He married his junior-high-school sweetheart, Debbie in July 1984.  They have added, by God’s good providence, six sons to their home and the church: Joshua, Timothy, David, Micah, John, and Peter. 

Debbie also graduated from Calvin College with a BA degree in Music performance.  She has a beautiful soprano voice and uses her singing talent in the church and numerous other opportunities.  She also enjoys music composition and has written several songs for both children and adults.  

Born and raised in California, Pastor Vander Meulen traveled at the age of 18 to Michigan where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Calvin College (1985). After a two year break from studying, he moved back to California and earned a Master of Divinity degree at Westminster Seminary California (1990), where he studied for three years under such scholars as Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, Dr. Robert B. Strimple, Dr. Dennis E. Johnson, and Dr. Jay E. Adams.

Pastor Vander Meulen was ordained to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments in September, 1991. He began his ministry at Eastmanville Christian Reformed Church, Michigan, and in 1996 accepted the call to serve as the pastor of Bethel United Reformed Church in Jenison, MI.  Bethel was also a church plant at that time.  Having faithfully served there for thirteen years, he accepted the call in 2009 as church planter of Kauai Reformation Church.

Pastor Vander Meulen’s passion is to glorify Christ by preaching the gospel, by equipping believers to live in grateful service, by teaching the whole counsel of God, and by helping people learn and love the riches of the Reformed faith.  He says: “I was blessed to have grown up in a Christian home.  There’s not a time in my life that I didn’t know Christ as my Savior.  However, it was not until my college years that I came to truly understand the depravity of my own heart and need for God’s amazing grace.  Today, when I preach and teach, I’m intensely aware of my own sinfulness and filled with the joy of forgiveness.  I preach the gospel not only because that is my calling, but because it is my hope, my joy, my life!”

Where does he stand theologically?  He states: “I believe the Bible is God's Word and is therefore true and relevant.   I believe that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation and that I am justified before my Heavenly Father only because of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.  In Christ, my sins are forgiven and His righteousness, both active and passive, is imputed to me.  The Holy Spirit dwells in me guiding me in the truth of God’s Word and convicting me of sin, always directing me back to Christ.  Because of this I know that I will live eternally.  All of this is by grace alone, through faith.  I agree with, promote and defend the ecumenical creeds and reformed confessions.   These things I gladly profess and give all glory and praise to God.” 

Pastor Vander Meulen’s passions, other than faith, family and the church, are golf, reading and music.  In fact, if you plan on visiting Kauai and are looking for a golf partner, feel free to give him a call.

Contact: Rev. Derrick J. Vander Meulen  -  pastorvm@sbcglobal.net  -  (808)332-7163