Ordained to the ministry in 1930, Rev. Frank De Jong of San Jose, California first served churches in Luctor, Kansas and in Pella, Iowa. Then from 1938 until his retirement in 1966 he has labored with distinction in church-extension and in mission work in California. He has also remained active in this work at various times and places in California during his retirement years. Always averse to pompous demeanor, while never compromising the important office of its minister, Rev. De Jong writes: “The person himself is insignificant; but, don‘t forget, his work is a glorious work.”
During a coffee break at Synod some years ago one of the Hekman brothers, of the Hekman Biscuit Company, approached me and said, “De Jong, I think you men take 
yourselves too seriously.” He had been an observer during a few of our sessions and made this observation. Perhaps he had the same thought in mind as did the apostle Paul when he wrote to the church in Corinth, saying in effect, “You take us, your ministers, too seriously” (I Cor. 3:18). The members of this church had become divided into followers of Paul and of Apollos. There were Paulites and Apollosites.
Paul denounced this division among them. It arises from a carnal heart, he explained. “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” Carnal, worldly Christians, he meant make too much of the means God uses to establish His Kingdom, namely the ministers of the Word. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” Paul wanted to point to the insignificance of the minister and show that after all, each one of them, regardless of their assignment in the church, were possessed of nothing, considered in themselves. They, the ministers, are insignificant, but, the ministry they bring is supremely significant.
For all of us, both ministers as well as lay-members of the church, the lesson given in First Corinthians 3 is valuable and very necessary. Let Romans 12;3 be our guide in this instruction, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
There are two very important words in this chapter which explain the entire lesson. Everything Paul says centers upon these two words. They are repeated twice—verses 6 and 7: “but God.” Paul writes, “I have planted, Apollos watereth; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that [or who] giveth the increase.” That explains everything. The minister of the church is only an instrument in God’s service, a servant of God (minister comes from deacon, meaning a servant) who is utterly dependent upon the work of the Holy Spirit to bless his labors.
The members of the Corinthian church were mere infants in Christ. As infants they made too much of the men who were only servants of God. Choosing up sides, dividing into Paulites and Apollosites, they envied each other and engaged in bitter strifes. All this happens when Christians who are still carnally minded do not realize how insignificant the person of the minister is. He plants the Word, but God is the source of all the blessings which follow.
I often wonder whether the great Reformer Martin Luther would have put his stamp of approval upon the name his followers chose for the church he founded –the Lutheran Church. Be grateful that the founding fathers of the Synod of Dordt did not decide to call our denomination Calvin Church! Individual congregations, also, should not be called after the name of their pastor, but, always referred to by their official name.
The person himself is insignificant, but, don‘t forget, his work is a glorious work. Our form for Ordination of Ministers expresses it beautifully, “From these things one can see what a glorious work the pastoral office is, because of the great things accomplished by it; yea, how indispensable it is for bringing men to salvation.”
Not only is it a gloriolls work, it is also very rewarding. In verse 8 Paul speaks of this saying, “every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.” Unworthy as we are as servants of God, yet, we are told in Daniel 12:3, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Remember it must be, “With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free” (Eph. 6:7, 8).
The insignificance of the person of the minister has bearing also upon his conduct and his outward appearance, both in the pulpit and in his daily public life. Immediately after the secession of 1834 in the Netherlands a controversy arose regarding a subject that can be characterized as “much ado about nothing.” It was known as the question regarding “Het Ambtsgewaad”—what kind of ministerial robe or garment should a minister wear? Such decisions, it seems to me, should be left entirely to the judgment of the pastor himself. There is one garment, however, which should be in the wardrobe of every preacher and be worn not only on Sunday, but every day of the week. The Lord of the church through his apostle Peter commands its use, saying, ‘“Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Let’s just leave the strutting to the peacocks!