The Parachute Band were in town last week! They happened to be here as part of their Tour 2006, and were stopping in Singapore for a week before they made it home to NZ. The Parachute Band are part of the Parachute Music ministry (check out their site at http://www.parachutemusic.com/records/parachuteband.php), and have won multiple awards for their worship albums. More important than the recognition that they receive from man, they have a powerful worship ministry. I remember when I first heard one of their albums about 2 years ago in one of the Christian book shops. I bought the CD after listening to ONE song, because it just seemed that the words were so powerful.
Anyway, on Thursday night, Elena and I were at the Esplanade, all ready to catch them in concert. Tickets were $36 but I would imagine they were barely enough to cover the cost of booking the venue. It was an incredible 2 hours of worship, and the Esplanade Theatre was truly filled with the presence of God in that time. I dont' think the Esplanade has ever been filled with Christians dancing, singing and stretching out their hands to worship God in such an atmosphere.
In fact, it was so good that Elena and I brought some of the youth (William, Wen Wei, Jasper, Soi Kern and Ling Ling)on Sunday afternoon to Lighthouse Evangelism Woodlands to catch them again, and they too had a great time. The service at Lighthouse was so packed that we had to queue for 25 minutes to get into the sanctuary...which seats 5000! And yet, they did not turn a single person away...such is the hunger of people to worship the living God!
It is such a privilege to see the work that God is doing through this band, and their ministry. After the concert, during the altar call, many people stood up and went forward to receive Christ or to rededicate their lives. The area in front of the stage was so packed, you could not move. Truly, God has anointed these musicians who are so good at ushering the people into the presence of God. It reminds me too what a privilege it is to serve in the worship ministry, to see the work of God done through the act of worship.
It was also something that the leader of the Parachute Band, Libby Huirua was sharing. She cited an incident when she saw her 7 year old son worshipping God, and she asked him how he felt. His words to her were "Mum, its a privilege". Imagine, the wisdom of a 7 year old, who knows what it means to worship God!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
An amazing blessing
Prayer meetings are wonderful for us to discover how amazing our God has been to our church, and how bountiful His constant blessings are.
Last night, we prayed for several things which reminded me of this. We prayed for the Thailand mission trip team, and we are so thrilled to include in the team Jennifer, Chin Kee and their two kids, Lydia and Sarah. It must be a huge step of faith to bring two young girls to a foreign land, where facilities are somewhat spartan at best. Even more so, as we were praying for them, we heard that where they will be in Thailand has been flooded up to knee level for the last few weeks!
We also prayed for Gerk Sin's mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last week, and has already had the tumour removed. Earlier this week, she was readmitted to hospital as she felt faint at home. We visited her earlier in the week, and we prayed for her, and her openness to be prayed for was amazing. Today we received the wonderful news that this very morning, she prayed with Simon and Ps Veron to receive Christ. Such amazing things the Lord is doing in our midst!
I've saved the best for last of course (otherwise who'd keep reading my ramblings?). We also prayed for the baptism candidates for this year's Christmas service. In total, including infant baptism, adult baptism, confirmations and transfer ins, we have an amazing total of 30 candidates being baptised at Christmas! When we saw the list of names, there was a loud collective"wah" from those present last night. Truly God is blessing us in amazing and wonderful ways, as a church. I pray that we can continue to be a blessing to those around us, as He continues to bless us so richly.
Last night, we prayed for several things which reminded me of this. We prayed for the Thailand mission trip team, and we are so thrilled to include in the team Jennifer, Chin Kee and their two kids, Lydia and Sarah. It must be a huge step of faith to bring two young girls to a foreign land, where facilities are somewhat spartan at best. Even more so, as we were praying for them, we heard that where they will be in Thailand has been flooded up to knee level for the last few weeks!
We also prayed for Gerk Sin's mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last week, and has already had the tumour removed. Earlier this week, she was readmitted to hospital as she felt faint at home. We visited her earlier in the week, and we prayed for her, and her openness to be prayed for was amazing. Today we received the wonderful news that this very morning, she prayed with Simon and Ps Veron to receive Christ. Such amazing things the Lord is doing in our midst!
I've saved the best for last of course (otherwise who'd keep reading my ramblings?). We also prayed for the baptism candidates for this year's Christmas service. In total, including infant baptism, adult baptism, confirmations and transfer ins, we have an amazing total of 30 candidates being baptised at Christmas! When we saw the list of names, there was a loud collective"wah" from those present last night. Truly God is blessing us in amazing and wonderful ways, as a church. I pray that we can continue to be a blessing to those around us, as He continues to bless us so richly.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Third TRI
Its really strange how we only start finding crazy things to keep ourselves occupied when you get to a certain age. Perhaps its a form of denial of the fact that we are all getting older, and a need to prove to ourselves that "we can still do it".
What brought this train of thought on? Well, I did the Osim Triathlon again for the third year running. I took part in the Sprint event again, which is half the Olympic distance event, and I'm quite happy that I had a marked improvement on my time this year. I managed to shave a whole 10 minutes off my time from last year, and so clocked 1 hr 46 minutes. As always, the event was very well organised, with loads of photographers all around, so check out the photos of me here.
Several things I learnt from doing the Tri, which I find are just as applicable in my walk with God:
1. Practice makes perfect. I credit my much improved time to the fact that I was much better prepared for the race this year than last. Because I was much more aware of the way my body would feel during the event(since this was the second time I was doing the sprint), I was much more comfortable and knew what to expect. I was also able to shave precious seconds off each transition (swim-bike and bike-run) because I knew what to anticipate. Likewise in our Christian walk, often we forget that we need to condition our minds to know what to expect when we are faced with tough situations, so that we are able to react appropriately and not be found wanting, especially in times when we need to react quickly and do not have time to ponder.
2. It pays to be all rounded. One of the reasons I love triathlons is because it forces me to make sure that I am equally competent in the three very different disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. I bore easily, so long runs, or solo swims don't challenge me, so tris are perfect for "entertaining" me. And it requires me to be equally good in all three, otherwise the lack of one becomes very telling. I knew someone who was a weak swimmer, but was great in the other two, and for the last two years, he had to be hauled out of the water, because he would always run into difficulties. And naturally, that ruined his race, because he would be so dissappointed that it would affect his timings in the other disciplines. Similarly, I've realised that if one area of my Christian life is weak (for example, personally for me, it is in the area of prayer), it affects my whole walk with God. As a result, I don't experience the Christian life as fully as I could, unless I pay attention to strengthening this area of weakness, so that I live a more balanced Christian life.
3. Cheerleaders are important. I said it last year, and I will say it again, cheerleaders are important and vital. This year, my colleague was supporting her husband who was taking part in the same event, and everytime I passed the grandstand, I would hear her screaming loudly and cheering me on. It gave me an added spring in my step, or made me pedal that much harder. Even more telling was as I came into the last kilometer of the run, after I'd been on the go for 1.5 hours, and I saw Elena sitting by the side of the running track, and as I ran past, she was yelling, "Last km! And bacon wrapped sausages waiting for you when you are done!" My wife certainly knows how to motivate me, and I didn't realise I had it in me to pick up my pace and DASH for the finish line! Needless to say, those sausages were the best I've tasted! Who's your cheerleader in your walk with God, and do they know how to encourage you to keep your eyes on the goal? Find someone, they will make all the difference between finishing and finishing WELL.
4. Last but not least; you are only as good as your last race. I found that the last race has no bearing on the next race ahead. However well you did in the last race, it is over and done with and has no effect on the next race ahead. I will still have to train for the next event (it would be extremely foolish of me to go into another triathlon believing that just because I've done one, I can do it again without training for it), and I will still have to condition my body to meet the challenge. Oftentimes in our Christian life, we believe that we can live on our past "spiritual highs", and we fondly recall the last time God revealed Himself to us in thunder and lightning (even though these events might have been years or decades ago). Yet we forget to condition our minds and spirits to look forward to meeting God regularly, and we believe that just because we have prayed for someone and that prayer was answered, or because we shared Christ with someone and they prayed the sinner's prayer, that we are living holy lives. Don't get me wrong, these things are good and pleasing to God, but at the bottom of it all, are we conditioned to live the best lives we can for God? Are we, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, running the race so as to get the prize? Or are we too comfortable basking in our past achievements and glories? Are we pressing on to the goal for which we have been called, and living daily for the glory of God?
Will I do it again next year? I probably will, since it seems that training my body for it is also good training for the soul!
What brought this train of thought on? Well, I did the Osim Triathlon again for the third year running. I took part in the Sprint event again, which is half the Olympic distance event, and I'm quite happy that I had a marked improvement on my time this year. I managed to shave a whole 10 minutes off my time from last year, and so clocked 1 hr 46 minutes. As always, the event was very well organised, with loads of photographers all around, so check out the photos of me here.
Several things I learnt from doing the Tri, which I find are just as applicable in my walk with God:
1. Practice makes perfect. I credit my much improved time to the fact that I was much better prepared for the race this year than last. Because I was much more aware of the way my body would feel during the event(since this was the second time I was doing the sprint), I was much more comfortable and knew what to expect. I was also able to shave precious seconds off each transition (swim-bike and bike-run) because I knew what to anticipate. Likewise in our Christian walk, often we forget that we need to condition our minds to know what to expect when we are faced with tough situations, so that we are able to react appropriately and not be found wanting, especially in times when we need to react quickly and do not have time to ponder.
2. It pays to be all rounded. One of the reasons I love triathlons is because it forces me to make sure that I am equally competent in the three very different disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. I bore easily, so long runs, or solo swims don't challenge me, so tris are perfect for "entertaining" me. And it requires me to be equally good in all three, otherwise the lack of one becomes very telling. I knew someone who was a weak swimmer, but was great in the other two, and for the last two years, he had to be hauled out of the water, because he would always run into difficulties. And naturally, that ruined his race, because he would be so dissappointed that it would affect his timings in the other disciplines. Similarly, I've realised that if one area of my Christian life is weak (for example, personally for me, it is in the area of prayer), it affects my whole walk with God. As a result, I don't experience the Christian life as fully as I could, unless I pay attention to strengthening this area of weakness, so that I live a more balanced Christian life.
3. Cheerleaders are important. I said it last year, and I will say it again, cheerleaders are important and vital. This year, my colleague was supporting her husband who was taking part in the same event, and everytime I passed the grandstand, I would hear her screaming loudly and cheering me on. It gave me an added spring in my step, or made me pedal that much harder. Even more telling was as I came into the last kilometer of the run, after I'd been on the go for 1.5 hours, and I saw Elena sitting by the side of the running track, and as I ran past, she was yelling, "Last km! And bacon wrapped sausages waiting for you when you are done!" My wife certainly knows how to motivate me, and I didn't realise I had it in me to pick up my pace and DASH for the finish line! Needless to say, those sausages were the best I've tasted! Who's your cheerleader in your walk with God, and do they know how to encourage you to keep your eyes on the goal? Find someone, they will make all the difference between finishing and finishing WELL.
4. Last but not least; you are only as good as your last race. I found that the last race has no bearing on the next race ahead. However well you did in the last race, it is over and done with and has no effect on the next race ahead. I will still have to train for the next event (it would be extremely foolish of me to go into another triathlon believing that just because I've done one, I can do it again without training for it), and I will still have to condition my body to meet the challenge. Oftentimes in our Christian life, we believe that we can live on our past "spiritual highs", and we fondly recall the last time God revealed Himself to us in thunder and lightning (even though these events might have been years or decades ago). Yet we forget to condition our minds and spirits to look forward to meeting God regularly, and we believe that just because we have prayed for someone and that prayer was answered, or because we shared Christ with someone and they prayed the sinner's prayer, that we are living holy lives. Don't get me wrong, these things are good and pleasing to God, but at the bottom of it all, are we conditioned to live the best lives we can for God? Are we, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, running the race so as to get the prize? Or are we too comfortable basking in our past achievements and glories? Are we pressing on to the goal for which we have been called, and living daily for the glory of God?
Will I do it again next year? I probably will, since it seems that training my body for it is also good training for the soul!
Friday, June 30, 2006
One Step Closer-AMKPC Church Camp 2006
We just returned last week from our biennial Church Camp, where we all had a wonderful time of fellowship, feasting (both spiritual and physical!) and reflection. This year's church camp had several significant milestones and in many ways reflected how the church is experiencing God's blessings in ways both big and small.
This is the largest church camp we have ever seen, where the final number of campers was 175(!!!). In fact the camp was so full that The Legends Resort was filled to overflowing, such that special arrangements needed to be made to house everyone, including converting some of the VIP changing rooms into dormitories for the boys and girls, and also taking rooms at the Rider's Lodge about 500m away. Rooms were at such a premium that the married couples without kids had to be split up to allow triple sharing!
For the first time, we held a marriage enrichment workshop. Conducted by Rev Dr Danny Goh, the married couples were highly encouraged to attend, and over the course of two 2.5 hour sessions, in his inimitable style of humour mixed with seriousness, took us through ways to rejuvenate our marriages, remembering how and when to respect each other, and generally teaching us again how to be good husbands and wife to glorify our God.
The camp speaker was Pastor Chia Boon Beng, who shared with us on the theme One Step Closer. In the course of 4 theme talks, he walked us through steps to draw closer to God, both individually and as a congregation, even down to examining the kind of church we were as a body. We were truly blessed to have him and his wife with us to enjoy their insight and passion for God over the 4 days.
Of course there were also fantastic games planned with great care by Micky (and Sandra, who unfortunately could not join us due to work commitments). The fun element of the camp culminated in a wonderful musical extravaganza which had everybody in gales of laughter. Some of the more notable moments included Dn Vincent in an Indian dance, Reagan as "The Smiling Bandit", and the star of the show....Ansel Ong as the Baby Incredible!!! Of course, taking nothing away from our best male and female actors and actresses, Takahiro Ueki and Stephanie Tan respectively. All in, it was a wonderful night showcasing the multitude of talent that AMKPC have in our midst!
For me, the biggest thing I take away from the camp is exactly what CK, our camp director shared with us. That we leave the camp, not experiencing a high, but rather, that we each and every one of us experience a conscious desire to take One Step Closer to God, and that this will be the first of many to come. There is so much to thank God for in this camp, from each of the speakers to the committee who have worked tirelessly for the last six months or so, to each and every person who went to the camp and made it possible.
Looking back at the church camp, I get the very strong sense that AMKPC has, in many ways come of age, and we are so thankful for the multitude of blessings that God showers upon us as a church.
Lighter moments during the church camp? We are especially glad for the drivers, in particular Melvin and David who have an unerring nose for the best durian (both on the way THERE and BACK). At RM6 per kg, it was definitely a steal....
We have also realised that the current timings of church camps every two years are definite clashes with football season, as was evident during the camp with the huge turnout of football fans (20+) to watch the midnight Brazil vs Australia game! We foresee another clash with the next European Championship in 2008. One suggestion was that we might then change church camp to next year...then again, perhaps not, the fellowship in the dining hall during the game was actually very good! :-)
This is the largest church camp we have ever seen, where the final number of campers was 175(!!!). In fact the camp was so full that The Legends Resort was filled to overflowing, such that special arrangements needed to be made to house everyone, including converting some of the VIP changing rooms into dormitories for the boys and girls, and also taking rooms at the Rider's Lodge about 500m away. Rooms were at such a premium that the married couples without kids had to be split up to allow triple sharing!
For the first time, we held a marriage enrichment workshop. Conducted by Rev Dr Danny Goh, the married couples were highly encouraged to attend, and over the course of two 2.5 hour sessions, in his inimitable style of humour mixed with seriousness, took us through ways to rejuvenate our marriages, remembering how and when to respect each other, and generally teaching us again how to be good husbands and wife to glorify our God.
The camp speaker was Pastor Chia Boon Beng, who shared with us on the theme One Step Closer. In the course of 4 theme talks, he walked us through steps to draw closer to God, both individually and as a congregation, even down to examining the kind of church we were as a body. We were truly blessed to have him and his wife with us to enjoy their insight and passion for God over the 4 days.
Of course there were also fantastic games planned with great care by Micky (and Sandra, who unfortunately could not join us due to work commitments). The fun element of the camp culminated in a wonderful musical extravaganza which had everybody in gales of laughter. Some of the more notable moments included Dn Vincent in an Indian dance, Reagan as "The Smiling Bandit", and the star of the show....Ansel Ong as the Baby Incredible!!! Of course, taking nothing away from our best male and female actors and actresses, Takahiro Ueki and Stephanie Tan respectively. All in, it was a wonderful night showcasing the multitude of talent that AMKPC have in our midst!
For me, the biggest thing I take away from the camp is exactly what CK, our camp director shared with us. That we leave the camp, not experiencing a high, but rather, that we each and every one of us experience a conscious desire to take One Step Closer to God, and that this will be the first of many to come. There is so much to thank God for in this camp, from each of the speakers to the committee who have worked tirelessly for the last six months or so, to each and every person who went to the camp and made it possible.
Looking back at the church camp, I get the very strong sense that AMKPC has, in many ways come of age, and we are so thankful for the multitude of blessings that God showers upon us as a church.
Lighter moments during the church camp? We are especially glad for the drivers, in particular Melvin and David who have an unerring nose for the best durian (both on the way THERE and BACK). At RM6 per kg, it was definitely a steal....
We have also realised that the current timings of church camps every two years are definite clashes with football season, as was evident during the camp with the huge turnout of football fans (20+) to watch the midnight Brazil vs Australia game! We foresee another clash with the next European Championship in 2008. One suggestion was that we might then change church camp to next year...then again, perhaps not, the fellowship in the dining hall during the game was actually very good! :-)
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Global Day of Prayer-4 June 2006
Last Sunday, 4 June 2006 was Pentecost Sunday. It was also the Global Day of Prayer.
Begun in South Africa as a Day of Repentance, it has very quickly spread like wildfire to cover churches of every tribe, nation and tongue. Uniting Christians all around the world, it has sparked prayer revival across the globe. For more details on background and history, visit http://www.prayforsingapore.org.sg/.
Although the event had not been widely publicised in AMKPC, I was very heartened to find that several of us (about 10) were going, and almost exclusively all were members of the youth ministry. I was very deeply encouraged to learn that our youth are very committed to praying for the church and the nation as a corporate body! We arranged to meet at 6.45pm at the National Stadium, as they were meeting at Plaza Singapura to go together.
As Elena and I drove past Kallang MRT we were astounded to see the queue that snaked around the station, as hordes of people queued for the free buses to take them to the stadium. We were estimating how many people would turn up, and wondering why the event wasn't held in the Indoor Stadium instead, which could hold up to 12,000 people. When we arrived at the National Stadium we found out why; because God had given the committee a GREAT vision. By the end of the evening, close to 25,000 Christians were gathered in the stadium, praying for the church, our nation, ourselves and our community. It was an amazing site to see so many gathered together to PRAY.
The prayers and exhortations were conducted in English, Mandarin, Tamil, Hokkien, and at one stage in Bahasa Indonesia. It was an amazing site to behold, and truly, as we sat there, at times hearing the echoes of the translations in other languages, it really brought home to me what it must have felt like on Pentecost as the early church was suddenly filled with the sounds of multiple languages proclaiming the glory of God. It reminded me of how our God is far bigger than any nation, and how He is Lord over all.
A most humbling sight was when in front of the gathered crowd, the Rev Rick Seaward, on behalf of the charismatic pentecostals (comprising the Assemblies of God, the charismatic Anglicans, and other denominations which embrace the public manifestation of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues etc) publicly asked for forgiveness from the conservative evangelicals, represented by the Methodists, Presbyterians and all other denominations which do not practice the public demonstrations of the Holy Spirit. The apology was accepted, and reciprocated by the conservatives, who also admitted that they too had been wrong. It was a wonderful site to see the church leaders embracing each other and washing each other's feet.
It was something perhaps closest to my heart among our group of church mates, because I come from a charismatic Anglican background, and having been baptised in the Holy Spirit and beginning my Christian life in a charismatic church, and subsequently moving to what to many would seem to be almost the other end of the spectrum as a Presbyterian, I found it uniquely moving to see that rift closed and healed. How appropriate to see God working in such a wonderful way on Pentecost Sunday!
What was also meaningful to me was the fact that this event was held at the National Stadium, which will very soon be torn down to make way for a bigger and more modern sports facility. 30 something years ago, one of the first events to be held at the National Stadium was the Billy Graham crusade, at which thousands heard the Good News and received Christ. Over the years, many other Christian events have seen thousands of others blessed in the same way. How fitting then, that one of the last events held at this grand venue should be the largest prayer meeting ever witnessed in Singapore where the universal church comes together to PRAY for the WORLD. What a privilege to have been part of this global intercession for our fellow men.
We will certainly be back next year. Where will you be on 27 May 2007?
Begun in South Africa as a Day of Repentance, it has very quickly spread like wildfire to cover churches of every tribe, nation and tongue. Uniting Christians all around the world, it has sparked prayer revival across the globe. For more details on background and history, visit http://www.prayforsingapore.org.sg/.
Although the event had not been widely publicised in AMKPC, I was very heartened to find that several of us (about 10) were going, and almost exclusively all were members of the youth ministry. I was very deeply encouraged to learn that our youth are very committed to praying for the church and the nation as a corporate body! We arranged to meet at 6.45pm at the National Stadium, as they were meeting at Plaza Singapura to go together.
As Elena and I drove past Kallang MRT we were astounded to see the queue that snaked around the station, as hordes of people queued for the free buses to take them to the stadium. We were estimating how many people would turn up, and wondering why the event wasn't held in the Indoor Stadium instead, which could hold up to 12,000 people. When we arrived at the National Stadium we found out why; because God had given the committee a GREAT vision. By the end of the evening, close to 25,000 Christians were gathered in the stadium, praying for the church, our nation, ourselves and our community. It was an amazing site to see so many gathered together to PRAY.
The prayers and exhortations were conducted in English, Mandarin, Tamil, Hokkien, and at one stage in Bahasa Indonesia. It was an amazing site to behold, and truly, as we sat there, at times hearing the echoes of the translations in other languages, it really brought home to me what it must have felt like on Pentecost as the early church was suddenly filled with the sounds of multiple languages proclaiming the glory of God. It reminded me of how our God is far bigger than any nation, and how He is Lord over all.
A most humbling sight was when in front of the gathered crowd, the Rev Rick Seaward, on behalf of the charismatic pentecostals (comprising the Assemblies of God, the charismatic Anglicans, and other denominations which embrace the public manifestation of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues etc) publicly asked for forgiveness from the conservative evangelicals, represented by the Methodists, Presbyterians and all other denominations which do not practice the public demonstrations of the Holy Spirit. The apology was accepted, and reciprocated by the conservatives, who also admitted that they too had been wrong. It was a wonderful site to see the church leaders embracing each other and washing each other's feet.
It was something perhaps closest to my heart among our group of church mates, because I come from a charismatic Anglican background, and having been baptised in the Holy Spirit and beginning my Christian life in a charismatic church, and subsequently moving to what to many would seem to be almost the other end of the spectrum as a Presbyterian, I found it uniquely moving to see that rift closed and healed. How appropriate to see God working in such a wonderful way on Pentecost Sunday!
What was also meaningful to me was the fact that this event was held at the National Stadium, which will very soon be torn down to make way for a bigger and more modern sports facility. 30 something years ago, one of the first events to be held at the National Stadium was the Billy Graham crusade, at which thousands heard the Good News and received Christ. Over the years, many other Christian events have seen thousands of others blessed in the same way. How fitting then, that one of the last events held at this grand venue should be the largest prayer meeting ever witnessed in Singapore where the universal church comes together to PRAY for the WORLD. What a privilege to have been part of this global intercession for our fellow men.
We will certainly be back next year. Where will you be on 27 May 2007?
Friday, April 21, 2006
19 years on....
This is probably beginning to sound a bit familiar but everytime I come back to my blog to update it, the amount of time that has passed amazes me.
Easter is here again, and with it, I am again reminded of what our Lord has done for me. In the blink of an eye 19 years have passed since the day I rededicated my life to Christ, on 17 April 1987, Good Friday, when I made a commitment that I would serve Him and honour Him. Every Easter I have since made it a habit to take stock of the year that has passed and to renew my commitment to Him again, and what better day to do it than the day He died for all our sins. I am constantly amazed to look back and see the blessings that God has showered on Elena and I, as well as how His sovereign hand has guided us through the dark valleys.
This year for the first time, the Good Friday service was held at the Singapore Expo, where the combined English Presbytery gathered to worship together as a body. The speaker was the Rev David Jackman, who delivered the word with wit, compassion and great conviction. I greatly enjoyed the message, and was very ministered by it. In particular I was amused, and touched by his sharing of the 171 bus, which runs from TTC to Orchard Road. He mentioned that he and his wife had been living at TTC for about 6 weeks, and had thus become very familiar with the bus. He shared how he could have asked the bus driver about the route, or how he could have asked he passengers about where the bus went, but ultimately, he shared that the best way to find out about the bus was to get on it, and let it take you where it went.
In the same way, sometimes it is easy to pontificate, and debate about theology in our Christian lives, but like Rev Jackman says, if you don't get on the bus, you will never get to where you want to go. My brothers and sisters, I hope you too have gotten on the bus, and that you are enjoying the ride!
Easter is here again, and with it, I am again reminded of what our Lord has done for me. In the blink of an eye 19 years have passed since the day I rededicated my life to Christ, on 17 April 1987, Good Friday, when I made a commitment that I would serve Him and honour Him. Every Easter I have since made it a habit to take stock of the year that has passed and to renew my commitment to Him again, and what better day to do it than the day He died for all our sins. I am constantly amazed to look back and see the blessings that God has showered on Elena and I, as well as how His sovereign hand has guided us through the dark valleys.
This year for the first time, the Good Friday service was held at the Singapore Expo, where the combined English Presbytery gathered to worship together as a body. The speaker was the Rev David Jackman, who delivered the word with wit, compassion and great conviction. I greatly enjoyed the message, and was very ministered by it. In particular I was amused, and touched by his sharing of the 171 bus, which runs from TTC to Orchard Road. He mentioned that he and his wife had been living at TTC for about 6 weeks, and had thus become very familiar with the bus. He shared how he could have asked the bus driver about the route, or how he could have asked he passengers about where the bus went, but ultimately, he shared that the best way to find out about the bus was to get on it, and let it take you where it went.
In the same way, sometimes it is easy to pontificate, and debate about theology in our Christian lives, but like Rev Jackman says, if you don't get on the bus, you will never get to where you want to go. My brothers and sisters, I hope you too have gotten on the bus, and that you are enjoying the ride!
Monday, March 20, 2006
Gospel Camp, GB camp and others
Wow...how time flies. I didn't realise its been more than a month since I updated the blog.
Last weekend was Gospel Camp and GB annual camp. We were running two camps seperately this year, but thankfully we had sufficient man (and woman) power to have enough helpers for both camps. In fact, on the guys side, we had so many helpers that we had to turn people away. Thank God for His provision that we were able to have ratios of one helper to two or three boys!
The Youth Ministry leadership had taken a decision this year to make Gospel Camp a YM event, so most of the senior youth (guys and girls) were involved in one camp or the other. I was at Gospel Camp, and Elena was at GB Camp, so you can imagine we were both really busy last weekend!
For myself, I'd forgotten what it was like to run around with an energetic bunch of boys less than half my age! You've heard this before, but that's probably the best way to keep young. Running around Chinatown with them on Saturday afternoon was something of an experience. Elena repeated the feat with the girls around Toa Payoh on Sunday....
At the Gospel Camp, the message was shared by Jordan for the first time, and it impacted some of the boys; we were blessed to learn that we had 4 PRCs out of 21 boys, of whom about half were Christian already anyway, so it was certainly a good harvest. Pastor Srimal will in the days ahead follow up with these boys, as well as those who indicated they'd like to know more. For myself, Gospel camps are always special, because they are a wonderful chance to see our boys when they are young and impressionable. I always remember fondly my first Gospel camp, and seeing Wen Wei and Wencong in Sec1. This time round, I was privileged to be in the group that they were both leading. What a long way they have come, and as I watch them lead and pray with the boys, it struck me that it is indeed a privilege to be part of the YM, to see how God is building up these young men and women.
I am continually reminded that this ministry is not mine to own, but merely to look after for the next generation. I look forward eagerly to the day when these will become the new generation of leaders of our church and society, and I can only pray that I have done my part in building them up.
Last weekend was Gospel Camp and GB annual camp. We were running two camps seperately this year, but thankfully we had sufficient man (and woman) power to have enough helpers for both camps. In fact, on the guys side, we had so many helpers that we had to turn people away. Thank God for His provision that we were able to have ratios of one helper to two or three boys!
The Youth Ministry leadership had taken a decision this year to make Gospel Camp a YM event, so most of the senior youth (guys and girls) were involved in one camp or the other. I was at Gospel Camp, and Elena was at GB Camp, so you can imagine we were both really busy last weekend!
For myself, I'd forgotten what it was like to run around with an energetic bunch of boys less than half my age! You've heard this before, but that's probably the best way to keep young. Running around Chinatown with them on Saturday afternoon was something of an experience. Elena repeated the feat with the girls around Toa Payoh on Sunday....
At the Gospel Camp, the message was shared by Jordan for the first time, and it impacted some of the boys; we were blessed to learn that we had 4 PRCs out of 21 boys, of whom about half were Christian already anyway, so it was certainly a good harvest. Pastor Srimal will in the days ahead follow up with these boys, as well as those who indicated they'd like to know more. For myself, Gospel camps are always special, because they are a wonderful chance to see our boys when they are young and impressionable. I always remember fondly my first Gospel camp, and seeing Wen Wei and Wencong in Sec1. This time round, I was privileged to be in the group that they were both leading. What a long way they have come, and as I watch them lead and pray with the boys, it struck me that it is indeed a privilege to be part of the YM, to see how God is building up these young men and women.
I am continually reminded that this ministry is not mine to own, but merely to look after for the next generation. I look forward eagerly to the day when these will become the new generation of leaders of our church and society, and I can only pray that I have done my part in building them up.
Must remember to also acknowledge the wonderful effort of some of the cell groups, especially Lea Lea's and Li Kian's cell groups from the family groups, and also the youth CGs. It was a wonderful surprise to find cookies for the boys and girls after one of the meals, fruit tarts after another, and fruit kebabs! Thank you all so much for showing us your love and support in such meaningful ways. I know that many of the boys were surprised, and also touched by these little gifts! God bless all of you who helped in one way or another in the camp, whether in prayer, or in any way big or small!
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Happy Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is not something that Elena and I put very much effort into celebrating, because we always felt that if you really care about someone, anyday and everyday should be like Valentine's. This year however, we made an exception, as there was a fundraiser organised by Andrew & Grace Home (AG Home) where the girls put up a full three course dinner (including wine, music etc) as a fundraiser for their Skills Development Project. Tables were going at $100 per couple, but we thought since it was for a good cause, why not?
The place was really nicely done up, with tablecloth, soft lighting, candles on the table, and each table immaculately set. The girls (many of them evidently nervous!) were attentive as waitresses and stewards and carried out their duties for the night very admirably. Of course, anything that involves Pastor Andrew would also involve music, and true to form, there was plenty of entertainment from the girls and Pastor Andrew, including their own version of a karang-guni band that played percussions on normal household items, which was really good!
The dinner itself was spectacular as well; the food was really good, from the starter (mango prawn salad) to the dessert (champagne pear with strawberries). All in all, it was a very nice way to spend Valentine's for a good cause, and it was a good opportunity for us to show our support to the fantastic work that Andrew & Grace are doing!
On another note, I also had the chance to share a short message with the youth at the last cool meeting just this past Sunday, which was organised for Valentine's Day. As I was preparing my sharing, it dawned on me that Elena and I have celebrated 17 Valentine's Days since we've met....half a lifetime! We screened a short move clip to the youth called Flame by Rob Bell, and it was an interesting commentary on Song of Songs, and the three types of love that are dealt with in Song of Songs. The Hebrew words were used: raya (friendship), a'hava(unconditional commitment) and dode (erotic or sexual love).
As I was preparing the sharing, it made me realise how blessed I am to have the relationship that I have with my wife. I told the youth that I can honestly say that I married my best friend, and we are each others soulmates. I was telling them how I refer to her as my other half, because without her I don't feel complete. (I know, mushy stuff like that...) Seriously, I was encouraging them to look out for the partner that God has intended for them, and not to waste that gift that God has given to them on just anyone, but rather to wait on God's timing, so that they can really enjoy the flame that God has intended for them.
I hope it made sense and drove the point home to them; we were very aware that they have constantly been told what NOT to do in a relationship, and we, the youth leaders, figured that perhaps it was time to guide the youth in telling them what to do instead.
Anyway, Happy Valentine's, one and all, and may your days with your loved ones be as numerous as the stars, filled with joy and the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life!
The place was really nicely done up, with tablecloth, soft lighting, candles on the table, and each table immaculately set. The girls (many of them evidently nervous!) were attentive as waitresses and stewards and carried out their duties for the night very admirably. Of course, anything that involves Pastor Andrew would also involve music, and true to form, there was plenty of entertainment from the girls and Pastor Andrew, including their own version of a karang-guni band that played percussions on normal household items, which was really good!
The dinner itself was spectacular as well; the food was really good, from the starter (mango prawn salad) to the dessert (champagne pear with strawberries). All in all, it was a very nice way to spend Valentine's for a good cause, and it was a good opportunity for us to show our support to the fantastic work that Andrew & Grace are doing!
On another note, I also had the chance to share a short message with the youth at the last cool meeting just this past Sunday, which was organised for Valentine's Day. As I was preparing my sharing, it dawned on me that Elena and I have celebrated 17 Valentine's Days since we've met....half a lifetime! We screened a short move clip to the youth called Flame by Rob Bell, and it was an interesting commentary on Song of Songs, and the three types of love that are dealt with in Song of Songs. The Hebrew words were used: raya (friendship), a'hava(unconditional commitment) and dode (erotic or sexual love).
As I was preparing the sharing, it made me realise how blessed I am to have the relationship that I have with my wife. I told the youth that I can honestly say that I married my best friend, and we are each others soulmates. I was telling them how I refer to her as my other half, because without her I don't feel complete. (I know, mushy stuff like that...) Seriously, I was encouraging them to look out for the partner that God has intended for them, and not to waste that gift that God has given to them on just anyone, but rather to wait on God's timing, so that they can really enjoy the flame that God has intended for them.
I hope it made sense and drove the point home to them; we were very aware that they have constantly been told what NOT to do in a relationship, and we, the youth leaders, figured that perhaps it was time to guide the youth in telling them what to do instead.
Anyway, Happy Valentine's, one and all, and may your days with your loved ones be as numerous as the stars, filled with joy and the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life!
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Our New CG
We have as of the beginning of this year moved to join Kat and Bin Boon's CG. So far we have attended one meeting, and we have discovered that our new CG is made up of a great bunch of people who are happening in very different ways from our old CG. Some of the differences in our new CG from our old one:
1)there are as many kids as there are adults (well it seems like it!), ranging from 1 to 12 years old, and they appear to have as much fun as we have during CG. This may of course have something to do with the fact that Thrina's place is one HUGE playground for kids...and yet surprisingly, we do not feel at all distracted by the children as they do their own thing.
2)we are for now the youngest couple in the CG...which is a nice feeling.
3) this CG certainly believes in the adage "the CG that eats together stays together". Our first CG ended in a supper of wonderful wonderful durian...courtesy of Thrina's father-in-law. CG is this Friday and the supper menu has already been planned...Evelyn's curry chicken with bread. Unfortunately I won't be around to savour that, as I will be in Monte Carlo for work, but I'm sure my wife will help to enjoy my share.
4) because we meet on Friday nights, this CG has a great deal of flexibility with what time we end, which is great for us, because we are night people anyway. Our first meeting ended at 11.15pm, which is apparently "early"...we can tell we are going to have a lot of fun with this CG.
We have settled into this CG very comfortably, as people are very warm and welcoming, and we already begin to feel at home, although of course, we do miss our old CG. But we believe that we made the right decision to move, so that we can bless and be blessed by others, and we are excited to serve together with this new group of friends, to labour together with them to bless those around us.
1)there are as many kids as there are adults (well it seems like it!), ranging from 1 to 12 years old, and they appear to have as much fun as we have during CG. This may of course have something to do with the fact that Thrina's place is one HUGE playground for kids...and yet surprisingly, we do not feel at all distracted by the children as they do their own thing.
2)we are for now the youngest couple in the CG...which is a nice feeling.
3) this CG certainly believes in the adage "the CG that eats together stays together". Our first CG ended in a supper of wonderful wonderful durian...courtesy of Thrina's father-in-law. CG is this Friday and the supper menu has already been planned...Evelyn's curry chicken with bread. Unfortunately I won't be around to savour that, as I will be in Monte Carlo for work, but I'm sure my wife will help to enjoy my share.
4) because we meet on Friday nights, this CG has a great deal of flexibility with what time we end, which is great for us, because we are night people anyway. Our first meeting ended at 11.15pm, which is apparently "early"...we can tell we are going to have a lot of fun with this CG.
We have settled into this CG very comfortably, as people are very warm and welcoming, and we already begin to feel at home, although of course, we do miss our old CG. But we believe that we made the right decision to move, so that we can bless and be blessed by others, and we are excited to serve together with this new group of friends, to labour together with them to bless those around us.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
An almost surprise
This is long overdue, but it still deserves special mention for the effort that was put in and to demonstrate the wackiness of our friends and beloved CG.
For quite a while now, Elena and I have been thinking of moving cell groups, for various reasons, chief of which is that we felt that it was time for a change, both for us, and for the Cell Group, and secondly, also because of my committment to the Youth Leaders CG and EDC, we felt it might be a little taxing to be attending an adult CG which meets more than a family CG. So, after much thought and consideration, we decided to join a family CG effective 2006.
Our CG then planned a little farewell party for us....this is where it gets weird. It was to be held at our house on Christmas day, at dinner. As we were home preparing food on Christmas day at about 4pm, we started getting calls from our CG members telling us one by one that something had come up, and they couldn't make it, or they'd be late. Suddenly it appeared that the party was not going to happen....there would be 4 people for dinner. Of course we were dissappointed, but we figured these things happen, and we actually felt really sorry for the people who had told us that they might have to go to work (on CHRISTMAS!).
Next thing we knew, Cookie who was in the kitchen with us runs out to the front door and starts scratching at it. So Elena goes out to have a look, and finds that the door cannot be opened (obviously because someone is holding on to the door handle from the other side!). So I open the back door from the kitchen, which is at right angles to our front door. I honestly cannot decide now who was more surprised, us or our ENTIRE CG who had crept across an open corridor, crouched down, and all gathered outside our door to surprise us! (Yes, including those who had callled to say they couldn't make it....)
So that was the "almost" surprise party they threw for us....I must admit, it was very ingeniously done. Thanks guys, for all your effort to put it together, we were really very touched. It was a great party, with great food and fellowship...and it was really a fantastic send off for us. As we said, this is the CG that we grew up in, that we have spent the last 5 years in, and the CG that "sent" us out to leadership. You guys will always have a special place in our hearts.
For quite a while now, Elena and I have been thinking of moving cell groups, for various reasons, chief of which is that we felt that it was time for a change, both for us, and for the Cell Group, and secondly, also because of my committment to the Youth Leaders CG and EDC, we felt it might be a little taxing to be attending an adult CG which meets more than a family CG. So, after much thought and consideration, we decided to join a family CG effective 2006.
Our CG then planned a little farewell party for us....this is where it gets weird. It was to be held at our house on Christmas day, at dinner. As we were home preparing food on Christmas day at about 4pm, we started getting calls from our CG members telling us one by one that something had come up, and they couldn't make it, or they'd be late. Suddenly it appeared that the party was not going to happen....there would be 4 people for dinner. Of course we were dissappointed, but we figured these things happen, and we actually felt really sorry for the people who had told us that they might have to go to work (on CHRISTMAS!).
Next thing we knew, Cookie who was in the kitchen with us runs out to the front door and starts scratching at it. So Elena goes out to have a look, and finds that the door cannot be opened (obviously because someone is holding on to the door handle from the other side!). So I open the back door from the kitchen, which is at right angles to our front door. I honestly cannot decide now who was more surprised, us or our ENTIRE CG who had crept across an open corridor, crouched down, and all gathered outside our door to surprise us! (Yes, including those who had callled to say they couldn't make it....)
So that was the "almost" surprise party they threw for us....I must admit, it was very ingeniously done. Thanks guys, for all your effort to put it together, we were really very touched. It was a great party, with great food and fellowship...and it was really a fantastic send off for us. As we said, this is the CG that we grew up in, that we have spent the last 5 years in, and the CG that "sent" us out to leadership. You guys will always have a special place in our hearts.
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