Who are we?
RMS is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to service. We seek to serve our member churches as well as their church planters, missionaries, and ministry partners. We are committed to serving the body of believers in these churches both locally and throughout the world. Above all, we desire to serve Christ in our efforts to advance the gospel message and see the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
We recognize that God has ordained the Church to be the one who sends people into the mission field. Our desire is to partner with churches to be a mobilizer, preparing men and women to be sent. It is our prayer that a bond will be created between those on the field and those who leave home to serve alongside them. We hope that both will be mutually blessed through these opportunities of service. It is also our prayer that through these opportunities, the Holy Spirit would foster a zeal and enthusiasm for missions and evangelism both on the mission field and at home.
Reformed Mission Services
Staff
Rob Brinks
Administrative Director
Hudsonville, MI
Steve Poll
Assistant Director
Grand Rapids, MI
Lori Havingh
Administrative Assistant
Allendale, MI
Jim Iwema
Promotions Coordinator
Sanborn, IA
Reformed Mission Services
Current Board of Directors
Reformed Mission Services
FAQ
Kevin Offringa
Kevin Offringa is a member of Dutton URC, Dutton Michigan. He became a Board member after going on multiple TASC trips and Disaster Response trips to Houston, Texas and Arroyo, Puerto Rico. He is married to Amber and currently is the Technology Administrator at Moline Christian School. Kevin and Amber both serve on the TASC Administration committee.
Ron Verhoeven
Ron Verhoeven is a member of Trinity URC in Visalia, California. He served on the original Board of RMS and is now serving once again. He was involved with the first TASC project and has helped out with several since then. Ron is married to Bev and they have 4 adult children along with 16 grandchildren. Ron is a Dairy farmer in partnership with his son Dennis in the Visalia area.
Douglas L. Field
Douglas L. Field has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of RMS since 2016. He is a member of Ripon Reformed Fellowship in Ripon, California. He is a retired attorney and educator. He teaches members of the non-legal professions the science, art, and skill of being an effective expert witnesses in court and is a regular lecturer on various cruise lines.
Jay Hofland
Jay Hofland is from Sanborn, Iowa and is a member of Cornerstone URC along with his wife of more than 30 years, Carla.
Jay has participated in two RMS trips over the years, both in Peru.
Julian Laarman
Julian Laarman lives with his wife Tanya in Taber, Alberta, Canada and are members of Trinity Reformed Church in Lethbridge. He works as a contractor and has a hobby farm. He is actively using his many talents on the RMS Board.
Chris Kuperus
Chris Kuperus is married to Stephanie and they along with their four children live in Sanborn, Iowa and are members of Cornerstone URC. Chris has served on the RMS Board multiple times and has done an amazing job serving the organization. He has a construction background and is involved in the Disaster Response efforts of RMS. Read an article Chris wrote on RMS's 15th year anniversary.
Chris Van EP
Chris Van Eeden Petersman lives in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada and is a member of Trinity Reformed Church. He is an active snow skier in the wintertime and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren on the slopes but also around the table discussing things of eternal importance. Chris retired from farming and has been very involved in building relationships with the older generation in his community.
Gerald Nuiver
Gerald Nuiver is a member of Cornerstone URC, Hudsonville Michigan. He became a Board member after being involved with multiple TASC groups at local churches. He has been married to his wife Marnie for 35 years, and currently is an Engineering Manager for Advance Technology and Automation at Lacks Enterprises in Grand Rapids Michigan. Gerald and Marnie have been involved in youth ministries at different times over 20 years in their Church.
Mike Kamps
Mike Kamps is a resident of Wayland, MI, where he lives with loving wife and three children, two sons, and a daughter. As a family, they are active members of the Dutton URC, where Mike helps lead the young people group. Mike works as a HVAC technician and jobsite foreman for a mechanical contractor. He recently had the opportunity to visit Peru with RMS, which solidified his interest in getting involved.
Mark Stolk
Mark Stolk has been married to Michelle for 22 years and they have 4 children. They live east of Ponoka Alberta, Canada and Mark farms with his two brothers and the do some equipment sales of seeding equipment. He and the family are members of the Parkland URC Church.
Todd Hilton
Todd Hilton is married to Michelle, and they have two daughters, Olivia and Avery. They attend Redeemer OPC in Ada, Michigan. They have also been involved in TASC trips and have worked together to plan and organize these trips. Todd runs a small lawn mowing and snow plow business and Michelle works at a local Christian school. This will be Todd's third time serving on the RMS Board, and he is eager to continue his service with the rest of the board members.
Harry Van't Voort
Harry Van't Voort is married to Char and they reside in Ripon, CA where they attend Zion URC. Harry is the owner/operator of a trucking company. He has been to Costa Rica numerous times to help with the construction of the Tepeyac Schools.
What is RMS?
Reformed Mission Services is an organization dedicated to promoting missions and evangelism within the Reformed community. We specialize in providing opportunities and training for fruitful, enjoyable mission work for young people and adults alike. RMS prepares teams to be a blessing to missionaries and church planters as we partner with their ongoing efforts.
How does RMS differ from other mission organizations?
RMS is an organization accountable to and under the oversight of elders. While multi-denominational in its outreach, a historical Reformed perspective will dominate our mission endeavors. Sowing the gospel seed through the word will be stressed alongside the many helpful deeds performed during any mission opportunity.
Does RMS oversee missionaries and church planters?
No. RMS works alongside missionaries and church planters to assist them in their ongoing ministries. RMS leaves oversight responsibilities to calling churches and supporting churches of missionaries and church planters.
Will mission opportunities have restrictions on participation?
Participation in the mission opportunities of RMS will be limited to those of high school age or older. Such opportunities will be tailored to individuals and groups. A first-time mission opportunity experience for those of high school age will usually be limited to stateside opportunities, particularly on Teens Actively Serving Christ (TASC) trip. Depending on the mission field needs for any mission opportunity, other restrictions may apply.
How will safety be determined on a given missions opportunity?
RMS places a strong emphasis on safety for all involved with our ministries. On trips that may include elevated risk, we will be certain to let potential registrants know ahead of time so they can prayerfully decide whether to participate or find another opportunity. We continue to monitor certain risks such as political unrest, crime rate, disease, etc., and will call off any trip that the RMS Board deems too dangerous to carry out. Also, vaccination and passport requirements along with vital travel information will also be provided. Finally, RMS requires trip insurance for each participant on every trip and includes the cost of the insurance in the registration fee.
Can i participate if I belong to a non-member church?
Yes, all applicants are considered for RMS trips regardless of whether or not applicants are from member churches. It is our hope that such participants will encourage their church to consider becoming members of RMS to support and encourage this ministry.
How will mission opportunities be funded?
Participants are responsible for the entire cost of the trip. Trip cost is determined by RMS and may include the cost of transportation, food, lodging, a planned day away activity, a donation to missionary for building materials, etc. Nominal administrative fees will also be included which includes trip insurance, t-shirt, etc. Costs for trips may vary significantly due to location, needed materials, and other factors. However, the cost will always be determined prior to any trip commitments.
Reformed Mission Services
Doctrinal Positions
The infallibility, inerrancy, and inspiration of the Bible: RMS holds to the perfect infallibility, complete inerrancy, and the Holy Spirit’s plenary inspiration of the Bible. God’s Holy Word is everything needed for faith and life. RMS believes that the Three Forms of Unity (the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession of Faith and the Canons of Dort) and the Westminster Confessions faithfully summarize God’s word.
The historicity of the creation account, the virgin birth of Christ, and the death and resurrection of Christ: RMS believes that the first two chapters of Genesis are fully historical and factual. They accurately relate the truth of God’s creation of all things ex nihilo in the space of six days. The Virgin Birth of Christ is historically accurate, revealing our Savior as both fully God and fully Man and is therefore a fundamental doctrine of the true Christian faith. The death and resurrection of Christ are historical events that both earned and guarantee our salvation. Jesus Christ’s perfect life of obedience to God’s Law establishes the ground of our acceptance with the Father. Through Christ’s sacrificial death He establishes the grounds for our pardon from the Father. Christ’s resurrection from the dead then verifies to the world that Christ’s perfect life and sacrificial death were found to be completely acceptable by the Father.
The Doctrine of the Covenant as it relates to the work of evangelism and missions: The Covenant of Redemption, made within the inter-Trinitarian Godhead before the foundations of the world were ever laid governs and controls all evangelism and missions. The Covenant of Works, made between God and Adam, promised life to Adam and his posterity upon condition of perfect obedience. Man, by his fall, has made himself incapable of life by that Covenant, but the Lord has made a second covenant with man, called the Covenant of Grace, in which He freely offers life and salvation to all by Jesus Christ, requiring faith in Him that they may be saved, and promising to give to all those who are ordained to eternal life the gift of the Holy Spirit making them willing and able to believe. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that should be brought to lost and dying man.
The doctrine of election and reprobation: RMS believes in the doctrine of God’s eternal decree, according to which He graciously softens the hearts of the elect, however obstinate, and inclines them to believe; while He leaves the non-elect in His just judgment to their own wickedness and obduracy.
The total depravity and spiritual inability of fallen man: RMS believes that fallen man’s depravity is total and his moral inability to do anything concerning his lost state is complete.
The sovereignty of God in the salvation of man: RMS holds completely and unwaveringly to all of the Doctrines of Grace (a.k.a. the Five Points of Calvinism). These Biblical truths unequivocally reveal the absolute sovereignty of God over every part of this universe and over every single human being.
The role of preaching in the work of evangelism and missions: Christ-centered, accurate Gospel preaching holds the primary role in evangelism and missions. (Romans 10:14)
Ecumenicity: True faith in Jesus Christ brings spiritual ecumenicity to the Church of Christ, and this unity should be evident to the world. The complete corporate unity of all true believers will not come until the second coming of Christ.
The charismatic movement: RMS believes that all of the special gifts of Pentecost (including but not limited to speaking in tongues, continuing prophecy and the gifts of the Holy Spirit) have ceased with the passing of the first apostles. However, the events of Pentecost should continue to drive the Church of God today.
Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality: Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, RMS recognizes only marriages between a biological man and a biological woman. The facilities and property belonging to or leased by RMS shall only host weddings between one man and one woman.
Grounds: We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.) We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of RMS as the extension of the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the RMS members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by RMS in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this statement on marriage and sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22.) We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.) We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of RMS.
Women in church office: Holy Scripture does not allow women to hold the ordained offices of the church. (1 Timothy 2:11).
Sanctity of Human Life: RMS believes that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including unborn babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps 139.)
Ecclesiastical supervision over RMS and its manner of execution: The Bylaws of RMS provide for close association between RMS and a Consistory/Session of Referral. The Consistory/Session of Referral monitors the activities of RMS and is available to RMS for mentoring, referral of theological questions and disagreements and for mediation and arbitration of disputes. The current Consistory/Session of referral is the Consistory of the Trinity United Reformed Church located in Visalia, CA. RMS By-laws allow a currently serving elder of the Consistory/Session of Referral to serve on the RMS Board of Directors.