One down and eleven to go. I am about to complete my first month in my new pastoral ministry after 6 months on sabbatical. I think I should record some of my experiences for posterity. First, a lot of preaching. 12 sermons in a month, easily double the amount of preaching I did when I pastored a KK church. Last night I preached about giving up everything based on Luke 14,14 to 33. It was a small gathering as it was the 3rd meeting during the week (we had Tuesday and Wed night meetings), I felt free to preach a hard message among leaders and their families. I spoke about loving Jesus more than one's father and mother, brothers and sisters, even one's own wife. I spoke about not giving excuses when the things of God demand our total devotion and commitment. No excuse! As the parable teaches, fields, oxen and even newly wed, there are simply no excuses when the call comes to follow Jesus.
I shared how it was not easy for me as the eldest son with 3 brothers who are unbelievers. I shared how it was not easy to give up the security and comfort (money) by uprooting myself from Singapore. I shared how an urban person like myself finding oneself in rural setting, adjusting to lack of amenities and modernity that I had been accustomed to, almost all my adult life except my first year in ministry in Melangkap village, Kota Belud. I have not watched TV for whole month and that's a record.
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