Posts filed under 'Pastoring'
How do we dispose of old deteriorated Bibles? I must admit I have thrown some down the HDB thrash bin although most of them I have given away or made available for others to take and use. How many Bibles have I owned and fawned and used and discarded like used tissues at a hawker center table? I dare not 
guess. How should we dispose of old used Bibles properly? I have thought of different things but the best idea I have come up with so far was to give it away for others to use. But what will the others do with it when they buy their own new Bibles? So my interest was piqued when Anthony Loke of Old Testament Passion blogged about this and linked to a rabbi Mark Gellman’s recommendation. I have extracted the rabbi’s idea about proper disposal of old used Bibles for your convenience. Tell me what you think.
Q: I have quite a few old Catholic prayer books handed down from my wife’s mother years ago. I would like to know how to dispose of them. — F., via e-mail
A: Catholic prayer books (missals) and old deteriorated Bibles still bear the word of God and the name of God in them. They are old and worn, but they are still vessels of the holy, and so they cannot be disposed of in the garbage with yesterday’s green bean casserole. This respect for worn-out sacred books is universally shared by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In older and more traditional Catholic practice, I am told, the books would be covered and buried respectfully though not necessarily in a cemetery. They should be covered and then buried. “Dust to dust” refers to the disposal of all holy vessels.
June 17th, 2008
I was clearing my files and came across this article published in 2000 and found it as relevant as ever today for the Church in Singapore.
Dr. Richard Foster, founder of “Renovare”, an international, spiritual, renewal movement and author of Celebration of Discipline, says the twenty-first century will witness one of the greatest harvests of Christian missions ever.
“Foster outlines seven steps towards renewal:
1. Let’s become intentionally Godward in our orientation. Not self-oriented, not success-oriented, not church-oriented, not seeker-oriented, but God-oriented.
2. Let’s stop using a marketing approach to church life. The church is not a vendor of religious goods and services but the Community of Faith, living in faith and through faith and by faith alone. We do not need to mimic the entertainment industry of our culture. We win people to Christ not by entertainment but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. We should become intentional about learning the “habits of the heart” for Biblical holiness. We need daily spiritual disciplines rather than sporadic bursts of inspiration or enthusiasm.
4. Let’s quit using the strutting peacock CEO of contemporary culture as a model for Christian leadership.
5. Let’ s make certain that our Godward orientation is always for the sake of the world. The Church exists for the sake of the world, which at the very minimum means less stress on preserving our institutions and more stress on serving the poor.
6. Let’s get rid of our “edifice complex.” Buildings are not bad, but neither are they the sum total of everything important either. Let’s use buildings to help and serve people and not as monuments to our own egos.
7. Let’s engage in vigorous, culture-sensitive evangelism. All peoples need to hear the good news of Jesus and His love.”
Do you see the relevance and wisdom of what this sage had said?
June 2nd, 2008
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, people of New Age Movement, the occult or the conservation movement all regard themselves as spiritual. What is the real thing?
I. REAL SPIRITUALITY IS DISCERNING TRUTH (I COR 2:9-16)
A spiritual person has close fellowship with the Spirit. His spirituality comes from being in the Spirit. And since the Spirit is the Spirit of truth and guides us into all truth (Jn 16:13)
Paul was judged by false teachers and apostles who undermined his authority, so he said, “It is not right for those folks who are men of flesh to judge me who is spiritual, in whom the Spirit dwells, who guides me into truth, and reveals things of God to me.” He says the spiritual man is able to judge what is true and untrue, edifying or destructive. He knows there is nothing that God will reveal that is not already in the Bible. It is just re-discovery of whats in it all along. eg justification by faith. He also warns that in the last days false doctrines will cause some to fall away(1 Timothy 4:1-3). A real spiritual person says like John Wesley,” I am a man of One Book.”
B. REAL SPIRITUALITY IS BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT (GAL 5:22-23)
Paul commands Christians to be intoxicated and influenced by the Spirit (Eph 5:18) for then they will allow God to work in their lives and with patience bear the fruit or harvest of the Spirit’s hard work on the soil of our lives : love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Paul then says these believers with the fruit of the Spirit those who are “spiritual” (Galatians 6:1), and who have the kind of ripened Christian character to bring back the lapsed brother or sister.
The Galatian Christians started in the Spirit but ended in flesh.
The Corinthians Christians were carnal and not spiritual (1 Cor 3:1)
C. REAL SPIRITUALITY SPRINGS OUT OF HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US AND NOT HOW MUCH WE LOVE GOD (EPH 3:18-19)
Eph 3:18, 19 does not use the word spiritual but being “filled with the fullness of God” certainly qualifies for real spirituality. The more we experience the great vastness of his love for us, the more we will grow in real spirituality, for his love heals us of our defects, inferiorities, fears, insecurities, rejection, guilt, etc and make us more whole and holy.
1 John 4:10,16,19 tells us we need to believe and experience the love of God for us before we are capable of loving God in return and to love people around us. Therefore we need to focus more on how much he loves us instead of dwelling and wallowing in our failure to measure up in our love for Him. Real spiritual people will display love for people, for God is love.
So the real spiritual person has both the word and the spirit and the love of God.
II. DISCUSSION STARTERS:
1. Why does God want us to be a spiritual people?
2. How can we develop this spirituality
a) as an individual,
b) as a cell group and church
3. How do we spiritually approach a brother or sister in Christ whom we know has stumbled or is entangled in sin? What are some wrong things people do when they catch others doing wrong or at fault? (Galatians 6:1-3)
4. Share one pratical step you will take this week to help you grow spiritually. Then pray for one another.
May 22nd, 2008
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
A. WE FAST AND PRAY TO EARNESTLY PLEAD GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY
1. Jonah 3:4,7-9 : an unbelieving nation repents with fasting and averted destruction
2. 2Kings 20:1-6: good king Hezekiah experienced God’s grace with his tears
3.1Kings 21:21,27-29: evil king Ahab repents with fasting and God postponed wrath
4. Exodus 32:10-14: Moses pleaded with God to have mercy on straying Israel
all these incidents seem to show that God changed his mind but it only appears so - God is intent on blessing and having mercy, but their sin brought on them his wrath and only their earnest repentance caused Him to show his mercy: God was acting in uncnanging consitency to his character of grace and mercy(Joel 2:13)
B. WE FAST AND PRAY FOR UNDERSTANDING
Daniel sought God in fasting, asking him to give him undertanding of his plans and purposes (Daniel 10:2,3,11,13)
C. WE FAST AND PRAY FOR GOD’S BLESSING BEFORE MAJOR UNDERTAKINGS
Ezra fasted and prayed for safe passage to Jerusalem and success (Ezra 8:21-23)
Acts 13:1-3 Antioch leaders fasted and worshipped and prayed before the first missionary journey of Paul
D. WE FAST AND PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL POWER AND BREAKTHROUGHS
Mark 9:28,29 some stubborn demons, bondages, strongholds and addictions can only be overcome by fasting and prayer
PRACTICAL TIPS:
1.Get clearance if you have a medical condition.
2. Take plenty of liquids.
3. Fast in secret unless fasting as a group.
4. Do not expect instant results.
5. Beware of vulnerabilities like irritability and impatience during fast.
6. Beware of self-righteousness.
II. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. List down the benefits of fasting and prayer?
2. Mark 2:19-21 Jesus said when he goes back to heaven it is time for them to fast. Why should Christians fast before the second coming of Christ?
3. What are the different ways people can fast and pray? How can a busy working person best fit fasting and prayer into his schedule?
4. Share your experience of fasting? What was challenging and what was beneficial about it?
5. When should a Christian fast?
May 5th, 2008
Dr Lim Swee Hong lectures at Trinity Theological College on Worship, Liturgy and Music. I attended his lectures on “Contemporary Practices of Christian Worship” and I found them excellent, relevant and very stimulating and mind-stretching. The course helps you grapple with the theology that should undergird all worship services. It also helped me to see what are essentials and what can be changed, and how it can be changed for the common good. The content was interesting and relevant enough for a good book. A smart publisher should follow up on this tip.
Dr Lim was jovial, expansive in his thinking, objective in his assessment of
the church worship scene, and he loved to “push the envelope”, push us to the edge, and move us outside our comfort zones. His way of teaching accomodated a lot of interaction and open-ended discussions and that was good as most of the students were experienced pastors from different countries(click pop-up on right). Dr Lim related superbly with us and everyone felt they could be themselves when they were with him. All this without sacrificing on content! It was time well spent filling up a missing gap for me for as a student in the 1980’s there were no worship courses. Those were done in denominational studies, and there were no such studies for Pentecostals. We pastors just have to be lifelong learners and practitioners.
Dr Lim is married to Maria Ling who was one year my junior in the college. Small world.
May 2nd, 2008
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
Acts 1:8 ‘But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’
The church was made for a mission: to be witnesses to Christ both at home and to the whole world. This is one of the purposes of life. The infant chuch spread the Gospel with great effectiveness and the passage we meditate on today touches on some of the keys to their effectiveness (Acts 2:1-4)
Verse 1: “they were all with one accord in one place”- the church enjoyed unity. It was a unity that was forged on their knees and in fellowship in the shadow of the Cross and the Empty Tomb. In addition they were praying and waiting for the Holy Spirit.(Acts 1:14). There is great blessing and glory when the church are united(Psalms 133). Out of the overflow of this vertical and horizontal harmony the gospel spread.
Verse 2: “suddenly” - God can surprise us anytime, we should be more expectant! The room was still but suddenly a rushing wind entered; the emptiness became fullness; the despair became hope; the boredom of waiting became the excitement of fulfillment; it all happened “suddenly”. Like a father who loves to surprise his children with gifts, God loves to surprise us. We should expect it…especially when we are praying. Peter was in prison; the church prayed; but when he showed up at their prayer meeting SUDDENLY it shocked them. The gospel spread because God suddenly shows up when we preach and anything can happen!
Verse 3: “fire” Fire denotes purification, warmth, but one quality we must not forget: it spreads fast. Like Jeremiah the message of the gospel and the Spirit within was like fire that compelled the church to spread the gospel. As the apostles said, their experience was, “we cannot help but speak”.
Verse 4: “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” - they had encountered the Holy. He filled them, and later He filled them again, and again and again. Like the little lamps of the ten virgins we need to refill our small wedding lamps again and again with God’s inexhaustible supply. How? the vertical and horizontal experience of verse 1: deeper fellowship with the Lord and his people.
So these are the simple keys but they were the essentials. They had no great technology, nor “silver and gold”, not education, nor modern programs and methods. But they had the Holy Spirit in them and upon them and in front of them.
II. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What are the many spiritual resources that God has given to the church to carry out the task of evangelism and missions?
2. Besides what have been mentioned, what other secrets are there to the rapid spread of the Gospel that we read about in the Acts?
3. Some have argued that the church “need to go back to the basics” in order to be effective witnesses? What do you think are those basics?
4. Most people come to Christ via the natural network of loving and trusting relationships and based on needs and problems faced by pre-believers. Was that how it was with you? Share your experience?
5.Name one or two persons you care about and want to see saved and in small groups of two and threes, pray specifically for God to turn their hearts to Him.
April 28th, 2008
It was energizing to hear Nicky Gumbel again at the Alpha Conference 2008 last week. The last time I heard him was about 5 years ago during an earlier conference. He covered the same material but I was different; then, I was evaluating the tool; now, I was listening as a practitioner.
Two things struck me. One was the fact that in his local church in London the people who most attend the Alpha Course are those from 18 to 35. I wonder if churches and campus ministries here have done enough to reach Singapore’s young adults with the Alpha Course.
While he was speaking the Lord was also applying his message to me in a very specific and interesting way, bringing to my remembrance a dream I had in the early morning of the first day of the conference. I dreamt that my associate was having trouble introducing the guest speaker to the gathered church as though something had happened. The next thing I knew I was checking the chest of Billy Graham with a stethoscope. I also tried to get him to stand to speak but he had no strength and I had to lay him back to bed. All this was triggered when Nicky mentioned Billy Graham as an example. The light just flooded in and I knew and I knew that evangelism was bedridden in the church and I have to nurse it back to health.
I guess this sort of thing happens when pastors preach too. The hearers may drift off to some other totally irrelevant matter like where to go for lunch, or to something the Lord wants them to deal with, even if it was a tangent from the subject matter the pastor was preaching about. The latter is of course more fruitful than the former, but as much as we would like for our congregations to be entranced by our message, the fact is people occasionally drift in and out, engaged at times and lost in their own worlds at times. We pray though that more often than not, the Spirit takes them by their hair on a holy excursion, and like Ezekiel, put them on a mountain, speak to them or give them a vision.
April 17th, 2008
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:10 (NIV)
“Each one should use whatever gift he’s received to serve others.”
1 Pet. 4:10 (NIV)
Fortnight ago: Worship: our love relationship with the Lord
Last sunday: Discipleship: becoming more like Jesus
Today: Ministry - Serving God by serving others
A. SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING AVAILABLE.
“Two blind men… shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us!’ … Jesus
stopped and called them. ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’
He asked.” Matt. 20:30-32 (NIV)
“Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can
help them now.” Prov. 3:28 (TEV)
1st Barrier: SELF-CENTEREDNESS
“Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”
Phil. 2:4 (MSG)
2nd Barrier: PERFECTIONISM
“If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything
done.” Eccl. 11:4 (NLT)
3rd Barrier: MATERIALISM
“No servant can serve two masters… You cannot serve both
God and money.” Luke 16:13 (NIV)
B. SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING GRATEFUL.
“Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have
heard Me. I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the
benefit of the people standing here…’” John 11:41-42 (NIV)
“Serve the Lord with gladness.” Ps. 100:2 (KJV)
1st Barrier: COMPARING & CRITICIZING
“Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will
determine whether His servant has been successful.”
Rom. 14:4 (GW)
2nd Barrier: WRONG MOTIVATIONS
“When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you
won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.” Matt. 6:1 (CEV)
C. SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING FAITHFUL.
“I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You
gave me to do.” John 17:4 (NIV)
“The one thing required of servants is that they be faithful…”
1 Cor. 4:2 (TEV)
“Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that
nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort.”
1 Cor. 15:58 (MSG)
“He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how
you have shown your love to Him by caring for other
Christians.” Heb. 6:10 (NLT)
“’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things so; I will put you in charge of many things.
Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matt. 25:21 (NIV)
II. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What are some challenges that Singaporeans face with regards to being available to ministry?
2. Brainstorm some creative ways by which Christians in different stages of life can serve despite their obvious limitations:a). the student with his academic and CCA demands. b).the busy executive who works from 8 to 8 on most days. c) the career woman with three young children?
3. Describe some wrong attitudes and motivations with which Christians serve God?
4. What has helped you to cultivate a spirit of gratitude?
5. Faithful means loyal, steadfast, resolute, devoted. Have a positive “gossip” about someone in the cell and church, or outside, who inspires you as one who is faithful in service/ministry? (Good time for cell leader to affirm cell members).
6. What are some reasons why people are able to be faithful? Spend time praying and thanking God.
April 15th, 2008
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
(this sermon uses freely Rick Warren’s sermon outline on the purpose driven life.)
We are created to be like Jesus Christ in his moral character, his values, his spirit. Romans 8:29 states clearly that God’s destiny for his children is that they should grow spiritually to be conformed to the image or likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. This lifelong process is called DISCIPLESHIP.
God uses the Bible to renew our minds as we meditate and study and He uses people to help us grow in character as we fellowhip or serve together with them. He also uses three unlikely unexpected tools to shape us.
A. THE FIRST TOOL IS TROUBLE
Trouble, tribulation or trials, they are all unpleasant situations designed by God to draw us to God and teach us to TRUST HIM. (Romans 5:3,4) We become more like Jesus when we humble ourselves and pray and depend on God and his solutions.
B. THE SECOND TOOL IS TEMPTATION
While trouble brings us closer to God, temptations are designed by the devil to draw us away from God. God does not tempt us but it is often our internal desire that lure us to do what is not right in His sight. (Matthew 4:1; James 1:14,15). The more we overcome the tempter’s snare and abort wrong desires in our hearts before they give birth to sinful actions, the more we become like Jesus in his purity, generosity, humility, holiness and love.
C. THE THIRD TOOL IS TRESPASSES.
We are talking about trespasses against us. These are situations designed by people to hurt us. Criticism, judgment, mocking, insults, slander, backbiting, betrayal. Jesus went through these (Matthew 27:39-44) and despite the emotional hurt was able to pray, “Father forgive them …..” It was he who taught us to pray daily, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
To err is human but to forgive is divine. We are most like God and glorify God greatly when we are able to forgive and release from revenge those who say or do evil or injustice or hurtful things against us.
II. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Share with the group a trial you went through recently and you learned from it. How did it develop Christlike character in you.
2. We all have different weaknesses, and Satan knows them and attacks us constantly in those areas. Name one area where he attacks and harasses you? (cell leader to remind all of confidentiality and to create a safe environment for sharing, may want to divide into groups of two or three of the same sex).
3. What in your opinion do most people find to be the most difficult thing about forgiving someone?
4. If you were Joseph of the Bible, would you be able to forgive as he forgave his brothers and others?
5. Why is reconciliation so important in the church? What are the consequences when people do not seek reconciliation? And what are the positive values when people seek reconciliation?
6. Discipleship is the lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus in our character. How does the cell help in this process? How would you rate your cell in terms of its effectiveness in discipleship from a score of 1 to 10, and why?
April 8th, 2008
I. SERMON OUTLINE:
Introduction: A philosopher and theologian said there are three timeless needs of man, and they are: a. anxiety b. meaning of life c. fear of death.
Today as we think about Good Friday and Easter, the death and resurrection of Christ let us reflect on how the text for this morning John 20:19-23 shows how Christ meets these three pervasive needs of man.
A. CHRIST GIVES US PEACE (VERSE 19,21)
In Singapore context there is a lot of anxiety with working people, with students, and with inflation. Jesus disciples were anxious for Jesus was just executed and they wondered if they would be rounded up next. “the doors were shut for fear of the Jews.” However Jesus entered the locked situation of tense fear and spoke peace and brought gladness. If we can see the Lord in the midst of our anxious situation, and hear his voice, we will indeed have peace and joy in our hearts.Christ meets our need for peace.
B. CHRIST GIVES US MEANING (VERSE 21-23)
We grapple with many questions regarding our exitence. What was I born for? What is the purpose and meaning of life? People may end in wild reckless living or deep depresion or futile existing without true meaning or purpose.
The disciples were confused, felt lost and directionless after their leader Jesus was taken from them. Their hopes were dashed and they were feeling uncertain about the future. Jesus understood that and so he not only gave them peace but he also said,”As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” He’s telling them that Jesus leaving would mean that the vision of seeking and saving the lost world is now handed on to them. They would now have to reflect God to the world, that would be their new mission.” Christ meets man’s thirst for meaning and purpose.
C. CHRIST GIVES US ETERNAL HOPE ( 1CORINTHIANS 15:20-27)
Easter invites us to believe that just as Christ was raised from the dead never to die again, so will we who put our faith in him. The hope of eternal life fills us with a deep assurance about the future both ours and our loved ones.
The greatest anxiety of Japanese and American student when asked “What is your greatest fear?” was the loss of a friend or parent. Singapore students greatest fear was about failing to get good enough grades! People fear because death and the afterlife is fraught with mystery and specutlation. No research or theory is conclusive as to where a person goes after death. But we Christians know better because we are informed by the resurrection of Christ himself and his promises to us of resurrection.
B. DUSCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Of the three timeless needs that were mentioned, which are you most able to relate to and identify with personally? What about people you know who do not know the Lord?
2. Since Jesus came meeting the needs of those around him, how can the church, the cell group, or the Christian seek to meet the needs of people who the Lord opens their eyes to?
3. How can the cell group use the May Day holiday to create an opportunity where non-Christians will feel comfortable and more likely to visit and engage in meaningful actiovities? Brainstorm some ideas.
4. What would you fear most about death since it is no longer eternal destination that we are ignorant or uncertain about?
5. If someone else were to look squarely your weekly schedule and deduce from there your life purposes what do you think he will come up with? Do you feel that your life is purposeful and well directed towards meaningful investments with eternity in view?
March 25th, 2008
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