Archive for August, 2006
On the 28th August, Singapore’s main newspaper reported that a member of Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian is suing its pastors for defaming him in church, claiming they have tarnished his reputation. Mr Lim held that the King James Version of the Bible is not as perfect as his pastors claim, and was handing out a petition for a public debate on the issue, which he distributed to members in July 05 by hand and by e-mail. “Stinging responses came from the pastors via e-mail, church bulletins and sermons, which he felt hurt his standing as a businessman and a devout Christian. In his statement of claim against the pastors, he said thay had repeatedly run him down in church in front of people with whom his firm may have business dealings.†The report continues:â€In the course of the dispute, he said, the insults had grown sharper. He listed some made by the pastors, which he felt caused him ’serious injury’. In particular, he was upset at being likened to Satan and referred to as an ‘evil and sinister enemy’. Senior pastor Tow said in his written defence: ‘It is the teaching of the Bible that any attack on the members of the church and the pastors would be seen as a satanic attack as Satan is the mastermind behind all disturbances within the church.â€
I was sad to read this in a hotel in Yangon. When a dispute cannot be resolved in the spirit of love and reconciliation, aggravates into defamation, has to be brought to the law courts for a judgment, and worse still precipitated by an issue that most evangelical scholars would not quibble over - the ‘perfection’ or accuracy of the King James Version. It is so clear that all translations of the Bible have inaccuracies that do not affect the fundamentals of our faith - no translation is perfect. The KJV is not the inspired nor infallible translation and has its share of inaccuracies. Its a crying shame that a church would take such drastic actions and words to handle such an issue. Its also sad that the member should go to court with the matter. I have seen a believer gotten worse treatment and could have easily sued the church’s leaders for defamation but desisted because of His name. I would similarly rather have absorbed the personal humiliation than let God’s name be dragged into mud. Its just so sad. May the Lord give good sense to all parties concerned and end the suit and start the healing process. Jesus said: “Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him…†Matt 5:25
August 31st, 2006
The ability to converse using jargon to a like-minded individual in the same field seems to be indicative of your knowledge and ability in that area. In addition, the use of such technical terms seem to be ever more important in the 21st century which emphasises speed and efficieny. Yet, the use of jargon often form a barrier of entry for anyone wishing to acquire knowledge of a subject by self-learning. In other words, the frequent use of technical words makes the already steep learning curve even steeper.
In day to day communication, however, the use of jargon will alienate the outsider. By using a lot of technical terms, you may end up confusing and frustrating the other party and often, he will pretend that he knows what you are talking about and not bothering to ask you about the meaning of the difficult terms. He certainly wouldn’t like to disrupt your speech constantly and most likely he wouldn’t want you to think that he is inferior too. In the worst scenario, he may think that you are patronizing. Of course, to the person using the jargon, it may serve to boost his ego.
If you examine some of the most successful technological companies in the world, you’ll realise that that they have one thing in common: They have made their product easy to use, user-friendly, without the need to learn all the terminology and they have significantly lowered the learning curve. Apple Computers, for example, made their iPod simple to use. Blogger, Wordpress and many other blogging platforms made it easy for anyone without much programming knowledge to set up their own online journal. The success of these organisations lies in the fact that they are able to speak in a language that their audience and customers understand.
This means that whenever we want to explain a concept to someone who is not familiar with it, we should think of the world he lives in and explain things to him using analogies and concepts he is familiar with. For example, compare the following two explanation of Content Management System (CMS):
- CMS is a computer software system for organizing and facilitating collaborative creation of documents and other content.
- A CMS is an extended form of a blogging software (Blogger, Xanga, etc) and it is a virtual (online) gathering place to share news, information, idea and discuss about them. This is the general name of the software used to run the church website currently.
Therefore, then, shouldn’t Christians apply the same technique when preaching, during evangelism, counselling and bible study? It’s totally amazing how the technique I described above was practised by Jesus 1900 years ago. He used terminology that people were familiar with - agricultural terms like ‘harvest’, ’sheep’, ‘vinedresser’, ‘fruits’ etc. If Jesus spoke to people in their familiar language to spread the good news, then why shouldn’t we?
I wonder how many more people Christians could reach if they can speaking to non-believers about Jesus using terms that they could understand? Natalie Jost, in her article entitled Teaching the person, not the topic, published on Godbit Project has some very useful tips:
Maybe without talking about God’s loving grace, talk about how God is like a father who loves his children and wants a relationship with them (what is ‘relationship’ by the way?). Or instead about how Jesus’ sacrificed for us on the cross, talk about the particular sins: lying, casuing intentional harm etc. and then talk about how Jesus really died for us and actually came back to life (not about Him being crucifed and resurrected). Explain why dying for us is an exemplification of His love. Imagine what it was like for you when you were just beginning to figure all of this out. Recall those days before you knew God personally and reach people with simpler terms or analogies and talk to them, just as they are.
August 30th, 2006
It’s been nearly 2 months since Blogpastor website was launched, and it has been my great honour and pleasure to collaborate with P Kenny to develop such a meaningful portal. There has been a lot of buzz at the new website. It is interesting to note that the website has attracted readers from many countries. Most said it was nice, and I’m glad that there have been some positve feedback on the design to this website, but I would gladly welcome more recommendations and suggestions!
The design was based on Blix, and inspired by MX4. The colour scheme was chosen such that it would be easy on the eyes and at the small time, project an image of warmth and friendliness. These are just fundamentals of webdesigning, but the key is to design a theme that reflects the personality of the author(s). In designing this website, I have kept the design clean and simple, which is in alignment with P Kenny’s view that a pastor should be ‘open and accountable’. The choice of a mountain, with a man on the right side looking at the majestic view, was the idea of P Kenny. He explains that the mountain represents challenges posed by God to us. The man at the foot of the mountain represents him, needing to learn to believe and cross frontiers.
Seeing the website crossed the 2000 visitorship mark brought about certain affirmations to me. Indeed, I have never developed a website that was so popular and am not very comfortable with the limelight given on the electronic medium. The gain in readership is a gift, and it must be leveraged upon to further upon His works. I have dreams and visions of what can be done with the website since its infant state, but I was never sure if it would really take off.
Finally, this website would not have been possible without the kind support of DifferentHost, which sponsored the hosting of this website and helped in the testing of this website on Safari. Special mention also to Wordpress, a powerful and highly flexible blogging system which has allowed for all the features you see on this website, but more importantly, for letting me rediscover that indeed, “code is poetryâ€.
August 27th, 2006
Komoco needs three hours to service the car. The man said, “Why didn’t you come earlier?†I said, “I know I am supposed to be here when I crossed 20,000km last Nov. Why?†“Well there were instances where the engine oil coagulated and spoiled the engine and then the overhaul costs thousands.†Immediately he got my attention. Thousands! Better be more conscientious in future. Applies to my interior life too.
So I am now in MacDonald’s Queensway. Supposed to look and think and pray through what messages to bring to Myanmar over the weekend. But here I am, blogging. Thomas and I are teaching mainly in the Bible school that John runs. I’d like to bring ministry teams for concentrated work over a short stretch like this. Tried to get Joseph along to teach on finances but he is too busy.
Talking about blogging, the PM talked about this new media. Seriously, I believe all pastors and nuns should blog and be trained to do so in Bible school. All leaders should learn to blog. All Bishops and moderators and even the Pope should blog. It is a modern day tool of communication as landmark and earthshaking as the invention of the Guttenberg press. I wrote two articles on my blogging journey and offered them to Trinity Theological College newsletter Trumpet and the Impact magazine. Hopefully they publish them and leaders will read them. I do feel strongly about this new technology and its use in church growth. Unfortunately I am not so tech-smart or I would be able to help pastors technically.
Thank God for Vee San. She came to us through Alpha. She is creative and has a high TQ (technology quotient lah!). Best of all she is a good Samaritan. She has helped me set up this new BLOGPASTOR.NET website and I am grateful for her help. I also asked her to guest some posts, with a tech tangent, when I am overseas on missions (after Myanmar it is Lijiang), so that my blog is not vacant. I don’t like my blog to look nice but no life, like a tomb with nice flower bed.
Blogposts that caught my eye this week:
a unique collection of Singaporepoliticians’ speech blushes,
http://www.myadlife.blogspot.com/2006/08/mindboggling-quotes-by-singapore.html
the story of how an Anglican church was helped big-time by an old man,
http://www.xanga.com/Currahee101/520979913/the-poor-old-church-and-the-rich-old-man.html
how a student in Australia made good money selling his prized tooth,
http://www.xanga.com/PhilosophyofJoel/521980583/finally-sold-the-giant-fossil-tooth.html
August 24th, 2006
My friend Rahim and his girlfriend Ms Ho Wei Li are getting married on 18th of November. I first got to know Rahim through regular tennis. He is a good tennis player and he is a patient, considerate, easy-going guy who is in the oil-field equipment line, while Wei Li is a no-nonsense accountant who took care of her siblings after her parents passed away. Recently she just converted to Islam and took on an alias (if I remember correctly, Hasimah Maswalin - which means wise, firm golden ruler-judge). Since they are planning to get married soon, I joked with Rahim that he is in trouble as she will rule over him and be his judge, haha. Well the marriage was sort of expected as we all saw it coming in our four climbing vacations with them in the past. My wife and I wishes the best for them and will continue to be their friends and continue praying for them.
August 20th, 2006
My wife and I were tidying up our drawers recently and we found some old documents like this photo above and my mum’s family tree. My mum Ada Law, is the girl on the extreme left, next to her frowning mum, my grandmother, Beatrice Kho. The father John Law was probably taking the photo. The interesting thing is the two boys in the front wearing shorts. One is James and the other is Harry. Both went missing during the Japanese Occupation, presumably killed by Japanese soldiers. My mum before the onset of Alzeihmer’s disease, harboured bitter memories about their deaths.
I also learned that my grandparents and great-grandparents were from Kuching and there are relatives I do not know who still live there. And my father’s family came from Sibu. So they were all Sarawakians.
Among my aunties was one who married a Malacca man, an Ahmad Derus, who had ten children and twenty-nine grand-children. The aunty, Mable Law, married him, and had one son, Johan, before she passed away. The rest were born to the second wife, a Connie Jacobs. We still have contacts with Johan.
No wonder PM Koizumi’s visit stirred so much resentment and dust. There are still a lot of painful memories among the living, and to honour the dead Japanese leaders who perpetrated these war atrocities is therefore a show of insensitivity or even worse an absence of true repentance. It just reminds me of Proverb 28:13, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.â€
Knowing this also made me think: I must try to visit Sarawak one day. Even if I cannot meet my relatives, I am sure there is a mountain to trek there.
August 17th, 2006
My good friend Raphael has written something that gives us an idea of Third World struggles in his 11th of August post, Alejeandra and her tamales.(Link is on the right column under Singapore pastors.)
And if you are only ready to laugh, then catch some Singapore jokes at http://www.xanga.com/Currahee101 in his 8th of August post. My favourite is the comic strip at the end.
But if you want to think about an ethical issue we sometimes face read the 13 Aug entry titled “Did I do wrong?†at http://xanga.com/darrylboy.
August 14th, 2006
This quote really got me thinking. Louis Cha is a rich and famous Taiwanese novelist whose wu(martial arts) xia(chivalry) stories were bestsellers and quite a few have been serialized into some of the most memorable successful HK TV serials and movies. He said:
“If there were two choices - to be jailed ten years but you’re free to study, or to be free but you can’t study - I’d choose the former.â€
Why would a novelist prefer formal study in prison to learning from life experiences? Maybe he is just underlining the high value he gives to formal study.
I know such a choice is rhetorical, but as for me, it is a no-brainer; I’d choosethe latter. My reason is that ten years is a long time to live in prison, and I am talking Changi Prison, not a British one. I’d rather be free and breathe, and work and enjoy my family and friends.
What about you guys?
August 11th, 2006
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in your sovereign grace you raised up our tiny nation and elevated us in the eyes of the world.
You have favored us with rare gifts of peace and prosperity, and leaders of uprightness and foresight. This day we thank you for giving us what we do not deserve.
We do ask your forgiveness for all our sins of heart and hand that offend your holiness. Forgive us for turning from your righteousness; for making money our national idol; and for turning our hearts from the poor and the powerless.
Clothe our leaders with humility; grace them with your mercy; and fill them with the courage to do what is right and just in your eyes. Cause us as a people to be united, humble and generous. Protect us from our enemies.
We also pray for our churches to be empowered afresh with holiness and discernment, and a compassion for those who are suffering and in need. Let the church be one voice to the nation.
May your name be glorified in this nation and may your voice be heard throughout the land.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
August 9th, 2006
Some photos came over the email and I was just thinking about my old friends from Trinity Theological College, with whom I used to skip classes and morning chapel to talk theology, politics and everyday stuff over teh-tarik and roti-prata at Middle Rd and the former premises of Nanyang Academy.
Rev. Raphael Samuel is now a veteran Anglican missionary-priest in Bolivia doing an effective cross-cultural church mission in Santa Cruz with his wife Michelle, a Malaysian Chinese, and his son, Elijah who is due for National Service enlistment next year. Raphael is a stimulating thinker-writer and you can follow his missions work in my blogroll at http://www.bolivianbeat.blogspot.com/.
Rev. Benedict Muthusamy was the activist-student leader during seminary days. He is a reserved person but has broad experience in two Malaysian denominations (Lutheran and Presbyterian) but is currently the pastor of the English congregation of a Presbyterian church in Kulai, Johor. He is married to Mrs Muthusamy and has a daughter Eva. (Give me more time to persuade him to start blogging!)
Goon Heo is a former nurse and currently a homemaker and a great blessing to us pastors, a kind of “mother†to us. She has wonderful gifts of service and mercy. She is married to Tah Hua and has two school-going children.
We met thrice over several weeks for fellowship as Raphael got the arrangements for his son’s two-years army training done.
August 5th, 2006
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