PREACHING - MIKE TUMANDAN

Honestly there comes in my life that I said "I stop preaching", but like Jeremiah of old, "...But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." (20:9). through the years what I learned is that "Be Strong". As a preacher, there would be people who compliment you when you preach, will keep on saying "I really bless with your preaching", and as a preacher, there must be an humble mind and heart to accept it. There are times negative comments, and must be strong enough to face it. When I was a child, I thought preaching is an easy work. You just be in the pulpit, deliver a sermon then after it, finish - - - but I was totally wrong. Preaching is not an easy job. Lessons be thoroughly studied, sermons be scriptural, convicting the people that they are in sin is not easy, there must be strong conviction of the truth - - - to PREACH THE TRUTH IN LOVE (Eph. 4:15). Preaching is to meet with people, people with different backgrounds, different attitudes and different minds. Like in the local church where I am working now, I preach to my fellow Indigenous Peoples, those people who are considered by the Philippine government less privileged. I am blessed in preaching the pure gospel of the grace of God to my fellow Indigenous People. People say that I should preach to the congregation who are rich, so that they could support me well enough but woe unto me if I neglect my fellow natives; they are so dear to me. Preaching is my life, my first love. MEN MARK A. TUMANDAN