Introduction

Biography

Dick was the son of pas­tor of Emo Folk­ert Jo­hann Van Hal­se­ma and Nel­lie Lu­cas, and hus­band of Thea Van Hal­se­ma.

He at­tend­ed Cal­vin Col­lege, Grand Ra­pids, Mi­chi­gan; Prince­ton Theo­lo­gic­al Se­mi­na­ry, New Jer­sey; and Union Theo­lo­gic­al Se­mi­na­ry, New York (DD 1956).

He served with the U.S. Ar­my in the Pa­ci­fic in World War II (1943–46). From 1952–82, he was a chap­lain in the U.S. Ar­my Re­serve, re­tir­ing as a col­o­nel.

Van Helsema was or­dained in 1949, be­came Home Mis­sion­ary-at-Large for the Chris­tian Re­formed Church (CRC) in 1957, and its first de­nom­i­na­tion­al min­is­ter of ev­an­gel­ism in 1959.

From 1963–66 he pas­tored the Cen­tral Ave­nue CRC, Hol­land, Mi­chi­gan. He then served as pre­si­dent of the Re­formed Bi­ble Col­lege, Grand Ra­pids, Mi­chi­gan (1966–87).

Van Hel­se­ma was al­so known for de­vel­op­ing and lead­ing mis­sions or­i­en­ta­tion pro­grams in Mex­ico, Cen­tral Am­er­i­ca, and the Mid­dle East. He ed­it­ed the Mis­sion­ary Month­ly ma­ga­zine, and was pre­si­dent of the Paul Soc­i­ety for ma­ny years.