Last Saturday I was preaching at a Saturday evening service. For the second time, I received the comment that I look more cheerful now that I’ve left the pastoral ministry! Is the pastoral ministry really that “miserable?” I suppose it’s the context of it. And the personality? I always tend to take “work” very seriously. Thus, each time I notice anything “less than Christian,” it grief me, upset me, disappoint me, etc…and I will feel miserable for weeks. At most times, the head knows how to respond but the heart just refuse to correspond appropriately. I’m still learning to accept that even within the Christian community, there are the “wheat & the weeds.” Each accountable to God & on that Day when we stand before the Great White Throne, judgment takes place. Because God is so gracious, He always gives an opportunity to repent.
Right now I’m serving in a Bible School. As if there are no heartaches? That’s mere fantasy! Ministry is full of ups and downs; joy and hurt; laughter and tears; yet He makes all things beautiful in its own time. Next week will see a busy time for the BM Dept. with over 40 students coming in for 4-weeks courses. Weekends are packed with activities besides weekdays evening programs. Being a task-oriented person, I’m obviously looking forward to be in the midst of bustling activities. After that, I only have a short weekend to pack before leaving for a 10-day trip to North Sumatra. After the mission trip, September seems slow paced before October; a week in Sabah, a week in Sarawak, and a weekend in KL. November will be pretty busy too with graduation preparations. This year, the BM Dept. is graduating her first batch of students. Started in 2002 on modular basis, the students have persevered through the years & 2 students are graduating this November!
Please join me to pray and dream for the BM department. I’m the only “full-timer” here while everyone else in our pool of teachers are part-timers: pastors & missionaries. Even the administrative help I have are students in campus. I am hoping to develop its potential. After all, it’s been sitting motionless for the past 5-6 years. My first step is to involve more locals & create an achievable progression for the OA community. I don’t know why God led me to this ministry. But I’ve discovered so much joy and fulfillment. These are simple people, eager to learn and in need of just a little attention & opportunity to rise up. And I’m glad I availed to God to be a vessel in accomplishing His purpose for these people. But truly, this is a very challenging ministry. Home missions is less “glamorous” than foreign missions, thus, too little attention has been given to this ministry that holds vast potential. Hey, you know the best candidates to reach our M friends? We are also publishing BM books. Christian books in Malay are often imported from Indonesia and they are in Bahasa Indonesia. While similar, we still need to contextualize into the Malaysian context. Our department has published 3 BM books thus far. I believe some of you have a few of them. Let me know if it’s helpful & if you can help us in translation/proof-reading works. We can’t pay you in dollars & cents but will surely credit your heavenly account!
But what am I up to these days? A few friends asked why they have not been receiving updates from me. I’m so sorry for that. It’s more convenient to just post it to my blog. And once in awhile, I send these updates. But for sure is I’m still learning to be a good minister in God’s kingdom. I discovered God gave me a prophetic gift and a close friend is teaching me to exercise it wisely. I’m still uncertain as to where and when I am able to go to “the field” as I have ambitiously plan big plans for the BM Dept. But I’m still praying for that opportunity. I’m still preparing for further studies; by God’s grace I hope to pursue missions research in the Asian context. After all, the Church (in Malaysia) ought to have matured to self-theologizing, and not merely “importing” western trends.
Join me in prayer. Again, I’m quoting Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you.”
