Methodist Message: March 2023

Vol 125 No 3 MARCH 2023

On His Majesty's service

ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 031/11/2022

Clashing generations in the Church Every member in ministry Three signs that you're burned out from serving

Contents Editorial Board Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Chairperson, Council on Communications

Communications Manager Lynn Tan

Managing Editor

/ Bishop’s Message / / News / 3 State of the Family 2023

Alvin Tay

5 Fairfield Methodist Church celebrates 75 years

Editor

9 ETAC Thanksgiving Service 2023

Lianne Ong

11 ACS to set up 5th SPED school in Singapore

Communications Executive Kathrynn Koh

Sub-editors Lucy Cheng Janice Khoo Tan Chiu Ai

Proofreaders Kenneth Lee Christabel Tan

/ Feature / 13 Clashing generations | Intergenerational challenges in the Church 18 3 signs that you're burned out from serving

/ Opinion / 20 Soundings: Every member in ministry 22 Young Voices: What do you mean, you want to leave your church?

/ Outreach / 24 Breaking bread, breaking barriers 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 English Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

70 Barker Road #06-04 Singapore 309936 6478-4793 | 6478-4763 methodist.org.sg/message www.methodist.org.sg communications@methodist. org.sg

26 To grow in love

/ Worship / 28 Serving to complete our joy in grace

/ Relationships / 31 You and Your Family: Living with a "thorn in the flesh"

/ People / 33 My experiences enabled me to connect with children

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Email us at

communications@methodist.org.sg Layout by Londonbob Design Printed by Adred Creation Print Pte Ltd

ON THE COVER: At Faith Methodist Church, a typical live stream crew consists of 10 members. Faith Methodist Church is one of the few churches that began live stream operations prior to the pandemic, and shared their knowledge with churches in Singapore when the pandemic affected church services in 2020. Photo credit: Faith Methodist Church.

Good economists of God's grace As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.

(1 Peter 4:10) "Good stewards" in the verse above is

Martin Buber tells the story of a famous

literally, in Greek, "good economists". The

Jewish Rabbi who, on his deathbed, is

Bible urges us to be good economists of

concerned about what God might ask

God's grace.

him when he arrives at the gates of heaven. His disciples ask him, "Rabbi

The verse says that each of us has received

Zusya, are you worried that God will ask

a gift or "grace" from God. (The word gift

you why you were not as hospitable as

is related to the Greek word for grace.)

Abraham, or as wise as Moses?"

Since each of us has a "grace" from God, let us be good economists in investing

"No," replied Rabbi Zusya. "If God asks me

that grace "to serve one another".

that question, I know how to answer. I did not match the hospitality of Abraham

A hospitality volunteer greets churchgoers at Faith Methodist Church.

Photo: Faith Methodist Church

This issue of Methodist Message

nor the wisdom of Moses because I was

highlights ways in which we might

not given the great measure of grace and

serve God by serving one another in our

wisdom which they received. My concern

churches. There are many varied ways

is not that God will ask me why I was not

of doing this, just as 1 Peter 4:10 says:

Abraham or Moses. My concern is that

"As each has received … God's varied

God will ask me why I was not Zusya."

grace." We can serve in many varied ways because each of us has received varied

Each of us has received a gift—different

gifts or graces.

from each other in measure and kind. Let us be good economists of God's grace given to each of us. Or as Edward Hale said (I paraphrase): No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

The something I can do, I ought to do.

And by the grace of God, I will.

Martin Buber, The Way of Man: According to the Teaching of Hasidism (New York: Routledge Classics, 2002), p. 10.

1

March 2023 Methodist Message 1

Coming up

2 Methodist Message March 2023

Dominique Wang is the Digital Content Producer at MCS Communications. / Photos courtesy of Focus on the Family Singapore

News

State of the Family 2023 launches practical solutions to raise children in a highly sexualised world

Left: Mr Vijayendran with his fellow panellists, as he comments on the important role of parents, counsellors and educators Right: Minister Shanmugam in dialogue with FOTFS CEO, Mrs Joanna Koh-Hoe

F

ocus on the Family Singapore (FOTFS) held its 9th State of the Family Singapore (SOTF) on 2 February. This year's theme was "Family in the Coming Age". About 340 representatives from schools, social service agencies, faithbased organisations, and community partners attended.

The Guest-of-Honour was Law and Home Affairs Minister, K Shanmugam. In his opening address, Minister Shanmugam reiterated the Government's reasons for the repeal of Section 377A (S377A), and outlined Singaporeans' concerns about the definition of marriage and the impact on current housing policies after the repeal. Minister Shanmugam said that the Government has no intention to change the existing definition of marriage, and is committed to ensuring that there are no challenges to this definition. He emphasised the Government's decision to amend the Constitution and define marriage to be that between a man and a woman.

Minister Shanmugam also mentioned the Government's commitment to strengthening and upholding families at every stage of life, describing the family as a "cornerstone" of Singapore's social compact. Additionally, he raised the importance of building a society where different views can flourish and where "cultural intolerance does not take root". He spoke on the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices as a framework to keep society safe and healthy, and expressed his hope that different parties, including the Government, schools, employers, individuals and organisations can work together.

Youth representatives shared their views in the next segment: Mr Raphael Zhang, a counsellor, highlighted identity politics as a contemporary societal issue, while Ms Nairul Farah, a researcher, raised the difficulty of expressing views on divisive issues, and questioned how we can build a more gracious Singapore. Minister Shanmugam, in dialogue with FOTFS CEO, Mrs Joanna Koh-Hoe, explained the need to caution against being "hard-lined" with our own views, and also highlighted the importance of managing global influences on our culture.

March 2023 Methodist Message 3

State of the Family 2023 launches practical solutions to raise children in a highly sexualised world

Ms Alicia Boo, Chief of Impact at FOTFS presented her research regarding the state of the family. She highlighted the threats facing marriages, such as the lack of marital intimacy and the rising use of pornography. This was reflected in FOTFS' Marriage Quiz in 2022, where 30% of participants faced challenges in sharing things deeply with their spouse, and in the Whole Life Inventory (2016-2020), where 39% reported viewing porn in the past twelve months. She mentioned a rising trend of younger people being conflicted about dating, marriage and having children, and concerned about issues of redefining marriage and family.

Ms Boo highlighted the challenges of framing sexual identity for children in a post-S377A Singapore, listing four frameworks which are used to frame sexual identity today: biological sex, social constructs, sexual inclination or sexual expression. She cited that 79% of respondents in a Family Champions survey felt that parents ought to play the largest role in sexuality education, and that conversations about sexuality ought to be undertaken by parents. The Whole Life Inventory (2016-2020) revealed that only 17.5% of youths and 9.5% of young adults have open conversations about sex with their dad or mum.

A panel discussion on "Solutions for the Family" followed. Moderated by Chong Ee Jay, Lead of Programmes at FOTFS, the panellists were: Mr Gregory Vijayendran, Partner, Rajah & Tann, Chairman, Law Christian Fellowship, and Marriage Builders Alliance co-facilitator; Ms Yvonne Kong-Ho, Parent, Educator & Youth Developer; and Ven Daniel Wee, Vicar, Church of our Saviour.

On the topic "Who can help the next generation well?", Ven Wee raised the importance of starting young when helping children to frame healthy perceptions about gender. Citing that parents should begin when their kids are as young as pre-kindergarten, he

4 Methodist Message March 2023

lamented the difficulty in reframing gender concepts once children are older. He also encouraged parents to be invested in their children's education.

Ms Kong-Ho shared anecdotes of her parenting experiences, illustrating her model of "conceptualisation before contextualisation". She outlined how she communicates with her children, for example, by emphasising the roles of "mummy" and "daddy". She explained that this would help her children understand sexual identities, and if there was an instance where a same-sex couple was shown on a television drama, the model of sexual identities would help her talk to her children about what is portrayed in the drama.

Mr Vijayendran acknowledged that the youth are in a cultural battle today, and stressed the importance of parents, counsellors and educators on staying ahead of the values game.

After a short Q&A session, the event concluded with Mr Chong introducing the "Celebrate Marriage" campaign. He also showcased some of FOTFS' resources, designed to help different parties in their respective journeys of dating, parenting or marriage. FOTFS also launched the "Talk About Sex" video series, a micro e-learning programme where parents receive a video, tips and conversation guides weekly in their email inbox.

The series helps parents to nurture an open and healthy approach to sexuality education in the home. It covers curious topics such as "Where do babies come from?" and "What is a crush?".

Amos and Karen Ang, who are volunteers with FOTFS and attend Wesley Methodist Church, found State of the Family 2023 helpful. Amos mentioned that the discussions provided "different solutions that people, especially parents can use to address the challenges that they have".

Karen added, "It's not only all talk, but includes actionable and doable strategies."

Text, illustration and photos courtesy of Fairfield Methodist Church

News

Resonance, Restoration and Renewal Fairfield Methodist Church celebrates 75 years and looks ahead to a new season

I

n 1983, Fairfield Methodist Girls' School

A song, "Come Magnify the Lord", was written

moved from Neil Road to a new space in

to commemorate this occasion, weaving in

Dover. As an affiliated church, the members

another song, "We Magnify", that was written

of Fairfield Methodist Church had to choose:

in 1998. The choruses of the songs can be

follow the school to Dover, or stay in her

sung simultaneously, signifying harmony

current neighbourhood. They discerned that

and unity across the generations of Fairfield,

God wanted them to be in Chinatown—their

all magnifying God as one.

calling and ministry would be there.

On 29 January, over 650 people from In response, members gathered after

the English, Cantonese and Mandarin

church for months, sacrificing their lunch

congregations celebrated our 75th

preferences and money for wholemeal

anniversary, kicking off the year of

bread and Milo instead. They did this in faith

celebratory events. We had the privilege of

for God to provide the funds to purchase

hosting TRAC President, Rev Stanley Chua

an old cinema building at the junction of

and his wife, Vice-President Dr Cheah-

Maxwell and Tanjong Pagar Roads. This

Foo Fung Fong and her husband, with 12

sense of purpose and spirit unified Fairfield.

other community partners, who toured our Heritage Room before adjourning to lunch.

As the church gathered in unity 40 years

Hawker stalls from Maxwell Food Centre—26

ago, our 75th anniversary marks a unique

of them—also played a part by providing

season of restoration and coming together

food for our celebrations.

again, as we move towards our centennial.

Fairfield's mission is for every member to

Our hope is that the 2023 theme—"Cultivate

be committed to magnify God, multiply

authenticity, Embrace our community"—

disciples and minister to all peoples in

will be expressed in many ways. As church

Singapore and beyond. Looking ahead,

vibrancy ebbs and flows, we seek to renew

as we consider how church life has been

connections with one another; a great

disrupted, it is time to reflect on what an

way is through intentional fellowship in

authentic Christian faith in community

eating together. Starting with the church

means, especially for the younger adults.

anniversary lunch, there will be monthly

March 2023 Methodist Message 5

Fairfield Methodist Church celebrates 75 years and looks ahead to a new season

Left: (from left to right) LCEC Chairman Mr Mark Zhou, TRAC Vice-President Dr Cheah-Foo Fung Fong, TRAC President Rev Stanley Chua, Pastor-in-Charge Rev Wendy Tay, Honorary Steward Ms Hee Piang Chin, Pastor Reginald Chan and Rev Ivan Tan Below: Bringing an offering of worship through flags, dance and music

lunches to mingle and share stories about God, life and faith.

It may feel challenging to share a meal with

We believe that the harvest is plentiful, and

acquaintances or those who mainly speak

we need to faithfully and obediently work

another language, but our desire is that

where the Lord calls us to.

churchgoers realise how we are all part of the body of Christ, instead of distinct small

As Fairfield's original lease winds down,

groups or congregations. The stories we

church members were mobilised in

share of faith, suffering and his everlasting

February to each cover a 75-kilometre

grace may inspire a lunch buddy to delve

distance over five months, and invite

deeper into an authentic relationship with

loved ones' support by walking together

Jesus, join a small group or discover a new

and giving financially. These funds

platform to serve in church.

will be funnelled to the church's lease renewal, which costs another $3 million

Besides embracing community within

for a 30-year extension. Beyond raising

Fairfield's walls, we want to reach those in

funds, this endeavour is like walking with

our spheres of influence, like Maxwell Food

Jesus—a reminder that we are not alone

Centre hawkers, and through our outreach

in our Christian walk, even when it feels

arm (Yong-en Care Centre) to Chinatown

passionless or arduous. An authentic

and Jalan Kukoh. God-willing, regional

Christian community provides a safe space

missions will resume to countries like

to experience God and his truth, and

Malaysia and Thailand.

to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, relying on his sovereign provision

On 18 February, we participated in the Kreta

to meet our needs.

Ayer RC Spring Festival, amplifying our commitment to be a steadfast presence

The stories of God's faithfulness need to be

for good and the gospel. Fairfield's City

told and retold, so that generations to come

Connect ministry has restarted, offering

will hear, know and believe that he is always

Maxwell diners respite from the heat.

working in our lives, families and church. We

Within two months of restarting, two diners

look forward to what he will do in Fairfield

received Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

Methodist Church and beyond!

6 Methodist Message March 2023

Left: Over 650 attendees at the 75th Anniversary Service, with current and past church members celebrating God's faithfulness together Below: Church members mingling after the 75th Anniversary Service

THEME VERSE FOR 2023 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

(Psalm 145:6-7)

An excerpt from "Come Magnify the Lord":

May the young among us shout Your praise, and the old declare Your greatness, Not just with empty words, but acts of grace

For the anniversary songs and other

that reflect Your righteousness.

75th Anniversary celebratory events,

And may those who see it turn to You,

visit Fairfield Methodist Church's website:

touched by us who call on Your name.

www.fairfieldmc.org/75Anniversary

O Holy Spirit, work in hearts anew, and bring the lost back to You.

March 2023 Methodist Message 7

ACS (International)

ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an all-round English-based education for students aged 12 to 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Senior Leadership Team

Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides • Exceptional examination results, strong value-added achievement and an all-round holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student-teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs – 16 Sporting, 12 Visual and Performing Arts, 12 Special Interest Groups • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for four Singaporeans to undertake the IBDP

Mr Gavin Kinch Principal

Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice-Principal

Achievements include • Students with perfect score of 45 points in IBDP • 23 “Top in the World” awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past twelve years • Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years

Mr Christopher Hayward Vice-Principal

Dr Kristopher Achter Vice-Principal

For more information, please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg

• Admissions to top universities in the UK, the US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and GCE ‘O’ Level students obtaining outstanding value-added examination results for the IBDP and improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level in Athletics, Touch Rugby, Debating, Orchestra, Volleyball, Taekwondo, Ice Hockey, Fencing, Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Wushu.

News

John Pravin Nesan is a member of Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of Wilson Devadasan, member of Seletar Tamil Methodist Church

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

O

ver 300 members from Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference's (ETAC)

eight churches gathered at Ang Mo Kio Tamil Methodist Church on 28 January to celebrate the Lord's abundant grace and faithfulness for the past year. It was the first in-person Thanksgiving Service in three years.

The annual Thanksgiving Service kicked off with the Emmanuel Praise choir, made up of members from each church, singing a classical Tamil song as key appointment

Processional

holders including Pastors and Lay Leaders entered the Sanctuary carrying a cross, a

as the service progressed. It was also

Bible and banners bearing the names of

the first time the newly established

their Boards and their Local Churches. An

ETAC Children's Choir was part of

exuberant time of worship then followed

the Thanksgiving Service and it was

as the people sang praises in unison.

conducted by Dr Judith Laoyan-Mosomos,

Songs of hope were interwoven into the

Director of Worship & Music, Methodist

service and rendered by each church

School of Music.

Designed by Ms Benita Vincent & Mrs Gnanamany Philip

March 2023 Methodist Message 9

ETAC Thanksgiving Service 2023

ETAC President Rev Philip Abraham delivered the sermon and introduced the theme for the year: Sow. Speaking primarily from Mark 4:13-20, Rev Philip emphasised the call presented to us Christians to sow the Word in order to reap a plentiful harvest for God's kingdom and his glory. He then took the opportunity to share ETAC's Vision 2024: Pray, Seek, Sow, Harvest.

This year's focus is sowing the Word and the members of the congregation were encouraged to continue sowing despite the challenges presented by the world.

Top: ETAC Children's Choir

The service concluded with a song of blessing delivered by the Pastors and their spouses as the congregation

Right: ETAC's worship band, Emmanuel Praise Band

prayerfully looked forward to another year of God's unwavering faithfulness.

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Lianne Ong is the editor of Methodist Message.

News

ACS to set up 5th SPED school in Singapore ACS (Primary) to move to Tengah and go co-ed doing so, ACS hopes to fulfil its mission in providing holistic education for a wide and diverse cross-section of society.

The new school will begin operations in 2026 at an interim site that previously housed Chua Chu Kang Secondary School. It will then relocate to its permanent campus at Tengah New Town, tentatively in 2031.

"We are deeply grateful to have this honour of serving students with special needs by providing them with quality education. It is a vision the ACS Board of Governors have had for a long while now and we are truly appreciative that our constant discussions with MOE over the years have culminated in this humbling opportunity to serve humanity in a new way. With access to resources and cutting-edge SPED pedagogies, we aim to contribute to the upliftment of special The Barker Rd campus where ACS(P) and ACS(Barker) are located.

Taken in 2003.

Photo credit: Wesley Loh/ Memphis West Pictures

A

education in Singapore," Mr Richard Seow nglo-Chinese School (ACS) and

Yung Liang, Chairman of the ACS Board of

the Ministry of Education (MOE)

Governors, said.

announced on 9 February 2023 that ACS will set up Singapore's fifth special

In the same media release, two points

education (SPED) school for students with

took the Methodist community by

Autism Spectrum Disorder who can offer

surprise: ACS (Primary) [ACS(P)] would be

the National Curriculum.

relocated to Tengah New Town in 2030, some 12 kilometres away from its current

The yet-to-be-named school will be run by

location at Barker Road as part of the

ACS in partnership with Methodist Welfare

wider development of the new residential

Services (MWS), the social concerns arm

estate. ACS(P) would also transition to a co-

of The Methodist Church in Singapore. By

educational (co-ed) institution.

March 2023 Methodist Message 11

ACS to set up5th SPED school in Singapore

"From its founding, Bishop Oldham's

Bishop Dr Gordon Wong of The Methodist

vision for ACS was to serve the needs of

Church in Singapore supported the

the nation and the community by filling

initiatives and said: "I am heartened to hear

a critical gap and to develop servant

of the founding of the special education

leaders. With the changes announced

school. As children of God, it is our duty to

by MOE today, we are strengthening the

shine our light before others, as per ACS'

school's commitment to these values.

mission, and I believe that the upcoming

ACS has always set out to be a beacon

plans honour our dedication to doing more

of truth and light, to serve those most in

for the community with our resources as

need and this is best done by increasing

well as giving us the opportunity to plant a

the diversity of our student base. By

church in a new town."

relocating ACS(P) to Tengah to serve a new neighbourhood as a co-ed school,

Reactions from alumni and public

the ACS family will serve more students'

The move to an up-and-coming

educational and co-curricular needs. This

heartland precinct and opening the

achieves a more inclusive educational

school to girls was met with mixed

offering as one of Singapore's mission

reactions from the alumni. Some felt that

schools," Mr Seow added.

it fulfilled the ACS mission, but wondered why the alumni was not consulted. Many

With this move, ACS(P) would also bring

were concerned that there would be a

with it its Gifted Education Programme

loss of identity and change in culture of

to Tengah.

their alma mater with its new location and turning co-ed.

While the relocated ACS(P) at Tengah will admit Primary One (P1) students from 2030

The Straits Times education

onwards with full P1 admission priority for

correspondent Sandra Davie called the

siblings and alumni, with the assistance

move the "right" and "gutsy" thing to

of MOE, the relocation will not affect any

do by ACS and MOE, saying it allowed

present ACS(P) students who are enrolled

"less well-off" students to have "more

at the Barker Road site, as MOE will apply a

education pathways". 1 Other media

"teach-out" model to allow existing students

outlets reported the potential increase in

already enrolled in ACS(P) at Barker Road to

property prices in Tengah New Town. 2

remain until graduation in Primary Six. A townhall was held for OBA members on ACS (Junior), currently operating at

23 February at ACS (Barker). Methodist

Winstedt Road, is slated to move to the

Message was not able to report on this in

Barker Road campus tentatively in 2039.

time for this issue's print edition.

1 Sandra Davie, The Straits Times, 13 February 2023, "ACS' move to the heartland opens more pathways to less well-off pupils".

Chew Hui Min, CNA, 9 February 2023, Prices of Tengah homes near ACS (Primary) could rise 10% to 15%: Property analysts, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/acs-primary-tengah-property-prices-schoolrelocate-3265786 (accessed 9 Feburary 2023)

2

12 Methodist Message March 2023

Feature

Ho Wei Hao was a social worker in a local Family Service Centre before working as a civil servant in various government ministries. Along the way he earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Biblical Graduate School of Theology (BGST). Wei Hao has served in youth and young adult ministries over the years, and strongly desires to help bridge the gap between different generations in the Church which is the body of Christ.

CLASHING GENERATIONS |

Intergenerational challenges in the Church

A

nyone who has served in a church

The problem of perception

ministry is likely to be able to

It is no secret that most of our local

share an anecdote or two about some

churches are struggling with engaging

misunderstanding or conflict that arose

and retaining the young adults and youths

between members belonging to different

identifying as Millennials (born between

generations. "That's life!", you may sigh,

1981 and 1996) and Gen Zs (born between

but instead of resigning ourselves to it,

1997 and 2012). Our research and church

we have undertaken The Generations

engagements threw up trends of similar

Project in the hope that our research

concerns that older generations harbour

can help to facilitate greater empathy

about Millennials and Gen Zs with regard

through a deeper understanding of each

to their service in church ministries:

generation. Our study focuses on the formative experiences that influence the

•

A lack of perseverance that usually

ways each generation approaches church

results in reduced longevity of their

life and faith. The Generations Project

service in church

is a compilation of the insights we have drawn from our 131 in-depth interviews

•

Many "one-issue" Christians who can

with participants from 63 local churches

be extremely passionate and vocal but

across ten denominations and roughly 1,700

tend to ignore the systemic concerns of

survey respondents 1 across five different

running a church

generations of Christians in Singapore. The publication is available from 18 March 2023

•

Many who are not willing to "carry the

(details on pg 17) and we hope you will read

torch" from preceding generations

it for a more balanced and complete picture

and instead, want to do church "their

than we can present in this short article.

own way"

We will focus on our insights of Millennials

What factors might have brought about

and Gen Z Christians here.

these impressions?

March 2023 Methodist Message 13

Clashing generations | Intergenerational challenges in the Church

Am I just a cog in the church machinery?

fulfil. For many of them, the common

In a Forbes 2018 article titled "How

to be being involved in one event after

Millennials Are Changing the Way We View

another. They end up feeling as though

Leadership" Ashira Prossack wrote:

they are treated only as a resource to

model of serving in ministry appears

achieve a certain goal. In their opinion, "Authoritarian leadership is out, and

this results in relationships between

inclusive leadership is in. The emerging

clergy and laity that tend to be very

trend in leadership is a manager who

transactional.

directs, not commands. Long gone are the days when the boss can hold the

The experience related to us by one

role of a dictator, disconnected from

interviewee, while not normative, illustrates

the employees sitting somewhere in a

the struggles faced by both Millennials

corner office. Millennials even prefer

and Gen Zs often near the bottom of

the term leader rather than boss."

the hierarchy in church. Having recently graduated from medical school, she

Indeed, many of our younger interviewees

became a first-year intern at a hospital.

expressed their struggle with the

The shift work requirements meant she

hierarchy and bureaucracy that they

had almost no control over her time on

experience in church.

weekends. When she approached her worship ministry leader to express her

While not totally opposed to the concept

need to step back from ministry for a time,

of hierarchy, they did not think it was

the only response she received was that

necessary for it to exist in all contexts,

she should ensure that someone would

particularly not in church where, they

take over her duties. In her own words, she

reasoned, it is potentially detrimental

lamented: "I felt like a tool being discarded

to the building of relationships and

because it was no longer useful."

therefore a hindrance to the furtherance of God's kingdom. Two factors may have

Will you ever take me seriously?

contributed to this way of thinking:

Many Millennial and Gen Z Christians are second-generation Christians attending the

1.

Unlike preceding generations,

church their parents brought them to. Their

Millennials grew up in a social and

familiarity to older church leaders who had

cultural setting where authenticity

literally watched them grow up, coupled

and individualism were celebrated

with the influence of Confucian values in

and encouraged. Their focus was to

our society, had many of them questioning

achieve their fullest potential and be

if and when they would be taken seriously

true to their own passions. Thus, an

by the leadership. They often feel as if they

over-emphasis on hierarchy is often

are "the stifled" generation (see Millennial

perceived as pressure to conform which

archetype 4 on next page).

runs counter to what they espouse.

Not unexpectedly, the marketplace has a 2.

In many churches, the system that has

profound influence on how they navigate

been mapped out makes Millennials

church life. Although most of them may

and Gen Zs feel like "a mere cog in

be in the early stages of their working life,

the machinery", with their worth

Millennials and some older Gen Zs in the

determined by the function they

workforce subscribe to the predominant

14 Methodist Message March 2023

Extracted from The Generations Project, upcoming title to be launched in March 2023. Shared with permission.

March 2023 Methodist Message 15

Clashing generations | Intergenerational challenges in the Church

worldview that competency and results are

Since they consider all work, whether

more important than experience (which

within the Church or not, as equally "holy",

is often perceived as outdated, anyway)

the lopsided emphasis of the Church on

and loyalty. This often makes it difficult for

certain activities (usually church-based)

them to "submit" to their elders or leaders

and its lack of engagement with important

in church when there are differing opinions

issues in the world has caused some to

and hierarchy and/or tradition are the main

see the Church as becoming increasingly

deciding factors.

irrelevant. Thus, the drive and motivation to serve exclusively within the context of a

Why are we only interested in what happens in church?

church they perceive as inward-looking is dampened for them.

The Third Lausanne Congress in October 2010 was convened to discuss critical issues

Where do we go from here?

of the time relating to the Church and

"Every generation takes for granted the

evangelisation worldwide. Attended by over

good that went before it, reacts against

4,000 Christian leaders from 198 countries,

the bad, and responds within its own

the Congress later produced a statement of

historical context." 6

shared biblical convictions, which included In our research into the five different

the following statement:

generations, we have found this statement "The falsehood of a 'sacred-secular divide'

to be quite true. Whichever generation

has permeated the Church's thinking and

we belong to, we are often guilty of

action. This divide tells us that religious

reading the other generations through

activity belongs to God, whereas other

the lens of our own. We use the concept

activity does not."

of the "generational gap" as an excuse for ignoring the need for understanding

While it may not be fully representative,

and empathy. Due to the constraints of

our research has shown that the older

length in this article, it may appear that I

generations, due to their very valid formative

am siding with the younger generations.

experiences, tend to perceive church

That is not so. I have merely attempted

activities as having greater importance than

to present the concerns that we heard

what happens outside the church.

without any assessment of their validity.

5

While there is a need for older generations Among Millennials and Gen Zs, the sacred-

to understand the younger ones, it

secular divide has been increasingly

is equally important for the younger

discarded. That pastoral or ministry work

generations to understand what older

is "holier" or higher on a hierarchy in

generations went through and why they

the kingdom of God is a viewpoint they

are wired to approach certain issues in

consider outdated and even arrogant.

particular ways.

As of Feb 2023 Silent (Born 1928 – 1945), Baby boomer (Born 1946 – 1964), Generation X (Born 1965 – 1980), Millennials (Born 1981 – 1996), Generation Z (Born 1997 – 2012) 3 https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashiraprossack1/2018/05/18/how-millennials-are-changing-the-way-we-viewleadership/?sh=33a825e5384e 4 There are 7 different Millennial archetypes detailed in The Generations Project.

5 See chapter on Sacred-Secular Divide in the book for a more in-depth discussion.

6 Elizabeth A. Nesbit Sbanotto & Craig L. Blomberg, Effective Generational Ministry (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2016), 261.

1

2

16 Methodist Message March 2023

The online survey will be conducted from 1 March to 27 March 2023.

In our findings, there is no doubt that all generations are genuinely concerned

Silent Generation (Born before 1945)

about the Church and have equally valid considerations. However, with the unprecedented pace at which the world is changing, it is possible that our churches now comprise different generations of Christians with vastly divergent views and approaches to the practice of the faith who may lack awareness of the differences between the generations. Instead of trying

Baby Boomers (Born between 1946 and 1964)

to "solve" a "problem" that we have observed, maybe we need to pause and seek first to increase our understanding of others and to empathise with them.

g to seekin y l t n a t cons ur We a re cy of o a r u c c e the a tion i n c re a s e collec h t h g s t h ro u d l i ke insight u wo u l o y f I . he e d a ta p l e te t of mor m o c e s us, plea that b e l ow to h e l p k n i l e h using t tion. s u r vey g e n e ra r u o y a n t to i s re l ev

Gen X (Born between 1965 and 1980)

Millennials (Born between 1981 and 1996)

THE GENERATIONS PROJECT Officially launches on 18 March 2023.

Pre-order the book from 5 March 2023 and enjoy 10% discount. Visit Graceworks https: //graceworks.com.sg/store/ category/pastoral-resources/thegenerations-project/

Gen Z (Born between 1997 and 2012)

March 2023 Methodist Message 17

Feature

By Sarah Tso This article was first published on YMI (https://ymi.today/) and is reproduced with permission.

YMI is a platform for Christian young people and is part of Our Daily Bread Ministries.

3 signs that you're burned out from serving 29 September, 2010. That was the day

God when plans did not turn out my

I realised I was burned out. As a young

way or when I was not acknowledged for

Christian undergraduate, I thought that I

my efforts. I wrapped my service up as

was immune to burnout. After all, wasn't

"ministry unto others" when some of it

I doing everything "right" by serving in

actually became "ministry unto self".

multiple church and campus ministries every week?

What made my slide into burnout more dangerous was the mask of cheerfulness

Though these were good things, I failed

I wore over my ailing spiritual condition.

to realise that growing deep within

I didn't share my struggles when asked

me was a "Martha spirit" focused on

how I was. Burnout was far from being

"doing for God" that was choking out

an overnight process—because of these

my rested "Mary spirit" of "being with

unchecked misguided perspectives, I had

God" (Luke 10:38-42). As a result, my

been headed for burnout for years.

ministries shifted from ones of gratitude-

Through Scripture and the guidance

filled actions to joyless service—and my

of mentors, I was humbled to learn the

relationship with God suffered.

symptoms of spiritual burnout.

Like the elder son from the Parable of

First of these was a bitter heart that

the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, I gradually

resented the Lord. I remember travelling

saw God less like a father and more like a

between my university located in the

tyrant who demanded more and more of

West and my church located in the

me. My desire to "do for God" entered a

North multiple times a week—a journey

spiritually-toxic level.

that took almost one and a half hours.

It was par ticularly stressful for me to

The warning signs

complete my homework, pack up all

How did this happen? I realised the

my materials needed for assignments

culprits were my pride in my God-

and rush back just in time for church

given abilities, a myopic view for others'

meetings or to lead cell group usually

approval, and a secret resentment toward

without time for dinner.

18 Methodist Message March 2023

I was reprimanded on occasion for not

worth. Once on a podcast sermon, I heard a

being able to attend some evening church

pastor say, "The worth of something is what

meetings. I felt very much alone and

is paid for it." I am made in God's image

misunderstood. This caused resentment

paid for by the blood of Christ, a massive

toward my church and God, whom I felt was

cost that determines my massive worth in

making serving "near impossible" for me.

God's eyes. I am full and complete in him, so I need not chase after man's approval!

A second symptom of burnout that surfaced was that I secretly expected

I am also encouraged by God's patience with

repayment for my service toward God in

Moses, Elijah, Job, Jeremiah, and Jonah in

terms of recognition for my efforts. This

the Bible—all of who faced discouragement

was perhaps similar to how the elder son

and burnout from serving God. Indeed, God

in Luke 15 wanted something from his

loves his children and does not give us tasks

father to celebrate with his friends. When

to burden us, but to grow our relationship

my times of appreciation were few and

with him and make us more like Christ.

far between, my heart became even more

We are not called to be self-sufficient, but

bitter toward God.

to remember that God is sufficient for our every need (2 Corinthians 12:9). God, our

A third symptom of burnout was reliance

Good Shepherd, knows our human frailty and

on human ability and strength. This

invites us to rest in him and rely on him.

symptom is evident in Elijah's cry to God, "I have been very zealous for the LORD …

Today I have made it a priority to regularly

I am the only one left" (1 Kings 19:10 NIV).

check my heart before God and share my

These words showed how prone Elijah was

spiritual condition with trusted mentors.

to forget that God was the source of help—

This is especially important when I consider

the driving force behind all of the work he

a new commitment or reflect on my

was doing (1 Kings 19:18). Similarly, I started

involvement in church and parachurch

to feel that if I stopped serving, things would

ministries. I ask myself: Am I doing this for

fall apart. But just as it was in Elijah's day, all

the Lord or myself? Am I relying on God's

of God's work is sustained by him, not us.

strength or my own? Is this out of a heart of gratitude?

The path to recovery The months following my burnout helped

I have learned that joyful, vibrant service

correct my perception of God. I relearned

comes from a joyful, vibrant relationship

that God did not need me to "do", but to

with God that has been guarded from

just "be" his beloved child (1 John 3:1). After

weeds of self-sufficiency and well-watered

consulting with mentors in church and on

with time spent with God to enjoy him

campus, I chose to step down from serving

and his Word. Such service is a choice that

in church ministries. That allowed me more

comes from loving God and serving him

time and focus to love and serve God on

simply to say, "Thank you!" With what the

campus for my season of university life.

Lord has given us, let us be thankful, rely

I also took the advice of my mentors and

on him, and use it for his glory—so that

set aside time to meet with the Lord, where

on that final day we can hear the words,

he patiently reminded me of his grace and

"Well done, good and faithful servant …

mercy. Why was I trying so hard to gain the

come and share your master's happiness"

fleeting approval of man? I have inherent

(Matthew 25:23)!

March 2023 Methodist Message 19

Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor at the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity. / Photo courtesy of Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church

Every member in ministry "… so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…"

(Rom 12: 5-6)

O

ne of the many problems that have

go-to people and were left with no one.

arisen in some churches in America

That’s been the challenge. Where do you

due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with its

look now to find a new base of volunteers?" 1

frequent and erratic lockdowns, is the significant drop in the number of Christians

Thankfully, the situation is not quite so

serving in their respective churches.

dire for churches in Singapore, postpandemic. Still, much more can and should

According to an article published in

be done to encourage every member of the

Christianity Today (CT), "Over three

congregation to participate more fully in

quarters of US pastors said they were

the life and ministry of the church.

concerned about developing leaders and volunteers, as well as people’s apathy and

Paul employs the metaphor of the human

lack of commitment."

body to emphasise, as John Stott puts it, "the unity of the church, the plurality of its

A pastor interviewed by CT states baldly: "A

members and the variety of their gifts". 2 In

lot of churches lost their long-term, reliable,

his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul

20 Methodist Message March 2023

Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church's Worship & Music Ministry leading praise and worship at their 44th Anniversary celebration service on 2 Oct 2022

teaches that every Christian is a member

does not stand over and above it. He or she

of the body of Christ, the Church. Paul also

is but a member of the "royal priesthood",

stresses the fact that the members are

the charismatic body of Christ.

dependent on one another and must serve each other with the gifts that God has

This is consistent with the teachings of the

sovereignly given each one.

New Testament—while Paul stresses in many of his letters that every member of

In this same letter, the apostle provides

Christ’s body is a minister endowed with

a catalogue of ministries that are found

spiritual gifts, he could also speak of the

in the Church—prophesying, serving,

offices of the elder, deacon, pastor, teacher,

teaching, encouragement, giving and

etc. (Eph 4:11-14; 1 Tim 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9).

leadership (Rom 12:6-8). This list is far from exhaustive. But the point that the

The doctrine of the priesthood of all

apostle wants to make is simply that these

believers, when properly understood, does

ministries are not reserved for a special

not encourage anti-clericalism. Conversely,

class of Christians within the Church. Every

the office of the clergy and its specific

member of Christ’s body must participate

place in the Church does not in any way

in them in accordance with his or her

contradict or make superfluous the fact

respective gifts.

that every member of Christ’s body is called to serve.

This important truth was recovered by Martin Luther during the 16th century

Put differently, although God has set apart

Protestant Reformation in the wake of

some members of the Church to serve as

the elitism of the clerical hierarchy of the

bishops, priests, pastors, elders, deacons,

Church of his day. Establishing his teaching

missionaries and teachers, he has also

on the priesthood of all believers on

called every Christian to be a minister in

1 Peter 2:9 ("You are ... a royal priesthood"),

the body of Christ.

Luther wrote emphatically that "In this way we are all priests, as many of us as are

Those who avail themselves of this calling

Christians." He goes on to further establish

become God’s fellow-workers (1 Cor 3:9)

that "everyone ... who knows himself to be

and participate in the mystery of his

a Christian, (should) be assured of this, that

redemptive work.

3

we are all equally priests, that is to say, we have the same power with respect to the Word and the sacraments."

However, this does not suggest that the Reformer has totally banished the idea of the ordained clergy in his ecclesiology, as some are wont to interpret him. Instead, he maintains that "no one may make use of this power except by the consent of the community or by the call of a superior," 4 thereby emphasising the importance of ordination within the larger context of the priesthood of all believers. The person who is thus set apart by the Church therefore

Kate Shellnutt, ‘Church Leaders Are Still Waiting for Volunteers to Come Back,’ Christianity Today, January 14, 2022. https://www.christianitytoday. com/news/2022/january/church-ministry-volunteergallup-survey-lifeway-wr.html.

1

John Stott, The Message of Romans (Leicester, UK: 1 Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 326.

Cited by Walter E. Buszin, ‘Luther on Music’, The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 1 (January 1946), 84.

3 Martin Luther, Babylonian Captivity. Luther’s Works, 2 edited

by HelmutScripture T Lehmen R. Wenz Hans Boersma, as and RealAbdel Presence (Grand (Minneapolis, MN:Academic, Augsburg 2017), Fortress Rapids, MI: Baker 144.Press, 1959), Volume 36: 113.

3 David Hempton, Methodism: Empire of the Spirit 4 Ibid.,Haven, 116.

(New CT: Yale, 2006), 71.

2

March 2023 Methodist Message 21

Young Voices

Ryan Kwok serves in Kampong Kapor Methodist Church as the curriculum head of its Youth Ministry. He has been teaching children and youth for the past six years. / Photo courtesy of Ryan Kwok and illustration by Dominique Wang

What do you mean, you want to leave your church?

"I'm thinking of leaving my church," said

But there's a second group who wanted

one of my close friends. Later, a second and

to leave the church. These wanted to

a third friend also brought this up during

leave their current local church for a

a meal. Soon, I could no longer count with

new one. Common complaints from this

both hands the friends who had decided

group included: "I'm not growing in my

to leave their church, or the Church. What

church", or "The teaching in my church

was happening?

is inadequate." Many friends felt this way and they explored other churches, seeking

When I started tertiary education, I joined

one that could meet their spiritual needs.

a campus interdenominational Christian

In my uncharitable moments, there was

community and heard from other young

a minority of them whom I thought of as

adults what life in their churches was like.

church (s)hoppers or consumers.

I heard accounts of spiritual growth and tight-knit small groups. I also heard of

Another situation I experienced was when

deep dissatisfaction and the desire to leave

my own church small group graduated

their churches.

from youth ministry. Everyone took different paths, be it National Service,

For one group, they wanted to give up on

tertiary education, work, or something else.

Christianity entirely. They wanted to walk

During this transition, it became difficult

away from the universal Church. They had

to meet as everyone was adjusting to a

"tried church" and it did nothing for them.

new life phase. To varying degrees, the

They had been through Sunday school and

group members deprioritised church. What

youth services, but nothing connected with

I've noticed is that when a young adult's

them. Some I believe were true believers,

church community starts to falter, it can be

but they lacked basic understanding of the

demoralising, and one might start seeking

faith. Others were like the hard ground in

other communities outside the church they

the parable of the Sower and the evil one

grew up in. Some look for another church

had snatched away what little Bible truth

with a "more vibrant" young adult scene,

they had (Mt 13:3-9, 18-23).

others find an alternative community to replace church altogether.

CHURCH D

CHURCH B

2

1 CHURCH A

22 Methodist Message March 2023

CHURCH HOPPING

CHURCH C

CHURCH E

There are legitimate reasons why someone

One of the factors that helps keep people

changes church. I've had conversations where

in church is service. The Holy Spirit has

the quality of Bible teaching was the issue,

bestowed on every believer at least one

the way worship was conducted, and even

spiritual gift (1 Cor 12:7-11) and it's our

what the mission of the local church was.

responsibility to use it to serve our local church (Eph 4:16). When I first began

Then there are more personal reasons for

serving in Children's Ministry, it was

leaving. I've friends who have felt bullied

humbling to hear fellow teachers tell me

or ostracised in Sunday school or youth

they'd been praying for weeks for another

ministry. Others have struggled with

teacher; and I was the answer to their

questions about the faith but could not

prayer! I realised that being part of the

find satisfactory answers. For them, the

church meant being loving and unselfish

Bible came up short. (This should never

as we engage in mutual ministry, using our

happen in the Church! God's Word has the

gifts to care for one another (1 Cor 12:25-

answers. This is one of the reasons that

26). Every believer is an integral part of the

compelled me to help with the youth's

body and should be serving others with

Bible curriculum.)

their spiritual gifts (1 Pet 4:10-11). I felt a greater sense of belonging, even ownership of my local church, after I began teaching Sunday school, and my peers that were serving felt the same way too.

This is not to say that serving in church is always the answer to what keeps young adults in church. Many of my friends were very involved in their own churches before they decided to move to a different one.

While we might be sad to see people leave our church for another, we should encourage them as fellow believers to stay strong in their relationship with God, recognising that every individual has their own spiritual journey to walk, regardless of which local church they decide to join. But from my experience, I have noticed that many who

Ryan Kwok

leave the church entirely had never really participated in the life of the church. They One observation about those who leave

were more like consumers or spectators.

is that many of them have not seriously considered this question: "How can I obey

Thankfully, several Christian Fellowship

God and use my God-given gifts to build

friends who did change churches are now

up the church I'm in?" Heart breaking as

thriving. Others, after much reflection,

it is, some have a consumeristic attitude

chose to remain but they've applied

towards the church. They overemphasise:

themselves by bringing back to their

"How can my needs be met?" Perhaps

churches what they've learnt from campus

they should heed Paul's words about

ministry. And we continue to spur each

each believer being given a special role to

other to serve our churches with our

build up their church. The question then

spiritual gifts. Regardless of which local

becomes: "How can I do my part to meet

church we worship in, I take heart in the

the needs of others in my church?" Serving

truth that we are all still unified as one: the

is part of spiritual growth.

body of Christ, the universal Church.

March 2023 Methodist Message 23

By the Methodist Welfare Services Communications Team / Photo & illustrations courtesy of Methodist Welfare Services

From left to right: Mdm Ong Quee Huay with MWS befrienders, Wong Pey Wah and Wong Soo Hwee

A

ll her life, Mdm Ong Quee Huay, 81, had

and saw us only as volunteers. But after

never celebrated Mother's Day … until

that day, we became closer. We also found

last year.

out that we share the same surname (in Chinese), and now we often joke that we

Wong Pey Wah, 71, and Wong Soo Hwee,

are related!"

63, a pair of MWS befrienders, had brought Mdm Ong out for simple Chinese fare at a

The concept of table fellowship, where

food court. That broke down barriers between

barriers are broken down and bonds are

Mdm Ong and the duo, who had been visiting

forged over meals, is the basis of The Giving

and befriending her for four years then.

Methodist's Eat Share Connect campaign this year. Table fellowship was Jesus' way of

"It was our first time bringing Quee Huay

connecting and establishing solidarity with

out for a good meal. We had become very

the poor and marginalised, and generally,

familiar with her by then, so we knew her

those who were considered outcasts during

medical history, and what kinds of food she

His time. Sharing a meal around a table is

had to avoid," shared Pey Wah, a volunteer

where strangers become friends.

befriender at MWS Active Ageing Centre – Kebun Baru.

From 22 February to 6 April 2023, Methodists are encouraged to connect with

"Over that meal, she told us how touched

low-income families or the socially isolated

and thankful she was as it was the first

over a meal. The campaign aims to build

time someone brought her out to celebrate

a more inclusive community by imitating

Mother's Day. Before, she seemed distant

Jesus' example of table fellowship.

24 Methodist Message March 2023

Pey Wah, who attends Ang Mo Kio Chinese Methodist Church, will not only be taking

As we rebuild our social lives after

part in Eat Share Connect, but has also

the pandemic, let us not forget the

rallied her friends to join the outreach

disadvantaged, isolated and distressed who

and invite socially isolated seniors in their

continue to feel the strain of the crisis.

neighbourhood for a meal.

Eat Share Connect is a communal "I intend to bring Quee Huay and another

outreach centred around table

befriendee out for lunch. Both of them

fellowship, which was Jesus' way of

are elderly and the pandemic has really

connecting with the marginalised and

exacerbated that sense of loneliness. I

outcasts during his walk on earth. The

hope the get-together will open up their

epitome of love, Jesus broke barriers to

world and assure them they are not alone,"

embrace all with open arms.

shared Pey Wah.

This Lent , be a friend to those in need "After retiring, I've been looking for ways

by hosting a meal for them at your home,

to give back to society. There are a lot of

church, an MWS Centre or in public venues

socially isolated elderly out there who need

like community clubs. You can also give a

our care, and I want to reach out to them. I

donation to provide meals to those served

want them to feel like they are a part of the

by MWS, or spread the word and encourage

community, and it makes me happy to see

others to join the cause.

others happy."

For more information, visit www.thegivingmethodist.sg or scan the QR Code to donate.

March 2023 Methodist Message 25

Joe Ling is an affiliate missionary of Methodist Missions Society, serving in Nepal as the Country Director. He is married to Connie and they are both from the Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC). / Photos courtesy of Methodist Missions Society

T

he Methodist Church in Nepal (MCN) has adopted L.O.V.E.

as the acronym representing the key focus areas for MCN churches.

L.O.V.E. represents Leadership Development, Organisation Framework, Vibrant Community, and Enduring Ministry.

In line with the L.O.V.E. goals, the theme for the 14th Session of the MCN Annual Meeting was "To Grow In Love". After three years of conducting the Annual Meeting via Zoom due to the pandemic, the Annual Meeting was held on 3 November 2022 onsite at Wesley Bardan Methodist Church (WBMC). It was presided over by Bishop Dr Gordon Wong. It was attended by Rev Derrick Lau, MCN Mission Superintendent and MMS Executive Director; Rev Vincent Goh, Field Board of Ministry (FBOM) Chairperson; and Rev Benjamin Lee, FBOM Registrar.

WE ARE HIRING!

PROPERTY MANAGER To apply and view other Employment Opportunities at MCS, visit

bit.ly/mcsjobs

Alternatively, send your resume to

hr@methodist.org.sg

Right: Bishop Dr Gordon Wong, Rev Derrick Lau, Rev Vincent Goh and Rev Benjamin Lee with MCN Elders

There were two guests from Barker Road

The 14th Session of the Annual Meeting

Methodist Church, Dr Serene Chee and Ms

was an important milestone for MCN. The

Leong Chin Yee.

strategic plans and goals were articulated and will form the framework for the

The Annual Meeting included the

MCN workplan for the coming years. The

Ministerial Meeting, a Fellowship and

strategic plan is centred on Growth and

Welcome Dinner with the national

Building Capacities for MCN.

church leaders in Nepal. The presence

•

Growing Leaders

other denominations underscored MCN's

•

Growing Churches

growing relations and unity with them,

•

Growing Financial Resilience

which has enabled church leaders to

•

Growing in Relevance

of Nepali church representatives from

encourage one another as they share in undertaking the gospel work in Nepal.

The reports have been encouraging, highlighting the growth of MCN in all

For the first time, there was a vibrant Nepali

areas and ministries. God’s faithful hand

Praise & Worship segment at the Opening

has been witnessed in MCN over the past

service. Bishop Dr Gordon Wong preached

14 years, and it has been a wonderful

on "Peace", once again reminding us all

and fruitful journey. Efforts will now be

to pursue the true peace that can only be

redirected to preparing and equipping

given by Jesus Christ alone.

the next generation of clergy and laity leaders. In the area of church planting,

During the Closing Service, Rev

the objectives are to plant new Outreach

Derrick Lau preached on "War Against

Points and to move Preaching Points

Strongholds". As servants of Christ, he

and churches to the next level. There is

reminded us to be alert, watchful and be

much to be done, with the first milestones

ready for war against strongholds. Rev

achieved providing great encouragement

Pradip Kumar Limbu, the sixth Elder, was

for MCN to do even greater things. May

ordained. Our congratulations to Rev

MCN continue "To Grow in Love"!

Pradip and his family for supporting him in his ministry all these years.

March 2023 Methodist Message 27

Justin Chan is a Programme Executive at Methodist School of Music, Worship & Church Music Department. As a reformed rock musician, he believes hymns and heavy metal can co-exist for the glory of God. / Photo courtesy of Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church

Worship

Serving to complete our joy in

H

grace

ave you encountered "charity muggers",

I was reminded of this spiritual

the people paid to conduct face-to-face

phenomenon as I listened to Andrew

solicitation on behalf of the charities who

and Susanna Pan's "Seek, Love, Serve the

hire them? Some genuinely believe in the

Lord", which won first prize in the MCS130

cause that they're paid to promote, while

songwriting competition. Why should the

others approach it with the same level of

Christian live in service to others? How is

enthusiasm as a rebellious teenager forced

the heart for Christian service sustained?

to do something against his will. The former invest their hearts into what they believe will

Verse 1 unequivocally answers these

make a genuine difference; the latter work

questions: the Christian is called to follow in

out of obligation to fulfil contractual terms.

the footsteps of our Lord Jesus, the ultimate example of service and obedience to God.

This is analogous to Christians and Christian

Bearing the cross to redeem an undeserving

charity. Some view the outward activities of

mankind is the greatest act of service. Any

the church—outreach, social concerns, and

Christian who has attempted to understand

evangelism in particular—as terms in the

the depth of God's love will see that all

"Christian contract" they hope no one will

acts of service are a response to that love.

call on when the time comes. This is certainly

Indeed, "we serve not to show we deserve,

not the way to live as a Christian. But God

but to make our calling election sure".

can work to melt hardened hearts and mould them into reservoirs of love. What was

But surely all human charity has its limits.

once burdensome could eventually turn into

Can we truly serve with such conviction

a burden for the less fortunate and the lost.

all the time? The chorus helps articulate

28 Methodist Message March 2023

Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church's combined choir

how this is possible: It is God who prepares all the good we need

Seek, Love, Serve The Lord © Andrew & Susanna Pan (2015)

fulfil, it is God who works in us to choose to do his will. Thus is the beauty of our redemption story in Christ: God has ordained all our acts of service under his sovereignty, and he will provide the means of grace to fulfil them.

Verse 1:

As Paul writes in Galatians 2:20

We look to the finished work of Christ our King

(NIV), "I have been crucified with

He walked in obedience to the end

Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in

For the joy before Him, He dared the cross And showed us the life we need to tend.

the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

No more can we add to His redeeming work We serve not to show that we deserve

If this sounds like Christian service turns people into mindless automatons, consider the personal prayer in Verse 2 and the

But to make our calling election sure The joy of our inner faith preserve!

exhortation in the Bridge: "Close

Chorus:

to [h]im we have to stay to feel [h]is

Seek the Lord! He prepares all the good we need fulfil.

heart and share [h]is way". We need to continually and consciously pray for the love and joy of the Lord to fill us. God created us with the ability to make personal choices.

If we give ourselves to Christian service, if we truly desire to walk in

Love the Lord! He who works in us to choose and do His will Serve the Lord till He says to us: "Well done, good faithful one!"

Praise the Lord! For He sanctifies when in Him we serve as One!

Jesus' footsteps, God promises that he will make a way. If we don't, God

Verse 2:

will not force his hand on our lives.

We pray for the love and joy of God to fill

We could live a life without service, but it will be a life lived without experiencing the miracles that could be encountered through

Our lives till it overflows to serve Mend broken lives and wounded faiths In hope standing in the gap for love.

serving those Jesus clearly loved: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these

We serve 'cause we love the one who first loved us,

brothers of mine, you did for me"

We serve to complete our joy in grace,

(Matthew 25:40).

By His Spirit's strength we serve to give

Indeed, as the song succinctly puts it, may "we serve [because]

The honour and glory He deserves!

we love the one who first loved us",

Bridge:

and, "we serve to complete our joy

Close to Him we have to stay

in grace".

To feel His heart and share His way!

March 2023 Methodist Message 29

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2/2/2023 12:58:49 pm

S

ome of you would have experienced getting a wood splinter embedded in your hand. As you try to extract the splinter, bits may come away but some remain stubbornly buried. You then fluctuate between finding ways to remove it and ignoring it while hoping that it will somehow disappear.

Apostle Paul wrote of a "thorn in his flesh"—a problem that plagued him. It is unclear what it was, but he sought the Lord to remove it several times. For reasons unknown, God allowed it to remain.

For some of my clients, the thorn in their flesh is a difficult spouse. Complaints about their spouses include that they are demanding, difficult to please, badtempered and to top it all, unwilling to come for counselling.

Clients living with such a thorn in their flesh may seek counselling in the desperate hope of learning some way of behaving around their spouse which would satisfy the latter and thereby reduce conflicts. Some plead with the counsellor to invite, coax or even trick their spouses to undergo counselling and thereby get their spouses to change.

Needless to say, such attempts rarely work as counselling does not work vicariously. This means that the person who needs to change must take responsibility for their own behaviour and make the necessary changes.

Unfortunately, the client who comes for consultation is often on the receiving end of bad or unreasonable behaviour. So, what do I offer these clients besides a sympathetic ear?

One response is to help them not to see themselves through others' eyes. For

example, if they have been blamed for causing their parents' divorce, I try to get them to see that this is untrue. How can a six- or seven-year-old make two grown persons fight so badly and cause them to end their marriage? The reverse is true too. I have met adults carrying the guilt of "forcing" a parent to stay in bad marriages and suffer. They had come to believe their parent's "If not for you, I would have left your father/mother earlier."

Another response is to help them learn to live with it. To consider and focus on the things that they can change and not on those they cannot. To accept that life is far from perfect. The workaholic spouse who hardly acknowledges your existence or the embittered spouse who feels life is unfair are thorns that we may have to learn to accept and live with. I am not suggesting that we do not hope for some change. Rather, we ought not to hold our breath in anticipation of any change happening soon. Also, I am not suggesting living with abusive or cruel behaviour which is destructive to both the victim and the abuser.

The change we can make is how to live life despite these thorns. If we cannot control the weather, we can at least bring an umbrella or plan a wet weather programme. So, if my spouse is not an outdoors person, perhaps I can still organise hikes and go with my children.

If we can take control of our lives, then we are not ruled by our circumstances. And just like splinter bits that mysteriously disappear, we may find that with time, our thorns become less debilitating.

March 2023 Methodist Message 31

Darius Tian is the Children's Ministry co-ordinator at Aldersgate Methodist Church. / Photo courtesy of Darius Tian

My experiences enabled me to connect with children During my Junior College years, as part of my CCA, I served in BB at a Primary school together with David. We had Bible study sessions together and it was during this period that I started learning and teaching the Word to young children.

Darius with his wife, Joyce and their children, Faith, aged 6 and Reuel, aged 3

I

accepted Christ at an altar call during a Christmas programme organised by The Boy’s Brigade (BB) when I was in Secondary 2. The officer-in-charge, David Chan, followed up with me and has been my mentor till today. My family, all non-believers at that time, did not support my decision to accept Christ. They had wanted me to focus on my studies and I was not allowed to go to church on Sundays until I started National Service.

I have been attending Aldersgate Methodist Church for about 24 years and have served in its Children’s Ministry for more than 15 years. My ministry partners and I recognise that we play a role in grounding the children in God's word so that they can weather the storms in their lives. We pray that we can be a good support system to the children. I thank God for the experiences that I had growing up because they have enabled me to connect with children, especially those who feel "controlled" by their parents.

And thanks be to God, my parents who objected to my faith so long ago, have come to know and accept Christ as their personal saviour!

Kopi kakis by Lau Peng Leong, Yen Tun I and Zachary Yong

March 2023 Methodist Message 33

CONNECT2 MARRIAGE PREPARATION WORKSHOP 21 March, 29 March, 1 April 2023 Hybrid; Online via Zoom and in-person at 9 Bishan Place, #08-03 Junction 8 Office Tower S(579837) https://www.family.org.sg/C2MarriagePrep $380 per couple, conditions apply Connect2 Marriage Preparation Workshop aims to help couples address challenges as newlyweds and build a solid foundation for their marriage in the early years and learn how to really love each other—for life!

What to expect?

• Understand what love, marriage and your vows symbolise • Identify each other's differences and love languages—how to engage in effective communication • Manage healthy conflict and have a good grasp on your family finances • Understand sexual intimacy, the importance of romance and family planning • Learn how to manage expectations from your spouse, children, in-laws while balancing work-life Organised by Focus on the Family Singapore

ASCERTAINING THE ATONEMENT: HOW DOES JESUS RECONCILE US TO GOD? 23 March–11 May 2023 (Thursdays), 7.30 to 9.30 p.m.

Online via Zoom Register by 13 March via https://ttc.edu.sg/english/study-at-ttc/equip-registration/ Registration required; fees may apply The "atonement" is one of the central beliefs of the Christian faith. It refers to what our Lord Jesus Christ has done, through his life, death and resurrection, to reconcile us sinners to the holy God. But how did these acts of Jesus achieve the atoning effect? We will examine and evaluate the different ways Christian thinkers through the ages have answered this question. We hope, in the end, to gain a richer and more comprehensive understanding of how Jesus saves us—one that will help us in our life and ministry.

Dr Leow Theng Huat is Lecturer in Theology at Trinity Theological College. His research interests include theodicy, Christology, soteriology, post-Enlightenment theology, and dialectics as a theological method. During his student days at the National University of Singapore, he was actively involved in the ministry of the Varsity Christian Fellowship, and has served for a period of time as an associate staff worker of the Fellowship of Evangelical Students. He is married to Cheng Ping, and they have three children. The family are members of Wesley Methodist Church.

Organised by EQUIP

D6 FAMILY CONFERENCE 2023 28–29 July 2023 Wesley Methodist Church Register at https://d6family.sg before 30 June 2023 Register by March 2023 to enjoy the promotional price of $110 per person (fee includes printed conference materials and tea breaks for both days) Be inspired to sharpen church and home partnership towards generational discipleship with all our heart, soul and strength. Glorify God with a stronger and better-connected family and church!

Organised by Sower Institute™ for Biblical Discipleship