A church treasurer sees the costs rise, but not the income. An elder does not feel welcome on home visits. And the pastor struggles with writing the sermon. In practice, the office is often a burden. Or is it also a pleasure?

It happened several years ago. While the announcements in the worship service were made that I, as pastor, sat next to the elder on duty in the church council pew. While the announcer was busy, this elder reached over to me and asked, “Do you feel like preaching?” Instinctively, I replied, “Yes!”

Joy⤒🔗

I had answered that word “yes” before. At my confirmation in the office, “Yes, wholeheartedly.” “Feeling like it” sounds a bit too playful to the ears: Psalm 108 (the Dutch rhymed version) formulates it a bit differently, but meanwhile conveys the same sentiment. Literally translated it reads: my heart, O heavenly majesty, is prepared for your service and praise.

Now suppose that, in response to the question, if I felt like it, I would have replied, “Not so much, to be honest,” or even shorter, “No.” When people ask me if I am always motivated to preach, I answer, “As soon as I must prepare a sermon and must deliver a sermon, I stop.” By this I mean the following: if all is well, during the preparation for the sermon you would have found something in Scripture that touched you and that you would like to share with the congregation. In this way the question of whether the office is a pleasure or a burden is quickly answered: it is a pleasure, obviously!

Struggling←⤒🔗

Meanwhile, the question whether the office is a joy or burden did not fall out of the sky. Sometimes the steps to the pulpit are very high. As a pastor, before you start writing the sermon, you often sit there staring at a blank screen for a long time. And when you are busy, the cursor blinks but remains in the same position. You review your sermon one more time on Saturday and then the thought creeps up on you: is this the sermon I have to take to the pulpit?

These are all internal objections. But the external ones will also come your way. That applies to every office-bearer, and not only to the one who leads the service. In the New Testament the congregation is called the house of God. As office-bearer you may serve in that house. But at the same time, that house is being shaken vigorously. Sometimes, by way of speaking, even literally.

For example, the church treasurers, who are responsible for the maintenance of the buildings, see the costs rise. But at the same time, the income is falling. The question that concerns them is: how do we balance the budget? And then sometimes decisions must be made to dispose of buildings and/or terminate pastoral positions. These are most sensitive issues and often evoke resistance. They also loosen many tongues. Comments made in this regard can touch you deeply as a church treasurer.

Resistance←⤒🔗

Another office-bearer, as a deacon, has ambitiously begun to work. Being practical in his nature.

He finds it very important to embody his faith with his hands and feet. But gradually he notices that not everyone is equally excited. Sometimes it is difficult to get much involvement from the congregation.

A ward elder at the beginning of the season has drawn up a list of people he wants to visit in the coming months. He tries to make arrangements. But it is not always easy: the one has no time, the other no interest. And if he has an appointment scheduled, then it gets cancelled a day before the appointment. And if he is allowed to come, he notices how difficult it is to get to the point. In fact, what a multitude of thoughts and opinions. So many heads, so many ideas.

Different Picture←⤒🔗

This picture is one-sided. I could also give a very different picture. After a home visit as an elder, you drive home singing. You have received more than you have given. Someone else is preparing a diaconal project with young people and he is warmed by their enthusiasm. The appeal to action regarding the matter of balancing the church budget has helped: it raised more than the year before.

Church Climate←⤒🔗

Meanwhile, it is a fact that it is difficult to find office-bearers. More and more office-bearers withdraw after one term. Research has shown that one out of six office-bearers, after finishing the term of office, are done with their involvement in church functions. Sometimes they experience being an office-bearer as an impoverishment of their faith rather than an enrichment. To me, the exact numbers are not important. In fact, I fully believe that in Reformed circles the ratio will be more nuanced. Still, you do notice that the church climate is changing, and that is also noticeable regarding the office.

One of the consequences of depillarization, for example, is that there is no longer a Reformed infrastructure, in which points of view are fixed. The world is one big worldwide web (www). All possible ideas can be brought together with one click of the mouse. We compose our own palette of views.

This information can overwhelm the office-bearer. How do you give leadership to such a development? Somewhat exaggerated: everything must be substantiated; everything must be explained; everything is open for discussion. What is still fixed? What binds us? If you lead this process too strictly, then you are authoritarian. If you loosen the reins too much, then you are accused of lacking leadership.

Setting Goals←⤒🔗

Is the office about the art of balancing? Being friends with everyone? Is it a matter of coddling and making sure everyone is comfortable? Giving and taking? To operate as diplomatically as possible as church council? And to please the various interest groups in the congregation as best as possible?

It is important to realize what the office really is all about. It is not just a job or function. The office is instituted by Christ. That is not to keep congregational life running. That is much too limited.

Christ is busy with a big project in this world. He is now working so that soon his congregation may share in the glory. In Ephesians 5:27 it reads: “so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” Paul sees as the purpose of his ministry: “that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Col. 1:28b). This objective therefore arises from the objective of the exalted Christ. It is essential as office-bearers within the church council to share this objective. That is of a completely different nature than if, in the church council, office-bearers safeguard particular interests or represent certain target groups. Then it will continue to be a tug of war and we will not get any further other than to engage in certain power games. That is a foolish situation. It is important for the church council to thoroughly discuss this.

Community←⤒🔗

In his famous booklet Gemeinsames Leben (translated: Life Together) Bonhoeffer writes about life in the congregation. That part of communion is not just an extra facet of the Christian life, but a very essential part of it. I quote and paraphrase some passages:¹

• “Human love is directed to the other person for his own sake, spiritual love loves him for Christ’s sake” (p.34).
• “The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother” (p.23).
• When we do not daily give thanks for the Christian community in which we are placed — also where there is no deep experience, no noticeable wealth, but where there is a lot of weakness, little faith, and trouble, and when we are always busy complaining to God about it all being so pitiful, so small and that it is not at all what we expected, then we prevent God from letting our congregation grow to the extent and riches that are already in Christ Jesus for us all (p.29).
• “A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly not to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men” (p.29–30).
• “When a person becomes alienated from a Christian community in which he has been placed and begins to raise complaints about it, he had better examine himself first to see whether the trouble is not due to his own wish dream that should be shattered by God; and if this be the case, let him thank God for leading him into this predicament” (p.30).
• “But if not, let him nevertheless guard against ever becoming an accuser of the congregation before God. Let him rather accuse himself for his unbelief. Let him pray God for an understanding of his own failure and his particular sin” (p.30).

Brotherhood←⤒🔗

Every one of these are quotes for you to contemplate and as a church council to share with each other. Even broader: to share with the whole congregation. Is this how we shape this life as a congregation?

Then it is no longer about pushing differences to the fore; also, not to sort things out diplomatically, but about brotherhood. After all, we are given to each other. And yes, thanks to grace.