Dari Lapangan ke Panggung Dakwah: Perjalanan Kader yang Menjadi Penceramah Muda

Selamat Datang di IPM Ranting Dahu

Mungkin kamu pernah lihat dia duduk paling depan waktu pengajian, pegang mic, lalu bicara dengan nada tenang tapi menghunjam. Tapi dulu, dia yang sama pernah nyasar waktu longmarch, nangis waktu kemah pertama, dan ngumpet pas disuruh jadi MC pengajian. Namanya Rafi. Tapi anak-anak IPM Dahu lebih kenal dia dengan sebutan “Ustaz Senter”—karena dulu dia suka pegangin senter pas musyawarah malam-malam.

Cerita ini bukan soal tiba-tiba jadi pintar ceramah. Tapi soal lecet-lecet yang jadi bekas. Tentang bagaimana lapangan bisa membentuk panggung. Tentang seorang anak biasa yang nekat, ngos-ngosan, dan nggak ngerti-ngerti pas disuruh nyatet notulen—tapi terus ikut. Terus datang. Terus belajar. Walau sering ngantuk, dan kadang cuma bisa bilang “aamiin” doang tiap pengajian.

Awalnya Cuma Jadi Tukang Senter

Rafi masuk IPM kelas 2 SMP. Nggak ngerti-ngerti amat organisasi. Tapi suka ikut. Ada camping? Gas. Ada bakti sosial? Ikut aja. Waktu pertama kali nginep di sekolah buat Persari (Pelatihan Dasar), dia cuma bawa selimut, senter, dan dua bungkus mi instan.

Tugas pertamanya? Pegang senter pas musyawarah tengah malam. Dia pikir bakal tidur. Tapi malah disuruh berdiri 2 jam sambil nyorotin papan tulis. Di situ dia mulai denger kata-kata aneh: kuorum, presidium, formatur. Pikirannya kosong. Tapi dia merasa... seru aja.

“Waktu itu aku nggak ngerti siapa itu presidium, tapi aku inget banget siapa yang minjem senternya,” katanya sambil ketawa waktu kami ngobrol di warung sebelah mushola.

Belajar Ngomong, Walau Gemeteran

IPM Dahu punya tradisi pengajian malam Jumat. Kadang ngundang ustaz, kadang kader sendiri yang ngisi. Suatu malam, Rafi disuruh jadi MC. “MC-nya sakit,” kata kakak pembina. Rafi gemeter. Kertas teks di tangannya basah karena keringat.

Tapi dia maju. Nggak lancar, suaranya kecil, tapi selesai. Itu malam pertama dia ngomong di depan jamaah. Bukan ceramah. Cuma buka-acara, baca salawat, terus duduk lagi. Tapi buat Rafi, itu langkah pertama.

Sejak itu, tiap ada pengajian internal, dia ikut bantu. Kadang baca doa penutup, kadang ngatur kabel mic, kadang benerin kipas angin. Tapi lama-lama, dia mulai berani. Mulai nyoba isi kultum sendiri. Pertama kali cuma baca ulang artikel dari internet. Kedua kali, mulai nyusun sendiri. Ketiga kali... dia lupa teks, tapi justru itu yang bikin dia ngomong dari hati.

“Aku Belajar dari Gagal Isi Kultum”

“Aku pernah ceramah 5 menit, terus blank. Lupa semua. Aku bilang ke jamaah, ‘maaf, saya grogi banget, kita tutup aja pakai doa’,” katanya sambil malu-malu.

Itu kejadian waktu pengajian akhir bulan. Jamaahnya banyak. Ada guru-guru juga. Tapi dari situ dia belajar: jangan terlalu ngandelin hafalan. Harus ngerti isinya. Harus beneran yakin sama yang mau disampaikan. Nggak usah sok bijak. Nggak usah pakai bahasa tinggi.

“Aku mulai nulis sendiri. Tapi pakai bahasa aku sendiri. Kadang pakai cerita lucu, kadang pakai pengalaman pribadi. Aku pikir... yang penting jujur aja,” katanya.

Sekarang Jadi Ustaz Senter

Tiga tahun sejak pegang senter malam-malam, sekarang Rafi sudah sering diundang ngisi kultum di masjid kampung sebelah. Masih pakai jaket IPM, tapi sudah nggak pegang senter lagi. Dia yang sekarang pegang mic.

Anak-anak IPM Dahu masih suka manggil dia Ustaz Senter. Bukan ejekan. Tapi kenangan. Pengingat, bahwa perjalanan ini dimulai bukan dari panggung, tapi dari lapangan. Dari tugas kecil yang nggak kelihatan. Dari keberanian kecil yang akhirnya jadi kebiasaan.

“Jangan Nunggu Pinter Baru Berani”

Itu pesan terakhir dari Rafi waktu kami ngobrol. “Kalau nunggu pinter dulu, ya nggak mulai-mulai. Justru karena kita belum bisa, makanya kita mulai. Dari senter ke mic, ya proses aja. Jangan buru-buru jadi ustaz. Tapi jangan takut juga buat nyoba.”

Saya nulis ini bukan buat bikin Rafi kelihatan hebat. Tapi buat kamu, yang mungkin sekarang masih bingung mau ambil peran apa di IPM. Mulai aja dari yang kecil. Pegang senter. Catat notulen. Jadi MC. Bantu dekorasi panggung. Ngatur sepatu di depan mushola. Siapa tahu itu awal dari sesuatu yang nggak kamu duga.

Kamu nggak harus langsung jadi penceramah. Tapi kamu bisa mulai dari keberanian kecil hari ini.

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Welcome to IPM Ranting Dahu

Maybe you've seen him sitting in the front row during a Friday sermon, holding the mic, speaking calmly but hitting hard. But back then, he was the same guy who got lost during longmarch, cried at his first camping trip, and hid when asked to be the emcee. His name is Rafi. But in IPM Dahu, they call him “Ustaz Senter”—the Flashlight Preacher—because he used to hold the flashlight during midnight meetings.

This story isn’t about becoming wise overnight. It’s about the bruises. About how the field shaped the stage. About a kid who was clueless, tired, and didn’t understand anything about minutes-taking—but kept showing up. Kept learning. Even if he was sleepy. Even if all he could say during pengajian was “aamiin.”

Started as The Flashlight Guy

Rafi joined IPM in 8th grade. Had no clue what an organization was. But he liked joining things. Camping? Sure. Charity event? Why not. His first overnight event was Persari. He brought a blanket, a flashlight, and two packs of instant noodles.

His first job? Holding a flashlight during a late-night meeting. He thought he’d get to sleep. Instead, he stood for two hours pointing light at the whiteboard. That night he heard weird words: quorum, presidium, formatur. It all sounded alien. But somehow... he liked it.

“I didn’t understand anything back then. I didn’t even know what a presidium was. But I remember who borrowed my flashlight,” he said with a laugh.

Learning to Speak, Even if Nervous

IPM Dahu holds regular Friday night sermons. Sometimes they invite real ustaz, sometimes it’s internal. One night, the emcee didn’t show up. The mentor looked at Rafi. “You’ll do it.”

He was trembling. His script paper was wet from sweat. But he stepped forward. It wasn’t smooth, his voice was tiny, but he did it. That night was his first time speaking in front of people. Not a full sermon—just an opening. But it was a first step.

“I Learned from My Worst Sermon Ever”

“I once gave a five-minute talk and completely blanked out. I just said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m really nervous, let’s end with a prayer’,” he admitted shyly.

That happened during a big event, with teachers in the audience. But he learned: don’t rely on memorizing. Understand what you’re saying. Be honest. Drop the fancy words. Speak your truth.

“I started writing my own scripts, in my own language. Sometimes I told funny stories. Sometimes just simple reflections. As long as it’s real.”

Now He’s the Flashlight Preacher

Three years after holding that flashlight, Rafi now gets invited to give short sermons at neighboring mosques. Still wears his IPM jacket. No more flashlight. Now he holds the mic.

The younger members still call him Ustaz Senter. Not to mock—but to remember. That this journey started not from a spotlight, but from the sidelines. From the small acts no one noticed.

“Don’t Wait Until You’re Ready”

That’s Rafi’s final message to us: “If you wait until you’re smart enough, you’ll never start. Start because you’re not. From flashlight to mic—it’s all process. Don’t rush to be a preacher. But don’t be afraid to try.”

I didn’t write this to glorify Rafi. I wrote it for you. Maybe you’re unsure about your role in IPM. Start small. Hold a flashlight. Take meeting minutes. Be the emcee. Decorate the stage. Organize sandals at the mosque. Who knows? That might be the beginning of something unexpected.

You don’t have to be a preacher. But you can start with one small brave act today.