Jesus Christ Lord of Life and Cadets

Prof. G. van Groningen. Trowel & Sword. November 1967

Preamble: VAN GRONINGEN – remember that name; especially the younger members (under 50) who may not have heard it before and do not know the significant part that both George and Harriet played in the development and growth of the Reformed Churches in Australia and New Zealand, the Reformed Theological College; and their passion for children’s and youth programs. They were unashamedly Calvinistic in their outlook and this defined their theology and their Christian worldview. It makes one wonder – where are the Van Groningen’s of today?

Jesus Christ Lord of Life and Cadets

As Calvinists we hold with conviction and fervour to the blessed truth that Jesus Christ is Lord of life. He is the Master, the King, the absolute Sovereign over all of life. Jesus Christ , through whom the world and all it contains was created is also the redeemer of the Cosmos. Jesus suffered, died and bore the anguish of hell because the cosmos – man’s home as well as man himself, lay under the curse of God upon sin and evil . Paying the debt of sin and guilt, Jesus Christ ransomed man and his home . Our Lord Jesus is a cosmic Redeemer. And as a cosmic Redeemer He is also a cosmic Lord.

This great and glorious truth is one of the main reasons and motives for my intense interest in the Calvinist Cadet Corps, its program and above all its members – counsellors as well as boys. This truth stimulates me to continue as an active worker in the Cadet Corps .

In case you wonder what another main reason is – I’ll be happy to tell you….  It is: six young Van Groningens! Yes, we have six sons whom our Covenant God has entrusted to us . My wife and I do our utmost in our home to train these sons in the way of our Covenant Redeemer and Lord. Our sons attend the Christian schools. They miss Catechism and worship services only when attendance is made impossible by unusual circumstances. Yet there was a real lacunae , a specific vacuum in the lives of our sons. It was in the cultural and social realm. And praise and thanks be to God, the Cadet movement is God’s answer to that problem.

Criticism and/or varying opinions have been voiced concerning the Cadet movement. One father expressed the opinion that the Cadets (and Calvinettes) were really worth nothing to him. Said he in effect: if the home does its part, Catechism, Sunday school and church services were attended faithfully and if the young folk attended youth club then the Cadets were like an unnecessary coke drunk with a lunch.

Now it is very evident to me that this father is not well informed at all as to what the Cadet program is or for whom it is intended . Taking the last point now , if a young person is to attend youth club after his/her 16th birthday, why should this person not attend a youth club before that time? The Cadet movement is for boys 10- 15 years old.

The father’s problem is much bigger however. It is really this: he considers the Cadet movement a type of Boy Scout movement which has its outdoor and recreation emphasis. This “recreation” is employed to attract boys to Bible study . This father has the opinion that sports, craft , camping are to be compared to a bottle of coke which a man drinks to help him swallow down his dry bread (Bible study). This opinion is to be compared to some people’s idea of the Christian school – reading, writing, arithmetic, plus a few prayers and a half hour of Bible study per day. Just as many people have a very wrong conception of Christian education – subjects plus – so there are those who are equally confused and wrong about youth work – Cadets and Calvinettes specifically.

So, whether a man calls himself “Pete from yesterday” or “Tom of today” or “Tony for tomorrow”, whether he is “John the Layman” or “Jack the preacher” or “Bill the teacher” makes little difference when he expresses an opinion about youth-work that is not correct. The all important thing is this: what is true? What are the true answers to the questions: What is the real nature of the Cadet (and Calvinette) movement? What is its intent? What needs in the lives of Covenant (and non covenantal) children does it fill?

It is to be granted immediately that: 

(1) The home life and training of any child  is very, very important . Nothing can take its place. Parents have a most solemn, important and thrilling opportunity and duty with regard to their children. At home the children must be taught to know the Lord through His Word and Spirit, to pray, to know life in its various dimensions, to enjoy real Christ centred Spirit dominated fellowship. Indeed, the home is so basic. But, as the church and school are vitally necessary, so I insist that youth-work, which I consider as part of the wider church program, is also equally necessary. 

(2) No movement is perfect. I’ve yet to enter the perfect home and meet the ideal covenant parents. I have yet to meet the perfect preacher, the flawless teacher. I have yet to meet the top notch counsellor or youth worker in Australasia . But lack of attaining the perfect goal or acquiring the ideal leader – teacher – preacher parent is of course no reason to discard a youth movement – school, church or home .

There is another criticism that has been voiced in various quarters about the Cadet movement. It is closely related to what is discussed above, but it is a much deeper criticism. It goes right to the core of the matter. Let me try to quote one of the men who voiced this criticism: “The cadet movement is not concerned with the Lordship of Christ. Jesus Christ is not recognised properly as the absolute Sovereign of all of life. The Cadets are not taught to see Christ as the Sovereign Lord to whom they must surrender their lives, whom they must serve in every sphere of life. Cadets  are not taught this because Christ is not given His proper place as Lord of nature, Lord of life, Lord of culture, Lord of nations. Rather the Cadet movement is at heart a personality cult. It is devoted to making good boys, hale hearty well met fellows. The cadet movement tries to put on an external coating, a veneer that covers up or polishes down the bad, rough and unsightly elements of human nature and life. In short, the Cadet movement is so concerned with boys it forgets about Jesus Christ the absolute Sovereign Lord of the boys.” And continued this voice, “I have come to this evaluation about the Cadet movement by reading the materials that have been published by the organisers and leaders of the movement.”

Well, this is really a serious criticism! If it is true then there are only two imaginable alternatives before us: (1) eradicate the whole system from our Church and Christian environment, or (2) reform and transform the entire movement so that no signs of its former character remains.

Frankly, I am not ready to do either one because I don’t believe the evaluation is true at all!! I do not deny that there is room for improvement, that in some instances the nature, intent and methods could have been stated more meaningfully. I do not deny that some Cadet  club organisers and leaders may not have Jesus Christ as Lord as fully in mind as they should. (Do all parents, teachers and preachers?) And I also admit that the Cadet movement does not emphasise the Lordship of Christ primarily in terms of Christian organisations in industry, labor, professions and sports . I do insist however, that Jesus Christ is ever held before the Cadets as the Sovereign Lord. Lord of the Cosmos, Lord of individual people, Lord of culture, Lord of all!

The Lordship of Christ the Redeemer is one of the very basic principles of the Cadet movement. No, we don’ t minimise the centrality of the Word of God, the importance of Justification by faith, the Sovereign grace of God in man’s salvation , the necessity of a Spirit filled and directed life, the unique character of the church, the inclusive nature of God’s Kingdom. In fact, because these basic Reformed Biblical principles are the very building blocks which form the foundation of the Cadet movement, therefore the Lordship of Christ is also included. One cannot have some of these principles and omit the others, even if some are stressed more than others.

ln due time I hope to write more about the Sovereign Lordship of Christ and its meaning for boys , for their lives, for their education, training and fellowship. I  conclude this introductory article by urging all parents (yes parents first), all preachers, all teachers and all youth leaders and counsellors to continually teach that the gracious Saviour of a boy is also the absolute Master of that boy; that as salvation effects the totality of a boy’s life, so does the Lordship of Jesus Christ effect every aspect of his life.

The theme song of the Cadets is a real boys’ song. “Living for Jesus – in All that I do”!  Why live for Jesus? Because Jesus is their only Saviour, Teacher and Master!!

G. VAN GRONINGEN

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