Becoming a Minister

Rev. G.J. Van Aalst, Klaawaal, the Netherlands

To be certain that one has a calling to the ministry, and then ... to be held back by watchers in the church—in the first place, the watchers in a consistory and, thereafter, the watchers of the Curatorium? They are watchers who ask upon what grounds the conviction is based that one feels called to work in the vineyard. Does that not attest to pride and conceit amongst these office bearers that they can judge the heart of a fellow human being? These false impressions are quickly formulated. They are also persistent.

A sensible tension

Yet a few weeks and, then, the Lord willing, the Curatorium will again meet to listen to men who feel themselves called by God to the office of shepherd and teacher. This meeting is always filled with much tension. In the first place, tension is felt by those who have come to the Curatorium with the request to be heard. How they can be tossed between hope and fear. Often they travel to the Curatorium looking up against the meeting. So much depends upon it, for the applicant, for his wife, and eventually for his family. Sometimes, however, the heart is remarkably at ease ... “My soul in silence waits for God....”

Also for the members of the Curatorium and the instructor advisory members these days are full of tension. How heavily the responsibility can weigh upon them. What an intense desire there is that men may be accepted to study for the ministry. The need of the vacant congregations is pressing. This tension is sometimes literally felt, especially when, time after time, the members lack the freedom to admit someone; at the same time, there is a concern to be vigilant over the flock. It is so easy to be mistaken on the one side as well as on the other. It is for this reason that fervent prayer is made for the leading of God’s Spirit. It is also for this reason that, time and again, the prayers of the congregations are expressly requested. Because the members realize their dependency, sometimes the heavy criticism which can come as a result of their decisions is very painful.

Time after time, questions are asked regarding the legitimacy and the workings of the Curatorium, even though the members do not do anything but that which has been entrusted to them by the congregations. Isn’t it clearly a biblical mandate that the church oversees those who would enter the ministry? Isn’t it a legitimate matter that there is a review and examination by the office bearers? Decades ago, in the name of the congregations, we have chosen, and I would say almost proven, this form of examination.

The examination is biblical

The examination by the church has been a point of discussion for several decades already. Doesn’t the church go too far in this respect? In the Church Order drawn up at the Synod of Dordt (1618-1619), we read in article 4, “The lawful calling of those who have not previously been in office, in cities as well as rural districts, consists: First, in the election, after previous fasting and prayer, by the consistory and deacons, and not without (proper correspondence with the Christian magistrates of the respective districts, and) the knowledge or advice of the Classis, where this had been customary up to now. Secondly, it consists in the examination both of doctrine and life by the Classis in the presence of all, or some, of the delegates of Synod.”

It is true that in this article is spoken of the classical examination which precedes the ordination of ministers. It underscores, however, that it is proper that the church has established this examination. At that same Synod, the delegates from Zeeland (a province in the Netherlands) submitted a request wherein they contended for the examination of those men who wished to present themselves as candidates. In this request the delegates from Zeeland expressed the wish that special attention would be given to some convincing marks of godliness, uprightness, and modesty. All the delegates of the Synod were in accord with this request. In this request can also be seen the importance that our forefathers ascribed to the examination.

To add only one more reason, “Since the apostle enjoineth, that all things shall be done decently and in order amongst Christians, and that no other persons ought to serve in the Church of Christ but those who are lawfully called according to the Christian ordinance, therefore it is also the duty of the elders to pay regard to it...” (Form of Ordination of Elders and Deacons). For it is, and remains necessary to take heed against the wolves which would enter the sheepfold of Christ (Acts 20:28&29).

In the beginning of the nineteenth century, virtually everyone who wished to enter the office was admitted. Even those who denied the merits of Christ’s crucifixion could ascend the pulpit. This was one of the important reasons that led to the Secession.

A lesson from the past

With the passage of time, the classical examination had lost its importance. It was for this reason that the churches of the Secession wished to restore the weightiness in admitting candidates to the office of minister. Because the theological schools were an institution of the churches (and not as is the case with the Dutch Reformed Church where the instruction takes place in the public universities), the examination took place at the beginning of the instruction. Sometimes that was performed by the Classis, as was the case in our denomination prior to 1930, and sometimes by a Curatorium.

This examination by the churches is still conducted by our congregations until today. The delegates to the Curatorium meet to hear those who feel themselves called to the office of minister as a mandate from the entire denomination. They do that in the same manner as it is practiced by the Curatorium of some other conservative Reformed denominations.

The delegates to the Curatorium are sometimes blamed for being too strict. These charges are especially based on the fact that only a small number of men are admitted to the study. It is noteworthy that the delegates to the Curatorium of our denomination have to continually be burdened with this allegation when, for example, in other conservative Reformed churches scarcely any more candidates are admitted to the ministry.

Two questions

Are the norms which the members of the Curatorium employ set too high? After all the written information submitted by both the member wishing to be heard and the consistory is read aloud, two questions are asked of the brother desiring to be heard: What is your personal relationship with the Lord, and how have you been active with the call to the office of minister? Can the questions be placed any more simply? May not, and must not, the church ask these questions before the countenance of the Lord? Isn’t it unbiblical for someone who feels a calling to the ministry to take that office upon himself even though he (or she!) may have intellectual qualifications for the office?

Let us listen to what Spurgeon says: “The will of the Lord respecting the call of a minister can also be known by the prayerful judgment of His Church. The marks of a true overseer have been laid down in God’s Word for the instruction of His Church. When the brothers, following the instruction found in God’s Word, do not find in us the required qualifications, and do not admit us to the office, then it is clear enough that the office of a shepherd is not meant for us. It is true that not all churches are wise, and they do not pass judgment according to the power of the Holy Ghost, and many do it according to the flesh. Yet, I would rather accept the judgment of a gathering of the people of God than that of myself, concerning such a personal question regarding my own gifts and grace.” These are words which testify of discernment out of the mouth of Spurgeon.

With these words Spurgeon warns us not to walk ahead of the Lord. He again annotates a letter from the well-known Rev. John Newton who wrote to a friend, “The most important warning in connection with this is that a person should not be too hasty to take hold of the first manifestations of a calling to the ministry. If it is the will of the Lord to place you in His service, then He has already prepared a work and a place for you. And you will, even though you do not yet know it now, know it at His appointed time. Even if you have the talents of an angel, you will not be able to do much good with them until His hour has come, and He leads you to the people where He, by means of His hand, has ordained you to go, and to bless them through you. When we have a burning zeal, it is very difficult to maintain ourselves within the bounds of God’s decree.”

Failure to be admitted to the study

It is understandable that those who feel themselves called to the ministry and who are then denied entrance are cast into doubt. Were they mistaken? When this question brings them before the countenance of the Lord and unites them to Him, then, in spite of disappointment, they can experience the Lord’s favor and goodness. More than once my former instructor, Rev. J. Van Haaren, has told me that after he had been turned away the first time, he became more and more united to the Lord. In the months following, the Lord led him further and deeper in spiritual life. “The Lord made me more and more suitable.” He called his being denied acceptance as a theological student a beneficial and profitable lesson. There are others who would heartily agree with him.

What is expressed

What is really expressed when one is not admitted to the theological school? That there is no freedom to admit him to the training as minister, nothing more, and nothing less. What is expressed when someone is admitted to the study for the ministry? That there is freedom to admit this person to the study—freedom accompanied with the prayer that it may be in the favor of the Lord and that the Lord in the future may give evidence of His approbation with this decision. The Lord must thereafter confirm it during the training for, and the performance of, the office. We do not become a minister through the authority of a Curatorium or whoever it may be. It is only by the grace of God who, through the Spirit of Christ, shall confirm and sustain.

Oh beloved, no matter who you are, may we ask for your prayers that this Spirit may lead us and dwell in us? It is such a tender and responsible task. We really cannot do it in and of ourselves. Without the immediate application of this Spirit, the congregations will not be built but destroyed. Then we will accept those who should not have been accepted, and we will turn away those who should have been accepted. It concerns the good pleasure of the Lord and not the approval and praise of people. It is so wonderful to experience this, and it does happen! Then the Lord gives testimony of His own work. We long for this visible testimony in both speaking and listening.

“The righteous cry, Jehovah hears, and rescues them from all their fears” is a calling for the outpouring of God’s Spirit, a calling upon Him to remember His own institution of an office that cannot be done without, a calling upon Him not only in the month of May. We know from the past that there have been children of the Lord who have separated themselves at this time to sigh to the Lord while the Curatorium was meeting. May we also feel in these days that there are those among us, young and old, who will be with us in prayer? It is for this reason that the dates and times of the meeting are made known to you. It is not only meant for prayer in the congregations by the office bearers.

Wilt Thou confirm

I wish that you could be an observer at our meeting when the Lord gives witness of His own work; how that unites, binds together, and gives joy! What a privilege this is in spite of all the cares and tensions which are present. We could say much more about it. The reason for my “thinking out loud” is only that you will speak much about it... with the Lord. It would be more beneficial if we would speak with the Lord about these tender matters rather than only with each other. Shall we try to do that? Could it be that we may together sigh to the Lord, “Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it” (Psalm 90:16&17).

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