Leadership

I think I'm a little encouraged from recent events. Once again, lessons from the past are resurfacing...

It was an interesting experience. I went into prayer meeting today, intending on just praying for this one struggling friend of mine. So I sat down and listen to all the other people share and talk...their visions, dreams and goals for CCF. Their desires and hopes. For the people. For CCF. For themselves.

I think, with all the talk about the need for more leaders in CCF, that thought just protruded in my mind. I saw Herman flip through his Bible, and I felt the urge to do the same. Leadership. Alright. Even with the discussions we've had on the topic in recent days, I'm surprised that no one brought it up yet...but okay...flipping flipping...Leadership.

The first entry under Leadership was Moses. Nothing else was familiar or helpful to what I was thinking. I flipped over to Exodus...and there it was. The calling of Moses. The Burning Bush. Moses' excuses. Him getting sent. What an example. A dude that thought he was worth nothing...and yet lead his people out of Egypt...and the crossing of the Red Sea. Just...wow.

Amusingly, this story is used against me from time to time...times when I guess when people tells me to answer a calling..."God used Moses to pwn. He can use you too." (okay. so no one specifically said "pwn", but you know what I mean. lol)...and although I really didn't want to speak...the fact that I was reading this story...

Earlier today, PT's sermon was about Sharing Heartbeat. The simple joy of being with someone who shares similar passions. I started to think of why I serve. Sure, I'm sure the Word talks about serving as a duty of Christians, but when I'm up there balancing my soundboard or whatever AV I got my hands on...I'm not thinking of the Word...I'm doing it cuz it's fun! Passion...so what about it?

Reminded again...Auntie Maureen's words...passion is all a leader needs. He doesn't need to be a super Christian or can recite the Bible backwards... and remembering all the little actions and whatnot that I did at VBS...I'm sure not all the kids understood the things they were singing. Yet that wasn't why they were doing this, singing and jumping around. They were doing it because they're watching us do it. They're led by example.

Led by example. Just like how I was challenged deeply by Lue's dedication to prayer (she prayed whenever she drove anywhere. Including going from KWCAC to V1. She claims she doesn't pray enough.) Just like how Auntie's making dinner for me those times gave me the idea to bake for the CCF DC studying people last term. Just like how Mike Yung's words of how we need to knock on CCF's doors to truly gain (a call to service)...none of these three graduates did this with the intention of letting my frosh self gain anything in particular...they were simply being themselves. And I saw. And I was challenged to do so much more.

So if I'm serving because I'm passionate about what I'm doing, and I do it because I can "Share Heartbeat" with other people passionate about what they're doing (which would happen to be the same thing as what I'm doing, or else heartbeat sharing wouldn't occur!), we develop a deeper connection due to this commonality. That was the basis of PT's sermon.

At the same time, I remember I was talking to PT about the possible Australia STM...very clearly, I thinking I wouldn't be ready to do something like that...I mean, an STM? But then...who can ever be ready? What is ready? And really...if someone is ready, is he reliant on God? But that's not excuse to do nothing...

Now...combining PT's sermon with Auntie Maureen's words, then linking it to Moses' example... We serve together, bring us closer to people with the same passion. Anyone with a passion can be a leader. And if he doesn't feel ready? Look at Timothy. Or Gideon. Paul speaks of his own weakness and boasts about it, stating that...

"[God] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'" - 2 Corinthians 12.7-9

Okay. If that wasn't enough, another one I remember once in a while is...

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." - James 1.2-5

Right here. Two states that mentions the need to take on the challenge, that God's grace will be enough in the face of challenges. God provides.

I was staring at the Armour of God passage, since that's what we're going to do next week at CCF...this part stood out to me...

"Take ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests..." - Excerpt from Ephesians 6.17-18

The sword of the Spirit. And we pray in the Spirit...relating prayer to sword...so we're immediately equipped with all these armour...and one weapon. A sword known as prayer. God provides indeed, and He gave us prayer.

Reminded again: PT's idea of growth of a church isn't how big it is...it is how much people serve in it. And I can't honestly think of anything negative of training more leaders. We already don't have enough...

I think I'm starting to understand a little. Of why Auntie's vision for CCF was what it was...

I remember...I was first exposed to this issue right after Winter Retreat 2006. And I felt the need to rise to the challenge. Today, I was able to share all this with two froshes. Perhaps they too...perhaps they too will rise up.

"And so we each should carry our torch...and burn the school down together!" - Auntie Ada Wong's vision for CCF