New Zealand Elders Conference Labour Weekend 1984

Jack E. de Graaf. Trowel & Sword. Jan/Feb 1985

Preamble: In 1995 Rev. John Westendorp looked back through old Trowel & Sword magazines to see what had been written about back then. Ten years earlier T&S reported on a New Zealand Elders conference and the wide variety of topics discussed make for interesting reading. It makes one wonder how many of those topics could again be on the agenda of an elder’s conference, a classis meeting or a synod today. We suspect, quite a few.

New Zealand Elders Conference Labour Weekend 1984

This conference was attended by some 30 elders and a few ministers as well. The aim was to discuss items of common interest and concern as well as fostering unity and understanding. The meeting place was Wellington and the meetings lasted all day Saturday and Monday morning. It was a truly memorable occasion.

The conference was opened by the host congregations’s minister, the Rev. Kevin Rietveld, who meditated on Ezekiel 34 which deals with the subject of shepherds who are accountable for the security of the flock until that flock is eternally secure – a beautiful but responsible task.

Keith Sewell of Wellington gave the first address on “Reflections on the History of Calvinism.” This was an excellent address on the history of the church and the influences the church has been subjected to over the ages.

It is not often realised that Luther actually set out to reform the church from within and never set out to the be founder of protestantism. Until that time Scripture was regarded as a book containing abstract doctrines of God where the thinking patterns of Aristotle were confirmed by men like Thomas Aquinas and carried official papal approval.

The Reformation changed all that when men like Luther and Calvin said that the Scriptures are the oracles of God and that God is just and faithful in His dealings with men.

Calvin wrote his famous Institutes which were meant as an aid and an introduction to the study of the Scriptures.

After Calvin, however, things slipped back to Aristotle-inspired logic which resulted in reformed scholasticism. The Synod of Dordt would be described by some as an example of this, where it has been claimed that logic prevailed rather than the influence of the grace of God.

This also became the age where religion and science became less and less related.

The speaker urged us to continue working with the Calvinistic view on Scripture, to do more reading, and to improve our knowledge of Church History. We realised that we may live together in the one denomination where both Princeton and Continental influences are meeting together. It is important that we discuss together, but more important still that we pray together before we discuss.

Gerard Haverland of Christchurch addressed us on The Training and Calling of Office-bearers. He mainly confined his address to the calling of ministers.

Very thought-provoking questions were asked.
Should our churches have a “wise committee” to nudge certain ministers and churches in certain directions?
It could also investigate if various ministries are fruitful and if not – why not?
Should vacant churches advertise the vacancy? Would there be a minister bold enough to answer?
Is any call a call from God? What about a declined call?

Arthur Snoek from Wellington then introduced Worship and the Worship Service. Worship is done by those who know they are redeemed. It is dialogue between God and His people.

How can our worship be more meaningful? Are there any changes required? The speaker suggested that the main change should be a change of attitude.

Do we know why we do things in our worship service? Are we not so used to being entertained that this is our attitude when we go to church to worship God? We are not to be spectators but to be very much involved!

Our worship should be orderly. Any change in the order of worship is to be orderly and while variations are good, surprises should be avoided. The matter of kneeling for prayer was raised, as well as the congregational ‘Amen’ after prayer. Scripture reading must be done clearly and with reverence.

We should also be very much aware of the fact that we come to worship and not criticise. Are we bound by traditional restrictions which are unscriptural?

Addresses on The Future of our Churches were presented by Frank Gouman of Balclutha, who viewed this from a small congregation and by Wim Weeda of Hamilton, who viewed it from a large congregation. Some problems are the same. Again many questions were asked.

Do we and our children know why we established the Reformed Churches?
Is there a firm conviction?
Is there faithful preaching and does it include application?
Are the moral issues of the day addressed?
Is there a faithful exposition of the doctrines and are we able to defend them?
Do we encourage the young to serve?
Is there not too much criticism at home of ministers and elders and if so, how can we expect our children to become any different?

The small churches suffer from the drift to the cities for education or work. Sometimes only a small core remains with many reading services. Involvement in the community is easier in smaller centres, but this is not necessarily always a good thing as it can be the wrong type of integration. If a large congregation loses some members they are able to carry on as usual, but in a small congregation this can be traumatic and a real test of faith.

On Monday Martin Kuitert of Avondale addressed us on the subject of Church Discipline. The term has a sour taste mainly because it has often been wrongly applied in history. Laws for church discipline are set out in Matt. 18:15-18 and John 20:21-23. Its purpose is to keep the church pure and should be carried out to give glory to God only; the purpose is to win the sinner. Ruling elders are called to rule in love, not lord it over the flock but shepherding.

When we set about to exercise discipline, are we acting as a ‘clobbering machine? Ideally session should be the last to be involved in discipline as first of all discipline should be exercised by the membership as a whole.

If a church finally ex-communicates we do not cut off a person from the Kingdom – he/she was never in it in the first place, and this is confirmed by ex-communication.

This is a comforting thought for sessions that have to impose the final step of church discipline!

It was a good conference and I apologise for the semi- telegram style of reporting but this allowed a fair coverage. There have been many questions asked to encourage readers to think and maybe react.

Jack E. de Graaf

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