Oral Roberts: an Asian pastor reinstates his hero

By kenny, 21 December, 2009, 1 Comment

Oral Roberts went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, 15th December 2009, age 91. When my wife told me, I was not surprised, because I knew he was quite old. He was one of my Pentecostal heroes in the early years of my Christian life.

He first came to my notice through his magazine, “The Abundant Life.” It was a magazine that was distributed free of charge and delivered to my home. From there I wrote in for his free books. One of them is titled “The Miracle of Seed Faith”.

Oral Roberts knew how to share truths powerfully. The truths he taught were simple and practical. I was inspired and instructed by his teaching on the Holy Spirit as your helper, and the edifying use of the “prayer language.” I also accepted and practiced his teachings about miracle seed faith. Looking to God as a source; seeding for your need; and expecting a miracle everyday – these were a part of my life in those days.

I read his autobiography, “Expect A Miracle” and still have the copy in my bookshelves. I never could give it away in my regular cullings when I selected books to give to friends in Bible school. He was a captivating personality, a visionary charismatic Pentecostal leader. Being Pentecostal at that time meant “Stone Age” methodology, and uncultured presentation. Oral Roberts changed that perception through his visionary, outside the box, forward thinking and methodology, like his harnessing of television for the gospel.

My interest and following waned when his TV programs became more entertainment oriented, and when he tried to raise funds with controversial tactics. In particular, when he claimed that Jesus would take him home if he does not raise $8 million within a year, and pleaded with the readers and audience to help prolong his life. That was too difficult to swallow and from then on, I was disappointed, and stopped following and reading his magazines. Further news about the problems with the City of Faith and other university financial misdemeanours by his son Richard sort of confirmed I was right to feel disenchanted.

Now he is dead and as I read some online articles about Oral Roberts I have to admit he is a man sent by God, a man with flaws and faults but nevertheless, like the imperfect heroes of faith in Hebrews chapter 11, he deserves to be reinstated as a Pentecostal hero in my heart.

Here are some interesting articles from Chritianity Today.com about Oral Roberts:

Why Oral Roberts Obituaries are Wrong

Q&A: Mark Rutland on Oral Robert’s Legacy.

Fund Raising: Did Oral Roberts go too Far?

Here is an old clip of him praying for the sick in the healing crusades in the 1950’s:

Sister Rubina, Derrick and Connie Jacobs

By kenny, 17 December, 2009, 5 Comments

It was several months ago when Sister Rubina from the Sisters of Mary, Australia visited her family in Singapore. I met her at Nat and Janice’s registration of marriage, and then later she shared an exhortation about first love for Jesus in our Sunday church service, and we had lunch with her and her parents. Her parents, Derrick and Connie Jacobs, are old friends and excellent examples of godly couples who grey graciously, strong in faith, and contentment.

I have known Sister Rubina and her parents way back in the late 1970’s. They attended our church and I was sent to help the home fellowship in Derrick Jacob’s home. I remember long bus commutes from Hillview in the west to the Parbury area in the east, fellowship, prayer times and returning home very late. I cannot remember how long this went on but I do remember that I baptized Rubina in the East Coast sea. Revival fires were still burning in those early days.

Derrick Jacobs went on to start “The Christian Library” ministry and recently I visited him again and had fellowship in the office. Besides lending out books they carry a large array of messages in digital formats and they are available for sale. Take a look if you are interested: www.thechristianlibrary.com.sg

Copenhagen 2009, Hopenhagen or Hypehagen?

By kenny, 14 December, 2009, 12 Comments

I am a confirmed pessimist when it comes to world efforts at anything. From the League of nations to the United Nations to G20 to whatever.

National interests

National interests always override humanity’s interests or even the interests of future generations. So I am certain Hopenhagen will be Hypehagen: an array of hyped up declarations that will appease the sceptical press and armies of lobbyists and protesters(or should we call them Protestants!).

The grand statements and headlines will whitewash a surrender to the demands of national pragmatism. Industries are still driven by fossil fuels. Industries mean jobs. And jobs mean power and longevity at the polls for the ruling parties.

The real “cultural mandate”

The Bible tells us that when God created heaven and earth, He said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (Genesis 1:26). Adam and Eve were “to work it and take care of it.” This is what theologians call the “cultural mandate”: God’s call to man to lovingly steward the earth. However, since the fall, man’s propensity has always been in the opposite direction: wasting instead of working; raping instead of caring of the earth.

Hope anchored in God’s promise

My hope is not in any grand agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. My hope is in a fulfilment of God’s promise “that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God….(it) has been groaning in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time”(Romans 8:21-23,22). This liberation of earth will happen when Jesus Christ comes again not in humiliation but in kingly glory and power.

Lifestyle changes?

While we wait for that to take place, and it certainly will, we will pray, do what needs to be done, and support efforts to care for the earth. I cannot say I have stopped using plastic bags for the disposal of rubbish nor do the other little things that inconvenience my lifestyle. Other concerns occupy my heart and if along the way I have to make adjustments, I do not mind doing so. Tell me some concrete things you are doing, for I would like to do more.

New face of the Church

By kenny, 12 December, 2009, 3 Comments

In a recent conversation with Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, CA commented, “The last 50 years has seen the greatest redistribution of a religion ever in the history of the world. For instance, in 1900, 71% of all ‘Christians’ lived in Europe; by 2000 it had declined to just 28% who claimed to be Christian. Far fewer go to church. Conversely, in 1900, only 10% of all people in Africa (10 million) were Christians vs. over 50% (360 million) today…I may surprise some when I say that there are by far more Christians in China than in America. There are more Presbyterians in Ghana than in Scotland, where they were founded by John Knox. There are more Baptists in the India state of Nagaland than in the American South. There are more Anglicans in Kenya or Uganda or Rwanda or Nigeria than in England. There are two million Anglicans in England compared to 17 million in Nigeria. Last Sunday, more Christians went to church in China than all of Europe combined. This is a fundamental shift. If you want to know the future of Christianity, it is the developing world. It’s Africa, Latin America and Asia.” (Pew Forum 13 Nov 2009)

Eating Turkish figs

By kenny, 11 December, 2009, No Comment

Holy Communion: body and blood of Christ

By kenny, 8 December, 2009, 6 Comments

( In 14th September 2007, I posted this piece in the old blogpastor, which I have now revised and re-published.)

Don’t miss this excellent post of the different views of holy communion by Alex Tang of Random Musings. It includes the view of Joseph Prince of New Creation Church.

John Piper’s view is the best fit and description of wrpf’s belief and practice regarding holy communion. John Piper writes:

“Let me read the key sentence from the Elder Affirmation of Faith once more and then show you in the Bible where it comes from. “Those who eat and drink in a worthy manner partake of Christ’s body and blood, not physically, but spiritually, in that, by faith, they are nourished with the benefits He obtained through His death, and thus grow in grace.”

Where does this idea of “partaking of Christ’s body and blood . . . spiritually . . . by faith” come from? The closest text to support this is in the previous chapter: 1 Corinthians 10:16-18. As I read it, ask, “What does ‘participation’ mean?”

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ (koinōnia estin tou haimatos tou Christou)? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ (ouchi koinōnia tou sōmatos tou Christou estin)? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar (koinōnia tou thusiastēriou)?

Here is something much deeper than remembering. Here are believers—those who trust and treasure Jesus Christ—and Paul says that they are participating in the body and blood of Christ. Literally, they are experiencing a sharing (koinōnia) in his body and blood. They are experiencing a partnership in his death.

Partaking of Christ’s Body and Blood, Spiritually, By Faith

And what does this participation/sharing/partnership mean? I think verse 18 gives us the clue because it uses a similar word, but compares it to what happens in the Jewish sacrifices: “Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants [a form of the same word] in the altar?” What does sharer/participant/partner in the altar mean? It means that they are sharing in or benefiting from what happened on the altar. They are enjoying, for example, forgiveness and restored fellowship with God.

So I take verse 16 and 17 to mean that when believers eat the bread and drink the cup physically we do another kind of eating and drinking spiritually. We eat and drink—that is, we take into our lives—what happened on the cross. By faith—by trusting in all that God is for us in Jesus—we nourish ourselves with the benefits that Jesus obtained for us when he bled and died on the cross.

This is why we lead you in various focuses at the Lord’s table from month to month (peace with God, joy in Christ, hope for the future, freedom from fear, security in adversity, guidance in perplexity, healing from sickness, victory in temptation, etc.). Because when Jesus died, his shed blood and broken body, offered up in his death on our behalf, purchased all the promises of God. Paul says, “All the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Every gift of God, and all our joyful fellowship with God, was obtained by the blood of Jesus. When Paul says, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” he means: Do we not at the Lord’s table feast spiritually by faith on every spiritual blessing bought by the body and blood of Christ? No unbeliever can do that. The devil can’t do it. It is a gift for the family. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we feast spiritually by faith on all the promises of God bought by the blood of Jesus.”

John Piper’s full article is titled, “Why and how we celebrate the Lord’s Supper”.

Arsenal’s search for new striker can end here!

By kenny, 7 December, 2009, 2 Comments

Arsene Wenger says he is shopping for a striker in the January window. They have to buy because Van Persie is injured and will be out for several months. They need a central striker who is able to hold the ball with his back to the goal. I have found the striker that Arsenal needs in order to have any chance at all to challenge for honours. She is from China and she is available on a free transfer . Manchester United, and Chelsea watch out!

Is Nik Aziz calling for prayer or curses?

By kenny, 6 December, 2009, 7 Comments

Nik Aziz, Mentri Besar of Kelantan, spiritual advisor of PAS Allowable to pray to Allah to punish the cruel

I have learned something new about Islam. It is allowable to pray to Allah to punish those who had been cruel to them. According to the Malaysia Ulama Association president Datuk Sheikh Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir it is allowed on one condition. “However, they have to establish that cruelty had actually occured. There are several steps involved in making the prayer.We must pray to soften the heart, give advice or take other forms of action to seek justice from Allah.”

Prayer is the last resort of the disenfranchised

The whole matter appeared in the Straits Times on Saturday. It happened on November 27 when PAS spiritual off shore oil rich Kelantan state, Malaysia leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had urged Kelantanese to pray for the destruction of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak if the federal government refused to pay oil royalty. There is of course federal and party politics involved in this matter of oil revenue and compassionate payment. You cannot blame the Kelantanese for feeling their rights have been trodden over. You can almost feel the frustration and powerlessness. This has led to the last resort of the disenfrachised: a call to prayer for God to execute justice.

Prayer, curses and imprecatory psalms

We understand prayer to be to ask for the well being and blessings of those prayed for. But what do we make of prayers that request malice and harm on those being prayed for? Are they prayers for justice from God? Or are they are simply called curses? To me they are curses.

The Psalmist was capable of inspiring us into heavenly worship with his prayers. However on occasions we do read with embarrassment prayers that we will never hear in public prayer in church. They are called imprecatory psalms and prayers. Here are a few of them:

* Psalm 55:15 – Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave.

* Psalm 58:6 – O God, break the teeth in their mouths.

* Psalm 69:28 – May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.

* Psalm 109:9 – May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

* Psalm 137:9 – How blessed will be the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

Expressions of trust and avenues for personal healing

Looks like Nik Abdul Aziz may not be alone in his anger and frustration and powerlessness. Many psalms were composed out of great suffering and injustice and powerlessness. They were not prayers for personal revenge but for justice from God. They were expressions of trust in God to uphold justice in the world. We do not use these in public prayers but they are a valid way to help express our suppressed anger and frustration at enemies more powerful than us. They can be therapeutic, a way to drain the poison of hate from our soul. Even as we use them to help us express honestly the anger we feel, the Spirit works to heal us of our hurts, pain and anger and bring peace and forgiveness in our hearts.

I fear it probably will not have a similar therapeutic effect for the Kelantanese pious. Prayers like that can also increase, deepen and feed the hatred for the government ministers. Words do have creative power; and when several hundred thousands are rallied to pray for the demise of the prime minister and the cabinet, until they have bloated stomachs (pecah perut), well you wonder what kind of power is unleashed. I don’t like it.

Christian attitude towards enemies

As Christians we can have enemies who cast spells, hexes, and curses on us, but the Bible tells us that as spiritual descendants of Abraham, those who curse us will find the curses bouncing back onto them (Genesis 12:3). Jesus Christ calls us to bless those who curse us, and to love and pray for those who are our enemies.

Problems with new blogskin

By kenny, 4 December, 2009, 2 Comments

I have problems with the previous blogskin. So I will be experimenting with others. Meanwhile, if you catch me in this experimental process, be tolerant.

Will internet church come to our shores?

By kenny, 29 November, 2009, 2 Comments

internet church It is hard to believe but it is already happening. Where else but in the land of eternal innovation – USA? Read this report and let me know what you think of a church using this as an outreach to this internet-savvy generation; as a supplement(not substitute) to actual community.

The Internet has become the hottest place to build a church. A growing number of congregations are creating Internet offshoots that go far beyond streaming weekly services. The sites are fully interactive with a dedicated Internet pastor, live chat in an online “lobby,” Bible study, 1-on-1 prayer through IM and communion. (Viewers use their own bread and wine or juice.) On one site, viewers can click on a tab during worship to accept Christ as their Savior. Flamingo Road Church, based in Cooper City, Fla., twice conducted long-distance baptisms through the Internet. The move online is forcing Christians to re-examine their idea of church. It’s a complex discussion involving theology, tradition and cultural expectations of how Christians should worship and relate. Even developers of Internet church sites disagree over how far they should go. The sites share the same basic approach: rock-style worship music and a sermon recorded at the in-person weekend service that is quickly mixed with live or recorded greetings expressly for online viewers. The phenomenon is so new that no one has an exact count of interactive online campuses. The Leadership Network has found at least 40.

1) What uses do you see in this as the Christian population ages and the shut-ins increase in number?

2) Are there theological “trespasses” or is it all a matter of variable “methodology/culture”?

3) Can there be true ministry and fellowhip without handshakes and physical presence?

4) Which church in Singapore have the resources and philosophy of ministry in place to make this internet “church plant” offshoot a reality in Singapore?

5) What if this technology could be combined to create an internet church hub with a house church network (in Singapore and beyond) to dispense with the need for expansive and expensive church buildings?

Hmm…all kinds of possibilities and questions running through my mind as I read the above report.

B L O G P A S T O R