Oct/ No. Nov 2008 214
Pray forUs
SIN G A P O R E B I B L E C O L LEGE Training faithful servants of Jesus Christ
HIGHLIGHTS
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Welcome to our new look!
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Completion of Block 5 Hall of Residence
Unfinished Project
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Launch of the Centre for Continuing Theological Education
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart (Nehemiah 4:6, NIV)
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What do you do with an unfinished project? You can either complete it or desert it. Keep in touch When the wall of Jerusalem was under with Alumni News reconstruction, it was gradually taking shape under the able leadership of Nehemiah. Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod attempted to frustrate the building program by repeated threats We need to and harassments when the wall had look beyond the reached half its height (4:7-9). And it worked! The Israelites demonstrated unfinished wall, some typical responses of people and remember the who are under stress and tension (vv. ultimate mission. 10-12): exhaustion began to creep in (v. 10a), they began to focus on the rubble instead of the vision (v. 10b), the Abbreviations desire to finish the project melted (v. 10c), used this issue: fear set in (v. 11) and the team was disintegrating SOTE = School of (v. 12). Theology English These sentiments were exactly what the enemies hoped to achieve through their tactics. The SOTC = School of enemies tried every means to point the people to Theology Chinese the half-finished wall as a sign of failure and wasted SCM = School of efforts. However, the leader must point to the deChurch Music light of the completed project where security, SOC = School of confidence and community may be restored. How Counselling did Nehemiah deal with the weaning enthusiasm of the people? MICA(P) 014/08/2008 9-15 Adam Road, Singapore 289886 Tel: (65) 6559 1555 Fax: (65) 6559 1550 Email: admin@sbc.edu.sg Website: www.sbc.edu.sg
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I. He Redirected the Focus of the People Nehemiah redirected them to the highest authority: “Remember the Lord” (v. 14a) instead of the rubble. He also redirected them to build for a higher purpose: “and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes” (v. 14b). It resulted in a stronger commitment to
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finish the project: “we all returned to the wall, each to his own work” (v. 15). II. He Restructured the Team Nehemiah created a more effective way to deal with the threats by dividing the people into a military force and a work force, so that both needs were taken care of (vv. 16-18). He also created a rallying point to build solidarity and a sense of togetherness (vv. 19-20). His strategy resulted in a renewed dedication to the task (vv. 21-23). And the wall was completed in 52 days (6:15)! A half-height wall can be completed, if only you can see the other half with an eye of vision. The enemies do not want you to see the completed project, but rather, to focus only on the half-finished wall. They sneer, mock and jeer at you. They want to crush your spirit and soften your will. They make you question your effort and cast doubt on your vision and mission. They want you to abandon the project. They want you to believe that the half-finished wall is a useless piece of junk, waiting to be trucked to the dumpsite to feed the fire of the incinerator. Stop listening to the enemies! We need to look beyond the unfinished wall, and remember the ultimate mission. We must see the unfinished wall not as rubble, but as the foundation to complete the other half, so that it becomes a finished product. If you stop now, it is merely rubble, but if you finish it, it will become a wall where many lives will be changed forever! What do you do with an unfinished project? Finish it!
Dr Albert Ting, Principal Singapore Bible College
10/28/08, 10:23 AM
Nature &Nurture of TrueWorship
Rev Dr Danny Goh DEAN, SOC
The
If there
is one word to summarize the magnificent epistle of Paul to the Romans, it has to be “righteousness.” Paul expounds this in four areas: 1. The righteousness that is lacking in man (Rom 1-3); 2. The righteousness that is provided by God in Christ Jesus (Rom 4-8); 3. The righteousness that is rejected by the people of Israel (Rom 9-11); and 4. How righteousness is to be manifested in the life of the redeemed (Rom 12-16). At the climax of his profound exposition, all his analysis and argument give way to adoration: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (11:33). He follows with affirmation and ascription of God: “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (11:36a). While “all things” often refers to the material creation, Paul is also talking about the new creation that comes about when we are made righteous in Christ. Thus, if we ask where all things came into being, the answer must be “from God.” If we ask how all things came into and remain in being, our answer is “through Him.” And if we ask why everything came into being, and where everything is going, our answer must be “for Him and to Him.” From this theological affirmation of who God is, Paul bursts into doxology: “To him be the glory forever! Amen” (11:36b). What we can learn here? 1.
True worship consists of theology and doxology
Our theology (knowledge of God) and doxology (our worship of Him) cannot be separated. We must beware of the dangers of an untheological devotion (doxology without theology) and an undevotional theology (theology without doxology). It was the tremendous truths of Romans 1-11 which evoked Paul’s outburst of praise. Worship without theology will degenerate into emotionalism or idolatry. This is why SOTE and SOTC have to exist, and students of SCM need to also study theology.
If there can be no doxology without theology, the converse is also true: there should be no theology without doxology. Something is fundamentally wrong if we try to read Scripture purely from academic interest. Knowing God is an I-Thou relationship, one of intimacy and reciprocity that leads to doxology. Theology that does not lead to doxology or spirituality is dead orthodoxy. Knowing a lot about God and knowing God is different, and this is why SCM exists, while SOTE and SOTC students need to also study and practice Christian spirituality, music and worship! 2.
True worship is a dedication of our whole self
Paul continues in Romans 12 to talk about offering our bodies as living sacrifices, as our spiritual act of worship. As we offer our whole selves as living sacrifices, as we learn to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and might, and love our neighbour as ourselves, we will be transformed. This is the basis for SOC - the study of psychology that leads to the transformation of one’s character (spirituality) and relationship with others (sociology). Body and mind, intra- and inter-personal, the whole self and its relationships with others – that’s biblical psychology integrated into theology and doxology! 3.
True worship is centered on the redemptive work of Christ
The book of Romans brings us to the fundamental reason for our existence – as individuals, as a school and as a community. When Paul appealed, “Therefore I urge you, brothers … to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,” he did so “in view of God’s mercy” (Rom 12:1). It is based on the whole scope of what God has done for us in Christ, in his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Only when we have explored the depths of God’s mercy shown in Christ, how he has made us right and victorious, can we truly offer ourselves in consecration to him. The underlying reason for theology and doxology, psychology and spirituality is Christ and his redemptive work on the cross. Christ must be the centre of our theology and doxology (our music and worship). Christ must be at the heart of our psychology. Without him there is no SOTE, SOTC, SCM or SOC. Without him, SBC need not exist. And with him we can truly echo: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God…For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
This article is an excerpt of the SBC Combined Chapel message on 14 Aug. SBC’s Chapel calendar is available on www.sbc.edu.sg.
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10/30/08, 2:07 AM
Centre for Continuing Theological Education
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inception, SBC has not only emphasised formal theological education for full-time Christian workers, but also ongoing theological training for lay Christians. To better resource churches and equip Christians, SBC’s popular Evening School Programme is now the Centre for Continuing Theological Education (CCTE). CCTE’s mission is to edify and equip the people of God with an effective integration of life and faith. It holds that theological education is the life-long process of developing a person’s spirit, character and mind with a view to spiritual growth, in order to serve God effectively in everyday life and ministry, build up and serve the church, the body of Christ, and reach out in witness and compassion to the world.
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Objectives
CCTE seeks to accomplish the following: 1. Equip Christians with sound hermeneutical skills to rightly interpret, understand and apply the Scriptures; 2. Fortify a biblically-based, theologically-rooted and philosophically coherent Christian world-and-life view; 3. Develop intentionality in the practice of spiritual disciplines, transforming their lives and bringing vitality to their ministry; 4. Develop the ability to think biblically, theologically and critically on various issues they may confront in life and ministry; 5. Cultivate a missional understanding of the Church as the people of God, called and sent out to witness, in word and deed, the good news of God’s kingdom; and, 6. Develop various life and ministry skills for effective Christian witness and service.
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Programmes
Providing not only a basic theological education but also catering to special needs and interests, CCTE certificate programmes, to be introduced in stages, include: • Certificate in Christian Studies • Certificate in Old Testament Studies • Certificate in New Testament Studies • Certificate in Christian Doctrine • Certificate in Christian Apologetics • Certificate in Christian Ethics • Certificate in Christian Leadership • Certificate in Church Leadership • Certificate in Christian Spirituality • Certificate in Marketplace Ministry • Certificate in Missions Studies • Certificate in Family Life • Certificate in Youth Ministry • Certificate in Children’s Ministry • Certificate in Christian Studies (Korean) Each certificate programme comprises 10 courses. 6 are compulsory and common to all certificate programmes: • Hermeneutics & Bible Study Methods • Old Testament Survey I • Old Testament Survey II • New Testament Survey I • New Testament Survey II • The Christian Mind The other 4 courses must be in an area of concentration, with the exception of the Certificate in Christian Studies programme, which is more general in nature and students can choose to study any 4 elective courses from any programme.
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Course Expectations
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Every course lasts 12 hours, spread over 6 weeks, meeting 2 hours weekly, from 7.30-9.30 pm. In addition, students should spend another 1-2 hours weekly studying and doing the assignments, which may involve reading a book, writing a paper, preparing for a class quiz or an exam. With appropriate study, the “average” person can successfully complete any course.
Graduation Requirements
To graduate with a certificate, the student must complete all 6 compulsory courses and 4 electives within 5 years. All prescribed assignments must be completed, with minimum attendance of 5 out of 6 class sessions.
Entry Requirements
There are no prior educational requirements. At the time of enrolment, applicants must: 1. be at least 18 years old; 2. be a baptized Christian for at least 2 years; 3. be an active member of a local church; and, 4. have his/her application endorsed by a church pastor.
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Candidates may enter a certificate programme at the beginning of any of the 4 CCTE academic terms.
Fees
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Registration fee per certificate programme Tuition per course (for credit) Audit fee per course (without credit) Audit fee for SBC Alumni/Students
$30.00 $100.00 $80.00 $60.00
Faculty
The faculty of SBC form the core teaching team at CCTE. These are complemented by adjunct faculty including SBC alumni, pastors of churches, and various Christian organizations, professional bodies and institutions of higher learning. More information and registration details will be available on www.sbc.edu.sg soon. For enquiries, please contact Rev Dr Bernard Low, Director of CCTE, at bernard@sbc.edu.sg or 65591529. CCTE courses are also taught at Crossroads School of the Bible at the Salvation Army Praisehaven, 500 Bukit Timah Road on Sundays from 3.00 pm. Contact csb@cicfamily.com.
10/28/08, 12:43 PM
CCTE CO UR SE S F O R TERM I
(12 Jan to 27 Feb 2009) 7.30-9.30 pm at SBC’s MPH/ Room 1-302 Mondays (12, 19 Jan, 2, 9, 16, 23 Feb) New Testament Survey I This two-part course surveys the message of each of the 27 New Testament books, their relationships with each other, introductory issues (author, date, occasion, uniqueness) and factors in the first century that influ-enced the life and ministry of the early church as well as affect the mission of the church today. Lecturer: Rev Dr Rick Griffith (B.Sc., Th.M., Ph.D.), Lecturer in Biblical Studies at SBC and Pastor-Teacher at Crossroads International Church Basic Biblical Hermeneutics (Korean) An introductory hermeneutical approach to biblical interpretation, designed for those who want to study the Bible in an academic setting. This course will first examine general aspects of hermeneutics before delving into the significance of different genres and corpus of the Bible in order to help the students fulfill the task of biblical interpretation. Lecturer: Mr Hwang Jae Myeong (B.BA, M.Commerce, M.Div.), Lecturer at Korean Father School (Singapore) Tuesdays (20 Jan, 3, 10, 17, 24 Feb, 3 Mar) Why Doesn’t My Church Grow? Our society is changing, our churches are working hard to reach the community, and people are migrating amongst churches. We need to respond to these rapid transformations. With observations drawn from the lecturer’s ministry among local churches, this course covers: a) why doesn’t my church grow?; b) the local church – God’s hope for the world; c) the things leaders do; d) the things members do; e) the consumer church; and f ) God’s dream-team. Lecturer: Rev Dr Philip Huan (M.Div., D.Min.), a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Singapore and founder of ChurchLife! Tuesdays (13, 20 Jan, 3, 10, 17, 24 Feb) Introduction to Children’s Ministry This course covers: a) the biblical basis of ministry with children; b) the vision, goals, mission and core values of an effective
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children’s ministry; c) understanding today’s children and their needs; d) understanding current trends; e) setting up an effective children’s ministry; and f ) building strong parent/home-children’s ministry relationship. Lecturer: Mr David Leong (M.A.), Executive Director of Scripture Union Singapore Wednesdays (14, 21 Jan, 4, 11, 18, 25 Feb) The Christian Mind This course provides the theological and biblical foundation for developing a “Christian Mind”. Our motivations, views, attitudes and actions can be transformed through the teaching, reflection and meditation on biblical truths. Topics include: a) the foundation and justification for “the Christian mind”; b) the nature and practice of theological reflection; c) the Christian and society; d) the Christian and the arts; e) the Christian and science; f ) the Christian and the self. Lecturer: Rev Dr Paul R. Woods (B.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., Ph.D.), Lecturer in Missiology at SBC Thursdays (15, 22 Jan, 5, 12, 19, 26 Feb) An Exploration of Chinese Philosophy and Religion This course explores the major religious beliefs and philosophical perspectives of the Chinese, which will be contrasted against the teachings of the Word of God. Participants will explore the ancient belief in Shang Di, and the philosophy of the Dao and Qi. Also examined are the Buddhist and Daoist faiths, the teachings of Confucius, and folk religious and ancestor worship beliefs of the Chinese.
in 117 countries, with over 3.5 million Christian leaders in training! In MLM Notebook I, students will learn about: a) God’s call to lead; b) the heart of a leader; c) leading with vision; d) the leader’s priorities and decision-making process; e) cultivating people skills; and f ) effective strategic planning. Lecturers: 1. Dr Tan Buck Chye, Chief Buzan Trainer & Programme Director at Tony Buzan Learning Centre, and Managing Director of Mind Map Training Centre; 2. Mr Wayne Kwan, Licensed MBTI Practitioner, Certified Professional Behavioural Analyst, and Co-Founder of the Management Assessment & Diagnostic Center; 3. Dr Geoff Gorsuch, South East Asia Director of Men’s Ministry for The Navigators.
Understand man from his brain’s psychology and chemistry, learn its implications on male-female communication, coupl i ng and intimacy, and his susceptibility to problems such as addictions, abuse and anger. Led by Mr Benny Bong, a Family and Marital Therapist with over 25 years of experience as a counsellor, trainer and consultant, this Seminar will be held on 7-8 Nov (Fri-Sat) at SBC. For enquiries & registration, please contact Veronica @ 65591528 or email deansoc@sbc.edu.sg.
Lecturer: Rev Canon Daniel Tong (B.Th., M.Th.), Vicar of the Chapel of the Resurrection and Chaplain of St Andrew’s Junior College. Fridays (16, 23 Jan, 6, 13, 20, 27 Feb) Christian Leadership, MLM Notebook I In the mid-1990s, best-selling author and leadership expert Dr John Maxwell was encouraged to take his best leadership materials to develop the Million Leaders Mandate (MLM), to equip a million Christian leaders worldwide for the Great Commission. MLM is now being used
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“耳朵”或“身体”？
潘隆正博士
“Ears” or “Body”?
Rev DR MICHAEL PHUA
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10/30/08, 3:43 AM