methodist message Vol 116 No 2 • February 2014
inside
this issue...
The Methodist Church in Singapore
ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 172/02/2013
message.methodist.org.sg
The Bible Society of Singapore Shared heritage in Bible mission
The Rev James Nagulan Letter from Wilmore
Malaysian Bishop to pastors: Finish well
pages 10 - 11
page 18
page 19
Architecture of worship HYMNS & SONGS
Worship architects are wise to truly understand what takes place in worship and who the participants are.
Background picture by Goodluz, Joss, mizina and nikkytok, Bigstock.com
Dr Constance Cherry is Professor of Worship and Christian Ministries at Indiana Wesleyan University, and has served on the faculty of the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies since 2000. She speaks and teaches internationally in the areas of worship and church music.
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here’s a method to my madness!” Have you ever heard anyone use this little idiom? It’s usually said with a smile when someone is trying to convince someone else that their crazy approach to doing something isn’t so crazy after all. It may look like madness at the time, but in the end the skeptic will surely see that it all makes sense. John Wesley was one of those methodical individuals. Some skeptics of the Methodist movement in 18th century England accused him of being overly methodical; hence the term “Methodism” was derogatory at first. Perhaps Wesley responded more than once, “There’s a method to my madness!” His careful attention to detail and highly organised approach to promoting the spiritual values of the movement were features needed for its success. There was always a method to his madness. The results speak for themselves. When worship leaders approach the holy task of preparing for corporate worship, there must be a method to their madness. Various methods to worship planning are commonly used today. Continued on page 15...
CALL TO ACTION
Haiyan: An on-going tragedy
Methodist Message wishes all readers a blessed Lunar New Year.
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n our December 2013 issue, we reported on the devastation wrought by the strongest typhoon recorded in terms of wind speed to ever hit portions of Southeast Asia. With 14.1 million people affected, and 4.1 million displaced, the Philippines was the worstaffected country. While current news of this catastrophe may have fallen off the media radar, relief and reconstruction efforts are expected to carry on for years. Philippine President Benigno Aquino said that reconstruction was expected to take at least four years, according to some media reports. As of early January 2014, The Methodist Church in Singapore has remitted S$326,564.85, the first tranche of donations collected from Methodist churches and donors across Singapore, to World Vision (WV) International to support their appeal for funds for its emergency and relief operations in reaching the victims of Haiyan. WV held the permit from the Commissioner of Charities to raise funds from the public. Their original targeted number of beneficiaries was 400,000 – as of 12 January, they have exceeded this target by about 155,000. Highly-impacted areas are at the top of their priority list, with the well-being of mothers and children put upfront. For the next six months, WV will be focusing on recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the affected communities. Some key programmes include the Cash-for-Work scheme, which generates jobs for out-of-work victims who help by cleaning up the debris in disaster-stricken areas, especially around water sources and infrastructure. Skillsbased training will also be provided to offer farmers alternative livelihoods. Visit www. worldvision.org.sg for Haiyan updates and information. n
Men experience Spring when they receive abundant grace,
Pictures courtesy of World Vision
methodist message
The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church. All Scripture quoted is based on the New International Version, unless otherwise stated. Our address
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And true blessing is when God floods us with overwhelming mercy. Editorial Board Adviser and Publisher Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup, Chairman, Council on Communications Editor Ms Christina Stanley Assistant Editor Ms Grace Toh Sub-editor Ms Tan-Ngooi Chiu Ai Editorial Executive Mr K C Yuen
BISHOP’S MESSAGE
Celebrate our faith in festivals Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup has been a Methodist pastor for 29 years, during which he was also President of Trinity Annual Conference from 2005 to 2012. In November 2012, he was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore for the quadrennium till 2016.
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estivals were integral to the lives of people in the Old Testament. There were daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly festivals. Most of these were religious, as instructed by the Law. Even feasts such as birthdays, weddings and other personal events were not purely secular as each event included a divine blessing. In recent years, there has been a growing and keen interest by Christians in celebrating Jewish festivals. While these may be especially meaningful and helpful for us to appreciate our roots in the Old Testament, let us not forget that we have our own local festivals as well. Our church anniversaries are festivals. There are churches these days that plan celebrations to last over a period, rather than just a day, or just a worship service. A few even use the occasion to launch new initiatives, such as mission programmes and other forms of social outreach. Of course, festivals are occasions also for feasting, with the anniversary dinners or lunches. What is of greater interest should be the celebration of our national events as festivals by our churches. It was not too long ago that Festival of Praise was closely tied to our National Day. The National Day Prayer Rally is another example. Not all local festivals, however, should be celebrated by Christians, as they may include certain activities that might conflict with our beliefs. There is no reason to think that there are no new festivals to celebrate. Who knows what future event may trigger a new festival? One would have thought that the list of festivals was complete as mentioned in the Law of Moses. However, after the exile, the Jews celebrated the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah (John
10:22). This festival was appointed by Judas Maccabaeus to commemorate the purification of the temple, which the Jews believed had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes (he had desecrated the Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus). Another later festival was the Feast of Purim, mentioned in the book of Esther (9:24-32). What many Christians may celebrate as their most important festival – Christmas – had its origins in Roman paganism. It took a few hundred years for it to be transformed into what churches today take to be a celebration of the birth of Christ. Festivals serve important purposes. Firstly, there is a community element. Festivals bring families, relatives and friends to reconnect with one another. They draw communities together and serve a unifying purpose. Secondly, there is a commemorative element. Festivals are times for recollection and remembrance. Reminders of great events and heroes of the past serve to build identity and motivation. This heritage stirs up belief and self-reliance (if non-religious) and reliance on God (for believers) to face future challenges. Although we live in a secular society, it does not mean that our non-religious local festivals have to be celebrated that way. There are always opportunities for worship and prayer elements that are organised in parallel with the festivities. For example, a few churches still hold Chinese New Year worship services, on the first day of the Lunar New Year. It could also be as simple as introducing prayer as part of our celebrations, in thanksgiving for blessings received. I trust that your Lunar New Year celebrations for the Year of the Horse in 2014 will include elements of your Christian spirituality. James 3:3 (ESV) says: “If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.” Although James was referring to our speech, the principle remains the same: What you put into the horse (year), i.e. your efforts and commitment, will guide its direction. May the year lead you into joy, peace and prosperity. Gong Xi Fa Cai! n
Festivals bring families, relatives and friends to reconnect with one another. They draw communities together and serve a unifying purpose.
Background picture by Liang Zhang/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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home
Some reservations about inter-faith dialogue Lim K Tham is the General Secretary (Hon) of National Council of Churches of Singapore. He is a member of the Presidential Council on Religious Harmony, and worships at Fairfield Methodist Church.
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n these days of increased religiosity, the need for interfaith dialogue has become more pressing. Yet, for the church, this need has never been an easy thing to acknowledge. The reason is not hard to find: Christians have believed in the uniqueness of the person of Christ, and that the truth claims of their faith are absolute, especially with regard to salvation and the way to God.
“Religious harmony is not about harmonising religions and beliefs, but about finding harmony between people of diverse religious faiths.” Thankfully, many Christians today are able to recognise the value of inter-faith dialogue in bridging the “gap” between religions and fostering peaceful and harmonious co-existence among all people. More would have embraced the way of dialogue but for a number of reservations which are addressed below.
Picture by STILLFX/ Bigstock.com
Dialogue: A biblical idea? Some Christians have little interest in inter-faith dialogue because they do not think there is any biblical warrant for having it. The assumption that there are very few cases of dialogue in the Bible may be questioned. In point of fact, the Bible has many words which refer to “dialogue”. We only have to recall the many instances of conversation
(dialogue) which the prophets have had with various persons to show that dialogue did have a place within the biblical corpus. Jesus himself is recorded as having question-and-answer sessions with his contemporaries, especially in his encounters with the woman from Samaria and the Syro-Phoenician woman. St. Paul, we are told in Acts 17:2, was at the synagogue in dialogue with the Jews for over three Sabbaths! Fear of compromise Another reservation may well be the feeling that genuine dialogue with another religious tradition would lead to a compromise of what one believes to be true. I suspect some Christians, concerned that their participation would involve disloyalty to their own faith commitment, have held back. It was probably to address this concern that the former Bishop, Dr Robert Solomon, offered this clarification in a speech to church leaders: “Religious harmony is not about harmonising religions and beliefs, but about finding harmony between people of diverse religious faiths.” (Methodist Message, December 2007) We may put the matter this way: participation in inter-religious activities does not require one to dissolve one’s distinctive beliefs into an imaginary “One World Religion”. To be sure, certain faith leaders may be inclined towards syncretism, but many are equally firm in and convinced of what they believe. These days, those who come to an inter-religious dialogue are expected to come as persons significantly identified with a religious community as well as committed to the faith of that community.
Dialogue: A means of witness? Another reason why Christians have been wary of inter-faith dialogue is that they have understood such dialogue to eschew evangelism. Admittedly, the primary purpose of dialogue is not conversion but conversation. Yet, in engaging with people of other faiths, opportunities for witness are always present. Even if our dialogue partners are not responsive to our verbal witness, they will come to know us better. As W. A. Visser ’t Hooft says: “The dialogue will be all the richer if both of us give ourselves as we are. For the Christian that giving must include witness.” Search for understanding, not agreement There are more reservations about inter-faith dialogue than can be dealt with here. Going forward, I suggest a mind-set change in how we perceive and approach religious dialogue: from viewing it as a means to truth, to embracing it as a means of connecting with fellow human beings. In this respect, David Lochhead’s advice in his book, The Dialogical Imperative, cannot be more apt: “Rather than defining dialogue as a search for agreement, it would be more helpful to define dialogue as a search for understanding. To understand another tradition, I do not have to agree with its precepts. I do not have to create ‘common ground’ in order to proceed.” To positive engagement and meaningful dialogue with our neighbours – let’s proceed! n
SAYS THE CAC PRESIDENT
A matter of Discipline The Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung was re-elected President of the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) in 2012 for the quadrennium. He has been a Methodist pastor for 30 years and is an adjunct lecturer at Trinity Theological College since 1996.
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he latest edition of The Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church in Singapore (BOD) was published in 2013. It is expected that the contents will be applied comprehensively in the next four years. What I consider noteworthy is that there are two parts in the BOD that cannot be changed capriciously: Part II, “Doctrinal Statements and the General Rules” and Part III, “Social Principles”. Let me share a little about the section on “The General Rules of the Methodist Church” in Part II.
If we are to make resolutions for the new year, we could consider once again following the instructions in the General Rules. This will be of great help to us as we continue to evidence our faith in our lives. There are three general rules. First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced. Second: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men. Third: By attending upon all the ordinances of God. The General Rules presents the expectations that John Wesley had of persons who became members of his Society, and the instructions he was encouraging them to follow. On closer study of the rules, I think they are still relevant to the social context of Singapore today and our members ought to be encouraged to follow and practice them. For example, the First Rule contains 13 statements on what not to do, including taking the name of God in vain, profaning the day of the Lord, drunkenness, brothers taking each other to court, collecting excessive interest etc. On close analysis, one can
see that believers today should be urged to observe these codes of living, because they are not only practical but also very beneficial. The Second Rule is about evidencing the Christian spiritual life. If the First Rule seems passive with its emphasis on what not to do, the Second Rule is all about active doing. This includes doing good of every possible sort, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, doing good to fellow believers as well as those who are “groaning so to be”, being diligent and frugal etc. The Third Rule concerns the maturing of the Christian’s spiritual life, and there are six aspects listed: 1. The public worship of God. 2. The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded. 3. The Supper of the Lord. 4. Family and private prayer. 5. Searching the scriptures. 6. Fasting or abstinence. John Wesley stated that the instructions in the General Rules were what the Lord taught us in the Bible. Therefore I regard these to be not only the mark of Methodists but also of every Christian. If we are to make resolutions for the new year, we could consider once again following the instructions in the General Rules. This will be of great help to us as we continue to evidence our faith in our lives. The General Rules may be found on pages 32 to 35 of the Revised 2013 BOD. n
Refer to “Discipline revised” on page 17 of this issue, about the latest revised edition of the Book of Discipline
Picture by kibsri/Big stock
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METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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you & your family
When psychiatry and spirituality converge Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award in 2011 and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
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ast December, I attended a conference named “The Evolution of Psychotherapy”. Held every four years, it gathers leading researchers and clinicians in the fields of psychiatry, psychology and counselling to present their latest works and innovations. Over five days, thousands of participants watched live counselling demonstrations, studied slides of brain scans and charts, and listened to the experts in the field. Why such interest in this topic? Research on the brain has made great strides in recent times, and its pervasive dominance in the last 10 years has been known as “the decade of the brain”. Such research shows how the brain affects many aspects of human behaviour ranging from mental illness to how differently men and women fall in love. An example is the curative effect of the daily cycle of sleep, during which tired bodies get the rest they need and tired minds and emotions have an opportunity to be rebalanced. Saying “let me sleep on it” could allow the subconscious mind to attend to the unfinished business of the day during sleep. That is why we sometimes wake up the following day with a novel solution to yesterday’s problems. Even as we have improved our ability to peer into the human brain, we still have much to understand about how it influences human behaviour. What little we have deduced leaves us bewildered and amazed at how intricately we have been designed. Although the brain is very delicate and any damage to it can lead to changes in a patient’s behaviour and personality, improvements are possible in some circumstances. Through a combination of medicine, health supplements, brain exercises and a supportive environment, some patients showed that their brains can regenerate. This is known as “brain plasticity”. Psychotherapy and counselling affirms the plasticity of the human brain, and the curative effects of receiving help from a supportive environment and being grounded in one’s spirituality. Speaker after speaker at the conference validated these ideas using various research studies. The environment they referred to goes beyond the therapeutic relationship between doctor and patient, including supportive relationships between friends, extended family, and immediate family. It seems that we are somehow wired to live in and through communities – no man or woman is an island.
... how the brain affects many aspects of human behaviour ranging from mental illness to how differently men and women fall in love. However, the quality of the relationships we experience may vary greatly. Some of them are competitive relationships whilst others can be critical and destructive. What these experts refer to are relationships where compassion in words and deeds abound. It may seem strange that a conference on psychotherapy should address the role of one’s spirituality in a positive manner. In the early decades of psychotherapy, it was viewed in opposition to religion. Today, more than a truce, there is actual rapprochement between the two fields. Some practices of psychotherapy will encourage the use of meditation and prayer as useful vehicles to promote and support change. In addressing issues such as complicated grief, infidelity and crimes done against family members like incest, there can be no complete resolution and healing without acts of confession and forgiveness. Previously, these processes had been categorised in the world of the sacred as opposed to the sciences. As Christians, these developments may not come as a surprise – we are familiar with the concepts of necessary rest, renewing one’s mind, thriving in supportive communities and healing through spiritual processes. After all, if we are repairing the mind or emotions, what better way than to refer to the Owner’s Manual, and ultimately to the Creator Himself, who made mankind in all its fullness and complexity? n Picture by alexfiodorov/Bigstock.com
HOME
CNY: A Christian perspective Adapted from an article in the Chinese Annual Conference News, first published in January 2006.
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hinese New Year (CNY) is an important festival in the Chinese calendar – the beginning of the lunar year symbolises the act of “starting over”, with renewed hopes for happiness and prosperity. It is also a time to renew ties with family and friends, through family reunion dinners and social visits. However, celebrations are traditionally marked by religious ceremonies or rituals in honour of “Heaven” and “Earth”, and the household gods and ancestors. As Chinese Christians continue to celebrate CNY to maintain their ethnic identity, how can they remain true to their faith in Christ? Here are some Christian reinterpretations of traditional symbols associated with CNY. Spring Cleaning: As Christians clean their houses, it is a good time for them to evaluate their lives in light of their commitment to Christ. Spring Couplet: Vertical red banners with characters are placed at doorways. Instead of “auspicious words”, they can be infused with Christian messages of thanksgiving and God’s blessings. New Clothes: The practice of buying new clothes can spark gratitude to God for His abundant provision for us. (Romans 5:17)
Feasting: While feasts often accompany joyous celebrations, let us not abuse our bodies – temples of the Holy Spirit – through overindulgence. May we also remember the Christian virtue of hospitality, especially for those less fortunate. Oranges: The Cantonese word for “orange” sounds like gold. As we exchange oranges, let us remember that gold also symbolises a genuine faith. (1 Peter 1:7)
Red packets or Ang Pow: These cash gifts in red envelopes are given to those below and above us in “position”. Likewise, let us remember those who have served us faithfully, and also the Lord, to whom ultimate respect is due. Ancestors: While Chinese Christians worship the one true God rather than their ancestors, we do not dishonour or neglect our family or ancestors. Scripture clearly calls us to respect those who came before us, and to honour our parents. (Exodus 20:12) n Picture by Liang Zhang/Bigstock.com
MISSIONS
Growing and multiplying in Nepal Noel Tam is a missionary to Nepal currently on home assignment. He is a member of Pentecost Methodist Church.
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he Ilam district is well-known as the tea-planting region of Nepal, and geographically is adjacent to its more famous “cousin”, Darjeeling, in India. Images of this area show an idyllic scene – with quaint villages, lush tea plantations framed by the far-off highlands. But the reality is that in this area, located in the eastern part of Nepal, life is hard – most of the people here get by on a low income as they rely on agriculture. The literacy rate is gauged to be lower than the national average of 57 per cent. Yet, in this challenging environment, Vijayee Methodist Church (first set up in 2007) is growing steadily, becoming a secondgeneration training centre for T-net, a successful church-planting model in Nepal. In this multi-faith environment where Christians are very much in the minority, plans are in the pipeline for Vijayee to upgrade from its original mud and bamboo premises to a two-storey building to cater for the expanded ministries of the church. These ministries will include programmes for the children, youth and women. It has been 13 years since we started our journey in Nepal, with our pioneer church, Wesley Methodist Church in Kathmandu (Central), and a year later in 2002, in Jhapa (East), with Mahimit Methodist Church. In 2004, training courses were rolled out at Caleb Bible Institute in the East. Between Vijayee and Mahimit, five preaching points have already been planted – in Surunga, Dhadare,
The expanding ministry of Vijayee Methodist Church makes a building upgrade necessary to keep up with the growth of the church.
The literacy rate is gauged to be lower than the national average of 57 per cent. Yet, in this challenging environment, Vijayee Methodist Church (first set up in 2007) is growing steadily, becoming a second-generation training centre for T-net, a successful church-planting model in Nepal. Badamptar, and more recently Terhthum and Dhankuta. Three new believers were recently baptised in Terhthum, and they will form the core group to reach out to the community. The Methodist Church in Nepal’s (MCN) two-pronged strategy of church planting and community is slowly bearing fruit, as we seek to plant Great Commission and Multiplying churches in 75 districts. The growth has been especially encouraging in the East, where Vijayee and Mahimit are located. We were particularly encouraged at the first-ever MCN Youth Camp, held at Caleb Bible Institute jointly with Mahimit MC. Many youths responded to the call to “Take up your cross and follow me” during the closing service.
The outlook for Nepal is positive, as we grow and multiply. We seek your continued prayers, financial support and partnership. Short-term mission trippers are always welcome. We ask that you prayerfully consider joining us to “Redeem Nepal for Jesus Christ”. We thank God for His grace and faithfulness! n
PRAY for u the church-planting and training ministries in East Nepal u our new preaching points in Terhthum and Dhankuta, for the evangelists and believers GIVE to u the Vijayee MC building project For more info, contact Mr Noel Tam at nochary@gmail.com
Picture courtesy of the Methodist Missions Society
welfare services
Serving for as long as they are able Jocelyn Tan is the Community Partnership Manager at Bethany Methodist Nursing Home.
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From left: Ms Wong Liang Chow; Mr Kwan Kin Mun; the Rev Dr Daniel Koh, Chairman of the BMNH Centre Governance Committee; Mr Walter Lee, Director of BMNH; Mr Peter Kow and Ms Lynn Yong Lian Yen.
SUPPORT Bethany Methodist Nursing Home by: u VOLUNTEERING u DONATING financially or in kind u PRAYING for the needs of the home Contact the home’s Community Partnership Department at cp@bethany.mws.org.sg or call 6314-1580.
t 87 years of age, Mr Peter Kow, a long-time volunteer with Bethany Methodist Nursing Home (BMNH), is not letting age get in the way of serving. Rather, the Charis Methodist Church member notes: “I thank God for giving me good health and energy to continue visiting the sick. As long as I am able, I will serve.” Peter has volunteered at Bethany since 2003. He started as a befriender. He then saw the need for a religious service at the home and prompted his pastor to conduct services while he provided support. Over the past decade, Peter has expanded his ministry at BMNH. He rallied other church members to visit the Home every Christmas and Chinese New Year. Later, he joined the Sunshine group, a group of senior volunteers who organise spiritual activities for residents. On his own, Peter visits the different wards to chat with residents and bring them something, be it batteries for their radios, reading material or snacks. He also visits former residents who have been discharged and are in need. A community outreach of Methodist Welfare Services, Bethany provides care for up to 303 elderly sick, frail and needy residents. Bethany’s key objective is to enhance the quality of life for its residents and their family care-givers, and they do this through offering a holistic programme, which includes physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual care. This is further augmented by committed volunteers who conduct various activities at the home. Peter received his long service award last December at Bethany’s second annual volunteer appreciation evening. And so did three other members from Bukit Panjang Methodist Church (BPMC) – Mr Kwan Kin Mun, Ms Wong Liang Chow and Ms Lynn Yong Lian Yen! Kin Mun, 67, first served at Bethany after reading about one of its residents in the Chinese papers. Soon after, he accompanied his wife to Bethany. She was already serving at BMNH and had met this resident. He shared: “I saw that the residents were lonely and needed people to show them care. So, I decided to volunteer regularly.” He noted that “it is by God’s grace that I am able to serve as part of the worship team every month and help with Cantonese interpretation at times.” For Liang Chow, volunteering is“默默耕耘” or “sowing quietly and not expecting any reward”. The 60-year-old said: “I hope that through the sharing during Sunday worship services, residents will come to know Christ. Volunteering also serves to remind me to look after my own health.” Lynn, 50, has been a volunteer for the past 11 years. She shared: “I find the joy of giving as I spend time with the residents. My own parents’ death also made me want to spend more time with the residents while I can.” Lynn and her group conduct Sunday worship services monthly, a commitment made to the Rev Goh Eng Kiang, then the Chaplain for Bethany, who passed the baton to them in 2005. In obedience to Christ’s exhortation in Matthew 25:40 that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”, the volunteers have helped make a difference to the residents and their family care-givers. n Picture courtesy of BMNH METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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THE BIBLE SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE
The Bible mission in Singapore: Gwen de Rozario is Senior Manager, Communications and IT, in The Bible Society of Singapore (BSS). She co-wrote this article with Elaine Quek, Communications Officer in BSS.
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he Bible Society of Singapore (BSS) commemorated 190 years of local Bible mission work last year on November 16. BSS celebrated its rich Bible mission heritage that was founded by famous pioneers and built upon by faithful supporters and partners. The Society’s work is a shared legacy that continues today and will be passed on to the generations to come.
A movement inspired by 10-year-old Mary Jones The entire Bible movement started back in the 1800s, when a 10-year-old Welsh girl named Mary Jones was so desperate to get her own Bible that she worked for six years, and then walked 25 miles to the nearest town in Bala to buy a copy. But when she arrived, she found out that the only Bible left had already been reserved. At that news, Mary broke down and cried. The Rev Charles Thomas was so moved by her tears that he decided to give her the Bible. This incident inspired a movement, and opened doors for the formation of the Bible Society – to bring God’s Word to the world in a language they can understand and at a price they can afford. Sir Stamford Raffles: Advocate of the Bible Mission Sir Stamford Raffles, Singapore’s founding father, was instrumental in starting the Bible mission in Southeast Asia (SEA). In 1813, an appeal for Bibles by soldiers first drew the attention of the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) to Java. BFBS resolved to send Dutch and English Bibles and Testaments to the then Lieutenant Governor Raffles with a letter, requesting that “His Excellency will have the goodness to give directions that they be placed in the hands of proper persons to distribute the same…”
On March 10, 1814, the Rev William Milne from the London Missionary Society, who later assisted the Rev Dr Robert Morrison with the complete translation of the Chinese Bible, arrived in Java. The Rev Milne met Raffles and secured his help to “do all they consistently could to forward” the Bible cause – he was even granted use of the Government Press. Raffles was appointed President of the Java Auxiliary Bible Society on June 4, 1814. Advancing the Society’s translation work Raffles’ interest in supporting the Bible work increased when he returned to England in 1817. He had greater opportunity to correspond with the Society. Letters from our Society’s archive showed that Raffles strongly supported Malay translation work and personally leaned towards a preference for the translation to commonly-used Malay. Today, BSS continues to raise funds to support the work of translation carried out by the fellowship of United Bible Societies (UBS). Did you know that UBS has the largest number of translation projects ongoing in the world; and out of approximately 7,105 languages worldwide, the fully-translated Bible is only available in 495 languages? There is still much to be done. The Rev Dr Robert Morrison: Pioneer of Bible distribution work in Singapore In 1823, it was reported to BFBS that “Dr Morrison has communicated… the cheering information that 1,000 Chinese New Testaments had just been applied for by the missionaries of a new settlement formed at Sincapore [sic] in the year 1819.” This request started the Bible mission work in Singapore and the distribution of Chinese Scriptures here. BFBS granted the Rev Dr Morrison and other missionaries in Malacca the 1,000 pounds needed to print the Chinese Scriptures. The Rev Dr Robert Morrison Today, Singapore is advancing (right) was instrumental the Bible distribution work by in the translation and providing Bibles to people in need. distribution of the Chinese BSS supports the purchase and Scriptures. Picture courtesy of United Bible Societies. distribution of Bibles across SEA, China, the Indian sub-continent and even the Bible Lands (Israel, Turkey, and Egypt). During one such trip to Siau Island in July 2013, we distributed 3,280 Bibles in the Siau language, which was also crucial to the preservation of the language and culture there. The Siau leaders testified that God’s Word helped to bridge the intergenerational gap between the elderly who cannot speak in Bahasa and the young who cannot read or speak the Siau language.
A shared heritage “We are pleased to be always in partnership with BSS… The work of BSS is so important to the life of the Church and we will always be grateful that there are people who spend time to think of ways and means to get us to engage the Word.” Richard Woo (left), a staff member of The Bible Society of Singapore, presenting a copy of the translated Bible to a Siau Indonesian.
Methodists: Key supporters in publishing the Word The work of BSS has expanded beyond just translation and distribution. We strive to bring God’s Word to all through publishing, engagement, literacy programmes and advocacy. Prominent Methodist the Rev William Oldham encouraged William G. Shellabear in the publishing of local Scriptures. “On the advice of Mr Oldham, he (Shellabear) went to England, and studied the art of printing. Returning in 1890, he began the work of the Methodist Press, which has since grown to large proportions.” Shellabear went on to be the founder of the largest publishing house in Malaysia – MPH. He also translated many books and tracts, and produced a dictionary as well as the standard edition of the Malay Annals. MPH was an important partner of the Bible Society, printing its Bibles, Scripture tracts and other materials. Now, BSS works with partners to publish Scripture for marginalised groups like the Free on the Inside Bible for prisoners and the Overseas Filipino Workers Bible for Filipino workers in Singapore. We also customise Bibles and Testaments for churches, organisations and institutions like Anglo-Chinese School, and publish free evangelistic tracts and Bible portions to help the local Christian community share the Gospel. Advancing the Word through engagement and advocacy Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup notes: “We are pleased to be always in partnership with BSS… The work of BSS is so important to the life of the Church and we will always be grateful that there are people who spend time to think of ways and means to get us to engage the Word.”
Play a part in building the Bible mission Support the local Bible mission
A domestic helper reading the Overseas Filipino Workers Bible.
BSS Engagement programmes help the Christian community to grow deeper in God’s Word and live it out. These programmes include our Sowers in Action Volunteer Programme, Bible Mission Trips and Bible Land Tours which bring the Word to life. Under the umbrella of Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship, BSS runs the Biblical Studies Programme, Walk Thru the Bible and many others. A new thinktank is being set up together with key partners, to advocate Biblical values in society. By God’s grace, 190 years on, the work of BSS continues to grow and develop in the region, not only to make the Word Available (through Translation and Publishing) and Accessible (through Distribution and Literacy Programmes), but also to reinforce that the Word is Credible (through Engagement and Advocacy). n
Donate u (http://bibleresource. net/donate) Volunteer u (Join Sowers in Action) Pray u for the Bible mission work Participate in the Bible mission work Join or organise u Bible Mission Trips Take part u in the Bible Land Tours Participate u in the Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship Programmes Request u for gospel tracts Purchase u Scriptures and other items at the Bible Resource Centres (proceeds go towards the Bible Mission Fund) For more information, visit www. bible.org.sg, email info@bible. org.sg or call 6337-3222.
Pictures courtesy of The Bible Society of Singapore unless otherwise stated
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CHurch profile
Charis MC
25-year sojourn of God’s grace The Rev Helen Hoe is Pastor-in-Charge of Charis Methodist Church.
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his year, Charis Methodist Church (Charis MC) celebrates our 25th anniversary and the theme is “Celebrating 25 years of God’s Faithfulness”. “Charis” means “God’s grace”, and the history of Charis MC is indeed a sojourn of grace. From its beginning in 1966 till now, God’s faithfulness has been manifest throughout. Charis MC began as the Methodist Youth Fellowship of Geylang Chinese Methodist Church. An English service was started soon after. By the grace of God, the congregation grew over the years and we became a local conference in 1989. For many years, we did not have a place to call “home” until late 1992 when we purchased the current church premises at Koon Seng Rd. Today, we have two English worship services and one Mandarin worship service, with a total membership size of 550. Charis MC’s vision is that the church will be characterised by love for God in outreach and service to one another and the community. This is perhaps encapsulated by the phrase “A People after God’s Heart”. This theme was developed at one of our leaders’ retreats. It is our desire for Charisians to grow to become men and women after God’s heart. On a more personal note, Charis MC has always had a special part in my life. I was first posted to this church as a Member-On-Trial after my graduation from Trinity Theological College in 2003, overseeing the Mandarin congregation. The church witnessed my transition from a happily single young pastor to a wife and then a mother.
Pray for Charis Methodist Church as we seek to be more deliberate in engaging our youths.
I was appointed back to Charis MC in 2011. In 2013 I became the Pastor-in-Charge, and I am grateful for the encouragement and partnership of the leaders as they join me in God’s ministry. Charis MC has embarked on a journey called the DisciplePath, to help us to be more effective and intentional in disciple-making, so that together we fulfill the Great Commission. DisciplePath marks a new journey for the church as we relook and organise our infrastructures to be even more deliberate in growing disciples for Christ. This will affect almost every facet of our ministries. As a family church, the needs and challenges of different age profiles needed to be carefully considered. We need to be more deliberate in engaging our youths, strengthening their Christian identity and making sure that the church stays relevant to them. Effort must be made to support the young adults as they go through this life phase marked by many transitions. Charis MC, in partnership with Methodist Welfare Services, has started a new Activity Centre for Elders – Charis ACE . We hope to help the middle-income groups not covered by other elderly service centres. The vision is that Charis ACE will be a place where older adults can find their independence, vitality and purpose in life. We aim to empower the elders to connect and interact, and provide a one-stop health resource, advice and referral centre for elders to tap on national health services and manage their health care needs. In this way, they can age with dignity. We thank God for His grace and faithfulness, and we pray for His continual blessings on this church so that we can fulfil the church’s vision, and offer God’s grace to the world. n
Charis Methodist Church (Chinese Annual Conference) 91 Koon Seng Road, S(427032) Sunday service: 9 am (Mandarin), 9 am (English) and 11.15 am (English) Contact: 6344-5750 or visit www.charismc.org.sg
We continue our series of profiling local churches from our three Annual Conferences of The Methodist Church in Singapore. As we come to have a better understanding of each other’s history and ministry, there may be opportunity to forge crosschurch partnerships and collaborations. PRAY u for Charis MC’s journey in disciple-making, and their outreach efforts to the community JOIN u Charis MC in serving seniors in the Activity Centre for Elders
Pictures by Charis Methodist Church
SAYS FROM THE PRESIDENT LEARNING THE HERETICS
PELAGIANISM Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College. He worships at the Fairfield Preaching Point in Woodlands.
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n A.D. 400, Pelagius, a native of Ireland, arrived in Rome and began to promote his philosophy of self-determination that gave rise to one of the most enduring controversies in the history of Christianity. Some scholars opine that he was reacting to two systems of thought that, for him, smacked of determinism. The first is the moral philosophy of the Manichees, especially the postulation that the nature of a thing is immutable. According to this view, something that has an evil nature can never do any good. The second system of thought that Pelagius reacted against was Augustine’s theology, according to which everything was dependent on the grace of God. For Pelagius, this understanding of God’s relationship with man does not leave much room for human freedom and responsibility. He therefore became a protagonist of a certain view of human
... Pelagianism was a heresy in the “classical” sense because it was a curious and ultimately harmful amalgam of truth and error. freedom. For him, freedom has to do not only with the ability to make simple choices, but something more fundamental: the capacity to choose between good and evil. Pelagius therefore was of the view that when faced with a number of moral alternatives, we have the intrinsic power to choose between them. This conception of freedom coloured his understanding of sin and its consequences. According to the orthodox teaching, man’s capacity to make moral judgements is severely crippled after the primordial fall. As the result of original sin, human beings are enslaved to sin (non posse non peccarre). For Pelagius, however, while sin has compromised man in some respects, it has not generally impeded his ability to make moral choices. He therefore refused to accept the orthodox doctrine of original sin, and rejected the idea that Adam’s heirs have inherited his fallen nature. Consequently, for Pelagius, to think
of Adam’s sin as the sin of humanity is absurd. God has endowed each human being with freedom, and this implies that everyone has the capacity to glorify their Creator by making sound moral choices. Put differently, for Pelagius, every human being has the ability not to sin (posse non peccare). Adam’s fall did not rob his posterity of that ability. To the vexing question of why human wickedness and sin are so pervasive, Pelagius theorised that it is because we tend to imitate one another’s misdeeds. Thus, he located sin solely in man’s will, but not in his nature. It was his anthropology – his philosophical concept of man – that provided the contours to his theology of grace. Pelagius’ God is indeed gracious. Having created man, He sustains, enlightens and forgives him. However, consistent with his uncompromising insistence on unfettered freedom, Pelagius insisted that God’s grace does not directly influence human action. However, it was Coelestius, Pelagius’ most celebrated disciple, that pushed his thoughts to the extreme. Coelestius believed that sinless existence is possible since it is within our power to resist temptation and conduct our lives according to the demands of the Law. Consequently, entry into God’s kingdom is not dependent on the Gospel alone, and Christ’s
death and resurrection are not the necessary conditions for eternal life. It was against this version of the heresy that Augustine wrote so eloquently and forcefully in his famous anti-Pelagian treatises. In many ways Pelagianism was a heresy in the “classical” sense because it was a curious and ultimately harmful amalgam of truth and error. For instance, the orthodox fathers also taught that the fall did not completely obliterate human freedom; but they rejected the Pelagian proposal that human nature is unscathed by it. The Pelagians’ fundamental problem was their utter intolerance towards the paradoxes of the Faith. The Bible holds both divine sovereignty and human freedom in creative tension, without attempting to solve the difficulty according to the canons of human logic. The Pelagians, however, regarded it as a zerosum game: if one is privileged, the other must be somewhat eclipsed. Accordingly, they have dissolved the mystery in the acids of what they perceived to be “common sense”. We see modern instances of this error, especially in some versions of “open theism”, where human decisions are given such powers to shape the course of history that according to these erroneous views, even God does not know what the future holds. n Background picture by Yastremska/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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HYMNS & SONGS
Architecture of worship
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Unfortunately, many of them lead to what I call “programme worship” – worship that results in an agenda of inspirational, presentational items but fails to conceive of the worship event as a true dialogue between God and people. While the average worshipper will likely be unaware of the method that has been used to create an order of service, they will likely be aware when they have experienced a dynamic encounter with the triune God in community. I would like to suggest the metaphor of “worship architect” as an approach to worship planning. The duties of an architect and a worship designer are very similar. The Scriptures employ the architect motif in several places (see Heb. 3:3-4 and Heb. 11:10). Let’s consider, then, how thinking like an architect might give us insight into building services that honour God. First, an architect considers the purpose of the building. What activity will go on within its walls? Who will participate and how will the building support the primary actions of those involved? For instance, when designing a school building, an architect must think about the ages of the learners, the educational method that will be used, and co-curricular activities offered. Worship architects are wise to truly understand what takes place in worship and who the participants are. When designing worship, one of the first things needed is the answer to some key questions: What is the purpose of worship? What is the nature of the event? Who are the participants? How do the participants carry out the actions of worship? An architect will lay foundations for the building so that the structure is solid and resistant to destructive forces. Certain materials and procedures must be used to ensure stability. While visiting Singapore last June, I marvelled at the architectural feat of reclaiming the coastline to make way for skyscrapers. It was astounding to think that structures as magnificent as the Gardens by the Bay could be built on reclaimed coastlines. The right materials and procedures in the hands of brilliant architects and engineers make for sure foundations in what was once shifting sand. Worship architects likewise lay solid biblical foundations for worship. They consider those features of worship that must be in place to give the service solid grounding. They ask this question: “What must be true of all Christian worship – in all times and places?” Worship architects make sure that acts of worship are grounded in the Trinitarian God, are Christ-centred, are truly corporate, are dialogical between God and people, and are aware of the eternal, unceasing reality of worship. Next, the architect creates rooms by erecting load-bearing and inner walls. The building is framed to facilitate the activities that will take place there. Worship also has a structure to it – an order of service. Just as a building has outer walls and inner walls, I think public worship has a large order of service and a more detailed order within the larger framework. Think of worship as having four “rooms” – a room for gathering in God’s presence, a room for hearing a word from the Lord, a room for responding to God’s message, and a room for being sent back into the world. Gathering, Word, Response,
Sending. This is the model we see so often in scripture whenever there is a God-with-person(s) encounter. God initiates the encounter, God speaks a message, the recipient responds, and is ultimately sent to do the will of God. As a worship architect, begin to think conceptually about your worship service. Can you develop it into four primary sections that follow this four-fold order? If so, you are well on your way to helping people enter into God’s presence, hear from God, speak in turn to Him, and receive the power needed to accomplish the mission God has in mind. The acts of worship that occur from room to room will vary greatly from place to place due to many factors. That is natural and healthy. Think about your context and your people. Then help them carry on a “worship conversation” with God by leading them through a well-structured service of worship. After the walls are up, a building architect activates another set of drawings that includes adding doors and windows. Doors and windows, in particular, allow for light, access, movement, and more. Worship architects employ such things as prayers, music and the arts, the sacraments, and the Christian calendar to shed light on what is happening in worship. These things become a means through which we are enlightened in our relationship with God and one another. They help facilitate the conversation of Christian worship. Last, architects add stylistic features to the rooms that express the culture of the occupants. Décor adds flair to the building and helps identify it with a certain clientele. Worship architects get to know their people and help them express their worship in ways that are intuitive to their culture. In recent decades, many churches have made the mistake of borrowing styles from other people and places, lured by the promise of “success” (growth) or hoping to achieve “cutting-edge worship” (the latest fad). But if worship is a conversation between God and people, think of worship style as the language of the dialogue. We don’t borrow languages; we speak in our own language. There is no such thing as a universal worship style. Styles shouldn’t be imposed upon congregations; instead, worship architects help the community find their natural means of expressing doxology and then assist them in refining their means for conversing with God. Worship architects have a method to their madness. They prayerfully consider the purpose of worship, the necessary biblical foundations for worship, the ordering of the conversation (structure), the various means for enlightening the encounter with God, and the style (language) that best expresses a community’s worship in any given locale. The method will yield as many different, creative worship services as there are buildings in Singapore! And each service will bring glory to God. n Picture by bloomua, stvan4245, Joss, mizina and nikkytok, Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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METHODIST MESSAGE, AuGuST 2013
HOME
Discipline revised
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he latest 2013 Revised Edition of The Book of Discipline of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS) is now available at $20 a copy from the Administration Office of the MCS at Methodist Centre, 70 Barker Road, Level 6, Tel: 6478-4786. It incorporates all the amendments made by the General Conference in 2012, and is published by the Discipline Revision Commission of the MCS. The Book of Discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the Methodist Church. Originally published in 1784 by the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, our own Book of Discipline has been published once every four years since achieving autonomy in 1968. Without doubt, it is a useful and relevant rule-book for Methodist ministers, officials as well as lay persons serving in various ministries. It sets out our Methodist structure in Singapore, how we operate at the General Conference, Annual Conference and local church levels, and includes our Constitution, our Doctrinal Statements and General Rules (the Articles of Religion, unchanged since 1784), our Social Principles and the organisational and administrative rules. In the Episcopal Foreword, Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup said: “While we maintain the core of what we believe and how we organise ourselves as a church, the amendments (by the General Conference) reflect how the contemporary situation has made it necessary for us to adapt.” Interestingly, in the Episcopal Greetings of the 2012 United Methodist Church (UMC) Book of Discipline, the UMC Council of Bishops wrote: “We do not see the Discipline as sacrosanct or infallible, but we do consider it a document suitable to our heritage. It is the most current statement of how United Methodists agree to live their lives together.” n
This is mentioned in the guidelines for the Council on Communications (CoC) in Section V of Chapter Three, which provides the various Administrative Order guidelines. The CoC is “the official news-gathering and distributing agency” for MCS, and it “shall publish a periodical known as the Methodist Message containing news and information of The Methodist Church and its agencies, and of activities and developments of other Churches, ecumenical bodies and other agencies of interest to Methodists”.
r ur behaviou o y l o tr n co to “The ability , etc.” ou live, work y y a w e th r o bey g people to o in in a tr f o em if “The practice punishing th d n a rs e rd or o rules and d behaviour e ll o tr n co e th ing.” they do not; s from train lt su re t a th situation tionary Learner’s Dic
Chairman: Kim Seah Teck Kim Vice-Chairman: Aurill Kam Secretary: The Rev Wilfred Leow Asst Secretary: The Rev Loretta Lim
Methodist Message in the Discipline
dis-ci-pline
Discipline Revision Commission 2013 – 2016
Members: The Rev Philip Abraham, M. Geevananthan, the Rev Kenneth Huang, Jeffrey Lim Administrative Support: David Ong, Louis Leo
ows a aving that sh “A way of beh orders” obey rules or to s es n g n li il w w well judged by ho is t a th r u io “Behav ers” of rules or ord t se a s w o ll it fo
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METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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HOME
Letter from Wilmore The Rev James Nagulan left Singapore last August for a two-year study-cum-sabbatical leave at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore (Kentucky), the United States of America, following in the footsteps of many of our Methodist pastors from Singapore. He has been a Methodist pastor for 16 years and was elected President of Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference from 2005 to 2012.
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reetings from Wilmore! Thanks for the opportunity to reflect on my journey here. The past eight years in leadership as the Conference President has held many lessons for me. I was thrust into the deep waters of leadership at a very early stage in my ministry. It was the most challenging time of my life. Sitting together with the Bishop, fellow Presidents and senior leaders of The Methodist Church in Singapore made me very nervous at many meetings. I knew I had to step up to my call and began reading up on leadership and attending any trainings on leadership, apart from praying for guidance. As the years passed, I began to like what I was doing even though it was tough, experiencing “on-the-job training” in leadership. I felt privileged to have a practical insider training on leadership. Thus, I really wanted to hone my leadership skills and offer myself as a faithful and efficient leader to the church. Going back to school was not an easy decision as I had to consider many aspects. I had to convince my wife, children, church and the conference. After much prayer and convincing, I was given the green light. My family and the church are making great sacrifices, and I thank them all. In contrast, choosing to attend Asbury Theological Seminary was not a difficult decision. Many of my friends whom I studied with in Trinity Theological College had gone to Asbury for their further education. It was like “the Wesleyan Institution” for all Methodists. Reading about the rich heritage of the seminary and the many testimonies of my friends, along with encouragement from Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon, I was convinced to apply to Asbury for the Master of Arts in Christian Leadership. It took me almost a year to make all the necessary arrangements with the conference, the seminary and the Embassy
It was like “the Wesleyan Institution” for all Methodists. Reading about the rich heritage of the seminary and the many testimonies of my friends, along with encouragement from Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon, I was convinced to apply to Asbury. of the United States of America. I wish it was much simpler, but eventually all the waiting and praying at different stages of the process paid off. At 3 a.m. on August 6, 2013, we were in the airport with family and friends bidding us farewell. After a 30-hour journey we arrived at our new home in Wilmore, Kentucky. This is a recently-built cluster of family housing called the Kallas Village. Wilmore is a very small place with only two traffic junctions and a row of shops. We arrived at the end of summer and beginning of fall season. It was beautiful – everyone was out taking pictures and enjoying the weather. Fellow students helped us enrol the children in school, brought us to Walmart for shopping and made sure that we were settled in. Within a week the children were in school and my wife and I were attending orientation events by the seminary. It was a pleasant first few weeks getting to know friends from different parts of the world, their stories and testimonies. Classes began on the last week of August 2013 and instantly everyone dived into the books and assignments. The library is open from 7.30 a.m. till midnight. There is a daily chapel and Eucharist at noon, and morning and evening prayers. Though community life became busy it is never a mad rush. Classes are very interesting and I look forward to every lesson. The lecturers encourage interaction, providing opportunities to learn from each other. I have just finished my first semester and it has been a wonderful five months. I thank God for this opportunity, and am looking forward to the rest of this fruitful and meaningful learning experience with my family. n q The Nagulan family at the entrance to Asbury Seminary in front of a statue
of Francis Asbury on horseback. L-R Noel 17, Naomi 13, Nathanael 6, wife Kalaimathi and James.
BOOK REVIEW
Malaysian Bishop to pastors:
‘Finish well’
KC Yuen is Editorial Executive with Methodist Message and a long-time member of Wesley Methodist Church.
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he Bishop of The Methodist Church in Malaysia has modelled his book Finishing Well in Ministry after the apostle Paul, for pastors and would-be pastors to follow as they journey in their life’s work to preach the Word of God. This journey is a marathon, not a sprint. And About the author sometimes, preachers falter and don’t finish the Bishop Dr Ong Hwai race, let alone finish well. Teik was born in With more than 30 years serving in various Penang, Malaysia, and Methodist churches in Malaysia, Bishop Dr Ong went to school there. He Hwai Teik writes with considerable experience. received his theological Concerned about the pitfalls that some pastors training at the London face when they take up the calling, Bishop Dr Ong School of Theology, cites Paul’s ministry, as pastor, church planter and Fuller Theological victorious finisher. The fundamental elements that Seminary and Asbury sustain longevity are fleshed out to help promote a Theological Seminary. faithful ending to one’s ministry. We also uncover what awaits the pastor in the spiritual and emotional realms and what may end their career prematurely. It focuses on the practical biblical example of Paul who had sustained spiritual and emotional well-being. But these are probably quite familiar to pastors and those who are theologically trained, and needs no repetition here. The author, however, talks about how a pastor’s personal well-being affects his pastoral ministry. Bishop Dr Ong laments that pastors often fail to take care of themselves. He cites the 2006 research of Mark Chua, who wrote that “one third of all pastors in Malaysia fail to take one full day off every week. In fact, they hardly have a day off in a month. Nearly two-thirds of all pastors who have served ten years or more do not have sabbaticals at all, and for the majority of those who have, their sabbaticals range from a couple of weeks to three months”. The balanced rhythm of work and rest is imperative, writes Bishop Dr Ong in the chapter on keeping the Sabbath rest. Another important point he highlighted is the need for friends. Sometimes pastors are idolised and put on a pedestal, and loneliness results. In today’s context, pastors are driven to perform and deliver, trying hard to adopt techniques that bring success in terms of size and numbers. There is little room for relaxation and leisure, and this is being observed in today’s Malaysia, especially in the Klang Valley area, as noted by Bishop Dr Ong. Finishing Well in Ministry is not a thick book; in fact, it is only 84 pages. It is available for $10 at SKS Books (Tel: 6227-9700) and the Biblical Graduate School of Theology’s Book Corner (Tel: 6227-6815). n
About Our Closest Neighbour While we have just over 40,000 Methodists in Singapore, The Methodist Church in Malaysia (MCM) has more than four times that number with a membership of about 177,000. The membership profile is spread across seven Annual Conferences in total, and they are: Chinese, Tamil and Trinity Annual Conferences within Peninsular Malaysia Sarawak Chinese, Sarawak Iban and Sabah Provisional Conferences in East Malaysia The seventh Conference is the Sengoi Mission Conference, which comes under the purview of Trinity Annual Conference. The Sengois are the “Orang Asli” – “original people” or natives of Malaysia. The work among the Sengois dates back to the 1930s, when God reached out to them through Methodist missionaries, Paul and Nathalie Means. Today, the MCM has 400 churches and 634 preaching points, with 552 pastors and ministerial staff. Churches see about 80,000 worshippers every week, with 20,000 children in the Sunday schools. Bishop Dr Ong Hwai Teck was elected Bishop in November 2012, after having served as TRAC President since 2001. Bishop Dr Ong said at his consecration more than a year ago: “My prayer is that by God’s sovereign grace and empowerment through the Holy Spirit, the Methodist community will sincerely seek to live as authentic disciples of Christ that love God wholeheartedly and love our neighbours as ourselves.” Picture courtesy of The Methodist Church in Malaysia; book cover courtesy of Graceworks Publishing. METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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POEMS
Love Jesus demonstrated God’s love; By leaving His home above; Exchanging His sovereignty; For a life of humility; To serve and forgive, And to die that we might live. Love is more than empty speech, Lofty ideals that we teach; More than faith and prophecy; Or understanding mystery; More than the costly price, Of a martyr’s sacrifice.
Leong Kwok Thye is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church. “Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels… And though I have the gift of prophecy, And understand all mysteries and knowledge, And though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains… And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, And though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing… And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13 (NKJV)
Love is not an outward show, Of how we feel or what we know. It is a firm unfailing desire; To serve, nourish and inspire Those who may cause us pain, With no thought of personal gain. Love is thought, word and deed; Touching lives of those in need. It is not a natural inclination, Or a shallow fleeting emotion; But a virtue we can only afford, As a gift from a loving God.
Background picture by lilkar/Bigstock.com
February Chinese New Year Concert 新春祝福晚会
Feb 7 (Friday), 7.00 pm Feb 8 (Saturday), 2.30 pm and 7.00 pm The Star Performing Arts Centre, 1 Vista Exchange Green
Held once every two years, the CNY Concert brings together mainline denominations and independent churches for a joint outreach to Mandarin-speakers in Singapore. Songs, dances, skits and testimonies are presented by performers from various places such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. Jointly organised by The Diocese of Singapore (Anglican), The Methodist Church in Singapore, The Presbyterian Church in Singapore, the Lutheran Church in Singapore, Church of Singapore, and Overseas Radio and Television Singapore. Tickets available at a donation of $15 each from the Chinese Annual Conference Office – call Ms Mercy Koh at 6478-4814. For more information, visit www.cnyconcert.com
feb
7-8 Committing to the World Day of Prayer (women)
Mar 7 (Friday), 10.30 am Smyrna Assembly, 3 Yishun Street 11
A global ecumenical Christian laywomen’s initiative, the World Day of Prayer brings together women of various races, cultures and traditions in a yearly common Day of Prayer, as well as in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year. This year’s theme is “Streams in the desert” and the order of worship has been written by women in Egypt. Organised by World Day of Prayer Committee. Open to all Christian women. For more info, email Mrs Thain Molly Lazarus at thainmolly@yahoo.com.sg
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Image courtesy of moggara12/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Signing up for “Marriage for a Lifetime” conference
Mar 15 (Saturday), 8.30 am – 5.00 pm
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore, 392 Havelock Road Given the pressure-cooker environment we live in today, it is no wonder how the stresses of life are adversely affecting marriages. God’s desire is for us to enjoy each other and for our covenant of marriage to last a lifetime. We all desire to protect and succeed in our marriages, but how do we achieve this? This conference invites you and your spouse to learn practical tips to strengthen and fortify your marriage against the strain of life’s challenges. Gain knowledge and valuable advice on topics covering the biblical foundations of marriage, positive communication, money matters, intimacy and romance, forgiveness for past hurts and how to prioritise your time.
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Organised by Barker Road Methodist Church. Conference fee is $220 per couple. Register at brmc.org.sg/marriage by Feb 15. For more info, contact Koh Ai Jin at 6256-4298 or MConf2014@gmail.com
METHODIST MESSAGE • FEB 2014
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THINK
Womanhood: A balancing act? Dr Edwin Tay is a Lecturer in Theology at Trinity Theological College, and worships at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church (TACMC). Together with his wife Angela, a homemaker and a writer with the United Bible Societies (China Partnership), they gave a talk at TACMC entitled “Womanhood: Virtue and Vocation” on which this article is based. Edwin and Angela have two children, aged thirteen and eight.
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omen in our modern society have to balance differing cultural expectations. This can have an impact on their Christian discipleship. Traditionally, as encapsulated in the Chinese saying “男主外，女主内” (nán zhǔ wài, nǘ zhǔ nèi), men are responsible for bread-winning, and women, to look after household matters. This is a social norm that is not exclusive to Asian culture, but is found in the West as well. Tied up with this perspective are gender-specific roles laid out for both men and women. With greater globalisation and educational opportunities, women have made great leaps outside the home, both socially and financially. But many find themselves now having to balance a “double shift” of work and home duties. On one hand, they are expected to fulfil their traditional roles. On the other, at least in Singapore, they are to be part of the workforce and contribute to nationbuilding. So how can Christian women take their Christian discipleship seriously in the face of these differing cultural expectations? There are no hard and fast answers, but we would like to suggest the following two points for deeper reflection. The first is to avoid taking two extreme positions. Both these positions take their cue from the traditional and more recent notions of womanhood. One extreme is where womanhood is defined chiefly in terms of women’s roles and relationships within the home. Christian women should not perceive themselves as domestic angels whose proper place is in the home and whose chief aim is to make everybody in the family comfortable, well-fed, and happy. The other extreme is fuelled by the modern concept of being a “woman”. While making sense of womanhood goes beyond the home, the role of a homemaker should not be diminished or demeaned in any way. It is definitely not any less dignified than if a woman was a working professional. The second point to be considered is our calling from God. For the Christian woman, womanhood is best understood not in relation to what has been laid down culturally, but as a divine calling. It is the person God has called us to be that defines our identity decisively and shapes our understanding of womanhood. There is a long history of theological reflection within the Protestant tradition on the doctrine of vocation or calling that still shapes the views of Christian thinkers today. Following traditional teaching on the subject, Os Guiness, for instance, distinguishes between primary and secondary callings in his book, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Primary calling refers to the summons of Christ to be his followers and to live for him. In the words of Peter, it is a call to be “a people belonging to God.” (1 Pet. 2:9) All Christians are called in this first sense. Secondary calling refers to the God-appointed stations in life through which our primary calling is expressed. Being a queen such as Esther, or teacher, student, nurse, homemaker, wife, mother or daughter, are examples of secondary callings. Christian women are first and foremost called to be Christ’s disciples. This fundamental identity is to permeate a woman’s life, including her secondary callings. Understanding womanhood from the standpoint of God’s calling means that the Christian woman is free to serve Christ wherever he leads her, whether in the home, the church, or society. It also means that the lowliest and loftiest of work, when done for the sake of Christ, are all sacred acts of Christian service. n
... But many find themselves now having to balance a “double shift” of work and home duties. On one hand, they are expected to fulfil their traditional roles. On the other, at least in Singapore, they are to be part of the workforce and contribute to nation-building.
Picture by Martinan/Bigstock.com