I'm not so good at talking after all...
"I don't think that is what the psalmist is saying..." Some classmates commented that they lost me halfway through my sermon and others added that my sub-points were in no way linked back to my main point.
I've just preached at my Preaching for Dummies class, and this was the response I received. Good valid constructive comments. Very humbling too (coincidentally, at our SEBL group, we've just talked about genuine humility). I've always thought talking was one of my strong points, but I guess I have so much more to learn.
I preached on Psalm 27:4-6 and somehow or another, I completely missed the point of the psalm and read into it a "future" perspective and even mentioned praying for Christ's return (as an application of the psalmist longing for the completion of the temple). Blown it completely. But I'll learn. I have to learn!
In reflection, being in Perth this last 3 years or so has really taught me a lot. Especially in humility. In Singapore, I used to assume I was a fairly good worship leader and musician, small group leader and yeah, administrator and leader of a worship team and camp. In the last three years, I've realised that I'm actually not so good after all.
With OCF, I realised that despite pulling out all stops in my two years of leadership, even as president, I was completely helpless in making OCF relevant on our campus. Despite all the hard work, time, prayer and energy devoted into talking to people and trying to convince them, it has all come to naught.
As a musician, I'm perhaps the worst guitarist on our team at Mounties and make so many mistakes and screw-ups each Sunday despite practice. Yeah, I'm nowhere close to leading worship at church. I just don't sing well enough.
As a friend, I haven't made any effort to maintain close and intentional relationships with people around me. As a worker, I tend to be too OCD in the things that don't matter to be productive. As a student, I'm far from exceptional, just average, maybe even below average at a very average university.
What has all this taught me? I once thought that if I put my heart and mind to something, I can accomplish anything. But maybe I can't. I'm not so special. I'm not so clever. I'm not so significant, really. However, despite the failures, I pray that God will still use me. I need to be more submitted to the Lord and His power working through and in me. Truly, not by might, not by power but by the Spirit.
I've just preached at my Preaching for Dummies class, and this was the response I received. Good valid constructive comments. Very humbling too (coincidentally, at our SEBL group, we've just talked about genuine humility). I've always thought talking was one of my strong points, but I guess I have so much more to learn.
I preached on Psalm 27:4-6 and somehow or another, I completely missed the point of the psalm and read into it a "future" perspective and even mentioned praying for Christ's return (as an application of the psalmist longing for the completion of the temple). Blown it completely. But I'll learn. I have to learn!
In reflection, being in Perth this last 3 years or so has really taught me a lot. Especially in humility. In Singapore, I used to assume I was a fairly good worship leader and musician, small group leader and yeah, administrator and leader of a worship team and camp. In the last three years, I've realised that I'm actually not so good after all.
With OCF, I realised that despite pulling out all stops in my two years of leadership, even as president, I was completely helpless in making OCF relevant on our campus. Despite all the hard work, time, prayer and energy devoted into talking to people and trying to convince them, it has all come to naught.
As a musician, I'm perhaps the worst guitarist on our team at Mounties and make so many mistakes and screw-ups each Sunday despite practice. Yeah, I'm nowhere close to leading worship at church. I just don't sing well enough.
As a friend, I haven't made any effort to maintain close and intentional relationships with people around me. As a worker, I tend to be too OCD in the things that don't matter to be productive. As a student, I'm far from exceptional, just average, maybe even below average at a very average university.
What has all this taught me? I once thought that if I put my heart and mind to something, I can accomplish anything. But maybe I can't. I'm not so special. I'm not so clever. I'm not so significant, really. However, despite the failures, I pray that God will still use me. I need to be more submitted to the Lord and His power working through and in me. Truly, not by might, not by power but by the Spirit.
3 Comments:
It's funny to hear you say all this about your time in Singapore on hindsight, in light of your Perth stint (and still going strong there)! OCD! haha.. yeah, I picked up a little of that from you, it's a good thing!! just that sometimes it's counterproductive! hahaha!!! :S
way to go bro! ", We just keep realising how inadequate we are in ourselves! ",
magmag
funny how you play more guitar now, but when i think of you, you aren't playing the guitar or even of teaching/talking/singing but you're playing the keyboard. i miss that.
see you soon! press on. one track mind....
abi.
You bring so much more to our team than you probably realise - You are an integral part of the team and it's good to be able to learn from each other.
Definitely not the worst guitarist on the team at Mounties :)
Looking forward to you leading worship more often. Keep singing. It's not the voice He listens to - I remember being told when I first joined the team, "When you're playing or singing, it's like God's watching you with the mute feature on. He doesn't care about the sound being made, but He cares about the condition of the heart of the person making the sound".
He has a purpose for you. He has plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11
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