Chair Advisor of CF: The Shepherds Role

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I will not pretend that the road to being an advisor what more the chair of it is a rosy one. It isn’t one with flashy titles, with power, nor with any form of compensation. The only reason to ever take up such a role is if you understand what God has called you to and that as a Christian you are to serve. Such was the context. The idea of a leader within God’s kingdom is servant leadership; where we are to go and make disciples, sacrificially love one another, and be salt and light in a decaying world.

Speaking of context, a Christian Fellowship advisor in MCKL are those who help oversee the CF in terms of the departments, help in sharing God’s world as well as help out in events. The Chair Advisor’s role is to wear multiple lenses: to understand the views of the students at the grassroots level, to understand the views of the fellow advisors on a peer level and understand the views of management on an institutional level. Hence, they not only disciple the students, but journey with their peers and be in sync with the policies and regulations of the college.

Some of you readers might right now go “daaang ain’t for me yo”. It ain’t for me either. Like I said, unless God calls, such is the role they do. It is tough. It is time consuming. It is tiring. Now, just to be clear I am not painting an impossible job nor am I expressing any form of bitterness. I am merely laying the facts out as it is. Now, for a young guy like me to enter into this space for two years? It is pretty darn daunting.

I entered this role not fully knowing what was I to look out for or know. What are the pitfalls I should avoid? Or the styles I can take? I was called into this role because… there was no one else. I had to step up. Which is why I am grateful for the grace my superiors have shown me to make those mistakes.I am here to share what being a chair advisor of the CF has taught me. For the sake of simplicity, I break it down to three main points.

1.      We are called out to walk on water.

That is the whole point isn’t it? That God calls us as image bearers and ordinary humans to do the impossible and be a channel of grace not with our strength but with His. I use this water analogy based on the passage Matthew 14:22-33, where Peter walked on water. Peter and the disciples were battling the wind and waves in the storm with a boat. Jesus appears and tells them not to worry and be of good courage. I just love how Jesus is so loving and patient with Peter’s doubt, as he asks: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Peter is not testing God to give him a sign. Please do not miss this. Peter asks God to command him. Not demand of God but to genuinely seek the one true God.

That was how it was for me. In my storm God was already saying do not worry. In humble faith as a sinner I asked that God commanded me to do the impossible. I asked for His wisdom and His glory to shine through. Because I was not going to do this alone without needing the extra reassurance. I was still learning to find my bearing and gaining the necessary skills. I took a leap of faith and I walked on water toward Jesus.

If you are a Christian, you are immediately called to go and make disciples of all nations. It is a command. In Matthew 28, God says, make no mistake fellas, if you claim to believe in my life, death and resurrection, then know this: “all authority on heaven and earth has been given to me”. Jesus is the boss and he is in charge and like me, you too are called out to walk on water. Do not need to pray whether there is a calling, just pray: how would that calling look like as you journey with Christ.

2.    We are going to sink by the waves

Peter probably felt good when he started doing the impossible. But then his eyes caught on to the wind, and seeing how his faith was standing on water and not on Christ, he started to be afraid and sank. Yeap, likewise for me, not only did I walk, I sank. Sank badly. Gulping sea water and trying to swim as the waves tossed me from side to side by the winds. What were the winds and waves? Misunderstandings. Fights. Lack of resources. Admin malfunctions. Gossips. Criticisms. Being in such position, you hear a million and one things said about you, and I’ll spare you the details for that. They did not come in batches. They came in full force, and I was trying to swim with my own ability. I’m there going, challenge accepted, fine. If there is a wave, who says I can’t swim? And I sank and sank and sank and sank. The moment the winds got too strong for Peter, he too sank. The winds and the waves became the biggest part of my hurdle that Jesus was out of the image.

Let’s face it. The only reason we could walk on water is because it was the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do the Father’s will. It was never about your ability but always about availability. So I tried to keep things afloat with my own ability. I’ll spare you the details, in short, I failed miserably, and only God’s grace pulled me through.

                                                                             

3.      We are immediately rescued by Jesus

Peter then shouts. “Lord save me!” Immediately Jesus comes to him, holds Him up and rebukes him, asking Peter why did he lack such faith? And it came to a point for me as well. I realized I shouldn’t be lying to myself. I cried out to God for help. Should’ve done it sooner, but I guess that was the journey I needed to learn.

I had to learn in humility where I lacked. Swallowed the humble pie and ate as much of that pie as I could. I wasn’t sure what legacy I would be leaving behind, but the one thing I hope I did was remained faithful till the end. And I am still learning on the job. Doing what I can with whatever capacity I have. Because for me, there is no other story to live in than the one God has laid out for me. And I am grateful, every time I called out for help, help came. In all forms and manner, be it through the peers, students, or management. Ever grateful to know I was not in this alone.

But it also revealed in me my lack of faith to see this through. I had in my mind a wrong idea of success and engagement. So Jesus pulled me up and together we walked back to the boat and I just end up worshiping Him.

Conclusion

I admit to you there is a tension in my heart. Half of me wishing that I had a simple faith and need not enter this battlefield. The other half recognizing the joy of serving Christ, as He asks us to walk on water even more. There is no easy answer. If I were to walk on water, then it is tough. If I want it easy, then I do not go deep. Jesus did tell us in John 16, that ‘in this world you will have tribulation’. But at the same time, Jesus has overcome the world. See that tension?! That is why we patiently wait for His second coming.

My whole life is this: as God graciously brought me from glory to glory, he has constantly thrown me in the end of the pool where I could not swim. President of CF club in high school. Gosh that was daunting. President of CF in uni and I was like Lord you better help me. Chair CF advisory and I sink. Just when I thought I have gotten the hang of swimming in that depth, He takes me out and throws me into another end. What is left is nothing but to be faithful recognizing that I am at God’s mercy.

Now, a new cycle continues. A new storm awaits. Time to walk on the water again. This time, I will take what I have learnt and apply it to this new role that I am about to enter. He calls me out upon the water, the great unknown, where feet may fail. And there I find Him in the mystery, in oceans deep it is where my faith will stand. So I will call upon his name. And keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in His embrace for I belong to Him.

But why use the analogy of oceans, and why use the analogy of boat? It is because Jesus called us to follow Him and He will make us fishers of men. That is why I am out of the water for that sole reason. And you guys reading this: you too know he has called you out upon the waters, to be fishers of men. I will walk on water. I will sink. And I will call upon Him. Peace out.

Writer: Eddryll 
Author's views are his own and does not represent the entire team