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Arthur H. DeKruyter, March 11, 1926 - January 14, 2011 Founding Pastor
Celebration of the Life and Ministry of Dr. Arthur DeKruyter
Dr. DeKruyter provided the founding vision and sustaining leadership of Christ Church for its first 32 years.
Profile:
Dr. DeKruyter grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After completing his graduate work at Princeton, he accepted the call of a church in Western Springs, Illinois, where he served as pastor for over 13 years. In 1965 Dr. DeKruyter was called to the burgeoning community of Oak Brook to found a new church with five families. In just a few years the church grew to fill Butler School gymnasium. On Easter Sunday, 1970, the new church building at York and 31st Street, seating 1,200 people, was dedicated and filled to capacity. In 1951 Dr. DeKruyter began broadcasting weekly to the Chicagoland area through a radio ministry and in 1980 saw the message of the Pulpit of Christ sent forth through the medium of television.
Over the years, Dr. DeKruyter advanced the cause of theological education as a member of the Board of Trustees of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California and as a founder of the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary in St. Petersburg, Russia. He is the Co-Founder and Chaplain Emeritus of the Executives Breakfast Club of Oak Brook. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the O’Hare International Airport Interfaith Chapel; the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, and the Advisory Council of the Chicago Sunday Evening Club.
Professional honors include the 1996 Gutenberg Award; the establishment of the Arthur DeKruyter/Christ Church of Oak Brook Chair of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary; the establishment of the Arthur DeKruyter Chair in Faith & Communications at Calvin College; recognition as the first recipient of the Paul Butler Achievement Award for leadership; and selection as one of the Ten Outstanding Preachers in the Chicago area by the Chicago Tribune in 1981.
Prior Service:
--Senior Pastor, Christian Reformed Church
Western Springs, Illinois (1951-1965)
Education:
--Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, Doctor of Divinity
--Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, Master of Theology
--Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI, Bachelor of Theology
--Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, Bachelor of Arts |
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