Rev. Hendrik Alkema with his wife Kristen
Email Interview with Rev. Hendrik Alkema
Hendrik Alkema was called into the ministry by the Canadian Reformed Church in Houston, BC in the year 2006. Pastor Alkema served this northern community for the better part of six years before taking a call to serve the Free Reformed Church in Albany, Western Australia, where he currently resides with his family. From the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean, Rev. Alkema is at home preaching and teaching the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ among God’s people. His passion, clarity and heart for the needs of fellow believers come out in his work on Christ’s Psalms, Our Psalms, and our project was blessed to have also his contribution.
His efforts, though, did not come without some challenges. Pastor Alkema lets us in behind the study door in this interview. 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?
HA: It was a privilege to be asked to participate in this project, and I was intrigued by the offer. There were a variety of factors that influenced my decision to accept the invitation. The Psalms hold a special place in the hearts of God’s people, and the opportunity to share with others some of the riches found within them was something I found exciting to think about. I also saw my participation in this project as a good challenge for me at that stage in my ministry, and an opportunity to grow. Finally, the prospect of working alongside other cherished colleagues in a beautiful project was something that really appealed to me.
PH: Which particular psalms did you work on? There was some (limited) choice in psalm assignments— was there anything special about this group for you? Please tell us about it.
HA: In the end my participation was limited to Psalms 13-15. I remember that contributors were given an opportunity to indicate which psalms might hold a particular appeal. My recollection is that I didn’t request anything specific at the time, but was willing to accept whatever psalms I was eventually assigned. In retrospect I see that I was graciously given psalms that were shorter but very rich in content and a pleasure to work on. In consequence, they have now become very dear to my heart.
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?
HA: I still remember quite clearly a former teacher at seminary sharing with us the great truth that we do not need to look to try to find the Lord Jesus in Scripture, because on every page of the Bible he is already there. That really coloured my approach to the Christology of the psalms. I found working on the links to Christ in each psalm a very beautiful undertaking. Human sins and weaknesses are contrasted with the strength and faithfulness of Christ, and the promises of salvation point forward to the coming Messiah. I thou
ght the lines to Christ found in each psalm I worked on were very rich and a joy to discover and write about.
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?
HA: It’s clear from the number of psalms I ended up completing that this project in the end took more time and effort than I had originally assumed. It was a real challenge for me to juggle everything. Although I am blessed to work among very generous and supportive office bearers in my congregation, I felt all along that this work could not hinder or stand in the way of my regular tasks within the congregation and federation in which I am blessed to serve. This meant for me that the work had to adjust to the time I had available, which ebbed and flowed according to the demands of ministry. My work on this project fell within a very busy time period locally for me, and that really impacted how much I could accomplish.
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?
HA: I would honestly find it difficult to guess how much effort in terms of time went into each psalm. I did feel that there was a very steep learning curve involved in the project, and it’s probably true that the more psalms one completed the more streamlined the work would become, even taking into account the individual and unique aspects to each psalm. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to work through enough psalms to really benefit from “economies of scale,” and the work tended to be done in separate periods of time. My wife, as usual was very supportive. She likes me to be challenged, but she also has a keen sense of when I’m taking too much on and when to ease off. As time progressed, she did have concerns about my progress, but graciously supported and encouraged me.
PH: Tell us about one of the most interesting or surprising things that you learned in working on your psalms.
HA: A comment was made fairly early on in the project that contributors were finding the meditations on the psalms to be surprisingly difficult. I found the meditations to be a delightfully challenging aspect of the work: highlighting one gem or kernel of the psalm, zooming in on it, relating it to our lives, finding the ultimate fulfillment and answer to the subject in the Lord Jesus, and all in 400 words! It was a healthy exercise.
PH: How did the study of the Psalms impact you personally?
HA: I would like to include the previous question in my response here for the simple reason that what surprised me in working on the psalms was how personal they truly are. I know that’s a bit of a cliché when it comes to speaking about the psalms, but clichés often exist for a very good reason. Regardless of the unique circumstances in our lives, there are aspects of each psalm that we can relate to, whether in the present or looking back at some point in life. I always knew the psalms were instructive and comforting. I was amazed at how instructive and comforting the psalms I worked on were for me.
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?
HA: I’m not sure if I’m willing to be lured into identifying any particular area as more useful than others. What I found so wonderfully interesting at the beginning of the project was the development of the various categories. Whether it is teachers or preachers who read this material, I think all categories will play a role in helping people to quickly identify points of interest and then absorb in a clear and systematic way the great riches found in each psalm. I know as a preacher I will be eager to read the contributions of others.
PH: How do you think people in your church might use either CPOP’s Study Resource or Devotional? What benefits do you see in this material for ordinary Christians?
HA: For obvious reasons, the Devotional will be useful to people who want to grow in their faith and their walk with the Lord. Yet the Study Resource can also serve a very valuable role as a devotional aide. I can see how members of the congregation would really benefit from consulting the study resource in preparation for Bible study or as a means of enriching their personal or family devotions.
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?
HA: Ministry is always busy, and I suppose as one matures in the office there are increased responsibilities and tasks that call for more time and effort. When I accepted the offer to participate in the project, I was in a position where I felt I had the time and energy to be able to fulfill the requirements asked of me. As time went on, it became clear to me that the demands of my regular task were not only quite taxing, but also increasing, and I simply couldn’t complete all the psalms I was asked to. Yet throughout this process I was very blessed by the spirit of kindness, patience, encouragement and generosity of yourself as the editor—a dear colleague. I specifically want the readers to be made aware of how much I appreciated the way in which I was helped through this process by you. I thank the Lord that he has given you the gifts to navigate this process in such a gracious way.