Verbi dei minister

The expression dates from the Second Helvetic Confessions of 1562, where the Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger formulated a credo that came to spread throughout German speaking countries.

The Ledger stone for Olof Parlin in the Gloria Dei Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania provides one example of the use of this title in reference to the date that he was ordained.

became the pastor of the united congregation of the Reformed Dutch Church in the towns of Broome, Windham and Blenheim on the 1st day of April 1820"[10] The A.M. is the Latin abbreviation indicating that he holds a Master of Arts degree and the V.D.M.

"[11] A fourth example of its usage and explanation of meaning is found in a biographical sketch for a man named Robert Hamilton of Adams County, Ohio.

"[12] Other examples are the title page of an 1849 autobiography of Ashbel Green[13] and the 1767 center stone of the lintel at the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church in Salem County, New Jersey.

A man scatters seeds; representing the Biblical parable of the sower; here referring to the "ministry of the word", preaching. Etching by C. Murer after himself, c. 1600 –1614.
The center stone of the lintel reads "N.G. V.D.M. 1767 P.G.C." "N.G." is Nehemiah Greenman; "V.D.M." stands for Verbi Dei Minister (minister of the Word of God); "1767" is the year of construction; "P.G.C." is Piles Grove Church which was the name of the congregation at the time of construction.