Reservoir or Canal?

Tinku Thompson Personal, Health and Ministry Updates

Feb 10, 2025

Hello Friends and Family,

We have completed one month of 2025. Many people started last month with new goals and decisions. Some may have stopped doing what they decided to do, but many continue. Where are you?

I am using a tracker this year, and as I reviewed it, I realized that I am doing well in some areas, although I am not consistent in others. My best metric for January 2025 is 84%, and the worst is 25%. Tracking has helped me progress with many of my goals this year. If you have stopped doing what you planned, let me encourage you to start again, as making some progress is better than not making any progress.

Last month, I had the opportunity to be at ICPF International Equip Camp, a leadership camp for young boys held in Dallas. I had the chance to visit Houston after many years.

I recently read Frank Viola's 48 Laws of Spiritual Power. One chapter discusses becoming a reservoir rather than a canal. Let me share some thoughts on this topic.

Ministering from the Overflow: Becoming a Reservoir of Spiritual Life

One of the most vital principles to remember in our journey of faith and ministry is that we can only give what we have first received. Just as a tree bears fruit from the overabundance of life within it, our preaching, teaching, and spiritual leadership must flow out of a deep, abundant life with Christ. If we attempt to minister without first experiencing the fullness of God’s presence, our words and efforts will be hollow, lacking the power and nourishment that actual spiritual fruit provides.

The Reservoir vs. the Canal

A striking analogy helps illustrate this truth: the difference between a reservoir and a canal. A canal immediately passes along whatever it receives, never retaining or deeply absorbing the water. On the other hand, a reservoir collects water until it is complete and then overflows to nourish those around it.

When we minister like a canal, we risk giving out before receiving. Our words may sound correct, and our messages may be well-structured, but they lack the depth and transformation from personal communion with God. Ministry becomes dry, routine, and ineffective.

However, when we minister like a reservoir, we first experience God's life-giving presence. We absorb His Word, meditate on it, and allow it to transform us. Then, out of the overflow of that experience, we pour into others. This kind of ministry carries weight, authenticity, and the power to change lives.

Preaching as Spiritual Cooking

Another helpful metaphor is that preaching is like cooking. A chef does not serve a dish without first tasting it. Similarly, we should not preach or teach something we have not first digested spiritually. When we rush to share a message without first letting it take root in our hearts, we offer something stale, lacking in flavor and nourishment. But when we experience the richness of God’s truth, our preaching becomes like a well-seasoned dish—satisfying and full of life.

The Key to Fruitful Ministry

Fruit-bearing does not come from effort alone. A tree does not strain to produce fruit; instead, fruit appears as a natural result of being deeply rooted and nourished. In the same way, if we want our ministry to be fruitful, we must first abide in Christ.

John 15:5 reminds us:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Our first responsibility is to go to God—not just for a sermon but for life itself. Before seeking meaning from commentaries, books, or other teachers, we must sit at Jesus' feet. Let His Word shape us, His Spirit fills us, and our lives be transformed. Only then should we share with others.

Conclusion

Ministry that lacks personal experience with God is ineffective. Preaching that does not flow from abundant spiritual life becomes dry and powerless. To be truly effective, we must first be filled before we pour out. Like a reservoir, we must allow God’s presence to fill us to the brim so that what overflows is rich, life-giving, and fruitful.

Before we preach, teach, and serve, let us first go to God. Let us taste before we feed. Let us abide before we give. And when we do, our ministry will not be a canal of empty words but a reservoir of overflowing life.

✍️Quotes of this edition

"What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace." – John Wesley

“Suffering is unbearable if you aren’t certain that God is for you and with you.” - Timothy Keller

Faithfulness knows no difference between small and great duties. – John Ruskin

📔My Health/Personal Update

Thank you for your continued prayers for my complete recovery. This December, I crossed three years since my transplant. I had a visit to Mayo Clinic and had tests done. Everything is fine, and a few medications were taken off. Due to my upcoming trip, the doctor advised me to continue taking some medicines. An attempt to reduce more medicines will be made later this year.

Once again, I want to thank everyone who has not given up but continues to pray for me.