TANDO NKUNGWANA
Officially launching at the Faith Dome Café on April 29, Pastor Noel Burrell‘s Worship in a Helmet is an inspiring non-fiction book that aims to encourage readers to overcome life’s challenges through faith and prayer.
The book is a personal account of the author’s journey as a pastor, teacher, and motorcycle enthusiast. Burrell’s story is a testament to the power of resilience and complete dependency on God.
“This book was inspired by a road trip to Gqeberha on my bike. Being submerged in nature, with all my senses heightened, having honest conversations with God inspired me to write this book. The narrative that I aim to put out there is that worship is not an occasion in church, but rather a lifestyle,” Burrell shared.
The book is a fine balance of shared personal experiences and spiritual insights. The author emphasises the importance of being completely authentic in his writing. Additionally, he acknowledges the extent to which his writing process was influenced by his background as a pastor and as a teacher.
“My experience as a pastor for over 40 years has taught me the importance of being truthful. In writing this book, I learnt that if you cannot be completely truthful about something, why bother relaying it? All my experiences have become sermons and that is what helped me in the process of writing this book,” he said.
Having studied teaching at Dower Training College and later stepping into a role as an English teacher at John Bisseker Secondary School, Burrell’s background in teaching also played a role in helping him write Worship in a Helmet.
“The teacher in me has always wanted to write a book. Having taught English, I investigated many authors and held many books in my hand, and it felt good. South African author Adam Small was my childhood idol,” Burrell said.
One of the most inspiring aspects of Burrell’s book is his sharing of personal experiences that demonstrate the power of faith and resilience. The author recalls a trip whereby his friend’s bike broke down near Graaff-Reinet, and the miracle they experienced when the bike was fixed after a two-hour delay.
“It looked as if his race was run, but before we knew it, God had set us up for a miracle,” he recalls.
Writing this book has helped the author process his experiences and grow as a person. His passion for motorcycles is closely tied to his faith, and he hopes that through this book, readers will learn about the biker community and their values.
“Just putting together a few of our experiences made me understand why God placed me amongst these superheroes of our society,” he reflected.
Burrell also hopes that readers will take away a message of hope and resilience from his experiences.
“I hope that they will use every occasion to give glory to God,” he said.
“Worship is what we do daily as we interact with people. I hope that after reading the book readers will be inspired to share kindness and love, and to use any space they are in to glorify God”.
Worship in a Helmet showcases the power of faith and resilience. It offers a message of hope and encouragement to readers. Whether you are a biker or not, this book will inspire you to deepen your faith and find strength in the face of challenges. To purchase copies of the book please email: noelburrell@gmail.com
