I’m feeling miserable…I was invited to preach this morning in a church that has a super early service. It was a strong message wrapped in royal icing. I did the usual preparations – rehearsing its delivery at an average of 10 times before the actual preaching…but I’m miserable. I did not deliver the message as good as I should. I left the church & complaint to myself in the car… “you delivered the message better last night rehearsing it than just now!” Surprisingly, the congregants thought otherwise…I don’t know if I should rejoice over this. But I placed a higher expectation on myself. My God deserves the best…I should always offer the best to Him.
It was a busy week. A whole week of classes – our graduate seminar. Somehow studying in class from 9am till 4pm is more tiring than working at my desk from 9am till 5pm! But I praise God that it was very insightful. Two more courses to go besides the thesis & I’m done for my study program. I’m looking forward to that. Because beyond this, study is more flexible. Next Tuesday I’m standing in for a colleague to teach at her class, then repeating the syllabus for the orientation class of new intake on Saturday. The YA group is meeting for a planning retreat at a beach apartment this weekend…I don’t know how much I can trust them to “truly plan” (honestly). Maybe, I just need to learn to allow others to make their own mistakes…then I won’t need to worry so much.
Then there’s the youth meeting we are planning to launch. Pray for Michael S. & myself to discern God’s direction in this work. I’m glad to have found someone sharing similar passion for youth work. I do admit that the attempt last year was pretty much a failure. But working in partnership with someone with similar passion…now that is more promising.
February is full of festivity…a whole week off for CNY. Yea, I enjoy “work” so much, holidays seem to just get in the way…but I need that break, just like everyone else, we need to take breaks. And God knows how I need to be a “Mary” once in a while & not get carried away at being “Martha.”
March already sees two major activities. One, is the morning prayer meeting with the students in campus. Gosh, it’s at 7am! I’m a night person…not a morning person, help! But it is a privilege to lead a group with the opportunity to spur the passion to pray…a group that may ultimately be a catalyst to a much larger group. Then, there’s my “debut” of teaching the Bible in BM! Gosh, I am looking forward to that…but do pray for me.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
Busy But Fun
It's been busy but fun. Because I'm someone who enjoy having a lot of things to do. Coming up next is a week long graduate seminar (22-26 Jan) followed by a preaching engagement (28 Jan) then taking a class session for a colleague, so she can attend a course (30 Jan) and a session of orientation for new students intake of a department (3 Feb). Following that will be CNY break - it'll probably be a working break for me (as always). 12-16 March will be another week long class but for this one, I'm the one teaching - I'll have to make sure I don't fall asleep in the middle of my own lessons!
Church activities - aiyo, still pending - the launch of our youth meeting @ South. YA (S) having a planning retreat at first weekend of Feb. & YA (Central) as I've been understood, is planning for a mission trip (PTL!). VN church - ps has arrived Png & now in process of settling down.
Church activities - aiyo, still pending - the launch of our youth meeting @ South. YA (S) having a planning retreat at first weekend of Feb. & YA (Central) as I've been understood, is planning for a mission trip (PTL!). VN church - ps has arrived Png & now in process of settling down.
Monday, January 8, 2007
New Year, New Challenges
I was visiting GBC Central yesterday and it rained after the first service. While waiting for the rain to stop, I mingled with several “old friends.” Many of them still asked me – how is the church in Air Itam? Or you’re still with the church in Air Itam? Hey, I was thinking, that was so yesterday! I left the pastoral office, like 2 years ago?! Okay, okay, so I’m now at GBC South & not often seen in Central, so they are still thinking I’m still in the pastoral office in that Anglican church.
Though I only spent something like 5 years as a pastor, it was truly a learning experience for me. Now I know why God sent me to a very difficult church. It was a “crash course” in practically every aspect of pastoral ministry! And it is these experiences that are helping me to minister effectively and practically in my present ministry (in MBTS especially & maybe perhaps at CCM too). During the pastoral years, I was disappointed to discover that there actually are people becoming a pastor for all the wrong reasons! I never thought there could be any case in MBTS – hey, this is MBTS you know!? – but I was wrong. There are people entering ministry for all the wrong reasons here, too & I suppose, everywhere else. Probably because, we are just fallen human beings, inheriting a fallen nature. And we are often numbed from hearing God. If there’s one accomplishment I can say I achieved during my pastoral years, it is building the team, not any team but THE team. And here’s a big thank you to ST, Nix & HA. You guys are a great team! I truly value how we worked together and able to correct one another because we share the same vision to grow spiritually – something that can only be achieved through team-work, like the one we had.
I was serving in the pastoral capacity from end of 2000 till beginning of 2005. 2005 was truly a difficult year for me with many major adjustments. First obvious change was leaving the pastoral office – when you are the pastor of a small church, Sunday morning is so “full” compared to coming to church (a big congregational church) as a member with nothing to attend to except to enjoy the worship – that’s a huge change. Also, in 2005, I returned to student life – signing up for the ThM/PhD program with AGST majoring in Education. (Thank you AGSTers, though it was a brief meeting, I’m glad the Lord brought our paths together) But clearly the Lord wanted me to do something else. I’m never one to give up on something I started, so it was a great struggle having to quit the program after two modules & entering into another program. At the second half of 2005 I officially left AGST program & enrolled into MBTS’ ThM (Missiology) program. I’m hoping to complete this program by this year. I hope to pursue further to PhD (Missiology). I pray that the Lord will provide all that is needed. Why I need to continue pursuing degree after degree? Well, because I’m fully convicted that God deserves the best & I can only offer Him as much as I have. If there’s an opportunity to be better, of course I want to grab that chance so that I can keep giving Him the better each time. Right now, I have the privilege to learn from one of the most renown missiologist of our generation in this campus.
Another change I experienced in 2005 was the nature of my ministry – from pastoral to (mainly) administration. I juggled my time among 7 different portfolios. In 2006, the scope of my responsibilities became more focused & I attend to 5 different portfolios. After the hiatus in 2005, I just can’t wait to get my hands into ministry. Towards the end of the year, I was praying hard – Lord, it’s time I fill my hands with “work.” And truly, the Lord opened doors. I started a “testing the waters” ministry among the younger youth in GBC South (I’m not sure if this has a future), I was asked to oversee the Young Adult CG, I offered to serve in the CCM (Cross-cultural Ministry) work at Bayan Point. For the first half of the year, I was in the BM church and for the second half, led to the Viet work. What 2007 has in store as I suspect is not only a mere continuation of what has been established the previous year but a greater intensity of spiritual fervency in these ministries. I’m growing in my ministry – the challenge to teach the Bible in BM, initiating spiritual awareness/prayer needs, and most of all, the vision of a spiritual revival in campus. While there are ups and downs in ministry, I must confess that I’m having a time of my life! Praise the Lord! I enjoy looking forward to the frequent invitations to teach/preach in other churches/Christian organizations. And I’m enjoying that exposure…
Looking back during my years in the pastoral office, I realize that at every “milestone” of (spiritual) progress, I’ve always experience “problems.” During my first years in the pastoral office, I noticed how the devil managed to divert my focus from God through many “sickness” he brought upon myself or my car. For about (first) 6 months continuously, the week before I was to preach, I always encountered a “problem.” It can be a simple case of sore throat, flu or some mechanical/electrical problem with the car and that often distracted me. Well, my God is great – I’ve grown from an amateur preacher to a good one. (Okay, I should not sound “boastful” but I do know I’m a good preacher, after all God is the One who anointed me to teach & to preach, so if I am good, it’s because of the source of that goodness – GOD!) Yet, the funny thing is, I’ve preached in almost every kind of congregations, except my own home church!
Why I bring this up? Well, I’m experiencing some “disturbance” right now. My car is the victim this time – it’s in the workshop right now & I don’t know how much its repairs will cost. But prior to that was a series of (spiritual) depression – one that actually made me so disillusioned I was nearly giving up. I’m also recalling how I sprained my toe just before going to the Viet Christmas last Dec. Yea, maybe that’s due to my own clumsiness but the pain was so piercing even while I was speaking before the crowd. Coming home that night, I removed my shoes to find a black toe! Yeap, it was black! And the next two days, I iced it often enough to reduce the swell & the bruise.
New year, new challenges – I’m ready for it because I know God is ahead of me. Halleluyah!
Though I only spent something like 5 years as a pastor, it was truly a learning experience for me. Now I know why God sent me to a very difficult church. It was a “crash course” in practically every aspect of pastoral ministry! And it is these experiences that are helping me to minister effectively and practically in my present ministry (in MBTS especially & maybe perhaps at CCM too). During the pastoral years, I was disappointed to discover that there actually are people becoming a pastor for all the wrong reasons! I never thought there could be any case in MBTS – hey, this is MBTS you know!? – but I was wrong. There are people entering ministry for all the wrong reasons here, too & I suppose, everywhere else. Probably because, we are just fallen human beings, inheriting a fallen nature. And we are often numbed from hearing God. If there’s one accomplishment I can say I achieved during my pastoral years, it is building the team, not any team but THE team. And here’s a big thank you to ST, Nix & HA. You guys are a great team! I truly value how we worked together and able to correct one another because we share the same vision to grow spiritually – something that can only be achieved through team-work, like the one we had.
I was serving in the pastoral capacity from end of 2000 till beginning of 2005. 2005 was truly a difficult year for me with many major adjustments. First obvious change was leaving the pastoral office – when you are the pastor of a small church, Sunday morning is so “full” compared to coming to church (a big congregational church) as a member with nothing to attend to except to enjoy the worship – that’s a huge change. Also, in 2005, I returned to student life – signing up for the ThM/PhD program with AGST majoring in Education. (Thank you AGSTers, though it was a brief meeting, I’m glad the Lord brought our paths together) But clearly the Lord wanted me to do something else. I’m never one to give up on something I started, so it was a great struggle having to quit the program after two modules & entering into another program. At the second half of 2005 I officially left AGST program & enrolled into MBTS’ ThM (Missiology) program. I’m hoping to complete this program by this year. I hope to pursue further to PhD (Missiology). I pray that the Lord will provide all that is needed. Why I need to continue pursuing degree after degree? Well, because I’m fully convicted that God deserves the best & I can only offer Him as much as I have. If there’s an opportunity to be better, of course I want to grab that chance so that I can keep giving Him the better each time. Right now, I have the privilege to learn from one of the most renown missiologist of our generation in this campus.
Another change I experienced in 2005 was the nature of my ministry – from pastoral to (mainly) administration. I juggled my time among 7 different portfolios. In 2006, the scope of my responsibilities became more focused & I attend to 5 different portfolios. After the hiatus in 2005, I just can’t wait to get my hands into ministry. Towards the end of the year, I was praying hard – Lord, it’s time I fill my hands with “work.” And truly, the Lord opened doors. I started a “testing the waters” ministry among the younger youth in GBC South (I’m not sure if this has a future), I was asked to oversee the Young Adult CG, I offered to serve in the CCM (Cross-cultural Ministry) work at Bayan Point. For the first half of the year, I was in the BM church and for the second half, led to the Viet work. What 2007 has in store as I suspect is not only a mere continuation of what has been established the previous year but a greater intensity of spiritual fervency in these ministries. I’m growing in my ministry – the challenge to teach the Bible in BM, initiating spiritual awareness/prayer needs, and most of all, the vision of a spiritual revival in campus. While there are ups and downs in ministry, I must confess that I’m having a time of my life! Praise the Lord! I enjoy looking forward to the frequent invitations to teach/preach in other churches/Christian organizations. And I’m enjoying that exposure…
Looking back during my years in the pastoral office, I realize that at every “milestone” of (spiritual) progress, I’ve always experience “problems.” During my first years in the pastoral office, I noticed how the devil managed to divert my focus from God through many “sickness” he brought upon myself or my car. For about (first) 6 months continuously, the week before I was to preach, I always encountered a “problem.” It can be a simple case of sore throat, flu or some mechanical/electrical problem with the car and that often distracted me. Well, my God is great – I’ve grown from an amateur preacher to a good one. (Okay, I should not sound “boastful” but I do know I’m a good preacher, after all God is the One who anointed me to teach & to preach, so if I am good, it’s because of the source of that goodness – GOD!) Yet, the funny thing is, I’ve preached in almost every kind of congregations, except my own home church!
Why I bring this up? Well, I’m experiencing some “disturbance” right now. My car is the victim this time – it’s in the workshop right now & I don’t know how much its repairs will cost. But prior to that was a series of (spiritual) depression – one that actually made me so disillusioned I was nearly giving up. I’m also recalling how I sprained my toe just before going to the Viet Christmas last Dec. Yea, maybe that’s due to my own clumsiness but the pain was so piercing even while I was speaking before the crowd. Coming home that night, I removed my shoes to find a black toe! Yeap, it was black! And the next two days, I iced it often enough to reduce the swell & the bruise.
New year, new challenges – I’m ready for it because I know God is ahead of me. Halleluyah!
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Entering into the New Year
Stepping into uncharted waters...we have not been here before. No one knows what 2007 has in store - for better or for worse. No one knows except One who knows the beginning and the end. With confidence, we step into 2007 - just as how the Israelites entered into the promised land
Joshua 3:6
Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people
Joshua 3:11
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan
As long as God is ahead, we can step into the new year with confidence...
Joshua 3:6
Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people
Joshua 3:11
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan
As long as God is ahead, we can step into the new year with confidence...
Friday, December 22, 2006
Called to be in the Army for the Great King
Make a difference in this generation for this nation...this is a call for all Christians residing in all nations. As we approach the Christmas season, we should be reminded that the reason we are here is to be that fragrance of the Lord to preserve our land.
Christmas has traditionally been a time of celebration. It is also an opportunity to share of how Love came down to be with us; how Love was expressed; how Love humbled Himself and gave His life for us. The Christmas story ends at Easter - Christmas is not complete without Easter and Easter cannot happen without Christmas.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
Christmas has traditionally been a time of celebration. It is also an opportunity to share of how Love came down to be with us; how Love was expressed; how Love humbled Himself and gave His life for us. The Christmas story ends at Easter - Christmas is not complete without Easter and Easter cannot happen without Christmas.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
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