In a Foreign Land

I wrote in the heading of a chapter of my life in a local seminary as time spent in Philistine territory like David who spent 16 months there when he was persecuted by King Saul. Those 13 months “gainfully employed” plus five months of waiting for my next ministry were quickly forgotten as I am into the fourth month of my fourth pastorate. It seems I enjoy it more than my three previous engagements.

As the church is made up with 70 percent youths and 20 percent families and the rest, single mothers. I realised there were many children and young teenagers from these broken families that they needed care, spiritual mental and a fatherly figure above all. 

After five hours in church, I stayed behind to counsel three people, one a young lady who has struggles in her workplace as she is not getting paid as she should be and then a youth of 13 years having relationship problems and I counselled her in the company of her two friends. I spoke with my members in the open in the church hall. Finally one young adult in his mid-30 was also struggling financially because he has to send part of his salary to his bed-ridden father. 

But my contribution is feeding the flock spiritually with God’s Word. As worldly a topic as “financial management” I cited 16 texts from the OT and the NT; the first part of the sermon on trusting God for our finances and livelihood and the second part five principles of wisdom on how to manage one’s finances well.