The staff meeting of the week is usually on Tuesdays, unless there is a public holiday. It usually begins around 9.30am and never ends earlier than 12.30pm. We discuss what most staff would discuss. Then its usually a late lunch break for me. After that I would work on action following the meeting if there are important and urgent ones to tackle. And then, nowadays, with Christian Education every Wednesday, I will perfect my draft powerpoint and teaching notes, and send the Powerpoint slides to the CE WhatsApp chat group. This will usually carry on into the night and I quit with a satisfied sigh. Is there such a thing as a “satisfied sigh”? A sigh of relief and satisfaction.
The pastors initiated some pastoral care when we found that a number of men were between jobs. They were mainly professionals in manufacturing, retail, finance and service industries. We formed a WhatsApp chat group with Wai Tuck as a co-ordinator. We called it Men In Transition. We met them for prayer and meditation (lectio divina), sharing, and meals periodically.
Last week Tom Cannon and I met them for a few hours of reflection on their vocational history. We got them to draw a timeline and reflect on the high and low points of their years of working life. We asked them to ponder how God was present in their careers, using Old Testament Joseph’s timeline as an example. It opened their eyes. Then Tom led them in a lectio divina on the passage Isaiah 43:1-7. This was followed with a time of sharing their reflections. We listened to their stories of pain, victories, struggles, weaknesses and wrapped up everything by bring these to the Lord in prayer. The Lord was present to impart peace and comfort.
Then we proceeded to The Ranch for a $10 set meal. Lovely morning; wonderful fellowship! To do work that encourages, enlightens and give hope to people you care about is such a satisfying thing.
It is the pastor’s main task to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. “He gave some to be ….pastors and teachers….to equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4: 11, 12). The original Greek word was used in the Gospel, of the fishermen mending their nets so that they can be serviceable again. How does a pastor do that?
He feeds the flock. He teaches them by example and by the explaining the word of God so that Christ shines through and they are fed and able to serve one another.
He cares for the flock for most people come into the kingdom with needs, problems and hurts that need mending and wholeness. When they are being cared for, they are able to do the work of the ministry.
He leads the flock by organizing, releasing and encouraging people into that which they are called to be and to do and places them into small groups to make the feeding and caring effective. He sees people’s potential and allows them to minister and grow in the strengths God has given them.
A church where people are getting equipped will have a larger and deeper base of leaders so much so that even if 10% of the committed leaders are not around, the church can still absorb the loss, and continue in grace and strength.
The presentations I had to do went well today and now I can pause to write before I continue working on my Sunday sermon and the post-campus assignment.
One of the interesting readings of this module is a Christian Education Journal article (3.vol4, No.2) titled “Teaching Bible for Transformation” by Jackie L. Smallbones from Northwestern College.
Transformation inextricably linked to purpose of Bible
Smallbones’ big idea is that to teach in such a way that people’s lives are transformed we need to take seriously the primary purpose of the Bible. The Bible primary purpose is to reveal God, and only secondarily to show us how to live. The way the Bible is used popularly today, both from the pulpit and in the small groups, the secondary purpose has supplanted the primary. Preachers and people move too swiftly into the applications that focus on what we should do and how we are to apply the truth in our life. Not sufficient time is given to let the text speak and reveal who God is and what He has done. The anthropocentric focus often deters a theocentric priority.
“Transformation is God’s business”
For Smallbones, transformation is a radical change that comes from deep within a person and is lasting. It is growth in Christ-likeness. For her, “Transformation is God’s business and not our own” (Smallbones, 2007) and it often takes place by grace, despite our efforts or teaching methodology. To Smallbones, the secret of transformation lies in having a dynamic, living, interactive relationship with God. No self-disclosure, no friendship; no friendship, no transformation. God’s desire to reveal Himself and have a transforming friendship with us is embedded in the purpose of the Bible. Therefore we need to teach it in such a way that it reveals who God is and what He has done, and elicit a response of gratitude, worship and faith. It makes you want to have a friendship with God, one that in the end would empower you with the grace to do all that a response of faith entails, and one that will transform you beyond surface behavioral cosmetics, and touch you at the roots of your personality.
Exploring a worship service that facilitates transformation
I like what I read in the article and there are many more stuff she has written that is thought provoking and resonant of what the Lord has been teaching me these several years. The question that begs to be answered then is what would a worship service look like that reveals God and invites us into experiential and living encounter and growing friendship with Him. Well for one, the lyrics of the songs we sing would be theocentric. They will exalt and reveal who God is and what He has done, and is doing. Some time could be given for “testimony” where someone could share how God has been real to them. The sermon should constantly have a theocentric focus that exalts God, and should lead people naturally and finally into deep trust, adoration of God, and experiential communion with Him. Instead of focusing on the faith of David, the cowardice of the Israelites, and the blasphemy of Goliath in the sermon, focus on the God who honors His covenant, and waits for someone to dare believe in Him, in order to deliver His people. See Christ defeat of Satan in David’s defeat of Goliath and how we are more like the people of Israel who rejoiced at the victory, than like David. We sat in fear, darkness and oppression until the One greater than David appeared and set us free (got this idea from Graame Goldsworthy).
Silence and holy communion
Another way to create space for the Lord to transform by friendship is the use of silence. Silence is the womb of communion. So have silence before the service begins; or a silent pause or two between or at the end of singing praises; at the offering time; silence for the gifts of the Spirit to manifest; at a pregnant moment in the sermon or a longer silence after the sermon; or during the Holy Communion; and hey, why not a long pause just before the benediction. And of course talking about Holy communion, that visible ritual that proclaims the Lord’s death until He returns, why not do it more often than the conventional once a month.
10.10.10 is a memorable, once in a century date for weddings. So Sharon and Jody booked their hotel banquet about one year ahead. A few things made this wedding memorable besides the date though. For one thing, it was a Sunday. So in the morning worship service, it felt like we were in a megachurch because everybody were dressed up. Then it was 
the wedding of two doctors: one of whom, Sharon, I blessed when she was a newly born baby, and now as a radiant bride. Something about being there and pastoring over decades that gives a kind of added satisfaction to the ceremony. No there were no tears, just a good feeling. Furthermore, the father is a good friend of mine, and a senior leader of the church, a most valuable player. It was also good to see my son and daughter, good friends of the bride, on stage leading in 
song and playing the piano. Lastly, it was also reunion time: seeing dear friends who left our church for other churches. Weddings and funerals often offer opportunities to catch up, shake hands and mend bonds, renew fond memories that never die. It was like a new chapter has turned and we have begun this year to see our own Sunday School kids marry.