Thursday, December 21, 2006

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Thursday, December 07, 2006

3 Biblical "E"s

Everybody knows they refer to the Creation story of Eden, Eve and Evil.

Nah, just kidding, I just attended a youth leader conference, and the speaker states Equipping, Evangelism and Encouragment as the 3 basic Es of a church, and youth ministry in particular. Equipping should lead to Evangelism and Evangelism leads to Encouragement. All is done as a means to glorify God in the end.

WoW8: The importance of an Objective

Though it may appear to sound biblical, but most "results" are purely a matter of strategic management. In Jubilee, teachers go through great pains to bring the best Equipping with little result on the Evangelism. In some other equally respectable Church, dubious Equipping yield strong Evangelism impetus. (The speaker uses "Obedience requires Pain" to explain Circumcision. Cute but far out IMO.)

Why the difference? Objectives. If the youths have the impression that they are there to just learn something, (or worse to pass time), then no equipping will lead to evangelism. You just end up with lots of spiritual overweights with bigger and bigger diets. But if they know the purpose of equipping, then however little the spiritual food, it will be channelled towards strength in the right direction.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

O holy night

This is my Xmas gift to you.

A time to die

Wow7: The transient beauty of time

Funerals are always a time of reflection for me. I experienced a moment of truth while following the hearse to the Mandai crematorium. The truth is that the hearse is never in a hurry. At its appointed time, it sets off from its departure place carrying its client to its pre-determined destination. To bring out the full contrast of the situation will be to compare a hearse to an ambulance. An ambulance is always in a hurry because it is about preserving life. But when the time has come to die, when life has given its place to rest, the nature of time has changed.

I just taught a bunch of people to seize the day. Thank God for his lesson to rest and pray.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Making up for lost time.

My readership here has doubled. This means there is one more person reading. I think I will follow the example of another Blog I like, and contribute more when I can.

WoW6: A community defined by an event

In the apostles' creed is the line "I believe in ... ... the resurrection of the body." In my mind, I have never doubted this statement of faith. However, recently, with the numerous revisiting of 1 Cor 15 (because of teachings and other stuff), I have begun to re-wrestle with the topic. What does the resurrection mean? What is its impact on the individual? What is its implication on the Christian community?

The resurrection is a bodily one. Many translations use the word "spiritual body" as opposed to a fleshly body, but it is largely misleading, because it strays from the emphasis of Paul that there is a physical body form. The contrast with our former body, is that it is eternal instead of decaying, it is honored instead of humiliated, and it is Spirit animated instead of earthly-desires-driven. It has impact on the individual because it speaks of a transformation which we all eagerly anticipate, especially so when we are in sickness. It has implication on the Christian community because we hope for an eternal reunion as a family justified.

This re-wrestling is hence an important one even though my faith has never doubted. Because believing is never just believing until the full weight of the belief is manifested in your life. The resurrection of the body is founded on the resurrection of Jesus. One event that changed the inevitable route to death. Let that be your badge of pride in your daily living. "O Death, where is your sting?"

Courage to live. That's real believing.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

A minor update

Been busy with a new baby. Zechariah.

WoW5: Keeping things in Perspective

I am about to deliver a teaching that I feel passionately about. I am going in full of enthusiasm and hoping that it will be life-changing. In my mind, if it is not going to be impactful, why bother?

Then I remember the countless times where people sleep in my lessons. Those that didn't sleep, some showed no comprehension. Those that comprehended showed no excitement. Those that displayed enlightenment, forget about the lesson after a few days. Those that remembered forget them eventually. In short, how much impact can a teaching do anyway?

I came across a book called 100 speeches that changed the world. I've got to get hold of that book one day. But here is the sombering thought: those speakers probably gave a thousand speeches for one to be really life changing to anybody.

Nonetheless, we continue to do what we do anyway. Because for every teaching that makes a difference, it makes the thousand that didn't seemed worthwhile.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

The Baptism of the Dead

FFoB2: 1 Cor. 15:29

Here "baptized for the dead" may mean that a Christian friend was baptised for symbolic effect on behalf of a new convert who had died (perhaps by matyrdom, or perhaps on his or her deathbed, thus allowing no time for baptism) before being able to baptise. Or this expression may refer to washings of the dead before burial, a standard Jewish custom. It could be a roundabout way of saying "baptized so as to be able to participate in eternal life with Christians who have already died," hence baptized in light of their own mortality as well. To whatever practice Paul alludes, it si not clear whether he agrees with the Corinthian practice; even if he does not, however, he can use it to make his point.

New Segment: Fun Facts of the Bible

FFoB1: Honey is date juice

The land of Canaan is described as a land "flowing with milk and honey". This refers to the bounty of the land for a pastoral lifestyle, but not necessarily in terms of agriculture. Milk is the produce of herds, while honey represents a natural resource, probably the syrup of the date rather than bees' honey.

The Bar of God

I promised myself there will be 1 reflection per week. If you are a regular reader, please leave a note so that I will be encouraged on this effort.

WoW4: Never lower the bar on your teachings

Jubilee youth ministry is unique in the sense that the objective of the teachings is to be incomprehensible. Human beings, especially youths are far more complex than we can ever imagine. In lowering the bar, we devalue the true essence of God's revelation and cheapen the cost of knowing him. In preparing for Romans, I consulted my old notes which is based on David C Cook. Then I read Max Lucado (In the Grip of Grace). Finally, I come to NT Wright's commentary. What a strange new world! If I had settled for any less than Wright's understanding, I would have done a great disservice to the youths. Guess what? They understood it perfectly well.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

On my personal limitations

WoW3: I can do nothing but only through God.

This week somebody confided in me a personal problem. I discovered a few things.
1. I don't understand the problem.
2. I don't have an answer to the problem.
3. I usually don't have answers to much problems anyway.
4. There are countless problems out there.
5. I am called by God to co-work on these problems.
6. I have a problem.

The burden is immensely heavy, but yet it is light on my shoulders. God is carrying the bulk of it and I live a life of miracles. No wonder the Psalms begins with exhortations, continues with wonder, struggles with lament, but eventually ends with thanksgiving.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

On Dealing with Pain

WoW2: Get the mission right and live with the pain.

In life, you feel pain. Some are mental, some are physical, some are self inflicted, some seemingly a gift from God. The pastor is forced to deal with pain because God needs to answer for it. While it is sometimes wise to think about the reasons for the source of pain, the example of Paul continuing his work in spite of pain must surely be a beacon of light for all of us.

"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hardwork, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet posessing everything." 2 Cor 6:3-10

Astounding!!!

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Words of Wisdom

Apparently, there is one person reading this blog. There are 2 implications.

1. I will have to be careful with dubious content in case I end up like Mark Foley.
2. I will actually make an effort to keep this blog updates often.

One thing I promised myself when I was thinking ages ago about starting a blog is that I will use it as a platform to anounce all my musings about daily life. Kind of like Proverbs. Only better. And Funnier. And MORE IRRELEVANT.

WoW 1: Worship is done by the people.

During the Middle Ages, worship is performed by the clergy, and for the masses attending mass, they are merely an audience to what the clergy is doing. One of the point of the Reformation is so that the people can participate in the worship itself. The people learn to read the bible in their language, they sing psalms they can understand, and they pray and participate in communion in words they would use.

Today, we make exegesis (bible interpretation) a skill that is exclusive to ministers, songs that are overly triumphanistic in contrast to the broken lives of the people, and with prayers and communion in bombastic words and jargons. Worship is performed by the clergy once again.

Time for a change. And to invite all to worship once again.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

The Problem of Evil

Premise 1: If God exist, then he would eradicate evil.
Premise 2: Housework is evil.
Premise 3: I have to do housework, hence evil exist.
Conclusion: God does not exist.

But if God exist, clearly one of my premise is wrong. Which is it I wonder?

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

About Treadmills

It is not immensely obvious. Ok, it is not observable at all, but lately I have been using the treadmill a little.

Check this out!

Hmmm, maybe if I only have more machines in my house.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Visitations

Yesterday, it is a funeral. Today, it is a hospital visit. And tomorrow and the next two day, I will be visiting the homebound. I often speak little, preferring to observe and let those in suffering speak of their faith to me. I think they are actually praying to God through me.

"Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Ecc 5:2"

Thursday, July 20, 2006

On Contentment

On of the key themes of Ecclesiastes is contentment. To enjoy the gift of life that is from God.

It is said that enjoyment of life can only come about when you have enough to stop worrying about all the difficulties of life. If you are struggling, how can you possibly think about enjoying life?

I believe the secret lies in contentment. Until men understand the importance of thanksgiving, they will never have enough.

Monday, July 10, 2006

An Eye for an Eye

I just preached at another church for Synod Sunday.

They got me to preach on Romans 9. Which is not only tough because of its controversial issues, but also on its intended audience which is the Jews.

Well, I made a public declaration that the next time the pastors there come over, they are doing something from Revelations. That'll teach them. Yeah!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

My Usual Routine

Super busy day. And I decide to do the thing that is the least relevant to my urgent matters.

I guess you can call me a procrastination purist.