Wednesday, August 13, 2014

"You Again?!"


Each person on the team for Africa was chosen because of what Pastor Jay would call their “skill set”.  I found it funny that I could never get him to actually name what mine was.  We did a lot of things that week and I can now tell you what my skill set is not!  (That is another post!)  


IMG_0128.JPG I suppose the fact that I am one of the few people who does not fear public speaking qualified as a skill set.  Pastor Jay recruited me and we led a two day pastor training conference.  Many of these pastors traveled several hours to listen to us.  Really!  We had to end our sessions by 3:00 so they had time to get home before dark, 4 hours later!  The back of the chapel filled up with bikes and 45 pastors sat ready to listen.




Only around 60% of the pastors were literate.  Of those, few of them had an education beyond 8th grade.  Their literacy is more survival than it is functional.   That means 40% of the pastors sitting with us could not read or write!  If you can not read the Bible, how are you suppose to be responsible to help others know what it says?  Often the pastor of a church is chosen because they are one of the few that can read or because they need a job.  Since it will put food on the table they sign up.   Needless to say, few are equipped or trained for the job.  


We wanted to teach the training in a way that on the next Sunday morning, even the illiterate would be able to retell the story of Jesus and how God has kept all His promises.  Knowing the ability to take notes or reread a passage was very limited, we decided to teach in story form.  


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Jay was everything they had hoped for.  When he got up to speak, it was clear that their long journey had been worth it.  He taught the entire Bible.  Genesis through Revelation.  He focused on the creation, fall, and redemption of man.  They ate up the details, new ideas and thoughts that were being revealed.  It was fun to see people full of such joy and gratitude at the chance to hear God’s message.   


Then there was me.  I really like to be the fun girl.  I want people to be eager to listen to me.   I always hope their hearts will skip a beat when they know I am about to bless them with my wisdom.  I wish, just once, when someone was asked, “who is your favorite speaker?” my name would be mentioned.  A girl can dream!  But boy, was I a let down!  


I often felt like the “red headed step child”.   The pastors really wanted what Jay was offering, but when I got up, I saw a room full of looks like, “really, you again?!”  Far from what a speaker dreams of.   Although I thought of myself as a vital part of the learning (and remembering) process, to them I was what they had to endure to get back to Jay.  I was recap girl.  It was good that I strongly believed in what God had asked me to do or I would have called in sick for day 2.


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We split the Bible into 8 sessions.  While Jay was telling the story of the Bible, I would frantically work to write a very abbreviated and succinct version of the session Jay had just taught.   When it was my turn to speak, I would involve the pastors in retelling my version of the story.  I would say, “In the beginning, God created the …” and they would say, “heavens and earth” and so on.  I then asked them to turn and tell the story, as we just retold it, to someone near them.  

Even though I was not their all time favorite speaker, by the time I was done with them they had heard the story, helped me retell the story, told someone else the story, and listened one more time to the story from another pastor.   If they did not have it down by then, there was not much more I could do!  I would then follow up with questions to try and help them apply what they learned to their everyday lives.  I would sit down.  Jay would speak again.  When he was done I would get back up getting more looks of disappointment.  This went on for 8 sessions!

It was humbling. I guess we are not always called to be the favorite. Not all the roles in God's plan are glamorous. Yet, just being part of God's plan is enough. I have joy knowing I was allowed a small role in helping His story be passed on to more generations. That is also very humbling,

3 comments:

  1. I love how they experienced it and had practice telling it. Such a great idea! I can't believe the illiteracy. that would be so hard for a pastor to communicate the truths of God faithfully without being able to read.

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  2. You are the glue that makes it stick. Without your work they would not have been confident enough to retell the truth. I believe God is thrilled every time you speak. I know I am.
    Dad

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  3. Jen - above all I love your truthfulness about the experience and your ability to put it in the proper perspective. Very few people are able to get past the personal and emotional reaction when an audience isn't thrilled to hear them! Bravo!

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