What They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary

RECENTLY, after preaching in my church, a person came up to me and complimented me: “That was a good sermon!” I was pleasantly overjoyed and so I asked, “What’s so good about the sermon?” expecting the person to give me a few pointers as I am always in the quest for improvement.

That remark caused a rift in our relationship – for the person perceived that I was insensitive – instead of thanks, I returned the compliment with a question that is taken as “interrogation” – whether the person really meant it when complimenting me.

This sets me thinking – and realizing that for all the homiletics lessons and classes – homiletics means “preaching”; and what was covered in the syllabus includes the theological understanding as well as areas of delivery, posture, diction, and many other aspects of communication.

However, what was not taught was “how to respond to people’s comments – positive as well as negative comments. While it is relatively easy to handle a negative comment – apology and a curt thanks for their putting up with us; a positive comment is trickier – should we just say thanks and move on? Or should we dwell longer on which aspects of the sermon was “good” and how the person was ministered, etc?

I learned from this episode that the one thing to do is to thank the person and allow the person to respond – if there is no response, we should move on our way. It is not wise to try and “engage” the person, because the reality is that the person’s head, heart and will had been impacted somehow but the reality of the sermon had not sunk in quite yet.

After listening for 20-30 minutes of sermon, the person is in the process of unpacking what was said. Those compliments are the “positive vibes” the person had experienced – but for the person to be able to pinpoint which particular area in his or her person is really impossible or at best what you will hear will be a jumble of thoughts and perceptions.

Perhaps you might say this is “common sense” but this episode has taught me that the “common sense” I ought to have known does not necessarily translated into “common practice.”

But there is a happy ending to the episode - I apologised the next Sunday and now, the relationship is mended - and I have a roaring fan on my side!

Till next time…

Sometime We Do Well, Sometimes We Don’t

LAST Sunday I preached one of the worst sermon in my church. What went wrong?

Was it a lack of Preparation? Prayer?

Couldn’t be. I put in the hours in both.

Was it a lack of conviction that it was God’s message for the congregation?

Couldn’t be. The text was appropriate for the theme – motherhood.


What Went Wrong?

As I recoup and regain my energy after every sermon – preaching takes a lot out of you, for it pumps up your adrenalin when during the process of preparation and speaking. Once you’re done speaking, your energy level is at its lowest, hence, most pastors will take Monday as their off-day to “recuperate.” I also take Monday off but in addition to recuperate, I spend a big part of the day reflecting on what I’ve taught, and reflecting on the feedback I’ve received from the congregation.

Sometime we do well, sometimes we don’t. This one didn’t do well indeed for me.


What Went Wrong?

I find that one of the main reason is that I failed to connect the sermon with the people. What do I mean? I am unsure exactly which group of people I’m targeting at. Those who are mothers? Or those who have mothers? It is not a question of either of but could be a question of “both and.”

What I failed to connect was the tension felt by the listeners. Because we live in a society where our mothers are traditionally held in high esteem (fathers held in healthy fear), therefore, to connect with the listeners, there must be the “aha” moments whereby the listener can “feel” the message with their emotions (heart and will) and not just the head.

Which brings me back to the basics of good preaching. There are three development questions that every preacher must ask – the 3 DQs.

Explanation – What does it mean?
Validation – Is it true? Do I believe it?
Application – So what? How then should I live?

Explanation speaks to the mind, informing it.
Validation speaks to the heart, stirring dissonance and causing disequilibrium.
Application speaks to the will, prompting action.

I trust that my episode will encourage readers, especially pastors, not to lose heart but to learn from our mistakes and grow from it. This way, the next sermon will improve.

Till next time…

Mothers Day May 13, 2007

Today I preached in my church on the topic of Motherhood – the (i) Responsibility of Motherhood conferred by God and (ii) Response of those whom God chose to fulfill his plans.

Mothers do not take a Sabbath – 24/7, 365 days, non-stop, they will dispense their love, warmth, nurture and protection upon their children. Except for dysfunctional situations at home, no mothers will forego this “duty.”

The act of motherhood is an act that is as close to creativity because it shares in the creative power of God through conceiving, carrying, and giving birth to a human being.

Voluntary or not, happy or sad, a mother would have to undergo the 9-months of pregnancy and followed by years of nurturing, training, loving, caring and protecting their children.

Is motherhood a blessing? Or is it a curse?

The answer depends on many factors – was the pregnancy easy or difficult; was it life-threatening; was the father of the child very supportive in helping the mother adjust with the physiological and sexual changes; was the family mentally, spiritually, and financially prepared.

Does that mean that if the family was unprepared, the motherhood is doomed for failure? Conversely, if the motherhood had the best of preparations, would that guarantee a blissful journey into motherhood?

I don’t think so. There are just too many variables that work against a successful motherhood. Why is that? We live in a fallen world – where we have to toil to make a living, whether in Singapore or anywhere in the world. There is really no such thing as a free lunch isn’t it?

Which brings me back to the question whether motherhood is a blessing or a curse. In one sense, it is a curse, as God cursed Eve, the first female, in the Garden of Eden for disobedience. Childbirth will be a painful process – followed by years of nurturing, caring and teaching the child.

At the same time, it is a blessing because only women are given this important responsibility to co-partner with God to bring a human being into the world. Only a woman, with her intuitive and motherly instincts can fully understand and empathize with a growing child – because a man usually leads with his head (logically – based on facts), while a woman leads with her heart (intuitively and instincts – gut feel).

But most importantly, for us Christians, motherhood is ordained and conferred by God – and he will not leave us to our own devices. He will bring people alongside, as we saw in the account in Luke 1:39-45, where we see the older mother (Elizabeth) blessing and affirming the younger mother (Mary).

God is the One who will be the source and strength of the motherhood. And for that, it doesn’t matter if motherhood is a blessing or a curse. God will walk with us and see us through those difficult moments in family life.

Happy Mothers Day to all.
Amen.

Healthy Churches

Biblical Church growth is concerned with the planting, multiplying, nurturing, and renewing of healthy churches.

However, while no one desires to be a part of a church that is unhealthy, we must ask the question, Can a church be healthy if it doesn’t grow?

In some situations, it may be possible, especially in locations where the church is highly persecuted. Yet even in countries where the church is not free to assemble publicly, an underground church often experiences numerical growth. In the great majority of church situations, it would be difficult to think a church could honestly be labeled “healthy” if it was not growing by making countable disciples. Not only did Jesus Christ categorically state that he would build his church (Matt 16:18), thereby sovereignly guaranteeing church growth, but he left us with a command to “make disciples,” thereby sovereignly giving us a part in church growth. The desire to have a healthy church is normal, but numerical growth must be seen as one indication of such health.

Church growth is the point!

Healthy churches demonstrate both numerical and spiritual growth. Leaders who desire to see biblical church growth in their church must be careful not to allow an inward focus on renewing the health of their church to become an excuse for a lack of numerical growth.

Why?
Centripetal vs Centrifugal
An overemphasis on renewing the spiritual health of a church can actually make the church “sick.” When a church focuses on spiritual renewal for too long, it becomes self-centered and loses a sense of mission. This happens because it develops a centripetal (inward) momentum that seeks to turn ever more inward. A centripetal church may maintain a vibrant life for a time, but without an outward focus, it will eventually collapse in on itself in selfish introspection.

In contrast, churches that pursue biblical church growth develop a centrifugal (outward) force that focuses on making disciples. The challenge of winning new people to Christ forces church members to pray for open doors for the gospel and to seek answers to real-life questions that non-believers wrestle with. An outward focus drives members into a closer and deeper relationship to Jesus Christ.

While it might be argued that a church could focus outwardly too much, this also would not be healthy. While this is indeed a distinct possibility, it is seen infrequently. A historical analysis of churches shows that the greatest danger is too much of an inward focus.

In Whose Hands Are You?

I CONDUCTED a funeral service recently. After each funeral, I will feel rather exhausted - a mixed bag of triumph, knowing that the person had passed on to eternal life in heaven; and a sense of tragedy, knowing that the family who had lost the person will have to live with a sense of emptiness in the person's absence.

So this morning, I returned to my bookshelf and pored over several books relating to the morbid topic - Death.

This forces a question: How do the Bible view death, particularly for the Christian? What does a spiritual, eternal perspective look like?

In Psalm 116:15, it is written, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly saints."

Why? What is it about death for the Christian that constitutes it precious to God, and therefore, to the believer?

The Bible uses three graphic, compelling pictures or metaphors for the death of a believer.

1. Going to Sleep (1 Thess 4:13-17);
2. Going on a journey (2 Tim 4:6)
3. Going home (John 14:1-3).

Regardless of the three metaphors, there is one compelling thought, which is encapsulated in a poem (unknown author) below - think about it.


In Whose Hands Are You?

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6
A baseball in Mark McGuire’s hands is worth about $19
It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras’ hands is a Wimbledon Championship.
It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses’ hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends on whose hands it’s in.

A slingshot in my hands is a kid’s toy.
A slingshot in David’s hands is a mighty weapon.
It depends on whose hands it’s in.

Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and five loaves of bread in God’s hands will feed thousands.
It depends on whose hands it’s in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends on whose hands it’s in.


As you now see, it depends on whose hands it’s in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes , your dreams, your families, and your relationships in God’s hands, because, you see, it depends on whose hands it’s in.

Faithful

"Many a man will declare his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find?" (Proverbs 20:6)

I saw a photo of the excavations of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city that was buried, almost frozen in time, under tons of volcanic ash. The eruption was so sudden, so violent, that many people were doing the basic day to day stuff of life when they were instantly smothered. There was no warning. Death was virtuallyinstantaneous.

One lone Roman soldier stood vigil facing the volcano. He saw the eruption and the deadly ash cloud headed for the city and could have tried to run. He chose to stand. Roman soldiers DID NOT leave their posts unless relieved. They stood faithful to the task before them. They feared their commanding officers more than their enemies; more than death.

This lone soldier stood his ground and was buried alive facing the volcano. His assignment was to guard the city. He stands silent vigil over that doomed city today. He was faithful to the task. God calls us to be faithful witnesses to the world and each other of His goodness. Your testimony of Christ has little power if you are not loving your spouse, honoring your parents, raising godly children, walking out the life of Christ within you in this fallen world.

Jesus promised that when we appear before Him, for those who walked close in obedience to him, will hear these words - "Well done, you good and FAITHFUL servant. Enter into the joy of the L ord." We cannot enter in the Lord's joy in this life or the next unless we are faithful to His call on our lives. Joy is an issue of the heart. You have to be close, intimate with someone to hear their heartbeat. The One we desire calls himself "Faithful and True."

I saw on a sports broadcast once a long distance runner who won a grueling race. His trainer was waiting for him at the finish line. This victorious athlete ran past the trophy right into his coach's arms. The token reward could wait. I suspect he wanted to hear his coaches' praise.

I want to finish my life like that - running right into my Saviors' waiting arms. His words, "Well done, you good and faithful servant" are what I am running to finally hear. His rewards can wait. I want his smile. "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev. 2: 10.
Will you stand firm to the call of God? Do you fear the Lord more than the opinions of men? Will you be found faithful?

- David Langerfield

I Know Where I'm Going

IN January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.The conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it." Einstein nodded appreciatively.

The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. Moving to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one."

Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am ... I also know where I'm going."

My friends, do you know where you are going?

"For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12