SUNDAY PREACHING IN SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA
Last Sunday I preached at the congregation, Cristo Luz Del Mundo, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I was their previous pastor and so it was great to see old friends again.
I had been away for about 10 months and was quite apprehensive over the quality of my Spanish in the pulpit. I had been away for 10 months and had only preached in English during this period. Spontaniety and a minimal reliance on sermon notes characterised my preaching Santa Cruz. I was fearful of mental blocks which at times can block the flow of thoughts in a sermon. My apprehensions were unwarranted. Two minutes into the sermon and it was like I had never left the place. The Biblical revelation cracked open through the spoken word as I sensed Holy Spirit´s power surge through my heart and lips. Biblical preaching has a life of its own. I was speaking on Thomas´s confession of faith in the Resurrected Christ (Blessed are those who do not see but believe).
It was a typical Bolivian summer. People were sweating; I more than them; the ladies were using fans. My clerical shirt was totally drenched after the sermon.
I love to preach in Spanish. Thomas Merton once said that next to Latin, Spanish was the most best language of worship. Merton was right. And preaching in Spanish comes across, to me anyway, as an offering to the Almighty.
Raphael´s (not me!) painting of Paul´s proclamation of gospel in Athens is above.
Last Sunday I preached at the congregation, Cristo Luz Del Mundo, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I was their previous pastor and so it was great to see old friends again.
I had been away for about 10 months and was quite apprehensive over the quality of my Spanish in the pulpit. I had been away for 10 months and had only preached in English during this period. Spontaniety and a minimal reliance on sermon notes characterised my preaching Santa Cruz. I was fearful of mental blocks which at times can block the flow of thoughts in a sermon. My apprehensions were unwarranted. Two minutes into the sermon and it was like I had never left the place. The Biblical revelation cracked open through the spoken word as I sensed Holy Spirit´s power surge through my heart and lips. Biblical preaching has a life of its own. I was speaking on Thomas´s confession of faith in the Resurrected Christ (Blessed are those who do not see but believe).
It was a typical Bolivian summer. People were sweating; I more than them; the ladies were using fans. My clerical shirt was totally drenched after the sermon.
I love to preach in Spanish. Thomas Merton once said that next to Latin, Spanish was the most best language of worship. Merton was right. And preaching in Spanish comes across, to me anyway, as an offering to the Almighty.
Raphael´s (not me!) painting of Paul´s proclamation of gospel in Athens is above.
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