However, there are dangers both ways. When we limit an officer's term of service, we create an atmosphere in which the officers themselves sometimes think they have completed their duty when their term has expired. It becomes very difficult at that point to get them back on the Consistory. On the other hand, a lifetime call becomes a problem when an officer is placed on the Consistory who proves ineffective or harmful to the life of the church.

Perhaps it would be better simply to recognize that elders are elders for life and that it is the church's responsibility to establish a number of safeguards that would keep unqualified men off the Consistory. These safeguards might include an extensive hands-on training program and an examination in the Bible and standards of the church before he is nominated for election.

Even so, candidates for office have to ask themselves one very important question: How do I know if the Lord is really calling me to serve in his church? Unfortunately, this question is often ignored because most of us do not know how to answer it. Is it wholly a matter of subjective desire? Individuals often misjudge their own abilities. Or are there objective indications of a divine call?

The first and most important consideration in determining a call is qualification. Does a man meet all the criteria required of elders or deacons in 1 Timothy 3? The Lord does not call those whom he has not qualified. No matter how much a woman may want to serve the Lord, she cannot claim to be called to the ministry. Why? Because ministers of the Word must be men. Drunkards and pedophiles cannot be officers either, for the Lord requires church officers to be of sound judgment and righteous lives. It is as simple as that. Now this does not mean that a man must possess all the qualifications to the utmost degree. But the characteristics of a godly leader must be clearly discernible, and there must not be anything in his life or doctrine that would disqualify him.

Biblical qualifications are absolutely essential for church office, but we must not give up on individuals too soon either. More than once have brash, young men learned humility and patience in the school of Christ. We should encourage such individuals to continue growing in the faith. There must be some room for growth and maturing in all of us. Those who may not be fit for office now might be greatly used by the Lord in years to come.

Secondly, officers must have a desire to serve-not just a willingness to serve, but an overpowering thirst for the advancement of Christ's kingdom and glory. Paul wrote, This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work (1 Tim. 3:1). This is, in a sense, another qualification for office, but it is different from the others in that it is wholly subjective. No one knows whether a person longs to serve the Lord except the individual in question. Yet, a desire for the work must be present.

A seminary professor once said to his students, "If you are comfortable doing anything else, you should not become a pastor." He meant that it must be a preacher's chief delight to teach the Word of the living God. If he can be satisfied with anything else, then his heart is not really in the work of the Lord.

Knowing that church office demands tremendous sacrifice and hard work, there is often some hesitation for individuals to volunteer. Elders must not be ashamed, therefore, to ask qualified men if they have ever thought about serving. In fact, a little nudging, just to see how a man responds, is not a bad idea. It will give individuals the opportunity to say whether they desire the work or not. However, the best candidates for office will be those who participate in most church activities with enthusiasm, take an interest in other members and are hospitable to strangers.

On the other hand, there are some who are uniquely qualified for office but refuse to serve because they realize that they cannot give the work the time and effort that it needs. If this is the case, it is best not to push. While it may be true that the busiest people get the most done, it is also true that each man knows his own limits.

Election to a particular area of service is a third indication of God's call. This call must come objectively by the voice of the Lord's people, and it must be confirmed by the elders. Today there are many who claim that they are "called" to preach who have no idea where they will preach. This is not Biblical.

The Constitution of the Reformed Church in the United States says that "a licentiate shall not be ordained until he has received and accepted a call to a pastoral charge, or has been called to a mission or to be a Teacher of Theology" (Art. 24). There must be a call to fulfill some need within the body of Christ.

In this regard, the courts of the church must not be afraid, when necessary, not to approve the ordination or installation of someone who is not properly called. The mere fact that a church needs another elder is not a good enough reason to ordain a man whose call is not clear. In fact, proceeding contrary to Biblical order may (and probably will) cause more harm than it will help. After all, Christ is the head of his church and he will provide the right man at the right time.

When all the Biblical requirements are satisfied, i.e., the candidate has a heartfelt longing to serve, the Biblical qualifications for office, and an objective call to a particular work, then the call must be understood as coming from God himself.

By Dr. Frank H. Walker, Reformed Church Government: The Church Fulfilling Its Calling.