Meet the Cadet – Reuben Van Gaalen
Continuing a series spotlighting this year’s cadets of the Rescued session, Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH chatted with Reuben Van Gaalen and discovered his passion and excitement for corps ministry and how seeing communities come alive is shaping his journey to officership. He also loves bringing energy to a room. And for a tasty treat? He can’t go past Yo-Chi frozen yoghurt!
Reuben, rewind for us ... when did the call to officership hit, and what made you say that big ‘yes’?
It wasn’t ever like one big moment. It was lots of things that have happened throughout my life as they flowed through – people who came alongside me, saw something in me, created opportunities for me, challenged me in different ways, spoke things over me. All these different things have helped develop the heart for it (officership). I just want to be faithful with that moment. There’s this line that I love from Nathan Finochio: Fall in love with faithfulness, and God will take care of the fruitfulness.
Where are you serving at the moment – and what’s your role?
I’m at Camberwell Salvation Army as a cadet. I get to serve in the community, learn the community and, for lucky Matt (the Corps Officer), follow him around everywhere. It’s been a good time.
Any standout moments that are shaping you as a future officer?
For me, probably moments where community happens. Those small moments where you see a word of encouragement that turns into people stepping out of their comfort zone and trying to do more. We’ve got the Ashy House Church, which happens on a Tuesday. I love those moments where we just sit in community and just hear different people’s stories or learn about the Bible, stuff like that, and encourage each other, which is awesome. We’ve also got Monday night basketball teams where half the church rocks up to cheer them on. It’s just beautiful stuff. So, that’s what shapes and really impacts me and gets me going.
Where are you feeling stretched right now?
My ability to slow down! I came from a role where, in a high school, it was go, go, go. You have to fit everything in within the 10 weeks of that term. It’s very fast-paced – and then coming into the corps context is slower. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it has been stretching in the sense that I just want to get to the end. But there are moments that God calls me to just be still. Sometimes just obedience has shown a lot of fruit, but it’s been stretching.
What strengths do you lean on most?
Probably energy and pastoral care. I love bringing energy to a room. That’s a lot of fun. But a big thing for the more serious moments is pastoral care and words of encouragement and things like that. They’re important to me. Those are the moments when you are sitting with people, hearing their story and doing life with them.
Which focus areas of officership really fire you up – and why? I just love corps ministry. That excites me the most. The idea of just being planted within a community, learning that community story, seeing its needs, discovering its strengths. I like the theological saying ‘having the Bible in one hand and having the newspaper in another’. I love ministry in that context of having the Bible as the source of truth but having the newspaper to be that thing that defines where truth is needed to be seen.
If you could design your dream appointment today, what would it look like – and who would you most hope to impact?
I’d love to be in a community where the corps believes its best days are ahead. To have opportunities to see young people dream and leaders within that church hungry to see those things where God is moving already and just joining Him in those places. I’d want to help people recognise where God is already at work, equip them to lead, and see the corps become a place the wider community knows is there for them.
And just for fun ... when you switch off, what do you love doing?I love the gym, I love basketball, I love going for a drive, and I love Yo-Chi – frozen yoghurt!
