Three and a half Weeks

In less than 24 days into the last month of the year, I had an amazing introduction to the church. I did not preach yesterday and also on the eighth but I preached twice on my first day at work (1st Dec 2024) which was a double blessings for me, in fact thrice blessed as the night service was held to welcome its new pastor, my 30th anniversary of full time ministry and the launch of my 7th book, the fourth in Malay.

Now I can almost claim that in Malaysia at least I am the most prolific author and bilingual at that. I know a good friend who has written 4 or 5 books but all in English. I think I might be the only one who has written three commentaries both in OT and NT, the former in English and the latter two in Malay. 

I had a deep discussion with one elder in church while waiting for the Sunday service to start yesterday and I felt out of it all I was born out of time, but that I am a breaker (Micah 2) who breaks new grounds both in ministry, speaking, pastoring and writing theological books. 

These few weeks have been great as far as connecting with church leaders and members are concerned. We have less than 10 adult men in church but the women folks are more than 20. Some are single mothers, widows or whose husbands work elsewhere and come back once a year for holidays. And there are also many young females, some of whom are working and some of whom are studying at tertiary institutions. 

The first major new thing I will do is to start a young men’s fellowship. I hope to gather those in their 20s and early 30s and train them to be mighty warriors of David. My two elders and myself are past 60 and we all acknowledge that my coming in as pastor is at an opportune time, to raise up leaders and pastors of the future to carry on the work.