Interview with Rev. Clarence VanderVelde
Clarence VanderVelde was called into gospel ministry in the fall of 1993 in the Canadian Reformed Church at Yarrow, BC. After serving eleven years in the west, he and his family moved closer to his roots in southern Ontario to serve a congregation in Niagara. Since that time Rev. VanderVelde has gone on to preach and teach first in Elora and at the present time in Burlington. Along the way he managed to write a a book of devotions called My Rock and My Salvation (Inheritance Publications, 2008). I interacted with this seasoned minister over email about his involvement in Christ’s Psalms, Our Psalms. Enjoy!
Peter Holtvlüwer
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PH: Let me start by thanking you for your contribution to Christ’s Psalms, Our Psalms. Besides being invited, what drew you to participate in this project?
CV: I like doing research and I enjoy writing. Here was an opportunity for several ministers to rally their time and energy for a project that no one minister would likely take upon himself alone. In addition, since Reformed churches emphasize singing the Psalms in worship, it would be helpful to have a study on the Psalms showing their relevance for today.
PH: Which particular psalms did you work on? Tell us about one of the most interesting or surprising things that you learned in working on your psalms.
CV: I worked on Psalms 135, 136, and 137. The Psalms are fascinating to study. An important detail about Psalm 136 that stands out for me is the significance of the recurring refrain “for his steadfast love endures forever.” The refrain occurs 26 times – once in every verse – to emphasize that the LORD is the God of steadfast love because the numerical value of the Hebrew Name “Yahweh” (“LORD”) is 26!
PH: One of the key things you were asked to find were legitimate connections to Jesus Christ in each psalm. How did you find this task (difficult or…)? Did your psalms present any distinctive difficulties in this respect? Did you learn of any connections to Christ that were new to you?
CV: Finding those connections is indeed a very important part of this project, if not the most important part. This is what ministers are always looking for when dealing with Old Testament passages because the Bible is ultimately about the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. I considered and included more connections than I would necessarily mention in a sermon, but that’s okay because a study resource includes more detail than a sermon does.
PH: You are a full-time minister with plenty of demands on your schedule. How did you manage to work on CPOP alongside of your regular work? Did you encounter any special challenges? What sorts of things did you do to help you complete the assignment? 
CV: Shortly after I agreed to work on three psalms for the project, I received a call and moved to another congregation. Transitioning to another congregation, making many acquaintance visits, and trying to complete my part of this project within the deadline given, certainly made for a hectic schedule. Since the congregation had a heavier pastoral workload, I didn’t offer to do more psalms after I had completed the three I had initially agreed to do.
PH: How many hours (on average) did you put into each psalm? How did your wife feel about your involvement in Christ’s Psalms, Our Psalms?
CV: I devoted substantial chunks of time for a week or two on each psalm. I didn’t count the hours, but they were probably too many! I used the monthly exchange week to work on this project. All the time that would have gone into sermons those weeks went into the psalms. My wife encouraged me to accept the invitation to participate in this project, but also encouraged me not to offer to do more psalms when she saw how hectic my weeks were.
PH: How did the study of the Psalms impact you personally?
CV: The study of these psalms impacted me personally because it impressed upon me the multi-facetted meaning of these psalms. There is more to these psalms than first meets the eye. It made me see more clearly the rich content of God’s Word. The Psalms are not merely the product of man!
PH: CPOP Study Resource was developed in part with Christian teachers and preachers in mind. In your mind, what stands out as the most useful features for educators? For ministers?
CV: Teachers will be interested in the background information provided for each psalm, the detailed information on key words and unusual expressions, and especially the summary of the main message and the Christ connection. Ministers will especially want to read the section on the Christ connection, as well as the Old Testament links and the New Testament links. A study like this brings a lot of information together in a few pages from a perspective which respects the integrity of the whole of Scripture.
PH: How do you think people in your church might use either CPOP’s Study Guide or Devotional? What benefits do you see in this material for ordinary Christians?
CV: People in my church might use the Study Resource for personal Bible study or for Bible study groups. I’ll be happy when they do so. I hope that they will read the Devotional as part of family devotions. Personally, I think that the Devotional will receive the most interest and use. One of the criteria for the contributions to the Devotional was that they should be heavy on life application, and that’s what appeals to people. Probably the most important benefit of the Study Resource is that it seeks to make clear how each psalm is related to Jesus Christ.
PH: Thank-you for taking the time to answer these questions. Did you wish to make any other comments about this project that might interest our readers?
CV: I would like to say that Peter Holtvlüwer took a big job upon himself when he enlisted fifteen ministers with their different writing styles, work habits, and characters! But he is almost at the point of seeing this project to completion and that’s great to see!
**fini**
Photo by darastar 