Archive for April, 2006
For a long time, I have felt a growing frustration, cynicism and indignation over the uneven playing ground of politics in Singapore…it just doesn”t augur well for the future. Recently I asked myself a basic question I should have asked long ago, “What was Jesus’ attitude towards the politics of his times? Did he get involved or stay clear?” Since I have made a very intentional decision to follow the Lord Jesus, the answer to this question should be allowed to shape my posture and attitudes towards politics too. So I looked up Google and it came up with some heavy stuff which I tried to read. Tried to……don’t they have theology for dummies? Anyway I thought I get some common sense input from you guys so I can see the different angles. Any comments?
April 28th, 2006
Just returned from a 2 day retreat where trained facilitators guided several pastors and I to reflect on biblical purpose and values and personal vision. It was an intensive 9am to 6pm but the discussion-discovery format made the time just fly by. Abe Sim (who will attend the one with other marketplace leaders) and I have joined this mentoring network so that we could grow and also continue the mentoring process with our church leaders, especially the 20 somethings. The monthly meetings coupled with individual coaching, will stretch over a whole year and we pray the Lord will do a deeper work in our lives and help us become focused leaders who develop other focused leaders.
Looks like I am one of the four in ten eligible voters who won’t gets a chance to vote on the 6th of May. I live in the Jurong GRC and it has been returned to the PAP unopposed. Too bad. I actually enjoy having a choice and doing something for Singapore’s future but won’t have a chance this time round.
April 27th, 2006
Preaching chair used by John Wesley (18th century). Imagine how long his sermons were!
It was the second time I tried “scattered preaching.” I first heard about this at a seminar I attended recently. Bruce Milne, author, former principal of Spurgeons College, lecturer in homiletics and pastoral care, talked about the idea that the preaching form suited for the the 21st century audience is scattered preaching. He said that the diverse needs, ethnicity, socio-economic and age groups of the modern urban congregation called for a different handling of the sermon.
Traditionally most of us preachers have been taught to have one central truth in each sermon, supported by two to four sub-points, with each subpoint developed with explanations, definitions, examples and applications, all inter-connected seamlessly to deliver the central truth. So when the hearers who heard the sermon were asked, What was the sermon about?, most of their answers would be about the same.
However Bruce suggested that we be freed from the homilectical constraints of our past training and to preach in a new way. The method he talked about permitted us to touch on different truths in a particular passage and make applications to all kinds of life situations of different people groups in the congregation- students, single-mothers, marrieds, retirees, maids, unemployed. Thus “scattered” instead of gathered! So it does not matter if all the truths shared does not seem to connect and if the people were asked what the sermon was all about they would be hard put to answer, and if they do reply, they would seem to have different ideas of what the sermon was all about. Bruce in effect said it did not matter as long as preaching helped them and the preacher was interpreting the text faithfully.
Though I had a few positive comments, I wonder if the people are ready for this new way of preaching. I’ll have to go with this for a longer period. Its fun! If I am out of a job some time next year, there is no prize for guessing why.
Any comments?
April 24th, 2006
I was with my good friend, Anglican priest, Rev. Vincent Hoon, who serves at St John-St Margaret’s Anglican Church at Dover Rd, and though we used to meet monthly, its been five months since we last met. We had a good time of catching up and sharing our lives.
I first met Vincent at a Love Singapore prayer retreat. I was feeling adventurous and asked for a room-mate and it was the Lord’s arrangement that he was the one and we clicked. He was the one who got me motivated and actually doing mentoring more diligently.
Well, this time I got him started on blogging.! Sat down with him and did the set-up with and for him, explaining things and suggesting ideas. This is the easy part. Its the maintenance that requires more. But actually it is writing proper that is a barrier for many. Just look at writing as speech or conversational English on paper. What you would say, instead of saying, write. And then edit. Thinking of it like that helps. Secondly, as long as it conveys roughly what you want, its okay, lah.
Anyway pastors need encouragement so can you drop by and say Hi to Vincent Hoon at
http://www.xanga.com/missionspastor
and if he doesn’t update regularly, give him some holy persecution. ha ha.
April 21st, 2006
Yesterday Abraham Sim, mvp, called to announce to me that the URA has approved our application for the association premises we are in, to be used for religious purposes for another 3 years! till 2009!
H A L L E L U J A H ! J E S U S I S A L I V E !
Singapore is so small and our government so efficient that the URA actually has a masterplan of how land is to be used throughout the island, whether for residential, institutional, commercial, industrial, entertainment, or religious use. So when you want to use a land or premise for religious use that is already zoned under another category, you have to apply to URA for a change of use (cou). Our property is in an association/residential zone….so we have to apply every three years. If approved, it is property-tax free.
Our premises is strangely a “mixed bag”. The 4th floor has change of use for next three years. The office and deaf service hall on the third is association zone, so we pay property taxes on that. The children’s worship hall on the same floor has permanent religious use! How it got to be like this, Its a looong story you won’t be interested in.(To know about where I serve visit our church website at http://www.wrpf.sg)
Poser: Did we get an approval to our application because it is near the election………
…….or God has answered our prayers
…………. or both of the above?
Whats your take?
April 20th, 2006
During our Easter service we had a power failure and black-out that covered the whole Guilin Building.
First time in 10 years, a complete blackout after the fourth(?) praise song….we kept singing, the worship leader , Agnes was calm and quick, said it should remind us of the darkness of sin we were once in, and the darkness that accompanied Jesus’ death on the cross, etc. giving me time to think and make some decisions.
Finally I told them to take a 15 minute break and come back by then and if power is not back yet, we head for the beach, have our service there, and then the baptism. Good thing the power came on and we continued with the service.
It was like the service went through death and resurrection, tomb and sky, darkness and light. Unforgettable service!
I wonder if God did anything or said anything to anybody as we sang and prayed in the darkness? Please relate what you felt and experienced.
April 18th, 2006
On Saturday morning I woke up at 6am again. This time it was not a summons to help but to trek. Trek 11km round Mac Ritchie.
Why not run like a real man? I find walking more gentle on the knees and heart and mind. I get to talk and fellowship. I get to notice things around me: the breeze, the rustling of leaves, the incessant come- hither of cicadas, the calm waters, the chatter of women and monkeys (nothing intended with juxtaposition), the perspiration on my forehead. The forest even becomes a sanctuary of worship and inner silence at times.
Ten of us went, a mixed bunch, tennis group plus wives and other friends. We started at 7.30am and completed the trek including the treetop walk at 10.50 am. After the long endurance walk and burnt calories, we rewarded ourselves with a modest lunch at the nearby Adam Road hawker center. I ate assam fish and two vegetables and found it was too spicy for my taste but the teh alia was good.
I needed all that carbo to replace the strength and energy I lost trying to save a tree from drowning. Its huge branch was about to collapse into the reservoir but thankfully I was there to lift it up and put it on some support. There were ten of us on the trek but nobody helped me as we were separated. Only four were there with me when it happened but they were more interested in taking photos as you can see below. 
Meanwhile pastor kenny continues to “hold up tree branches”at http://www.wrpf.sg
April 17th, 2006
It was an refreshingly edgy dialogue between young Singaporeans and the Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew shown on national TV and reported in the newspapers. Obviously the untried unpredictable young voters are a major concern of the ruling party! But a question really stuck on for me:
Would it be better for the political development of Singapore, if MM Lee retires from his appointments as MP and MM?
What is your opinion?……..die, die must try to make a comment. I wait with bated breath to hear from you over this long weekend.
April 14th, 2006
Today I found myself really wishing the Myanmese military junta in jungle-clad Pyinmana would eat more chicken and ……….
I know it sounds like one of those imprecatory(curse) psalms of David that spewed vitroilic on his enemies, but when you get frustrated and angry thinking of the thousands of demonstrators that were mercilessly shot down by the military when the junta refused to recognize the democratic votes of the people; and of the hundreds of Karens now being slaughtered even though not gun-toting freedom-fighters, you just want to pray fire down on these evil generals smug and secure in their new capital-fortress.
I get a better understanding of the feelings of the psalmist when they prayed those embarassing imprecatory prayers which are simply honest prayers of very human saints. I think by divine providence these are in the psalms, the song and prayer book of Israel, because they represent very much what the Jews would be feeling about their powerlessness in the hands of powerful evil enemies throughout their history. It also helps us Christians as well since we are not exempted from suffering and injustice and these prayers act as catalysts for us to get in touch with or express these angry, murderous feelings we have within us at times. And it is good and wholesome for us as doing so mends us to wellness.
Lord, have mercy on us.
April 12th, 2006
The phone woke me up at six on Saturday and I was totally unprepared for what was to follow: a childhood friend of mine had passed away and the wife Vivien was asking for help. Zipped down to the home and saw ambulance and police outside. It was true: Robert Yaw laid stiff on the sofa. Robert Yaw and I grew up in the same neighbourhood, went through primary and secondary schools together, accepted Christ together at Jalan Demawan the first location of our church. After PreU we drifted apart as he left church, went to NS and NUS from which he graduated with an English honours. He was a talented and brilliant guy not in the academic sense but in being able to grasp complex abstract and technical ideas and explain it in a clear and concise way. His English was always tops. But at NS the stress hit him and he was warded in Woodbridge and given a discharge. He worked in journalism and editing and computers for various companies, but after a return to church and a revival, his passion for knowing Christ and making Him known grew steadily. He also had several relapses of his illness, particularly when undergoing highly stressful situations. But despite this, he persevered with and in his faith in Christ. In a way he was heroic in his battles against his illness. His faith shone through. He is a beacon of hope to all who suffer from mental and emotional disorders. On Sunday’s wake service many heard the spontaneous eulogies of former classmates, relatives, colleagues and friends. Tears were on many faces. Since Robert was a quiet and modest man, it was good that Grace, the daughter, and Vivien, the wife got to hear how he impacted and helped so many others. I could hold back my tears ( partly a professional hazard) until I reached the viewing room after the fueral service this morning. It was too much ; I was just overwhelmed. Ironically Monday was his birthday- he would have been celebrating his 51st. Nevertheless, Easter is around the corner and I am filled with hope and joy because I am a child of the resurrection! Robert, we’ll meet again.
April 10th, 2006
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