Thursday, April 2, seminar

Thur, 2 April, How do I explain what happened during seminar/lesson/sermon this morning? I had printed out a new outline just yesterday when I was at the computer office. Had it all set to go in a certain order. But as I started on my theme God clearly led me to insert another complete point in the outline which resulted in eliminating what had been planned as number III. That’s just as well, since I had felt some misgivings about number III anyway. It’s just that I had not consciously planned on saying anything at all about the topic God inserted. But it all fit together as if God had indeed planned it which I feel confident he in fact did so. It’s just that I have never seen God do that in/through me before. I know that many people have been praying. And I know that there was an extra night of prayer due to the miscommunication about the schedule.

Worship leading team

Regi Lukos (R) supervises all the construction at the campus. He is brother of Saji Lukos, founder and president of RIMI/Mission India. Both of them are incredibly humble men.

Dr. Manohan James (R), principal (president) of MITS (Mission India Theological Semianry). I think I've already introduced Sandeep Kumar (L) who is translating for Dr. James.

I feel bad that I did not get the name of this young man who started as my translator. Sadly, he bowed out. I never was clear about why he did so. But I know he was struggling a lot to track what I was saying and convert that into Hindi.

Subodh Nanda stepped up to the task of translating. He still struggled with some of my terms and concepts. But he was a good sport and rose to the occasion. I think he did not realize how good a job he did. So afterward, I sought him out and gave him a hug and my congratulations and appreciation.

First, a note or 2 about the conference. Wed night was the opening session. Here is a video from that session when they were singing--in English for a change. :) Actually, it was not that unusual for them to sing something in English. But always refreshing for me to know and join in with the song.

I drew on Henri Nouwen's "Wounded Healer" concept and shared one of my wounds and tried to apply this to their ministries.

I had relayed through BW to ask people to pray for my speaking, thinking I would have my time on Wed morning. I've already mentioned that mixup I think. So when I got to email on Wed afternoon, I asked people to pray for my speaking on Thursday instead of Wed. Well, that double dose of prayer really had an effect.

After 1/2 hour on the first wound, I put that wound away and switched to another wound.

I cannot adequately explain what happened. I don't want you to think I lost awareness of what I was doing. But I could clearly sense that God was directing my thoughts and words. Now any preacher or Christian speaker who believes in the leading of the Holy Spirit carries the confidence that God is leading him/her as we speak. But this was more the case than I have ever experienced before.

Afterward, I was in awe that God had changed the course of what I had planned to share. I know I have not conveyed here what he did. So I'll just have to leave it to your imagination.

The point being: I had an outline of what I had intended to say. But I came to what I intended as a transitional statement. But that led into sharing one of my "wounds". That expanded into a half-hour development. This meant that I had to drop my final point. But that was okay, because I had felt uneasy about that point all along.

All of the above to say once again: Thank you to all who prayed for the trip and especially for this Thursday morning session.

ttfn