are u a dude?

I was introduced by M.Chan to this pastor called Mark Driscoll from Marshill Church recently and was just listening thru some of his sermons and sharing. I find his teachings radical and worth considering. His style is bold and did set me thinking over some of the principles he hold and shared. But there was this particular one that really set me thinking. It's entitled: "Church needs Dudes" (you can listen to it @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lex6orNNzTs)

His point was that men in church need to rise up and take lead. He commented that there's too many wishy washy, selfish, men who are only concerned about their own life and non committal guys in the church nowadays. And it is a sharp contrast compared to the male characters we read in the Bible. Guys who take the lead (David, Joshua etc.) and guys who challenge the people to follow God (Elijah, Moses etc.). Or even the forefathers we hear about, guys who dare to do great things for God. (Jim Elliot, Hudson Taylor, Wilberforce, David Livingstone etc.)

Given a choice, I would really really choose to not lead. In fact, I am quite happy with where I am in life. I have a small group of people to lead, I am following the instructions and plans of a capable leader, I am serving in a few small ways in church, everything is comfortable and within my capacity. But with a string of incidents that happened recently, I do have the feeling that this comfortable boat of mine is going to be shaken, in a matter of time. And I am not really receptive to it. Probably because I have or think I have "good self awareness", knowing that to take up anymore of such "big" roles, I am going to flip and sink. Excuse? I don't know. But I thank God for reminding me that He was, He is and He will continue to be Sovereign regardless of what's going to happen.

Firstly was thru a decal I bought recently which says:

God doesn't call the called. He qualifies the called.

If I am the one He has chosen to do His work, I don't really have to worry! He will equip me!

Secondly was when I was teaching one of my students on the Philippians Trail. This statement made by Paul stood out:

^{Phil 1:21}For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Paul knew that by dying, he would be with Christ, which is definitely the most "comfortable" thing to do. But for the people's sake, he choose to remain! Can my heart and faith be as big as Paul, to choose to do more for the people?

Thirdly was through a sharing session by Bee Lu during my CG. She was sharing her joys, pain and heartaches in the ministry where she was in. I hear her talk about how God used her to reach out to the different students there and how some of those students responded and are now exhibiting changes in their lives, which thrilled her much. Who would have guessed and know which students will rise up and who will fall away? No one. I then think about my own life. Who would have guessed that I will come into full time ministry? I doubt Swee Chyuan or Ling Pei (the people who helped me in my initial years as a Christian) would have followed up with me with the intention for me to go full time. But by God's divine arrangement, I did. So who am I to decide whether I can be useful or not in the role He assigns to me?

But despite all these "signs" that God has given, I must still confess that the reluctance is in me. I find myself like Gideon, that even though God showed him sign after sign, he was still doubtful. Finally he did went on to do what God commissioned him to do, so will I be that "dude" whom God can use for His glory?