One more week! Ahhh!
Mix of anticipation (yay, no more details to think about!), nervousness (is everything ready?), excitement...
not to mention stressing out on my assignment now.. trying to finish a 2500 word essay on Calvin's theology of the Trinity within these few days as it'd just be very busy the next few weeks. Is it realistic I wonder?? (I secretly think the answer is no.. but I'm not letting myself know that so that I won't get discouraged & distracted.. haha.. right)
I will post up some piccies soon.... soon... soon...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
updates for the weeks
short update for my "fan" tastic sisters!----
I'm back in Perth after 2 months of holidaying in KL..
Been busy busy busy ever since coming back - tying up all the loose ends with wedding preparations (there are still MORE loose ends!), meeting new OCFers, working out what days to do OCF stuff etc.
My friend, Ernest (aka Ernie boy, soon to be Ernie boss!) from OCF Canberra was visiting since last Wednesday because he couldn't make it for the wedding in April.. So I've been bringing him around Perth for a mini tour :) Really nice of him to drop in for a visit :) We went to Swan Valley for some wine tasting (just one small glass for me 'cos I was driving), Little Caesars' in Mundaring for some gourmet pizzas (like Chicken Fettucine Pizza), Kings Park & UWA. He joined in a Bible Study Prep with the OCF Murdoch students as well as being in my Discovery Group on Friday. Just like the good ol' Canberra days.. haha... Sorry no piccies, all in Ernie boy's camera!
Went for Crystal's bridal shower (she's getting married this Saturday! *gasp*) on Sunday - a cruise along Swan River on a BBQ boat! Yeap, there was a BBQ pit on the boat & we had lots of food!! Pretty scenery along the river... it's amazing how different Perth city looks while we're looking in from the river! No piccies too I'm afraid.. I'll try to leech it off someone who had a camera then....
Oh yeah, I'm learning Greek this semester, 2nd lesson today so it's still all new & fun... learning the alphabet, some vocabulary etc... wait till the heavy duty Grammar starts.. eek!
Some vocab:
angelos = angel
zoe = life
eschatos = last
Ok, I have to get back to my Greek prep for class...
I'm back in Perth after 2 months of holidaying in KL..
Been busy busy busy ever since coming back - tying up all the loose ends with wedding preparations (there are still MORE loose ends!), meeting new OCFers, working out what days to do OCF stuff etc.
My friend, Ernest (aka Ernie boy, soon to be Ernie boss!) from OCF Canberra was visiting since last Wednesday because he couldn't make it for the wedding in April.. So I've been bringing him around Perth for a mini tour :) Really nice of him to drop in for a visit :) We went to Swan Valley for some wine tasting (just one small glass for me 'cos I was driving), Little Caesars' in Mundaring for some gourmet pizzas (like Chicken Fettucine Pizza), Kings Park & UWA. He joined in a Bible Study Prep with the OCF Murdoch students as well as being in my Discovery Group on Friday. Just like the good ol' Canberra days.. haha... Sorry no piccies, all in Ernie boy's camera!
Went for Crystal's bridal shower (she's getting married this Saturday! *gasp*) on Sunday - a cruise along Swan River on a BBQ boat! Yeap, there was a BBQ pit on the boat & we had lots of food!! Pretty scenery along the river... it's amazing how different Perth city looks while we're looking in from the river! No piccies too I'm afraid.. I'll try to leech it off someone who had a camera then....
Oh yeah, I'm learning Greek this semester, 2nd lesson today so it's still all new & fun... learning the alphabet, some vocabulary etc... wait till the heavy duty Grammar starts.. eek!
Some vocab:
angelos = angel
zoe = life
eschatos = last
Ok, I have to get back to my Greek prep for class...
Friday, November 28, 2008
Newsletter #6
Dear friends,
Apologies for this rather overdue newsletter! Hope this update finds you well! Since my last newsletter, a couple of exciting things have happened.
Baby Amy!
There’s a new addition in the house! My housemates, Jonathan and Soong Leng have just had their first baby girl born on the 1st of September 2008. The baby is growing well (5.1 kg now since her birth weight of 2.7 kg!) and has been a source of joy (and nappies!) for the whole household. Praise God for her safe arrival & steady growth! :)
Overseas Christian Fellowship
As mentioned in my e-mail, I’ve been recently involved in facilitating a Discovery Group (DG) for pre-believers with an apprentice, Melody. We’ve been going through a DVD series called “Introducing God” which has been very good in outlining and explaining the gospel.
S and L are both regular participants in the Discovery Group. S is a student from Hong Kong while L is a short term exchange student from the USA. They have been very interactive during the discussions and we’ve been having a great time exploring different views and opinions.
Please pray especially for L to continue on his journey of seeking God as he returns to the USA in a few weeks time. Pray for Christians to reach out to him in California and for a church he can attend and grow in.
I was recently very encouraged during the OCF Murdoch’s Thanksgiving Night, a time when the students shared about how God has blessed them this semester. All 3 of the Discovery group members (i.e. Melody, S & L) shared about their journey of discovering God and being one step closer in their understanding of God this semester. It was very exciting to see how God has been working in them to draw them closer to Himself. Please pray that they will continue to grow and mature in Christ!
This semester, I started a new course at Seminary – a Graduate Diploma of Divinity (which is a postgraduate course). This is transferable to a Masters of Divinity if I would like to pursue it in the future. Some exciting units include Christian Apologetics & Principles of Evangelism, which really go hand-in-hand quite well!
One of the assignments from the Evangelism unit was a field-work report, in which students had to actually get down to doing 20 hours of evangelistic activity. Fortunately for me, my involvement in the DG was suitable for this task and therefore was able to “kill two birds with one stone”.
My Seminary also had a special 4-week training in administering the Prepare-Enrich Course, which is a marriage preparation course for couples. The course originates from the USA and is popularly used by ministers here in Australia. As a result of the training, I am now qualified to administer this course for couples who would like to be married. It includes a questionnaire in which the couple fill out, and I’ll interpret the computer-generated results to highlight strengths & potential challenges that a couple may face in their relationship. To date, I have yet to use it, but it sure is a handy tool to have in my “portfolio”. Never know what God may have in store for me in the future!
What’s next?
It has been 1.5 years since I started on this traineeship and I have only another 6 months left (excluding summer holidays). The “what’s next” question has never been so pertinent, but the answer is still far from being evident. The long term plan is for cross-cultural missions, possibly to Cambodia. But in the meantime, there are many options. Please continue to pray as I wait upon the Lord for his leading and direction.
----------------------
Praise & Prayer Needs
Praise God for:
Apologies for this rather overdue newsletter! Hope this update finds you well! Since my last newsletter, a couple of exciting things have happened.
Baby Amy!
There’s a new addition in the house! My housemates, Jonathan and Soong Leng have just had their first baby girl born on the 1st of September 2008. The baby is growing well (5.1 kg now since her birth weight of 2.7 kg!) and has been a source of joy (and nappies!) for the whole household. Praise God for her safe arrival & steady growth! :)
Overseas Christian Fellowship
As mentioned in my e-mail, I’ve been recently involved in facilitating a Discovery Group (DG) for pre-believers with an apprentice, Melody. We’ve been going through a DVD series called “Introducing God” which has been very good in outlining and explaining the gospel.
S and L are both regular participants in the Discovery Group. S is a student from Hong Kong while L is a short term exchange student from the USA. They have been very interactive during the discussions and we’ve been having a great time exploring different views and opinions.
Please pray especially for L to continue on his journey of seeking God as he returns to the USA in a few weeks time. Pray for Christians to reach out to him in California and for a church he can attend and grow in.
I was recently very encouraged during the OCF Murdoch’s Thanksgiving Night, a time when the students shared about how God has blessed them this semester. All 3 of the Discovery group members (i.e. Melody, S & L) shared about their journey of discovering God and being one step closer in their understanding of God this semester. It was very exciting to see how God has been working in them to draw them closer to Himself. Please pray that they will continue to grow and mature in Christ!
Other activities I have been up to:
- Facilitating a preparation study for some Bible study leaders from UWA.
- Running a workshop for student leaders – looking at areas of personal spiritual discipline, managing burnout, and looking out for people in the group.
- Giving an evangelistic talk in OCF Murdoch. The passage was from Luke 15:11-32 – the prodigal son, or a better title: “The loving Father”. One of the reflections from this is just how humbling it is to give such talks, because no matter how well one can prepare for it and deliver it, ultimately God is the one who makes the connection and “switches on the light bulb” in a person’s heart.
- Preparing a short summary of issues to think about concerning full time ministry. This was for my friends in OCF Canberra as part of their program for their graduates.
- Organising a prayer meeting during the exam period, though the turnout was very small. I prepared a short sharing on the subject of “stress” and spent time praying for students who were having exams.
Upcoming events/activities:
- 1st -5th Dec: OCF Convention 2008 in Adelaide (Theme: The King’s Return)
- 8th Dec: Back in Malaysia.
- 16th – 23rd Dec: OCF Mission trip to Jakarta. I will not be joining the students on this trip, but please do pray for them.
Vose Seminary
This semester, I started a new course at Seminary – a Graduate Diploma of Divinity (which is a postgraduate course). This is transferable to a Masters of Divinity if I would like to pursue it in the future. Some exciting units include Christian Apologetics & Principles of Evangelism, which really go hand-in-hand quite well!
One of the assignments from the Evangelism unit was a field-work report, in which students had to actually get down to doing 20 hours of evangelistic activity. Fortunately for me, my involvement in the DG was suitable for this task and therefore was able to “kill two birds with one stone”.
My Seminary also had a special 4-week training in administering the Prepare-Enrich Course, which is a marriage preparation course for couples. The course originates from the USA and is popularly used by ministers here in Australia. As a result of the training, I am now qualified to administer this course for couples who would like to be married. It includes a questionnaire in which the couple fill out, and I’ll interpret the computer-generated results to highlight strengths & potential challenges that a couple may face in their relationship. To date, I have yet to use it, but it sure is a handy tool to have in my “portfolio”. Never know what God may have in store for me in the future!
What’s next?
It has been 1.5 years since I started on this traineeship and I have only another 6 months left (excluding summer holidays). The “what’s next” question has never been so pertinent, but the answer is still far from being evident. The long term plan is for cross-cultural missions, possibly to Cambodia. But in the meantime, there are many options. Please continue to pray as I wait upon the Lord for his leading and direction.
----------------------
Praise & Prayer Needs
Praise God for:
- My new housemate - baby Amy!
- Encouraging semester in the DG
- Opportunities to run workshops and give talks
- DG members: S, L and M
- Especially for L as he returns to the USA – may he continue to find that Jesus is the way, the truth & the life
- OCFers during their mission trip to Jakarta from 16th to 23rd Dec.
- Future plans: Final 6 months till the end of this traineeship. Pray for God’s direction & leading
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Baby Amy at 2+ months
Yes, it's been more than 2 months since Amy was born! Here is how she looks like now! (I think she still looks the same.. only chubbier! hehe..)
Awwwwwww.......
A smile attempt? haha...
Honey suit... and kungfu suit!
For a cold day... brrrr...
And a slideshow of baby exercising! or dancing???
Awwwwwww.......
A smile attempt? haha...
Honey suit... and kungfu suit!
For a cold day... brrrr...
And a slideshow of baby exercising! or dancing???
Post exam activities
- packing my room into roller containers to be stored away for the summer
- finally getting down to some preparations for the wedding, e.g. budgeting, flower hunting etc.
- secretly trying to learn some Greek for next semester's Greek unit... haha kiasu, want to have a head start
- running some errands for David (now that I have no exams, I have no more excuses... haha..)
- visit to the dentist for regular check up. No cavities. Yay!
- Trying out some new chicken recipes. Yumm...!
- Hmm... I need to get my newsletter done!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Musings...
After a week of hot weather, the rain has decided to make a comeback! So it's been a rainy couple of days now, much to my delight... though the gloomy weather makes me want to stay in bed & not study for my exams!
Australian Idol:
Yes, I'm still watching it!!! Ah, I'm so sad that Chrislyn has left the show! Thought she'd at least make it to the final 2! Drats, my SMS votes weren't enough! Well, now that she's gone, my next favourite would have to be Wes, especially after that stunning performance on the Michael Jackson theme night. He can really do the Jackson moves! Ow! Haha... Nobz & Popz, go check it out on Aust Idol website... hehe...
One Heart, One Mind, One Lord
Subiaco Church of Christ (i.e. the church I go to here in Perth) has prepared a 5 week devotional material for the whole church to use for this month. The idea is that everyone reads & meditates & prays on the same passage, reflection, etc. for 6 days of the week, and on Sunday, the service celebrates the theme for the week and the sermon to reinforce it. Even the small groups/Bible study groups will be going through these topics on the weekday (mine just did on Tuesday night!).
You can check it out at: http://www.subiacochurch.com/main_site/file_uploads/downloads/ONEjournal.pdf
The idea is that the whole church moves in the same direction for this whole month in terms of our thinking of issues, as well as for it to be an accountability exercise for each other. There's an encouragement to share what we've learnt/resolved with someone else for the purpose of spurring one another on & keeping each other accountable for it.
I've found it really enjoyable and thought-provoking. We've only finished the 1st week's theme which is on "spiritual growth", but I've found both the devotional & the questions at the end challenging. It's really about taking the next step in our spiritual growth, and putting into place practices & disciplines to help us grow, not just in knowledge but in our lifestyle. As part of the materials says:
"Christian maturity is not measured by one's capacity to articulate one's faith & interact with the doctrine on an intellectual level but one's capacity to put that faith into practice."
That's definitely my sentiment this whole year, reinforced by my time at seminary (which is pretty surprising given that a lot of what we do in class & assignments is "head"/academic stuff). Or as John Stott puts it, "We're not to be 'tadpole' Christians, i.e. big in the head but small in the body & arms etc." (or something like that.. haha..)
Reflections on studies at Seminary
Seminary, though still strong in producing doctrinally sound academic quality, has definitely challenged areas of my spirituality (or simply put, my relationship with God). I cherish the way it has forced upon me to re-evaluate my prior beliefs, whether about God, myself, priorities in ministry and evangelism, preaching etc.
If anything, I hope that Seminary will make me a more charitable person, particularly in light of other people's beliefs; to be more careful about being dogmatic on certain doctrines when there is clear ambiguity in the biblical text; or to not insist that there is only one way of doing ministry, when clearly God has equipped his church in so many creative ways beyond comprehension; and to also recognise that the way I read Scripture is coloured in many ways by my own culture & pre-conceived beliefs, while seeking to minimise them as much as possible, I'd rarely be able to be completely free from it.
It has also definitely challenged me to see that I was & still am very much a 'tadpole' Christian. That my spiritual growth these years have focused very much on the acquiring of knowledge... which is not a bad thing in itself. Our relationship with God IS very much dependent on our knowledge of him. If we don't know him, how can we relate to him in the right manner?
But I think I'm at the point where this knowledge needs to be translated into something far deeper & more meaningful. I yearn & long for a 'wholesome faith', in the sense that my whole being is caught up in my relationship with God - head, heart, hands; or mind, emotions, actions.
Another quote (from my apologetics lecture)
Faith in man answers to grace in God. As such, it affects the whole of man's nature. It commences with the conviction of the mind based on adequate evidence; it continues in the confidence of the heart or emotions based on the above conviction, and it is crowned in the consent of the will, by means of which the conviction and confidence are expressed in conduct. - G. Thomas -
Just a short one for now, need to hit my books again.. exam next week!
Australian Idol:
Yes, I'm still watching it!!! Ah, I'm so sad that Chrislyn has left the show! Thought she'd at least make it to the final 2! Drats, my SMS votes weren't enough! Well, now that she's gone, my next favourite would have to be Wes, especially after that stunning performance on the Michael Jackson theme night. He can really do the Jackson moves! Ow! Haha... Nobz & Popz, go check it out on Aust Idol website... hehe...
One Heart, One Mind, One Lord
Subiaco Church of Christ (i.e. the church I go to here in Perth) has prepared a 5 week devotional material for the whole church to use for this month. The idea is that everyone reads & meditates & prays on the same passage, reflection, etc. for 6 days of the week, and on Sunday, the service celebrates the theme for the week and the sermon to reinforce it. Even the small groups/Bible study groups will be going through these topics on the weekday (mine just did on Tuesday night!).
You can check it out at: http://www.subiacochurch.com/main_site/file_uploads/downloads/ONEjournal.pdf
The idea is that the whole church moves in the same direction for this whole month in terms of our thinking of issues, as well as for it to be an accountability exercise for each other. There's an encouragement to share what we've learnt/resolved with someone else for the purpose of spurring one another on & keeping each other accountable for it.
I've found it really enjoyable and thought-provoking. We've only finished the 1st week's theme which is on "spiritual growth", but I've found both the devotional & the questions at the end challenging. It's really about taking the next step in our spiritual growth, and putting into place practices & disciplines to help us grow, not just in knowledge but in our lifestyle. As part of the materials says:
"Christian maturity is not measured by one's capacity to articulate one's faith & interact with the doctrine on an intellectual level but one's capacity to put that faith into practice."
That's definitely my sentiment this whole year, reinforced by my time at seminary (which is pretty surprising given that a lot of what we do in class & assignments is "head"/academic stuff). Or as John Stott puts it, "We're not to be 'tadpole' Christians, i.e. big in the head but small in the body & arms etc." (or something like that.. haha..)
Reflections on studies at Seminary
Seminary, though still strong in producing doctrinally sound academic quality, has definitely challenged areas of my spirituality (or simply put, my relationship with God). I cherish the way it has forced upon me to re-evaluate my prior beliefs, whether about God, myself, priorities in ministry and evangelism, preaching etc.
If anything, I hope that Seminary will make me a more charitable person, particularly in light of other people's beliefs; to be more careful about being dogmatic on certain doctrines when there is clear ambiguity in the biblical text; or to not insist that there is only one way of doing ministry, when clearly God has equipped his church in so many creative ways beyond comprehension; and to also recognise that the way I read Scripture is coloured in many ways by my own culture & pre-conceived beliefs, while seeking to minimise them as much as possible, I'd rarely be able to be completely free from it.
It has also definitely challenged me to see that I was & still am very much a 'tadpole' Christian. That my spiritual growth these years have focused very much on the acquiring of knowledge... which is not a bad thing in itself. Our relationship with God IS very much dependent on our knowledge of him. If we don't know him, how can we relate to him in the right manner?
But I think I'm at the point where this knowledge needs to be translated into something far deeper & more meaningful. I yearn & long for a 'wholesome faith', in the sense that my whole being is caught up in my relationship with God - head, heart, hands; or mind, emotions, actions.
Another quote (from my apologetics lecture)
Faith in man answers to grace in God. As such, it affects the whole of man's nature. It commences with the conviction of the mind based on adequate evidence; it continues in the confidence of the heart or emotions based on the above conviction, and it is crowned in the consent of the will, by means of which the conviction and confidence are expressed in conduct. - G. Thomas -
Just a short one for now, need to hit my books again.. exam next week!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Vose Quiz Night
Yippee! Final assignment handed in yesterday :) Still 2 exams to study for, but was catching up with my sleep today! (Oh.. it feels good having 10 hours of sleep after only 4.5 hours the previous day... haha)
Went to my seminary's Quiz night tonight.. our group came in 2nd last (yeah, I know! what an achievement for not being the last!!).. There were only 5 of us in the team when other ppl had 8 ('cos I couldn't find anymore friends to join...)... someone commented.. "It's not about the quantity, but the quality..." .. and then he joked "But we have neither!"
Hahahaha...
Anyway, it was a fun night.. especially when we made up silly answers for questions that we had NO clue about. Like...
Q: Who was the lead singer of bla bla band?
A: Darth Vader
Some items were up for auction as well to raise funds for my seminary. David bid and bought a framed up scenic photo.. it does look quite nice :) Good bid.
Tonight.. I learnt a few things:
1. A somnambulist is a person who sleep walks. (We got this one right thanks to Ming Ghee!)
2. A campanologist studies the art of making and ringing bells. (Our wild guess - Camping?!)
3. A person with phagophobia is afraid of eating. (that's definitely not me!)
4. A gerontologist studies about "old age" or "ageing". (Got this one right thanks to David - an educated guess from the word "geriatrics")
5. One of the early church fathers, Tertullian, says that men should not shave because shaving is like saying that they want to look better than what God made them to be. (or something like that)
6. An alleged relic, kept in Canterbury, is said to be the oldest relic.. what is it? The clay that God made Adam from.
Hahaa.. interesting stuff eh?
I managed to score with most of the theology/Bible related questions.. hehe.. (well not Tertullian though... it was a bonus question to decide a draw between the top 2 tables), but there were only 8 qns in 80! Was totally dumbfounded by most of the other qns though.. haha..
Ok time for lala land! Will post up more interesting stuff when I remember them!
Went to my seminary's Quiz night tonight.. our group came in 2nd last (yeah, I know! what an achievement for not being the last!!).. There were only 5 of us in the team when other ppl had 8 ('cos I couldn't find anymore friends to join...)... someone commented.. "It's not about the quantity, but the quality..." .. and then he joked "But we have neither!"
Hahahaha...
Anyway, it was a fun night.. especially when we made up silly answers for questions that we had NO clue about. Like...
Q: Who was the lead singer of bla bla band?
A: Darth Vader
Some items were up for auction as well to raise funds for my seminary. David bid and bought a framed up scenic photo.. it does look quite nice :) Good bid.
Tonight.. I learnt a few things:
1. A somnambulist is a person who sleep walks. (We got this one right thanks to Ming Ghee!)
2. A campanologist studies the art of making and ringing bells. (Our wild guess - Camping?!)
3. A person with phagophobia is afraid of eating. (that's definitely not me!)
4. A gerontologist studies about "old age" or "ageing". (Got this one right thanks to David - an educated guess from the word "geriatrics")
5. One of the early church fathers, Tertullian, says that men should not shave because shaving is like saying that they want to look better than what God made them to be. (or something like that)
6. An alleged relic, kept in Canterbury, is said to be the oldest relic.. what is it? The clay that God made Adam from.
Hahaa.. interesting stuff eh?
I managed to score with most of the theology/Bible related questions.. hehe.. (well not Tertullian though... it was a bonus question to decide a draw between the top 2 tables), but there were only 8 qns in 80! Was totally dumbfounded by most of the other qns though.. haha..
Ok time for lala land! Will post up more interesting stuff when I remember them!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
one more one more!
Whoopie! Thank God for a very productive past few days in finishing up one of my major essays on
"Evangelism in a postmodern world".
Just one more to go now - an OT book review due tmr. Ok, short one then... more updates after Thursday!
p/s YP, I got your sms but no time to call you yet!! Talk to you soon
"Evangelism in a postmodern world".
Just one more to go now - an OT book review due tmr. Ok, short one then... more updates after Thursday!
p/s YP, I got your sms but no time to call you yet!! Talk to you soon
Friday, October 24, 2008
one more week to go
Wahahahahahahaa!!
Finally finished another one.. 2 more to go!! First time I'm late in handing in my assignment.. by one day.. haha.. haven't had enough 'guts' to submit any later. Not too happy with the essay cos it feels like it's all over the place.. but ah well, too late now!
Been a crazy past week having to finish 3 assignments, run 1 workshop and preach 1 sermon. Gosh, makes me wonder... did I not use my time wisely in the semester? Why is there this tidal wave of assignments at this time? Hmm...
Anyway, looking forward to the next assignment.. not actually the process of doing it, but just the topic - Evangelism in the postmodern world - do we/should we alter our methods of evangelism in this postmodern society? If so, what and how?
Basically it would cut to the core of what's central to the gospel and what can be contextualised to fit into the context of the people we're reaching out to. Or at least, that's what I'm hoping to achieve in this assignment... if i'm efficient enough in my reading!
Preached a sermon on "mercy" (based on Jonah) at Chapel in Seminary. Found myself struggling to prepare for it because I've never really had any enemies I had to forgive/show mercy like Jonah did. Still got good feedback from the lecturers and students, so praise God! But it did raise the question for me in terms of preaching, how does someone preach something that they've never really experienced before? Is it hypocritical? Or is it a matter of drawing experiences from other people and reflect on similarities in our own situation?
Hmm.....
Oh, only one more week of classes to go. So sad! I'm going to miss attending lectures...
Finally finished another one.. 2 more to go!! First time I'm late in handing in my assignment.. by one day.. haha.. haven't had enough 'guts' to submit any later. Not too happy with the essay cos it feels like it's all over the place.. but ah well, too late now!
Been a crazy past week having to finish 3 assignments, run 1 workshop and preach 1 sermon. Gosh, makes me wonder... did I not use my time wisely in the semester? Why is there this tidal wave of assignments at this time? Hmm...
Anyway, looking forward to the next assignment.. not actually the process of doing it, but just the topic - Evangelism in the postmodern world - do we/should we alter our methods of evangelism in this postmodern society? If so, what and how?
Basically it would cut to the core of what's central to the gospel and what can be contextualised to fit into the context of the people we're reaching out to. Or at least, that's what I'm hoping to achieve in this assignment... if i'm efficient enough in my reading!
Preached a sermon on "mercy" (based on Jonah) at Chapel in Seminary. Found myself struggling to prepare for it because I've never really had any enemies I had to forgive/show mercy like Jonah did. Still got good feedback from the lecturers and students, so praise God! But it did raise the question for me in terms of preaching, how does someone preach something that they've never really experienced before? Is it hypocritical? Or is it a matter of drawing experiences from other people and reflect on similarities in our own situation?
Hmm.....
Oh, only one more week of classes to go. So sad! I'm going to miss attending lectures...
Monday, October 13, 2008
more blog blurbs
Yay! One more assignment down! Thank God for the stamina to work through it and finish it off! 6 more to go! Muahhhaaa...
As mentioned, David ran a workshop on outreach today. Thought it went well though I was only half listening as was trying to read my book for an assignment.. to no avail! haha.. sheesh...
Anyway, realised today that I need to put off my habit of stereotyping people.. not good not good.. gross generalisations do no justice to individuals.. not to mention that the stereotyping is coloured by prejudice as well.. so "Die you bad habit of stereotyping", and "live you good habit of love" (following the principle of putting off of the old self and putting on of the new self (Col 3:1-17))
Nagging question at the back of mind: What's going to happen next after I finish my contract with OCF? God please lead!
As mentioned, David ran a workshop on outreach today. Thought it went well though I was only half listening as was trying to read my book for an assignment.. to no avail! haha.. sheesh...
Anyway, realised today that I need to put off my habit of stereotyping people.. not good not good.. gross generalisations do no justice to individuals.. not to mention that the stereotyping is coloured by prejudice as well.. so "Die you bad habit of stereotyping", and "live you good habit of love" (following the principle of putting off of the old self and putting on of the new self (Col 3:1-17))
Nagging question at the back of mind: What's going to happen next after I finish my contract with OCF? God please lead!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
blog blurb
No time for blogging... (7 more assigments in 3 weeks to go!), but thought I kinda need a break for a short while...
The evangelistic talk last Friday went well (thank you all who have prayed for me!). Had fun wearing a "sarung" during one part of the talk.. (haha.. won't tell you what it was for!).. I know the gospel has been sown as seeds.. may God make them grow to bear fruit!
Otherwise, the past week has been hectic trying to finish up my apologetics assignment on the topic "The scientific method and its significance to Christian apologetics". Really interesting stuff, wished I was more organised & started my research earlier.. didn't feel I tackled all that I could have, but oh well.. you can only do so much within a limited space of time.
David's giving a workshop on outreach tomorrow to the OCFers. Phew, glad I'm not the one doing it. Wouldn't be able to cope. Besides, I'm already scheduled to give a talk (together with Emperor Chin) this coming Friday on the topic "Homework".. haha.. goodness, who would want to sit and listen for 45 minutes on THAT?! :P
Ok, time to hit the books else I'd regret it next week when the tidal wave comes.. *swim.. swim.. AHHHHH*
The evangelistic talk last Friday went well (thank you all who have prayed for me!). Had fun wearing a "sarung" during one part of the talk.. (haha.. won't tell you what it was for!).. I know the gospel has been sown as seeds.. may God make them grow to bear fruit!
Otherwise, the past week has been hectic trying to finish up my apologetics assignment on the topic "The scientific method and its significance to Christian apologetics". Really interesting stuff, wished I was more organised & started my research earlier.. didn't feel I tackled all that I could have, but oh well.. you can only do so much within a limited space of time.
David's giving a workshop on outreach tomorrow to the OCFers. Phew, glad I'm not the one doing it. Wouldn't be able to cope. Besides, I'm already scheduled to give a talk (together with Emperor Chin) this coming Friday on the topic "Homework".. haha.. goodness, who would want to sit and listen for 45 minutes on THAT?! :P
Ok, time to hit the books else I'd regret it next week when the tidal wave comes.. *swim.. swim.. AHHHHH*
Friday, September 26, 2008
short update
Been a busy week, and more busy weeks to come! Heaps on my plate at the moment, but enjoying all of it :)
- Apologetics assignment on science & Christianity
- Lunch & movie outing with the girls tmr. We're watching WALL-E! YAAAY! Finally!
- Watching Mummy 3 next Tuesday with David. Go Brendan Fraser!
- The evangelistic talk I'd be giving next Friday (3rd Oct) at OCF Murdoch's Social Night.. PLEASE PRAY!!
- More Assignments x 7 (too lazy to list them all down)
Phew! Learning to take it day by day & entrust it all to God!
- Apologetics assignment on science & Christianity
- Lunch & movie outing with the girls tmr. We're watching WALL-E! YAAAY! Finally!
- Watching Mummy 3 next Tuesday with David. Go Brendan Fraser!
- The evangelistic talk I'd be giving next Friday (3rd Oct) at OCF Murdoch's Social Night.. PLEASE PRAY!!
- More Assignments x 7 (too lazy to list them all down)
Phew! Learning to take it day by day & entrust it all to God!
Monday, September 22, 2008
update...
Yes, my sister asks for an update.. so she shall get one!
Now what have I been up to lately?
Had a chance to do an inductive BS with some OCFers on Monday. I honestly think I probably tortured them by asking them so many questions... Hmm... while I was glad I made them think, I wasn't too happy about the whole flow of how I conducted the study.. so there's plenty of room for improvement!
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Otherwise, have been thinking & wrestling more with the news of the recent death of the 17-year old son of Daniel & Suzanne Prak, missionaries in Cambodia. He went into a diabetic coma (first presentation of the illness) and went to be with the Lord after 4 weeks.
Reading the book of Job in the past few weeks have also raised those questions and issues. Why do good people suffer? And more specifically, why do the people who are the most faithful to God, seeking to serve him, the very ones who seem to have to suffer?
I didn't realise that the question had been niggling at the back of my head all this time, particularly since David first went to Cambodia & shared about another missionary couple whose child had some terminal illness. This recent incident with the Praks just brought it up to the fore.
Was encouraged by a letter from the Praks in response to all that has happened. In it they give thanks and praise to God, that for their prayers were answered. They prayed for complete healing for Andrew, and he's received it. Nothing can be better for Andrew than to be with his Maker.
I find that mind-boggling faith. I guess I know the answer intellectually. I know in my head that God is good, that He is trustworthy, that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, even though we don't understand it at times, and even if it comes at great suffering in this present life. But put in the same situation as the Praks, I don't know whether I'd be able to respond in that manner. To be able to have that kind of strength & deep trust in God. I just don't know whether that "knowledge" has passed from my head to my heart.
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On another note, I got invited by a friend at Seminary to preach at his father's church (his father was ill) this Sunday. It's a small congregation of about 30-40 people. Got a bit of a shock, and was struggling to get to a decision. Wasn't quite sure I was ready to be preaching at a formal church service yet.. Well, final verdict is that I'm not taking it up. Couldn't get to a decision by today, and he needed to get someone ASAP.
Phew.. on one hand, it's a sigh of relief. On another, I'm wondering whether I missed out on an opportunity? Oh well, there'd be more to come. Just not sure whether I'm quite ready yet at this stage.
Now what have I been up to lately?
Had a chance to do an inductive BS with some OCFers on Monday. I honestly think I probably tortured them by asking them so many questions... Hmm... while I was glad I made them think, I wasn't too happy about the whole flow of how I conducted the study.. so there's plenty of room for improvement!
------------------------------------
Otherwise, have been thinking & wrestling more with the news of the recent death of the 17-year old son of Daniel & Suzanne Prak, missionaries in Cambodia. He went into a diabetic coma (first presentation of the illness) and went to be with the Lord after 4 weeks.
Reading the book of Job in the past few weeks have also raised those questions and issues. Why do good people suffer? And more specifically, why do the people who are the most faithful to God, seeking to serve him, the very ones who seem to have to suffer?
I didn't realise that the question had been niggling at the back of my head all this time, particularly since David first went to Cambodia & shared about another missionary couple whose child had some terminal illness. This recent incident with the Praks just brought it up to the fore.
Was encouraged by a letter from the Praks in response to all that has happened. In it they give thanks and praise to God, that for their prayers were answered. They prayed for complete healing for Andrew, and he's received it. Nothing can be better for Andrew than to be with his Maker.
I find that mind-boggling faith. I guess I know the answer intellectually. I know in my head that God is good, that He is trustworthy, that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, even though we don't understand it at times, and even if it comes at great suffering in this present life. But put in the same situation as the Praks, I don't know whether I'd be able to respond in that manner. To be able to have that kind of strength & deep trust in God. I just don't know whether that "knowledge" has passed from my head to my heart.
------------------------------------
On another note, I got invited by a friend at Seminary to preach at his father's church (his father was ill) this Sunday. It's a small congregation of about 30-40 people. Got a bit of a shock, and was struggling to get to a decision. Wasn't quite sure I was ready to be preaching at a formal church service yet.. Well, final verdict is that I'm not taking it up. Couldn't get to a decision by today, and he needed to get someone ASAP.
Phew.. on one hand, it's a sigh of relief. On another, I'm wondering whether I missed out on an opportunity? Oh well, there'd be more to come. Just not sure whether I'm quite ready yet at this stage.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Discovery Group
It's been a tiring night at OCF, but an awesome one. Had the chance of facilitating the discovery group going through the "Introducing God" course. Just amazed at how multi-national the group was, especially today. 2 from Hong Kong, 1 from USA, 3 from Taiwan. Am still praying for that 1 Korean & 1 Cambodian to turn up next week. God willing, it'd come to fruition!
Am really enjoying the DVD talks and learning from them. In my opinion, the course is a very faithful presentation of the gospel of Jesus and it tells the Bible story of salvation very well. It's based on the "Two ways to live" presentation of the gospel and so it covers the essential areas of creation, sin, redemption and new life sufficiently well.
Next week would be "interesting" as it'd be a rather offensive session where the topic of judgement comes up. Please pray for God's work by his Spirit to be done!
Time to rest! Zzzzzz....
Am really enjoying the DVD talks and learning from them. In my opinion, the course is a very faithful presentation of the gospel of Jesus and it tells the Bible story of salvation very well. It's based on the "Two ways to live" presentation of the gospel and so it covers the essential areas of creation, sin, redemption and new life sufficiently well.
Next week would be "interesting" as it'd be a rather offensive session where the topic of judgement comes up. Please pray for God's work by his Spirit to be done!
Time to rest! Zzzzzz....
Monday, September 08, 2008
Book Review
Recently had to review this book for one of my assignments. Thought I'd share it 'cos I found it really helpful in thinking about sharing our faith with others. This review doesn't do justice to the book, so I'd recommend that you get hold of a copy and read it for yourself :)
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Dickson, J., Promoting the Gospel (Blue Bottle Books, 2005)
Dickson gives a refreshing insight into what biblical mission entails. Contrary to popular evangelical belief and emphasis (mine included), the means for promoting Christ is not confined to verbal proclamation of the gospel, but also includes prayer, financial giving, godly behaviour, the public praise of God and answering people’s questions.
He begins by presenting a case for promoting the gospel and then examines the challenge of pluralism and the inevitable call for Christians to follow Christ in mission. As he states, “our entire life, including our social life, should demonstrate the Lord’s desire to have fellowship with sinners” (p41). He then proceeds to address the various means in which the gospel can be advanced and people drawn to Christ.
The strength (and thesis) of this book is that it draws attention to aspects of missions in the Bible that have often been neglected or sidelined. Dickson rightly points out that we have often tried to fit people into the role of an “evangelist” while neglecting the other means in which the gospel is advanced. Nevertheless, a chapter is devoted in exploring the actual role of the evangelist.
In particular, I found the chapter on giving “an apt reply” an eye-opener. Dickson contends that while learning to present a gospel outline is helpful and necessary, more often than not our opportunities for sharing our faith come in our day-to-day conversations with people. The power of an appropriate reply or comment should not be undermined and he calls for an emphasis in conversational explanations of the Faith in training for evangelism. Moreover, he points out that the apostle Paul himself makes a comparison between his apostolic speaking of the gospel to the everyday speech of believers in general in Colossians 4:3-6. A review of the Greek used in those verses show
…a thematic parallel between Paul’s obligation to proclaim the gospel word and the congregation’s duty to answer in their everyday word. In effect, what bold proclamation is to evangelists, gracious answers are to believers in general. Both activities have profound missionary significance. (p152)
Another not commonly regarded aspect is the role that the public praise of God can take in advancing the gospel. Surprisingly, this notion is a well-established theme in the Old Testament and inherent in the theology and practice of the Jewish people. The communal praise of God in the synagogue or temple was one of God’s ways of drawing the Gentiles to worship him. This idea is also taken up in the New Testament by the apostle Peter.
In addressing our contemporary context, Dickson maintains that “the number of visitors in our services is directly proportionate to the level of enthusiasm felt by those who regularly attend” (p138). This brings us to consider how our regular corporate worship times in church can be enhanced firstly for the regular worshippers, and consequently for visitors. It also challenges the commonly held view that evangelistic church services are the main means for drawing unbelievers to Christ. On the contrary, he asserts that normal church services conducted exceptionally well will not only inspire the regulars, but also draw in visitors and promote the gospel to them. While Dickson does not go into lengths of what such a service should look like, he gives us a few clues from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians – that it should be an intelligible declaration of God’s wonders for the benefit of God’s people.
In his chapter “being beautiful”, he points out the fact that people can be won to faith “without a word” through godly behaviour. He provides solid biblical support for “the gospel being a necessary and sufficient cause of faith without always being the primary cause of faith” (p99). This not only stresses the impact that good deeds can have on unbelievers towards the gospel, but also brings assurance to those in positions where it is inappropriate or impossible to speak of the gospel.
To the question, “So where does actual gospel proclamation fit in?”, Dickson remarks:
...speaking about the Faith is the icing on the cake of mission. It may not be where the bulk of our day-to-day mission activity lies but frequently it is the most obvious part of the mission and, once tasted, will often be the sweetest. (p109)
Overall, this book represents a holistic treatment on the issue of Christian mission. It challenges the church not only to view it one-dimensionally, but to consider the manifold aspects involved in it and to encourage all believers to be a part of it.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
baby visit
Went to visit Soong Leng and baby Amy at the hospital this morning. Such a pleasant baby! Apparently she hasn't cried very much since birth.. just a short "WeAH" at the time of birth and that's it! Probably because her mum is a very good natured person herself, so I guess the baby just takes after her :)
Guess I won't be needing those ear-plugs after all :P
Anyway, baby Amy was busy sleeping... only opened one of her eyes for a short while..
Will wait for David to take some photos later in the arvo before I'll have any to post up!
Guess I won't be needing those ear-plugs after all :P
Anyway, baby Amy was busy sleeping... only opened one of her eyes for a short while..
Will wait for David to take some photos later in the arvo before I'll have any to post up!
Monday, September 01, 2008
A baby is born!
She's here! She's here!
Who?
Baby Amy! My housemate (& David's sister-in-law) just gave birth to a baby girl this morning! Hip hip hooray!
Will post up some photos when I get them! Muahahhaa..
Oh boy, it was an agonising morning for me. I knew Jonathan & Soong Leng went to the hospital early this morning (6am), but didn't get any news till about lunch time. Only found out from John Ho over MSN that the baby was already born around 8-9am in the morning! Geez.. all that agonising for nothing! Haha..
Anyway, praise God that both mum & baby are well :)
Who?
Baby Amy! My housemate (& David's sister-in-law) just gave birth to a baby girl this morning! Hip hip hooray!
Will post up some photos when I get them! Muahahhaa..
Oh boy, it was an agonising morning for me. I knew Jonathan & Soong Leng went to the hospital early this morning (6am), but didn't get any news till about lunch time. Only found out from John Ho over MSN that the baby was already born around 8-9am in the morning! Geez.. all that agonising for nothing! Haha..
Anyway, praise God that both mum & baby are well :)
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