Monday, July 31, 2017

Theologian on the Move

If there is a name or function of what I do I would reckon being a theologian fits the bill. Not that I think of it as a title or honorific as if one must be well-known person or published author to be known as a theologian. I would think every mature Christian is a theologian as he theologizes everyday in how to apply his knowledge of God and His Word to day to day living for himself, his family and his community. The very next day after my travels to Indonesia I drove back to College and taught Hebrews on Wednesday and Romans on Thursday. On Friday I drove to Kota Belud (KB) where I preached  Friday night and twice Saturday. Just before driving to KB, I spent about 30 minutes in our official Pastors' whatsapp group and gave a summary of the theology on the treatment of foreigners in Sabah especially the many illegal immigrants that had come into the State in the past 20 years. I trust my views helped the 150 or so pastors in this one group.
After the KB Men's Conference ended, I drove back to KK and preached yesterday in an independent church. I prepared a sermon thinking that the church was one I preached in some 25 years ago but alas it was an offshoot and seeing that many members are young Christians I prayed to the Lord whether what I prepared was the right sermon for the congregation. Rarely I experienced that just a couple of minutes before I took the pulpit I felt in my spirit that the Lord wanted me to preach something different and thus I preached from Psalm 91,14-16 with the title "Blessings for those who love the Lord" or in the Malay title "Berkat bagi mereka yang mengasihi Tuhan". It was well received that later in the night the pastor texted me and thanked me profusely.

With teaching and preaching over a 5-day stretch I had no respite because this evening I will lecture in an intensive 30-hour course on the Theology of the Church and Ministry in our Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry programme for those with a first degree in theology. If I make it to Friday it will be a 10-day non-stop preaching and teaching tour for me in four different places, twice in the interior of Sabah and twice in the capital city. No wonder Acts began with the verse that the Jesus began to both to do and teach and that the gist of Acts is that his apostles continued Jesus' work in doing and teaching like Jesus who "went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom.." Matthew 4:23.

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