The random, thoughts, views and opinions of a young Methodist student minister, musician and University student.















Enjoy :)















Friday 1 January 2010

Happy New Year!!!!!!

So here we are! First day of the year. I'm sure I'm not the only one who sighed with relief as 2009 finally ended! This year for me will bring a hell of alot of change, not only do I have to make sure I pass my A2's for University but I'm also preparing to Candidate for methodist ministry in September which is a pretty huge thing for me. It's funny I've just finished reading a book on Rev Dr Leslie Weatherhead who is perhaps one of Britains if not the world's most famous preachers. He was the minister of City Temple a Congregationalist Church in Holborn where each sunday he would draw crowds of people who would queue up just to listen to him preach. When a young preacher like me reads about a preaching giant like Dr Weatherhead it can put so many doubts into one's mind "How can I ever live up to this"? "can I ever really preach like him"? I think we have to accept that when God calls us, he calls us just as we are warts and all. I think I have to accept too that God has called me primarily to be a good disciple and secondly a good preacher. I was only half way through Dr Weatherheads book 'Doctor of Souls' and thought right Jarel it's time to up your game! Time to be a better preacher, disciple, a better person in general and what better time to start than at the beginning of a New Year and Decade? Today I finished the book and came to realise that though Leslie Weatherhead was a "success" (to put it in worldy terms) he was also deeply human. He struggled with his faith, even doubted at times. He had a mental breakdown and was often deeply depressed in his ministry. He got angry and frustrated with himself and the Church and often felt very misunderstood. It's so easy to read about people we admire and place them so high above us and forget that they were actually human. Here's a man who in my eyes was one of the greatest Christians this country has ever seen yet he was evidently far from "perfect". This year I think we ought to realise that we all have our faults and our sinfulness. We ought to put our hand in God's and leave the rest to Him! Have a blessed 2010!

4 comments:

Nik W said...

Always remember that God called you to be you, and not anyone else x

Jarel Robinson-Brown said...

Amen to that Nik!
x

Anonymous said...

Excluding the wart part...that was actually inspirational poppet, it's funny how God speaks to us in the most unexpected ways! :)
So thankyou, oh and happy new year x

Jarel Robinson-Brown said...

Thanks Loz! I'm about to read yours now :P x