Ministry Update August-September 2019

August began filled with activities. Our pastoral group (PG) went for a retreat in the Cameron Highlands. It was “play hard, eat hard, and work hard” time. Leaving campus on Fri afternoon, we arrived the famous waterfall along the Cameron Highlands road from Tapah. Though it was already evening and it was getting dark, the guys went for a swim. As the day grew dark, we were forced to pack. First stop-over was at an OA homestay, a relative of one of our PG team member. The next morning we proceeded to Brinchang. The weather was cold n refreshing. We spent the night in an apartment. The night half was eat n shop. But the next day was working hard day where we did STM Sunday in an Anglican Church in the morning half and a SIB church in the evening half. The third night was spent in the village church. It was almost like a blink of the eye and our 4-day 3 nights retreat was over.

Coming back to Seremban, I re-pack the necessary and prepare to travel to Sibu very early the next morning. It was to be a 4 full day of classes in Sibu n I had a very wonderful time there with a very fantastic group of pastors/church leaders. Saturday was a day of rest before Sunday with two services to preach at n I was quickly ushered to the airport to catch the flight back KL.

Catching my breathe for awhile, I had a preaching engagement in my “home” church in Cheras n the next weekend a speaking engagement in PJ. This week I can “relax” a bit as I’ve been given the assignment to be an observer in an apologetics/evangelism class.

This weekend will begin the first of 3 consecutive long weekends. So, it’s a pretty “lazy” month. Speaking engagement is only towards the end of the month. But activities pick up in October with many activities one after another. And that will be my update for next month. Kindly pray for the SAM Northern Centers. We have one graduate from Penang center who will be graduating with his certificate in Christian Ministry. In the meantime, I am exploring availability of teachers n begun drafting course schedules for next year. I hope to recruit new teachers – most importantly, local teachers.

Thank you for your partnership in ministry

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Ministry Update July-August 2019

So, July is concluding. It’s been a pretty busy month but just a precursor to a much busier August. But, possessing a “work-oriented” temperament, it certainly made me “alive.”

July quickly concluded after starting with a forum on “Theological Education at the Cross-road.” It is an interesting forum – raising issues we failed to pause to consider. Especially on issues we realized but never quite give it a thorough thought. In particular is the issue of Asian education venturing beyond Western frame-work. Another highlight of the month was the doctoral class I facilitated. It was an enriching opportunity to learn through the interactions n class discussions from participants who are leaders in their own ministry fields. I had to forego my plan to attend the Mount Murud Prayer Conference as it clashed with the doctoral class. Was very disappointed but I believe in God’s timing. Next year, the conference will be held in the valley instead of the mountain top. Perhaps, I should attend next year’s valley experience to build up the momentum to the mountain top experience the following year…

August will be another month with a jump-start. My pastoral group will be “playing hard and working hard” in Cameron Highlands. In the schedule are play, eat, n ministry. Coming back from CH, I will fly to Sibu for a week-long intensive class. I’m especially excited of this trip – will be meeting an old seminary course-mate, someone I’ve not met (except through FB) for, like 20 years?!

I will hv the opportunity to be a “student” in class later in the month. I will be observing a class on missions taught by a foreign lecturer. He wanted a local lecturer to sit-in so that the class can be repeated by a local person. So, missions…is me – new n flexible. The week will conclude with my first preaching engagement in my assigned-church! Yes, I’ve been moving here n there n finally preaching for the first time this year. Then, the next weekend will be a speaking engagement with the ladies in a PJ church. August will lead to a series of long weekends but that I will update next month.

In the meantime, the night classes in SAM Penang (Prai) should be concluding soon. Next class will be on children ministry. Elsewhere in SAM Ipoh (Tapah), the next intensive class is scheduled for September. The report I received from SAM Ipoh (Gopeng) is there were just 4 students in the recent class in Evangelism. Do join us in prayer. The proposed SAM national get-together had been called off due to conflicting schedules of all involved. Originally, it was planned for one of the long weekends in September.

As we prepare for the rest of the year, I invite your prayer partnership – the BM stream in STM; the SAM centers in Penang (Prai), Ipoh (Gopeng/Ipoh/Tapah); related OA work (partnership with urban churches). All ministries stand on the foundation of prayer. Kindly remember us in your prayers. Thank you

Blessings,

SBTan

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Ministry Update June-July 2019

Half a year passed by. The highlight of the month is definitely the Asia Gateway program. I was recruited at the last minute to replace a lecturer that was not able to come from overseas and it was truly divinely ordained. It was a batch of very fantastic participants. Mostly were key persons in missions/discipleship in their home countries. Somehow, the chemistry was right n it was a truly enjoyable one month.

June began with a retreat with my BM class in Port Dickson. There was a little hiccup with the apartment I booked n paid through booking.com but was not able to contact the property owner at all. But by God’s grace this was settled. Payment was returned n we got another apartment n had a blast! Coming back to campus, I assumed my assignment with the one-month Asia Gateway program. Participants were from India, Myanmar, n Nepal besides Malaysia. I had a lot of fun with them. In between was a preaching engagement Penang n a brief opportunity to meet friends. The Gateway program ended yesterday n I’m only slowly looking into the back-log. Though it was tiring having to juggle between this one-month program n my regular duties in STM, it was worth it as partnership, fellowship, n friendship was forged; passion imparted; vision birthed; network initiated.

Next month will see quite a bit of activities in campus. Besides regular classes, there will be a one-week intensive doctoral class I will be facilitating. There’s also a preaching engagement somewhere in the month. Though a bit relaxed, July will pave towards a heavy August.

Elsewhere in SAM Penang (Prai), the class in Intro to OT has commenced. Due to some schedule changes, the planned intensive module had to be cancelled. In the meantime, Tapah will only hv their next class in September.

Please continue to pray with n for us. Thank you for your partnership in ministry

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Ministry Update MayJune19: Ministry Update

4 main events took up the month of May. The first was the Leonard’s Personality Index (LPI) Trainers’ Training in early May. I enjoyed this as I’ve always enjoyed studying and analyzing personality n temperaments – a liking I developed since I learned from Dr J back in Seminary. It’s interesting to learn it from another perspective to understand personalities. The second exciting event was the arrival of my much awaited printed books! I have translated (from English to BM) many books but this was the first time I translated my own writing! Though I realize the current digital trend but it’s still good to see n feel my writing in printed form. With God’s grace I hope to write more books.

The next exciting event was the mission trip to Makassar. It’s been awhile since I led n participate in an overseas mission trip. Our schedule took us to both urban n rural ministries. Landing at the airport, we were ushered to the first ministry point at a rehab center before heading to our hotel. Weekend ministry began with the youth service in the evening on that Saturday; then Sunday service lined up with a 7.30am, 10.00am, n 4.00pm services including a children’s church simultaneously with the 10.00am service. At night we travel to the highlands – a 8.5-9 hours bus ride to Toraja. The 9pm bus only left the bus terminal at about 9.40pm n we arrived at our destination at about 6 plus the next morning. It was another 30 minutes or so car ride to the interior. Our first kampong visit was Leppan. The Toyota Unser we were in actually drove pass a small stream – Camel Adventure style! Resting awhile n getting acquainted, we started preparing for children ministry in the afternoon half, followed by a “revival meeting.” It rained so super heavy n the village was so super cold. (A quick check shows it is about 3000 m above sea level). But it touched me so deeply to discover several who attended the night meeting came from another village that took them about 2 hours of walk to arrive! Early the next morning was a 1.5 hours walk/hike to Kanan village. We repeat similar activities here – children ministry followed by “revival meeting” n it concluded with a feast of local Toraja delicacies courtesy of some villagers. The next morning we were greeted by some friends in a small GrandMax mini-van who were on the way back Makassar. So, 8 persons went into this vehicle n we went sight-seeing Toraja. Made 2 stops: one was Toraya Maelo to see the view of Tana Toraja n the famed huge statue of Jesus extending His hands to bless the city. The next stop was a coffee corner over-looking very fantastic view of the mountains. Returning from the highlands, we checked into the hotel. There was some mixed-up n we were put into suites! I opened my hotel room n there was a massage chair in it! After more than 9 hours ride in a small mini-van, the massage chair was so inviting! The next morning was a teaching session in a missions school followed by a visit to an orphanage. After dinner, my team n I met with a friend who treated us local desserts. The next morning was our final day n after a sumptuous breakfast of famous chicken porridge, we went souvenir shopping. Our final meal in Makassar was mi pangsit n we headed for the airport.

The following weekend, I headed south of the peninsular to JB for a teaching engagement. I was so pampered by delicious servings of authentic Sarawak Laksa. The final week of May I’m in campus to attend to class preparations (for next semester). However, with a quiet campus due to the break, I can’t get much done. I think it has something to do with the holiday mood in the air.

It’s the Keamatan/Gawai weekend followed by the Raya festivities. Lining up is the BM class retreat in PD during the Raya break. Returning for second semester, I hv an intensive class to teach. I’m excited at this as it is a missions class n I hardly get to teach on missions. Will greatly appreciate your partnership in prayer.

SAM center in Tapah had a class in May the week I was in Makassar. 49 students attended. Next class will be in September. In the meantime, the next class in Penang will commence soon.

Once again, thank you for your partnership in ministry.

Ministry Update AprMay19

So I’m into drinking “adult beverages”? It was a cheeky post on my FB wall, a picture of a 3-inch souvenir bottle of whisky from my tour of a distillery in Scotland two years ago. The responses told me who actually drink (hard liquor) and how many actually “know me.” I have deleted that post. Apparently, it’s “insensitive,” whatever that means.

April saw several movements. It began with a roadshow in JB/Pasir Gudang for the BM stream. Then there was a brief visit back Penang during the Good Friday weekend for mommy related matters. Coming back was a 4-day intensive class for some students requesting it n last Sunday was AGM in church.

I m looking forward to May. It began with a simple PG outing of JJCM (Jalan-jalan Cari Makan) then LPI certification training which will take 2 full-days in PJ. Semester 1 will conclude by end of next week n my team will fly 3.5 hours to Makassar for a mission trip. We will spend about a week there, ministering in both urban n rural contexts. Do remember us in prayer. There will be 5 of us in the team: myself n 4 students. Pray also for the local team that we will mutually bless each other along the one week we are there. It will be a quiet campus when we come back as it will be the first semester break till first week of June. But I hv a ministry engagement in JB last weekend of May. The BM class retreat is planned during the Raya holidays n we will be in PD for some “we time.”

SAM Penang in Prai is wrapping its first course n the next course will begin sometime in July I think. We will hold one intensive 1-week course as a trial-run. SAM Ipoh…I hv no idea what’s going on there with its participants a bit on the “unmotivated” mode. A few are joining the Tapah center but even that, not all of them are interested to submit the course requirements. Please pray with me for them. In particular the leaders as motivation should come from the top. The next class in Tapah is scheduled for mid May. It will take place during the time I’ll be away in Makassar, thus, I hv to give this one a miss. The local coordinator will attend to all its logistics. Pray that the 50 over participants who attended the module in early March will come again n motivated to complete the program.

Kindly join me to pray for the BM theological education ministry. The prospects are huge but few are capturing the passion n the vision. I invite you to be a part of this exciting ministry. Get acquainted with us because “tak kenal, maka tak cinta.”

Once again, thank you for your partnership in ministry

SBTAN

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