Malaysia Bible Seminary (ED) Alumni

2011-12-29T22:07:00.000-08:00

The AlumniMalaysia Bible Seminary (English Department)

Dear friends,

I have good news to share with you. Our ED alumni is now officially registered. The registration of our society named “Persatuan Alumni Malaysia Bible Seminary Kuang, Selangor (Alumni Malaysia Bible Seminary Association Kuang, Selangor)” has been approved by the Registrar of Societies on 19th September 2011.

In conjunction with this, the Alumni Committee is organising a dinner (fully sponsored) to celebrate and to invite membership subscriptions from all our alumni. Remember, ‘membership has its privileges!’The dinner will be held next at the restaurant next to NECF office. After dinner we will proceed to NECF conference hall for a short meeting so that I can brief you on the progress of MBS. There will also be a time of discussion, to explore ways in which the Alumni can help both its alma mater and our fellow alumni.

The programme is as follows:

Date: 13 February 2012 (Monday)
Venue: NECF Conference Room
32 Jalan SS2/103, 47300 Petaling Jaya,
Programme:
6.30 pm Dinner
7.30 pm Progress report on MBS for 2011
8.00 pm Alumni membership recruitment and projects for 2012
9.00 pm Close

To help in the planning, kindly email Yvonne at mbs-ed@mbs.org.my or call 03 60371727 to confirm that you are coming.I look forward to seeing you at the dinner!

Rev Dr Tony Lim
Dean of English Department/ President, Alumni Malaysia Bible Seminary Association

2011-01-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

We are happy to inform that a number of the alumni residing overseas have signed up. On the local front, we understand that many of you are finding difficulty to go away for this 2 days' retreat. As we value your presence and participation, we are asking you to come for only half a day as follows:

Date: 24 January (Mon)

Time/Programme
8.45 am Praise & Worship
9.00 - 10.00 am Insights from the Past
10.00 - 10.30 am Tea Break
10.30 - 10.45 am Greetings from Principal
10.45 - 11.45 am Vision for the future
11.45 - 12.45 pm Reflections and Responses
1.00 - 2.00 pm Lunch

Besides hearing from previous lecturers in Drs Jeanette Hui and Chong Kwong Tek, Tony Lim, the present dean will be sharing to us the new vision of ministry and collaboration. We seek your presence to partner with MBS in exploring new ways to strengthen the theological foundations in the local churches that we represent.

While the alumni committee will sponsor the cost of your meals, you need to confirm with me your attendance so that I can inform the caterer. For those of you who can stay on for the night, you need to pay only half the registration fee.

See you there!

Dedication Service for Counseling Centre

2010-12-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

An open invitation from Dr Jenny Deva (a MBS alumnus) to the DEDICATION OF DAYCARE CENTRE FOR EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED YOUTH as follows:

Date: 8th Jan 2011 (Sat)
Time: 4-6 pm
Venue: Ophir Counseling Centre
9, Jalan Dato Amar, Klang

Map: http://maps.google.com.my/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

As refreshments will be served that day, kindly confirm your attendance via email: jmpdeva16@gmail.com

Facilities:
1) A VISITING PSYCHIATRIST
2) A VISITING PSYCHOLOGIST
3) NURSING STAFF TO MINISTER MEDICATION
4) COUNSELING FACILITATORS FOR CREATIVE THERAPY
5) COUNSELING / CHILD COUNSELOR
6) INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING
7) COUNSELOR TRAINING PROGRAMS
8) PARENT/CHILD INTERACTION GROUP COUNSELING

Coping with Stress from a Psychological and Physiological Perspective

2010-10-23T00:22:00.001-07:00

While most of us experience stress in everyday life, pastors very often suffer unconsciously from an occupation hazard called "compassion fatigue". Since we are not even aware of it, we are not able to prevent its effects on us such as reduced job performance, a lowered self-esteem, depression, and increased tension in other areas of our lives. The stress can also cause insomnia, irritability, emotional withdrawal and helplessness.

To address these concerns, we are privileged to have Dr Eric Scalise to help pastors cope with stress in ministry from a psychological and physiological perspective. Dr Scalise is one of the vice-presidents of the American Association of Christian Counselors and the Executive Director of their International Board of Certified Christian Counselors & Caregivers. He speaks regularly on mental health and leadership issues both on the homefront and overseas.

Details of the meeting are as follows:

Date: 26 Nov (Fri)
Time: 9 am - 12 noon
Venue: DUMC,Petaling Jaya
Fee: FREE (courtesy of the MBA Alumni Association)

To register, click at the link below:
Register Online

MBS Alumni (ED) Homecoming and Friends Appreciation Dinner

2010-09-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the seminary’s shifting to its new premises, we are organizing a special get-together for all the alumni (ED) to officially acquaint you to its new home, renew kindred-ship among old friends and to rejuvenate bonding with the alma mater.

The particulars of the get-together are as follows:
Date 10 Oct 2010
Venue: MBS New campus at Kundang, Rawang
Time: 5 pm
Programme:see flyer

To make this event more memorable, we will be providing you with a free night stay at the new campus. This offer is extended to your spouse as well. We will have a short chapel service the next morning, followed by updates from each other on your ministry.

We look forward to seeing you on 10-10-10!

"Sunday's coming" movie trailer

2010-05-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

On the "contemprovant" church :-)

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Resiliency

2010-05-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

William Carey, the “father of modern missions,” wanted to translate the Bible into as many Indian languages as possible. He established a large printshop in Serampore where translation work was continually being done. Carey spent hours each day translating Scripture, while his insane wife ranted and raved.

Carey was away from Serampore on March 11, 1832. His associate, William Ward, was working late. Suddenly Ward smelled smoke. He leaped up to discover clouds belching from the printing room. He screamed for help, and workers passed water from the nearby river until 2 a.m., but everything was destroyed.

On March 12, 1812 missionary Joshua Marshman entered a Calcutta classroom where Carey was teaching. “I can think of no easy way to break the news,” he said. “The printshop burned to the ground last night.” Carey was stunned. Gone were his massive polyglot dictionary, two grammar books, and whole versions of the Bible. Gone were sets of type for 14 eastern languages, 1,200 reams of paper, 55,000 printed sheets, and 30 pages of his Bengal dictionary. Gone was his complete library. “The work of years—gone in a moment,” he whispered.

He took little time to mourn. “The loss is heavy,” he wrote, “but as traveling a road the second time is usually done with greater ease and certainty than the first time, so I trust the work will lose nothing of real value. We are not discouraged; indeed the work is already begun again in every language. We are cast down but not in despair.”

When news of the fire reached England, it catapulted Carey to instant fame. Thousands of pounds were raised for the work, and volunteers offered to come help. The enterprise was rebuilt and enlarged. By 1832, complete Bibles, New Testaments, or separate books of Scripture had issued from the printing press in 44 languages and dialects.

The secret of Carey’s success is found in his resiliency. “There are grave difficulties on every hand,” he once wrote, “and more are looming ahead. Therefore we must go forward.”

We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Making Our Lives Available to Others (Henri Nouwen)

2010-04-29T15:51:00.001-07:00

Making Our Lives Available to Others

One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a very creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others.

We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told. We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them.

- Henri Nouwen

Recent changes in Christian approaches to Islam (Barnabas Fund)

2010-03-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

An article that should interest most of us alumni

http://www.barnabasfund.org/Recent-Changes-in-Christian-Approaches-to-Islam.html

Entering the Stories of Ordinary People

2010-02-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Read this this morning. A simple piece by Gordon MacDonald entitled Entering the Stories of Ordinary People. Caught my eye because I "love" stories. Not just stories as in illustrations for sermons ...but stories that define and shape everyday people. It can be found below but before that ... just a few rambling thoughts.

I find it sad that most people do not want to share their stories.

Sometimes people think their lives are boring and they have nothing significant to share but I doubt that this is actually the case especially if one is a Christian. I can't imagine how being a Christian can be boring especially since God is working in our lives daily, changing us into Christ's likeness.

I think our mindset and attitudes are being transformed (perhaps slowly but definitely surely!) and as we grow and learn, we see the world, our circumstances, our whole life in a new and wonderful way. We find new joy and learn valuable lessons (often unexpected) in things that may have once been thought mundane and insignificant. Even tough times are seen with "new eyes".

I think it is sad that we do not share more often our stories (big or small). Especially for pastors, we know the power of stories and the importance of good stories. Good Stories communicate, connect, encourage, opens doors, bless ...

Interesting fact: 40% OF the Old Testament is in story form!

One reason why I blog is to remember and share my stories.... and here's my pitch ... ALUMNI, COULD YOU CONSIDER SHARING SOME OF YOUR STORIES WITH THE REST OF US? IF YOU BLOG, WE WANT TO LINK YOUR BLOGS TO THIS PAGE. IF NOT, JUST SEND PATRICK OR MYSELF YOUR STORIES AND WE WILL POST IT UP FOR YOU!

Okay, here's the article

The other morning I headed for the Egg Shell restaurant just down the road from our home to join a friend for breakfast. My PDA scheduled us for 7a.m; but his, I later learned, said 7:30. Result? I had a half hour to drink coffee and observe life around me.

Sitting at 2 or 3 shoved together tables not far from my booth were ten baseball capped men in working clothes and mud-caked boots. The same group is always there whenever I breakfast at the Egg Shell. They sit shoulder to shoulder saying little to each other. Mainly, they read their copies of the New Hampshire Union Leader and shovel down omelets and home fries.

I once asked Cindy, a server at the Egg Shell, who they were. She said they were retired guys who had met for breakfast for years. "They're like a bunch of brothers," she added. "They do lots of stuff together." She didn't say what the stuff was.

When these mostly non-verbal men finished their breakfasts, they paid their bills, grabbed their coats and grunted goodbyes to Cindy. Some of them even give her a "sisterly" hug. I could see why she likened them to a band of brothers. As they passed my booth, I said, "Make the world a better place today, guys." One of them responded, "Great idea. We'll do it."

Two women (middle aged) were at another table. Unlike the men, they were spirited talkers, their conversation bouncing between laughter and whispered confidentialities. When they finished eating and started for the door, one called out to Gloria, the other server, "Behave yourself, Gloria. But if you decide not too, it won't matter much." This breezy goodbye tickled me because—and I mean no disrespect—Gloria doesn't look like the kind of person who would misbehave even if she had the opportunity. It was clear that the comment was an indication of affection between people who share a lot of history together.

When Gloria started to refill my coffee cup, I asked, "Known them for a long time?"

"Neighbors," she said. "One of them may lose her home. We're pretty shook about it."

"She's fortunate to have friends like you," I responded.

"Well, we're going to have to stick close to her."

Click HERE for the rest of the article

Tying the clouds together (Leadership Journal)

2010-02-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

Interesting reading ...

Tying the Clouds Together

Rob Bell's metaphors and references make his listeners stretch, but his wisdom for preachers is down to earth.

He once planted a church by teaching through Leviticus. He can use a rabbit carved from a bar of soap to illustrate the nature of suffering. Google his name and the term "Sex God" will appear among the top entries.

Rob Bell is the most interesting preacher in the world. ...

Click HERE to read the interview

Blessed Chinese New Year wishes

2010-02-12T19:19:00.001-08:00

To all alumni celebrating Chinese New Year ... here's wishes and a prayer for a blessed time with family and friends.

I'll be having a very quiet CNY this year. Medical "quarantine" :-) Not even attending church tomorrow! Will be an interesting Sunday for me!

God bless!

A note from the MBS Chairman on lecturers

2010-01-28T23:26:00.000-08:00

MBS website updates

2010-01-27T12:37:00.000-08:00

The MBS website has had some much needed updates and news. Do check out the latest newsletter (dated December 2009) and the again revised faculty biodata.

The newsletter introduces the new lecturers as well as has the Dean and new Principal explain once more the current situation and goals of MBS for 2010 and beyond.

Please click here to go to the MBS website. Spread the word around to your fellow alumni so they can help point people to the updates.

A few more thoughts on the critcism against MBS

2010-01-26T12:34:00.001-08:00

Thanks Eugene and Patrick for your posts. I hope MBS comes up with a response as well.

I think the point that MBS does not seek to have a D.Min or even M.Th programme is an important one to highlight. I suspect that MBS (The ED at least) has no intention of trying to compete with BCM or STM. In fact I think they are working closely with STM and BCM in partnership for the kingdom of God.

Why would Tan Geok Hock who studied both at MBS and the STM be asked to be a lecturer? I don't think MBS is concerned about petty things such as "losing face" that they cannot provide an M.Th programme and that their lecturer is a grad from STM. I have only spoken to Geok Hock briefly a couple of times over lunch (group) when he was a seminary student and one thing that amazed me about him was how he would travel to Klang (MBS) and then to Seremban (STM)to make sure he got the best lecturers for the subjects he wanted to study. He was not only certainly very intelligent based on the contents of his conversation, but he was also very humble. He seems to me like a very focused person and an excellent choice as a lecturer.:-)

I think too there is a big difference between focusing on training pastors who are biblically / theologically sound AND focusing on training pastors to be academic scholars. I suspect MBS (ED) is focusing on the former and STM is doing both the former and the latter. They certainly have the staff to attract capable students.

Of course it would be great to have pastors who are also academic scholars (and there are many whose books many of us have read and have been blessed by!) But not all of us are able or called to be such.

BTW, I think that the late Lee Hong Kwang (an MBS lecturer) was such a person. A gifted pastor and a scholar as well despite the fact that he had no interest / calling in writing academic papers. I remember that even after he had long since left MBS, I brought to his attention a recent article on OT poetry (that was hailed as ground breaking), he glanced at the title and the author and gave me off the cuff some background on the author, and another author who in his opinion had been an earlier developer of the thesis of the article ... and some reason why etc.

MA (OT) from TEDS but don't "play play" with him. He was a life long scholar.

Which brings me to my next thought. I think that while FORMAL academic qualifications are important, for the training of pastors, it should not be the primary factor. I remember (when I was doing my BTh) meeting a recent MTh (OT) grad from Dallas Theological seminary who was visiting MBS. I was struggling with my Basic Hebrew (a course run by Low Chai Hok on research language) and asked his help. He looked at what I was doing and sheepishly told me he could not help me as he had forgotten his Hebrew! Less than a year too!! And this was basic stuff.

I also took a course under a PhD (OT) holder who taught us word studies but only used the Strong's Concordance. I privately questioned him as to validity of his method especially since any first year seminary student knows that often a word in English could be a translation of a number of a number of different Greek or Hebrew words. Issues such as context and words need to be looked at. Yet, he could not see this as relevant, and did not think it necessary to even consider Strong's numbers much less G/K's for the class. For me, he was short changing the class. (And we know that while Strong's numbering system may be very helpful, in some areas, it is not accurate, so a simple tool like G/K numbers would be a better tool...., right?) :-)

I think therefore I was blessed to have taken my B.Th classes by Low Chai Hok despite him at the time not having either a formal MTh or PhD in OT rather than than under the better qualified graduates I mentioned (prestigious seminaries or not). No disrespect to medical doctors but I like this saying (as a means of illustration) - "Half the doctors graduated at the bottom half of their class."

But having said that, I hope MBS does not succumb to the temptation of being soft on academic performance. If a person wants a B.Th, then there should be no compromise on the academic qualifications needed to get a B.Th. If a person cannot meet the academic standards of a B.Th, he or she should not be given a B.Th. They should be encouraged to go for a BMin or settle for a Diploma level. It will only give MBS a bad reputation if graduates come out less than qualified. For me, a solid foundation in Bible and theology and the tools to become life long learners is essential.

I hope MBS makes clear how they select their lecturers and the kind of students they are looking for and put this issues to rest.

Criticism against MBS

2010-01-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Bro. Kris Wee,

greetings!

i am in receipt of the mail below from Patrick Cheng, a fellow alumni and former student of MBS. as i was a former student and graduated from MBS, i felt compelled to write this reply.

since you signed off at the end of your mail as "KR Wee", i take it that you are the writer of the mail.

it appears to me that there are two discrepancies in your mail which needs to be corrected as it does not represents the facts and is therefore inaccurate. the two discrepancies are as follows:-

1. the facts concerning Tan Geok Hock qualifications - i know Geok Hock personally and he has the qualification of an M.Th from STM on New Testament studies. from your mail, you seems to imply that Geok Hock does not possess the requiste qualifications. this is inaccurate on your part.

as for Tony, if you care to look carefully, Tony which is also known to me personally possess a MTS from Regent. that by qualification is equal to a M.Th and together with his D.Min gives him good standing in terms of academic consideration.

as for Roger, he possess an MA on Biblical interpretation. it is not stated where he obtained his M.A but in Europe an M.A is equal to a M.Th. since he is a Ph.D candidate, we may assume that his M.A is at least an equivalent of a Th.M.

the facts reveal that the above lecturers possess more than the necessary qualifications to qualify as lecturers for a seminary training students for B.Th or even M.Div. MBS has never held itself out as training students for Ph.Ds. the qualification of these lecturers are therefore deemed sufficient.

2. the question of whether Jack Mock, Roger and Jane Senior is qualified to teach must not be gleaned only from their respective academic qualifications. there are other considerations, chief of which is the views of the accreditation body and experience. in this case, the views of ATA and the council of MBS matters.

at this juncture, you have not stated their views nor are we any clearer as to the views of the accreditation body, the council and senate of MBS as the body responsible for the running of the seminary. in the circumstances, it would be unwise and unprudent of you to make comments as to whether these lecturers are apt and qualified to teach. after all, you may just find that the accreditation body accepts these lecturers based on factors you are not aware of, in which case your views expressed have been unjust based on inadequate considerations.

it must also be pointed out that whether a seminary is apt to teach and worthy of support does not depend on the size of their faculty or the number of Ph.Ds in their midst! the faculty serves the purpose of the seminary. in the case of MBS, their purpose is modest and does not require a huge layout of lecturers. the standing of the seminary and whether it is worthy of support is dependant of the students they produced. there are many of us who came from MBS who are now established pastors/leaders in various churches and organisations and all will in one way or another testify that MBS have been of help and contribute to their developments through godly lecturers and training standards.

i hope that this puts a better perspective for you as to your comments about MBS. it is necessary to lay all the facts and not just some selective facts when calling upon churches and leaders to withhold support of an established institution of learning.

in the light of the above and as with Patrick, i urge you to consider recalling your mail.

Eugene Yapp

Criticism against MBS

2010-01-26T00:58:00.000-08:00

As there was no reply from the author of that email, here's my response.

=======================
Dear Kris,

I am not sure if you are the originator of this mail since I have received it from two other sources this morning.

While the content of the email is something to be concerned about, the context is something we do not know. Maybe it's just a temporary arrangement. Anyway, the best thing to do is to write to the principal of MBS direct and c.c. to the board.

Sending out a mass mail to unconcerned and unaffected parties is a pure violation of the Matthew 18 injunction where our Lord Jesus laid down clear principles to resolve any dispute between two parties. Furthermore, sending the mail to undisclosed recipients is likened to slander since MBS does not have a chance to defend itself.

I therefore urge you to write direct to MBS. If you are the author of the mail, you may even want to recall the mail.

Patrick Cheng

A letter circulating that MBS should respond to

2010-01-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

The e-mail (in red) is being passed around. Perhaps MBS (ED) should post a response?

Some personal comments of mine can be found after the e-mail

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ at MBS,

I have been a keen prayer supporter of MBS for many years. I have just check in on the MBS website and what I saw thoroughly disappoints me.

First of all, your faculty standard has gone down the drain. You have lecturers with no degrees such as Jack Mock and Tan Geok Hock. Just their experiences alone do not count at all. The white missionary couple you have as lecturers are also poorly qualified, Rog having only a MA and his wife just a BA. It was Pastor Eddy Ho who told our church several years ago that the minimum qualification is a M.Div. Does Jack Mock and Tan Geok Hock have the qualification. As a seminary, you have state the academic qualifications of your lecturers. Just compare MBS withe the STM and BCM websites and see the way they display their qualified lecturers' qualification. You have so few lecturers and your timetable have only 3 or 4 subjects a week!

I think there is some inconsistency in your lecturer qualification requirement. A Malaysian will not be acceptable with less than a M.Div yet, a white couple with just an MA and BA respectively and an Australian pastor without any degree are allowed to teach.Also, the dean's D.Min is not an academic degree but a skill-based one, so how can he be a good academic lecturer. Actually, nobody in the academic world respect the D.Min holder. It is so easily gained that even people with no basic theological degrees can get a D.Min. This was what the good old Rev Loh Soon Choy told some of us after preaching in our church a few years back when we asked why he didnt go for a D.Min.

Just look at the academic credentials of the BCM alone, no need to compare with the high-powered STM. The ordinary BCM lecturers have higher qualifications than the MBS dean! And they have a large pool of lecturers while MBS has only 5! The STM, of course, is way above the MBS with so many with PhDs from world-class unversities and seminaries like London University and Fuller.

The less than a handful lecturers is a disgrace and is shortchanging the students. I will ask my church to stop sending students and supporting MBS in view of its poor faculty. I think BCM and STM are much better seminaries.

I feel that you should do something about the situation.

This message is being sent to pastors and church leaders to start a debate on whether MBS is worth supporting or not. Please help to promote this debate by forward to other concerned Christians.

KR Wee

There has been a lot of major changes over the years and I think it would be good for MBS to make some kind of statement. Perhaps there is a strong adjunct faculty (and if so, this needs to be made clear on the MBS website)

I remember that even when I was doing my B.Th (graduated in 1990) I had the chance to study under many lecturers with M.Ths and PhDs.

Some PhDs I remember and enjoyed studying under(when I was doing my B.Th and later M.Min and MCS ) were

Ng Kam Weng (theology) * I remember even requesting permission (and being granted) to sit in the then MDiv classes when I was doing my B.Th.

Wong Hoong Hing (NT)

Philip .... oops name slips my mind but he was OT grad from Sheffield University.

For many of the courses in which I did my MCS, I made sure I picked courses that had special guest lecturers (many of whom were PhD holders or specialists in their fields)

For example, I thoroughly enjoyed counselling courses with the late Anthony Yeo, CE with Saik Oy Mooi (PhD in CE), "religion" with an Arabic speaking Middle Eastern PhD holder and missions with Peter Rowan (who is still a missionary). I also had some interesting classes with Allan Harkness (back when he only had his Masters)

Back to my BTh years ... As frustrating as I sometimes found some classes with Rev. Loh SC, :-) I enjoyed his friendship and learned much from the wealth of knowledge he had on Church history. Through him I still believe that church history is interesting and relevant!

For OT, I fondly remember the late Lee Hong Kwang (yes I know he only had an MA in OT from TEDS) but there was no doubt about his deep knowledge and practical application of the OT. And I know that Low Chai Hok never formally completed his MCS from Regent College but he certainly has a better grasp of OT and Hebrew than many OT grads I have met (MTh no less) from some big names seminaries. They gave me a great foundation and love for the OT. Back then, to get a B from Chai Hok was a thrill as his standard was so high :-)

In NT, I had a couple of personal issues with Rev Tan Jin Huat (now Rev Dr.) but that I can honestly say was due to my immaturity back then and not his ability or character! :-) Back then he only had his MTh (Aberdeen) but he was very knowledgeable.

Andrew Lim had a MA (philosophy I believe) but he gave me a great foundation and love for philosophy of religion, and I learned a lot from his pastoral ministry and homiletics classes.

I also had the chance to restudy hermeneutics with Dr. Lim Kar Yong (when doing my MCS) and it is still to me the best course on the subject I have ever taken. (And I still wish that I had the opportunity to learn Greek from him - maybe then I would keep whatever little Greek I managed to learn)

Blessed New Year 2010 wishes

2010-01-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

2010 has arrived. Rather late as it's already the 6th but ... "May God grant you a blessed 2010!"

Interesting that there are many hits on this blog but it's still so quiet, especially since most alumni in the ministry and have to do regular preaching :-)

No news as to how everyone is doing. ... me? I'm well, busy and happy with ministry and life.

Here's a picture of me and my wife Jennifer (also an alumnus)

Controlling Your Moods & Emosi

2009-11-15T18:37:00.000-08:00

Mark 6:7 - Jesus sent the 12 disciples out to preach the gospel and heal the sick - I supposed he was in a good mood that his disciples were ready to experience the power of the kingdom

Mark 6:14 - Herod beheaded his cousin John the Baptist. Jesus must be very sad to hear the news. That must be a sabotage and spiritual attack on Jesus.

Mark 6:30 - The disciples returned with the exciting news of all the miracles, healing, & exocisms that took place (cf vs 12-13). How you you think Jesus would have felt? His cousin has just died a martyr's death. I supposed He had to rejoice with the disciples.

Mark 6:31 - Jesus saw the need to spend some time with the disciples for debriefing hence took them aside for a time to rest. Perhaps both for himself and them to recuperate.

Mark 6:33 - The multitudes heard where they were going (perhaps some of the disciples out of zealousness had leaked the news out)and swarmed to the deserted place before them. If you were Jesus, how would you have felt? I would have felt overwhelmed with tiredness & exhaustion both physically and emotionally.Come on - give me a break!

Mark 6:34 - Moved with compassion for them, he taught them from morning until evening. Compassion for the people has overcome his own fatigue and sorrows.

Mark 6:35-36 - There seemed to be a hint in the disciples' voice that Jesus was abit long-winded and forgot the time. They were tired and hungry already.

Mark 6:37-44 - Only after he performed the miracle and fed the 5,000 did he send the people away.

If I were Jesus, I would have dropped down dead tired! And woke up the next morning feeling groggy and anti-social.

But that didn't happen to Him, What was his secret? vs 46 - He departed to the mountain alone and pray and was rejunevated and refreshed in the presence of His Father. I think I need to learn that too.

Two MBS websites?

2009-11-11T13:00:00.001-08:00

Does anyone know if MBS has two separate websites? I am confused as there seems to be two different MBS sites.

There's this one which is forever under construction

http://eng.mbs.org.my/

Then there's this one which seems to be the official one (both Chinese / English)

http://www.mbs.org.my/

But there does not seem to be any updates on the new lecturers (or have they not arrived) or am I imagining things?

And there are these strange "unconnected links" floating around in cyber space which I somehow stumbled upon by accident? (courtesy of google search)

http://www.mbs.org.my/contain.htm

http://mbs.org.my.hosted.com.my/eng/index.php?q=

Sep 09 newsletter ramblings

2009-10-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

Got a nice surprise in my mail box (snail mail type) yesterday. A copy of the MBS newsletter. And with a new name and fresh look too. Nice.

MBS should consider scanning it into a pdf format for easy download on their website. Of course assuming the ED website ever gets completed. HINT! HINT!!

Found out through the newsletter that Rev. Loh is "officially re-tyre-ing" (yet again!) :-) But I suspect he will still be around to teach a course or two every year despite his not so good health. He's only 72 after all .... and surely seminarians like Rev Loh don't really "retire". They only leave when it is time to move from the seminary to the cemetery and then to glory! My former pastor is now 75 was a former Dean of the Bible College of New Zealand (now Laidlaw College) and he is still preaching almost every Sunday and teaching here and there in all kinds of settings! I make use of his gifts in my church - preaching and running seminars but try to be generous and not hog him so other churches and groups can benefit from his vast experience. My hope is that Rev Loh will be greatly used to bless more outside MBS now that he is "re-tyre-ing" again.

Called him a while ago and managed to talk to him a for a brief time (he had someone in the office so it had to be short).

I heard from Rev. Loh that there are a whole bunch of new lecturers coming in to MBS. Sounds exciting but I wish I knew more about what is happening. How can we even pray for MBS when alumni aren't kept in the loop better? And I found out Rev Eddy Ho (oops Rev. Dr,. Eddy Ho) is joining MEC as their new principal.

But thanks MBS (and whoever it is who made this arrangement) for sending me the newsletter. it is good to have some news. For those who are like me - mostly in the dark, Dr. Jason Lim will be taking over as Principal in Jan 2010 and Dr. Tan Kim Sai is going on a year to year contract with MBS.

Hope all this changes will help MBS grow.

BTW, I tried calling earlier and found out that a lot of things in MBS still hasn't changed. *sigh* I know this has been said many times before but really, they need to train their receptionist better. After so many years, it seems that every receptionist has no idea as to whether a lecturer has a class that day or not.... and also doesn't know how to take a message! *sigh*, Is it so hard to keep handy whether a lecture is on leave or not? That's all I want to know. :-)

The Army of the Lord

2009-10-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

After service, the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands.
He grabbed a certain guy by the hand and pulled him aside, saying to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"

The guy replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor." Pastor questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?"

He whispered back, "I'm in the secret service."

Malaysia Bridal Seminary

2009-09-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

I met two old alumni a few weeks ago at a conference and was surprised to learn that they married each other. Come to think of it, MBS has brought together many couples over the years hence the title of this post. I encouraged to start a blog where he can be connected to the alumni and here you are, the small town pastor from Kulim has gone high-tech! Let's welcome Silas Jugdip Singh and Josephine Ting to our alumni blog. You can contact them at Facebook.

The problem of Christendom

2009-08-31T00:50:00.000-07:00

"Many non-disciples in our church today. They accept Jesus into their lives and know that their sins are forgiven.They read the Bible and pray every day in individualism. Very little character formation takes place since it is done in isolation and individualism. Personal transformation can only take place in community where others can check on my commitments to God.The system provides them with only religious activity hence no conducive environment for transformation. The Great Commission has been made into Optional Commission."

Do I have an answer? Yes and No. Yes, I have some theory. No, I don't have a model to show you yet. My church leadership decided to embark on a 3 year transformation process. Does any of the alumni has a successful church model to showcase now. I will be interested to visit your church and study it.

Lessons from the "Gen-X" ministries (Leadership Journal article)

2009-08-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

An interesting and helpful read from Leadership Journal ...

The X Factor
What have we learned from the rise, decline, and renewal of "Gen-X" ministries?
Collin Hansen

Monday, August 24, 2009

When the willows sway in South Barrington, the evangelical world notices. So Willow Creek Community Church provoked headlines in 2006 when leaders said they would end Axis as everyone knew it. As recently as 2001, about 2,000 young adults had gathered on Saturday nights for alternative music and relevant teaching. But before temporarily closing in 2006, Axis attracted fewer than 400 twenty-somethings. How could a trend-setting ministry decline so severely in just five years?

Due in no small part to Willow's example, ministry leaders across the country once viewed separate, age-targeted services as the key to reaching a generation largely absent from the churches built by their Boomer parents. Little more than 10 years after Willow launched Axis in 1996, many of these once-prosperous twenty-something ministries have folded, spun off, or morphed. Leaders from these ministries have learned differing lessons from the experiment. Some are now advocating new messages for reaching the emerging generation. Others have changed their ministry's structure. Still more want better biblical preaching and radical discipleship. All have been provoked to think deeply about the nature and implications of the gospel and have seen their ministries leave lasting effects on the larger church.

Click here for the complete article

FREE subscription to Catalyst Leadership

2009-07-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

Catalyst Leadership magazine subscription
Thought this might be helpful to some of you.

Catalyst Leadership connects next generation leaders with the ideas and people that are crafting culture. This publications combines the wisdom of experience with the newest and freshest voices discussing the issues in ministry that mean the most for church leaders.

Your FREE subscription to Catalyst Leadership will include:

E-mail notification whenever a new issue of Catalyst Leadership is available
Direct links to additional resources from both Catalyst and Leadership journal
Share articles with others easily

If you haven't already signed up you can do it here.

Can Your Church Handle the Truth?

2009-07-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Can Your Church Handle the Truth?

Recovery ministries demand a level of honesty many congregations aren't used to.

Matt Russell with Angie Ward

Monday, July 13, 2009

I am afraid that in many American churches, we are not telling the truth—at least not the whole truth.

In many churches we assume that once you accept Jesus as your Savior, you get involved in church and your life gets better. This is the standard story repeated in "testimony time" on Sundays, and the unspoken assumption regarding discipleship.

This "narrative of ascendency" has become the dominant American narrative of the gospel, rooted in American optimism and confidence. It is beautiful, compelling, and powerful. But is it the whole truth?

The church in America has struggled to embrace an equally true "narrative of descendency," the part of the gospel that is grounded in the One who descended into the depths of human darkness, and who calls us to face our particular and ongoing struggle with our own darkness.

We avoid this part of the story. We want a new life without a death. We want to ascend to Heaven before we descend into hell.

But the gospel includes both descendency and ascendency. The very process of recovery is understanding that there is a death, and there is a resurrection. They are inseparable, and it's a process that continues throughout our lives. The story of Mercy Street is a story of a community of faith in Christ that sees the gospel in both of those narratives.
My snowball interviews

Thirteen years ago, I had finished seminary and was trying to figure out what to do with my life. I called Jim Jackson, a friend who was the senior pastor at Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston, to ask him to help me think through some of the decisions I had to make. He asked me to work with him for a few years and get some ministry experience under my belt.

When I got to Chapelwood, Jim asked me, "What do you want to do?" I told him that I wanted to find a way to connect people who were outside the church, who saw no relevance in the way the church interacts with culture, with the gospel. Jim said, "Go for it. What do you need?"

I said I needed a laptop and a cell phone and told him I wouldn't be at the church a lot.

I asked Jim if he would give me the names of a couple of people who had left the church because they had bad experiences. Then I found a coffee shop in the Montrose area of Houston and cold-called the people on his list.

"My intention is not to invite you back to church," I said. "I want to hear what happened, how you felt, and what you wish was different. Will you just come and tell me your story?"

I didn't realize it at the time, but I ended up doing what is known as "snowball interviewing." After those first few interviews, I asked, "Is there anyone else you know who feels the same way about church? If I made the same promise to them, would you give me their name and number?" And they did. So for nine months, every day, Monday through Friday, I sat at Dietrich's Coffee Shop and interviewed people. I'd ask questions about their perceptions, their experiences, and their thoughts about church. What I heard broke my heart and changed my life.

Through these interviews, I came to see a distinct pattern. Most people left church not because they had a deep theological problem with something like the virgin birth or the resurrection of Christ. They left because people in church have the tendency to be small and mean and couldn't deal honestly with their own sin or the sin of others. As one man put it, "People in the church were more invested in the process of being right than in the process of being honest."

One of the main populations I interviewed was people who were in all types of recovery: from drugs, alcohol, sex addiction, eating disorders, gambling. Their interviews were full of stories of chronic behaviors that persisted despite confession, church attendance, small group participation, and Bible study. Many felt that their ministry leaders expected their behaviors to change as a result of prayer and participating in church activities. But that just wasn't the case.

As one person told me, "Just because you shellac a bunch of Jesus over your life doesn't make it right."

After nine months, I had conducted more than 70 interviews. I invited 30 of those people to a dinner to share with them what I had heard and learned.

Click here for the full article.

Some MBS news

2009-07-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

I read in Dr. Anthony Loke's blog (OT lecturer ar STM) that MBS recently won an the inter-seminary games (between MBS, BCM and STM). Nice to know there has been a revival of these games. And congrats.

I remember one year when we had some form of inter seminary games - how BCM kicked our "behinds" in men's basketball. And how the girls had a huge scuffle in their "Captain Ball" match. Can't recall who won as the scuffling was the highlight.

Noted too that the MBS link on our blog is under constuction. I found this link instead http://www.mbs.org.my/contain.htm

And some interesting news...

Two new lecturers arriving soon ... and MBS in the red RM 395,000 as of May 09. Click here for that news.

And Peter Rowan is leaving.... after only 6 years. How sad for MBS but great for OMF UK's Home office.

Read new Dean Tony Lim's article to see what MBS is up to/

BTW anyone at MBS want to tell us what is the latest on the Kundang centre?

And perhaps the one who is updating MBS's website (nice that it is being done!!) consider updating MBS's wikipedia entry as well? Click here ...

And this not to compare ... (actually it is to compare ... but not in a negative way :-)) but check out STM's website. Very cool. I think it is important for MBS to have a nice website as it is after all the 21st century already!

MInistering to Grieving People

2009-06-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Last night, I bumped into Edmund Ng, an alumnus who has started a specialized ministry to those who have lost a loved one. Besides sharing and teaching, his ministry also include emotional support and practical help according to individual needs and concerns. Practical Help include legal and administrative matters (such as letter of administration, EPF, Socso and insurance claims, social welfare applications, etc) and micro-finance loans for income-generating enterprises. We alumni could network with him and tap on his expertise in this area of ministry. Click on his name to acccess his site

The Law of Empowerment

2009-06-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

Another John Maxwell piece. Simple and practical advice. ...

The Law of Empowerment

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

Biographers universally agree that personal insecurity factored heavily in the downfall of former American President Richard Nixon. Rather than empowering others, President Nixon clutched at power so tightly that he lost all sense of morality and ethics. Obsessively fearing his critics, Nixon authorized a domestic espionage group to spy on his political opponents. When members of the group were caught burglarizing the Watergate Hotel, Nixon tried unsuccessfully to cover up the incident. Eventually he resigned in shame, having left a dubious legacy of scandal.

Nixon's behavior in office violated the Law of Empowerment: Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others.

Today, at a time when managers must do more with less - less people, less budget, less margin for error - leaders have no choice but to empower followers to share the load. Insecurity simply isn't compatible with survival. Even so, human nature resists empowerment. Let's look at three common tendencies that make empowerment a tricky task.

Three Obstacles to Empowerment

1) Desire for Job Security

The number one enemy of empowerment is the desire for job security. Weak leaders worry that they will become expendable if they train up talented subordinates. As a result, they retain a monopoly on select knowledge in the hopes of positioning themselves as irreplaceable. Some misguided leaders even go as far as undercutting those they perceive as potential rivals. Not wanting to be surpassed, they intentionally make others look bad from time to time.

Insecure leaders who prize job security are fiercely territorial. They stake out their turf and refuse to delegate. They want to be the go-to-guys so badly that they may senselessly refuse to train and empower others who could offer them assistance.

The truth is that the only way to make yourself indispensable is to make yourself dispensable. In other words, if you are continually able to empower others and develop them so that they become capable of taking over your job, then you will become so valuable to the organization that you become indispensable.

2) Resistance to Change

Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck asserted, "It is the nature of man as he grows older to protect against change, particularly change for the better." By its very nature, empowerment brings constant change in that it encourages people to grow and innovate. Change is the price of progress.

Insecure leaders view change as a threat rather than an opportunity. They fear change rather than inviting it. As a consequence, insecure leaders have been known to act coldly toward newcomers. They cling to the established order and generally resent anyone who may disrupt it. Instead of empowering incoming personnel, they avoid working with them.

3) Lack of Self-Worth

Many people derive personal value and esteem from their title or position. When either is threatened, they feel as if their self-worth is under assault. Accordingly, they will firmly resist anyone or anything that could reduce their status.

On the other hand, author Buck Rogers says, "To those who have confidence in themselves, change is a stimulus because they believe one person can make a difference and influence what goes on around them. These people are the doers and the motivators." They are also the empowerers.

Summary

Enlarging others makes you larger. The purpose of power is to be distributed, not hoarded, but only secure leaders are able to give their power away. Recognize and resist the natural inclinations to keep a tight grip on power. In the long run, you'll be rewarded for letting go.

I'll close with a quotation on empowerment from decorated war hero and former vice presidential candidate, James B. Stockdale:

"Leadership must be based on goodwill... It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping followers... What we need for leaders are men of heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away."

About

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 16 million books. EQUIP, the organization he founded has trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell was named the World's Top Leadership Guru by Leadershipgurus.net. He was also one of only 25 authors and artists named to Amazon.com's 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader have each sold over a million copies.

Printed from the GiANT Impact website (www.giantimpact.com).

The online version of this article can be found at
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_the_law_of_empowerment/

Content from this article may be used, but must be accompanied by the following credit line in its entirety: "This article is used by permission from GiANT Impact. Find other leadership content, resources, training, and events at www.giantimpact.com."

PREACHING SEMINAR: PREACHING OT PROPHETS

2009-05-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

PREACHING SEMINAR: PREACHING OT PROPHETS

Speaker Rev. David Cook and Mr. Jonathan Dykes

Date 29 June 2009 (Monday)
Time 10.00am-4.00pm

Venue Malaysia Bible Seminary,
1-11, Jalan Dendang 1, Kaw. 16,
Berkeley Town Centre,
41300 Klang,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Klang, Selangor

FREE ADMISSION

Tel: 03-33427482
Fax: 03-33412094
Email: mbs-ed@mbs.org.my

Schedule of the day:

10.00am
Introduction & Morning
Devotion (David Cook)

11.00am
Biblical theology & preaching
(Jonathan Dykes)

12.00pm
Preaching OT Prophets
(David Cook)

01.00pm Lunch

02.00pm Small group exercise

04.00pm End

Leadership journal article: Church Discipline for Repetitive Sin

2009-05-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

The following article is located at:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2009/spring/churchdisciplinerepetitivesin.html

Church Discipline for Repetitive Sin
How do you work pastorally with people who are likely to fall again?
Kevin Miller

Friday, May 22, 2009

Rick came to see me because he wanted to make a confession. He had, he said, hooked up with another gay man for an evening. Rick felt bad. He wanted to find freedom in Christ and to live without the patterns of his past.

Amy had a different reason for meeting with her pastor. "I'm angry a lot," she said. "Especially at the kids, and I take it out on them."

Mike looked down at the floor as he admitted to me that he had gone back to the porn sites. It wasn't the first time we had met about this, so I asked, "I thought you got rid of your internet service at home."

"I did," he said. "But then I found out I could pick up my neighbor's wi-fi."

How do you respond to people who are sinning, who know they're sinning, and who (given the addictive nature of their sin) most likely will sin again? Is there appropriate church discipline for repetitive sin?

Our church has taken these questions seriously, and we have been learning along the way. Maybe our experience can be helpful to others who want to guide their people to greater holiness and amendment of life.

Create a Culture of Confession

Pastors generally have hope and fear regarding church discipline: we hope we never have to implement it, and if we do, we fear a tumultuous public process, with letters read in front of the congregation and possible lawsuits. This leads to an implicit "don't ask, don't tell" mindset. There aren't many places in church life for people to honestly confess their present-tense sins, and somehow that's okay with us.

We do not take either sin or grace seriously enough.

But confession to another Christian is not only commanded in the Bible (James 5:16), it's the door to healing and holiness. So our church offers a variety of opportunities for confession: general confession during each worship service, invitations to go to a prayer minister near the end of a worship service, "prayer cells" made up of three people of the same sex, small groups for "life-controlling issues," and formal confession to a pastor.

It's this last one that makes some people pause. With roots in the Reformation, Protestants fear elevating the practice to a sacrament or of introducing any mediator between the sinner and Christ.

But Martin Luther, when he reduced the number of seven medieval sacraments, at first landed at three—baptism, Communion, and penance (confession and absolution). Though he later dropped sacramental status for penance, he daily confessed his sins to another person for most of his life.

There's a reason why Luther, C. S. Lewis, and other faithful Christians regularly practiced private oral confession.

Confessing your sins to God, in the presence of another human being, humbles you. It's hard to say to another person, "I did this; I thought that"—at least, I know it's hard for me. But following the humbling comes great assurance. The person I'm confessing to assures me of God's forgiveness, and there's something about their tangible presence, the very sound of their words, that breaks me free from my circling thoughts and tortured conscience.

Just as we need evangelists to proclaim God's invitation to new life, we need pastors to proclaim God's forgiveness to those who repent.

A first step is to invite people to make a formal confession of sins to a pastor—starting, perhaps, on Good Friday. Many resources exist, such as the Book of Common Prayer, to give words and structure to these confessions.

What Lies Beneath?

Listen for "sin beneath sin" and "grace beneath grace."

Sin must be taken seriously; it cannot be winked at or patted on the head. "You shall be holy, as I the Lord am holy." Jesus could not have spoken more jarringly when he says, "If your eye offends, gouge it out." We need to be as fierce about fighting sin as Jesus was.

But we must take grace as seriously as we take sin. There is a long and relentless process of sanctification: "We all fall short in many ways;" "If anyone says he is without sin, he is a liar;" "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

Usually, when a guy comes to me to confess his sin, he does not take either sin or grace seriously enough. He feels bad for his sin—I shouldn't have visited the porn site—but he doesn't usually see his sin as addictive, progressive, and capable of damning him to hell. Neither does he take grace seriously enough. He thinks the truest thing about himself is that he's a sinner. But the truest thing about him is not the fact he visited the porn site but the fact he is created by God, loved by God, and has a hunger for God.

So as I listen to a confession, I listen for "the sin beneath the sin" and for "the grace beneath the grace."

Here's what I mean:

When listening to the person confess his sins, I usually find that the sin, especially an addictive one, didn't just accidentally happen. No, instead, it came as part of a cycle: Stress, fantasy, indulgence, brief release, deeper guilt. Usually, what pushed the bike pedal on that sin-cycle was not just lust, but something deeper: shame, anxiety, self-loathing, passivity, narcissism.

Probably the most common "sin beneath the sin" I hear is self-pity: "I do all the work in this relationship." "Given my education, I should be earning more." "I realized, 'I'm 30, and I've never had sex.' "

I may point out what I hear, or sometimes, I'll ask the person, "What do you think was the sin beneath the sin?"

I also listen for the grace beneath the grace. In this person before me, even though he has fallen into sin again, there's a spark of hope, of remorse, of wanting to change. There's a vocation, a true call of God on this life. There are spiritual gifts and graces waiting to be released more fully.

As I'm able to discern those, I will speak them out: "You really have a longing for beauty. It seems like God has given you the soul of an artist. That's why it's so important for you to cleanse your mind of impure images, so you can help others experience the beauty of God. What an amazing calling in life you have."

Usually, that's when the person starts to cry, and I do too.

Persist in a Pastoral Plan

When a person has just confessed his sin, what I'm after is not punishment. And definitely not shame. It's change. So I give the person a "pastoral plan" that, I hope, will bring amendment of life. I want to give the person something to do, for as my colleague Phil Kenyon says, "If you sin with your body, you must repent with your body."

Each penitent, like each patient, requires a different type and dose of medicine. But at Church of the Resurrection, we often prescribe one or more of the following:

Accountability to me or to an older person of the same gender. "Let's meet every 2 to 4 weeks to hear how things are going for you." I know the person may sin again. What I'm looking for is not zero falls, but fewer falls and faster rises. What I don't want, though, is for the person to start meeting with various pastors in the church, to avoid having to say to one person who knows him, "Yes, I did it again."
Get prayer ministry on Sunday mornings—regularly.
Enter counseling to better understand the forces behind this sin cycle—but sign a release so the counselor or therapist can talk to me about how you are doing.
Go to the person you hurt and ask their forgiveness. If the sin was particularly harmful to another person (e.g., the married man who confesses, "I slept with a prostitute"), I'll ask, "For the sake of the health of your spouse, you need to tell her, and ask her to call me to let me know that you told her. If I don't hear from her by (insert date), I'll call her. Then I want you both to be tested for STDs."
Fasting. In addition to the time-honored spiritual practice of fasting from food, I may ask a person to:
- Fast from a relationship. "For ___ days, you cannot see or make contact with the person with whom you had a fall."
- Fast from the Internet. Get rid of your ISP or use software that emails two people the address of each website you visit.
- Fast from television, or the images that make you prone to sin.
Join one of our small groups or discipleship programs that emphasize spiritual disciplines, healing, and life transformation.
Step down from a ministry. When people become involved in "public ministry," as we call it—most of our leadership and up-front roles—we have them sign an agreement that they will confess if they fall into various sins (yes, we list specific ones), so this doesn't catch them by surprise. Still, I clearly explain this is not punitive, but restorative—to give a person time and space to heal.
Do not receive the Eucharist. Since this is our greatest privilege as Christians, we don't lightly banish someone from the family table. But in extreme cases, we have done so. The longest I know of was for one year, for a person who had abused family members. When the time of discipline is over, we (privately) bless and receive the person back.
Public acknowledgment. Generally, we don't get here. The person is repentant, and the pastoral plans are known only to the pastor and the penitent. But "public sin requires public acknowledgment," so in certain cases—an elder, an unrepentant person—the church board or the church may need to know, not the specific details, but that the person is officially under discipline.

As you can tell, this requires a lot of time, energy, and follow-up. But the healing and change that come are worth it. Several key members and leaders in our church came through just such a church discipline and responded to it with great humility. Some have told us, "Thank you. Thank you for sticking with me."

People sometimes ask, "But do people really put up with this kind of discipline? They could drive half a block and go to another church and no questions will be asked." True, but we've found that almost never happens. Because what people want, in their heart of hearts, is to be loved so much that someone will say, "You need to change, God will help you, and I'll walk with you."

Kevin Miller is editor at large of Leadership and assistant priest at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.

www.ChristianityToday.com
Copyright © 2009 Christianity Today International

Prominent Missiologist Dr. Ralph Winter Passes

2009-05-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Prominent Missiologist Dr. Ralph Winter Passes

By Mark Ellis
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA (ANS) -- One of the most significant missiological thinkers of the twentieth century, Dr. Ralph Winter, passed away last night at his home in Pasadena. He was 84.

Dr. Winter founded the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM) in 1976 and the William Carey International University a year later. His 1974 address to the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization created a seismic shift in mission strategy, with his call to evangelize people groups outside the focus of established mission efforts.

Dr. Ralph Winter

Family members and staff gathered at Dr. Winter’s bedside last night. “It was a bitter-sweet time, with three of his four daughters and Barb around the bed, singing to him,” said Greg Parsons, general director at the USCWM. As the word spread, more of his staff arrived to share stories and sing hymns.

“As they rolled his earthly tent in front of us out to the waiting car I came to these familiar verses,” said Parsons, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?"

Peter Wagner has noted that “history will record Winter as one of the half-dozen men who did most to affect world evangelism in the 20th century..”

Memorial services are tentatively set for June 27th.

Mark Ellis,a Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service, is also president of Christian Writers & Artists Ministries. markellis4@cox.net

Are you a good Christ?

2009-05-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

Been a while since anyone posted anything here so .... here's an article that IS challenging me. Click on the title below to go to the original source.

Are You a Good Christ?

By Francis Chan

I think it's time we stop asking ourselves the question: "Am I a good Christian?" We live in a time when the term "Christian" has been so diluted that millions of immoral but nice people genuinely consider themselves "good Christians." We have reduced the idea of a good Christian to someone who believes in Jesus, loves his or her family, and attends church regularly. Others will label you a good Christian even though your life has no semblance to the way Christ spent His days on earth. Perhaps we should start asking the question: "Am I a good Christ?" In other words, do I look anything like Jesus? This question never even entered my mind until a friend of mine made a passing comment to me one day.

Dan is a long time friend of mine. In fact, he's the pastor who performed my wedding. He was talking to me about a pastor named Von. Von has been working with youth in the San Diego area for decades. Many of his students have gone on to become amazing missionaries and powerful servants of God. Dan described a trip to Tijuana, Mexico with Pastor Von. (Von has been ministering to the poor in the dumps of Tijuana for years). Dan didn't speak of the awful living conditions of those who made their homes amidst the rubbish. What impacted Dan the most was the relationship he saw between Von and the people of this community. He spoke of the compassion, sacrifice, and love that he witnessed in Von's words and actions as he held these malnourished and un-bathed children. Then he made the statement that sent me reeling:

"The day I spent with Von was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

Dan explained that the whole experience was so eerie because he kept thinking to himself: "If Jesus were still walking on earth in the flesh, this is what it would feel like to walk alongside of Him!" After that discussion, I kept wondering if anyone had ever said that about me-"The day I spent with Francis was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus." The answer was an obvious "no." Would any honest person say that about you?

What bothered me was not that I hadn't "arrived," but that I wasn't even heading in the right direction. I hadn't made it my goal to resemble Christ. I wasn't striving to become the kind of person who could be mistaken for Jesus Christ. Isn't it ironic that a man can be known as a successful pastor, speaker, and CHRISTian even if his life doesn't resemble Christ's?

1 John 2:6 "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

When John made that statement, he wasn't speaking about how to be a church leader or even how to be a "good" Christian. He merely stated that anyone who calls himself Christian must live like Jesus did. So how did Jesus live? You could make a list of character traits to compare yourself to, but it would be far more beneficial to simply read through one of the Gospels. After you get a bird's-eye view of the life of Christ, do the same with your own. Are you comfortable with the similarities and differences?

It's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of "success" as American church-goers define it. The thought of being well-known and respected is alluring. There have been times when I've been caught up in the fun of popularity. I've even mistaken it for success. Biblically, however, success is when our lives parallel Christ's. Truth is, there are many good Christs that you'll never read about in a magazine. They are walking as Jesus walked, but they are too focused and humble to pursue their own recognition.

May we make it our goal to someday have someone say of us: "The day/hour/15 minutes I spent with ______ was the closest thing I've ever experienced to walking with Jesus."

As Christians in America, we often complain about how antagonistic people are toward Christ. Personally, I'm not sure that Americans are really rejecting Christ. Maybe they just haven't seen Him.

Try to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself right now. Is the following true of you?

You passionately love Jesus, but you don't really want to be like Him. You admire His humility, but you don't want to be THAT humble. You think it's beautiful that He washed the feet of the disciples, but that's not exactly the direction your life is headed. You're thankful He was spit upon and abused, but you would never let that happen to you. You praise Him for loving you enough to suffer during His whole time on earth, but you're going to do everything within your power to make sure you enjoy your time down here.

In short: You think He's a great Savior, but not a great role model.

The American church has abandoned the most simple and obvious truth of what it means to follow Jesus: You actually follow His pattern of life. I pray for those who read this article- that we don't become cynical or negative toward the church. Instead, let's make a personal decision to stop talking so much and begin living like Jesus. Then we can say as the apostle Paul, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). My guess is that you've never had someone say that to you, and you've never said it to anyone else. Why Not?

Francis Chan is the pastor of Cornerstone Church and the president of Eternity Bible College in Simi Valley. In addition to being a pastor, Francis speaks to thousands of youth throughout the U.S., challenging them to deeper commitment. He can be heard on his radio program "Truth Be Known." Francis has a great sense of humor, a genuine love for Christ, and a commitment to teach straight from the Word of God. Francis and his wife Lisa have been married for twelve years and have three daughters and one son: Rachel, mercy, Eliana, and Ezekiel. He is a graduate of the Master's College and Seminary.

Influence: Connecting with People (John Maxwell)

2009-04-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Another good article by John Maxwell ...

Influence: Connecting with People

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

As a train's source of energy and direction, the locomotive plays a vital role. However, unless a locomotive connects to other cars on the track, it is relatively useless. A train's value comes from its ability to transport massive amounts of cargo, and doing so requires the locomotive to link up with dozens of freight cars. Traveling by itself, a locomotive would arrive at its destination empty-handed. In that case, its journey would be nothing more than a waste of fuel.

Leaders are like locomotives in that they're blessed with drive, energy, and vision. However, until leaders learn the art of connection, their influence remains minimal. In isolation, their talents accomplish little, and their efforts are squandered.

Let's look at practical ways whereby leaders can make meaningful connections with others.

8 Steps for Connecting with People

#1 Don't Take People for Granted

Weak leaders get so caught up in the vision of where they're going that they forget whom they're trying to lead. Instead, leaders would be wise realize that connecting to people and developing them are the surest ways to gain influence. Results happen through relationships.

#2 Possess a Difference-Maker Mindset

A hesitant and indecisive leader doesn't enliven the hearts or imaginations of people. On the contrary, leaders who influence and inspire have a difference-maker mindset. They connect with others by passing along an infectious confidence in their ability to succeed.

#3 Initiate Movement Toward People

Freight cars sitting on the railroad tracks won't go anywhere by themselves. They will rust and collect dust unless a locomotive makes contact and connects to them. Similarly, most people stay parked due to self-doubt, fear, or absence of vision. It takes the connection of a leader to tap into their potential and rouse them to action.

#4 Search for Common Ground

Anytime you want to connect with a person, the starting point should be shared interests. If you're attentive to the hobbies, histories, and habits of those you lead, then you will find ample areas of common ground. Launch out from these areas of agreement to build rapport.

#5 Recognize and Respect Differences

We are capable of finding common ground with others, but at the same time we need to acknowledge that we're all different. The greatest influencers realize that differences ought to complement rather than clash. When you demonstrate regard for diverse personalities and meet people on their terms, they will appreciate your sensitivity and connect with the understanding you've shown.

#6 Learn the Key to Others' Lives

People have core motivations that vary drastically, and a leader has to discern them to forge a connection with others. Generally, the key can be unearthed by examining what a person has already done in life and by discovering what he or she aspires to do in the future. Once you've found the key, do not exploit it. Turn the key only when you have the person's permission, and always use it for his or her benefit - not your own.

#7 Communicate from the Heart

Nothing repels people like a phony leader. Be authentic when you speak, and align your actions and words. People respond to passion, and they will latch onto a vision when it's communicated directly from the heart.

#8 Share Common Experiences

Shared experiences cement a relationship. For this reason, it's wise to be intentional about eating out with teammates, inviting them to join you on an errand, or taking in a play or ballgame together. The more time you invest in those you lead, the greater the connection you will forge with them.

Summary

One is too small of a number to achieve greatness. No one ever accomplishes alone what he can do in partnership with others. If you're looking to grow as an influencer, start by strengthening your connections with the people around you.

About

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 16 million books. His organizations have trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and INJOY Stewardship Services. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell was named the World's Top Leadership Guru by Leadershipgurus.net. He was also one of only 25 authors and artists named to Amazon.com's 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader have each sold over a million copies.

Printed from the GiANT Impact website (www.giantimpact.com).

The online version of this article can be found at
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_influence_connecting_with_people/

Content from this article may be used, but must be accompanied by the following credit line in its entirety: "This article is used by permission from GiANT Impact. Find other leadership content, resources, training, and events at www.giantimpact.com."

Cyber Kopitiam

2009-04-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

Ron,Franklin, Moo Him & Patrick had a very interesting breakfast meeting with Paul Long today over the net. Although he is in New Zealand, we could see and hear him as we discussed various leadership issues. Typical of Paul, he almost immediatedly posted the pixs and jottings in his blog - see right hand column for the link. I still remembered the advice of one MBS lecturer that we have to build good friendship with one another so that we can continue that when we are out there in ministry. With the internet, distance is no longer a hindrance as proven by our one and a half hours cyber meeting this morning.

Preaching survey

2009-04-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys CLICK HERE to do a quick under 5 minutes preaching survey and get USD 40 of free stuff!

Have fun!

Amazing Love (Easter video)

2009-04-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

The youtube video Patrick was talking about ....

You can't be neutral with Jesus

2009-03-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd re-post what I posted today on my church's website blog (minus the more personal church related stuff) ...

Matthew 27:11-26:

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.
13 Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?"
14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge-- to the great amazement of the governor.
15 Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.
16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"
18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21 "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered.
22 "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"
23 "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"
25 All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. He knew this for a fact. He knew that it was out of envy that the Jewish authorities had handed Jesus over to be crucified (v.18). In addition, his wife had sent him a message warning him that she knew Jesus was innocent through a disturbing dream she had had.

So why did he did not set Jesus free?

The simple reason was that Pilate was more concerned for his political position. He was afraid that the crowd might get out of control and that he would have a riot on his hands. That would simply not look good on his resume and Caesar would be greatly displeased.

So he thought he would circumvent his moral convictions by being “neutral”. He left the decision to the crowd. He presented the illusion of being gracious and “neutral” by giving the crowd a choice of either setting Jesus or Barabbas free. But his actions did not fool anyone, not even himself. Pilate knew they would not choose Jesus but he was hoping that a small miracle would happen and Jesus might be released. It did not work and so he tried to make a big show of being neutral by symbolically “washing his hands” off any responsibility in the injustice of the matter.

But Pilate knew as did everyone that day and even today that by trying to be neutral, he was in fact endorsing the unjust crucifixion of Jesus.

We each are responsible for our decisions. Especially when it comes to Jesus we just can’t be say that we are "neutral". We can’t place the responsibility on others. Not to decide for Jesus is not to be neutral but to decide against Jesus.

Jesus said in Luke 11:23 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

Why did Jesus fold the Napkin?

2009-03-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Was that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because..... .....

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

5 Attributes of Inspirational Leaders

2009-03-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

5 Attributes of Inspirational Leaders

Dr. John C. Maxwell

The Sahara plays tricks on the eyes of its travelers. As the desert sun beats down on the sand, heat waves rise from the ground. Light bends as it passes through the superheated air, painting illusory pictures on the horizon. To thirsty travelers moving through the Sahara, it often appears as if an oasis looms in the distance. However, as the voyagers journey on, the oasis proves to be nothing more than a mirage.

Unfortunately, the ranks of leadership are inhabited by a host of mirages: people who look impressive from a distance, but end up being disappointments. After being fooled by a few mirages, followers become jaded about leadership. That seems as true now as it ever has been. Our trust in leaders has been shaken as politicians have reneged on promises, CEOs have squandered money entrusted to their firms, and managers have advanced self-interests above all else.

To restore society's confidence with those in power, leaders have to be able to inspire. I'm not talking about inspiring someone to buy into the corporate vision statement, to meet quarterly sales goals, or to work more efficiently. These aren't bad things, but right now, people are looking for a leader attuned to their personal needs. They want leaders who will encourage them, believe in their potential, and help them grow.

5 Attributes of an Inspirational Leader

ATTITUDE OF SERVICE

To be an inspirational leader, you must adopt an attitude of service toward those you lead. This requires laying aside selfish interests to add value to another person. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." When you serve, you awaken something magnetic inside of you. People are drawn to follow you because they know you'll find ways to make them better.

AFFIRMATION

To inspire means to have a positive view of others. If we're not careful, we become fault-finders, magnifying the flaws in everyone around us. Instead, leaders should emulate gold prospectors - always on the lookout for potential gold mines. When they find traces of ore, prospectors assume there's a rich vein to unearth, and they start digging. In the same fashion, leaders ought to search for the best traits within a person and commit to uncovering them.

One of the best applications of this idea is expressed in what I call the 101 percent principle: Find the one thing that you believe is a person's greatest asset, and then give 100 percent encouragement in that area. Focusing on a person's strengths inspires them by promoting confidence, growth, and success.

ATTENTIVENESS

Great inspirers know the desires of those they lead. As much as people respect the knowledge and ability of their leaders, these are secondary concerns for them. They don't care how much their leaders know until they know how much their leaders care. When leaders attend to the deeply felt needs of their team, the determination and commitment of each team member skyrockets.

AVAILABILITY

Leaders inspire by intentionally investing time in the people they lead. They make themselves available. People cannot be nurtured from a distance or by infrequent spurts of attention. They need a leader to spend time with them - planned time, not just a conversation in passing.

In our fast-paced and demanding world, time is a leader's most precious commodity. While it feels costly to give up, nothing communicates that you value a person more than the gift of your time. In addition, investing time to develop others has a way of reaping dividends. As Ralph Waldo Emerson remarked, "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."

AUTHENTICITY

To inspire, leaders have to be genuine. More than anything else, followers want to believe in and trust their leaders. However, when leaders break promises or fail to honor commitments, they reveal themselves as being inauthentic, and they lose credibility. Trust rests upon a foundation of authenticity. To gain trust, a leader must consistently align words and deeds, while showing a degree of transparency.

Summary

Inspirational leadership can be confused with momentary charisma. I prefer to think about inspiring as more of a process than an event. More than a brilliant speech, it's cultivating habits of brilliance that manifest themselves daily. By modeling the five attributes of an inspiring leader, I trust that you'll win the respect of those you lead and earn the right to influence them.

About

Printed from the GiANT Impact website (www.giantimpact.com).

The online version of this article can be found at
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_5_attributes_of_inspirational_leaders/

Content from this article may be used, but must be accompanied by the following credit line in its entirety: "This article is used by permission from GiANT Impact. Find other leadership content, resources, training, and events at www.giantimpact.com."

Views on consumption of alcohol

2009-03-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

From CTi's Out of Ur blog

March 17, 2009

Trouble Brewing

The shifting views about alcohol among clergy.

by Brandon O'Brien

In the upcoming issue of Leadership (in print mid April), we’ll hear from a number of pastors—including Craig Gross, John Burke, and Matt Russell—who are committed to taking the gospel to people with addictions.

We’re also featuring a couple of articles about how pastors can and should deal with their own addictions.

One article I suspect will get people talking is Eric Reed’s report on clergy alcohol use. Here’s a preview: Some younger pastors in traditionally teetotalling denominations are beginning to view bans on alcohol use as out of date. Is their so-called liberty in Christ simply an excuse for bad behavior? Or are the old timers adding laws to the gospel?

Mark Driscoll has thought the issue through (probably because the Pacific Northwest has more breweries than people) and argues that responsible alcohol use is thoroughly biblical.

John Piper disagrees. “I choose to oppose the carnage of alcohol abuse by boycotting the product. Is it really so prudish to renounce a highway killer, a home destroyer, and a business wrecker?”

No, I suppose not. But others see the issue as less cut-and-dried. More on that in April.

Our twin concerns of alcohol and addiction come together in a new online resource from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Rethinking Drinking is an interaction diagnostic tool that helps users determine whether they have a drinking problem. It presents lots of useful information in plain language and with pictures and graphs—information about the signs of alcohol abuse, resources for help, and even a “pros and cons” chart to help you decide whether to change your drinking habits. So if you’re an imbiber, check it out here.

Brandon O'Brien is Leadership's assistant editor.

Posted by UrL Scaramanga on March 17, 2009

The High Road Principle

2009-03-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

The High Road Principle

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

"It's nothing personal; it's just business," is a commonly heard phrase in the workplace. However, I tend to disagree with anyone who tries to impersonalize business. At its heart, commerce is a human enterprise, founded upon relationships between people.

Most of us spend a majority of our waking hours in our business or at work, and our vocations endow our lives with meaning or purpose. When we devote ourselves to profession, we're giving a piece of who we are to our work. In that sense, business is deeply personal.

In the workplace, as in the rest of life, relationships get messy. Sooner or later, we will be mistreated. A boss will unjustly fault our performance, a partner will fail to honor an agreement, or a co-worker will cut us down in a meeting. Since business is personal, those instances hurt us, and unless dealt with correctly, they can derail us. As a leader, we have to commit to taking the high road when others, intentionally or unintentionally, wrong us.

Four Tips For Travelling the High Road

1) It's Not What Happens to You, but in You That Really Matters

During the Civil War, Confederate General W.H.C. Whiting envied rival general Robert E. Lee. Consequently, Whiting spread vicious rumors about Lee in an attempt to smear his character. Lee had the opportunity to get even, though. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, was considering Whiting for a promotion, and he consulted Lee's opinion of the general. Without hesitation, Lee endorsed and commended Whiting. The officers who witnessed the exchange were astonished. Afterward, one of them asked Lee if he had forgotten all of the slander Whiting had spread about him.

"I understand that the President wanted to know my opinion of Whiting, responded Lee, not his opinion of me." Lee did what high road travelers do. He refused to be dragged into a game of bickering and petty jealousies by treating another person with respect, even when that respect seemed unwarranted.

2) High Roaders See Their Own Need for Grace, Therefore They Extend It to Others

Let's face it; we all screw up from time to time. Each of us has quirks that we know can be annoying, and bad moments when we're not so pleasant to be around.
People who take the high road recognize their humanness, know that they need to be extended grace, and accordingly are more likely to extend it to others.

3) High Roaders Are Not Victims; They Choose to Serve Others

People who take the high road don't do so because it's the only available option. They don't do it by accident either: the high road goes uphill and takes more effort to travel. Instead, high roaders choose their path as a conscious act of service to others. By taking the high road, they drain animosity and bitterness out of relationships, serving to keep them open and productive.

Interestingly, in serving others, higher roaders benefit themselves, too. As the author of Proverbs wrote, "It is a man's glory to overlook an offense." When we maturely respond to a slight by showing forgiveness, we display admirable character that elevates us in the eyes of others.

4) High Roaders Set High Standards for Themselves Than Others Would

Abandoned as an infant, author James Michener never knew his biological parents. Fortunately, he was taken in and raised by a widow, and he adopted her surname. However, each time James published a book, he received nasty notes from one member of the Michener clan. The relative chastised James for taking on the Michener name, which this person felt the novelist had no right to use.

Despite being berated, Michener did agree with one statement his relative had made, "Who do you think you are, trying to be better than you are?" As James Michener professed, "I've spent my life trying to be better than I was, and I am a brother to all who share the same aspiration."

When we conduct ourselves according to the highest standard, we are less likely to become defensive and take the low road when others attack us. Once you've done all that you can, then you can let the noise of detractors roll off your back like rain.

Summary

In leadership, as in life, others will behave unkindly toward you. When ill-treated, don't retreat into a defensive mode or strike back in anger. Instead, take the high road and discover how rising above offenses frees you from petty arguments and adds to your reputation.

About

Printed from the GiANT Impact website (www.giantimpact.com).

The online version of this article can be found at
http://www.giantimpact.com/articles/read/article_the_high_road_principle/

Content from this article may be used, but must be accompanied by the following credit line in its entirety: "This article is used by permission from GiANT Impact. Find other leadership content, resources, training, and events at www.giantimpact.com."

Pastor Inqvist's Trip to Orlando

2009-03-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

From
http://www.brianmclaren.net/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAZC0PSI-3Q

What did you think of it?

Do you use illustrations from TV shows / Movies?

2009-02-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

I am curious to know what kind of preaching illustrations you guys / gals use the most. By this I mean, what "genre" or "category" do you find the most helpful and elicits the most "ahhhh! I get it" type of responses?

I do suppose it depends on the particular composition of your congregation or audience, but perhaps some general discussion and recommendations so we can learn from each other?

To narrow down the discussion (assuming there might be one. LOL! It's very slow moving here!), I was wondering about whether any of you use illustrations from TV shows / movies and what kind of feedback you have gotten.

I recall for example that back in Malaysia I found that illustrations from popular movies or popular TV shows generally tended to get a positive response from the youth / younger adults but it was not necessarily the most effective. The reason seemed to be that with the huge number and variety of movies and TV shows, even among say the youth or young adults, not all would watch the same shows / movies. But when I used such illustrations I often got blank looks from half the congregation! :-(

And in addition, I just did not have the time (or money) to go watch the vast variety of movies / TV shows. I remember trying to watch at least one episode of every TV show that came out but soon gave up due to the lack of time and the fact that most of the shows "sucked" :-)

I used to "cheat" by going to a website that gave a blow by blow synopsis of every movie, analyzed its content, highlighted possibler discussion areas of key themes etc. That was great until the site required payment for access :-( BTW, while I "cheat" I do tell the congregation / audience that I have not personally seen the movie and that I got the synopsis off the internet.

Anyone care to chip in on this topic? I do have some more thoughts on this topic but best not to hog the conversation :-)

Have a blessed weekend!!

Virtual community?

2009-02-17T13:19:00.000-08:00

Now that this blog has had a small injection of new life, I thought it might be interesting to see if there is any interest in reflecting on the concept of a "virtual community".

I find I do quite a lot of my ministry as well as personal interaction with both Christians and non Christians via e-mails, online chats, blogs and forums. I have gotten to know some people very well via the cyber world -some of whom I have yet to meet in "real life" (or even speak to on the telephone)

And may I add that I am not into stuff like facebook (have an account but use it sparingly). To start off (hopefully), here's a short article by Scott McKnight...

For the link to the article, click here.

February 16, 2009

Scot McKnight on "Virtual Community"

A response to Shane Hipps video from NPC.

Thanks for your video, Shane. Your point about not equating virtual community (grant me the term for the moment) with real community is one that needs to be heard. But, I'm not so sure it is this simple...

First, as a blogger who has what I have sometimes called the Jesus Creed "community," I do think there are some senses in which community is apt. For some, this is about the only "community" with Christians they can right now have. I honor that. For others it is therapeutic to dance, as it were, at a distance -- not the complete thing, of course, but still participating in some dimensions of community. And there is another dimension: there are clearly dimensions of fellowship at work in blog communities. Never the whole, but some. And that needs to be considered for what it really is.

But now something perhaps more significant: by shrinking community to embodied community I wonder if we have written "communion of the saints" (a community) off the map. Isn't there something eternal, something spiritual, and something profoundly true that all Christians of all ages and of all locations are in communion with one another?

This means it may be appropriate to refer to internet communities as a participation in the communion of the saints (I have experienced this with some folks whom I've gotten to know at some levels via internet and via e-mails and via parcel post letters) and as virtual communities.

I would agree with you that some substitute virtual for real at their own loss; I would also agree that some think they are the same. But I wonder if it is not swinging too far the other way to deny the word community to what can happen -- palpably so for many -- in cyberspace.

Come to think of it, I wonder if you might just provide for us a full definition of "community." Do you mean "ecclesia" or "koininia" or something else?

Scot McKnight is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University, author, and blogger.

Official Launch of MBS Alumni Homepage

2009-02-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

About 4 tables of students, alumni and lecturers attended the Chinese New Year "Lo Sang" gathering on 9 Feb 2009. After Patrick shared on the objectives and functions of the Unofficial MBS Alumni blog, the MBS ED dept officially adopted it. At the press of a button, Rev Dr Tony Lim, the new Dean of English Dept made the "unofficial" disappeared and up came this new blog.

It will eventually be linked to the MBS ED homepage and the names of new graduates will be added in due course. Technology has enabled this blog to help you have instant knowledge about the people in your graduating class and connect with lost lost friends. For those who are not that tech-savvy, follow the following steps:

1. On the right column, scroll down and look for labels and click alumni - you find the whole list of mbs alumni there.
2. Go through those highlighted names and click on it and you will be directed to their site where you can find more information about that alumnus.

The only problem is that only a few names are hyper-linked at the moment. But you can help - if you know of people on that list, kindly ask them to log on and leave some comments giving us the link to their personal blog or the church/organisation they are working with.

We look forward to serve you better!

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hey Patrick. Hope you have a blessed and happy Chinese New Year.

Live long and prosper (for the Lord)!

Christmas wishes

2008-12-19T13:41:00.001-08:00

Patrick, (since you are the only one reading this blog! LOL!!!)

May you have a blessed and meaningful Christmas!

Paul

Conflict Resolution for churches

2008-11-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Ten Most Predictable Times of Church Conflict

1. Easter

2. Stewardship Campaigns/Budget Time

3. Addition of New Staff

4. Change in Leadership Style

5. The Pastor's Vacation

6. Changes in the Pastor's Family

7. Introduction of Baby Boomers into the Church

8. The Completion of a New Building

9. Loss of Church Membership

10. Increase in Church Membership

To read more, click here:
or search www.joyfulministry.com/conflict.

Leadership Tip

2008-11-17T00:04:00.000-08:00

What do you think of the quotation below?

"If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It is much easier to apologize than it is to get permission." ~ Admiral Grace Hopper (notice this admiral is a "she")

While this is true in some circumstances, it may land many an alumnus in hot soup esp. if his/her relationship with the superior/senior pastor/board is not that strong.

Rear Admiral Dr. Grace Murray Hopper was a remarkable woman who grandly rose to the challenges of programming the first computers. During her lifetime as a leader in the field of software development concepts, she contributed to the transition from primitive programming techniques to the use of sophisticated compilers. She believed that "we've always done it that way" was not necessarily a good reason to continue to do so.

Alumni: 1980-1989

2008-11-11T00:40:00.000-08:00

And now the last lot from the 80s

If you see your name here, please leave a comment and update us about yourself.

1980
1 Tadius Yusuf
2 Rose Cheng N.C.
3 Irene Neai K.K.
4 Lam Chin Kaw
5 Tan Cheng Kin
6 Andrew Tan K.K.
7 Stella Puvaneswary
8 Tee Moon Soung
9 Henry Ching
10 Matthew Chong V.K.

1981
1 Joanne Wong Man Peng
2 Teh Ah Huat (pastor, Taiping)
3 Peh Cheong Soo
4 Vicky Lee Kuan Lai
5 Ivor R. Narayanan (pastor, Subang)
6 Goh Lay Hua
7 Tay Un Hui (pastor, New Zealand)

1982
1 Tony Lim Shek Eng
2 Ricky Ho Kim Hock (pastor, PJ)
3 Timothy Chia Kin Teng
4 Paul Kim To Chik (pastor, Gombak)
5 Daniel Chua Meng Wah
6 Raymond Ho Swee Meng
7 Chua Lee Leng
8 Nesam Ebenezar (social ministries, KL)
9 Jessica Kok Pow Choo (pastor, Ipoh)
10 Henry Ng Heng Lee (pastor, Ipoh)
11 Ngo Ta Keng
12 Chee Pek Chu (pastor, NZ)
13 Susanna Lo Swee Cheng

1983
1 Ruth Yong Choon Yin
* 2 Susanna Lo Swee Cheng
3 Moses Tan Hoe Sun
4 Shirley Khan Min Leng
5 Prathap Rajaratnam
6 Josephine Ting Mi Leng
7 Cindy Low Choo Chai
8 Ong See Ai
9 Chua Boon Hun
10 Siew Yoong Hing
11 Seng Eng Hock
12 Guet Pooi Sitther
13 Ma Shout Deng

1984
1 Patricia Han Yong Meng
2 Tan Hwee Yong
3 Silas Jugdip Singh (pastor, Kulim)
4 Ng Kok Kee (president, BCM)
5 Jessica Liew Mei Lin
6 Maniam Thambu
7 Tan Eng Ngor
8 Kee Su Seng
9 Lee Chek Tin
10 Ma Suat Kheng
* 11 Moses Tan Hoe Sun

1985
1 Andrew Tham Wai Mun
2 Saik Oy Mooi
3 Joshua Wan Lai Kee
4 Steven Tan Eng Heng
5 Francis Low Szu Yuan
6 Teresa Wong Kon Keow
7 James Devadasson
8 Mariana Khoo (social ministries, JB)
9 Raymond Sia C.G.
10 Quay Beng Tiong

1986
1 Charlie Chin Hai Yoon
2 Anthony Edward
3 Lim Seng Heng
4 Colin Kok Mun Wai (itinerant, NS)

1987
1 Anita Toh Pek Hung

1988
1 Chitralekha Gupta Ang
2 Addie Choong Kai Ming
3 Peter De Silva
4 Thomas Lai V.K.
5 See-Tho Puk Lim
6 Liew Soon Yin
7 Benita Cheng Guat Leng
* 8 Saik Oy Mooi

1989
1 Loo Sai Fun
2 Hoh Chooi Hong
3 Kay Low Kam Len
4 Senorita Ting Eng Koi
5 Ngo Ta Keng

Do you know this man?

2008-11-11T00:27:00.000-08:00

Do you know this man?

Clues: He is 70 years old, husband of one wife and father of 2 daughters

Alumni: 1990-1999

2008-11-10T23:04:00.001-08:00

Instructions:

1. Please leave some comments in the blog on your whereabouts and contacts.
2. If you know some info of the alumni in your batch, kindly write that too

It will be enlightening to us and nostalgic for you.

Thanks

1990
1 Paul Long Chay Boo
2 Ezra Loke Fu Wah
3 Looi Kok Kim (pastor, Cheras)
4 David Yeap Kam Foo
5 Esther Alfred (staff, Malaysian Care)
6 Wan Ajang Jau (pastor, Miri)
7 Sally Koh Siew Lee
8 Engelbert s/o M.F. Albert
9 Jennifer Low Sook Yee
10 Ng Poh Swan

1991
1 Wun Mow Hoong
2 Cara Lin Ken Nyook
3 Caris Yap Swee Ming
4 Wendy Chung Sow Yuet
5 Erwin Ong See Meng
6 P.A. Thomas
7 Grace Soon Pack Nee (social ministries, JB)
8 Tan Koon Cheng
* 9 Chitralekha Gupta Ang

1992
1 Daniel Ngilek
2 Ng Aik Khiam (pastor, Subang)
3 Melter Jini Tais (pastor, KK)
4 Terry Chong Ming Kow
5 Yohana Wong Peak Yeng
6 Derrick Chong Yulin (marketplace ministries, Hong Kong)
7 Richard Yamin Samporoh (pastor, PJ)
8 Esther Ling Wang Hui
9 Ngau Awan @ Jerry Ngau Awan
10 Deng Jok Ajang
11 Loh Siew Heng (pastoral staff, Gombak)
12 Lilian Lim Hong Peng
13 Lau Moong Som
14 Ow Yeong Yuet Hor (Hong Kong)

1993
1 Loh Chui Kei
2 Jeanie Shim
3 Allan R. Vairamuthu (retired, Puchong)
4 Joanne Gan Lian Kiat
5 Jerry Eng Seow Hng (pastor, Klang)
6 Jacob Loh Hin Leong (Puchong)
* 7 Thomas Lai Voon Khan
8 Peter Soo Wun Foong (Kluang)
9 Lucy Phua Lay Ai (intercessory ministry, global!)
* 10 Wun Mow Hoong
* 11 Benita Cheng Guat Leng

1994
1 Lee Min Choon (elder, PJ)
2 Taipin Molidoi (pastor, KK)
3 Sia Sut
4 Dais Rukuman (deceased)
5 Schubert Ku Siew Hing (PJ)
6 Michael Lim Boon Keng
7 Andrew Yong Yoon Sang

1995
1 Low Soo Ling (children's work, KL)
2 Loh Kuan Chween (KL)
3 Jacob Ajeng (pastor, Klang)
4 Bobby John (pastor, Klang)
5 Thomas Rabang (para-church, Sarawak)
6 Saunah Relly Giong
7 Sonia Puyang Ding
8 Patrick Cheng Chee Cheon
* 9 Ngau Awan @ Jerry Ngau Awan

1996
1 Andrew Loh Lip Foo
2 Koh Gim Lam
3 Sim See Tian (pastor, Rawang)
4 Jeremiah Yap Teow Khoon (pastor, Aust.)
5 Goh Poh Gaik (pastor, PJ)
6 Lai Moo Him (Ipoh)
7 Christopher Sekar
8 James Gen See Wei (pastor, PJ)
9 Tan Tian Jian
10 Richard Lee Teik Hin
* 11 Loo Tam Yin
12 Chong Siew Khim
13 Margaret Yee Sui Har
14 Lily Lim Ley Lee (cheras)
15 Jayaraj Abraham
16 Jerry Lam Kong Tak (europe)
17 Joanne Gan Lian Kiat

1997
1 Wong Yook Lun
2 A.P. Daniel
3 Elisah Anyie Eng
4 Yong Yoon Chow
5 Lena Low Cheu Kin
6 Jubilie Apin (pastor, KK)
7 Jarai Salo
8 Timok Belay Wan
9 Christopher Cheong Tek Watt
10 Peter Low Heng Cheong (deceased)
11 Richard Leow Kok Khuen
12 Senorita Ting Eng Koi

1998
1 Lawrence Chen Keng Hing
2 Kong Man Chuan
3 Ron Hee Yoon Choy
4 Peter Chin May Take
5 Dr Jenny Parameshvara Deva (counselor, Klang)
6 Edmund Ng Heng Cheong (grief ministry, KL)
7 Goh Chee Beng
8 Johnson Aarons Rajahser
9 Bina Agong
10 James Ravindaren s/o Arichandran
11 Eden Usat Emang (pastor, Miri)
12 Maduis Jalidin
13 Stephen Upai @ Rining
14 Waylon Jayatissa

1999
1 Paul Long Chay Boo
2 Agatha Ak Idih
3 John Mark

Alumni: 2000-2010

2008-11-10T22:19:00.001-08:00

This is the alumni list for the 2000s era. It will be good if you can leave some comments in the blog on your whereabouts and contacts. If you know some info of the alumni in your batch, kindly write that too - it will be enlightening to us and nostalgic for you.

2000
1 Alex Tang Tuck Hon
2 Dato' Daniel Tay Kwan Hui
3 Kok Peet Keong
4 Andrew Kulasignham
5 Ronnie Yeap Leong Hin
6 Iben Arang
7 Uting Luluk
8 Paul Jalong
9 Patrick Taie

2001
1 Franklin Morais
2 Lee Peng Sea
3 William Toh Kwong Kee
4 Tan Shok Lan
5 Tan Sooi Ling
6 Rudy Liu Ching Sung
7 Richard Lee Teck Hin
8 Dicky Wong Siew Cheong
9 Jeannie Phang Wai Jen
10 Usun Anyi Ngau
11 Ferdrick Ribai Anak Ribai
12 Lily Lim Ley Lee

2002
1 Foo Yuen Po
2 Teh Hwang Ming
3 Lau Ay Kuen
4 Benny Mun Chin Yin
5 Yong Yoon Chow
6 Fredrick Sagau Batubala
7 Tan Chok Wah
8 Albert Chia Syak Keng
9 David Wong Meng Chung
10 Wong Si Lan
11 Chen Mee Foong
12 Patrick Pangiran
13 Colin Kok Mun Wai
14 Paul Landing Muyang
15 Steve Sakai Balang
16 Wilson Layang
17 Xystus Jock Emang

2003
1 Lin Khee Vun
2 Wong Meng Chung
3 Dharminder Singh
4 Susheila Devi Raj
5 Tan Ai Ming
6 Charles Fraser
7 Lee Seng Hock, Thomas
8 Goon Foong Meng
9 Milkias Sia
10 Bobby John
11 Francis Loh
12 Chin Yun Fah, Clarence
13 Rose Binti Kulabid
14 Lee Pui Yong, Richard
15 Surom @ Esrom Bin Baru
16 Bnuriah Madesin
17 Sipin Bin Daud
18 Agong Sakai
19 Midin Bin Kudik
20 Janis Abai
21 Michael Banati
22 Edwin Tupoloh
23 Jasme Bin Dairis
24 Roning Bin Berdirih
25 Selvaraju A/L Veerappen
26 Aris A/L Abang
27 David A/L Sawarimuthu
28 Wah Kiah A/P Long Pendek
29 David Eduan Beh Chimpol
30 Sizume Beh Chong
31 Vailat Neasa Money Hannahl
32 A/P Ebenezer

2004
1 Dripin Anak Sakoi
2 Koh Guat Lian
3 Dr. Tan Chong Guan
4 Wong Sie Chiong, Robert
5 Lim Hang Tang
6 Chin Wah Jin, Lucy
7 Ding Emang Jau
8 Joseph Raja
9 M. Tankaraj A/L Muthaian
10 Baliah Philemon A/L Paul Asirvatham

2005
1 Albert Chia Syak Kung
2 Rina, Anita Robinson
3 Tang Hock Men
4 Wong Si Lan
5 Leong Chor Kie, Keith
6 Tan Yee Ho
7 Tay Hui Cheng
8 Dorita Marilyn Sitther Nee Edmonds
9 Norman Jugah Bala
10 Ramlee Anak Gawing
11 Sandarasegaran A/L Krishnan, Samuel
12 Yan Nan Jiun, Lilian
13 Aso Kalasi
14 Gituan Mugang @ Esther
15 Samry Bin Maudin
16 Timang Binti Sinau

2006
1 Lim Teng Hooi
2 Rachel Devi Sandra
3 Chang Ching Leng, Terence
4 Benjamin Gerald Skadiang
5 Lim Jit Sai
6 Hoo Loo Yan, Alexa
7 Yapp Guan Seng, Eugene
8 Long Chay Boo, Paul
9 David Vethamonickam A/L Abraham
10 Lannet Juk Deng
11 Loter Sakai
12 Pagag Agong
13 Jumi Bin Kuanga (K.K.)
14 Maineh Bt. Saligung (K.K.)
15 Munsu Bin Dagar (K.K.)
16 Raymond Yuggau (K.K.)
17 Runa Anak Wang Eng

2007
1 Tan Geok Hock
2 Chan Jin Ai
3 Chris Wong
4 Gary Yeoh Siok Earn
5 Jennifer Mok
6 Michael Lim
7 Wilfred Jaboh
8 Eden Usat Emang
9 Heng Thin Fook
10 Ramlee Anak Gawing
11 Robert Wong
12 Fong Soo Jean
13 Grace Matan Anyi
14 Mary George

2008
1 Dicky Wong Siew Cheong
2 Jerry Eng Seow Hng
3 Kok Li Shan
4 Danny Pang Tzee Yong
5 Ong Suan Sim
6 Thye Huat Lai
7 Victor See
8 Chung Kui Yin
9 Susanna Lee
10 Wan Ajeng @ Wan Ajeng Wan
11 Lukas Gelawat
12 Danny L. Limpakan
13 Kinambo Gaduan
14 Hilda Sakir

2009
1 Santa Kumar Basnet
2 Paul Raj
3 Mium Amat
4 Lisa Sum
5 Jean Pathmavathy
6 Choo Chee Choy
7 Ho Ah Chye
8 Pasang Dorje Sherpa

2010
1 Tang Hock Men
2 Pasang Dorje Sherpa
3 Ong Suan Sim
4 Sim Ah Yem, Anita
5 Low Kheng Cheang, Steven
6 Joseph Doraisamy
7 Lim Kian Hian, Gregory
8 Tang Tiu Hock, Albert
9 Gloria David

Christmas meetings

2008-11-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

Just wondering. What are you doing in terms of Christmas related activities, programs, meetings ...? I have always felt that Christmas is one of the best times for doing outreach. Natural opportunities for sharing the story of Jesus and the "true meaning of Christmas!"

Anyone willing to share what they are doing? it may be November but Christmas will be around before we know it ...

For me, our church will be having a 2 special activities that tie in with one another. The first is a neighbourhood BBQ (games, puppet show, singalong, food, "carnival like atmosphere with balloons, decorations etc) on the 13th Dec. Then invite people back to join us for more traditional Christmas Eve service where the gospel will be more clearly presented in a more somber atmosphere - carol singing, special presentations - songs, skit and preaching etc.

Lest anyone think my church is big and has lots of money and resources, that's quite far from the truth. From seniors to young children, around 150 and during this period, we will not have 1/3 to 1/2 of our members as this is the traditional time where many travel, visit family etc as it is the summer cum Christmas season. Also, a significant percentage of our members are elderly and unwell etc so they will physically be unable to help much.

How about sharing something so we can mutually encourage each other and be catalyst for fresh ideas?

Alumni 1978-1980

2008-11-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Alumni,

I have posted here the names of the alumni from the 70s (previously was PLKM) Can anyone out there enlighten us who they are and how to contact them?

1978
1 Ong Hwai Teik Dip.T.S (Methodist TRAC)
2 Cheang Mu Kean Cert.of Att.
3 Ooi Teak Seng Dip.Th
4 Thomas Tay W.S. Dip.Th
5 Chiam Peng Kean Dip.Th
6 Julia Lim Cert.of Attendance
7 Eddie Ong L.B. Cert.of Attendance (Anglican)
8 Lim Siew Chin Dip.T.S
9 Cheong Choue Yuk Cert.of Attendance

1979
1 Andrew Lim P.K. Dip.Past.Th
2 Daniel Lim S.P. Dip.Past.Th
3 Wong Chin Kin Dip.Th
4 Chiam Teng Poh Dip.Th
5 Daniel Teh S.P. Dip.Th
6 Katherine Wong Cert.of Attendance

1980
1 Tadius Yusuf Dip.Past.Th
2 Rose Cheng N.C. Dip.Th
3 Irene Neai K.K. Dip.Th
4 Lam Chin Kaw Dip.Th
5 Tan Cheng Kin Dip.Th
6 Andrew Tan K.K. Dip.Th
7 Stella Puvaneswary Dip.Th (Johor Baru)
8 Tee Moon Soung Dip.Th
9 Henry Ching Cert.of Attendance
10 Matthew Chong Cert.of Attendance

Know Yourself Better

2008-11-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

This just takes 5 minutes!

This type test is based on the typology of psychiatrist C. G. Jung. Jung found that one can reduce the endless appearing number of human characters down to a few organizing principles. He then crystallized certain character types. In this test, these types are reinterpreted.

This is what you have to do to determine the type of person you are. On each of the next four pages one personality feature is highlighted. Click whether the statements in the top or in the bottom block tend to apply more to you.

Perhaps you will find it difficult to reach a decision in one or the other of the four steps. This can happen when two types overlap. Just go through both scenarios.

should you want to invest 5 minutes to know yourself better, just click "Know Yourself Better" on the right hand link-bar.

Frustration and Exasperation

2008-11-04T00:15:00.000-08:00

All things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to his purpose

A familiar verse eh?

Wait till you try to communicate over cyberspace with someone who is staying in the uttermost part of the world.

That was the frustration I faced in trying to link up with Paul Long (who is now residing in New Zealand)to resolve the technicalities of this blog for the MBS alumni.

After 3 days of ding-dong, I finally resolved the initial problem. Is it worth it? Oh yes - Paul is a great guy who has been very patient in answering my questions which are unanswerable!I finally found the solution - the problem is ME!

Anyway, the problem is resolved now... and now that I have to keys to this blog, let the show begin...

"Secular" celebrations and their potential for building bridges

2008-11-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

While waiting for Patrick to sort out the alumni e-mail list ... thought it might be good to post a few things to "keep" the ball rolling by hopefully starting a "conversation" . :-)

My question: What are some "secular celebrations" that you have used to help build bridges with those outside the Christian faith?

Since coming to New Zealand, I have (in the church I minister in) been using "Chinese New Year" and "Halloween" as two such celebrations.

Chinese New Year

On the surface, it would seem that not much needs to be said about Chinese New Year celebrations as this is something most Malaysian churches would use as a means to connect with the Chinese community. But I wonder about the different approaches we each may have found helpful that we could perhaps share with each other. I am keen to read about your different experiences. Let me begin with a brief sharing on mine.

For the two times I have used the Chinese New Year celebration here, I have approached it from the general aspect of our being an International Church and promoting this special meeting from two angles.

The first as an opportunity for friends and family members of Chinese people (migrants from various countries) to get together to have fun and celebrate the non religious aspects of CNY.

The second as an opportunity to expose our non Chinese members and friends to aspects of the Chinese culture. This is to help us better appreciate and understand each other as we build an international (multi-cultural) church community.

So the list of activities in the programme over the last two years has been:

1. CNY cultural quiz (and prizes)

2. Cultural presentations (song / dance etc)

3. Games and competitions (I design them based on Chinese cultural stuff)

4. Magic show with Gospel message (since this is my area of "expertise")

5. Food

I have found that non-Christian friends look forward to our CNY meetings.

Halloween 31st October

We have adopted the idea of the "Light Party" and personalized it for our context. The basic idea is to offer a wholesome alternative to the creepy and dark Halloween trick or treat activity. Over the last 2 years we have refined

/ changed some aspects of our Light Party but essentially, we use it to try to make friends with our neighbours - last year we targeted the children and this year also their parents, with more emphasis on connecting with the local

schools and kindergartens. Interesting feedback is that some parents and teachers have mentioned to me that they are glad for this activity option as they are not happy with the Halloween emphasis.

See http://www.lightparty.org/for more details.

Basic programme this year was:

1. Balloons, bubbles, face painting

2. Games

3. Puppet Show

4. BBQ

5. Magic show

6. Best Costume competition (we had a "superhero theme)

7. "Lolly scramble"

Okay, it is 5.30 AM now and I think I should go to sleep :-) God bless.

Alumni link

2008-10-30T17:05:00.001-07:00

If you have a personal blog or your church has a website, let me know and I can link it on the sidebar. Some examples are given of my church website, my personal blog and NECF (where Patrick works) and his blogspot site.

We could at least start with this ...

God bless!!

Paul

Calling all MBS (ED) alumni ...

2008-10-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

The living legend of MBS Rev. Loh Soon Choy recently had a big birthday celebration. (Let's leave the details of that to someone who went to blog on. I was not there or I would). At that celebration it seems that many MBS (Malaysia Bible Seminary) alumni attended and there was as expected much reminiscing about the good old days, as well as catching up on each other's lives.

And as usual (yup, it has happened many times before in the past) some brought up the need to revive the alumni association etc. The main problem of course is there is often more talk and many suggestions but few willing "workers". It would seem most of the alumni are far too busy and have a 101 reasons (dare I say excuses) for not being able to help, contribute etc.

I could blog for pages on the frustrations of the small handful who over the years took on the challenge of trying to revive the alumni association only to be met most of the time with very pitifully lukewarm (if not downright cold) responses. But I won't.... at least for now :-)

As has been the case over the last 10 years or so, the challenge to revive the alumni association was taken up by Patrick Cheng who (again!) approached me with some new ideas. One of them being starting an MBS alumni blog to at least try to connect alumni with each other. So far there are three of us involved in this project, Patrick, Looi Kok Kim and myself (Paul Long) Kok Kim has to be involved whether he likes it or not since he was the passionate one who hounded Patrick to "do something!"

Warning: If you back out on this project KK, I will make you eat tarantulas which I will personally bring back from Cambodia for you. :-) ... the same way I brought back live sago larvae for you to eat when you had to pull out of our mission trip to Sarawak when we were MBS students, (and left me as the sole guy with 4 girls on the team)! :-)

But first, I personally need to clarify a few matters.

1. There is no MBS (ED) alumni committee. We do not have the mandate to form a committee anymore as not enough alumni make an effort to attend alumni meetings, and most new graduates have this irritating habit of disappearing during alumni homecoming and bi-annual elections. We do not have the numbers and unless we change our constitution (we do have one!), that's ther way it will remain.

2. This blog is not an official alumni blog but an personal effort of 3 alumni to start reaching out and networking via the www. (The title is "The Unofficial Malaysia Bible Seminary (ED). All opinions are personal.

3. This blog idea is just a seed idea and we hope it would start some networking among alumni as this blog has the potential of overcoming one major group of excuses which are:

a. We are too busy

b. Our schedules are too tight

c. We don't know each other

d. We live too far apart to get together

e. Add in your own here ...

* Note that I now live and minister in New Zealand

How this blog develops is up to us. But for now, the ideas we three have come up with are:

1. Alumni who have something to share can send their posts / information to me (until someone else takes over). That way we get news of what we are all doing and we can share thoughts, joys, lessons learnt etc. Let's be creative - you could send links to your church websites or personal websites and we can link them up.

* Alumni, you would have gotten an e-mail from Patrick so you would know my e-mail address

2. We can interact with each other via posting comments on blogs.

* Question: why blogspot? why not _____ or _____ or use a forum or _____ etc.?

* Answer: This is just a seed, a test run, and it is free, it is easy and right now we don't need bells and whistles ... Also, I am like most busy and I am a pastor not a web designer or computer science graduate so

3. A blog site has the advantage of someone (*sigh* me ... unless we can get Rev. Loh SC to help. Now there's an idea!!!) filtering the content, and it is more personal. I personally am pretty fed up with fwded mail - chain letters.

God bless

Paul