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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Half Time of Significance +++
"Half Time" by Bob Buford is a powerful and positive resource book for anyone considering a change in career path or wanting to live life more significantly. Never heard from anyone as positive as the author who looked at transitioning so honestly and without disdain. His outlook and views have brought much hope to me as I enter my 40s to re-look, as well as re-think how I would want to live my next "half time" doing something close to my heart and at the same time glorifying God.Bob Buford mentioned that it is not a matter of success but significance. Sucess brings one to the top of a corporate ladder and one might earn lots of money but a successful person will one day ask 'What's next?'. However, one who lives significantly uses his gifts and talents, and with a satisfaction of heart ask 'What do I want to be remembered for, and who have I touched?'.
For someone who has worked in a Church, yet leaves to search for "the next significant half time" like myself, is but encouraged to know that my next "half time" can be more significant than my last...
Thanks to Pastor Patrick Foo who gave me this book during a time of transitioning.
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10:04 PM
Monday, March 17, 2008
Life Of a Minister +++
Derek Prime & Alistair Begg in "Life of a Pastor" examined the "call" of a Pastor, his life and character which he ought to possess following the example which Christ has first set, goals and priorities in the context of his call, family, leisure, personal study, prayer and devotional life. As all of us are Ministers of God, called to live a life of our utmost for God's glory.
The authors gave wise counsel and a clear distinction between teaching and preaching. These counsels not only apply to Pastors but Ministers at large, who share the Word of God to any level of listeners. Their vast experiences and encounters have enabled them to guide a pastor from the preparatory stage of expounding the Word in his self-study to the pulpit. They taught that in expounding on the Word of God, "Expository does not need to be synonymous with exhaustive and exhausting" to the hearer. A good teacher, they claimed "is like John the Baptist", who "clears the way, declares the way, and then gets out of the way". This is so true because a good teacher should be expected to clear one from misconception, direct one to the way of truth and allow God to receive all the glory. The preacher must not try to impress the church with his knowledge at the pulpit as this defeats the purpose of making Christ known. They explained that in teaching, the aim is to give people an understanding of God's truth beginning with doctrines and all its aspects. Whereas in preaching, we attempt to make an appeal to people's wills, and emotions, to respond to the Word that they have understood through teaching. The link of shepherding with teaching is in teaching the practicalities of life and reality so that the preacher does not merely deal with hypothetical situations. In this way, we can identify with the message and make life applications and response to the preacher.
"privilege can seldom be enjoyed without corresponding responsibilities, and shepherds and teachers will be judged more strictly than others (James 3:1)", advised the authors.
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11:13 AM