“We are His children, so we don’t have to be afraid…”- Rod
This evening I went out for tea with Gerrad and Ruth. Well, it was not really a tea break for Ruth suggested that we should go to KFC, and so we went. It was rather an early dinner at around 5pm…or was it? Duh…
It was NOT an easy food- ordering- experience for me because I look like a fine young Malay guy and I was ordering a KFC Snack Plate during a fasting month!
Anyway, I went through the hard time ordering my meal (thanks to Gerrad who was trying to be funny with the cashier, giving him the impression that I’m a Malay guy who doesn’t fast). I’ll get even with him later during our ‘gotong-royong’. Don’t forget that I am your leader, Gerrad…
Then we sat down to enjoy our food (they all copied my snack plate but mine was spicy).
The main topic during the meal time was church works, church policies, church workers, STM assignments and Jacob Liaw (kidding Jacob!).
But what really caught my attention this evening was my own statement that I shared with the two. Well, it was not really my own statement but I remember reading it sometimes ago in a book, obviously not from “Preacher, prepare yourself”. The statement goes on like this,
“If you (pastors and priests) started to feel comfortable in your current churches, it is time to leave and move on to another church.”
What kind of line was that??? I thought all this while when things are smooth-sailing in our ministry, then God’s blessing and presence must be really on our side. How do I reconcile with this not-so encouraging statement?
Suddenly, Gerrad turned to me with his not-so macho voice and said,” it is because now that the congregation can do things on their own, thanks to your good service. Or you feel comfortable probably because you don’t have anything else to do there too. Or it could be that the congregation love you so much because of your flexibility and you never preached them a judgment sermon like that of Isaiah’s!
(ACTUALLY GERRAD ONLY SAID THE LINE IN BOLD..!)
Perhaps that’s the reason why many churches nowadays are quite slow when it comes to discipleship, transformation, church growth and evangelism. Maybe as mere men, we are easily satisfied and feel comfortable with our current achievement. Do not forget that Jesus said “GO” instead of “can you please go..?”…! It was in an imperative form (if you learn Greek, it indicates a command and not a suggestion or neither was it a request. It is a command!).
The God whom I serve is The God of transformation and self-edification. He told me NOT TO STOP AT CERTAIN POINTS WHEN YOU CAN GO FURTHER. I got this from ‘Facing the Giants’.
You too can go further. I started by being a Sunday School teacher. Then I became a youth leader in my parish. And now I am focusing on a more ‘solid food’ as I had left the ‘mild milk’ of basic training. The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few.
“May I never boast except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ”…Galatians 6:14.
This evening I went out for tea with Gerrad and Ruth. Well, it was not really a tea break for Ruth suggested that we should go to KFC, and so we went. It was rather an early dinner at around 5pm…or was it? Duh…
It was NOT an easy food- ordering- experience for me because I look like a fine young Malay guy and I was ordering a KFC Snack Plate during a fasting month!
Anyway, I went through the hard time ordering my meal (thanks to Gerrad who was trying to be funny with the cashier, giving him the impression that I’m a Malay guy who doesn’t fast). I’ll get even with him later during our ‘gotong-royong’. Don’t forget that I am your leader, Gerrad…
Then we sat down to enjoy our food (they all copied my snack plate but mine was spicy).
The main topic during the meal time was church works, church policies, church workers, STM assignments and Jacob Liaw (kidding Jacob!).
But what really caught my attention this evening was my own statement that I shared with the two. Well, it was not really my own statement but I remember reading it sometimes ago in a book, obviously not from “Preacher, prepare yourself”. The statement goes on like this,
“If you (pastors and priests) started to feel comfortable in your current churches, it is time to leave and move on to another church.”
What kind of line was that??? I thought all this while when things are smooth-sailing in our ministry, then God’s blessing and presence must be really on our side. How do I reconcile with this not-so encouraging statement?
Suddenly, Gerrad turned to me with his not-so macho voice and said,” it is because now that the congregation can do things on their own, thanks to your good service. Or you feel comfortable probably because you don’t have anything else to do there too. Or it could be that the congregation love you so much because of your flexibility and you never preached them a judgment sermon like that of Isaiah’s!
(ACTUALLY GERRAD ONLY SAID THE LINE IN BOLD..!)
Perhaps that’s the reason why many churches nowadays are quite slow when it comes to discipleship, transformation, church growth and evangelism. Maybe as mere men, we are easily satisfied and feel comfortable with our current achievement. Do not forget that Jesus said “GO” instead of “can you please go..?”…! It was in an imperative form (if you learn Greek, it indicates a command and not a suggestion or neither was it a request. It is a command!).
The God whom I serve is The God of transformation and self-edification. He told me NOT TO STOP AT CERTAIN POINTS WHEN YOU CAN GO FURTHER. I got this from ‘Facing the Giants’.
You too can go further. I started by being a Sunday School teacher. Then I became a youth leader in my parish. And now I am focusing on a more ‘solid food’ as I had left the ‘mild milk’ of basic training. The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few.
“May I never boast except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ”…Galatians 6:14.
1 comment:
Yarabbi..inilah namanya Islam Hadhari, tidak segan silu membeli makanan di bulan Ramadhan yang berkat ini. kekekekkekkee...!!!
Weiii..km pun pegi KFC lemai kemari pukul 5 pm lebih for dinner, awal kan? reasons?becos sida kump B ka bukak posa..aiiyaa nya pun kaunter dah penuh. shiyal betoi... hahahaa
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