My earliest connection to Keswick was through its Year Books, which usually included the full text of the talks that had been shared at that year’s Convention.
As a fairly new full-time youth worker, I pored over the pages of these Year Books which were filled with skilful expositions and powerful applications. At a time when there were no video recordings to help me visualise, I could only imagine what it might have been like to spend a whole week with hundreds of fellow believers feasting on the riches of God’s word. And, even though it took over three decades to finally have the opportunity to attend my first Convention, the actual experience of Keswick exceeded all expectations.
I grew up in Colombo, in a Christian family that worshipped regularly at our local Methodist church. Since Protestant Christians in Sri Lanka made up less than 1%, our formative association with the church gave us a strong identity as Christians. But in my early teens this ‘identity’ became a problem. My secret sins and rebellion against God had created a yawning gap between my public image and my private world; a contradiction that I was finding impossible to live with. My older brother had just come to personal faith, and with fresh enthusiasm he shared with me how I could be saved by Jesus alone if I would trust Him alone. I was 15 when my brother led me to commit my life to the Lord, and there’s never been a moment when I regretted that glorious day.
Four years later the Lord led me to commit to a lifetime of vocational Christian ministry. I spent the first ten years leading youth and young adults by sharing the gospel and promoting disciple-making. After studying at the London School of Theology, I returned to teach at Colombo Theological Seminary, which, at that time, had only just begun. Two years later I was invited to take leadership as Principal, in which capacity I will complete 25 years this year. The seminary’s current enrolment is over 700 students, and it has 850 alumni.
I want to take this opportunity to ask if you would pray for the church in Sri Lanka.
Since 1981 the church, that had been in decline, has begun to grow again, and over the last four decades the church has kept abreast of population growth. Thousands of new believers need to be discipled and pastorally cared for in their local churches, because where the church has been weak in taking care of the new believers, false teachings have captivated many.
Pray also for seminaries like CTS; that they will be faithful to the task of raising godly and capable leaders for the growing church.
Last year, Sri Lanka’s economic and political collapse resulted in over 30% of Sri Lankans slipping below the poverty line (the actual number is probably much higher). The church must respond, and be at the forefront of providing for human need. She must also engage and work with others to address the root causes of social injustice. Please pray for wisdom and courage as a generation of believers are being prepared to pay the price of following Jesus in Sri Lanka today.
Ivor Poobalan has served as the Principal of Colombo Theological Seminary, Sri Lanka since 1998. He is a graduate of the London School of Theology, UK, TEDS USA, and the University of Cape Town. Ivor preaches regularly at the Kollupitiya Methodist Church and is an international conference speaker.
