Ministry Update Dec15/Jan16

A very blessed New Year to all of you! Thank you for your partnership in ministry that enabled another year of serving God in this challenging nation and time.

SAM is ready with a challenging schedule to serve through equipping workers in the BM ministry. We are in partnership with various Christian organizations to be better in this new year in a holistic manner; expecting new vibrant students and an exciting journey ahead. The Penang centers will begin its academic term in January for the SP center and in February for its Prai center. Down south in Ipoh, we are starting night classes for the certificate class in January itself while the combined diploma/MMin class will kick off the academic year after CNY in February. With partners like STM (for certificate and diploma) and MEC (for MMin) it is sure a challenge to balance the demands of standard that both ATESEA and ATA require of these programs. I am charting ahead for SAM to be better recognized and positioning it as the premier BM Bible School in Peninsular Malaysia that is both relevant and contemporary for its targeted students. Do pray with us and for us as we seek the Lord to go further with our teaching team and students. Also, we greatly appreciate your prayer partnership to “recruit” more volunteers/workers to play a role so that we can impact and grow further. As it is, we lack a lot of materials (print or oral) in our local Bahasa Malaysia – our “national” language.  

(Note: Association for Theological Education South East Asia (ATESEA) is the accreditation body for STM and Asia Theological Association (ATA) is the accreditation body for MEC. These are the two accreditation agencies for theological education in Asia)

For the whole of this year, I hope to fully focus on developing this ministry while waiting on the Lord to make certain the next phase of equipping after completing the Doctor of Missiology program last October/November. There’s going to be quite a bit of travels starting from next week where I’ll be attending the trainers’ training in Open Doors (M) office in Klang Valley. This is quickly followed by the compulsory diocesan retreat the next week in Port Dickson. I’m still working on class notes/material for the dip/MMin class in Feb., being the first time teaching the class in Evangelism & Discipleship. Somehow, the festivity does have an effect to make us lazy, huh?! In order to break the “mental block” I hv gone to watch the latest Star Wars movie. If I encounter another mental block (due to the festivities) maybe I’ll go watch Peanuts!? Yes, just blame it on the festivities when the head says “work,” but the heart says “play.”

Once again I wish you an exciting year of ministry in 2016. It may not look too bright here in Malaysia but I am confident that as the Light of God shines through each of us, the brightness of the Hope will prevail in this nation. Thank you for your partnership in ministry.