Preaching

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It's so amazing to be among a different place and a different people, and yet still there is so much in common!

I had the opportunity to preach and teach the other day at a training of community leaders who are a part of the Nehemiah Commmittees organized by HEAL Africa.  These committees often function as the sole or one of few community governance organizations.  They help resolve disputes in the community, organize microfinance opportunities, distribute school fees for needy children, and more.  It was an honor to meet them and be with them for 2 days in Monrovia, about 1.5 hours from Goma around the lake and just over the border with South Kivu Province.

I shared with them some of my thoughts on Nehemiah; the efforts and sacrifices he went through to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem after the Babylon exile.  He listened to the cry of his people, prayed to God, asked for resources, and then inspired the entire community to chip into the rebuilding process.  I encouraged them to do the same, working together with other people in the community when the burden was too great for them alone.

The next day I preached on "Practicing Resurrection."  The focus was on Acts 14, where the story begins with Paul telling a lame person to stand up in the name of Jesus, and at the end of the story Paul himself struggles to stand up after being stoned.  I acted the story out, myself getting on the ground and causing much amazement from the crowd, who are very careful to keep their clothes clean (esp. in a professional setting). 

Today, Sunday, I preached on Matthew 11:28-30, on the invitation of Jesus to all who have worked until exhaustion, to translate literally from the Greek.  The message was similar: The world is an overwhelming place.  Sometimes we pray for others, sometimes we ourselves need prayer.  In all that we do, let us practice resurrection, relying on the Spirit of Christ to uplift of spirits, minds and bodies.

Sometimes I wonder if my own theological or worldview is coming across to strongly.  I desire to be a vessel of God's Spirit, being filled with the grace and truth of the gospel.  Yet sometimes I become self-conscious and wonder if it's my own good news that I'm sharing, and not God's.  Once again I turn in prayer to God, that my words and actions be a reflection of God's love and not just my own thoughts and perceptions.