Trinitarian Worship To The Trinity

LT Jeyachandran will lead discussion on trinitarian worship in today's churches. This is based on the questions raised by Edward:

1. To what extend and how are church services explicitly trinitarian?

2. How important is it that the congregation should be conciously worshipping a trinitarian God?

3. In what ways our worship services can be improved so that we can work towards a more trinitarian-concious faith?


Venue: Orchard Road Presbyterian Church (Dhoby Ghaut MRT), Dunman Basement
Time: 7.30pm - 9.30pm
Date: 25th July 2007, Wednesday

Admission is free. For more info, please contact Joshua Woo @ 92366672

Fide Vitae Resources

Just to share with everyone the birth of a much needed christian resource centre, Fide Vitae Resources.

It has a good range of books at very good prices so there's now another avenue now for people to get books besides places like etulip, shalom or bethesdal!

Fide Vitae will be having a Dedication Prayer Service this saturday for the official launching of Fide Vitae Resources so if anyone' free please feel free to drop by for a time of fellowship.=)

A little about Fide Vitae:

We were all born into a state of crisis, initiated into a life not by choice with an intrinsic sinful nature, to be disobedient to God desiring only to do anything other than true goodness. This state spans a whole lifetime and at the end of it destined us into eternal condemnation. Yet within this lifetime is the window of opportunity during which we could be salvaged out of this doomed destiny solely by the undeserved grace of God which are given freely to those whom He has called and responded.

Fide Vitae Resources is set up to serve as a platform and one of the instrument for God to effect His divine purposes allowing us to become partakers of His divine plans in the name of our savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Resources are made readily available to those who hear His calling to affirm their faith so that the souls of repentance can come to rest in His heart. Activities and events are planned regularly in collboration with other co-workers to propagate His message of mercy and Love so that those who earnestly seek shall find. For the brethren who tread along the narrow path of light living by faith and yet clothed in mortal weakness, resources and seminars are organized to equip and arm ourselves so that we could loosen the grip of darkness in our remaining days emerging victorious to our Lord¡¦s glory in the end, serving as salt and light in the present era.

We will also integrate our activities with our social fabric to make cultural and lifestyle influences one of our objectives; so that our society would bear the nature of His grace. We should live our lives in super abundance which radiate the full glory of his grace; strive to seek and pursue justice and righteousness with love and compassion and bearing humility in our hearts at all time, sought to walk in step with God.Our logo serves to represent the spirit of our mission and living hope. The intrinsic sin which our life begins with shriveled waiting to be shed off as new life regenerates in the up-reaching leaflets fed solely by the five roots of our faith.

* Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
* Sola fide ("by faith alone")
* Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
* Solus Christus ("In Christ alone")
* Soli Deo gloria ("Glory to God alone")

It is our hope that the germination process would mature into a glorious tree bearing the fruits of Love grounded on a solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Project Timothy 26-27 Oct Evening Expositions : Nehemiah - The Triumph and Failure of Reformation by DA Carson

Time to mark your calendars everyone :)

For more details, click here
To download the flyer and registration form, click here. (early birds who register before 1st Oct gets a discount)

http://www.projecttimothy.com/homepage.htm

A Hero In Our Midst

Alvin Ung, iBridge article
February 7, 2003

The Bible tells us to listen carefully to wise counsel. "He who walks with the wise grows wise," says the writer of Proverbs. That’s why, when I arrived at Regent College in Vancouver, I signed up for J.I. Packer’s class immediately.

Jim Packer, 77, is best known for Knowing God, a book which has sold more than three million copies. He has written more than a hundred other books. Teacher, scholar and pastor, Packer has brought about a renaissance in Christian thinking. He has weighed in on just about every major discussion on both sides of the Atlantic, and continues to do so. But what strikes me most is how he consistently strives to honor God.

A Holy Encounter

My wife and I didn’t see Packer during our first few days at Regent. Then one gray morning (and there are many such mornings in Vancouver), an old man in a khaki trench-coat strode through the frontdoors. Huey Fern spotted him.

“Look, it’s J. I. Packer!” a student gasped. Those who were reading looked up. The talking stopped. Heads swiveled and a silence fell across the atrium as people craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the world-famous theologian. He had white wisps of hair on his sloping forehead which contrasted sharply against a tweed jacket and dark green pants.

He loped across the atrium, shoulders hunched from carrying a sheaf of notes in one hand and a battered leather briefcase in the other. As quickly as he appeared, he disappeared. The students at Regent call such encounters "a holy moment."


The Gift of God’s Presence

It amazes me how one man can evoke such a powerful sense of God’s presence. It’s not hero worship. While his works may line bookshelves and fill our church libraries, it is the impact he has made on countless Christians that sets him apart. He has transformed many, simply by pursuing the knowledge of God all his life, and then pointing the way for others to follow.

“The supreme gift that anyone can give another is to help that person live life more aware of the presence of God,” writes David Benner in Sacred Companions. “Sacred companions help us remember that this is our Father’s world. They help us hear his voice, be aware of his presence and see his footprints as we walk through life. In doing so, they make the journey sacred.”

Dr. Packer isn’t the only one who can help us be more aware of God. We are surrounded by many such people. I call them ordinary heroes. They aren’t always larger than life, the way Dr. Packer may appear to be, but they are certainly people who have demonstrated God’s love.


Connecting with Ordinary Heroes

In my column, Ordinary Heroes, I will profile ten people – young and old, broken and saintly – who have impacted the lives of many people. In conversations with them, my heart is stirred and God is present in our exchanges. They inspire me. They have changed my life. And most of all they have connected with me.

These heroes aren’t perfect. They’ve made mistakes and continue to struggle with temptation. I hope that as I write about their lives, you may identify with them. I hope that we find courage and hope from the living stories that God has authored.

The apostle John says that we have met God when we encounter those love God and love us: “No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us.”

Gordon T. Smith, twenty-first century theologian and author of Courage and Calling, puts it differently:

“God is only God in communion, and the bond is made of love ... Our capacity to love God and one another – to live as interconnected beings – is a primary dynamic of who we are, reflecting God's image.”

I pray that God will fill our hunger for friendships and human connections. May we find an intimacy that reflects the love and completeness in God himself.

Reflection

1. Is there someone in your life that you look up to?
2. What are the qualities/strengths in him/her that you admire? How do these strengths reflect your own desire to grow?
3. Take a moment today to thank your hero. Write an email or a letter, or pick up the phone to tell the person how he/she has made a difference in your life.

Interview: LT Jeyachandran (RZIM)

By Ranee Quirey Published 10/2/2005

How did you come to know the Lord?

I was 19 years old when I grappled with issues of morality. I realized that I was in need of God's forgiveness. That led me to search and seek for answers. I had been fascinated in my studies in engineering, mathematics and physics. We had meaningful interactions that led us to asking questions related to our faith.

In fact, I encourage people that the best way to learn is to ask questions of those with whom you are sharing the Gospel, about their own belief system - that teaches you alot.

How do you connect with God on a daily basis?

I spend my time using a book of hymns, followed by a book of poems written by a Christian but based on secular living. What may be unusual is I do not distinguish between the devotional and Bible study. Generally, we are taught that "quiet times" and "Bible study" are distinct from each other. Having grown up in an integrated environment, I have applied the principles in my Christian walk. I do not separate the secular from the spiritual. Therefore, I have found integrating the devotional and academic essential, making no attempts to separate the two.

Who are your mentors?

Two gentlemen - one is my father-in-law, who is a doctor and an ordained minister. The other is a gentleman in his 70's who works for FES. Both of them encouraged me in my world of work, and the thought of the corn of wheat, which is essentially the principle of dying to self and living for Christ - I was God's ambassador right there in the engineering field.

Could you describe what your ministry entails?

Our main interest is to fulfill the Lord's commandment through the Great Commission, for which we employ the method of apologetics. How do we practically do this? We train the believers. We conduct direct open forums, making a presentation of the Gospel at pre-evangelistic meetings, providing a Christian worldview.

Should everyone be involved in Apologetics?

Philippians 1:7 suggests that all believers are to be partakers in the defense of the Gospel. However, it is not necessary for everyone to employ the methodology of apologetics. Apologetics is useful for all believers, but not everyone needs to be involved in it.

What are the keys to fulfilling the Great Commission?

We need to develop a genuine concern for people. We need to be more people-oriented versus program-oriented. We seem to be far more interested in the methodology, gadget and media aspects of the programs. This causes fragmentation. W e seem to have reduced Christianity to a whole lot of formulas for problem solving. I think life is far more complex than that.

We are far more complex than that. It requires being involved and relating one to another. Some of the methods are useful, but I normally suggest using the broad Biblical pattern, then let each person work out his or her own technique - there are some very good books on this subject. I think we have a weakness in this particular area - choosing quick fixes, versus allowing God to work through each one of us patiently. God takes His time. I believe very much in being committed to God and to His people.

Could you share your secrets of savouring life?

I have been very much fascinated with God and His people. Consider how He is intimately involved in all of life's affairs - the beauty of the Creator and His Creation. I have often used humour in daily living - humour is a part of the image of God, and I believe that God has made all things for us enjoy.

What would you advise our readers?

I would encourage them to embark on a journey of searching and seeking God.

Dave: LT has given the following messages at CDPC, which are good reads from the perspective of someone with extensive experience conversing with Muslims and Hindus in India and around the world.

What is God Like?
What is Truth?
Why Christ Alone?

Money Can Buy You Happiness?

By Fook Meng, a lawyer practising in Melaka

According to an article in the August 2002 issue of Reader's Digest, money can buy you happiness. Economists at the University of Warwick have found that a simple injection of cash is all it takes to make you happy. However, to shift an average person from the bottom of the happiness scale to the top takes a hefty USD 1.5 million, though even USD1,500 can perk you up temporarily. However, the researchers are keen to stress that money is not necessarily the easiest route to contentment. A happy marriage, for example, is the equivalent of USD 105,000.00 a year, good health is worth USD 300,000.00 a year, while the misery of unemployment cannot be alleviated for less than USD60,000.00.

Dr Tony Evans said that there are several tests to determine whether we are giving an unhealthy and unGodly focus on money:

1. Am I discontent with the blessings God had given in my life ?

2. Am I trying to buy the happiness, peace and tranquilty which only God can give ?

3. Am I hoarding money for myself and for self aggrandizement purposes ?

4. Am I failing to utilize my earthly resources for heavenly purposes ?

5. Do I see myself as the owner of the things in my life instead of being a steward of God's possessions ?

6. When there is a conflict between money and God, who wins ?

The Bible teaches us that there is no correlation between economics and a person's happiness. As a matter of fact, in the Bible, Jesus seems to suggest that people who are desperate, poor and oppressed have "God's preferential treatment". The lepers, the widows, the sick, the woman caught in adultery, the children, featured prominently in the gospel narratives.

James tells us that "God had chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom". ( James 2 v 5 ) Why ? Perhaps those who are rich and powerful and who have all the human connections will rarely sense the need for God. The characteristics which are precious to God, like holiness, humility, brokenness, compassion, are always more elusive to the rich and famous. On the other hand, the poor and really desperate, who have no hope in the riches of the world, are much more ready to turn to God for they have nothing to lose.

Are you feeling poor, not having enough of the world's riches ? Perhaps God had chosen you to be rich in faith.

I have a feeling that people who are at the top of the happiness scale are rich people... people who are rich in the faith and heirs of an eternal Kingdom. I want to belong to that category. And I don't need USD 1.5 million to get there.

Peace,
Fook Meng, GCF icommentary

Honoring God In Our Occupations

Listen to these voices:

"I am stuck in this boring job because I need the money."

"I am too exhausted at the end of a working day to pursue spiritual activities."

"I cannot see any spiritual connection between my faith and my job."

"Work is a necessary evil in a fallen world."


I acknowledge that there are marketplace Christians who are fully engaged and contributing in a God honouring way through their secular jobs. But, my guess is that they are few in number. The majority of us struggle hard in fleshing out our faith in the "real world". Many mornings, I start out the day with an intention of hallowing my work by making it a sacrifice to God. But more often than not, by mid morning, as I am swamped with e mails, phone calls and meetings, my spiritual desires quickly slipped away and I succumb to the tyranny of the urgent. How then can I honour God in my occupation?

I got a useful tip on practicing God's presence at the workplace while reading Phillip Yancey's Rumours of Another World. Yancey wrote:

"Martin Luther saw the potential calling in any kind of work. "Even dirty and unpleasant work, such as shoveling manure or washing diapers, is pure and holy work if it comes from a pure heart," he said. Luther urged ordinary folk - farmer, milkmaids, butchers and cobblers - to perform their work as if God himself was watching. Luther was, in effect, bringing two worlds together, reading God into everyday life."

Yancey helped me to see that the mundane tasks that comprise my day are significant parts of a meaningful pattern in God's view. And, while it is difficult to practice, he also helped me to see lasting value in each of my mundane tasks.

I reviewed my previous work week and asked myself certain questions. Did I perform my routine tasks like signing letters, drafting documents and doing legal research with an awareness that God was watching me? Did I treat my colleagues, my clients and my professional peers with the attention they deserve? What was my inner spirit like - stressed, anxious, irritable or peaceful, contented and joyful? Sharing a joke over lunch, contributing an idea in a meeting, visiting a colleague whose father passed away - were these acts done for Christ?


When I began to see the potential of honouring God in every working day, I realized afresh that marketplace Christians are placed in strategic positions to influence the world for Christ. There are people and organizations that God wants to reach through each one of us. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are willing to be faithful witnesses every single day in the marketplace?

Wong Fook Meng
GCF iCommentary

认识圣经的圣灵观 : 圣灵与我, 圣灵与教会, 圣灵与敬拜赞美

你愿求圣灵充满，由祂掌管你的一生？
圣灵是谁？《圣经》在圣灵方面有什么清楚的教导？
圣灵所赐的能力是什么？为什么目的赐下？
圣灵的充满是指什么？我应追求吗？
哪些灵是从基督而来？
请参加为教会与信徒而设的公开聚会﹕

认识《圣经》的圣灵观

讲员：林慈信牧师，中华展望总干事
日期：2007年6月18-20日（星期一至星期三）
地点: 11 Lorong 25A Geylang (near to Aljunied MRT).
XI AN House 锡安楼 2nd Floor Hall.

第一讲：2007年6月18日（星期一) 圣灵与我
时间 : 7.30 – 10.00 pm

1. 圣灵的重要性；「灵」、「圣灵」、「属灵」、「灵界」的意义
2. 「基督的灵」：圣灵的位格
3. 如何理解圣灵工作﹕圣灵继续耶稣基督的工作，和圣父的工作
4. 旧约中圣灵的工作
5. 圣灵与救恩﹕施行救赎的灵
6. 圣灵与圣洁7. 小结：20世纪《威敏斯特信仰告白》增订部份：「论圣灵」

第二讲：2007年6月19日（星期二) 圣灵，《圣经》与教会
时间 : 7.30 – 10.00 pm

1.圣灵的降临 : 五旬节是救赎历史里新的一章. 教会的开始五旬节的教会充满着非超自然性的圣灵恩赐, 是治理性的管教.圣灵的降临, 充满, 浇灌, 洗有什么不同.
2. 圣灵的恩赐
3. 圣灵与《圣经》
4. 灵恩运动 : 定义,特点, 发展(第一、二、三波灵恩运动)
灵恩运动在教会和信徒中的影响
神学反省 : 我们怎样去回应灵恩派人士对我们的批判（批评我们忽略圣灵）﹕若正确了解救赎论，基督论与圣经论，就不会认为忽略圣灵.

第三讲：2007年6月20日（星期三) 圣灵与敬拜赞美
时间 : 7.30 – 10.00 pm

21世纪的教会，常常觉得必须在所谓「传统圣诗」与「当代敬拜赞美」之间作一个选择。这种二分法的观点正确吗？合乎《圣经》吗？成熟吗？

1. 旧约和新约圣经关於敬拜的教义
2. 当代敬拜赞美的起源与历史重要性：圣灵一直在光照教会，两千年的教会历史，已经留下宝贵的属灵遗产给我们作为敬拜与赞美的资源。我们的态度是﹕所有教会历史上的属灵遗产，我们都要筛选最好的，为了教会的成熟来选择性使用。
3. 实例

http://www.fideevan.org

Christ Followers in KiasuLand

Have you met any "kiasus" ( Hokkien word to describe someone who is afraid of losing) recently? It's really easy to spot one. Some characteristics of "kiasus" are:

Their favourite words are "Me", "Myself", "Mine" and "I" in big bold capital letters.

They make choices solely on the basis of what benefits them the most.

They are resistant to the fact that anyone can be better than them.

They want to win at all cost, even willing to sacrifice integrity, relationships and health at the altar of success.

If you have problems finding a "kiasu", let me tell you a place where you can likely find one. Look at the mirror! Jab! Jab! Ouch! That's painful, isn't it? But it is so terribly true. Let's admit it. We live in a "me" era. However, many of us are sophisticated enough to mask our "kiasuism" with subtle packaging. Our pride is called ambition. Our greed is named "hunger for growth". Our seeking for fame and popularity is hidden under the veneer of "marketing our talents and skills".

Don't get me wrong. I am not anti – growth or anti- competition.

Godly stewardship of our marketplace position entails a strong focus on productivity, growth and profitability. However, my concern is that we may focus entirely on self interested motivations and on winning at all cost that we end up being another "kiasu" in kiasuland. Surely, our calling as marketplace Christians should compel us to see beyond salaries, profitability and increasing of
market share.

Laura Nash in her book "Believers in Business", noted a covenantal approach among some evangelicals to the competitive drive in business. In a covenantal approach, the first question asked is not, How much money did we make? but How is the customer faring? In other words, the primary purpose of Christians in the marketplace is the creation of value for others. In Philippians 2 v 4, the Bible said, "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." That seems to be a value creating call to me. And, it is also a warning against "kiasuism".

I'll end with some questions on how we can create value for others:

In your workplace, what does it mean to be more of a giver than a taker when it comes to adding value to your organization?

Is your organization a better place to work because you are on the payroll?

If Christ were to have your job, how would He create value for your bosses, peers, subordinates, clients and society at large?

As Christ followers, let's focus on creating value for others. It's the antidote to being a self seeking "kiasu".

Wong Fook Meng
Graduate Christian Fellow i-Commentary

Inconvenient Truth: Global Warming

Elder Kee Huat was the Director of National Energy Commission, which provided him a unique perspective into the issue of global warming and creation care. Last Sunday, he gave an informative and passionate plea for action to the Church.

The Powerpoint slides would provide some research data he compiled, painting a grim picture of current situation that requires our response. Towards the end, he gave a Christian response similar to the Creation, Stewardship sections of the Lausanne Evangelical Commitment to Simple Lifestyle document.

He also draws resources from Richard Foster's Discipline of Simplicity for personal application:

"The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions. Neither the greedy nor the miserly know this liberty.

If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety.

However, if what we have we believe we have got, and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety."

What are some outward expressions of Simplicity?

- Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
- Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
- Develop a habit of giving things away: de-accumulate
- Refuse to be duped by gadgetry: time saving devices almost never save time.
- Learn to enjoy things without owning them: beach, parks public libraries...
- Develop a deeper appreciation for creation. Walk whenever you can, smell the
flowers, watch birds.
- Develop plain simple talk.
- Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
- Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the Kingdom of God.

Resurrection In Each Morning

We dont usually remind ourselves of who we are when we wake up every morning. We dont really need to remind ourselves of our name, address, mobile number. We dont do that unless we are suffering from some kind of memory-loss disease. Those who have watched Momento will be reminded of the memory-lost protagonist who had his body tatooed so that he will know what he should do in each day.

Do Christians need tatoos to remind ourselves of our identity?

We might had weird and un-Christian dreams over the night or there are armies of sub-human desires and visions charging towards us when we gain our consciouness each morning. Do we jump off the bed, kneel down and ask for forgiveness and strength? Usually we dont. We just dont take those early desires and visions seriously because we know those are of our carnal, fleshy, fallen nature. But on the dark side, we tend to keep-safe these demons. Can't we have a break? Why such dreadful angelic war in morning?

Anyway, it is our own choice whether to struggle or to give in. The ideal is that the moment we ignore them, push them away, we are just about to start our day. And we have to keep doing this for most morning in this short period of living. Is that it? No, not that simple. Each action that we take bear more and deeper meaning than we usually know. By prayers and struggles, we are reminded of who we are, not by our name but by our personhood. When we wake up, we exercise our personhood to identified ourselves with the death and resurrection of Jesus. When we slept, we died, when we wake up, we resurrect.

In this way, each morning is a resurrection morning. We woke up with our resurrected identity. We dont need tatoos! All we need to do is to push the tomb stone away. Yes, push the carnal dreams, desires, and visions away.

Each morning, we know not only our name, address and mobile number, but also our personhood. With that, we walk out of our bed as Jesus walk out from the tomb, continuing the work the resurrection had inaugurated.

So, good morning.

Two Paths Of Obedience

Two Paths Of Obedience by Dr Goh Chee Leong, an article written for Graduate Christian Fellowship

I think all of us as Christians agree that our responsibility above all things is to follow where God leads us. We all believe in divine guidance, even though they may be differences in how God chooses to communicate this guidance to us. The more difficult challenge of course is not discerning His will but having the strength to submit to His call when it is revealed.

We realize of course that God's calling will lead all of us in different directions. Some may be called to take the path of upward mobility while others will be called to head south.

The Path of Upward Mobility

There are ample examples in the Bible of God placing key people in key positions. Both the stories of Daniel and Joseph provide good models of God developing young leaders and then empowering them to wield Godly influence at key moments in history. Many sermons have
been preached on the need for committed Christians in positions of leadership in all areas of society and industry. God's name is glorified when his servants of high profile reflect His attributes of love, grace, holiness and integrity.

Some among us may be called to this high road of power and influence. Of course, men like Joseph and Daniel never sought power as an end; rather they pursued righteousness and received power quite unexpectedly as a result of God's provision. As their examples
demonstrated, God will tests these potential leaders and only give them power when they have proven faithful and obedient in the smaller tasks. He does this for good reason, for power and wealth, as we know, corrupts.

God has blessed some of us with talents and gifts of intellect that will no doubt enable us to climb the corporate and social ladder as far as we wish to go. We work hard and are committed to transcend mediocrity. This success is not a bad thing in itself, for God may indeed have designs to use us as leaders and people of influence and power. However, those who are called to this high road thread a dangerous path indeed. Many have lost their souls trying to serve both God as well as their personal ambitions. There is a fine but clear line between being driven by a desire to obey and being driven by the desire to succeed. Mother Theresa once remarked; "God has not
called me first and foremost to be successful. He has called me to be faithful."

The young Christian graduate who sets out with the genuine desire to earn wealth in order to support God's kingdom may at some point be so obsessed with achieving his goal that he forgets the motive behind it. This moral tension becomes more apparent when faced with ethical
dilemmas that pit following God versus corporate success.

I recently remarked to a college CF that we should start inviting more speakers who have the experience of being held back or fired from their jobs because they chose to follow God rather than their own ambitions. We should remember that Joseph was held back for quite awhile in his "political career" (due to his faithfulness) before he rose to the lofty positions he finally held.

The Path of Downward Mobility

It was Henri Nouven who taught me the phrase downward mobility. His own life of course reflected this thinking. A famous professor of theology at the peak of his academic career at an ivy league university, Nouven heeded God's call to abandon all fame, fortune, power and influence to serve as a Priest to a mentally disabled community for the remainder of his life. God had called him not be upwardly mobile but like Christ to lower himself in the eyes of society so that he could be closer to God.

Some of us will be called to walk this road of downward mobility. It will lead us away from the limelight and places of profile to the quiet corners of this world where God's plan is no less important. It will lead to sharp drops in the key performance indicators (KPIs)
that are used by this generation to measure success. People while openly stating their admiration for our commitment will behind our backs quietly remark "what a waste of talent."

This is the path of John the Baptist, the old-testament prophets like Jeremiah and Isaiah, and most of the apostles like Paul and Peter. It is the path of missionaries, social workers and Christian workers. It is a call to free ourselves from the wealth and position that so
often limits mobility and time. It is not the road reserved for those who cannot "make it" up the upwardly mobile path, it is certainly not the consolation prize for those who lack talents to succeed in other professions. Some of us are called to this path simply because it is
God's will and part of God's larger design.

Conclusion

The Kingdom of God needs young men and women in both these paths; the one that leads to high profile leadership and the other that leads down the social ladder. God places equal emphasis on each. There is no thought of which is greater than the other. As Paul remarks, we
have been given different gifts in order to play different roles.
All roles are important in God's church.

The question is whether we are on the path God has called us to, and if we are, are we being faithful in playing the role God wants us to play.

Dr Goh Chee Leong

Money Not Enough

GCF i-commentary: In 1998, Jack Neo released his popular movie, "Money Not Enough" during the throes of the financial crisis. Whether or not one has watched the movie, the title will strike a chord with many of us at one time or another.

The price of almost everything is going in only one direction: UP. Things are getting more expensive these days, from food items to petrol and even to ASTRO bills (ASTRO has become almost a basic necessity for some of us). If only Christians can buy lottery tickets and have a shot at the jackpot. All of us can use some extra cash (just kidding).

The Bible has a lot to say about money matters. In 1 Timothy 6 v 6, the Bible says that "godliness with contentment is great gain".

Contentment is a famous lost word. In a culture where novelty has become a norm, all of us have to struggle against the lie that "bigger, newer and faster are better!" We are bombarded with constant advertising from all over the place telling us that our life is not complete unless we live in a bigger house and drive a fancier
car and invest in that high yielding portfolio. Contentment? That is something reserved for mystics who spend their days meditating in caves, not for urban dwellers like us who have a "modern standard of living" to maintain. Yet, we all know the well worn phrase, "things cannot buy happiness". Still, we yearn for more stuff that this world can offer, always chasing that elusive fulfillment that the next purchase may bring.

This quote from Herbert Schlossberg stopped me in my tracks recently: "All true needs, such as food, drink, and companionship, are satiable.Illegitima te wants - pride, envy, greed - are insatiable. By their very nature they cannot be satisfied. In that sense, materialism is the opium of the people. Enough is never
enough. Greater quantities are required for satisfaction and each increment proves inadequate the next time."

After reflecting on this quote, I resolved to be a more contented person and focus on legitimate needs. I realized afresh that I do not really need much stuff to get by in this life. True needs are satiable. I can eat a simple plate of "chap fan" and be truly satisfied. I can drink local "kopi O" instead of splurging on a RM10
coffee to quench my thirst. I can drive my wife's Kelisa and reach my destination (since when does transportation become a symbol of success?). When life is simple and we are freed from the tentacles of materialism, we can focus on finding true fulfilment and satisfaction in a growing and vibrant relationship with Christ. It's true that money is not enough. All the money in the world is not enough to give
us a sense of purpose and direction in life. Only Christ can do that.

When we have Christ and we learn to live simply and contently, that is great gain!

Christ is Enough,
Wong Fook Meng

Christianity and Word Religion/Culture

2007 Reformed Evangelical Seminar,Singapore

Christianity &World Religion and Culture

Dates :

17 May 2007 (Thursday) 7.30pm-10.00pm

18 May 2007 (Friday) 7.30pm-10.00pm
19 May 2007 (Saturday) 6.00pm- 8.00pm (5.00pm-6.00pm Q &A)
20 May 2007 (Sunday) 7.30pm-10.00pm

Speaker : Rev Dr Stephen Tong

Interpreter : Elder Yong Teck Meng (Mandarin with English Translation)

Location : Newton Life Church, 200 Keng Lee Road, S30841o

Culture and Contextualization of the Gospel

Statement of Faith

We believe in...

1. The one true God who lives eternally in three persons—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2. The love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.

3. The divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God—infallible and fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.

4. The dignity of all people, made male and female in God's image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement.

5. The incarnation of God's eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.

6. The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.

7. The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.

8. The justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.

9. The ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.

10. The Church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers—given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit's gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.

11. The personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.


Agora Singapore's Statement of Faith is the expressed core beliefs of the group. This Statement serves the purpose of directing the group along its vision and function as ambassador, witnessing to both the people of God and pre-believers. This revised Statement of Faith is adopted from the Evangelical Alliance.

Intelligent Design: Science or Faith

An Open Forum
Panelists: Prof Guillermo Gonzalez, Dr Jay Richards,
Prof K.O Lee, Mr LT Jeyachandran
Moderator: Dr Lawrence Chia
Date: 24th May 2007, Thursday
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: St. Andrew's Cathedral, 11, St. Andrew's Road


A Public Meeting: Darwinianism & Intelligent Design
Speaker: Dr Jay Richards
Date: 25th May 2007, Friday
Venue: St. Andrew's Cathedral, 11, St. Andrew's Road

Guillermo Gonzalez is an Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Iowa State University, He received his Ph.D. in Astronomy in 1993 from the University of Washington. He has done post-doctoral work at the University of Texas, Austin and at the University of Washington and has received fellowships, grants and awards from such institutions as NASA, the University of Washington, Sigma Xi (scientific research society) and the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Gonzalez has extensive experience in observing and analyzing data from ground-based observatories, including work at McDonald Observatory, Apache Point Observatory and Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory. He has also published over sixty articles in refereed astronomy and astrophysical journals including Astronomy and Astrophysics, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Astrophysical Journal and Solar Physics. His current research interest in astrobiology focuses on the "Galactic Habitable Zone" and captured the October 2001 cover story of Scientific American.

Jay W. Richards is Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute in Seattle. He received his Ph.D. with honors in philosophy and theology from Princeton Theological Seminary, where he was formerly a Teaching Fellow.

He is the author of many academic articles, popular essays, and op-eds, on topics as diverse as science, philosophy, and theology. He is editor and contributor, with William A. Dembski, of Unapologetic Apologetics: Meeting the Challenges of Theological Studies (InterVarsity Press, 2001), editor and contributor with George Gilder of Are We Spiritual Machines?: Ray Kurzweil vs. the Critics of Strong AI (Discovery Institute Press, 2002), and author of The Untamed God: A Philosophical Exploration of Divine Perfection, Immutability, and Simplicity (InterVarsity Press, 2003).

RZIM Reasonable Faith Conference 2007@Melaka

Question: Who are we?

Answer: We are people of God who were on our way to Melaka(!) for RZIM's Reasonable Faith 2007 conference on 13th April 2007.

Question: Er...... i mean the names of those that went to Melaka...

Answer: Ohh... Joshua Woo, Benjamin Ho, Darren Chow, Howard Zhen Hao, Mejlina, Joanne Yap, Serene Huang, God the Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit.


Question: Where were we?

Answer: At first, we were at Arab Street bus terminal. At about 8am, the bus took off from Arab Street bus terminal to Tuas second link. Then the Immigration checkpoint. First the Singapore checkpoint, then the Malaysia checkpoint, then the bus stopped at a rest-station for the passengers to relief themselves a little before going on to....



Question: er.... i mean where were we when these pictures were being taken...

Answer: Ohh... we were in the bus....Everybody were enthusiastic and energized. Some were chatting, some were reading, some was taking pictures...some were...well...sabbath.

As Darren was busy following all the lyrics from his MP3 player, Mejlina was busy sharing her enriching experiences with Howard Zhen Hao. On the other seats, Joanne was too caught up reading Zoe Tay's second pregnancy while Serene was meditating with her eyes closed, in a lotus position.

Anyway, after 4 hours of sitting still and trying our best at controlling ourselves from the 'shoes-throwing games' in the bus, we managed to reach safely at about 11.30am.

At Melaka Sentral, autonomously, we spilt roles and responsibility. Howard Zhen Hao and I went to look for return tickets to Singapore while the rest look for lunch venue. After enquiring all the ticketing counters, thank God, we managed to get the tickets!

On their side, they managed to find an A&W restaurant. Too bad, i didn't take any picture there.

After lunch, we took 2 cabs to Hotel Puri. Darren, Mejlina and me got into one, while the rest had to squeezed themselves into another. The journey from Melaka Sentral to the hotel took us 10-15 minutes. This is the hotel main entrance.

TADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok... that's Howard Zhen Hao. This is his first time joining RZIM's conference, so please be patient with his enthusiasm.

After cooling himself down, Howard Zhen Hao joined in the queue to register and settle the payment for the conference. Total cost for the conference is SGD 160. And that includes accomodation, meals, and a RZIM's file!

The lady in pink is Dorothy and the gentleman in green is Brian. Mejlina was so happy that she couldn't stop smilling. Guess she was very happy to have arrived at the long anticipated conference.






After settling all those important paperworks, all of us were assigned to our rooms. I got Ben to be my roomate for the weekend. That means besides apologetics, postmodernism, existentialism, pluralism, philosophy of science, movie criticism, historical Jesus, Islam, and where to have the Melaka chicken rice, we learnt how to live with one another (especially how to cover your ears when your roomate snores).

The room was nice. It's clean and......... well, clean.



These are the toiletries. As i had guessed, the hotel provides 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner. It's convenient to use because you can shampoo and condition your hair at the same time.

Question: What? At the same time? Huh.. you mean you used 2-in-1 shampoo conditioner?

Answer: Yes, why?

Question: AHHH idiot! Shampoo are negatively charged and dries up hair by removing the positive charges, dirt, and oil. Conditioner is positively charged and moiturizes. How can the lotion be drying up and moisturizing your hair at the same time?

Answer: *grasp*.. ok... no wonder the frizzly hair..but I had no choice. I didn't bring my own lotion.

Anyway, let's move on. Life is more than having healthy hair... So after resting for 30 minutes or so, the conference started with an opening ceremony. I'Ching gave us a preview of the 3 days, 2 nights conference and LT introduced the speakers (philosopher Stuart McAllister and historian John Dickson) and talked a little bit (I'm sure LT can go beyond the mere 1 hour 15 mins) on the whole idea of conference's title 'Jesus Among Other Lords'.

After that, we had our 1st Bible studies session on the book of Ecclesiastes. Stuart had us amazed with his profound skill of fusing existentialism, postmodernism and the message of Ecclesiastes to bring out the idea of evangelism and apologetic in current cultures.

After that BS session, it was workshop time! I'd chosen to join I'Ching's Communicating Jesus In Pluralistic Society workshop. She facilitated the group well and had us discussed and shared among ourselves the struggles and problems that we faced in evangelism and apologetics. I raised a question on one of her passing remark. She said that the existence of evil and suffering is an indication for the existence of God. My question was, how is that so? She answered briefly. Briefly not due to her lack of comprehension but because the topic is too big to be confined within a few minutes of sharing. Thus yesterday, when i visited RZIM office to collect the conference receipts, she commended Douglas Geivett's Evil & The Evidence For God to my reading. I grasped when i found out that it's published by Temple University Press. (i grasped even as i'm typing this).

After the workshop, we had our break and guess what, it's dinner time. Here is the picture of the place we had our breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

All meals are buffet-served. I had lots of watermelon, papaya, and honeydew during that weekend because need those vitamins to sustain myself as healthy and as heuristic as i can.

After dinner and rest we get to relax a bit through the movie and discussion session. They showed existentialist Ingmar Bergman's The Devil's Eye. Finally i know who is Don Juan.

After the movie, Darren, Mejlina, Ben, Howard, and I went out to stroll around the night scene in Melaka. Nothing much to do and nothing much to see. We just spent our time at the night market.

The next morning, we had Stuart to lead us in the 2nd session on the book of Ecclesiastes. After that, John Dickson took over the conference for his session. His led us to examined the identity of Jesus Christ by historical approaches. Though the presentation seems to be down-to-earth 'historical' and not philosophical at all (because it lacks 'philosophical terms' such as trinitarianism & etc), but to those who are aware, the entire project of historical quest for the real Jesus is no less philosophical, if not more. Methodologies, philosophical assumptions, and hermeneutics proper are the 'undersea cables' in this project.

During lunch time, i dont know whose idea was it to have Melaka chicken rice. So the group went out to town and walk about 10 minutes to reach this restaurant. While waiting for the chicken and the rice, we took pictures. This picture is when Mejlina is taking the group's photo. Oh yea... Dave Chong had just arrived to join us for lunch.

We were surprised when we find out that our drinks weren't served, by the restaurant's employee but by someone from another restaurant. Do u see what's going on? This is 'Outsourcing'! The restaurant has outsourced its beverages business!

Check these out: Fish ball?? Sotong ball?? Beef ball?? Prawn ball?? Or pork ball??

NO, NO, NO, NO, NAY

It's RICE ball!!! Yes, i was as shocked as you (referring to those who are shocked) when i found out. I thought these were fish ball and i kept waiting for my rice to be served until Joanne and Serene enlightened me.

After lunch, the Agorians head back to the cafe in the hotel for a management meeting. We discussed stuffs that have been hovering over our minds since the past week. Dave started the meeting with the vision and focus of the group, while we were holding our tongues in waiting for him to finish so that we can have our turn. The meeting went well. Settled most of the major issues.

Next we head for workshop. I went for John Dickson's Islam-The Truth Behind The Headlines. He presented clearly the Islamic view of Christianity and those unjustifiable caricatures made by Christians on Islam. He went on to teach us how to dialogue and have casual talk with Muslims about Christ.

After his workshop, i went to LT's Spirit of Science. He facilitated the group into thinking about the enterprise of science, from pre-modern to modern. He had us examined some of the philosophical assumption underlie sciences.

Before dinner, there was a session by I'Ching. Her interesting sharing titled "Happiness: Mastercard or Visa".

After came out from the conference room, we began to be aware of the underlying philosophies of advertisements and commercial marketing tactics. To think about it, the current cool 'trend' is nothing more than the projections of some marketing genuises into the society. They manipulate humans' desires and longing to make us products-driven.

In the evening, after dinner, we watched another movie. This is a good one. Really a good movie! After the movie, we hang out at the hotel's lounge, talked until 12.20mn. Was tired. No wonder felt some fatigue at times in the weekend. But it's alright. Nothing is better than laughing, joking, and sharing with friends. After that, the Singaporean Agorians took this picture at the corridor.If you dont know who is who, figure out yourself.

After that, we laid our tired shells to rest. Before i knew it, my mobile's alarm rang. The last day of the conference...

We had our final session on Ecclesiastes after our breakfast, followed by John Dickson's Jesus Then & Now before lunch. Then another session by John on Pluralism and Christian faith titled 'Religion Roulette: How Can We Know For Sure?' before the closing session.

The conference ended at about 3.30pm. Everyone was exchanging emails and contacts. Everyone was heavy-hearted to come to the end of the enriching conference in that warm afternoon. Group photos were taken to be kept down the memory lane :)

More pictures here

T-Chat: Theology Proper 2 download

Here's the recording of the recent T-Chat session by LT (2nd session) for those who weren't there.

Click here to download. (you'll be directed to a page where u need to enter the verification numbers at the top right hand corner, after that just wait for a while and it will start to download.)

Samuel Ling - " Who Are We? The Christian's Identity " MP3 Download

For those who are unaware, Dr Samuel Ling was at the the reformed evangelical fellowship in Singapore last saturday and gave a very important talk on the Christian's identity. Highly recommended!

Download Here