increased evangelical strength in the PCC," says retired Presbyterian minister and educator Ian Rennie, who has known Kouwenberg for 35 years.

"With the Presbyterian Church, it's always too strong a thing to say that an individual is a clear sign of a major direction or tendency, but it's certainly an encouragement for evangelicals," adds Dal Schindell, the director of publications at Regent College in Vancouver and a ruling elder in the PCC.

"Often I think [the Church has] been known for its moderate position—quite steady and orthodox, but not with the kinds of concerns that evangelicals would have in terms of evangelism and a biblical emphasis."

Kouwenberg, who calls himself a "broad evangelical," pastors Calvin Church in Abbotsford. He will serve as moderator for one year.

"This is the highest honour that the Church will give its ministers or laypeople, for that matter," he says. "It's a bit over whelming and I certainly didn't seek it."

In 1982, Kouwenberg helped found the Renewal Fellowship Within the PCC, a group dedicated to renewing the Church's spiritual vitality and historic biblical witness. For 16 years, he edited its magazine, Channels.

"I think [the Fellowship's efforts are] paying off," says Schindell, "in the fact that we haven't gone the way of the United Church or even had the kind of difficulties the Anglicans are going through right now."

"We do have some people who are on the edge of the hot button issues of the day—the homosexual question and other things like that—but we've kind of laid that one to rest," says Kouwenberg.

In fact, there are signs the Presbyterian Church could be at or near the end of a decline that saw its membership plum met from a peak of more than 202,000 members in 1964 to about 130,000 currently.

"There are pockets of real growth," says Kouwenberg. "And where the real growth occurs is where churches are taking the gospel seriously and connecting with their culture seriously....I could name you a number of places where the Church is very, very alive."

One is Fairview Church in Vancouver, where Rennie ministered in the 1960s and early 1970s, and where he still worships. "We just have had all sorts of new people coming in. It's been thrilling," he says. "So now Sunday mornings are looking pretty full. We haven't had that for 30 years."

Kouwenberg's own church is on the verge of building a new $3.5 million worship and ministry centre. Part of the PCC's new growth has been due to the influx of numerous ethnic communities, including about 7,000 Koreans. "It's become quite a multicultural, multiethnic denomin tion," says PCC communications director Keith Knight.

Neither are Presbyterians indifferent to social justice issues, says Kouwenberg. "When there was the tsunami, our Church raised over $2 million to help relief there. I think we raised the largest amount per capita of all the churches in Canada."

In addition, latest figures show congregational giving to missions has almost doubled over the last 20 years, the Presbyterian Record reported last month.

As moderator, part of Kouwenberg's duties will include visiting many of the denomination's 960 churches across the country as well as one or two overseas trips to the mission field—visits he hopes can be primarily preaching-teaching opportunities.

Born in Holland , Kouwenberg's family immigrated to Ontario when he was a child. He has served the PCC in various ministerial and leadership roles almost all his adult life.

"People know that he has been a very faithful and very fair presbyter, working in the whole life of the Church," says Rennie. "So I think he will be listened to with respect. And pray God that it shall help in the revitalizing of the Church as a whole."