Monday, March 31, 2008

Cell group ice-breakers

Which one is your favorite?

1. If you didn’t have to worry about making a living what would you most like to do for the rest of your life'
2. What is your earliest memory'
3. If you could live in any other time, past, present, future, what would it be and why'
4. What motivates you most to go to work each day: money or personal satisfaction? If money were not an issue, would you still keep your job'
5. If you knew that tomorrow would be the last full day of your life, how would you spend the day'
6. What is your most important goal in life right now? Will your life change in some way if that goal is reached? If so, how'
7. If the people who know you best were asked, would they say you tend to be mostly predictable or unpredictable? Why? Which of these traits do you most value in a friend? Do you tend to follow a set routine or do you often do the same things differently'
8. What social situations tend to make you most flustered and nervous? Why'
9. For $10,000 would you be willing to stand up spontaneously and sing The Star Spangled Banner at the top of your lungs in the middle of a church service'
10. What are three things you would like to accomplish in the next year'
11. If you were to move to a poor, primitive country, what three things would you most miss from your current life'
12. What is the biggest lie you’ve ever told? Why? What were the consequences, if any'
13. What three things do you believe without any doubts'
14. What is one of the books (other than the Bible) that has had the greatest influence on your life? Why'
15. If God would grant you any one request, what would it be'
16. “Activity that does not result in progress toward a goal is a waste of time.” Do you agree? Is it ever OK to waste time'
17. What would you say are your 5 greatest strengths? Weaknesses'
18. Under what circumstances do you feel most lonely? Least lonely? Why'
19. What do you look forward to most about growing old? Least'
20. What traits do you think are most important to instill in your children? Why'
21. If you could relive any part of your life, what would it be and why'
22. Have either of your parents either told you they were sorry or asked your forgiveness for something? How did it make you feel'
23. What is the most difficult choice you’ve had to make in your life up to this point? Why? What factors helped you make the choice?
24. you believe God has only one perfect mate for everyone'
25. A football coach once said, “We learn almost nothing in victory, but we learn much in defeat.” Do you agree or disagree. In your life, have you learned most from failures or successes'
26. What would you most like people to remember you for after you die? What would you like written on your tombstone'
27. What is the most dangerous thing you’d like to try doing? What keeps you from doing it'
28. What are the biggest questions you have about your relationship with God'
29. What are the five things you are most thankful for in your life right now'
30. Would you say that the focus of your life right now is more on the development of relationships or on the accomplishment of goals and objectives? What would you like to change about this focus, if anything'
31. During WWII German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer participated in a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. Although the conspiracy failed and he was executed for making the effort, do you think Bonhoeffer was right in his attempts to kill Hitler? If you had been Bonhoeffer, would you have participated in this murder conspiracy? Why or why not'
32. What was the greatest peer pressure you felt as a teen? What is the greatest peer pressure you feel as an adult? How are you handling it'
33. As a child, when you got caught doing something wrong, which of the following were you most likely to do? Blame someone else, Deny that you did it, Run and hide, Take full responsibility and accept the consequences. What are you most likely to do now as an adult'
34. Do you think people would be surprised about your thought life? How often would you be embarrassed if others knew exactly what was on your mind? Do you think your thought life is better or worse than most of the people in your circle of friends? Why'
Source unknown



My Sermons outside of My Sunday Sermons
Fun Facts of the Bible

Friday, March 28, 2008

The best things in life is free

This is one of the best thing I have ever came across.

Free top university scholarly lectures. This one is the best so far. It is the best Old Testament lessons I have ever "attended".

And I used a large part of it to teach my youths. Yes people, if you are not getting university education in your youth days, your education is shortchanging you. You may not understand all of it, but at least you are getting the real deal.

WoW30: Learn the very truth from the beginning, the unlearning later in life in not worth otherwise.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Official Jubilee Tossball Rules

Right now, I am getting everybody in church to sign up for the Jubilee Tossball League. My dream is to get everybody, young and old, to have some fun together. I think it is highly achievable because it is a simple game and yet competitive enough to those who are more athletic.

Rules:
Teams are made up of 5-7 players. 5 player teams consist players all aged 15-45, 7 player teams are all aged below 15 or above 45, while 6 player teams are 4-2 or 3-3 combinations of either age group.
There is no dribbling or running with the ball allowed. No contact allowed with the person holding the ball.
Players aged 15-45 must score from outside the red perimeter.
The team that scores more after 10 minutes of play wins.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Happy news

I have recently sold my place at Bukit Panjang and bought a new place at Clementi. Both prices are about the same but the new location will be smaller and much older. The move is to get closer to church, my in-laws and my wife's work place. I think it is a worthy sacrifice for more time with the family instead of wasting it on the road.

Which brings me to the point about providence. We bought the new place in less than 3 days, and sold ours in less than a week. Coincidence? I think not.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

The Seasons of Spirituality 属灵生活的四季

I am not prone to putting my sermons here, but this one is a submission to a Lent devotional collection and I would like to share it with my readers because it may just be the best one I've ever written.


撰写人:王晓晖牧师

经文:诗119145-176

主题:属灵生活的四季

神的启示有时像充满活力,生气勃勃的夏日。绚丽夺目,叫人情不自禁地渴望,并追求那荣美。旧约时代,这荣美主要来自神所启示的律法。难怪诗人用了超过一百句话来赞美耶和华的律法。律法之所以吸引人是因为它表达了神对人的旨意。人感觉神十分接近。不但如此,律法透露着神性,叫人可以体会到什么是真理、什么是公义、什么是永恒。我们从神的法度、训词、典章和一切命令感染其中的生命力,因而不由自主地表达爱意。我们知道这律法可靠,它必带来丰盛的平安。

但奸恶的人却远离耶和华的律法。他们的逼迫使生活就像万物凋零的秋季。重重的苦难仿佛遍地的落叶,处处都是垂死的迹象。可能是领袖们无缘无故的迫害,叫生活倍感艰难。可能是诡诈人的包围,使人的情绪烦躁、厌倦。我们憎恨他们虚伪的面孔。像那无情不断来袭的秋风,抵挡我们的越来越多。不仅是外来的苦难,生活中也难免出现灵命衰退的时刻。当人们不遵守耶和华的话语的时候,他们的生命就开始枯萎。离开神的律法,就是离开生命的源头。艰辛难熬的时候,也是落叶归根的时候。

面对死亡的威胁,诗人转向唯一的依靠。诗人向神呼求。祷告的感觉有时很像寒冬腊月。那是艰苦,孤独的等待。我们求告神垂听我们的声音。我们求告神察看我们的困境。这是人最真实的一面。有如一层白雪遮盖了所有分心的事物,在祷告中我们坦荡荡,赤裸裸的面对神。诗人八次呼叫“耶和华啊!”。这是灵命生活面临苦难时必然的感叹声。是祈求耶和华伸张正义的哀号声。诗人凄美单纯的信靠,表露无疑。但冬天也是蓄势待发的时刻,坚定无悔的信心必换来春暖花开的一天。

祷告中所盼望的,是耶和华的拯救。就像春天给万物带来新希望,耶和华的手帮助我们。因为耶和华的温暖慈爱,我们得以存活。这是耶和华浩大的怜悯。这是信实的耶和华所立下的应许。迷失了路的亡羊,有耶和华这位大牧人寻找他们。只要我们不忘记他所给于我们的启示,神的律法,我们必回到生命的道路,什么都不能绊倒我们。

亲爱的弟兄姐妹,神最完整的启示就是耶稣基督。耶稣也成全了一切律法。耶稣的死里复活是耶和华赐给我们最彻底的拯救。耶稣璀璨的一生,是我们学习爱天父爱人的榜样。耶稣不畏强权地顺服天父的旨意,是我们低档恶势力的模范。耶稣跟天父亲密的关系,提醒我们不断向神祷告。耶稣就是那为我们舍命的大牧人。让我们继续倚靠耶稣,度过我们属灵的每个春夏秋冬。

祷告:诗23

操练:在圣灵的带领下,我愿意时时读经,更认识上帝的旨意。