Sermon of a Holy Man - Re posting after attending a seminary graduation

by Rt Revd Rennis Ponniah

I had the joy of hosting the Ordination Retreat for 12 ordinands in October this year; it was an exceptionally moving experience. What made the retreat unique was that they came from five different countries; Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal and Singapore. The gathering afforded them an opportunity to consider their calling to the “vocation of a Priest”. What is it that will bind them together as “brothers in holy orders” across national boundaries? What does it mean to be an Anglican priest in the Church of God?

I bring to you the fruit of our study and reflection. I share as a fellow-priest, but this message is not just intended for priests or ordinands, it is also for all in our Diocesan family. As clergymen, we are very grateful for the many pastoral staff and lay leaders who share several aspects of a priest’s vocational calling. It is also important that members of our parishes are aware of the classical role of our Priests so that they can support and encourage us in our vocational faithfulness.

In this introductory article, let me start by addressing an urgent need for us to give priority to our primary vocational tasks.

Called to Vocational Tasks

So much is expected of the priest in the modern city – chairing meetings, organising major projects, replying emails at the speed of smartphones and sometimes initiating financial ventures – that it becomes easy to lose our way and neglect the major tasks of our calling. The affirmation of men and meeting the expectations of our congregation for dynamic leadership and management can become our priorities instead of pleasing God through our faithfulness to our calling. As one of my clergy colleagues recently remarked, “If there is a parable to describe our modern situation, it may well be entitled the ‘Parable of the Lost Shepherd’. The hundred sheep, safely in the fold, wait hungrily for their shepherd to find his way back to them.”

We do well therefore as priests to heed the call to vocational holiness – to being true to the central tasks of our calling. What then is our vocational calling as priests? In a word, I would say that our call is not to run an organisation or meet people’s felt needs, but to build a community of disciples. I often remind myself, “I am not running a church, I am building a community.”

With this in mind, the key vocational tasks of a priest can be identified as:

1.         Preaching/Proclamation of the Gospel

2.         Discipling/Teaching and Equipping bands of people

3.         Interceding/Shaping and leading Corporate Prayer and Worship Services

4.         Pastoral Care and Spiritual Direction (cf. the role of ‘the wise man’ in the Old       Covenant)

5.         Leading the people out in Mission and Community Service (Jn 10:16; Mt 28:

          18-20)

6.         Oversight of the flock and Governance. (1 Pet 5:1-2)

The greatest threat to fulfilling our vocational tasks is our management responsibilities in our urbanised parishes. I am not saying that management work is not needed in priestly leadership; however, they should not stand in the way of our primary tasks. This is clear in the account of the early church where the apostles found themselves diverted from their vocational calling because they were personally managing the task of food distribution to the needy. They learnt to delegate this task to others in order that they may give their ‘attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word’ (Acts 6:4). Sadly, priests today may be delegating away their primary vocational tasks, while focusing on secondary ones. We are farming out the task of pulpit preaching to frequently-invited guest speakers and the task of intercession to church intercessors.

We are called to ‘’prayer and the ministry of the Word’’.  We are called to ‘’attend to God’’ in prayer and the study of His Word, and then to minister to people out of the strength of His presence. Are we attending to the needs of men (emails and mobiles) but ignoring our Lord (e.g. prayers and devotions)? Adapting the language of Watchman Nee, we need to ‘‘sit’’ before we can ‘‘walk’’ and ‘‘stand’’ for God. The Anglican priest’s intercessory role has been described by an Anglican archbishop as “being with God with the people on your heart.” We attend to people by first attending to God.

Called to an Exemplary Life

Without a doubt, a priest is called to be an example to the flock. A priest is to be an example not just in the carrying out of vocational tasks, but also the way in which he goes about his tasks and the person that he is. How can we lead others to follow Christ if our own lives do not reflect His Mastery over character and conduct? Hence, the primary thing we model for our congregations is personal holiness in our life before God.

For this modelling to happen, we must walk with our people on the ground. They need to see and be inspired by our own growth and progress in holiness. Our people will forgive (and endure) our incompetencies, but the one thing we owe them as their shepherd is our pursuit of authentic holiness. Therefore, we pursue godliness with all our heart and energy, as we rely on the Holy Spirit’s renewing work within us.

Within holiness, a particular trait we model for our flock is servanthood. That is what our Lord emphasized as the distinctive mark of Christian leadership. We do not resist “bending low” in our service to others. We go the extra mile to express Christ’s love to the person in need. We make sacrifices in order that others are blessed. We are not easily offended and ‘turn the other cheek’ when treated unfairly. In doing so, we are not men-pleasers as our reward is in heaven when on that glorious Day, we will hear the Lord saying, ‘‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’’(Mt 25:21).

It may be worth pointing out an aspect that is often over-looked. This has to do with a priest’s owncommitment to grow in community. Do we build relationships with people within our own parish so that there is mutual accountability and a spurring of one another? Are we committed to a prayer band or a small discipleship group in the parish that meets regularly? Anglican priests are also committed to building the Diocese as a ‘connectional’ church where there is submission to the Bishop and his appointed team of senior office-holders. This fostering of collegial ties binds the whole family together. And moving from the church to the home front, the priest is committed to playing his part to build his own family to be a community of love where God is honoured and Christ is personally embraced by every household member as Saviour and Lord.

Called to Joy

In surveying all that is involved in being an Anglican priest, it will not be surprising that a common response would be; ‘‘Who is sufficient for such a ministry?’’ Our Ordinal reminds us that such a ministry cannot be undertaken apart from divine enabling.

Ultimately, we are strengthened by the promise that ‘He who calls you is faithful and He will do it’ (1 Thess 5:24). The call to priesthood is ultimately a call to joy for those whom God has set apart from birth for this vocation. Yes, the vocational call is demanding but because of God’s promised enabling and companionship, a priest can embrace and discharge his calling with joy. What a high calling and privilege it is to be chosen by God to be near Him and to minister in His Name. When I am at the Communion table or pulpit, I often remember the words of the Psalmist, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy” (Ps 43:4).

I believe the Lord is calling us back to our primary call, vocational tasks and personal exemplary holiness to the flock. We need your prayers and the fire of the Holy Spirit. When we return to our calling, it can only mean a new quality of shepherding, a new vitality for the church and a new impact on our society and world. All this can be fulfilled by God’s power and for His glory!

Leadership is followership

A careful man, I ought to be;
A little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray
For fear he'll go the self-same way.

I can not once escape his eyes,
Whatever he sees me do he tries.
Like me, he says, he's going to be,
That little chap that follows me.

He thinks that I am good and fine;
Believes in every work of mine.
The bad in me he must not see;
My life to him must an example be.

I must remember, as I go
Through summer's sun and winter's snow,
I'm building for the years to be,
For that little chap that follows me.

Investment 101 - Habits of the Wealthy

Its amazing how kids pick up investment concepts these days. I was with my eldest son last night and we talked about investment techniques. I ask him point blank range - why do you want to get rich. And who are the people you admire the most in this world?

His answered startled me. He said he admired Michael Jordan for his work ethics and focus to the task of winning. And he said his reason why he wanted to get rich is so he can have the freedom and be liberated.

I re-oriented him by saying your goal should be to "be wealthy'. Wealthy in the sense that it does not only entail money but also wealth of friends, contented family members and last is material things to make you happy.

He obliged.

And so I told him my 4 rule of thumb to pathway to getting wealthier and be liberated from work are as follows -

1. Buy Assets.
2. Invest and minimize spending.
3. Live below your means.
4. Be the master of money, not its slave.

I warned him that there are plenty of rich people who are stingy and not even willing to spend a dime on charitable act. I said avoid these people. They are the fair weather friends.

I encouraged him to be generous in the process of accumulating wealth.  And as a concrete example I told him how my own life is also patterned after these 4 principles.  I share there are 'obligations' too when one becomes wealthy. That means you are expected to have influence. Expected to donate generously. Expected to contribute to politicians etc. Expect also that people will come after your friendship for your wealth.

The biggest caveat of all is how to differentiate people who are your genuine friends from those who are fair weather ones.

In the end of our 1 on 1, I thought he came away being pressured to start the habit of thinking rich and managing wealth wisely. Read "The Richest Man in Babylon' as a starting point was our parting action point.