Entering the Stories of Ordinary People

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)

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

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

MBS website updates

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

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

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