Dr. Tim Brown teaching RCA Worship

It was at this year’s General Synod at Hope College in Holland, Michigan where I found myself at one point in time sitting beside the presidents of the RCA seminaries – we had a number of things to talk about, things such as theological education assessments, Certificates of Fitness for Ministry and how the Red Sox were doing. Most of the time it was Dr. Mast and Dr. Voskuil at the table, but, at one point Dr. Tim Brown, newly appointed president at WTS, also sat down and joined us. The conversation quickly turned to the MFCA summer intensive courses and who was teaching when.

It was during this particular conversation about the summer intensives that it dawned on me how privileged we were in the RCA to have these individuals as willing faculty members ready to take on extra assignments. In the midst of their busy schedules these men regularly make themselves available to teach for MFCA. Whereas they could perceive MFCA as an unnecessary evil or competition for their seminaries, they have become partners and with enthusiasm they teach in the MFCA program. Not only do they teach, but they are encourager's of the students and share their love for the RCA with them. They are also, without a doubt, amongst the best in their fields.

I believe that Tim Brown, Gregg Mast and Dennis Voskuil are men of God who are selflessly using their gifts to serve the RCA and the future leadership of the Church. The challenges of theological education continue to mount and I am grateful that these men have accepted the positions they have.

Brown and Mast also serve on MFCA certification committees. Recently, one of the committee members, Rev. Shirley Heeg, wrote a piece on her experience in her church’s newsletter about a recent meeting of one of the committees. It happened to focus on one of the presidents and it is included in our newsletter…

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Reflecting…on something I observed at denominational meetings

As usual, he welcomes others with an easy smile as they enter the room. It’s one of the first things you notice about this professor, an intangible gift that he brings to the interview process at hand. He is the one among us who will summarize our conclusions later because we are all confident that he will deliver that information with both skill and kindness. Time and again, I have seen these ministry students relax in spite of their anxieties about the significance of this step in the process. In effect, he has opened the “second door” in the room, the door to trust.

I think how remarkable that is in itself and, yet, something even more rare is sure to follow. At previous meetings, I’ve discovered that behind this initial welcome is a genuine commitment to praise. I don’t know about you, but over the years I’ve learned to distrust a quick smile followed by words of flattery. Wisely, I think. There was a time when a traveling insurance agent flashed that kind of smile and used those sorts of words to press John and me to buy coverage we couldn’t afford. He ended up embezzling from our account and his own company. When we were younger, we both probably had “buyer’s regret” as often as we came down with the common cold. Consequently, we often remind each other not to fall for everything, not to trust without reservation. But, still, our hearts keep hoping.

We hope because there is always the possibility of coming across someone who genuinely welcomes and who genuinely praises – that is, someone who welcomes and praises without guile, without leverage, without ulterior motives, except to share the hope with us that all will be well here in this gathering. In this professor, I have met the “genuine article,” as they say. And it is good.

Given that I know I can be fooled, you may wonder how I recognize the difference. Let me tell you how I know he is genuine. This man measures up well against the biblical standard of praise. He frequently begins his prayers with a psalm. “Praise the Lord, How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise God!” (Ps. 147:1) And yet, where many of us might read or recite those same words, he seems to be able to absorb them differently. The goodness of God, God’s steadfast love, God’s creativity and joy and power and justice work like a caffeine-boost to energize his thoughts. They brighten his smile. They become the lenses through which he views the world and, blessedly, the lenses through which he sees me.

I’ve found that those who praise God like this are, at the same time, also more thankful for others. For example, the apostle Paul’s letters usually begin with a combination of praise for God accompanied by thankfulness for the persons he’s addressing. That’s because, at its core, praising is an expression of enjoyment, welling-up and spilling-over.

On the other hand, Paul’s letters do move on to include admonitions and call for corrections. In his writings, the psalmist does not gloss over strong, personal feelings and disappointments either. ‘Here it comes,’ we might think. ‘Praise is the bait and now we’re in for the hook.’ But not so. Surprisingly, reality checks are received differently when they follow genuine praise. This is what Paul calls “truth spoken in love.” When praise is offered humbly and without thought for personal gain, it allows us graceful space within which to look at ourselves without feeling threatened. It offers access to self-awareness, to any repentance that may be needed and to the possibility of change. Surely, praise is essential to the Christian community.

But, I suspect, most of us reserve our words of praise for coaching little-league or tee-ball, for describing our grand-children to our friends and maybe for anniversary cards as long as they don’t get too “mushy.” And, of course, for hymns during Sunday morning worship. We might unlatch that door-chain, don’t you think? Or, like we are doing in the church office these days, prop that door wide-open for all the fresh air we can get!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)

“Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 147:20 and elsewhere and everywhere…)

Pastor Shirley