Make My Life A Miracle!

2009 and what it means for me

2009-01-04T14:49:00.002+08:00

God reminded me of His call in my life to desire revival more than respectability. Revival is about bringing in His presence while respectability is about cruising on His past works.

It was very easy for me to “flow” with the system and be comfortable with what was around me. But God wanted otherwise for me. He wants me to continue to pursue the revival that He has placed in my heart.

Thus the stepping out in faith…..like Abraham, not knowing where to go, I am moving on by faith that He will show.

Uncle’s death over the New Year’s Eve, helps me to see the strength or lack of in the many relational ties I though I have. I felt I had not taught the people well on relationship and love. But more importantly, I felt his death signals a new beginning for me. His health deteriorated during the times when I was seriously weighing the call from God. And I felt his “graduation into eternality” is a sign from God to me to move on to the new chapter.

Thus, as a deliberate act to move on, I will no longer be blogging on this site as the original intention of this blog was to disciple online readers from FCBC.

This will be my last post!

Meanwhile, I felt the need to clarify that I am not in City Harvest Church.

I have said to many that I am giving myself time to visit churches in Singapore to see the bigger work of God in this city. I have since visited City Harvest Church, Church of Our Savior, Riverlife, Christlite Methodist, Dawn, Lighthouse Woodlands. I will like to visit a couple more before putting all the learning together. I know that as a visitor we do not see the “true” picture of the church. But it helps to see the distinctiveness in every church ie how they are different from one another, etc. I celebrate the diversity of giftings that I have discovered in the Body of Christ so far.

Particularly, I have visited City Harvest more because this church is amazing. Many are drawn to the worship climate of the service and the preaching of Ps Kong. He is very down to earth and yet very engaging and faith stirring.

Personally, I had visited CHC in the past too during the initial period of starting the youth service. I don’t see anything wrong in visiting churches if you have cleared with your leadership and you are clear in your purpose of doing so.

Meanwhile, I am availing myself to schools and organisation to teach because there is a need to bring “bread to the table”. I have no intention to compete with the friendly organisation which I have “grown” up with. Just to meet practical needs for the family.

But guess every action of mine could be interpreted negatively if people choose to be negative. For that, there is nothing much I could do.

I should never live life to please man but God.

Farewell…..

A fresh perspective

2008-12-31T18:16:00.001+08:00

Much has been said about the financial crisis and recession. Retrenchment and more bad news abound. How should a believer response in times such as this?

I believe this is the best time for the gospel message.
Beginning with believers, we must anchor our hope in God.

Even if we are part of the retrenchment group, we must believe God that it is His sovereign act to move us to somewhere BETTER.

Life is simple. But not simplistic. We must not treat retrenchment as “suai” or bad luck and being spared from retrenchment as “lucky” or “God is good”. We need to see that whatever life brings to us, it is still within God’s perfect will for our lives. We, owe it to God and ourselves, to understand His ways and agenda for us. God is always GOOD regardless of what happens to us.

Meanwhile, we need to counter the trend and be truly light and salt in this challenging time.
- Instead of playing safe with our money and resources, GIVE! Give to those who are in need.
- Instead of focusing on personal needs, self preservation, LOVE! Love is demonstrated and not just with mere words.
- Instead of being fearful, FAITH! Faith to step out and usher in the greater thing He will do in and through us!

Leadership Perspective - a new understanding

2008-12-23T16:32:00.001+08:00

Segment 9: Leadership within a learning community

This segment reading started with Stronk and Bloomberg reminding us the type of leadership needed in school planning. We need to put in place a certain rhythm in ensuring that everyone involved in the process and not “top down”. The suggested framework is very useful especially the emphasis for total involvement, team building and putting peers together in the teaching and learning journey.

The leadership function continues beyond the planning to shaping a covenantal learning communities as learning had been structured to a private and personal journey in most schools. The ingredients of covenant learning community ie need for vision, atmosphere of love and trust and ethos of leadership for service are important focus for the leadership to emphasis and work on to ensure that school can be transformed into such learning communities.

With postmodernity, leadership is evermore needed to bring about changes “because of the human carving for stability especially on the part of those in power positions and those who benefit most from the existing order, nothing will give way in the fabric of existing institutions until the strife and discontent build beyond some threshold” (Lambert, 2004). Leadership in this brave new postmodern world demands that we encourage our learning communities to play with ideas and pray for grace to be faithful in obedience to the heavenly vision, whether as maverick or monk.

And to do so effectively and refreshingly, leaders must make time for self care. The ability to “make time” or time management is very well explained by Rush. He reminded us that “Time is our most important resource. It cannot be saved or stored. It can only be used.” And we must use it intentionally to ensure that our lives are moving toward the God given mandate as followers, leaders and teachers. Brain explained how the importance of self care can benefit pastors. Leaders can share in the benefit too as schooling is very much the same as ministry in that both are very people intensive and Godward focus.

Servgiovanni ended this segment reminding us that context played a key role in deciding whether certain approaches to leadership will be effective or not. There is a real danger of blind adoption of past successful model into the school context.
School needs special leadership and that could be found in moral leadership framework because it emphasises bringing diverse people into a common cause by making the school a covenantal community. Leadership in such context is neither hierarchical nor interpersonal but cognitive which draws its authority from shared goals, purposes, values, commitments and other ideas that provide the basis for followership. Linking leadership directly to the construction of meaning, facilitation of learning and the development of collective responsibility links leadership directly to the lifeworlds of schools. That is very important as it helps to achieve the balance of having the lifeworld driving the systemsworld of school.

Finally the leadership within the learning community needs to be ethical lest it becomes manipulation rather than empowering and enabling.

Reviews on my study notes

2008-12-21T16:53:00.004+08:00

Rush – time management; a biblical approach

1 Quotes
Will Rogers
It is not so much what you do each day – it is what you get done that counts.
Paul
Eph 5:15-16 – be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Dawson Trotman
The greatest time wasted is the time getting started.

All agree that time is to be used and not wasted.

2 What is time?
Time is the passing of life.
Problems managing time is actually a reflection of problems managing our lives.
What you are and what you possess are the result of how you have used the time allotted to you.
All of us have the same amount of time – the difference is on how we use the time we have.
The secret to time management is how we use the 60min in every hour wisely.

3 Time robbers - Activities that take us away living purposefully.
Identify personal time robbers and systemically work at eliminating them.

4 How to identify your personal time robbers?
- time management is unglamourous hard work; most of us are unwilling to pay the price to work on it.
- using the time inventory sheet
Be specific in recording activities ; vague statement will not help.
Deal with controllable and uncontrollable time
Controllable; work at eliminating them
Uncontrollable; factor unscheduled time slot into our weekly plan

5 How to set priorities
Learning to set priorities is one of the most important and difficult aspect of effectively managing one’s time
We need to deter our emotion from interfering with reality.

6 Avoid the activity trap
Part of the problem can be traced to the activity trap which gets people involved in numerous tasks that do not contribute to the predetermined goal or objective.
Many Christian leaders work from morning till night but they never seem to get the important things done.
Mary and Martha – Lk 10:38-42
- Overlook what is important
- Unaware that she had lost sight of the goal
- Criticised other
- Busy activities produced stresses and tension which stimulate more activity

We must eliminate activities that make little or any contribution to our goal.

7 How to stay on schedule?
- develop priorities and communicate them
- learn to say “no” to things that do not contribute to goal
- maintain a high level of commitment to managing your time

The greater the priority the more frequent the need to say no.
We cannot meet all the needs of all people at all times.
We must focus on the most important things God has planned and called us to do.
Time management is not about schedule but accomplishing established life goals and priorities.

8 The important role of timing
The effective use of time consists of doing what God wants at the time He wants it done.

9 Time is our most important resource. It cannot be saved or stored. It can only be used.

10 CSL’s thoughts
I have only 1 life; total amount of time given from God to me.
I must live intentionally to fulfil His purpose and calling in my life.
I need to identify the time robbers in my life and eliminate them.
DO not give in to soulish excuses.

G12 and me

2008-12-17T01:00:00.002+08:00

Someone asked me if i am still for G12 since i left FCBC.
My answer is yes!
Yes in that i affirm the principles which i have observed in my times with the G12 movement.
I made a trip to Bogota in 1999 with KC, EL and PW. We were impressed with what we had observed. Together with KC, we implemented some principles we observed into the district. We put in place our own version of encounters and equipping track. i had one of my zone pastors, then, to pilot the full G12 principles in his zone. We saw tremondous growth in that zone. As a whole, the district benefitted from the process too. We emphasised on Prayer, Deliverance and Equipping. But i did not implement the structure as i was waiting for FCBC to make an official position in regards to G12.
In 2001, i made another trip with the FCBC team to Bogota.

There are many good aspect of G12 that i would like to highlight ie permanence of discipleship relationship, releasing of woman into ministry, intentional discipleship, etc.

But as in all changes, there would be mistakes or over-simplistic approaches which compromised the overall intent of G12. And i believe the leadership in FCBC will continue to refine the process.

What about me?
I have always believe in discipleship since my conversion. i was properly followup by the Navigators in Singapore Poly in the '80. And in the process, was encouraged to find a home church to settle in.

Even now, as i enjoy my sabbatical and visit churches, i am studying to deepen my foundation so that i could be involved in discipleship again.

My mission is to develop a team of people who could continue to make disciples for the glory of God.

For Isabel - to share our beijing memories

2008-12-13T14:59:00.003+08:00

the 2 friends

the 4 friends

the 2 friends again

the cool guy

Rachel with the wonderful hostess. Rachel trying to catch up with her piano lesson. haha.

What is your Passion? Dream? Calling?

2008-12-12T21:40:00.004+08:00

What is your passion? Your dream? Your destiny?

I have been asking people these questions. And I have been helping people to uncover the answers to these questions for themselves.

Then recently, I realised that I have “lost” my own answer!

When I was asked of these questions recently, I could not really articulate an appropriate answer. I could give an answer to satisfy the questioner or even myself for a while. But deep inside, I realised I have “lost” my answer.

I began to do what I did with others ie listing down all my thoughts and interest, past encounters with God, interesting experiences in life etc. All were well placed before me…but I just could not make sense of them ie I could not find the “voice” that unite them all.

Then…..in my quiet moment with God……..He helped me to sort out all the questions. I realised that all through the years, I had buried my calling and passion through the “good works” that I was doing. I had tried to “position” my answer to suit the various platforms and works I was involved that, unknowingly, I lost my “voice”.

In that sacred moment with God, I found my voice again.
I found my calling afresh!
I FOUND MYSELF!
I FOUND GOD!

more pictures

2008-12-09T21:06:00.003+08:00

Driving past the Olympic Stadium

Buying chestnuts from the roadshow...don't eat while it is hot!

corridor of the world longest art gallery

Great Wall (view from Mutian Yu)

Taking a picture facing the sun...haha tough.

Hoilday Pictures

2008-12-08T00:00:00.003+08:00

Queuing for tickets at Mutian for Ropeway to top of Great Wall.

Attention! Security!

The Largest LCD screen in the world. This is about 100m long screen at the ceiling...what a sight!

Holiday in Beijing

2008-12-07T23:43:00.005+08:00

I give thanks to God for this special holiday. it was very special because God provided the means, family enjoyed ourselves very much, blessed by friends who cared.

I have selected some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Learning from last weekend conference

2008-12-03T16:25:00.002+08:00

Learning from the Global Social Innovation Forum 2008
There are many nuggets of wisdom that I would like to pen down both for myself and my fellow comrades in this journey of life.

1 The need to question the status quo. Pamela Hartigan liked to use the word “unreasonable” to challenge us to be “discontented” with what has been reasonable in standards etc. Only discontented people can push the existing boundary. She also challenged the use of the word “empower”. She felt that we could only provide the means and opportunity for people to choose. And in choosing, people are empowered. We cannot possibly empower people directly.

2 Jet LI gave a very interesting perspective on why we should give back to the society. He highlighted that the 2 chapters of life ie from birth to 10yrs old and the remaining 10yrs of one's life, we need people to care and support us. Thus the remaining middle portion of our lives, we should care and support others. That is what essentially being human means. Compassion and good works must not be a result of hype or loud promotion, it must stem from within every human being ie our nature to give back. I am impressed with his insight of life and commitment to change the world through his foundation. I only lament that we are not seeing much from the Christian world. The world is needful of such people who are not afraid of personal loss in exchange for global change. They would use all within their means to impact society. We must challenge the next generation of believers to do likewise…It is time for the light and salt to shine and influence!

3 Robert Chua, media owner, made an interesting insight about the media in the future. He shared that it would be about cross platform ie we could see “live” input from internet to media content to media programming. It is not about just 1 medium anymore. People are seeking “live” infoentertainment. Also he felt that mass media should be responsible to educate and entertain and not promote wrong habits and values and fear. Very refreshing voice in the media world.

4 Claire Chiang lamented that despite the mammoth growth in wealth, there is no change in the quality of life around the world. There is something fundamental wrong in the way business are run. She predicted that future jobs must have both the motivation of money and meaning to attract and retain Gen X and Y workforce. I cannot agree more!

5 Zainudin reminded us the future of high technology. We could be seeing nano and super nano technology that would allow technology to be implanted into human. The pages of Revelation are coming to past.

6 Amit shared that while youth is lacking in experience and knowledge, youth could start with building relationship and networking.

7 CSL - How to start a SE?
Identify our passion, concerns, interest or even skills.
Clarify purpose and mission; SE is one possible outcome.
Assume a possible attitude for change; attitude is everything
Develop business model for sustainability; details determine destiny
Craft a pitching approach
Engage stakeholders
Take the 1st step!

8 Personal Applications
- Read “Doing good doing well” by willie cheng
- Research on global needs ie Clinton initative and high noon
- Reason the need for YOUTHSOUL – giving the soul to the youth through challenging them to believe God to MAD

Busyness is a sin!

2008-12-02T14:47:00.003+08:00

Eugene Peterson made this bold claim in one of his books.
This statement stuck in my mind for a long time because I struggled with its touch on my weakness ie busyness. I was very busy for a long time ie balancing 3 different jobs at 1 time.

What is wrong with busyness?
It robs God of our worship!

We can be busy with serving God that we missed Him out totally in the picture.
We can be doing this and that for Him and yet losing our affection for Him.
We can be integrating all we want and it is not worship if He is not central in our focus.

Worship is when we give due recognition and attention to Him.

In Deut, we are reminded that God called to Pharaoh to “set My people free…that they may worship Me”. This call was given to Pharaoh at least 7 times ie depending on your version of the bible.

In NASV, “worship” is also translated into “serve”. This helps to clarify that worship is more than singing songs from Hillsongs. It is about living a life of service to the King ie in the labour of our hands, meditation of our mind, expression of our bodily means (vocal, hands, body etc).

In these times of financial meltdown, natural disaster, wars and rumour of wars, we are forced to recognise that we are living in the LAST DAYS. We must not live as per normal. We must ask “what are we busy with?”. We must take time to reflect and worship God afresh.

Someone said that the only constant thing in life is change.
I disagreed!
The only constant in life is GOD.
He changes NOT.
All the changes in this world is actually part of the bigger work of God to draw men back to Himself, to worship Him.

Application;
Remember – busyness is sin!
Time to rework your schedule.
Put in time for worship!

What is the Lord saying in these times?

2008-11-27T19:03:00.001+08:00

Economical recessions, Employment woes, Earthquakes….what is happening?

Financial experts would advise us that this is normal financial cycle ie 6-8yrs we would expect some form of recessions, etc.
Geologist could explain the dynamics involved in earthquakes, etc.

BUT why are they happening?

I think in this season, it is important for Christian to pause and listen to the agenda of God.
Why is God shaking up the financial system of the world?
Why is there instability in job markets?
Why is nature being shaken up?

Personally I believe it is a wakeup call from God.
Man has resought to build our security in the things of this world that we have neglected our reliance on God.
We have more faith in the means of this world more than the Master of our lives.
We are worshipping our jobs more than making our jobs part of our total worship to God.
We are occupied with activities more than the Almighty.

It is time to slow down and align our hearts to the Object of our faith. We must not harden our hearts lest we miss His voice.

Application:
Take a proper break this Dec to reflect on the year and recommit every area to the Lordship of God. God must be the Lord over them and not be a divine rubber stamp.

My Silence

2008-11-20T22:02:00.002+08:00

Just in case some of you wondered why the silence.....
- i am currently in Beijing with my family. This trip was a blessing from an old Victoria School friend. Am always thankful to God for this holiday as well as my Victoria School experiences and friends made.
- been thinking about many things ie my failing in discipling my disciples, the lack of true authentic Christian relationships and community life, the shallowness of love, etc
- personally, i believe it is important that we beginning our processing of conflicts, of interest or expectations, by examining how i have failed rather than how others have failed me. in this way, i switch from a blame game to a learning posture for everybody. BUT i have seen many leaders blaming others without doing a just examine of personal failing. Thus, i am determined to live out a God pleasing life by being a godly leader; nothing more, nothing less. It is time to be godly in all my ways. beginning with my processing......in silence.

Thinking aloud

2008-11-10T22:06:00.005+08:00

Was reminded again by Ed Silvoso's (@ CHC) -
"if you want to see something you have never seen before, you must do something you have never done before. Or you will continue to see what you have always seen before as you continue in what you have always been doing."

This reminder was very reassuring i knew i had done something NEW in faith.

Also, there was a song which was sung with these few lines -
"..greater things that are yet to come. greater things that are yet to be done..."

Felt it was an assurance from our Father that He would be doing something new and great (or greater) in the coming years and i would be part of it as i had moved out in faith.

Words failed to express the sense of gratitude i felt in the hall.

As i reflected over this season, i was and am thankful that God is doing a much bigger thing than i realised. I have also found the Body of Christ much more gracious, kind and understanding.

Many people, outside my usual circle, came and offered help, love and listening ears (even when i chose not to speak). They heard, from others, and were concerned for me. Some even offered jobs for me. But I have turned them down because i know this is a season of studying, listening and seeing. It is not time yet to be engaged in anything more permanent.

But through their love expressed, i found GRACE. Grace amazing ....
That God is bigger than all my mistakes.
That God is greater than all the assessments i received.
That God is interested in all my dreams and fantasies.
That God is always around..
in my peaks....
in my pits...

Above all,
He loves me...
He cares for me...
He wants to use me...

To usher His greater things
To witness His greater acts
To celebrate His greater works

He loves me eternally! Such GRACE.

My part....i must respond to His grace by loving Him.
I have been reminded what i have taught about LOVE.

Love is not love till it is expressed.
Love is not just an emotional word.
Love is an action word.
Love acts in good faith and intention.
Love is not afraid of wrong.
Love is not afraid of opinions of others.
Love is not afraid.

Even though this was taught for christian love, it is even more so for me to live out to God.

"Evil persists because good man does nothing!"
There are too many such good man who do nothing in the face of wrong.
I have acted to the best i know.
i pray, by His Grace, i will continue to do so and reduce the evil around us.

something greater is yet to happen, something greater is going to happen!

what do you mean by submission?

2008-11-07T19:52:00.001+08:00

to be posted...

Pastoral musing - over priority of teaching

2008-11-04T14:42:00.011+08:00

In Stronks and Blomberg's "vision ; school for responsive discipleship", we are reminded the Christian schools have these roles -

Conserves and passes on biblical story and worldviews

Discerns spirits of our times

Inquires how the tradition it is conserving leads to reforming society

And in carrying out these roles, biblical schooling or Responsive discipleship would call us into these 3 priorities for teachers;

1. Unwrapping God’s gift

We need to nourish lifelong playful and thoughtful learner out of our students. there must be fun in learning (motto of JC Edu Park). In so doing, we must not limit ourselves to nurturing of just intellectual gift. We need to help our students to discover their hidden God's given gifts. We must also help them tap into creativity and imagination within thhem as they are made in the image of God.

2. Sharing burden and joy

School is more than producing scholars. It is about producing learners, learners who are human. This means we must guide them to offer their gifts to serve the body of Christ and society. As guide we must help them to counter the tide of individual gratification and self fulfilment and develop character of perseverance and resilience. i am thinking that we have neglected much about developing resilience in our youth lately. There is much to think about this.

In order to share burden and joy, we must grow to accept all as image of God and not the "naughty boy in my class". It is not easy but we all need to grow in this.

While expressing care and concerns, this caring covenant communities are not soft; forceful and demanding when necessary yet resilient. We must also teach personal failures as new learning opportunities, while endured. All these need not be done only in CIP or YEP. it must be cultivated in class as well.

3. Seeking Shalom

Shalom is biblical peace and justice that heals brokenness and restores creation to what God intends it to be. Shalom peace means both rests in and brings about restored relationship between God and man, community and world. as such, our pedagogy reflects tactfulness and trust, curriculum fosters justice and harmony, discipline redirects to discipleship, evaluation foster self reflective growth. We must Celebrate God's Lordship in creation and lament power of sins in our world. We lament in order to challenge our youth (and ourselves) to action.

It is theological!

2008-11-02T14:00:00.003+08:00

Following a single charismatic leader, aligning everyone in the process and making things happened - all these are popular proven method both in organisational and church world.
But what is the problem with this?

Efficiency is up, productivity is high, success is almost guaranteed.

The subtle challenge is we have moved from a communal structure (of a family) into a hierarchical structure (of an organisation). We have replaced people as mean to achieve goals. We have skipped the necessary step for relational development for corporate effectiveness. And the deception of it all, we do get what we want as a result. But at what cost?

People feel used.

Relationship is abused and functional.

Personal aspiration is denied, at best, to be redefined.

Over time, people decided for a change; be it in church or workplace.

Leadership alignment is something i did and taught in the past. i don't think it was wrong. but i felt i (together with others) might have overused it.

Thomas Sergiovanni challenged the over use of leadership. By that, he meant the over-emphasis of leadership and leadership methods which would inevitably deny any personal ownership and development among the masses. In fact, he made a bold claim that when leadership is absent, true authentic (personal) leaders will arise. People will take more personal responsibilities when there is lesser top-down intervention. There is much to chew about.

Interestingly, while the above was a simple summary of my educational reflection, Elder Freddy Boey of Riverlife made the same challenge this Sunday too. He was also addressing the over-reliance of secular method adopted by churches.

Personally i have always wondered why the church is turning to the world for wisdom while the world is turning to Jesus as a model? My humble conclusion is that we have not invested in biblical christian thinking. We, like Singapore, prefer to be pragmatic rather than ideological in our views of life.

Elder Freddy made a personal stand against this tide by recognising that it was not a call for management efficiency that the church should be bothered with. Rather the church should stand for what is theologically sound and biblically right.

Amen to that!

What will i be doing?

2008-10-31T17:27:00.005+08:00

Many have asked me this questions ????? a lot over the last weeks.

I am just as excited to know too...because i sense in my spirit God will reveal soon.

But i know that i need to guard my human heart. There is always a human desire to attempt great things, good things for God. But as i walk with God, i want to do GOD's thing in my life more than great or good.

Some one commented that every pastor that have left FCBC did not achieve much in their ministry. His reference was to the size of the ministry. I was, for a moment, shaken with such an observation. Other than one dialect pastor, who planned and brought a group out, most who resigned and decided to start ministries or churches later, failed to hit the 200 mark. Of course there are others who joined other ministries or churches and have taken a sizeable ministry.

God reminded me NOT to compare. It is more important that everyone of us are faithful to God's call rather than focus on the size of our ministry as a measurement of our success. For the size of ministry is a decision on God's part. My part is faithful to His call.

Jo and i hope to go away, locally, to seek confirmation of God's revelation. We believe our time of ministry will start soon.....

A new dawn is coming!

Who are you?

2008-10-27T12:48:00.002+08:00

Who am i?
Most of us will have a rather defeated mindset of who we are. Maybe it is our oriental upbringing, we tend to think negatively or poorly of ourselves.

What would God's answer be if we ask Him how He thinks of us?
From my little OT knowledge, He never answer such question. In Exodus, when Moses asked Him, He only assured him that He would be with him.
In NT, God assured us, that He will be with us, when He gave us the great commission.

Ps Derek Hong, Church of our Savior, made an interesting link to both texts that the devil always attack our perception of God and us. He used other texts to reinforce that the devil's scheme is to create distortion in our mind of who God is eg Genesis (temptation of Eve) and Matt (temptation of Jesus)

Thus, it is very important for us to know who God is and who we are in Him.

Who am i?
Bibilically speaking, i am someone God hangs around with. Cool isnt.
He loves me so much that my identity is tied, always, with Him and His presence.

In fact, when He died for me, He died for ALL my inquities and sins. All my mistakes and faults and sins are all paid for. He did not select which part of me that He would redeem. He redeemed me fully. I am totally forgiven, forever loved and completely fulfilled in Him.

The key is for me to stay in Him.

I am very thankful for this visit to COOS. It was not easy as we had to settle some spiritual attack before we could reach the church. Even so, we were told that the carparking problem was very real. We asked for a sign ie that we would have a lot. And we did.

This visit opened my eyes to see how this church focused on people and the supernatural work of God. There was a place setup for everybody to help themselves to get a drink or some food (FOC). A place to chat and meet the pastoral staff. During service, time was set aside to ensure those who were not well were prayed for.

1 interesting statement from Ps Derek i held dear as well. When the spirit of prophesy was released, we must intentionally catch it and wait to see God unfold.

I am waiting to see how God unfold the destiny of my life.

Tribute to Rev Henry Khoo

2008-10-26T00:14:00.006+08:00

It was a blessed time!

Standing outside the packed hall, among the cars, singing praises to God.

The hall was packed with pastors, believers and people in authority.

I was moved in my spirit as i worshipped the Lord under the sky. Thanking God for the home-going of one of the great saint of God i know.

I came to know Rev Henry Khoo back in the '80. It was when Jackie Pullinger came to minister to FCBC and requested to visit the Changi Prison. I was blessed to be among the small group that went with her and met Henry. The meeting marked the beginning of my involvement with Prison and Prisoners. And since i was serving the Campus and Combat Ministry then, i focused on the detention barrack for the soldiers.

Then in 2000's, my wife and i visited Henry to discuss on how we could really serve the prisoners. He led us to serve the Changi Woman Prison. The rest was history.

But through those times, Henry had come across to both jo and i as a very humble man despite his wealth of experiences and seniority in ministry.
He never made us feel small or inexperienced in his presence. He encouraged us all through the times we served the prisoners.

Queuing through the throngs of people, i heard many ex-prisoners recalling their encounters with Henry and how special they felt when he baptised them. Personally i felt the crowd to be very different. Different in that all who came had been personally blessed and touched by God through the very personal ministry of Henry. Not that he was not a popular preacher but it was his personal time with people that left a deep impression and impact. it was so for both jo and i.

Thank you Henry!
For giving to the Lord! We have been blessed by your life!
Your support through your listening ears,
Encouraged us through the years.

Your humble disposition,
Disarmed all confusion.
Your fatherly smile,
Brought strength to go another mile.

Your unswerving commitment to love the prisoners,
Reflected Jesus' love to the commoners.

Your life is indeed a legacy,
For all generation to see.

Thank you Henry!
I have been blessed by your life story!
May more "Henry"s rise to your shoes,
Even if we don't know who

To continue to love the unlovable,
To show us it is possible,
For in Christ we will always be able!

Have a blessed rest in Him.

He is my Provider!

2008-10-20T18:36:00.007+08:00

The recent finanical crisis made me wondered if i had resigned at the wrong time. But God has spoken again and again that this is indeed His time for me.
Suddenly it hits me that it is precisely in such occasion that He will be glorified as my Provider.

The earthly perspective would be bad timing and poor market for whatever i intended to do. i should have resigned later so that i could at least collect my 13th mth.

But faith perspective sees that when all else looks bleak, it will set a great backdrop for His light to shine through!

And shone through He did!

Over the last 1mth, i have received :

daily prayer and scriptural promises from an angel (overweight one; hahah you said so),
family holiday to Beijing (from an overseas friend) in Nov
family holiday to Malaysia (from a family friend) in Dec
business for JC Edu Park,
saving from NICE discount + currency exchange
NICE text books (from overseas friend)
friendships and support from the community.

I have been blessed by His provision!
In fact, by faith, i am believing that i can give, despite being not-employed, to those in need or as lead by God. It is always more blessed to give than to receive for God is no man's debtor.

God is my Provider!
He will be for all who trust in Him (finanical crisis or otherwise)!

Be a 4th dimensional man!

2008-10-20T18:13:00.006+08:00

Be a 4th dimension man!

You will not be limited by the lack of resources.

You will not be limited by the support of man.

You will not be limited by the constraint of time.

This was essentially the theme of Ps Kong's message this week. We were reminded of the power of positive words, pictures and even feelings over water and crystal (the work of Prof Emoto).

Ps Kong brought us to examine the scripture on how visual can impact the type of youngs produced by the flocks. Jacob brought the flocks to the place whereby he had prepared with branches which revealed both the white and stripes. And when they drank and mated in front of the branches. they bore youngs which were speckled or spotted (Gen 30:39).

Such is the power of visual impact on the lives of the flocks.

He challenged us to focus on the 2 branches - the cross!

Thus, there is a need for us to think, speak and feel good about what we ask of God. We must not ask in fear or doubt. We must not pray just against bad things; we ended thinking bad things.

I learnt to move in faith again.

I must pray believing and expecting the best from God; He desires the best for my life.

I must not doubt that.

Application - I must move into the 4th dimension. I must not be logical or rational in the realm of the spirit. I must dare ask again - Make My Life A Miracle!

My God reigns!

2008-10-12T23:29:00.011+08:00

My God reigns!

This truth meant a lot more during this season of my life. I enjoyed affirming this truth during the worship session at City Harvest Church. Somehow, God used this truth to prepare me for the message to come.

My God is greater! My God is over all!

i was invited this week to attend the saturday service with Elim. She hosted my family throughout the service and dinner. Thank God for friends like her.

Ps Kong reminded us to find HOPE in God during this finanical crisis. We must not allow the media and news to cause anxiety to fill our hearts. we must continue to trust in Elohim.

He explained that God redeemed us for a purpose - to be like Him (esp in the beginning before sin entered.)

And in Gen 1, we will be reminded that He is a creator God - Elohim.

God's desire is for us to move beyond heal me-feed me-encourage me - mentality to one of an overcomer through God's creative power.

It was a timely challenge for me to move beyond trusting God for His provision to using His provision to generate miracles for God.

I must not be passive in my faith ie just waiting for provision to come. i must rise up and move knowing it will come. and i must be good steward of it when it comes.
Also, i must learn to be creative in my stewardship of God's provision of contacts, connections, competency, cash. I must use them to demonstrate what a great God He is.

i am glad that God has been speaking weekly (even daily) to me during this painful period. Paiinful because i am not really letting go of my rights and past. His Word has been a great encouragement to my soul.

The secret to experiencing God:
Build His altar
Bless my family
Be connected in His work/call for me.

By His grace, i WILL!

Teachers and Students

2008-10-07T11:42:00.004+08:00

This is a part of my submission for 1 of my study unit.

It is about developing a biblical community with our students.

I have attached this portion for the Christian teachers who are reading this blog.

Recommendations for Christian Teachers
In order embrace our God-given roles and responsibility, even in public school, Christian teachers should consider the following;

1 Renew our mind
When there is no renewal of mind, there is no transformation of life (Rom 12:1-2). Our life in God is the basis for which we can bring transformation to the students. Thus there is a need for Christian teachers to have our mind renewed regularly in the Lord. Part of the renewal of mind would require the new teachers to attend some basic units of Christian Education by National Institute of Christian Education. Especially, for units such as ED 500 and ED 501 which deal with Biblical Foundation and Worldview. This would open the eyes of the teachers to understand the relevance of their faith in their sacred calling as teachers.

Unless the teachers recognise the subtlety of the devil’s scheme, their relationship with the students could become mere humanistic effort to show love and acceptance. There is no lasting power in such endeavours. Human effort, on its own, could lead them to discouragement, disillusion and even depression. This could explain why many teachers left the teaching forces. From the website of ABC News, it was reported that a quarter of new teachers left the teaching profession within a year. In Singapore, it was reported that about 1000 teachers resigned every year (Ministry of Education, 2006).

These reports heighten the need for Christian teachers to deepen their walk with God through developing a biblical mindset. With a renewed mind, they can have the strength to persevere in their sacred calling.

2 Review our teaching practises in the light of biblical worldview
2.1 Your position in class
Teachers in Singapore are taught to maintain a professional distance between teachers and students. This is rooted in our Confucius’ worldview whereby teachers are learned people thereby making them to be always right. Flowing from this worldview, and the fear of promoting favouritism, teachers are expected to maintain a distance with his students.
Noddings (1984) commented that this distance is a sense of “narrow professionalism” (p. 184). She further commented that teachers need to recognise the common humanity we are all part of. This is very true and necessary if we are serious to nurture a learning community with our students.

Edlin (1999) mentioned that the effective Christian teacher does not just “teach from the head, but from the head and the heart” (p. 125). If we are too distance from our students, they cannot hear our heart. We cannot nurture a community from a distance.
Thus we should review this practice of distance and seek to enter into the community of our students with them.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) website, under the “purpose of teaching”, highlighted that “we will be purposeful in what we do and our passion to care for our pupils and education them will be our source of motivation”. The students would only know if we care if we are willing to step into their community and not teaching from a distance.

2.2 Your layout of class
The layout of our class is a reflection of our worldview about our students and their learning. Individual seating arrangement would promote individualism and thereby destroy the very community we seek to nurture. Van Dyk (2000) promoted the idea of “a multifunctional classroom” (p. 222). Essentially it is still a collaborative classroom. But this idea helps to meet the communal and individual needs of the students.

In order for us to be able to fully implement this well, we need to start with an extensive inventory work of knowing our students. This would include details like their spiritual dimension, social relationship, physical/physiological strengths and weaknesses, emotional status, learning styles. For the purpose of nurturing community, all these information should not be collected through scientific means. We should attempt to collect them through our personal interaction with them during both formal and informal settings.

2.3 Your approach to teaching
Many of the lecturers who I came into contact with, viewed teaching as transference of information. They do not see the students as the focus of their vocation. Thus getting them involved in Service Learning with the trainee teachers was met with much resistance. They could not agree to spending time with their students to process their learning and being. This was what I advocated in my conduct of Service Learning Course for the hundred plus lecturers. It is, therefore, no surprising that many in-service teachers do not see value in nurturing community let alone to process the learning with their students.

This calls for us to recognise that we are not teaching academic subjects. We are teaching students. This idea was very well promoted by Doud (1988), in his “Teacher of the Year” audio CD. It was precisely the focus on teaching students that led him to become the “Teacher of the Year 1986-87”.

Christian teachers must review our approach to teaching and ensure sufficient attention be given to the being of our students rather than just communicating the importance of the subject matter. People do not care how much we know until they know how much we care. Nurturing community requires us to pay attention to the individual and not just our insights to the lesson plan.

We can draw inspiration from Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians. In 1 Thess 2:8, Paul shared that he went beyond the gospel of God (subject matter) to share even his life with his students because they had become so dear to him. We must grow in our compassion for our students.

2.4 Your strategies in teaching
Edlin (1999) highlighted that “best teachers are enthusiastic about their vocation and subject” (p. 125). This is very true because enthusiasm is contagious. And so it is with the lack of it. If you are not interested in what you are teaching, your students will pick that up from you too. Thus, it is important for Christian teachers who seek to nurturing community, to be enthusiastic about and the subject they are teaching.

And one of the ways of expression is to enhance your understanding of the students through the knowledge of educational psychology. Van Dyk (2000) encouraged teachers to keep ourselves abreast of the “latest theories about learning styles” (p. 116). We should examine every theory through our biblical worldview and apply those consistent to our faith into our lesson plan. In this way, we could make our lesson more “know-able” to the diverse groups of students in our class.

2.5 You confidence in teaching calling
Many Christian teachers would struggle with much of what have been suggested because of the fear of man within us. This is a very Singaporean worldview because of our colonial past and the Japanese occupation. The whole nation was brought up to fear authority.
But the root of fear is the lack of love. 1 John 4:18 explained to us that “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

Christian teachers need to learn to receive this perfect love daily and release daily to the students. Fear will limit both the teacher and students from learning and growing. For a learning community to nurture and flourish, Christian teachers need to be the bearers of God’s perfect love to the community. When the students receive this unconditional love, they may be willing to try and achieve beyond our expectation. This perfect love would also help Christian teachers to lovingly correct or confront the students’ unhealthy habits or behaviours without fear of losing the community.

This perfect love would also restore the much needed confidence in the teaching professions to dare make a difference.

3 Realign the ultimate objective of community life
Community Engagement is not an end in itself. Christian teachers must work hard at nurturing community within the teachers and community sphere so that learning could take place. But the end of all learning must be to prepare the students for living in the real world. The goal of Christian Education is empower students to live life as intended in the real world (Fennema, 2006, p. 39). And the real world is not the secular world we are seeing. The real world is God’s world (Ps 24). Thus the final intent of the community is to bring this learning community into the kingdom life in Jesus.

And it is not through human effort or strategies. It is by the work of His Grace. Thus, we need to commit our learning community daily before our loving Heavenly Father who wants and will answer our prayer when we humbly ask of Him in Jesus’ name (Matt 7:7).

Conclusion
Community Enhancement Strategies are humanistic effort apart from the wisdom and grace of God. Thus, Christian teachers must daily bathe ourselves in the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and seek His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added upon us (Matt6:33).

My 1st day as a "jobless man"

2008-10-05T17:43:00.007+08:00

5th of Oct is very special.

It is my first day as an unemployed man. haha.

i have worked since 1988 after NS till 4th of Oct 2008.

Being a Sunday, it has certainly helped to cushion the impact.

I woke up very unwilling to go to church. It is part of the denial process of not wanting to go to a different church; in transition, we faced 3 constant challenges - emotional, relational and esteem. Yet i know I cannot deny God of my worship. Thanks to my wife, I obediently brought my family to Christalite Methodist Church. We decided to go somewhere nearer our home because this is exam period for the kids. We wanted to get back asap to continue their revision.

It was a pleasurable experience being in the Kingdom of God and celebrating the Lord's supper.

I need to constantly remind myself to focus on God and not on "operation" within the service i.e. I see myself looking out for things to improve etc... haha... ome habits take a while to change.

The worship was simple but needful for this broken man. Knelt before God and affirmed that Jesus is my firm foundation. I will lift my face to the King of Glory. He will forever be my King.

The message is interesting for me at this junction of my life ie "Forgiven to Forgive". While it is not new to me, it is timely to remind myself to forgive all who have hurt me during this period of change. Both Jo and I are determined to live our lives without any bondage and bitterness. We are committed to TOTAL FORGIVENESS.

We are reminded that we can only forgive if we have experienced true forgiveness from God. And that required me to come before God and receive His forgiveness afresh and extend His forgiveness. I must surrender any feeling or needs for revenge or vindication.

Amen and I did so during the time of prayer.

Met some friends in this church; Singapore is really small.

Rachel gave a very insightful comment i.e. God had been speaking to us - from Accepting People (in Muar Church) to Forgiving People (today). I am thankful God has been speaking and affirming us. I had a wonderful time with God in my dream this morning ie He affirmed His pleasure over me. And He further reminded me that today is a day of new beginning as I reflected on the birth of Hannah (Evan's and Mabel's new born).

Not bad for my 1st day.

Must get back to my study soon. Trying to submit my assignment by this week.

Reminder of His Call

2008-09-30T18:08:00.004+08:00

I read an old post and draw much reminders of His call.

Monday, May 21, 2007
My reflection from the JP’s Seminar

I was blessed!
I had not cried so much for so long.
It was not tears of sadness nor self pity.
It was not tears of loss nor lack.
It was tears of knowing Jesus afresh.
I never knew Jesus in the level that she did.
I never knew grace and compassion so deeply.
I never knew….
I found myself …
so shallow in my knowledge of God,
so superficial in my understanding of Grace,
so simple in my concept of incarnation.

I had been so careful in my affection that I had taught myself not to care at all.
I had been so “wise” in my investment of love that I did not love at all.
Sigh… Such paradox of mindset… so important to think biblically.

But I am thankful.
Thankful that God sent Jackie to SCREAM
wisdom into my soul,
insight into my mind and
compassion into my heart.
I have been revived.

My heart has been softened towards God and His people.
My mind is clearer about what truly matters.
My soul yields for more of Him.

I will move on…
not quickly to respond to the rhema word,
not immediately to do something,
not instantly…
WHY? (Read on...)

I have learnt to move at His pace and space.
I have come to realize how easier to move in the flesh again.
God does not need my speed…
He wants my soul!
God does not need my action alone ..
He wants my compassion in it.

Thus, I want to center down and distill His specific word to Chua Seng Lee.
I want to run my race which God has marked out for me.
I don’t want to run the race of others.
I don’t want to be 2nd in their race.
I want to be 1st in my race – God’s race for me.

In summary, the 3 most important learning that I have made:
1. Serve the Poor because Jesus had chosen to be poor and broken.
- God’s call to remember the poor; Gal 2:10
- Ministry to the Poor is not dependent on budget.
- It is about exercising the heart of Jesus in us; don’t give handouts…give myself...
- Don’t shut my heart to their cry.
- We serve not because the poor can change or pay us back. We give because Jesus gave.

2. Ministry of Incarnation;
- Jesus came and met needs personally.
Not through a medium or agent; otherwise He could have send a video!
- Words are cheap.
It must be backed up with action; don’t tell someone to take a break unless I am prepared to fill their place.
- Power through human weakness/brokenness; 1 Cor 1:22-24.
End of our human hearts is the beginning of His heart.
- If you don’t forgive, you don’t know God… If you don’t serve the poor, you don’t know God… If you don’t imitate Christ, you don’t know Christ; Prov 21:13
- Death in the giver before life to the receiver! It is a biblical model in ministry; 2 Cor 4:10
- Sow Kindness > Soul Hunter. Go to love and not to complete a target.

3. Issue of difficult times
– issue of direction;
- We need to know where we come from and
- Where we are and
- Where we are going.

Application
1. Why do I serve/give?
I serve and give because Someone has served and given to me.

2. How do I serve/give?
Not from the mind alone. More importantly, from my heart (His heart in me) to love one person at a time.

3. Where do I serve/give?
It starts from where I am… Do I know the “poor” around me?

4. What is serving and giving?
It is doing what Jesus would.

5. When is the time to serve?
Anytime, every time.

6. Who do I serve?
The next person I meet.

My Being...

2008-09-30T17:03:00.005+08:00

Many have asked why?
Answer them not i try.

Many have advice.
I have thrice.

But they mean no harm.
I mean no arm.

Fight not.
Cross not.

Cos we are in the same family of God.
Doing what we believe is of God.

Moving on i must.
Wearing not a mask.

Believe in being True
To my conscience and Truth

Disappointment, Discouragement, Disillusion gather at my door.
Deny them is my call.

Looking to God in my heart.
Lest to Depression i start.

Leaving the people i love,
Disappointing the leaders above,
Are not my intention!
Nor my ambition!

Many memories
Many histories
2 and 22 years in this family ; GBC + FCBC
1 and 15 years of service; GE + FCBC

Truth be told.
I would not be sold.
To a standard i behold,
Contrary to that i hold.
All are subjective,
Subjective are all.
Heaven call beckons me.
To Thee i'll meet.

To part with earthly friends,
To gain my heavenly ends.
Painful yet needful.
Temporary yet seems so Permanent.

When will it ends?
When will i reach the other end?

Father i called.
Help thy son.

Bless all in pain
Honor them with gain
A glimpse of Yourself
A taste of Eternal Health.

Show us Your way,
Glory All The Way!

journey of faith

2008-09-08T14:00:00.002+08:00

In life, nothing is static. even after 16yrs...things can change. the redemptive way to see change is to know that God is involved and He is at work beyond our comprehension.
but change will bring disstability and tensions not forgetting misunderstanding and all.
the important part for me is to maintain a God-honoring posture. never to return evil for evil, anger for anger. instead, eat the humble pie, look up to God, press in on Godliness till i reach the other end.
He is my King. My magificant Obssession.

Reflection on youthwork

2008-08-18T19:18:00.007+08:00

This week, I want to share about the important of involving the youth and young people in your cell. I counselled a member and she shared that she finally felt part of FCBC because she was involved in TYL project. Through volunteering, she came to know more members of FCBC, SJ tribe etc. and THAT made she feel belonged. Yet interestingly, she wondered if she was being canal because her sense of belonging was due to people / friends.

3 important points to note:

1. The importance of involvement
If you do not engage your youth to do something for the cell or church, you are denying them the chance to feel part of the family. Just think of the 1st time you are give responsibility at home and school (carry text books for teachers, etc) and how that made you feel good. It is a very normal human need – the need to be able to contribute. And when they can see themselves doing something, they feel more for the group or thing. Of course, in SL language, the task must be age appropriate bearing in mind their competence too.

2. Is coming to church because of friend is wrong?
Of course NOT!
We should be the walking signboard for God. If you are not one of the reasons why people come to church, you need to check your life. We are called to be witnesses for Him. We are His ambassadors, we are His fleshy representations to the lost world. People are drawn to God because of the messenger first. So we need to ensure our lives are clear reflection for God. Meanwhile, it is normal for some new members or even non Christians come to church because of you and your members. There is absolutely nothing wrong in that. Of course, over time, we need to build into their lives so that they come because of God…we should not be too idealistic that people come just because of the unseen God. They all need to see God in you.

3. G12 vision
Most of our members are very free and not engaged in church. That is because they are NOT in the vision of discipling someone. They are not in the G12 vision.
Why?
Our defective discipleship. We are not producing the RIGHT kind of disciples. We are not producing well because we are growing well. We are all consumed by our life pressing issues, which are legitimate, but neutralised our effectiveness to be a fruitful vine. We need to return to God and cry for a renewed passion to make disciples again.
Go for 12 and not settle with the few you have in your cell. Make them disciple-makers and not just mere cell members

2008-08-16T18:25:00.002+08:00

Dear family,
I will like to start a new series of reflection ie purely on youtwork. Between ps jo and I, we have more than 40yrs of youthwork experiences. It will be poor stewardship for us NOT to share or teach all of you our beloved in the Lord.
Yet in doing so, I must be careful not to lock your learning into our times and context.
AS such, I will try and distill our experiences into Principles as much as I can for your application in your context.

In this 1st reflection, I will like to draw on 2 counselling experiences recently to highlight my learning;

1 Dealing with sexual temptation
It is normal for us to see our youth struggle in their sexual attraction with their partners. If they are not sexually attracted, I will be of great concerned – because we are created as sexual beings.
The correct perspective is to see this as necessary process to develop the fear of God in them. They must not run away from us because of this struggle (have not sinned) and sin (when they aroused one another intentionally). The temptation to run from us or God is the scheme of the devil to condemn them further through self pity and further sinning. God’s grace is always more than enough for us.
The priority in ministering to youth in this journey, is to inspire them to consider God’s destiny for their lives. They need to know that they are created for GREAT thing because God is Great. Despite of their sins and struggles, God can use them if they are willing to return and repent. The way I find that helps is the way of God. When I was younger, and struggled more with sexual temptation, I did not see God condemned me and sentenced me to uselessness in Christendom. Rather, I was shown grace – I was accepted, I was loved, I was affirmed, I was given the joy to serve….
How could I deny such GRACE through our sins….Grace melted my hearts and I was changed.
Thus, when we help couples over these areas, draw them to focus their energy/passion towards serving God and seeking God’s destiny (which is both doing and being; there is no clear separation).

2 Dealing with discipline
I was shocked by how some leaders react violently to discipline of words of rebuke or correction. They reacted with bad attitude and improper manner towards leadership.
Their actions only further revealed a lack of character. Remember we are in character formation and not behavioural modification. As such, I will like us to grow in this when we are corrected by leadership. Accept the correction and see if there are areas of change. Acceptance is not necessary equal to agreement. You can accept and change because you are accountable to God over your action towards leadership. Yet there is nothing stopping you in praying for wisdom to understand the purpose of God over the situation that you cannot agree with. In all things in life, we need more than knowing the facts or truth (theory) …we need to grow in understanding.

SO when you are corrected unreasonably by leadership, accept it and seek to be understanding.

3 Dealing with accountability with youth; speed and reminders
In working with youth, we need to know that they do have a lot of time; more than you think. They can sleep much lesser than us, doing msn, surfing, gaming, etc. Thus, everyday is a full 24hrs availability for things that matters to them eg BGR, interest and hobby and study. While this is not true for us, working adults have a lot more other things to do etc, it will NOT be prudence to respond to youth ONLY at your convenience or preference. If there is a need for accountability, call them immediately or asap and not when you can. If they are thinking about someone or doing something foolish, don’t wait till you can. Do it asap or regret knowing they have done the very thing you know they should NOT. Thus SPEED in responding is very vital.

Talking about reminders, we cannot use our adult practice and expect youth to respond accordingly. You cannot set a time for cell meeting and expect your youth to remember. They may not because they have many options and interesting distraction. If you don’t call or sms them about your cell meetings, you should not be surprised that they don’t turn up. Or they say they forget. But because you call or sms, it will help them to remember their commitment to you and cell, and they MAY turn up. Such is youth work.

That is all for this week.
Do drop me a line or mail if you have some questions or thoughts to add.

Growing with you in growing the next generation.

what am i doing with my cell?

2008-08-05T18:16:00.002+08:00

I was pondering this question because it is important to know how are we spending our time together. it is important to realise that our cell is not just a time for catchup and announcement. Cell time is a time for Life touching life, Truth impacting life, Way for living. Yes, it is Jesus' time. it is important that we achieve all these ie concept for living, perspective for interpreting and action for applicating.

How to do?
Guess that comes to your perference. i will like to create experience to achieve all these.

The end outcome of the meeting - people should leave refreshed and ready to press on in their place of service/work.

coming back to my blog

2008-08-05T00:07:00.002+08:00

yes i am coming to my blog. sensed the need to revive this blog for myself as well as for friends who want to know about my being.
hope to be away for some time of reorientation and evaluation of life.
see you soon on this blog.

Chapter 9 - Evangelising Youth: A Singapore Story

2007-11-02T01:25:00.000+08:00

Rev Kong Hee is popularly known as the evergreen youth pastor of Singapore. Leading a mega church of more than 23,000 at the time of this writing, he is passionate in reaching the youth for Jesus. Just enter his church website, you will discover all form of outreach strategies. Through community services, sports, singing, dancing, studying - you name it they have it. Every domain there is to reach the youth, they are there excelling in almost all of them.

But this is not how the story began in Singapore. Youth work came through different agencies in the 1950s-70s - Youth for Christ, Boys' and Girls' Brigade, Navigators, Campus Crusade for Christ, Christian Fellowship, etc. These agencies went for the youth market via the institution route. We saw many fruits through these ministries. In fact many of the church leaders in Singapore today are the fruits of these ministries.

All these work climaxed at the late 80’s . Then came the mega churches which went into these institutions with their own campus and school ministries. Conflicts were real whereby members of the agencies had to take sides, i.e. whether to stay in their local church or leave so as to stay in these agencies.

Things improved with the Love Singapore Movement. Churches and parachurches came together for concerts of prayer and reconciliation. It was indeed a glorious time for youth work too. It was also during this period that churches were reminded to sow among the youth again. Rev Kong took hold of the call and went with it. The rest is history.

Looking forward, I believe more churches must plow more into youth work. We need more mega churches like City Harvest Church. Singapore could be reached in 1 day, if the youth is won!

(Thus, this little attempt of mine in penning down my memory and experiences in this e-book to encourage more youth workers to embrace the call.)

Photo taken from City Harvest Church website.

Chapter 8 - Parents and Youthworkers – Parentsconnnect

2007-11-02T01:19:00.000+08:00

The BIGGER Picture.

In working with youth or children or any special people group, it is very likely that we could become very focus in developing our expertise. While this is a strength, it tends to limit us from multiplying the effects of our labour. We failed to see the whole picture.

I found that for change in the lives of the youth to be lasting, we need to consider the bigger environment and the other influences in their lives.

Thus the need to know the families, the parents, the schools.

Especially the family. I noticed the power of subtle conditioning in our family life. While we could vow not to behave like our parents, yet, we may soon discover that we have the very expression we don’t like. Thus, for effective youth ministry, we need to engage the parents of our youth. We see, hear and understand them. We may not be able to change the parents. But with the prior knowledge, it would help us to better influence and disciple our youth.

Chapter 7 - The challenging 20s, the restless 30s, the giving 40s, the covering of the 50/60s.

2007-11-02T01:08:00.000+08:00

Working with young people is the same as working with other age group. We need to know their needs and style/culture so that we can be effective in discipling them.

I discovered that in each different age bracket, the person has different aspirations.

Questions asked:-
Can I love? 20-30
Can I make my life count? 30-50
Is it ok to have been me? >50

While these are the questions, the expressions are very different. The 20-30 would be the age group that expresses themselves by challenging the norms. They would express their value to us readily. Do not be fearful of these expressions. It is their way of finding and discovering themselves before they pour themselves into loving the things they question. This is the time to love them and affirm them of their identity in Christ.

30-40 While asking life purpose, they would be rather restless. The sense of restlessness comes from the “anxiety” to define life-meaning and purpose. As such, this is the time to challenge them to exercise faith, in venturing out, and in experimenting new ideas.
This is also known as the second-half for some people.

40-50 As they sailed through the turbulent 30-40, they have more or less sorted out their purpose. As such this is the good age group whereby life coaches appeared. These are the people who would like to give back to the next generation.

50-60 They know the influence they have over others. They do not have to run as fast as before. They would give by leveraging on relationships they have built over the years through their influence.

Chapter 6 - What Really Matters to the Youth & Youth Development?

2007-05-01T10:20:00.000+08:00

a. Research on adult leaders who has been impacted by youth ministry

What really impacted you then? Most would cite their teachers, mentors etc. But what would be constant among these people would be their act of belief in the person that resulted in conversion and transformation.

When Peter came before Jesus, Jesus saw beyond “Simon” – a name related to seaweed ie someone unstable or inconsistent. Instead Jesus saw “Cephas” – a name related to stablility ie rock. Jesus knew that Peter would betray Him. But yet He declared Peter as a rock! Jesus saw beyond the humanity …Jesus saw God’s design in Peter.

Similarly, in youth development, it is very key for us to see beyond the present and immediate. We need to see God in the person and what God could do in and through the person. We need to declare that so that spirit of the person could be edified.

What was instrumental in your growth? An environment of trust and thrust. Just like a seed, environmental factors are key to growth.

Environment of trust; people are willing to try when they are assured that failing is ok. Failing is part of total growth. People are willing to believe in themselves when they realized that we are so willing to believe in them.
Environment of thrust; people are like muscles …they need to be stretched. Not too much …not too little…but enough to grow outside our comfort zone. Enough to be more than yesterday…

If you were a youth leader then, what else would you do?
(to be answered)

b. Chronos study – why youth are where they are.

Behind every youth are their parents. Thus what shaped and influenced the parents have direct influence over the youth. Youth (born in the 80s) Parents (born in 50s)

Challenges of the various decades 1940s, 1950s, 1960s. 1970s, 1980s.
40s - children were dispensable due to the war and problems
50s - children were hands to bring in the food. It was a tough life.
60s - children were welcomed but neglected
70s - children were welcomed but neglected
80s - children were welcomed but pampered

Parents born in the era of 50s-70s would want to make up for the poverty and neglect in their lives by pampering their children. Yet, they do not have good role models nor parenting skills. Thus, while they dote on the teens and young adults today, they are not able to express their affection or parenting skills well.

From Chronos study, we can see that parents are influenced by their upbringing thereby affecting their parenting with their youth. Thus it is important for youth workers to see through the youth issue to see the parents and parenting issues confronting us today.

c. Felt needs and real needs

The felt needs of the youth are quite predictable;

Using Erik Erickson’s Model, we can understand these needs better.

Youth are at the stage of “Who am i? What can I be?” stage

And in this stage, the sense of FAMILY is important. See chart below.

Thus in this chapter on “What really matters to the youth & youth development?”, we need to know that:

1. Environments of Trust (I believe in You) and Thrust (You can do it!) are important for youth development.

2. Family System affects youth. We can know more through Chronos study.

3. Identifying needs are vital; both felt and real

With all these in mind, we are ready for the next part of the journey….

Chapter 4 - History of Youth Work (Singapore)

2007-02-10T12:49:00.001+08:00

Incidential to Intentional to Integration

During the 1960s, the youth movement started in Singapore through the various youth ministries Youth For Christ, Campus Crusades, Navigators, etc. which were predominantly para-church organisations.

The church then, was not ready for such intense youth work. As such, many released their youth to serve in these para-church groups. Then came the 80s where we saw big churches rise up in our landscape. They were able to organize themselves and began their targeting of the campus and youth (typically Pre U and Sec Sch) ministries. Of course in this turbulent period, parachurches and church groups were caught on each other toes; both trying to figure out what was best for the Kingdom of God.

By the 90s most medium to big size churches are able to establish their own unique bland of youth work in campuses and schools. This trend of church formed groups causes the parachurch to redefine their roles and mission.

I was first converted and followed up in a parachurch organsiation in the 80s. I shifted to serve in a local church in the 90s till today. But I still have fond friendships with many parachurch groups because we “grew” up through the processs of change.

Through my teaching ministry as well as interaction, I saw many wonderful changes and growth in the church youth groups.

I have seen how we have moved from doing youth work incidentially (i.e. because we had to rather than we wanted to) to intentional youth work (i.e. we want to). It was an era of exciting growth in the 80s-90s, seeing churches rising up to own the discipling of their youth. Since then, the churches have matured in their views of youth work, from taking a glorified baby sitting role to intentional discipleship. Many youth leaders and pastors have come forth through this change.

Yet I am sensing and seeing a new trend is arising. I believe we are about to see youth work moving from not just being intentional but to an integrated formation. Integration would be a key word for the next lap. Youth work, in the 21st century, cannot be done apart from the rest of the church ministries. It, together with the rest, must be integrated to the total church.

I will liken this to a normal growth process of a child. When they are younger, they are taught to master one or two skills. But as they mature, they are expected to be able to do it intentionally. Then the day will come when they need to be multi-tasking.

This is not to be misunderstood as from a specialist (like a doctor) to become a general practitioner – that would be regressing. Instead it is like being able to be both a specialists as well as a CEO at the same time. Yes, it would mean more demands on the church as well as church pastors. But we need to be so to ensure that the total body (the church) would harness the full potential of the BODY and not every parts doing their own things.
It is challenging and I have not seen a fully functional type yet. But I know that would be the reality in the near future for any church and church youth group to thrive.

May God grant us wisdom to do so.

Chapter 3 : Youths - Leaders of Today!

2007-02-05T23:25:00.000+08:00

Often we hear these slogans, “Youths are the Leaders of Tomorrow!”, “Youths hold the key to tomorrow!” etc.

They are true and right. But often inherent to these slogans, we assume that youth could only make meaningful contribution to the society when they grow up! i.e. they can only start to lead when they are older, wiser, more mature etc.

No wonder we see youths not being challenged to rise up at all; especially those in churches!

In schools, a 15-yr-old is expected to lead a uniform group (eg Co-Curriculum Activities), run projects, execute plans. They are not treated as a liability! They are treated as an individual who is able to contribute. They are expected to model, lead the way, be trustworthy and demonstrate responsibility.

Yet, in churches, they are meant to be seen not heard. They are expected only to receive and learn. In most situations there is nothing structured or intentionally designed to engage them with their PRESENT abilities. What a pity!

Youths are often looked down in churches.

However, 1 Tim 4:12 says, "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."

Even in the days of Timothy, the “habit” of belittling youth existed. Paul challenged Tim NOT to allow such perceptions to limit him. Rather, Tim must, through his life, model as an example to all who believed.

Youths are the leaders TODAY! We should not wait till they are older to engage them in meaningful contribution or service. We need to learn how to tap into the potential and energy within them and stretch them towards maturity.

Yes. They are youthful, immature and easily influenced. There is a limit to how much they can do. Hence there is a need to give to them age-appropriate means to disciple and deploy them.

Youths are the leaders TODAY! We need to allow God to show us how best to engage the 13-16, 16-20, 20-25….

Personally I have seen many youths being “discipled and deployed”. And they delivered what were expected of them. I mentioned that was done in Schools Co-Curriculum activities. I have also seen such examples in Community Service as well.

What could we learn from these examples of engaging youths as leaders today?
I believe there are several principles that we can learn and adapt into our church discipling programs for the youths.

Principle of Environmental Factors - Authority and Discipline (Guidance)
I choose the start with authority and discipline because young people need to know that there is a clear boundary. Unfortunately many grow up without a proper boundary system in their lives. They are used to do what they want, when they want. Apart from existing family systems which are cracking in many homes (Christian families included), schools are also failing in setting good boundary system due to workload, etc.

Thus, there is a great and urgent need to establish such environments from the start. An environment where boundaries are set up to respect authority and instill discipline is necessary for proper learning and growing to take place.

Principle of Affirming Culture - Award and Recognition (Motivation)
Environmental factor (external) and culture (internal).
We need to develop a healthy affirming culture. Notice the word “healthy”. We need to be affirming but our affirmation MUST be healthy lest it becomes mere flattery.
In many circles where affirmation is commonly practiced, I have found them to be human flattery (too much usage of superlative) more than affirmation.

What then is healthy affirming culture?
Firstly we need to know the purpose of Affirmation. It is to endorse, highlight, confirm the positive. Thus there is a need to define what is the positive action, gesture, attitude, etc. A mere statement ie “you are great” means nothing! You need to describe the part which makes you think that the person is great ie “Your selfless giving to the poor is great! I am touched.”

Secondly, we need to promote such affirming action. Youths need to know what is acceptable and what is not. Thus, promoting affirming action done by them is in itself an affirming act. In the process, we are also communicating our values as demonstrated in their actions. Common activities would be “end of camp appreciation” for the youth leaders. We use such moments to highlight what they have done well.

Thirdly, we need to redefine our culture. As in all things good, even good affirmation can erode due to neglect or overuse. Thus the need to revisit and reshape our culture. Culture is defined as the way we do things as a result of our values.

Principle of Meaning and Passion (Motivation)
How do we get the youths to stay connected and committed?
We need to help them to draw meaning from their actions. All of humanity is looking for meaning in life. We are such because God has created us for meaningful passion. We are created for Him. Thus, showing them how the outcome of their action contributes to LOVE (God is love) would spur them on.

Principle of Youth Development (Knowledge, Skills and Values)
For effective discipleship and deployment, we need to ensure that our youths are given the right knowledge and skills (through exciting means). It is important to note that there must be relevance and use (this reinforces the principle of meaning and passion) for the knowledge and skills taught. The lesser the amount we use, immediately, the least the motivation to learn.

Recently, I was reminded that in some under developed countries, how youths were called upon to lead. Eg. a 15-yr-old daughter of a senior pastor preached powerfully to more than a 15,000 -strong crowd; an 18-yr-old lady in China could be leading more than 10,000 members in an underground churches.

What is my point?
Youths are the Leaders TODAY!
Engage THEM!

Email List

2007-02-05T04:30:00.000+08:00

Include your email address in the comments section below and I will put you on my mailing list. You will receive an email from me each time I post a new chapter.

Cheers!
CSL

Stepping Stones 2007

2007-02-05T04:01:00.000+08:00

I have taken some time to think through how I would like to write this online book. Below is a possible framework which I feel will allow me to adequately share my thoughts and experiences on Youth Leaders. I guess, you could take it as the content page of this online book!

While I will be following closely to this format, this is a work-in-progress and hence your feedback and sharing of experiences will add to this book in a very precious and valuable way. I hope those of you who read my posts will take some time to contribute your thoughts in the comments section. I would really love to hear from you. Along the way, if there is a particular topic that you would like me to share and write about, feel free to let me know. I will try to work it in or even dedicate one more chapter to it, if enough of you feel strongly about it.

Lastly, I must apologise if the Chapters do not get posted on a regular basis. While this is something that I am putting my heart and soul in, I also have other commitments at work, family, ministy etc. What I can do however, is to set up a mailing list for those of you would like to be updated when I post a new chapter. Click on Mailing List under the Categories column and post your email in the comments section. I will get back to you asap.

I hope my sharing will bless you indefinitely and spur you on in your journey as a christian Youth Worker/ Youth Leader in the ministry that God has led you to.

CONTENTS FOR STEPPING STONES

Intro
1 Why stepping stones;
2 Why youth work?
3 Youth – leaders of today!
4 History of Youth work – from incidental to intentional to integration

Youth workers
5 Youth worker is king-maker!
6 What really matters to the youth & youth development?
a. Research on adult leaders who has been impacted by youth ministry
b. Chronos study – why youth are where they are?
c. Felt needs and real needs
7 The challenging 20s, the restless 30s, the giving 40s, the covering of the 50/60s.
a. Challenging 20s; conflict of values
b. Restless 30s; esp upper 30s because of the need to exercise faith, experimenting ideas, exerting authority
c. Giving 40s; desire to give back to the next generation, need to create an environment for growth for the teens to 20s to 30s. guard the truth and provide foundation. Nurturing
d. Covering of the 50/60s; providing umbrella for the next generation to try new things

Encouraging
8 Parents and Youthworkers – parents connnect

The Bigger Picture
9 Evangelising Youth – a Singapore story
10 I HAVE A DREAM!

Why Youth Work?

2007-01-03T08:19:00.000+08:00

A preacher challenged a graduating class, "There is still room in the list of spiritual giants (like that of DL Moody, George Whitefield...) for the kingdom of God." 1 young man responded to that challenge. He was then 22 yrs old. Years later, Billy Graham became one of God's finest evangelist in the last century.

What is my point?

God delights in using youths for the expansion of His kingdom!

WHY are we reaching the youth generation (13-25); is this a ministry of convenience or conviction? Some might say it is convenient because working with people in this age group brings forth the easiest results. Others might say it is convenient because we have many leaders in this age group. Still others will say it is convenient because many of our church members are in this age-group. The truth is, if you serve out of convenience, you will produce people of negligence - people who neglect the cost of following Jesus, neglect living a pure life, neglect living out the many essential biblical principles as Christians.

If you serve out of convenience, you will hardly make an impact. Take for example, ministering among the military community. Several para-churches started off with serving the military community but changed their course after seeing more results among the campuses. Today, we no longer have any para-churches serving the military with the exception of MCF - Military Christian Fellowship.

The church of God is never formed out of convenience of Conviction.
When you serve out of conviction, you can win NATIONS for the Lord.

"The World has yet to see a man fully consecrated to him - a man of conviction." DL Moody, a revivalist at the end of 18th century, resolved to be that man and by the end of 3 yrs, he brought England, Scotland and Ireland to their knees.

The church needs people of conviction not convenience. As a pastor, I have learnt that I would rather have 50 leaders whose hearts are set for God than 1,000 who serve out of convenience and therefore whose lives never made any significant impact in the world.

WHAT SHOULD OUR OUR CONVICTIONS BE THEN?

I would like to share with you my own convictions which I have formed through understanding what the Word of God says about our service to Him. These have been the driving force in my own journey of serving God's as a youth pastor. However, it is one thing to know, yet another to own these convictions for your own life. It is my prayer that as I share, God will impress upon you a similar passion/conviction for this work.

(PRAY)

Whenever we read the Great Commission, we often are guilty of the Great Omission - mentally, by and large as a church, we left out the children and the youth, in our stategy in building the church .

Unfortunately, because this age range is between the YOUTH and adults, it is often left unaccounted for in many churches.
In military term, it is similar to the "NO MAN"S LAND". A space between 2 group of forces that no one owns. Yet, often in military operation, it is in this NO-MAN's LAND that decisive battle are fought and won.
I believe it is the same in the spiritual realm, where spiritual battle are found. If we, the church could maximise the potential in this age-group, we could establish a significant stronghold in the spiritual climate of the nation.
Let me share with you 5 beliefs that ungirded our conviction in this ministry.

1. Transitional people group with great potential

1.1 Transition needs = coping with special needs
They will face problems that people not in these situations will not or hardly face. eg Choice of courses, studies, boy-girl relationship (see slide), greater sense of self-awareness (who am i? who do i want to be? or to be seen as?). Hence, a need to have a specific focus to meet their needs.

1.2 Transition period = more open and receptive to the gospel due to change
Billy Graham crusades recorded that 95% of the decision are below the age of 25 - the most responsive group of people to the gospel fall with the age-group of 18-25yr old. (that incl. ,most of you here). And because they are more receptive to the issue of faith in this period, especially in colleges, we must take advantage of these period, otherwise the world would. (see slide)
1 example can be seen in the Japan Doomsday Cult group; the team that developed the gas, that was used to poison the train station, was all graduates and some were recent graduates. There is an uprise of evangelistic fervor also targeting this people group from other faith. Muslim and buddhism.
This period is also vital to the cultivation of values. If we could harnass and develop them properly during this period, they would pass out of the ministry as an effective witnesses and labourers for the Lord.

2. Effective for outreach
(3 reasons why it is better to group them together for outreach purpose)

2.1 Clear defined boundary; well-contained within a set perimeter
(restricted access areas)

2.2 Clear defined target
Apart from proximity, their needs are quite similar.

2.3 Maximise the common needs and interest
The geographical district outreach plan will be relatively too generally and that the needs of these special people may be overlooked. And also this age-group people has more energy and availability for activities that the working and married people may not have. (major moving exercise for a retreat vs just a bag).

3. Responsibility of the Church (not just the para-Church)
Especially in campus environment; the responsibility towards our sheep cannot be handled over to someone else when you could be in the position of influence (not like when they go overseas; even that it is still possible). i think it is time for the church to take direct responsibilty for its people. i am not playing down the role of para-church, but awaking the bride of Christ to the task assigned by God to us. For us, to ensure that the college students come to church even during exam time, we, as well as the lay supervisors, would work on catering a public transport to transport them to and fro church; even when it is about 18miles apart.

4. Continuity and Integration
it is easier when you have been operating under the same structure. there is much similarity under the same leadership within the church framework and unlike transfering from a parachurch to church.

5. The youth sector is one of the major keys in winning the nations for Jesus Christ
(not the only one, but 1 of the major key in winning the nation)

There are 5 majors centres that influence the nations. They are as follow:
Government Centres;
Commercial Centres;
Communication Centres (mass media)
Spiritual Centres (churches and others)
Educational Centres

The educational centres include all the schools and colleges in the nation. Important to note, most of the graduates of the campus or colleges will move up the corporate ladder in these other centres. So, if we are able to reach them during their student days, indirectly or directly, we are influencing the nations. The values we impart to these people will shape the value system of the nation and even for our next generations too.)

With these 5 beliefs about this age group, we know that our labour among them would not be in vain. There are times of testing and trials, diappointment and let-down, releasing people you have groomed and developed, losing a part of you every year, etc - is not an easy experience.
BUT, we could continue because I know God is in this with me. And we, by the grace of God, are in the process of constructing the church for the 21st century., building great pastors and missionaries of tomorrow, discipling the christian leaders for the church of the next century. Come and join us in this extraordinary venture - life will never be the same again!
(sermon preached June 13 1996)

Intro to Stepping Stones

2006-12-09T15:15:00.000+08:00

Do you know who helped Billy Graham to discover his gifting in preaching? Who helped Benny Hinn to move in the supernatural healing gifts of God? Who was instrumental in shaping the life of Mother Theresa?

The three Christian servants are well known for their service to humanity. Billy Graham preached to millions and saw great numbers of salvations. He was used by God to stir up faith within the body of Christ to believe in evangelism. Benny Hinn preached salvation and healing. Many wonderful miracles were released in his meetings. He was an inspiration to many in the healing power of God. Mother Theresa was an icon of Christian love. When the world looked for an icon for love, they turned to the wrinkled face of Mother Theresa. She was well known to the whole world as a nun who served the poorest of the poor, those whose lives were least valued.

While these are the servants of God, I wonder if you have ever paused to think of the many who obeyed the prompting of God, and came to inspire them, to guide them, to affirm them, to correct them, to release them into God’s wonderful destiny for their lives. These are the unsung heroes of God in His kingdom. These are the many who served not in limelight but simply for His delight. These are the unknown faces of the multitudes, some who are now among the many witnesses in heaven cheering us on, some who are still here on earth, motivating us on to finish our race heavenward in Christ.

These, are God’s “Stepping Stones”.

They came to serve God by lifting us up on a higher plane so that we could see God and reach out for His destiny in our lives. They are happy just to be that step which we could step on to reach our higher destination. They are not known, not remembered, not around when we reach the next level. They could be our primary school teachers, our Sunday school teachers, our seniors, our parents and most definitely our youth pastors!

To many, the term “Stepping stones” is not a nice description to describe people who have mattered in our lives. It gives a negative connotation that they have been used for our selfish gain. But yet in a sense, every mentor, disciple-maker, youth worker ARE Stepping Stones. They came and allowed us to step on them to reach our highest potential (not selfish gain).

As I turn 40, after serving God for more than 14yrs in full-time ministry as a pastor, I feel it is time to pen down my thoughts to thank the many stepping stones of God in my life as well as those in the lives of many of you out there. They deserve our appreciation!

time to revamp my blog

2006-11-10T17:23:00.000+08:00

i have been travelling a lot this past months.
i have been passing my article to be posted at MOLMAN.blogspot.com rather than here.

But soon...i will want to start a new series here just on this blog. it would be a book i hoped to publish when i was younger. it would be about my reflection on my last 20years on youthwork. i have entitled the book "Stepping Stones". And instead of publishing it on paper, i think blog would be the more suitable media for this new generation of youth and youth worker.

It is my intention to bless the youthworker of old and new about the challenges and blessings of youthwork.

Should you know someone who is a youthworker, you can invite him on my behalf to come and share this journey with me.
Intro
1 Why stepping stones;
a humble call to youth work; forgettable group of workers among church team. Youth worker does not retire they just fade away.
Youth Ministry
2 Why youth work? U
nique grace; openness to gospel, Holy Spirit and readiness for radical commitment. They are leaders of tomorrow but what kind?
3 Youth – leaders of today!
4 History of Youth work –
from incidental to intentional to integration
Youth workers
5 Youth worker is king-maker!
6 What really matters to the youth & youth development?
a. Research on adult leaders who has been impacted by youth ministry
b. Chronos study – why youth are where they are?
c. Felt needs and real needs
7 The challenging 20s, the restless 30s, the giving 40s, the covering of the 50/60s.
a. Challenging 20s; conflict of values
b. Restless 30s; esp upper 30s because of the need to exercise faith, experimenting ideas, exerting authority
c. Giving 40s; desire to give back to the next generation, need to create an environment for growth for the teens to 20s to 30s. guard the truth and provide foundation. Nurturing
d. Covering of the 50/60s; providing umbrella for the next generation to try new things, Encouraging
8 Parents and Youthworkers – parentsconnnect
The Bigger Picture
9 Evangelising Youth – a Singapore story
10 I HAVE A DREAM!

i will expand on all these in the coming months....please feel free to share your thoughts with me and other fellow youthworkers/stepping stones.

2006-10-03T23:02:00.000+08:00

Psa 127:1 A pilgrim song of Solomon. If GOD doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks. If GOD doesn't guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap.
Psa 127:2 It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?
Psa 127:3 Don't you see that children are GOD's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Psa 127:4 Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth.
Psa 127:5 Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Flowing from the sermon from Sunday, I meditated upon the verses again and this is my reflection.
I noticed 2 very key words ie useless and giving.
It is useless to toil apart from God. All our effort would be wasted even if they yield some temporary results.
On the other hand, God gives. He gives rest and protection. There is no need to worry. Worry is a lack of trust in God. We need to learn to look beyond our perspective and see God. Thereby allowing ourselves to do what He does and not what more not less.
Burnout and every other stresses and failure come when we work beyond what God has for us.

Jesus said – I only do what I see My Father is doing in Heaven!

Faith or risk

2006-09-26T23:14:00.000+08:00

Pastor Eugene shared an interesting insight about faith and risk. Faith is about God while risk is about us. Thus, if we are risk centred when we exercise faith..we are really focusing on what we would lose if the action failed to produce the outcome. On the other hand, faith in God is about obeying and trusting the outcome to God.
very interesting insight. we need to know and move by faith - because the righteous shall walk by faith.

Obedience

2006-09-12T15:29:00.000+08:00

As i reflected more about this season of God's word...i felt that the key word is OBEDIENCE...only in obedience can we truly lived out Jesus as Lord of all in our lives. We need to know that only in obedience to the Truth that we are building our lives on strong foundation. Foundation is not built overnight. it requires true commitment to follow / obey His Word. Have you obeyed today?

Monday Church

2006-09-12T15:18:00.000+08:00

I like the term "Monday Church". We are reminded that church is not meant to be only on Sunday. Instead we must live out our faith on Monday to Saturday. I want to encourage all of you to seek out the plans of God for your "Monday Church", the community you are in, and pray for wisdom to establish His will.

You can be another "Daniel" which brought about a change in his high school because he believed and acted with his faith. God can use another vessel who truly believed.

And for those of you who came forward to be commissioned....start praying...i will available together with my 12 to help you discern God's will and start your Monday Church. It is time to Pastor the City!

reflection at pre planning

2006-08-24T17:09:00.000+08:00

we are reminded again about the need to pause and reflect on the sermon lest we, pastors, are mere "professional" without authencity. how can we be challenged about the Lordship of Jesus without making some changes in our lives; be it inner life or our manner in speech and action. so often we can justify our actions and speeches but when we come before His Lordship, the appropiate response should be repentance.
questions; who am i when no one is looking? why am i responding the way i am? how is Jesus reflected in my words and actions?
IS HE LORD?

My children, i pray that when u read this entry, that you too will allow the Holy SPirit to shine into the inner recess of your heart. Allow Him to show you where we have "fallen" whereby He is not given the reign in our lives.

Jabez's Prayer

2006-06-26T18:05:00.000+08:00

God bless me. Enlarge our territory! Let Your hand be upon me and deliver me from evil!

Where is our territory?
I am asking about your personal territory?
This prayer is meaningless if you are not mindful of what you pray ie where is your territory.
Start asking God and believe Him for that territory!

Miracle Catch and G12

2006-06-26T17:58:00.000+08:00

We are thankful to the God for the experience of miracle catch. as a church, we saw 33% increase in total attendence, we saw more salvations than last MOL in december 05, etc.

But i agreed with the poem from our tribe, this is just THE BEGINNING. we need to be good parents to the new converts. we need to go beyond these new converts and continue our sacred tasks of making disciples and not counting decisions.

In fact, i am appreciating more of the call to make disciples and see every harvesting events as ways to increase the pool for discipleship. Thus, leaders and members, if you are reading this blog, return back to lead your group/people to Jesus. Send them to consolidation. Pray real hard that they encounter Jesus. Help them to grow under your care and through the LOS. Fast and lay hold of God till they become leaders/disciples in God.

Don;t waste time, we have only 5 more months to see the growth God desired to bless us. Go and make disciples!!

Life is simple. Life is complex. Life is NOT Complicated

2006-06-13T16:10:00.000+08:00

I find myself explain this very often. Thus i decided to blog this for all my readers. Life is not complicated! This means that Life is not so intertwined that we cannot make sense or meaning out of it. Life is complex! This means that life is interrelated to other factors of life. But because Life is interrelated, it can be untangled. Let me illustrate with "body soul and spirit". Our body can influence our soul eg if you are sick, you can feel down and depressed. This can happen the other way around too. Thus, by sleeping, you can untangle depression within. While sleeping (physical) is not directly related to emotion (arena for depression), the physical dimension of our lives can bring wholeness to our emotional dimension of life. Thus, when dealing with life, make sure you are not compromising Physical, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual dimensions of life. They are all interrelated and thus bring complexity to your life. But if you are not developing them systematically, you will be able to live life simply. it is that SIMPLE.

The necessity for reflection

2006-06-13T15:57:00.000+08:00

Only the wise reflects!
Since reflection is not natural, the normal canal side of us would choose to flow with the events of life and not make sense out of them. We allow days to flow through our lives only to be awaken occasionally by crisis, supernatural encounters, etc.
The bible called us to live life wisely. Wisdom, as defined in scripture, refers to the art of living well under the hand of God. The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Why? Fear of God helps us to be conscious of God regularly. Reflection, or biblical reflection, calls us to be conscious of God. Reflecting on daily moments by seeking out God's agenda and lesson for us, helps us to be conscious of God. Thus making one wise.
Fools, on the other hand, said in their own hearts there is no God. They are not stupid people. They are just people who sincerely live lives without any consciousness of God. They may even profess with their mouths that there is God but their lives are lived without such consciousness. Often it is not what we say but how we live in private that truly reflect who we are.
SO are you wise or fool? Reflect about this!

Mt K challenge

2006-06-10T23:52:00.000+08:00

We came we saw we conquered. As a family!(italic mine)
It was indeed a faith stretching exercise for me and my tribe to attempt this challenge.
Out of the 39 of us who attempted, 34 summitted (1 summitted at the 8km mark. we counted him because he could have made it to the top if not for the closing timing)
2 sisters chose not to go, apart from some physical conditions, did so to take care of the others. Their actions spoke volume of love to us. Not forgetting Cindy and Nicole who chose to come and stayed at the Park Ranger’s office to pray for the entire team as well.

Lessons learnt;
1 The Pleasure of God was what we sought throughout the trip. We lived out our professed love for one another throughout the challenge. We did so because we wanted His pleasure to be with us. Many carried the load of others to empower them to move one more step literally.
2 The Passion of God kept us going even at the toughest moment. At the final ascend, every step was met with great physical constraint – it remembered us of Jesus on His road to Calvary hill. Ours climb is nothing compared to His.
3 The Plans of God must be what we live for! Beyond Mt K, we need to conquer the rest of mountains He has in store for all of us. Conquering Mt K is only a physical rehearsal to the actual “mountains” in our lives. We need to press on and transfer the learning; the assurances of God, the power of family love, into our daily walk within God’s plan.
4 The Power of God’s love is what we really need! We need to go beyond living out our professed love, we need to strengthen our motivation to love. I realised while we can act on LOVE to one another…but our motivation could be weak or superficial. It is easier to show love by doing something for others, but it takes another level of love to honestly loving someone in our hearts. I believe God is showing me some cracks in the family love and that I need to repent (on their behalf) and return to model genuine love (to my 12 and 144).

DVC - final installation

2006-05-30T00:03:00.000+08:00

I think the movie has come and would be gone very soon...based on the reviews i am hearing.
But still i have received feedback that some of our faith have been challenged.
I decided that this would be my last blog on this matter.

DVC has many false claims. Among those is the claims that all the history and facts are real. They were quoted from historians....yet upon further checking, you would find that NO historian was consulted...those he quoted were all authors and conspiracy theoists.

Further, his understanding of Christian history and findings were erratic. He is very novice in his understanding of even basic Christianity and historic finding. And for us to allow our faith to be challenged by man who is not even proper tutored in our faith only get to show how shallow we are in our faith itself.

So if this apply to you, time to enrol yourselves in LOS. Go to church regularly and ask questions to your leaders...they would be stronger in their faith when they are able to find and answer your questions.

Have FUN!

gnostic and gospel of judas

2006-05-10T00:03:00.000+08:00

i did my teaching on Christology. And in the process, i did some study on the gnostic bible. i discovered that the gnostic is more interested in the hidden revelation of God than dealing with the fleshly issues of marriage or intimacy with Mary. such revelation or knowledge is for selfish gain. Anyway, the claims by Dan Brown, that Jesus married/had sex with Mary as "mentioned in the gnostic" is really baseless. He, knowingly or unknowingly, was attacking the deity of God through his conspiracy theory. I pray that he would see the Light and repent of his stumbling works.

As for the gosepl of judas, i was told that we should appreciate Judas. The reason was that without him, there would be no betrayal, no cross, no redemption.
This arguement had been around for ages. The truth is with or without Judas, God's plan of redemption would still be done. Jesus had no need to convince Judas to betray Him as opposed to what the Judas Gospel suggested. If we need to appreciate Judas because of the indirect contribution to salvation....we need to thank the devil too.

God is much more power than to need mere human to help Him to complete His redemption.
Actually, Devil was caught off guard, in the redemption plan. And wanted to kill Jesus at all possible cause. as such, even without judas, the devil would still move his armies in the human to capture Jesus. Only to fall into the greatest conspiracy of all....the redemption via the cross.

Sigh...if only we could make effort to know the bible and be impressed with God's surprise move, conspiracy work, wonderful miracles.....we would always find the wordly information interesting.

Personally, i am praying for a time next week to avail myself to handle all enquries about Da Vinc code and judas gospel. i would be flying back from beijing....but i felt the need to do...any comments...,,,,

Are you there?

2006-04-28T16:42:00.001+08:00

I have been busy with many projects coming up.....starting with preaching at the baptism service tonight, preparing for my China trip + teaching there, leading PnP next friday, teaching Christology next Sunday, completing my M Ed project, organising GCYC and NCTC...

So i may not be writing anything pastoral over the next few weeks.

However, i am open to response to any questions you may have about our faith....just drop that into "comments". i will then enter my response into this blog. i will wait for 3-4 comments before i make my entry.

Till then, do pray for me.

Are you there?

2006-04-28T16:42:00.000+08:00

Gospel according to Judas and Da Vinci Code

2006-04-17T15:32:00.000+08:00

I was very amused that National Geographic would make such a big wave about Gospel according to Judas. Upon further thoughts, i was no longer amused. They are all trying to cash in on the waves of the Da Vinci Code and the Easter weekend. But more than that, they were fulfilling the prophesy in Revelation that more false prophets and wrong teaching would abound in the end times.
The more i think of this, the more i looked forward to teaching my people about Christology and Revelation. I want to make sure all my people are informed of the schemes of the devil and thus be able to stay FAITHFUL WITH THE TRUTH till the END.
Gospel according to Judas cannot be taken seriously just as would you take someone, 200years later in the future, who would write about me? or would you take the writing of someone closer to me like my wife or children or even my immediate disciples? the choice is obvious, we would take the writing of those who had been with Jesus and who was closer to Jesus (the 4 Gospels book in the Bible) more seriously than those who wrote 200yrs later (ie Gospel according to Judas; which by the way, was not written by Judas).
Anyway, the Gnostic Bible has been around as a cult-teaching since the 200-300 AD. we should not be surprised that they are back in this End Times. So if you are reading this blog..consider yourself informed!

2006-04-17T14:06:00.000+08:00

sydney Uni Blue Mountain Nature

GOH speaking
Opera House

P's mum witnessing to youth

Principal of NICE and wife @ graduation centre.

Beyond mere study

2006-04-17T14:01:00.000+08:00

i had time to visit the great ocean road and of course to see the 12 (7) apostles and the London Bridge.

Worldviews - my learning in M Ed

2006-03-31T10:53:00.000+08:00

Dualism
This is a view that all of life can be splitted in 2 ways eg Secular and sacred split.
This is promoted by Plato which taught about the body (can be seen) vs soul (cannot be seen). Of course, the further addition was that what could be seen is evil and what could not be seen is good. This kind of worldview crept right into the church father as well. St Augustine classified things as eternal vs temporal. ANd given his past, he condemned sex as always an act of lust; he could be see sex as from God ie a Fall-Redemption mindset. Aquinas added to St Augustine with Nature vs Grace. When this thinking flowed into the Institutional Church, grace was exalted above all of life. Nature was reduced and removed from the church agenda. As a result the church lost touch with the rest of the world and became inward looking.

Rise of Secularism
Interest in Nature (actually a God-given interest) was widespread and soon secularism became more exciting for people. And the institutional church was left into the private domain of one's life. In fact, it was viewed that only the weak need to have faith. But our gospel is a gospel of All things; we should never have left secularism to rob the nature out of the domain of our faith.
Schaeffer – “Nature began to eat out grace”.

Rise of Science
Science came into the forthfront since it was able to explain and empower man to provide "dominance over creation again". only this time, it is done without God's intention.
This god-less movement brought forth Empiricism and Rationalism – science revolution. there is nothing wrong with Science. But when Science beame Scientism (absolute claim over nature) it became a worldviews that set us apart from true worship of God.
(Worldviews are incarnated in our lives. They are more than mere concept.)

Affirmation of Creation
Renaissance – glory of man
Reformation – glory of God

Idols of Modernism
Scientism – omniscience ; There is nothing I cannot know
Technicism – omnipotence; There is nothing I cannot do
Economism – sovereignty; There is nothing I cannot have
We are encouraged to bow down to these “idols”.

Worldview Crisis
Attack from post-modernism
Modernism reduces humanity; that man is only rational
The dream has failed. “Worldview” of despair.
It’s all about power and coercion of people.
No Worldview is true.
Opportunity for Christian
We need to leave reservation ; time to claim that there is absolute
“the world can now put up with Christian so long as we stay in reservation. The moment we step out of reservation and speak, the world benign smile to savage stare.” – RC Sproul

Pastoral reflection

2006-02-27T16:58:00.000+08:00

I read the many nice cards given to me since the tabernacle weekend. they are very encouraging indeed. but upon further reflection, i realised that i should be very wise in handling such affirmation and praises.
why?
they can create a false sense of spiritual accomplishments. i have come to know, after 14yrs of serving, that the person who praises you today can curse you tomorrow. thus, cards and notes are good for the moment but they are not representative of effective ministry.
what then is?
The heart of obedience.
The litmus test of an effective ministry is to see if your people truly obey the teaching you gave in the Lord. some can cleverly cover their disobedience with excuses and delay. others can be swamped by personal struggles and preferences. some simply bo-chap.
Thus, as a leader, we need to exercise obedience to the Leaders over us...we must also discern the heart of obedience in the lives of our members. if we have to make verbal demand for obedience, it will only mean that we are not there yet with them relationally and spiritually....The best outcome will be they obey you when you teach/challenge/admonish/correct/inspire in the LORD.
Thus enjoy your cards when you do receive ...especial when your friends or leaders had watched "I not stupid too". But don;t let them get into the head....discern the heart > than the cards...

2006-02-11T01:43:00.000+08:00

Multiply us LORD!

Praise God

2006-02-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

The Lord is my provider!
I heard about how someone decided to start giving back his tithing that he owed the Lord and how God provided twice the amount back. I was very happy for the member.
But God is a God of humor...he asked if i dare believed Him for that too. i was hesitant..yes hesitant but i trusted and gave. The Lord showed me that He is indeed my provider. within a week, someone surprised me with a gift more than 50times of what i gave. it was an answer to a prayer for family overseas trip. but what blessed me more was that the Lord prepared the person 2mths back to give! Meaning God knew there and then i would be skeptical and i would be giving still....and He would be ready to surprise me. I am very humbled and blessed to know this God...who loves me despite my human weakness and ever so ready to show me His love....do you know Him as such? Ask God for a miracle for your lives and start to give/bless Him. you will be surpised and blessed.
The righteous shall live by faith......stretch your Christian experience....move in faith.

i want to encourage all of you to stretch your faith to believe God for lives to be given to you to disciple. If you are discipling nobody yet, ask God for your 12 by Dec. If you have 2-5, ask for 12 still. But don;t evaluate your goal only at Dec 06. Set a goal by end of March....close enough for personal evaluation and mid course correction if need be.

Meanwhile, we have also establish our tribe blog at www.makeourlivesmanymiracles.blogspot.com.
Go and post your remarks or comments or photos or whatever that is edifying. my blog will be link to this as well.

SO much for now....sow in Faith....

it is February - a time to sow

2006-02-07T07:50:00.000+08:00

So quickly we have entered Feb 06. i was blessed to be reminded that we will have a NEW beginning last week at the service.

i was also been reminded separately that God will give us a new anointing ONLY when He is giving us a new assignment. We don’t need a new anointing for an old assignment. We may need a fresh anointing to continue an old assignment. ….. BUT the rhema word is NEW…God is giving us a NEW chapter, a NEW anointing for a NEW assignment….and a NEW YOU! I pray that God will have His ways in your life and that you will be indeed NEW (relative to now) in Christ by Dec 06.

Let's continue to sow in tears before God for both personal and corporate revival. We want to see the EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBILITIES OF GOD BY DEC 2006. BUT the process must start NOW........

So…start sowing….
“Teach me to pray with groanings so that there are earth quakes in hell.
Teach me the groaning of the Spirit until angels stand in awe.
Teach me Spirit-born intercession that changes history.
Teach me the birth pangs of the Holy Spirit until hell shaking revival is born.
Lead me into travail that will hold back divine judgment from the nations for a little season.
Let me be the living sacrifice on the altar of prayer, “bleeding to bless”, until flood tides of mercy sweep the nations.
Lord break my heart in intercession until my eyes, like those of Jeremiah, are a fountain of tears weeping for the slain of an educated, but spiritually dead, people.”
- Leonard Ravenhill”

The biblical principle is that when we sow in tears we will reap with joy. We cannot expect to reap in joy without any sowing; there is no reaping if there is no sowing.

Start S.......O........W.........I.........N..........G! We want to see our tribe reach 2000 Lord!
(picture is from GCYC. a picture to remind us about the nations...about expansion for His kingdom!)

a pastoral concerns - The Da Vinci Code

2006-01-29T20:15:00.000+08:00

I did a simple teaching about what was wrong about this book sometime last year. i was surprised by so much interest among our students at LOS. we literally packed the room. Since then, we knew about the production of the movie, more illustrated books, etc to promote this distorted fiction book to the readers.
Do we just sit and let Dan Brown has his "distorted" say about our faith?
Certainly NOT!
I am glad that Campus Crusade for Christ and Covenant Evangelical Free Church have come together with several other concerned agencies to launch the DVC project. We were invited to participate so that the Body of Christ can turn the movie into a time for TRUTH to prevail.
As a stater, i will encourage all of you who are reading this blog to go to www.davincicode.org.sg
to read more for your personal information. We in Youthnet will work out something for all of you soon. Have a Blessed Chinese New Year.

Pastors' Summit 06

2006-01-23T01:01:00.000+08:00

Dear family,
You would have heard pieces of news here and there…I thought I will write some for your prayer direction.

Indeed this is a summit of difference….not so much solid teaching but solid call for us back to prayer.
We are reminded to return back to prayer habit of our past ie prayer walking, warfare prayer, personal prayer.

But personally, I was encouraged that the word I released about multiplication and focusing on leadership development for our 12/144 was reaffirmed many times in the summit.
Yes, we need to talk more….essentially, we need to believe that God wants us to be fruitful and that includes bearing fruits through birthing and building of our 12/144. what it means for all of you is that we need to believe God that you can be a leader of 12/144. don’t give discount and make excuses…but ask God for wisdom and His ways to see this Extraordinary Possibilities for everyone of us in SJ tribe.

Go for God’s Glory.

MOL outcome

2005-12-29T00:07:00.000+08:00

MOL Network Salvation Assurance Re-Dedication Others TOTAL Grand Total
Men 81 7 14 13 115

Women 140 10 12 28 190

Youth 163 14 34 30 241

TOTAL 384 31 60 71 546

What does these numbers mean to you?
It means something BUT not everything. The greater issue is what are we doing with who we have build relationship. Harvesting and consolidating are both equally important agenda in our quest for discipleship. we cannot be merely absorbed in the numbers and failed to see the constant needs to service and care our prebelievers and new believers into Christlikeness.

So if you are in my tribe, praise God for what He has done...but we need to press on in what we need to do ie continue to build relationships and point people back to God. for those who happened to read this blog, go and make disciples.....for this IS God's commission for all.

Blessed New Year to all readers.

praise items for Big Move and Max Pavilion

2005-12-17T23:37:00.000+08:00

I am glad we have moved and we are ready for the 2nd service. in this last 7 days, i have heard great reports of God's working over the weekend. From miracles of healing to breakthrough in Christian walk, from feeling of stagnation to revival again. WoW!
i am happy for the many positive reports for the 1st week.

Of course from the church end, we saw great growth in term of numbers ie from usual 9000- (in previous year) to 10 800 just for this week. More than the numbers, i am excited about the change in the climate. People are more excited about God and His business.

If you are there, and God has blessed you somehow, please drop me a mail.
REALLY! HELP me to know what God is doing can? PLEASE.....
Haha. Give glory to God la.

what is next after the 1st move

2005-12-13T10:17:00.000+08:00

We are reminded, at staff worship, that beyond the physical move, we need the personal revival! In Neh 8, we are reminded of the need to ;
Return to the assembly of the saints; promote unity, let the faith of others spur us.

Restore the priority for the Word; one read and one interpreted. the people cried upon hearing the word. the word cleansed us.

Rediscover the feast of tabernacle; what is the feast about? 2 harvests celebrated by feast of pentecoste (former rain-spring time) and tabernacle (latter rain-) - it is about the Holy Spirit.

Thus personal revival - call to community, to the Word and to the Holy SPirit.

We need personal revival because there is a difference between going out faith and going ON faith. We cannot rest on the fact that we have gone out. we need to going ON through Prayer. There must be prayer of Agreement - in the Assembly.
There must also be prayer of Appropiation - Apply (> hear) the Word
There, finally, must also be prayer of Anointing - joy (celebration) of the Lord is our Strength; Act with the Spirit.

The season is on....we need to ENTER the season! Don't stay out! Don't just observe! Jump In!

Specific Applications for my tribe;
Come early for service; be @ Max Pavilion by 1.15pm
Gather for processing of word; after service
Do BIG (believe in God) with HS.

Activities or the Almighty? part 2

2005-12-11T23:16:00.000+08:00

i decided to comment further on this because of my pastoral concerns. i have seen and known of many pastors, leaders and serious christians who gave their lives in service but failed to take time to reflect on God and His dealing in our lives. I cannot help but remembered the life of Martha. She was busy looking into how to make Jesus comfortable but missed out the one thing that is most important! to be with Jesus. She is in the bible not for us to feel that she was a reflection of someone else. i believe God wants to warn all of us that we are potentially a Martha. we can serve, give, work, commit and fulfil many many more Christian's challenges... and yet miss the very heart of Christian life. We are called to worship! We are made for worship! We are destined to be worshipper. Yet, we can be excited about the music and missed the Master, aborbed by the mood and missed the Maker, consumed by the lyrics and missed the Lord (for which the words decribed). Why? How so? BEcause we are caught by the activities and missed the Almighty! We are interested in the task rather than the heart. It is easier to deal with the "no brain" activities rather than to face up with the ugliness within our soul. the heart is not a nice place to be at. sometimes, we are appalled by our heart conditions. sometime, we are so sick of our sickness in our heart. sometimes, we cannot believe we are so evil in our hearts. and precisely for reason like this....we need to ask God to help!
We all need a new heart! Change my heart O Lord!

Activities or the Almighty?

2005-12-08T01:29:00.000+08:00

I enjoyed a few conversations lately.
they were not about great accomplishments or great signs and wonders....
they were about reflection....................
reflection on our hearts intent. our motivation in service, our struggle with sins, with selfish desires, with lust......
authentic confession. real people. real struggles. real GOD that they were conversing with. WE came out of the meetings, refreshed....we knew God was there with us in our conversation, our confession.
Authentic Discipleship is about dealing with the matter of the heart. the heart of the matter is always the heart! So Take HEART my reader!

ARE YOU READY FOR EXPO

2005-12-03T00:12:00.000+08:00

8 more days to EXPO. 8 more days to experience EXtraordinary POssibilities. 8 more days to see more of God.
EXPO is big, we are small but God is BIG!
EXPO is far, we are inconvenienced but God came from Heaven to Earth!
EXPO is new, we are unfamiliar but God's way is always new to human!

Am i ready for EXPO? are you?

Beyond the physical move, God wants to deal with our spiritual state. He does not want us/FCBC to stay the way we are! He wants to stretch our faith to believe in the Big God who came near and dwelt among us.

The option for all of us, to flow/obey with God! It will be foolish to try something else when God has specific journey for us. it will be like Jonah running in the opposite direction only to be eaten up by the whale of God.

So what are you waiting for? it is a time for change! time to flow! time to obey! time to see the BIG MOVE OF GOD!

Back from MOL

2005-11-17T04:02:00.000+08:00

It was a good trip travelling with SP and Ps ES. Learning a lot from their lives of service to the nations. SP was stretched at all ends; from performance to FCBC matters to marketing of the show, etc. Yet, his spirit was always uplifted when servicing the King. Ps ES was back from Sri Lanka and took the next flight out to Beijing just to support SP. He was just as overwhelmed with work and all....but he went nevertheless to SERVE.
I was inspired and humbled. There were many BAD incidents in dealing with the local. They were so different from us. It was easy to judge and feel more superior. But God reminded me of service. We came to serve. We came and understood "incarnation"; God became flesh to dwell among sinful men. The Word was not read but lived in our world so that we could touch, see and understand. The world, the local included, was lost without HIM. Hence their responses and reactions were "justified" to be so. That was why we were there...to declare the Magic of His Love that could enrich and empower them to live differently.
I was inspired and humbled.....by God and His godly servants. I desired to live out as His "incarnated" word among the lost!

just returned from Beijing

2005-11-13T12:06:00.000+08:00

i noticed that many have come to check out this blog. I hope you have enjoyed reading and pondering over the content thus far. i will be writing again sometime this week as i am trying to recover from my MOL trip.
Till then, keep looking to Jesus............................................

perspective again

2005-10-25T13:30:00.000+08:00

Why do we see God as a performance based God?
It is more than the environment we are in....although our environment played a very significant role in reinforcing this view of God.
Essentially, it is due to the fallen nature of man and the scheme of the devil.
The fallen nature of man thrived in "doing something about it". This nature is an offshoot from sin. Sin is choosing to be (self) in control. Sin (self control) opposed the call to surrender (God's control).
Thus, fallen men like us believe that we can do something to please God, to merit His approval, etc. And we WANT to do something..... to be con't...
The scheme of the devil is essentially to distort the picture of God in our mind. When we have a distorted picture of God, it would inevitably affect our faith in God. On the extreme end, when our picture of God is faulty, we may not even be worshipping the right God!
Thus the need for us to return back to the bible and believe the God of the bible.
Let the bible "dictate" the picture of God in our mind...and not our feelings or experiences.
When the image of God in your mind is BIG, the size of your problem will be SMALL!

Perspective

2005-10-21T23:28:00.000+08:00

From the cup illustration, many have left comments for me to think and/or laugh over other versions or perspective.
i am happy that my thoughts have triggered some reflections from you.
This week, i was reminded again about our perspective of God or rather our wrong perspective of God. Many times i found myself reducing God to a very performance based God; whose blessings are dependent on my works. Also i tended to reduce His blessings to what i would "give if i am God" - much less than Who He really would.
I was challenged to re-focus my view of Him. And i suspect i am not the only one in this journey.....

what a response!

2005-10-20T16:05:00.000+08:00

I was very surprised by the way my blog went public. 130+ post in less than a week. need to guard my heart lest that becomes my mean of significance in the cyberworld.
i was also amused by many comments that came with my last post. i would certainly like to know what were in some of your minds when you read my post. i am reflecting on some of your comments and would be most glad to share my view in due course.

my thoughts

2005-10-16T16:08:00.000+08:00

Often i heard people said that "the cup is half filled vs half empty".
I know that the emphasis is on Potential vs Problem. But i thought about it recently and i felt the question should be "Why is the cup there?" The issue of PURPOSE. We need to ask what is God's purpose in our lives before we could effectively view the potential within us. We exist NOT to fulfil our potential. We exist to worship God with our potential.

My first post

2005-10-15T14:43:00.000+08:00

I have entered the cyberworld!
I want to use this to reach out to my friends and spiritual children out there with this tool.