Christian Theology In Islamic Context

Dr Markus Piennisch (EUSEBIA Missions Ministries) who lectured me on Apologetics has published this article called "Christliche Theologie im islamischen Kontext: Missionarische und hermeneutische Perspektiven" at the 2007 STUTTGARTER THEOLOGISCHE THEMEN (Band II/Vol II). Look out for the Asian references he quoted :)

Christian theology in Islamic Context - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Christian theology in Islamic Context

The Case For Real Jesus

Author : Lee Strobel
Publisher : Zondervan
Price : Approx RM39.95 (Available in Christian Book Stores)
Reviewed by : Henry Hock Guan Teh.

Like his other books, Strobel uses evidential methodology apologetics approach in this book to point out the errors and absurd assumptions of the liberal theorist about Jesus. Taking advantage of his journalistic forte, he intellectually wrote but carefully framing his interviews with leading scholars for narratives loving readers. The author’s main concern is that the public (including Christians) are duped by recent ill-supported assertions concerning Jesus, such as from the likes of Dan Brown (Da Vinci Code, 2003), Michael Baigent (The Jesus Papers, 2006) and James Cameron (‘The Jesus Tomb’, Discovery Channel Documentary, 2007).

Strobel also brilliantly exposed and explained away today’s cacophony of postmodernism by systematically presenting logical counter-arguments against conjectures such as:

● Jesus is portrayed in other non-canonical gospels;
● Tampering by the church had damaged Bible’s portrayal of Jesus;
● New explanations refuting Jesus’ resurrection;
● Christianity’s portrayal of Jesus drawn from pagan religions;
● Jesus failed to fulfil messianic prophecies, and
● Contemporary people should interpret their own way about Jesus.

I got this wonderful book as a Christmas gift from my wife. You can borrow it from CDPC library. I intend to keep my copy.

Altared Living For Altered Lives

Peter Rowan, my homiletic teacher, preached on "Worship At The Kitchen Sink: Altared Living for Altered Lives" last Sunday and here are the sermon notes:

Where Does Worship Take Place?

The radical difference between early Christianity and the surrounding religions of the first century:

No longer is religion to be a sector of life as was with the case with the elusive and empty divinity cults. Christian worship is a total consecration involving belonging, obedience, brotherly love, in short, total service and adoration of the living and true God. (R. Corriveau)

1. Mind Your Language - Old Words, Wider Meanings

- Worship patterns in redemptive history (remember John 4): OT worship pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice and the perfect high priest - Jesus and the Cross.
- In the NT, OT worship language is transformed and widened in its application.

2. Do As The Romans Do - Worship 24/7

The Build-Up to the Call of Worship:
- 1:18-3:20 - sin keeps humanity from a true knowledge of God, making true worship impossible.

- 3:21 - 11:36 - God has not abandoned His world. Through Christ's sacrificial death, God has acted to bring humankind back to Himself.
- 12:1ff - Paul's exposition of the righteousness of God and of justification by faith leads to 12:1 "Therefore, in view of God's mercies, ..."
- Romans 12 expresses a new understanding of worship based on a right response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Understanding 'understanding worship'

- This kind of worship involves the obedience of faith (1:5 & 16:26) - worked out by those whose minds are being transformed and renewed by God so that their lives in their totality are lived according to the will of God.
- The Christian's spiritual worship involves an extreme of realism - the offering of himself (R. Corriveau).

3. Worship at the Kitchen Sink: Altared Lives for Altered Living

- 12:1 "offer / present your bodies..." The presentation of ourselves to God at the beginning of our Christian lives - in terms of a deliberate, decisive, demonstrable surrender to God, is to be renewed on a regular basis.
- Our death to sin in the death of Christ, which Paul has declared earlier in Romans to be and accomplished fact, must become real in experience too (James Philip).

Altared Lives

- Not a disembodiment consecration, but the consecration of our whole lives.
- Ruth Graham had a card above her kitchen sink: "Divine worship offered here three times daily." All of life lived to the glory of God.
- OT language of sacrifice is applied now to the offering up of all our live all the time to God.

Authentic Worship Flows from an Altered Life

- The life that is fully acceptable to God is the life consecrated to Him through self-abandonment to the saving work of Jesus Christ. It is the life that seeks to serve Him in the context of everyday relationships and responsibilities, in the power of His Holy Spirit (David Peterson).

- Altared lives will result in altered living

Altered Living - The Life of Comprehensive Worship is to be lived out in the concrete relationships and circumstances of life:

a. relationship with yourself
b. relationship with other Christians
c. relationship with enemies
d. relationship to authorities
e. relationship to God's standards

- Philip Yancey talks about the kind of alternative lives we are called to live: Stalin built a village in Poland called Nowa Huta or 'new town' to demonstrate the promise of communism...

- "All too often, the church holds up a mirror reflecting back the society around it, rather than a window revealing a different way..." (What's So Amazing About Grace)

4. Real Worship: Connecting the Real World with the Real God

- (Romans 15:15-17) Paul sees his mission to the Gentiles as an expression of his worship to God.

- Evangelism has as its chief purpose the multiplication of worship, praise and thanksgiving to the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Andrew Kirk).

- Corporate worship should encourage us to engage with the world, and not escape from it.

- There can be no place for fantasy religion - worship is real only if it connects the real world with the real God (Mark Santer).

5. Our Debt Problem: The Solution to Sustaining True Worship

A Life for a Life
- a debt of gratitude
- a matter of obligation
- a matter of honesty

To see the meaning of the cross and still withhold our whole being from God is an impeachment of our sincerity and integrity (James Philip).

This is the worship God so desires and deserves:

- a comprehensive worship that flows from the totality of our lives
- worship that leads us to engage with the needs of the world
- worship sustained by the gospel of Christ

Stuart McAllister: Half Day Seminar

Life's Pursuits and the Question of Meaning

We think that man's quest for order and control, and man's hope in science and technology, will bring about the benefits and rewards we crave for. But is that truly the case?

Come and listen to Stuart McAllister of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries who will share the Biblical perspective of life's meaning, and the implications of our attempts to have the fullness of life in our own terms.

Venue: Evangel Christian Church

Time: 9.30am - 12pm

Date: 12th July 2008, Saturday

Speaker: Stuart McAllister

Free Admission

Evangel Christian Church

Blk 211, Henderson Road#04-02, Singapore 159552

Tel: 97892115

About the speaker, Stuart McAllister:

Born in Scotland, Stuart McAllister spent his earlier years in sales before Christ changed his life at the age of twenty. From then on, filled with a hunger to learn more about and preach the Gospel, he took every opportunity to witness and give his testimony. The desire to serve the Lord and at the same time deepen his understanding of the faith led him to Operation Mobilisation in 1978. OM sent him to Yugoslavia where he was imprisoned for forty days for distributing Christian literature. Undeterred, he continued on his mission to preach the Gospel in communist countries, which resulted in several more imprisonments.

He was general secretary of the European Evangelical Alliance and is involved with the European Lausanne Committee. Stuart has developed an evangelistic mobilization called "Love Europe" that sent several thousand team members across Europe with the message of the Gospel. He also founded the European Roundtable to bring together a diverse group of ministries and interests; they united to foster "Hope for Europe."

After residing in Vienna, Austria for twenty years, Stuart joined the staff of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries as the International Director in January of 1998. Pluralism, postmodernism and consumerism are regular topics addressed by Stuart in the leadership seminars.

Project Timothy - Upcoming Events

Project Timothy Bible Conference - 11th to 12th July 2008
Law and Grace in the Christian Life: Complementary or Contradictory?

Speaker: Andrew Reid, lecturer at Ridley Theological College, Melbourne
Venue: Metropolitan YMCA

The New Testament teaches us that Christians are not under law but grace, yet we are told that not the least stroke of a pen will disappear from the law until everything is accomplished. How are we to reconcile these two seemingly conflicting statements? How about the Old Testament commands? Do they still apply to us today? Come and explore these issues with us at the Project Timothy Bible Conference!

Expository Preaching Workshop - 20th Oct 2008

The Expository Preaching Workshop aims to encourage preachers to keep trusting in God's Word to do its work and be faithful in their own ministry, to equip preachers with fundamental skills for Bible handling and preaching and to build up a network of like-minded preachers.

The topic will be ‘Preaching Job’ this year.

Speaker: Christopher Ash, Director of Cornhill Training Course, UK.

Evening Expositions - on 21st and 22nd Oct 2008

The Evening Expositions are talks typically held over 2 evenings, with the aim of challenging and building up Christians through expository preaching

The theme for this year is ‘Out of the storm’ expositions from the book of Job

Speaker: Christopher Ash, who is the director of Cornhill Training Course, UK

For more information, check out the Project Timothy Website

Prince Caspian

LeaderU compiled some resources on CS Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia (with Prince Caspian hitting the big screen)

From Dr Bruce Edwards: "The dramatic climax of this story is not, however, the suspicious victory over King Miraz in battle, but the discovery of the now King Caspian’s true lineage, that he, too, is a Son of Adam, else he could not be qualified to reign in Narnia. In one poignant moment that epitomizes the humility required of true leaders, Aslan asks the triumphant Caspian if he were now ready to become king; “I—I don’t think so, Sir. . . I am only a Kid.” To his surprise, Aslan replies, “If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not.” Caspian needed to know the limitations of his own powers, and when he needed to rely on others—and especially Aslan—to win the day.


Nikabrik: The Dwarf Who Would Be Lost

As is the case with LWW, there is yet a betrayer in Narnia, for found in Prince Caspian is a parallel story to King Caspian’s glorious victory is the tragic story of Nikabrik, the stubbornly faithless dwarf. Of all the sad stories of bewitched and bewildered creatures in Narnia who become captive of evil, none is more mournful than the tale of Nikabrik.

This wayward dwarf, incapable of overcoming his profound distrust of the “old stories,” epitomizes a less cunning but equally desvasting aspect of evil’s lure akin to that of the White Witch. Nikabrik—like the band of self-seeking dwarves who fall by the wayside in The Last Battle—is world weary and full of skepticism. When asked if he believes in Aslan, he shrugs that he will believe in “anyone or anything” who will throw off the yoke of oppression under King Miraz; he is not discriminating: “Anyone or anything, Aslan or the White Witch, do you understand?”

Though rebuked by the more pious and respectful badger, Trufflehunter, Nikabrik still harbors his doubts and nurtures his cynicism. As events progress, the impatient and unschooled Nikabrik, rejecting out of hand the promise of help from ancient prophecies or the mobilization of Caspian’s friends, instead puts his trust in his companions, a hag and a werewolf, and plans to call upon the dark magic of the long dead White Witch:

“All said and done,” he muttered, “none of us knows truth about the ancient days of Narnia. . . . Aslan and the Kings go together. Either Aslan is dead, or he is not on our side. Or else something stronger than himself keeps him back. And if he did come—how do we know he’d be our friend? . . . . Any anyway, he was in Narnia only once that I ever heard of, and he didn’t stay long. You may drop Aslan out of the reckoning. I was thinking of someone else.

This is the voice of despair and alienation masquerading as the voice of reason. So distant is he from Narnia’s traditions, its history, its promise—and its relationship to its Creator and King, Aslan—Nikabrik can seriously contemplate “a power so much greater than Aslan’s,” which he defines as holding “Narnia spellbound for years and years, if the stories are true.” Falsehood has become truth, black has become white, destruction has become destiny.

This is Lewis’s cautionary tale to any civilization drunk on the wine of its own self-importance and ability to survive or thrive without historical perspective and relationship to God. This is “chronological snobbery” gone wild, a disposition not only to disbelieve the old stories, but to substitute an opposite meaning for the original.

In the end, Nikabrik confesses, “Yes,” said Nikabrik, “I mean the Witch…We want power: and we want a power that will be on our side. As for power, do not the stories say that the Witch defeated Aslan, and bound him, and killed on that very stone which is over there, just beyond the light?” When the Trufflehunter and others eloquently counter his virulent, militant unbelief, Nikabrik bellows:

“Yes they say . . . but you’ll notice that we hear precious little about anything he did afterwards. He just fades out of the story. How do you explain that, if he really came to life? Isn’t it much more likely that he didn’t, and that the stories say nothing more about him because there was nothing more to say? . . . . They say [the White Witch] ruled for a hundred years: a hundred years of winter. There’s power, if you like. There’s something practical. . . .Who ever heard of a witch that really died? You can always get them back.”

A witch who never dies, whose “practical” power to sustain winter a hundred years is more impressive than the return of the rightful king, the rallying of treasonous ne’er-do-wells to necromancy to revive her —these are the perverse foundation of the new society Nikabrik envisions for himself and fellow dwarves and outcasts. This is how bleak and self-destructive their own imaginations have become. But it cannot prevail so as long as there are those who love and trust the truth."

Now That's a Good Question!

It's always fun to do Question & Answer forums. Also scary as I'm not quick on my feet. Community Baptist Church Sunway kindly invited me again to address the youth group on a low key Friday night (30 May 08) along with two other panelists Elder Beng Tiong and MBS valedictorian Ps Alexa. (nice to catch up with Gary and of course, baby Micah!)

The thing about such forums though is that only soundbytes get through. Try answering the problem of evil or the meaning of life less than 2 minutes. There's so much you wanna say but due to time limit, you could only cover the bare essentials. And there's also the audience of some late secondary schoolers and college students, how do you keep em awake? I didn't get to say half of these prepared notes, so for what it's worth, I decided to share the 'contoh jawapan' here.

Here are some questions that get thrown out, and if you find other ways to answer them, do leave me a comment ok?

Questions That Youths Ask (Part 1)
Questions That Youths Ask (Part 2)

信耶穌才得救？這樣霸道！

Rev Stephen Tong is on Youtube, answering questions from audience at an evangelistic rally!

PASSION WORLD TOUR - KL & Jakarta

Passion: KUALA LUMPUR & JAKARTA

Vision: PASSION KUALA LUMPUR / JAKARTA is a gathering for UNIVERSITY-AGED young people South-east Asia. Believing in the university moment, and what God longs to do in this strategic window of time, the entire event will focus on the bigness of God, calling students to PRAYER, WORSHIP and ACTION, and a Story so much bigger than their own.

The heartbeat of PASSION KUALA LUMPUR / JAKARTA is to:

ENCOURAGE the CHURCH
Foster UNITY among those who love JESUS
Spark VISION for the UNIVERSITIES of Kuala Lumpur & Jakarta and the nation
Tell the STORY of REDEMPTION in compelling ways
INSPIRE students to EMBRACE their part in God's global plan for the NATIONS


Why the World?

Finding in Christ all we need, and spending our lives to make Him famous in this generation... that's what The Passion Movement is all about and what has attracted hundreds of thousands of university aged young people to Passion gatherings over the past eleven years. Passion is more than an event. Passion is a movement made up of young people who have abandoned the idea of living simply for themselves and are daily giving everything so the world can see Jesus more clearly. Passion is about the glory of God, inspiring a wave of students to taste and see that He is good and to do something now to change the world in Jesus' name.We've discovered that every major city in the world is a university town, most home to hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions of students. So, Passion is off on a crazy journey to the cities of the world in 2008, uniting university students around the globe in a story so much bigger than our own. Click on the city nearest you and join the movement for His renown!

"Yes Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we wait eagerly for You, for Your name and renown are the desire of our souls." Isaiah 26:8

268 Declaration:

"Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your Truth,
we wait eagerly for You,
for Your name and Your renown
are the desire of our souls."
Isaiah 26:8

I desire that my life be a part of a generation that lives
for the glory of Your name. (Psalm 86:11-12)

My desire is reflected by the following statements and prayers:
Because I was created by God and for His glory, I will magnify Him as I respond to His great love. My desire is to make knowing and enjoying God the passionate pursuit of my life.
[God, give me a desire for You like the desire that You have for me.]
Colossians 1:16-18, John 17:3, Revelation 3:20, Philippians 3:7-10, Jeremiah 9:23-24, Psalm 73:25-28, Psalm 16:11, Isaiah 43:7

Because Christ established the Church for God's glory, I desire to magnify God as I use the gifts He has given me to serve and build up the local church. I will pray for continued renewal in my church through the work and power of the Holy Spirit.
[God, renew in me a love for Your Church, the Body of Christ.]
Ephesians 3:20,21, 4:1-13, 5:25-27, Hebrews 10:23-25, Acts 2:41-47

Because God is glorified greatly when believers love each other, I desire to magnify Him as I humbly yield to and pray towards unity among all Christians on my campus. [God, give me a desire to lift up Your name above all other names.]
John 17:20-26, John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 3, Psalm 133:1, Colossians 3:12-17

Because many on my campus are hopelessly separated from God, I desire to magnify Him by sharing the life and love of Jesus where I live. As I share, I will earnestly pray for revival on my campus and in my world.
[God, break my heart for those with whom I live.]
Romans 10:11-15, Isaiah 6:1-8, 62:6-7, Matthew 5:13-16, 1 Peter 2:9-12, Philippians 2:12-16, 1 John 5:14-15

Because God is seeking worshipers of all peoples, I desire to magnify Him among the nations. I actively commit my life and energy to participation in His global purposes in my generation.
[God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.]
Psalm 86:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Isaiah 49:6, Revelation 5:9-14, Matthew 28:18-20, Psalm 67, Acts 1:8

Attend: This gathering is for University students, people aged 18-25, and their ministry leaders.

The cost is 20 RM ($6.50 USD).
PASSION KUALA LUMPUR August 3rd 2008
6:00PM-10:00PM Main Session
Location: Sunway Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The cost is 25,000RP
PASSION JAKARTA August 5th 2008
TBD Main Session
Location: Tennis Indoor Senayan

Who: Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Charlie Hall

Volunteer: In order to make these events happen, we will need volunteers who are willing to serve throughout the whole conference in various jobs. We are requiring that all volunteers be 25 years of age or older. Anyone under the age of 25 CANNOT volunteer. The reason for this is that we want students to be able to fully connect with all of the experiences at the conference. Volunteers do not pay to attend and are typically working hard behind the scenes during every part of the day serving the students attending the conference. Accordingly, we require that all volunteers be 25 years of age or older.

Interview with John Piper - New World Alive, UK

Adrian Warnock interviews John Piper on the sidelines of the New Word Alive.

Part 1: Why John Piper is involved in New Word Alive



Part 2: The 'secret' to John Piper's preaching



Part 3: John Piper's prayer life



Part 4: Preaching and preachers, his call to pastoral ministry, work-life-balance, his most 'significant' work etc.

New Word Alive - Interviews with Don Carson

Adrian Warnock interviews Don Carson at New Word Alive. Gives some great insights into who he is.

Part 1: How Carson got involved in full time Christian Ministry



Part 2: Raising up new leaders and preachers in the Church

Amazing Grace: Reflections on the life of Wilberforce

I've watched the movie twice already, but still find it inspiring especially when watching together with about 80+ friends, brothers and sisters at Community Baptist Church. It was also the final wrap-up discussion of the Total Truth group. Look forward to the day a Malaysian movie maker do a commentary or movie on Tan Sri Tan Chee Koon :D

Some brief comments from my post-movie sharing: Firstly, social justice is a marathon, not a 10 second sprint or 100 metre dash. Wilberforce suffered 20 years of defeat, discouragement and even death threat for his struggle before slavery was finally abolished 3 days before his death. Winning an election in 2 weeks is just the beginning...

Secondly, the life of Wilberforce reminds us the need for more full time Christians in the world (and more fulltime workers in the church) to make a difference where they are. When Wilberforce was 25 years old, he has a spiritual transformation so dramatic that he considered quitting politics to be a priest. As depicted in the movie, a wise mentor in the form of John Newton (ex slave trader and famous hymn writer of "Amazing Grace") counselled against a career change.

Thirdly social justice is a community project, not a solo effort. Burnout is a constant danger. The scene of Hannah, Clarkson, Equiano etc sharing a meal together ("We humbly suggest that you can do both (serving God and being a political activist)") shows how different people bring their unique skills, contributions (look for evidence, write books, look for loopholes in the legislation etc)

Although not a part of the movie, Wilberforce has a group of friends who meet up regularly for prayer and worship called the Clapham Sect. They share evangelical Christian faith, long term commitment to social cause and lifelong friendship. Together they worked hard for missions, translating the bible, improve working conditions for the poor in manufacturing industry, agricultural reform to supply affordable food, prevent animal cruelty (RSCPA), prison reform, improve child labor conditions, freedom of religion, education and oppose blood sport/duels etc.

You can't do all of that on your own, we need the power of community. Imagine if every cell group in our churches just choose ONE cause of mercy or justice and commit long term to it!

Finally, there's a scene in the movie where Wilberforce asked his affluent MP friends to "remember the Madagascar (a slave ship that reeks of the stench of death). Remember that God created man equal". The theological conviction behind his activism is that every human being regardless of race is created in God's image and therefore has inherent dignity and worth. Especially relevant in Msia where race relations have been so politicised, and the church needs to work for racial reconciliation.

The Gospel In All Its Forms

Like God, the gospel is both one and more than that.
by Tim Keller

The gospel has been described as a pool in which a toddler can wade and yet an elephant can swim. It is both simple enough to tell to a child and profound enough for the greatest minds to explore. Indeed, even angels never tire of looking into it (1 Peter 1:12). Humans are by no means angels, however, so rather than contemplating it, we argue about it.

A generation ago evangelicals agreed on "the simple gospel": (1) God made you and wants to have a relationship with you, (2) but your sin separates you from God. (3) Jesus took the punishment your sins deserved, (4) so if you repent from sins and trust in him for your salvation, you will be forgiven, justified, and accepted freely by grace, and indwelt with his Spirit until you die and go to heaven.

There are today at least two major criticisms of this simple formulation. Many say that it is too individualistic, that Christ's salvation is not so much to bring individual happiness as to bring peace, justice, and a new creation. A second criticism is that there is no one "simple gospel" because "everything is contextual" and the Bible itself contains many gospel presentations that exist in tension with each other.

No single gospel message?
Let's take the second criticism first. The belief that there is no single basic gospel outline in the Bible goes back at least to the Tubingen school of biblical scholarship, which insisted Paul's gospel of justification was sharply different from Jesus' gospel of the kingdom. In the 20th century, British professor C.H. Dodd countered that there was one consensus gospel message in the Bible. Then, in turn, James Dunn argued in Unity and Diversity in the New Testament (1977) that the gospel formulations in the Bible are so different that we can't come up with a single outline.

Now hundreds of websites of young Christian leaders complain that the older evangelical church spent too much time reading Romans rather than Jesus' declaration that "the kingdom of God is at hand." But to be true to first-century Christians' own understanding of the gospel, I believe we must side with Dodd over Dunn. Paul is emphatic that the gospel he presents is the same as the one preached by the Jerusalem apostles. "Whether it was I or they," Paul says, referring to Peter and the others, "so we preached and so you believed" (1 Cor. 15:10-11). This statement assumes a single body of gospel content.

One gospel, many forms
So yes, there must be one gospel, yet there are clearly different forms in which that one gospel can be expressed. This is the Bible's own way of speaking of the gospel, and we should stick with it. Paul is an example. After insisting there is only one gospel (Gal. 1:8), he then speaks of being entrusted with "the gospel of the uncircumcised" as opposed to the "gospel of the circumcised" (Gal. 2:7).

READ ON!

Why Apologetics?

Are You Bilingual? We Want You

The Salt & Light Mandate

Christians spend more time in the world than in church and most Christians are laity. Yet so much of our church education is spent preparing believers for their ministry in the church and not their ministry in the world. An upcoming seminar we are doing in partnership with our friends at Wesley Methodist Church, Singapore, seeks to address this concern.

The Salt and Light Mandate — Making a Difference in Society

May 7 and 8

Wesley Methodist Church
Wesley Hall
5 Fort Canning Road
Singapore 179493

7:30 - 10:00 pm

Speaker:
Dr. Tan Soo Inn, Th.M (Regent College, Vancouver), D.Min (Fuller Seminary, USA). He is the author of Making Sense: 52 Meditations for Heart and Mind, Travel Mercies: Reflection from the Road called Life, and Grace@work weekly e-commentaries.

Who Should Attend???
Organised for those who desire to be further equipped in applying the truths of the Kingdom of God. Church Leaders, Ministry Team Leaders, Cell Group Leaders, Counsellors, Christians who want to be further equipped, and Seekers of the Lord

To register, please send an email with your name and contact number to: bernice@graceatwork.org. There is a registration fee of S$4 payable on the day of the seminar.

You can also register through the Wesley website.

The Aldersgate Convention 2008

The Aldersgate Convention 2008 will be held from 19 to 24 May 2008 at the Wesley Methodist Church will feature two speakers who will talk on the theme, “The Road to Glory: The Future in Wesleyan Perspective”.

The convention will feature two speakers, the Rev Dr Ezra Kok, Principal and Lecturer in New Testament at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, and the Rev Dr Ben Witherington, III, Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, the United States.

The Rev Dr Ben Witherington III and the Rev Dr Ezra Kok will focus on biblical teachings about the end times in English and Mandarin respectively. The details are:

19 May (Mon) 7.45-9.30pm
Christ - Offering Hope in the Midst of Darkness (Chinese)

20 May (Tue) 7.45-9.30pm
The Church - Holiness in the Midst of Imperfections (Chinese)

21 May (Wed) 7.45-9.30pm
Rapture or Parousia (English)

22 May (Thu) 9am-12pm
Eschatology & Ministry (English)*

22 May (Thu) 7.45-9.30pm
Other-World or After-Life? (English)

23 May (Fri) 7.45-9.30pm
The Future of the Church, Israel and the Kingdom (English)

24 May (Sat) 9am-12pm
What have they done with Jesus?(English) **

24 May (Sat) 7.30-9.30pm
Aldersgate Service A Vision of Worship

* The Morning with Ben Witherington (22 May 08) is open to pastors and seminarians only.

** This Morning Session (22 May 08) and the Aldersgate Seminar (24 May 08 morning) both require registration. Click here to download the registration brochure (pdf format).

DA Carson in Singapore again.

http://www.anglican.org.sg/livingword.html

Looks like by God's grace His servant will be here in Singapore again. Don't miss this chance.


The Living Word 2008: Bible Expositions for God's People

Prof Donald A. Carson
29 – 31 July 2008
St Andrew’s Cathedral, Singapore

Morning Seminars

Preaching: Growing in Skill to Unpack the Whole Counsel of God.

(For Christian workers and & lay preachers who want to learn to preach with a biblical world view that is subsumed under the ‘whole of Scriptures’.)

Synopsis:
This seminar reviews some of the fundamentals of good expository preaching, but focuses primary attention on the way such preaching ought to tap into the meta-themes that tie the entire Bible together. When preachers accomplish this, they are not only teaching God's people to know God's Word better, they are painting a life-transforming worldview - a way of looking at the world that centers around Christ and his gospel, a worldview that is mandated by Scripture itself. As a test case, we will focus special attention on Ezekiel.

Dates:
29-31 July 2008
(Tuesday to Thursday)

Time:
9.00 am to 12.00 noon

Venue:
St Andrew’s Cathedral
(Next to City Hall MRT)

About the Speaker

Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. In 1989 Carson was voted Faculty of the Year at Trinity. Carson received the Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament from Cambridge University.

Carson's areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Johannine and Pauline theology. He can read about a dozen languages, and is fluent in French. Carson has written or edited over 45 books; The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (1996) won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award in the category "theology and doctrine."

Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world. Carson and his wife, Joy, reside in Libertyville, Illinois. They have two children. In his spare time, Carson enjoys reading, hiking, and woodworking.

Public Evening Sessions

Before the End: The Conquering Lamb, the Suffering Church & the Clash of Powers (Studies from the book of Revelation).

(For all who want to hear the powerful & relevant message of the book of Revelation for the people of God today.)

Synopsis:
Is the world becoming a better place or is it getting worse? How should the church understand itself as it seeks to be faithful amidst the swirling currents of competing cultures, of nations and empires in conflict? Deploying the evocative imagery of apocalyptic symbolism, John the Prophet helps Christians in every generation to construct a frame of reference that is horrified by evil but never surprised by it, that cherishes the power of the gospel even while learning to live under the cross.

Dates:
29-31 July 2008
(Tuesday to Thursday)

Time:
7.45 – 9.45 pm

Venue:
St Andrew’s Cathedral
(Next to City Hall MRT)

29 July (Tuesday)
Rage, Rage, Against the Church
(Revelation 12:1-13:1)
In apocalyptic language, John tells us what we learn elsewhere in the New Testament: the Christian's most fundamental enemies are not other people, but the powers of darkness. How then shall we cope and triumph?

30 July (Wednesday)
Antichrist and False Prophet
(Revelation 13:1-18)
Some Christians around the world face brutal opposition and outright persecution; other Christians around the world are in danger of being seduced by false teaching and transient glitter. The dangers are different, yet they are one. How are we to respond?

31 July (Thursday)
Trajectories
(Revelation 14)
There is a perennial danger of thinking that Christian life and thought pertain primarily to this world. But the whole of the New Testament is against this reductionism: there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned. These opposed trajectories mean that everything in this life has far more significance than we sometimes think.

Daniel I. Block Seminar

Preaching Old Testament Law to
New Testament Christians

Daniel I. Block, D.Phil.
Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament
Wheaton College

15 March 2008 Saturday

10 am

Singapore Bible College
9-15 Adam Road Singapore 289886

Abstract
If the Old Testament is a dead book for many Christians, the laws of the Old Testament are the deadest of all. In view of Paul’s declaration that Christians are free from the law, we make little effort either to understand the function of the law in ancient Israel or the relevance of Israelite law for Christians today. After exploring the reasons for our antinomian attitudes, this paper will attempt to explain the nature and purpose of the law for ancient Israel. It will conclude by suggesting a series of guidelines that may help us apply the laws in ways that are true to the entire biblical record, that honor God through a life of obedience, and that encourage us to seek the welfare of others.

About the Speaker
In the summer of 2005 Dr. Block joined the faculty of the Graduate School of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he serves as the Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament. His previous professional experiences include the following: John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky; Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota (1983-95); Assistant Lecturer in Hebrew at the University of Liverpool, England (1978-80); Professor of Old Testament, Providence College and Seminary, Otterburne, Manitoba (1973-83). In recent years he has also served as adjunct Professor of Old Testament in ACTS (Associated Canadian Theological Schools) in Langley, British Columbia; Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL); and three times as visiting professor of the Moscow Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Christians, sponsored by the Russian Baptist Federation. Dr. Block has lectured internationally in Toronto, Canada; Cambridge and Liverpool, England, Copenhagen, Denmark; Qingdao, China, and most recently, Athens, Greece. He also taught at Queen Mary Junior High School in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (1969-71).

Dr. Block's educational background includes post-doctoral studies, Cambridge, University, Cambridge, UK (2002); D.Phil. in Semitics and Classical Hebrew, University of Liverpool, England (1982); M.A. in Biblical Studies-Old Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois (1973); B.A. in History, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (1969); special studies, Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany (1968-69); B.Ed., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (1968); Diploma in Biblical Studies, Bethany Bible College, Hepburn, Saskatchewan (1965).

Dr. Block is the author of more than fifty scholarly essays and numerous popular articles on biblical texts and subjects. His most significant publications include a major two-volume commentary on The Book of Ezekiel (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997, 1998), and a weighty commentary on Judges and Ruth (Broadman & Holman, Nashville, 1999). Baker Book House has published a fully revised edition of his monograph, The Gods of the Nations: A Study in Ancient Near Eastern National Theology (2000). Dr. Block is currently working on a commentary on Deuteronomy, scheduled to be published by Zondervan in 2006 (NIVAC series), and has a contract with Baker for a book on worship, For the Glory of God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. He was a founding member of a national committee of Ezekiel scholars sponsored by the Society of Biblical Literature. Dr. Block has had a major role in the production of The New Living Translation of the Bible, released in July, 1996, having served as General Reviewer for the first five books of the Old Testament and advising on the book of Ezekiel. A revised version was released in June, 2004. He is an active member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Biblical Literature, and has served for five years as President of the Institute of Biblical Research.

He was ordained to the ministry by the Baptist General Conference, and has served as Interim Preaching Pastor of numerous churches--Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Covenant, Evangelical Free, Independent, Southern Baptist, etc. He lectures and preaches frequently at Bible conferences and spiritual retreats, often focusing either on making the Old Testament live or recovering a biblical theology of worship for the church. But his passion for the Kingdom of God is also reflected in his commitment to the local church. He and his wife Ellen enjoy the worship and fellowship of College Church in Wheaton, where Dr. Block currently teaches an adult Sunday School class on the book of Judges.

Audience
Pastors, theological students, scholars.

Fee
$10 ($5 for SBC students. Free admission for IRC members with their membership card) Fee includes light refreshment to be served 30 minutes before seminar starts.
Registration
Interested parties, please email your name, contact and the event interested in to us, or call +65 6559 1532 for registration and enquiries. Prior registration is preferred due to limited seats.

Reasonable Faith: In His Image

Theme: "IN HIS IMAGE"
Date: May 16-18, 2008
Venue: Hotel Puri Melaka, Malaysia
Camp Fees: S$180.00 (Singapore), RM290.00 (Malaysia)
(Fee includes accommodation, course materials, meals and tea-breaks)

If you are in fulltime Christian work, please ask us for the special rate.
DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM. Register by May 1, 2008

Exciting Topics This Year:
- Genesis (LT Jeyachandran)
- “Imago Dei: Basis for Universal Human Rights”
- “Homosexuality: Nature or nurture?” (I’Ching Thomas)
- “True for you but not for me: What is the basis for morality?” (Brian Thomas)
- "Faith at work: Redeeming work” (Soo-Inn Tan)
- Movie Review: Woody Allen's "Crime And Misdemeanor"

Listening To The Voice of Jesus

From Rachel: Dr Gordon Smith recently gave a 2 night seminar in Singapore based on his latest book: "Listening to the Voice of Jesus: On Prayer and Discernment". (Night 1 Message & Night 2 Message). These recordings were meant for those who were not able to attend and interested in Christian Spirituality & Spiritual Direction, thanks to the PA crew of True Way Presbyterian Church.

Dr Gordon Smith is the President of reSource Leadership International and the Former Dean of Regent College.

神在你生命中的美意

神是如何呼召我们的？有没有一些超越我们个人经歷，超越教会 ,人為传统的原则，带领我们探索神在我们生命中的旨意？「全时间服事」此观念有《圣经》根据吗？神若没有呼召我作传道人，还有别的呼召吗？
绝对有！欢迎来一同学习﹕属灵生命（呼召）的蓝图！

感谢主 , 林慈信牧师今年三月又回到我们当中 . 这次他将带领我们有 一个两晚的培灵会 .


讲员：林慈信牧师，中华展望总干事 (http://www.chinahorizon.org)
日期：2008 年3 月10-11 日（星期一至星期二）
地点 : 11 Lorong 25A Geylang (near to Aljunied MRT). 2nd Floor Hall.

第一讲： 2007 年 3 月 10 日（星期一 )
信主之后。。。。事奉与呼召
时间 : 7.30 – 10.00 pm

第二讲： 2007 年 3 月 11 日（星期二 )
属灵生命的蓝图 . 基督徒生命的六个阶段
时间 : 7.30 – 10.00 pm


这是一个难得的机会、盼望您积极的参于.

Postmodernism and the Emerging Church

As part of our continuing engagement with contemporary issues facing the church today, Dr Clive Chin, Coordinator of Theology Department at the School of Theology (English) will be conducting two lecture/discussion sessions entitled "Postmodernism and the Emerging Church." In the first session, Dr Chin will do a brief introduction to postmodernity, both in its popular and academic orientations, as background to discussing the Emerging Church Movement, particularly expressed in the writings of Brian McLaren.

The second session will involve a critical review of Brian McLaren's views, both strengths and weaknesses, on postmodern philosophy, culture, their impact on the evangelical church.

Make a date with us tomorrow and the week after, and bring your friends along.

Session One: Tuesday 22 January 2008
Session Two: Tuesday 29 January 2008
Time: 10.10 am - 11.00 am
Room: Blk 3, Level 3 Multipurpose Hall (Spore Bible College)

Warm regards
Dr Calvin Chong
Academic Dean
School of Theology (English)

Translation of Gospel Resources

From Desiring God blog: Open Source Mission, a new web-based translation effort, has become a wonderful partner for DG International Outreach during the past year.

One of our top objectives is to grow the number of Piper sermons available in as many languages as possible and post them online for free access. Andre Yee, the founder of OSM, has a great vision to engage in a massive translation effort incorporating the writings of a number of authors. International Outreach and OSM will be sharing our translated resources for the purpose of global spreading of God-centered content.

If you are engaged in a non-English field of ministry, hopefully over time you will begin to see more translations that you may be able to use. Or you can actually help us create resources by getting involved in the translation.

Here’s a brief summary from Andre of what OSM is working to accomplish:

Open Source Mission is a ministry focused on making gospel-centric, biblically sound materials accessible to as many languages as possible through developing a network of volunteer translators throughout the world. Together with partners like Sovereign Grace Ministries, Desiring God, and 9Marks, OSM has launched the Gospel Translations Project, an initiative translate and publish biblically sound materials on a wikipedia type website called gospeltranslations.org.

Since officially launching in September, OSM has gathered a database of over 100 translators, nearly 50 of whom are actively at work translating books and articles into several different languages, including Indonesian, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Korean and Russian.

If you’re a bilingual Christian, please consider lending your language skills as a translator or reviewer. Contact Andrew at Open Source Mission to find out how to get started. (andrew@opensourcemission.com)

No Sex Scandal

By Rev Wong Fong Yang, on his visit to The Billy Graham Library

I stood there in one of the rooms speechless when I saw Billy Graham (Video presentation) placed his Bible on the stump of a tree, he kneeled and prayed to God and exclaimed that he accepted and believed the Bible in totality as the inspired word of God by faith. After that singular moment of utter surrender, Billy Graham never waivers for one bit about the Word of God. Always with the Bible in one hand and the other hand gesturing vehemently, he would speak with great confident and summoned the crowd to come to Christ and to put their faith in Him. “The Bible says!” is his clarion call. We can better appreciate this incident when we understand the context that Billy Graham was in. During the early stage of his ministry, it was a time when Bible was subjected to higher critical method of interpretation. Many doubted whether the Bible could be trusted in its entirety. Miracles recorded in the Bible defy rationale and were considered untrue. Charles Templeton, a better preacher and more brilliant man than Billy Graham in those days, shipwrecked his faith because he rejected the authority of the Word of God. Templeton did not believe that the Word of God is fully inspired and therefore could not be trusted completely. Billy Graham too struggled but he came to a settled conviction and by faith took the Bible at face value as the Word of God. He never looked back.

No wonder God uses Billy Graham as His mouthpiece to convict hundreds of thousands of people of their sins and to turn them to Him.

No wonder God uses Billy Graham to bring revival and renewal around the world.

No wonder no one can indict Billy Graham of any scandals. He is completely above board with regards to sex, money and power.

Billy Graham has anchored his life and ministry solidly upon the Word of God.

In an age when politicians, movie celebrities, spiritual and business leaders at the ecclesiastical and corporate world faltered and hogged headlines because of sexual or financial impropriety, Billy Graham stands tall. Billy Graham merely stands in biblical tradition where great men and women who were greatly used by God because they held on to the Word of God and allow it to shape and mould their lives.

The Church As MultiRacial Community

By Bishop Dr Robert Solomon

I was at a combined service recently where I had the joy of giving the benediction in three languages - Mandarin, Tamil, and English. The next day I was at a Peranakan service and had the opportunity to give the benediction in Malay. This experience reiterated for me the fact that the church is a multi-lingual and multiracial community. This is not just a sociological phenomenon, for in order to understand it adequately, we must begin with a theological perspective...

The question still remains: Can people of different races be bonded deeply?

The answer lies in the gospel and what it does to our ultimate identities. The gospel of Christ redemptively brings together people with different ethnic and national loyalties and identities by uniting them in a common and ultimate identity and allegiance. When we are baptised, we are given a common identity as children of the true and triune God. We become members of one Body, the Body of Christ. It is this unity that allows for the rich diversity in the God-created world to exist in the church, without conflict and chaos.

Without this unity located and centred in the one God and Father of all, one Lord, and one Spirit, and expressed in the one hope, one faith, one baptism, and one Body (Ephesians 4:4-6), there is no hope for the rich diversity of races to be brought together into real and abiding community, and no hope for the disappearance of the enmity, hatred, violence, and prejudices that often characterise inter-ethnic relations.

God brings us together from every tribe and tongue into one family, united by an identity and allegiance that transcend our ethnic and other penultimate identities. As Paul describes in Ephesians 2, the cross of Christ then becomes our peace, filling every interstitial space between peoples, thus bringing about reconciliation and richness.

It is this truth that fires our imagination to reach beyond our comfort zones and that has led the church in mission to reach out without discrimination so that the church becomes what the world ought to be, where all races have a God-given place. The churches in Singapore have shown signs of doing this as they reach out in mission to other people groups with the love of God. This mission of God must continue to shape and transform us. The experience of the church in Singapore, though not perfect in this regard, nevertheless does show glimpses of what God has in mind. Read the entire article

The Path To Reconciliation

Excerpt from "Trends & Faith", The Great Commission Sept 2007. By Dr Leong Tien Fock

"Most Christians take for granted that when Christ died on the cross, He bore our sins. That means He substituted for us and suffered on our behalf. This is clearly taught in Scripture. But this teaching is becoming unpopular, especially among some younger christians. It has even been labelled "cosmic child abuse". This is not the place for a comprehensive response to this rising trend. We will consider one issue.

The charge of "cosmic child abuse" is based on the assumption that the teaching that Christ died on our behalf means He was punished as an innocent third party by His Father. This is not true. We need to look at the nature of forgiveness. In the process we will also see why forgiveness is difficult and why in some cases reconciliation is even more difficult. This helps to explain why there is often an impasse in resolving personal conflicts.

To forgive is to cancel a debt. In the Lord's Prayer we read, "Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Matt 6:12) In human relationships this idea is more clearly seen when we forgive someone whose offense against us involves material loss. If I spread lies about you and cause you to lose a well-paying job, I owe you a debt. You can actually sue me for damages. To forgive me means you cancel that debt by absorbing all the loss yourself. Even if the lies did not result in material loss, you could still have sued me for the emotional pain you suffered. To forgive me means you willingly endure the pain and let me go scot-free.

So to forgive others we must be willing to bear the consequences of their wrong against us, whatever the consequences may be. What makes forgiveness difficult is that only the offended party can forgive. If I offend you, neither your pastor nor your father can forgive me on your behalf. But if you are the one who is offended, the last thing on your mind is to forgive me. You may even scream, "How can I let him go scto-free for what he did to me!?"

When we sin, we sin against God. So only God can forgive sin. And to forgive sin, God Himself must bear the consequences of sin, which is death. That means God must die. But God cannot die. So God had to become man to bear the consequence of sin. As John Stott puts it, it was "God in Christ" who died on our behalf. Hence Christ was not "punished as an innocent third party". He was the offended party. When He hung on the cross, He willingly bore the consequence of our sins so that we could be forgiven."

Lessons from Christian History for the Christian Mission Enterprise Today

Lessons from Christian History for the Christian Mission Enterprise Today

Date: 8 Jan 2008

Time:2 pm-3.30 pm

Venue: L1 Multi-purpose Hall, Trinity Theological College

Speaker: Professor Andrew Walls, Prof. Emeritus, University of Edinburgh

Prof. Andrew Walls is an authoritative expert on global mission and been recognized as a "Historian ahead of his time" by Christianity Today. He is the founder of Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World.

Andrew Walls may be the most important person you don't know. Most Americans and Europeans think of Christianity as a Western religion. Prominent leaders of the last 50 years, like Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, and Pope John Paul II, are known primarily for their influence in the West, though in fact each of them has played a significant role in wider, global Christianity. But the most important development for the church in the 20th and 21st centuries has not been in the West at all, but in the astonishing shift of Christianity's center of gravity from the Western industrialized nations to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In a short time, Christianity has been transformed from a European religion to a global one.

Andrew Walls is the person to help us understand what this means. One of the first scholars to notice and study the shift, he combines exhaustive knowledge of the worldwide church with a deep historical and theological vision. Scholars who know his work (almost all published in obscure journals) speak of him with something like reverence. (Read More)

Computing Technology: Created, Fallen, In Need Of Redemption?

By Joel C. Adams
Department of Computer Science, Calvin College

Abstract: If we accept the premise that computing technology is a part of the created order, then avariety of creation-related biblical themes become applicable to computing technology.In this paper, we explore some of the implications of these themes for computing technology,particularly the themes of creation-fall-redemption, the cultural mandate, and stewardship. We also explore two developments in computing technology – the evolution of user interfaces and the evolution of programming languages – in the light of these themes.

Read on for the entire article

Understanding The Times

What Is Dualism?

Scripture defines the human problem as moral rebellion against God but the Greeks believe the problem is metaphysical. The material world is seen as evil/chaotic while the spiritual Forms are rational/good. Augustine treated the contemplative life of prayer and meditation in monasteries as superior to the active life of ordinary work in the world. Descartes and Kant pictured the world as a huge mechanistic system moving in fixed patterns by natural laws while the mind is the realm of thought, emotion, will.

Three types of Christian dualism:
Human - Body versus Soul (Two opposing substances, one is “important/redeemable” and the other “useless/lost.” But man is a cohesive whole. The whole man was created good, and the whole man is being redeemed.)

Reality - Heaven versus World (Escape this hopelessly lost physical world for an otherworldly, disembodied existence. Heaven and earth shall be renewed.)

Faith - Sacred versus Secular (Prayer and religious meditation is more valuable than manual labor. All of life is sacred.)

Biblical Thinking Tools

Creation: The physical world God made was GOOD! Nature is a showcase of His glory. Humanity is made in God’s own image for relationship, different from the rest of creation. Life is sacred. Work is meaningful in a rhythm of rest and labor.

Fall: We have pushed God out from our thinking and living. In disobedience, we have made physical and mental substitutes (idols) to tell us right from wrong. Sin has corrupted nature, fractured social relationships, alienation, resulted in toilsome work directed by selfishness. But even sinners still bear God’s Image and capable of genuine knowledge by God’s common grace.

Redemption: Christ has freed us from power of sin, reconciled us with God and restored us to be fully, truly human. Our work shares in His redemptive purpose to reverse the effects of sin. We join Christ in ushering His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Saved to do good in THIS world, not an otherworldly escapism.

How Shall We Live?

Abraham Kuyper, journalist/theologian/politician/educator says: “There is not a square inch in the universe that Christ does not claim, “This is mine!” The Lordship of Christ embraces all of life. Do all things for the glory of God. If all life is the Lord’s, reflect about your area of study, interest, vocation and leisure. For example:

•Science – What’s Its Method and Limits? How Shall We Consider Macroevolution?
•Medical Fields – How shall I view mercy killing, abortion, cloning, stem cell research?
•Business/Economics – How should wealth be distributed? By merits or social status? Do corporations have moral duty or only profit?
•Law –How does the church relate to the state? What is justice? Should we legislate morality?
•Psychology – Certain brain functions and emotions are co-related, is there a soul distinct from the brain? Is moral behavior like homosexuality determined by biological factors?
•Media/Journalism – What are ethical issues and virtues relevant to my vocation?
•Literature – Should we seek the author’s intent of writing? Does meaning reside in the reader?
•Movies – Was it honest or artfully done well? What does the story say about what’s right, true or beautiful? Who’s the good guy?

Relativism: Feet Planted In Thin Air

Based on Greg Koukl and Francis Beckwith's book "Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted In Thin Air". A discussion on Relativism and Christian Ethics...

Why Is WorldView Important?

GospelTranslations.org

Here are some updates on the project that Agora is a part of with Open Source Mission.

Our goal with the GospelTranslations.org project is to make gospel-centered resources accessible for Christians of every nation and language . Our vision is that Christians everywhere will be able to learn about the gospel in their own languages and without financial impediments.

Believe it or not, we now have nearly 50 active translators in 9 languages, and in addition to the book that we are working on, we’ve translated about 40 Desiring God articles. The team with the most volunteers currently is the Spanish language one, and we will probably have enough Spanish material in the next month or two to actually start publicizing a Spanish Resource site. Bahasa Indonesia has the second most translations — chapters from CJ Mahaney's "This Great Salvation" and a few articles as well.

But the Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese language teams would need more help. If you guys are interested to help out on a voluntary basis, let's network and contact andrew at opensourcemission dot com

We are now in partnership with Desiring God, 9marks and Sovereign Grace in providing their online resources free.

Endorsements

“Sovereign Grace is passionate about gospel-centered churches built on the foundation of sound doctrine. That’s why we’re excited to partner with Open Source Mission. OSM’s new approach to translation and free distribution of gospel-centered materials will help make such churches a reality around the world.”

- C.J. Mahaney, President, Sovereign Grace Ministries

"I believe Open Source Mission is an answer to our prayers. We’re trying to make Desiring God's resources as accessible and affordable as possible to as many peoples around the world as possible...but we can't keep up with all the language translation requests. O that we had a new model to facilitate translations...I think Open Source Mission might be that model."

- Jon Bloom, Executive Director, Desiring God

"The western world is incredibly wealthy and ironically selfish. We in the Christian community should reflect the generosity God has shown us in Christ by investing in resources for the benefit of others. An obvious way is the translation of solid, gospel material into other languages. Open Source Mission and Sovereign Grace Ministries once again lead the way in generosity and zeal with their new translation initiative, GospelTranslations.org. I trust the men behind this program and most importantly I trust the God they serve who desires to see men and women from every nation come to know him."

- Dr. Mark Dever, Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church

God Doesn't Play Dice, But Does He Play Mahjong?

So what of dice and mahjong? (by Paul Woods)

In response to developments in quantum mechanics Einstein complained that God does not play dice – the universe’s physical functioning is not based on chance. Neither is its missiological functioning.

A few years ago an OMF colleague and I were discussing the increasing numbers of Mainland Chinese who live abroad. With horizontal, rotary, sweeping motions of both hands, he told me “God is washing the (mahjong) tiles”. Mahjong is the classic Chinese game similar to a combination of playing cards and dominoes, in which the tiles are shuffled or washed after each game. From this we derived the term mahjong theology to advocate Diaspora Ministry. In His sovereignty, today God is shuffling the pack, and washing people from various ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds all over the planet. Just as God washed Ruth and Rahab into the community of faith, so now He is washing Chinese to the UK, for example. This is nothing new; Acts 17:26-27 tell us that God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

For us, the migration phenomenon of the early 21st century ties together the Great Commission with the ethics of God-fearing community, and an acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty in the affairs of men and women. Indeed, Christian ministry among migrants has been described as Acts 1:8 in reverse; God is bringing people from the ends of the earth right to our street. We are to respond to this challenge right where we live.

Some may perceive migration as a menace, but as citizens and Christians we should view it as ministry opportunity. Unprecedented numbers of people are on the move, looking for safety, freedom, or just a better life. The expansion of the EU and ASEAN, improved communication, and ever-cheaper travel have all shrunk our world. At the same time, poverty, conflict, and hardship in many regions have caused millions to cross borders to richer, more stable nations.

Migrants are often creative, proactive people looking for a better life. There is much anecdotal evidence that migrants are more open to new things than those who remain at home. Yet the same people are vulnerable and needy. Before leaving China, one student was told by non-believing relatives, “If you need help in Britain, go to a church. They will look after you”. Our own Diaspora ministry showed us that
while apologetics and Bible study were important, the vital factor in the journey to faith was God’s love manifest through His people, across a faith – non-faith interface.

Read the entire Encounter issue on Mission and Migration here

Ichtus Research Centre

The beginning of Ichthus Research Centre

The Ichthus Research Centre began with the dream of a farsighted couple who believed that high level biblical and theological studies should be carried out in Asia. Through their generous gift, made in memory of their late parents Mr. Yao Ye Siu and Mrs. Yao Lee Sau Han, the Centre came into existence. The future of the Centre depends upon the contributions of many others who share their dream. We would like to welcome all those who would like to work together to make this dream become a reality.

The reason for the name Ichthus Research Centre

Throughout church history the Greek word IXQUS (which means "fish"and can be transliterated as ICHTHUS) has had a special meaning to followers of Jesus Christ. For the early church the "sign of the fish" became an important mark of identification. The letters of the word IXQUS came to stand for the words Ihsouj Xristoj Qeou Uioj Swthr - "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour." The Ichthus Research Centre exists in recognition that Jesus Christ is both God's Son and our Saviour.

The basic direction and policies of the Research Centre

The Ichthus Research Centre for Biblical and Theological Studies exists for a number of reasons:

To produce contextualized biblical and theological research.
To promote interaction among specialists in the areas of biblical studies and theology.
To organize seminars for the discussion of biblical and theological issues of contemporary interest.
To build up a quality collection of scholarly books and journals on theological and biblical studies for use by Ichthus members.
To develop a digital library in order to enhance research in theological and biblical studies.
To encourage local and foreign scholars to write biblical and/or theological papers for presentation and/or publication.
To encourage members to publish their research and to enable them to do so as far as it is possible

Membership in the Ichthus Research Centre
The Ichthus Research Centre offers two different types of membership.
Full Membership is available to those who have a doctoral degree (PhD or ThD) in either biblical or theological studies.

Associate Membership is available to those who have a Master of Divinity degree (or equivalent) in either biblical or theological studies.
SBC students who are working for the degree of Th.M. are also eligible for associate membership.

Membership with Ichthus Research Centre is available at an annual fee of $50. Members should reapply each year. Anyone holding either a Full or Associate Membership is eligible to use the Centre‘s books and other materials at the SBC library, as well as to attend Ichthus seminars without charge. Singapore Bible College library membership is available at no additional cost for Ichthus members. Ichthus members are also eligible to apply for the use of Ichthus facility for research-writing purposes. In addition, members will also be able to purchase Ichthus publications at reduced rates.