THE METHODIST CHURCH IN SINGAPORE
ISSN 0129-6868 MCI(P) 027/11/2019
Vo l 1 2 2 N o 9 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0
METHODIST YOUTH
Contents
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Church life Methodists in the world Christian living
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Bishop’s Message
3
Coming Up—Passing on a Godly legacy
4
One MCS—Identity & Destiny
6
Church Profile—Pentecost MC
7
One MCS—TRAC Highlights
8
Home—A lasting legacy
10
News—Could you imagine life without the Bible?
12
News—Uplifting lives one step at a time
14
News—TRAC WSCS End Times webinar
17
News—Sheerah Sanjana Pandian
19
News—Joshua Wan
20
Home—Hakka MC befrienders
21
Home—Faith Kindergarten
23
Welfare Services
24 Missions
26
You & Your Family
27
Hymns & Songs
28
TRAC Bible Matters
30 Soundings 32
Home—What does being a Methodist mean to you?
33
Looking Ahead
34 THINK
EDITORIAL BOARD
The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church.
Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Chairperson Council on Communications
Editor Sheri Goh
Sub-editor
All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version unless otherwise stated. 70 Barker Road #06-04 Singapore 309936 6478-4793 | 6478-4763 message.methodist.org.sg | www.methodist.org.sg newmm@methodist.org.sg
Tan Chiu Ai
fb.com/Methodist.SG
Communications Executive
@methodist.sg
Jason Woo
Proofreader Tan Sheng Ling
Design & Production by Londonbob Design Printed by Adred Creation Print Pte Ltd
Have something to say or share? Email us at newmm@methodist.org.sg
BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2016. He served as President of the Chinese Annual Conference from 2008 to 2016.
Our precious youth Methodist youth and their impact on Singapore and the world
N
elson Mandela once said, “The youth of today
to adapt to maintain relationships with the youth
are the leaders of tomorrow.” The youth are
as moral values and biblical truths are still most
our hope for the future and they are the most
effectively imparted through shared experiences and
precious assets of a country. The same rings true for
close interactions.
the Church, because without her youth, the Church will decline.
Many churches in the West have very small congregations, where the average age of the
The United Nations defines “youth” as persons
members is closer to 70. If our Church is to continue
between the ages of 15 and 24. In Singapore, the
to be full of vitality and a blessing to society, we
definition is extended to those up to the age of 35.
will have to be more attentive to our youth—to love,
The term iGeneration (iGen) is sometimes used to
cherish, nurture, develop, train, equip, engage with
describe today’s youth, who have grown up with
and empower them.
smartphones. Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, the smartphone has become a standard item
Love and cherish our youth
in the lives of many young people.
Our youth live in a world that is both virtual and real, which can be confounding. Outwardly, they
The youth are able to access the latest information
may appear to be busily engaged with matters
and
through
of the virtual world, but many feel isolated. This
communications technology than through traditional
generation of youths seem to have more friends and
classrooms, books and print media. The Church needs
connections, but paradoxically are also more likely
are
learning
more
expeditiously
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Our precious youth
to experience loneliness. It is through interactions
and in the future. Not all young people will become
with adults who care that the youths can receive
leaders, but all will have a part to play in the future
guidance regarding their online experiences and
of the Church.
understand genuine feelings such as emotional attachment among family members, friendship and
Engage and empower them
romantic love. They also need to learn from real-
The pet peeve of youth is to be underestimated
life examples of living out one’s devotion to God,
in their ability and competence. Admittedly, their
holiness, love, care and concern.
experience is limited, but this can be accumulated through time. When Paul told Timothy, “Don’t let
Nurture and develop our youth
anyone look down on you because you are young,
The youth are characterised by a strong desire for
but set an example for the believers in speech,
knowledge, vigour and vitality. They
in conduct, in love, in faith and in
make clear distinctions between who
purity” in 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV), he
or what to love or hate, and they
also meant for those who are older
have a strong aversion to despotic
to show mutual respect to those
authority
highhandedness.
younger than themselves and be
Their responses are often quick and
ready to learn from them. Let us
specific when their observations and
cherish the youth as part of our
experiences in life are in discord with
community, and ensure they are
their beliefs or views.
not marginalised.
We need to understand modern
Let’s ensure that young people
influences on Christianity in order to
have
effectively communicate with them.
participate in all levels of the
Nurturing and developing the youth
ministry of the Church, so that they
and
opportunities
today
to
requires empathy and understanding, and they will
can gain practical experience for the future. It is
be touched by the warmth and sincerity of the adults
through this process that the youth can acquire
helping them.
a sense of responsibility and have their sense of belonging to the Church reinforced.
Train and equip them Youth are willing to take risks and if they are clear
Conclusion
about the goals of the Church and the hope and
Because of God’s heart for the young, the Church’s
expectations it has in them, they will face the
role is to prepare every youth to realise who they
challenges and bear with the difficulties in the process.
are in God’s eyes, to help them identify their part
But clearly articulated ideals, direction and strategy,
in the body of the Church and to help them find and
together with progressive and structured equipping,
fulfil their calling. For this to happen, we need to
will attract the youth and garner their support.
establish trusting and exemplary relationships with them while they are still children and pre-teens
To continue to grow the Church, we must have those
among us. This work requires and deserves abundant
willing to support and guide the youths in their walk
manpower support and resources. Let us work in
with the Lord, helping them to grow spiritually, so
concert for the future of the Church; let us take care
that they can make an impact for Christ, both now
of our youth.
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Coming Up ¢
One MCS
Passing on
A GODLY LEGACY One MCS brings Methodists together with meaningful projects. This October, we unite Methodist father s from all three annual conferences with the mission of nur turing our children as the next generation of the faith and the Methodist Church, and to move father s to be godly heads of our households. THE ONLINE EVENT INCLUDES Wo r s h i p b y a t h r e e - g e n e r a t i o n f a m i l y t e a m Exhortation by Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung T h r e e f a t h e r s s h a r e t h e i r j o u r n e y : Ta n G e e P a w ; P e t e r Ta n ; a n d J o h n Wu C h a l l e n g e a n d c a l l t o a c t i o n : J a s o n Wo n g ( F o c u s o n t h e F a m i l y S i n g a p o r e )
17 OCTOBER 2020 (Saturday) 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. www.methodist.org.sg/index.php/component/rseventspro/event/359methodist-fathers-passing-on-a-godly-legacy (for more information) www.tinyurl.com/MethodistFathers (to sign up) methodist.fathers@gmail.com 9171-4984 (David Ang, Event Chairman, CAC Board of Family Life Chairman)
One MCS ¢
Identity & Destiny
By the Structural Review Task Force
Together as ONE body “But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” 1 Cor 12:24b–26
T
he Structural Review Task Force (SRTF) was convened
reasons why we have three Conferences organised along
in 2017 to review the structure of The Methodist
language lines in MCS today. That was a great strategy
Church in Singapore (MCS) so that there can be less
when missionaries started work in Singapore focusing
duplication, more effectiveness and greater efficiency.
on the different people groups.” But he also noted that,
As discussions followed, it became clear that one of the
after 55 years of independence, our children are growing
reasons for the current difficulties in our structure arose
up in much different circumstances. We engage with,
out of the fact that we are four Conferences—a General
communicate with and understand each other in our
Conference and three Annual Conferences (ACs), each
common language, English, and it is the medium in which
run by a President and team, quite independently of
we serve as one.
each other. These layers of authorisation ensure that the Church is well-governed, stays connected with the work
That
on the ground and remains true to her calling and vision.
differences between the ACs have eroded with
The flip side is that this has sometimes turned out to be
time. Notwithstanding the rich history and splendid
more of a encumbrance than assistance.
diversity
is
why
that
many
are
lay
leaders
precious
parts
feel
of
that
the
everything
Methodist in Singapore, Richard represents the view As Richard Jeremiah from Tamil Methodist Church
of many who feel strongly that “we are now ready
(Short Street) explained: “We understand the historical
to come together as One MCS, reflecting our unity in
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
Christ . We have made a great start on this journey by
(Focus on the Family). More about the event can be found
collaborating on a number of ministry initiatives, and
on page 3 (Coming Up).
are looking forward to expand on such involvement in the years ahead, cumulating in when we will also be
During workgroup discussions with the lay, the mood
organisationally one.”
was usually that of excitement and an eagerness to work together, because they saw many common concerns
Richard was referring to the workgroups that were started
such as family and marriage, children’s ministry, social
in the course of this review, so that pastors and lay
concerns, outreach, and discipleship and nurture. On the
members from the three ACs could be brought together
other hand, when ministers came together for discussions,
to discuss how certain initiatives and areas of ministry
the mood tended to be more sombre and cautious. Bishop
could be better developed and delivered if they were
Dr Chong explained that it was only to be expected as
jointly planned and organised. Kwok Wan Yee from Charis
the ministers had to grapple with complex issues such
Methodist Church (MC) said that the leaders found that
as selection standards for pastors, remuneration scales,
many were working the same grounds. There was great
church property and even differences in pastoral practices
diversity in strengths, gifts and resources of the different
and shepherding. Recognising that these differences
ACs, and all sought to glorify God and make His name
are not easily resolved, he asked for understanding
known. The question was how we could all work more
and patience, as it will take time—maybe years—for
closely together and complement each other.
the ministers to work through them. So while the laity could focus on common causes, the clergy had to work
Some felt that having the support from higher levels
on differences. Chan Fook Kay from Grace MC said, “There
of leadership would help secure consistent funding and
will be a need for a parallel movement for the lay and the
participation, while others were of the opinion that more
clergy. Whilst it is important to start from grassroots on
structure may eventually prove cumbersome. The key
the ministries across ACs and local conferences, the clergy
was to find a platform for those who are open to having
must take steps to address their differences.”
others join in and contribute their time and resources. The idea of movements emerged—where like-minded people
In conclusion, the SRTF is recommending that the good
set on a particular cause or mission can come together
work started must continue for the next quadrennium,
and serve—as long as the cause remained relevant. If
for coalitions to form and movements to grow, and for
necessary, this can grow into some form of organisational
pastors to work out as many areas as necessary for
structure in the future.
One MCS. Henry Tan from Wesley MC is spearheading the development of platforms for sharing among local
One such example is a group of Methodist fathers
churches so that we do not need to work alone, but
who saw the importance of paternal leadership to the
together find strength and comfort from one another. He
spiritual growth and health of their families, and who
said, “I am so glad that small progress has been made,
came together to move other fathers in MCS in the same
and churches and leaders across conferences are talking
direction. Comprising fathers from different churches
with one another more. Because of COVID-19, businesses
across MCS, they are organising an online gathering for
have come to realise how powerful collaboration is. It is
fathers on 17 Oct 2020, and have invited speakers Tan
my prayer that churches collaborate more in their efforts
Gee Paw, Peter Tan and John Wu, along with Jason Wong
to spread the Gospel.”
Articles from the SRTF https://www.methodist.org.sg/index.php/about-us/mcs-structural-review
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Church Profile ¢
Pentecost Methodist Church
The Rev Jonathan Seet is the Pastor-in-Charge of Pentecost Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of PMC
Pentecost Methodist Church Pentecost Methodist Church’s (PMC) inception was on Pentecost Sunday 1932. Our hope is to be a blessing and a testimony to the community around us, bringing the light and love of Jesus to all.
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These were some of the programmes that PMC held over the last year: 1. The opening of MWS Senior Activity Centre – GoldenLily @ Pasir Ris, a partnership with PMC, on 24 Aug 2019. 2. Sentosa outing and soccer clinic between PMC Committee of Outreach and Social Concerns, PMC Youths and Tampines FSC children.
PENTECOST METHODIST CHURCH (Trinity Annual Conference)
4 Pasir Ris Drive 6 Singapore 519420 http://pmc.org.sg
3. We helped host the 2019 Justice Conference (Asia) on 18 Oct 2019.
pentecost@pmc.org.sg
4. Christmas evangelistic event, where Mediacorp artiste-turned-taxi driver Peter Yu shared his testimony.
6584-0297
5. Project Koinonia is a ministry to our church members and worshippers affected by the COVID-19 economic downturn. The help we have extended includes: financial help, financial and mortgage counselling, resume writing, HR coaching (including interview skills), legal advice, job matching, befriending and spiritual counselling. 6. Other COVID-19-related ministries include: - gifts of toiletries to migrant workers confined in dormitories during the circuit breaker - gifts to the cleaners and bus drivers from our youths.
On-site services have resumed! Registration is required due to MCCY limits.
Sunday Services Peranakan Bible Class : 7.45 a.m. English Traditional
: 8.30 a.m. / 10 a.m.
English Contemporary : 11.30 a.m. Children’s Ministry
: 11.30 a.m.
Mandarin Service
: 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Register for services at pmc.org.sg/reg 6584-0927 Online worship services continue to be available every Sunday at pmg.org.sg/sundayworship.
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One MCS ¢
TRAC Highlights
Crystal Tan, a dog-lover, is an intern at Truthmin and worships at Paya Lebar Methodist Church. She loves worshipping God through singing and dancing. / Photos courtesy of Crystal Tan Crystal Tan (left) with TRAC President the Rev Dr Gordon Wong
Truthmin is a conference-wide ministry under the Trinity Annual Conference that seeks to serve the Church and local church youth ministries in nurturing Christ-centred youths in culturally-relevant ways through worship, discipleship and leadership development. Our work includes Trackers (a three-month youth discipleship program), Fusion (annual youth conference), ERCO (song-writing competition) and Fuse (bi-monthly prayer meetings). We also provide training for youth, youth workers and youth ministry leaders through our various courses and retreats. https://truthmin.com/
Turn back the battle at the gate
W
e are called to turn back the battle at the gate (Isa 28:6), and the Lord will be a “source of strength” to the one who turns back the battle.
We fight many battles on a daily basis: political battles; social justice battles. And some are more personal, such as family, mental and physical battles that we struggle with on a daily basis. But the greatest battle is one happening right outside the gate of my heart. In the midst of my day, does God only come to my mind when I need to solve a problem, when I have the space to be enthusiastic about Christianity, or when I say grace before a meal? I constantly battle to have Him remain in the centre of my every waking moment. During my internship at Truthmin, we read together Faith for Exiles, which suggested that we measure our fruitfulness not by how many things we do for people, but by being present with them. We should practise the awareness of God by being in the moment with Him, seeking His voice and heart for the person we are ministering to, instead of treating them like a task on our to-do list.
The beauty about the journey of seeking God is that we aren’t called to get it perfect or right. We are just called to turn back the battle at the gate—to be constantly watchful of the things that can displace God in our hearts. And He promises that if we keep our eyes on Him, He will sustain us till the end. We need to purposefully set aside time for Him. Fuse, held by Truthmin every two months, helps TRAC youths devote two hours of our time to connect to the Father in Spirit and in Truth as we worship God, dive into the Word and pray together. Discipleship programmes such as Trackers, where we can dedicate three months of our lives to seeking Him and learning how to walk a life in step with our God, can help us cultivate spiritual habits where God takes first place in every decision we make. We can wake up earlier to do quiet time and give our first fruits to the Lord. Or take time during rush hour to surrender our anxiety to Him. Our Father is waiting to speak and I pray that we will choose to turn back the battle at the gate, refuse entry to the distractions and worries of the world, and allow only Him to take the throne of our hearts today. The more we seek Him, the more attuned we will become to our Shepherd’s leading.
Crystal (third from right) at FUSION 2017, a Truthmin worship event
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Home ¢ The Rev Dr Andrew Peh is the Chairperson of the Council of Archives and History of The Methodist Church in Singapore. He is currently a faculty member at Trinity Theological College, teaching Missions and World Religions. His area of research is missions history in East and South East Asia, particularly Singapore, which is the focus of his published dissertation, Of Missions and Merchants. / Photos courtesy of the Methodist Archives and History Library
A lasting legacy
I
n the BBC series, A History of the World in 100 Objects, writer and presenter Neil MacGregor, who is also the British Museum director, commented that he was “travelling back in time, and across the globe, to see how we humans over two million years have shaped our world and been shaped
by it, and I’m going to tell this story exclusively through the things that humans have made: all sorts of things, carefully designed, and then either admired and preserved, or used, broken and thrown away.” This novel approach of retelling history has also sparked a new initiative of teaching history with a partnership of the Department of Education in the United Kingdom. 1
It is in the same spirit of informing and showcasing our Methodist history that we have embarked on collecting some of the important objects that are pertinent in recounting the story of Methodism in Singapore. Some of the important and priceless artefacts include:
The Polglase Bible John Polglase, a British Wesleyan, was one of the three potential lay candidates to hold office at the elections of the first Quarterly Conference held on 23 Feb 1885. Due to the absence of the other two candidates, Polglase was elected to all the offices that had to be filled by laymen, including Sunday School Superintendent, trustee, steward and church treasurer! The Bible that Polglase used through his service is one of the most prized possessions of the Methodist Archives.
Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church bell Telok Ayer CMC began in a shophouse
in
Upper
Nankin
Street that was converted into a place for Sunday worship services in 1889 by Dr Benjamin West,
an
American
medical
doctor and Methodist missionary. When the church was able to acquire land to build a more permanent
building,
a
bell
tower was included, where the bell would be rung to remind the predominantly Chinese labourers (and ex-opium addicts) to come 8
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The Rev C. E. Fang’s calligraphic notes This comes from a personal family collection of the handwritten exhortation of “This is My Body, This is My Blood of the New Covenant” (based on Matthew 26). It is likely from the pen of the Rev Fang himself. Long before the ubiquitous printed or photocopied materials, handwritten portions of the Bible were often circulated in ensuring biblical literacy as well as doctrinal orthodoxy.
More than simply collecting and storing these artefacts, the undergirding principle is that our history is important and needs to be transmitted to future generations. It brings to mind the Reformers’ call of ad fontes (back to the sources) as well as the Chinese proverb, 饮水思源, that is, to give thoughtful consideration for the source of the water from which we drink. Memory, like history, is rooted in archives. Not unlike Israel, we are a forgetful people and we live in a context where theological amnesia and historical dementia are increasingly common. This underscores the relevance and the significance of the place and ministry of
Without archives, memory falters, knowledge of accomplishments fades, pride in a shared past dissipates. Archives counter these losses. Archives
archives and history in both the local churches as well as
contain the evidence of what went before. This is
in the Annual and General Conferences. Archives are akin
particularly germane in the modern world. With
to “raising an Ebenezer”—in 1 Samuel 7:12, Samuel took
the disappearance of traditional village life and
a stone and raised it as a memorial between Mizpah and Shen, to serve as a reminder of the great victory God gave to Israel, lest Israel forget God’s covenantal faithfulness.
the extended family, memory based on personal, shared story-telling is no longer possible; the
And like Ebenezers, archives serve as a reminder that
archive remains as one foundation of historical
“thus far the Lord has helped us”—lest we forget!
understanding. Archives validate our experiences,
Chronicling and
history,
conserving
collecting
records
are
archival
regrettably
materials tasks
and
our
perceptions,
our
narratives,
our
stories.
Archives are our memories. 2
responsibilities about which not many are particularly enthused. Yet such historical myopia undoubtedly leads us to be ill-informed, impoverished and incapacitated. It may well be that most people think of archives and history as matters that relate to the past. This perhaps
And more than merely refreshing fading memories and recounting past glories, these objects in our archives should catalyse and ignite a renewed vigour in living out the lasting legacy of the people called Methodists.
creates a dissonance in appreciating the importance of archives. We need to understand that archives and history are NOT only about the past; they are about giving to and empowering posterity with a rich historical legacy. Historian Jonathan Hill, in A History of Christian Thought, reminds us that “a society with no grasp of its history is like a person without a memory”. Elsewhere, Joanna Schwartz and Terry Cook write:
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http://www.teachinghistory100.org
Joanna Schwartz and Terry Cook, “Archives, Records, and Power: The Making of Modern Memory,” Archival Science, vol. 2, nos. 1–2 (March 2002), 18. See https://www.nyu.edu/classes/bkg/methods/schwartz.pdf
2
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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News ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / Graphics and photos courtesy of SIL International
Could you imagine life without the Bible? Help to eradicate Bible poverty in this generation with illumiNations Asia “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe
and people and language , standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.” Rev 7:9 NLT
D
id you know that throughout the history of the
Given this situation, illumiNations Asia, the Asian arm
printed Bible, there have been an estimated
of an alliance of Bible translation partners, has launched
900 English translations and paraphrases of the
an online campaign, “Imagine Life Without the Bible”. It
Bible? About 12 are commonly known and used by
aims to motivate and encourage followers of God’s Word
Protestants today. 2 But of the 7,360 known languages
by supporting the translation, publication and distribution
in the world today, over 4,000 do not have a translation
of the Scripture in every language in which it is not yet
of the full Scripture, with more than 1,600 not even
available in Asia. The goal is that by 2033, 95 per cent
having a single verse.
of the world’s population will have a full version of the
1
Mountain province in the Philippines 10
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
Community dialogue with public school teachers in the Philippines
Community dialogue with the first evangelical pastor from Northern Catanduanes
Bible available to them; 99.96 per cent will have the New
as they continue to do their work. We need to slowly wean
Testament; and 100 per cent will have a large enough
ourselves away from our dependence on our brothers and
portion of the Scripture to understand what the Gospel is.
sisters from the West, who have helped us tremendously in the past few hundred years. Asian churches now have
Francis Chan, author and pastor, reminds us that part of
a large amount of resources within our own nations. Asia
loving our neighbours as ourselves is bringing the Word
needs to step up to reach out to Asians.”
of God to every ethnic group, each with its own language and culture. While missionaries might be able to share
Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung agrees: “As the global
the Word through verbal translation, there is nothing like
translation agencies unite together to fulfil God’s purpose
reading the Word of God in one’s mother tongue or “heart
in Asia, they will need our partnership and prayers. May
language”, and being able to engage directly with the
the Lord bless this work and may every nation, tribe,
Bible’s life-giving words. The priceless gift of salvation
people and tongue in Asia by illuminated by His Word.”
can come through one’s own reading of the Bible, as was the experience of American pastor Craig Groeschel.
The illumiNations Asia “Imagine Life Without the Bible” campaign runs from Aug to Nov 2020. Visit https://www.
Language groups of whom you might have never heard,
illuminations.asia/imagine-public.html
such as the Kimyal people from West Papua, or the
to watch the digital campaign, so that you can better
Roblomanon and Lubuagan language groups from the
understand the power of the Bible in one’s heart language.
and
register
Philippines, have already had their lives irrevocably transformed by the translation of portions of the Scripture in their own language. Many more are still waiting. 745 languages in Asia do not have any Scriptures
What can you do to help the 1 billion people in the world who are trapped in Bible poverty?
523 languages in Asia are in the process of having the Bible translated
Give a chapter—if 1189 of us give a chapter
558 languages in Asia have the Bible
language group in Asia
Bishop Emeritus Dr Wee Boon Hup, who is a member of the illumiNations Asia advisory board, elaborates on how you can be part of the Bible translation movement: “Besides
each, together we can give one full Bible to a
Host a video gathering for your family, friends or cell group—illumiNations Asia will provide you with all the resources you need
financial support, [you can give] emotional support, prayer
Invite your friends to join this movement by
support, and [be] present to encourage the Bible translators
sharing it.
This number is according to the American Bible Society, and includes translations that are not a complete Bible or Testament, but of a group of books or even a single book. https://news.americanbible.org/article/number-of-english-translations-of-the-bible.
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https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/why-are-there-so-many-different-versions-of-the-bible.html.
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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News ¢ By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photos and visuals courtesy of MWS
Team One MCS Sharing Love and Concern
Uplifting lives
one step at a time
I
n a joint effort to raise funds for Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), five teams consisting of the MWS Board of Governance, MWS Patron Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung, Presidents of the Annual Conferences and General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GCWSCS) President took up the challenge to collectively walk 1.35 million steps and raise $135,000 each by 31 Aug 2020. To amass steps, one of the teams, Team One MCS Sharing Love and Concern, completed a unique trail on 1 Aug 2020 in commemoration of The Methodist Church in Singapore’s (MCS) 135th anniversary. The team comprised Bishop Dr Chong, MWS Group Executive Director (GED) Junie Foo, as well as MWS Board Members and Board of Social Concerns Chairpersons Samuel Tay (Chinese Annual Conference), Wilson Sampath (Emmanuel Tamil Annual Conference) and Albert Lim (Trinity Annual Conference). The trail, which traced the historical origins of the Methodist faith in Singapore, included some of the oldest Methodist churches in the nation.
Walking for Love The team at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, the final checkpoint
The heritage walk challenged the team’s resolve right from the start as it began to pour at 8.40 a.m., just after they had moved off from the starting point at Tamil Methodist Church. Undeterred, they decided to wait for the rain to stop by having an early breakfast. Rejuvenated by the food and fellowship, they continued their journey. Along the way, they passed by significant buildings such as the original location of the Anglo-Chinese School (the first Methodist school in Singapore) and the Methodist Book Room.
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
Bishop Dr Chong and MWS GED Junie Foo enjoying breakfast while waiting for the rain to stop
Bishop Dr Chong and MWS Board Member Albert Lim at Mohamed Ali Lane
The walk not only allowed the team to appreciate the rich Methodist heritage, but also the warm fellowship as they learned more about one another, shared laughs and, of course, took lots of photos together. Time flew by, and before they knew it, they had reached their final checkpoint at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, clocking a total step count of 40,850!
Reflections on the Challenge Looking back on how it started, Mr Samuel Tay recounted that a few team members had come together to discuss what they could do to uplift those in need during this COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, when the idea of the challenge was suggested by a fellow board member at a MWS Board of Governance meeting, they welcomed it and got Bishop Dr Chong as well as MWS GED Junie Foo to be a part of their team. As part of the challenge, the team was required to clock as many steps as they could between 10 July and 31 Aug. This has not been without its challenges. Samuel shared that on the days he had back-to-back meetings, he could only squeeze some time to catch up on walking in the evenings. Junie confessed to having to step out of her comfort zone and purposefully set aside time to walk every day. Like Samuel, she also found it challenging to find time on days packed with meetings. Undeterred nonetheless, Junie likened her effort to that of growing her faith in Christ.
MWS Board Member Samuel Tay clocking steps in the evening with his family
Support our team—One MCS Sharing Love and Concern—as we join in MWS’ mission to empower the disadvantaged and distressed by donating 10 cents, or any other amount, towards every step walked! We thank you, and are looking forward to your support! Donate today at https://www.giving.sg/campaigns/
“The challenge got me thinking about what it means to be a disciple of Christ. We have to be intentional in reading the Word, in setting aside time to be with the Lord. I’m on a lifelong journey to serve and share Christ,” she explained.
onemcssharingloveandconcern or check out https://bit.ly/SFGdonations for alternative modes of payment.
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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News ¢ Angela Goh is the TRAC WSCS D&N coordinator. / Event visuals and photos courtesy of TRAC WSCS
God’s purpose prevails over Covid-19 obstacles WSCS webinar on End Times events “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails.” Prov 19:20 The Message
T
he Trinity Annual Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (TRAC WSCS) invited Dr Aw Swee Eng in 2019 to speak on events of the End Times. He
agreed and based on Matthew 24:37, suggested the title “The Endtime events of the present days of Noah”. By February 2020, the COVID-19 situation had worsened. As COVID-19 numbers increased, the TRAC WSCS executive committee prayed about whether the talk should be held. The venue was changed to Pentecost MC to ensure safe distancing for participants, and all 250 registrants were notified. On 11 March, the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and Dr Aw advised that the event be postponed. However, God’s work and Word can never be kept down by any obstacle. In early June, there emerged a plan to take Dr Aw’s talk online. Dr Aw was game to try. At the time, we had little experience and co-opted various people to help.
Dr Aw Swee Heng, the online speaker
Eventually, 11 July was decided upon and posters were sent out for TRAC WSCS’s very first webinar. To our surprise, registration climbed to the point where the webinar licence had to be increased from 500 to 1000. As the webinar was free, those who registered for the March event generously donated their registration fees to Methodist Welfare Services’ Donate-to-Bless project. Other obstacles, including technical ones, came our way, but they were nothing for our Almighty God. He brought Lum Chee Kin to help with the recording. Advice on streaming licenses, copyright issues and credits of the worship songs came from Lynn Tan, MCS and TRAC staff, the Rev Kow Shih Ming and Ralph Chua of Paya Lebar MC, and the Rev Benjamin Lee of Wesley MC. Pianist Kaeyan Wong;
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
Those who paid registration fees when the event was first scheduled for March generously donated the fees to MWS’ Donate-to-Bless project
A worship session at the beginning of the webinar
singers Raquel Cardano, Joanne and Samantha Ho; and
encouragement and comfort from Scriptures such as
Justin Cheong provided lovely music while Jasmine Wong
Romans 8:35, John 10:28, 29, and 1 John 5:19–21. Dr Aw
and Chris Cardano ably handled post production.
repeated warnings of false teachers who speak “perverse things, to draw away disciples after themselves” (Acts
When the day came, nearly a thousand had registered.
20:29–31) and those who “will turn their ears away
We continued to face difficulties as quite a number could
from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim 4:4).
not log in. Praise God that more than 600, some from as
Concluding with the parable of the ten virgins, Dr Aw
far away as the USA, UK and Australia, were able to join
highlighted that it is almost midnight—we must watch
the webinar. If the talk had been in a physical location,
and pray (Matt 25:6).
the overseas participants would have missed out. Shortly after the webinar, numerous requests for a Dr Aw spoke for close to two hours. In the first part, quoting
recording were received. It was decided for the webinar
Scriptures and showing photos, Dr Aw recounted natural
to be repeated later, on 25 July. Despite the short notice
disasters in the news. Earthquakes, volcanoes, sinkholes
and limited publicity, more than 800 signed up.
and tsunamis form one category of end times events. Also, climate change causes floods, droughts, forest fires,
We are thankful to the Lord for speaking through Dr Aw,
which in turn lead to conflicts and wars over food and
who spent many hours with us preparing for the webinar.
water. Locusts and plagues, including COVID-19, are yet
It is with grateful hearts that the TRAC WSCS ladies give
another sign. Then there are terrorism, societal unrest,
God all the glory. He is forever faithful!
fake news, information overload and various addictions. In the second part, Dr Aw moved on to the call to faith and perseverance. Based on Matt 24:37—“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man”—Dr Aw shared that great sins on earth start with the desire to create immortal super humans to usurp the throne of God the Creator. One reason for the flood of Noah’s day was the genetic manipulation by the Nephilim. Such manipulations are happening today. Dr Aw described attempts to modify human beings through genetic engineering. Transhumanism and efforts to achieve immortality are part of a sinister side of science.
Feedback from participants “Excellent presentation by Dr Aw. Very insightful information with lots of warning signs. Equally good is the overall flow of the programme. Thank you, TRAC WSCS.” “Time with God and His servants is better than time spent elsewhere. Thank you for organising this webinar and thank you, Dr Aw.” “It was an awesome and insightful sharing by Dr Aw.”
Persecution and contempt of Christianity are all signs of the times. Rather than despairing, Christians can draw METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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ACS (International) Admissions Seminars for 2021 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).
School Senior Management Team
11 September, 1pm
Seminar in Korean
16 October, 1pm RSVP ro_southkorea@acsinternational.edu.sg 12 August, 3:30pm
Seminar in Japanese
22 September, 3:30pm RSVP ro_japan@acsinternational.edu.sg 25 August, 1pm
Mr Rob Burrough Principal
Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal
Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal
Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal
Seminar in Chinese
23 September, 1pm RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg
Seminar in Vietnamese
29 August, 10am
Seminar in Taiwanese
21 August, 2pm
RSVP ro_vietnam@acsinternational.edu.sg
RSVP ro_taiwan@acsinternational.edu.sg 22 August, 9am & 11am
Seminars will be held on Campus with School Tour
Attendance by Reservations Only
5 September, 9am & 11am
Each session is limited to 45 participants
8 September, 9am & 11am Venue: Oldham Chapel, ACS (International) 61 Jalan Hitam Manis, Singapore 278475
Seminar in English for Singaporeans & Other Locals
Please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg
10 September, 9am & 11am 26 September, 9am & 11am 10 October, 9am & 11am 17 October, 9am & 11am RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg 26 November, 1pm & 3pm
Post PSLE Seminar for Locals
27 November, 10am, 1pm & 3pm 28 November, 9:30am & 11:30am RSVP admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg
News ¢ By the MCS Communications Team / Photos courtesy of Sheerah Sanjana Pandian
Sheerah with her parents An aspiring artist, Sheerah has been attending classes since she was seven
Totes full of thanks
S
heerah Sanjana Pandian, 11, will forever remember the thrill of receiving the news that her artwork would be featured on the National Day Parade (NDP) Singapore Together Pack tote bags.
This year’s NDP has provided Sheerah with an opportunity for her to give recognition and show her appreciation to the forgotten members of our society through her winning tote bag design.
NDP fun packs have traditionally only been given to those who attend the annual parade and the rehearsals, but this year, because of the scaled-down parade and the COVID-19 epidemic, one fun pack has been made available for each of more than a million Singaporean and permanent resident households.
When asked how she thought others in Singapore could appreciate the foreign workers, Sheerah, a member of Tamil Methodist Church (Short Street), points to John 13:34—35 (NIV): “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This year’s packs feature 10 designs on the bags by aspiring artists with disabilities from seven organisations, in collaboration with SG Enable, as well as 10 designs by Primary 5 pupils, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The packs contain items such as hand sanitiser, a thermometer, face masks, snacks and canned drinks.
“A simple smile and thank you,” she says, “will go a long way.” To the foreign workers in the community, Sheerah says, “Thank you for being that silent unsung heroes in helping to build our nation. Sorry that we might have forgotten your contributions. But this National Day, I would like to dedicate my personal tribute to every one of you.”
Sheerah’s artwork was one of those selected from among 1,200 Primary 5 students who participated in the NDP Singapore Together Pack artwork competition. In her design, the image of a strong heart represents life and hope, while the people in it represent a diverse society comprising of our four main races and foreign workers, working together to overcome challenges. Last year, Sheerah got to know two foreign workers who helped to paint her family’s house. She heard about the long hours they had to work, and how they were unable to go home for many months or even years in order to work to support their families. It made her realise how foreign workers have been our “hidden heroes”, playing a very important role in the progress of our country, and how their efforts and contributions have oftentimes gone unrecognised.
Sheerah’s design, which will be featured on some of the Singapore Together Pack tote bags METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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METHODIST MESSAGE, JULY 2013
News ¢ By the MCS Communications Team / Photo courtesy of Joshua Wan
“Everything I Am”
T
his year’s National Day Parade (NDP), themed
Dr Tan liked the ideas behind this ode to family,
“Together, a Stronger Singapore”, was rather different
togetherness, kindness and gratitude, and so Joshua was
from those we had been accustomed to—the large
commissioned to write the NDP song. Joshua shared: “The
large-scale events with thousands of performers and tens
songs I write tend to convey my point of view, so this
of thousands of spectators either at the Floating Platform,
year I’m writing as a father, a husband, a teacher and a
the National Stadium or the Padang.
musician, all of whom live in Singapore in 2020.” restrictions,
In the same spirit, the music video of “Everything I Am”
Singapore’s 55th birthday celebrations on 9 Aug were
focuses on the stories of everyday Singaporeans, 55 of
scaled down. The organisers of NDP 2020 hoped that
whom are featured in this year’s NDP.
But
due
to
COVID-19
social
distancing
Singaporeans would stay home and celebrate with their families instead, and watch the features on live broadcasts
When asked what his birthday wish for Singapore was,
on free-to-air television and internet platforms throughout
Joshua said, “Get well. Get back on your feet. But don’t
the day. The mobile columns, flypasts and fireworks were
forget the lessons you have learnt from this COVID-19
viewable from the heartlands.
experience: spend more time with family and loved ones, learn to cook at least three dishes yourself so you can
Joshua Wan, who is an Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) alumnus
survive at home without repeating your menu more than
and attends Church of our Saviour, composed “Everything
twice a week, and take your dog for a long walk at least
I Am”, the NDP 2020 theme song. It was performed by
once a day.”
Nathan Hartono, who also attended ACS. Joshua wrote the theme songs for NDPs in 2003 (“One United People”) and 2006 (“My Island Home”), and was also the parade’s musical director those years. Joshua and Dr Sydney Tan, the NDP 2020 musical director, used to be part of All Good Gifts Ministries, a para-church music ministry during the 1990s–2000s. Earlier in the year, before COVID-19 became a global emergency, sending into our homes and behind our masks, Joshua had coincidentally been thinking about how, if he were to write an NDP song, it would be about “how blessed we were in Singapore, how freely we can pursue opportunities, and how we sometimes take these freedoms for granted. How, if we are given a thing of value that we did not earn or pay for, and continue to be given it year after year, we tend to start to view it as an entitlement and not as a blessing. Worse still, it starts to lose its inherent value in our eyes. “I wanted to remember the blessings of those that went before us and, in turn, remember to be blessings to those who come after.”
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Home ¢ By the MCS Communications Team / Photos courtesy of Hakka MC
Friends for life
S
The befrienders with some of the FDP families
ocial action has always been an integral part of being a Methodist. For Jimmy Chua and his team of volunteers from Hakka Methodist Church (MC), they have decided to give back by collaborating with Methodist Welfare Services
(MWS) as befrienders in the MWS Family Development Programme (FDP). This team from Hakka MC first came together in 2016, and they now have 22 volunteers in their 30s to 60s from all walks of life—working adults, retirees and housewives. As MWS befrienders, the Hakka MC volunteers start their first visitation by getting to know the families in need and helping them to apply for the FDP. Once the application has been approved, the volunteers visit the families every month, over the course of one year, to help them with their financial management. This involves helping them plan how to pay their bills with their current available finances, as well as debt repayment and savings matching, so that they may eventually break out of the poverty cycle. The help is not just practical. While journeying with the families as befrienders, Jimmy and his team are able to lend them a listening ear, and share their concerns and needs. In the process, the befrienders have developed patience and tolerance, and become less judgemental. They have learnt to share the perspectives of those from all races, language groups and religions. Their commitment as befrienders also requires them to have passion, integrity and team spirit. Although Singapore might be considered an economically developed nation, there are still many underprivileged members of society who get left behind, although the inequality is often not visible. Jimmy’s wish is to see more Singaporeans, as volunteers and organisations, reach out to the underprivileged. Methodists, he says, can do their part by exploring more in areas of outreach, and to offer their time and resources if they can.
Other than becoming a mentor or befriender, there are many ways in which you can help MWS beneficiaries, depending on your skills, time and resources. Visit Befrienders attending a training session before they go out to visit families
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
https://mws.sg/volunteer for more information.
Home ¢ Glynisia Yeo is a member of Faith Methodist Church and a proud mom of a pre-schooler. She tries to remain sane while balancing her work and parenthood duties and invites anyone with helpful tips to email her at glynisiayeo@faithmc.sg. / Photos courtesy of Faith Methodist Church
Love beyond education
Health checks, masks and sanitisers are the order of the day, as the country recovers from COVID-19
Learning through play
“Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6
W
hen it was time to choose a pre-school for their children, Jeremy Ang and his wife instinctively knew that they would favour a Christian-based kindergarten. Just as he and his wife had benefitted from a Christian education at a young age, they wanted their sons to be likewise blessed. They eventually selected Faith Kindergarten, a church-based pre-school belonging to Faith Methodist Church. Apart from Faith Kindergarten’s convenient location along Commonwealth Drive, what meant a lot to them was the school’s focus on shaping their children’s characters. It brought the Angs a great sense of joy and fulfilment when one of their sons reminded them to say grace before meals—it was one of many good habits that had been cultivated at Faith Kindergarten. Their three sons have passed through the doors of Faith Kindergarten, with the youngest one graduating at the end of this year. The teachers also played a major role in helping Diana Ng select Faith Kindergarten for her two children. “Every teacher seemed to know the names of all the children in the school, and not just of those from their own classes. They greet each child by name at the morning health check, and this gives the child a sense of identity and belonging,” says Diana. “They also teach a lot about the Word [of God].” Diana also recounts how her daughter, who was still in Nursery at the time, was able to recite Psalm 9:1–2 in fluent Mandarin.
One Family Pauline Chia is the principal of Faith Kindergarten. She has been in the childcare education industry for 30 years, and is herself an alumni of Faith Kindergarten. She describes how the relationships between teachers, parents and children have intertwined over the years: “We are like a big family.” When she first became a teacher at Faith Kindergarten, her teaching mentor was the same teacher who had taught her as a student, and this same teaching-mentor also taught Pauline’s daughter. Some teachers have been with the school since 2004, back when it was housed in the old church building before its reconstruction. “Parents feel comfortable with our curriculum,” Pauline continues. “We have built rapport and trust with the parents over the years, and they put their trust and assurance in the teachers and staff to make Faith Kindy a nurturing and caring environment for their children. Many of the students here are the siblings of ex-students, or the children of alumni parents.”
Registration is open for Faith Kindergarten 2021 intake! For more information on Faith Kindergarten: paulinechia@faithkindy.edu.sg
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Registration at our Columbarium OďŹƒce (Level 5) Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm (Closed on Public Holidays). Tel: 6479 8122 HP: 9670 9935 or Fax: 6479 6960 Email: veronicalowjmc@yahoo.com.sg
Welfare Services ¢ By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Visuals courtesy of Methodist Welfare Services
WHO are you
a neighbour to?
T
he COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our lives, despite the easing of control measures. For those who have fewer resources and are more likely to lose their jobs, the impact is substantially heavier. From a Christian perspective, the current pandemic is providing followers with ample opportunities to obey Christ’s command to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt 22:39b), with our neighbours being the struggling men, women and youth in our community. One such person is Ms Lyra Loh. The sole breadwinner of her family of three, which includes her four-year-old daughter and elderly mother, Lyra already had enough on her plate before COVID-19 struck. Despite being diagnosed with several mental disorders in the past, Lyra is committed to overcome her condition, work hard to support her family and save up for her daughter’s future. When the pandemic broke out, Lyra had to take a significant pay cut, which drained her savings and made it more challenging to make ends meet. She is also fearful of contracting the virus and putting her young daughter and elderly mother at risk. In the face of these mounting problems, Lyra found herself feeling helpless and hopeless. Yet, motivated by her love for her daughter, Lyra picks herself up each time and reaches out to her case workers whenever she needs help.
also stepped up to care for rough sleepers who are rehoused in Buangkok. MWS is committed to maintaining our high level of service and care to everyone we serve as well as the new clients who come through our doors. We are: •
ensuring that our medical and protective supplies are replenished, and adopting new safety services to keep our residential facilities and frontline services safe for both beneficiaries and staff;
•
providing financial support to families and individuals;
•
hiring more staff to support youths and low-income families;
•
equipping seniors with digital skills to stay engaged with the community; and
•
ensuring that our care teams who are pulling extra shifts commute safely to their workplaces every day, and caring for their mental well-being so that they can continue to give the best to the clients they serve.
All these have increased our costs while donations have not risen in tandem. In the meantime, we continue to care for close to 12,000 existing beneficiaries through our 20 critical centres and programmes. Be the neighbour we need. Please donate generously to keep MWS going!
Lyra is one of the many people who have come to Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) to seek help for COVID19-related problems.
Your donation will be used to better the lives of
Our Neighbours are Suffering
the Solidarity Payment given by the government if
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MWS has seen a higher caseload of families whose livelihoods have been affected, like Lyra’s, or who have lost their livelihoods. The need for daily and constant sanitising of our facilities and medical supplies to keep beneficiaries and staff safe have intensified. Our seniors are feeling more isolated as they are unable to participate in social and wellness activities like before and more has to be done to engage them individually. MWS has
you do not need it. Every dollar matters.
the disadvantaged, especially those who need it to weather the COVID-19 storm. Please consider donating
https://mws.sg/product/who-are-you-a-neighbour-to/ or scan the QR code to donate.
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Missions ¢ Dr Lionel Lee is a retired SAF Brigadier-General and a former Professor with NTU. He was the Chief of the SAF Medical Corps, Director of the Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute and the Executive Vice Dean of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. A member of Charis Methodist Church, he has been involved in the Education and Missions ministries of The Methodist Church in Singapore serving on the Boards of Geylang Methodist Schools, Vineyard Methodist School and Little Candles Methodist School.
Education
as a missions endeavour “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6
J
apanese gardens provide a stunning visual experience—trees are beautifully shaped in ways that are very pleasing to the eye. The clever gardener can envision the potential beauty of each young sapling and guide its growth so that eventually each tree will be shaped differently yet be equally pleasing. To achieve this effect, gardeners prune and sculpt the trees during their early growth, and shoots are guided around wires. The twists and turns of the young tree’s stems and branches are supported until the trunk is stronger. In the end, these trees are shaped to their natural inclinations and bents. We could view the nurturing of children in the same way. Wise teachers and parents will teach and guide their children, understanding the latter’s natural inclinations and “bends”. They can recognise and support desirable tendencies whilst smoothing the rough patches and shaping out undesirable attributes.
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
This was the aspiration of Singapore Methodist Missions when the Rev William F. Oldham set up Singapore’s first Methodist English language school in 1886, giving birth to the educational mission of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS). Today we have 14 Methodist schools and these schools have impacted many generations of students and brought many young pupils to Christ. This is also the aspiration of the educational mission of Methodist Missions Society (MMS) in Chiangmai. The Bible teaches that every child should be given the chance to start right. We aim for this in our two schools, the Vineyard Methodist School in Sansai district at the outskirts of Chiangmai and the Little Candles Methodist School in Phrao, a two-hour journey to the north. When Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon asked me to set up a School Board for the Vineyard Methodist School
(VMS), I leapt at the chance to do what our Methodist schools in Singapore have achieved, for the education of Thai children. On 28 Sep 2018, I was appointed to chair the VMS Board and have never looked back. It will always be a privilege to start a young Thai child in the way they ought to go. The VMS was the brainchild of Mrs Yeo Sungwan, a former MMS missionary who had a passion for the education of young children in Thailand. Together with her husband, the Rev Henry Yeo, currently the district superintendent of the Mettakij Church Association in Thailand, she started a nursery, a student hostel, a kindergarten and the VMS Primary School. In 2004, the Vineyard Kindergarten was officially dedicated to the glory of God by Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, with the Governor of Chiangmai, Mr Suwat Tantiphat, as the guest of honour. In April 2011, it expanded into a primary school and was renamed the Vineyard School of Chiangmai. In 2012, the school was named the VMS. A new building was officially declared open by the Governor of Chiangmai, Mr Panada Diskul, and dedicated to the glory of God by Bishop Emeritus Dr Solomon in Feb 2012. The VMS (https://www.vms.ac.th/en/home) has consistently won awards as an outstanding school in the Chiangmai Province and is well sought out by parents to enrol their kids. The VMS will be starting a Secondary School and renovations to accommodate the new school will be required. Donations to the VMS Building Fund are most welcome.
Little Candles Methodist School (LCMS) (https://www. thesurinfoundation.com/little-candles-school) was established in 2012 for the purpose of Christian outreach through education. It stems from a vision to bring the Gospel to the Thai people when Ps Daniel and Sharon Loo arrived in Phrao as missionaries in 2008. They had a heart for church planting but where the local Thais fight shy of joining a church, they readily embrace the idea of Christian education even if it means praying to God, singing praises and studying the Bible. The school has grown, and in 2019 enrolled 165 students at kindergarten level and 40 students at nursery level, making it the biggest kindergarten in Phrao. LCMS has provided a platform for effective Christian outreach to the students, staff, parents and community over the years. This has included Christian teaching to the students through weekly bible activities, praise and worship during assembly, and prayers before meals. The teachers attend a weekly bible study class, and are required to join LCMC’s church service (conducted on the school premises on Sundays) once a month. The school’s overall success, reflected by its awards and students’ achievements, have made a positive impact on the community. This has enhanced the image of Christianity and the Church in Phrao. The LCMS will be starting a primary school, which will require a new building on site. Donations to the LCMS Primary Building Fund will be most welcome.
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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You & Your Family ¢ 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, received in 2011, and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
Raising successful children in an age of uncertainty
C
hampion runners like Sebastian Coe and Usain Bolt are famous. Ivan Fernandez is less known. Whilst the first two are known for setting world records, Fernandez’s claim to fame is coming in second in a race—when he could have been first. In that race, he had been trailing the frontrunner, a Kenyan named Abel Mutai. As Mutai neared the finish line, he slowed down, thinking that he had already crossed it. Fernandez caught up but instead of surging forward for the gold medal, he motioned Mutai to keep on running. Fernandez said after the race that winning is not everything—how one wins also matters. The race of life presents many challenges. How do we as adults and parents prepare our young for this race? This question is pertinent in a competitive society—where the principle of meritocracy is applied as a key driver and the workplace can be a dog-eat-dog contest. This question is all the more important amidst the current uncertainties.
The merit of this strategy is that the prize of success can be significant. Society does acknowledge and reward winners. Its downside is also substantial. To get to the pinnacle, sacrifices are often required. Some talk of a “lost childhood”. It can also be lonely at the top. And for every success story, there are scores who do not make it. They lie by the wayside defeated and demoralised. The second strategy is to aim for excellence but without a “at-all-cost” mentality. In other words, strive for excellence but not necessarily success. If excellence brings success, that is well and good. This strategy is consistent with the question, “What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his soul?” (Mark 8:36) It focuses not so much on the outcome but on the process, which does not require surrendering our humanity or losing compassion for others. Ivan Fernandez felt that winning through his rival’s mistake would have been a hollow victory.
There are two strategies parents can adopt. The first is what I call a win-at-all-cost strategy. Give your child an early head-start in life. For instance, register them early in the best enrichment programmes and cover the broadest possible range of skills—from languages to numeracy, ballet to wushu, robot-building to drama training. Put them in the best schools and ensure that they join CCAs that get them ahead of the pack. Get them to volunteer to help the less privileged and receive recognition for being well-rounded. 26
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METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
Parents adopting this strategy must build a firm foundation of unconditional positive regard. This can be demonstrated by willingness to catch one’s children when they fail and fall, assuring them that failure is neither fatal nor final, and helping them learn from their successes and mistakes. When children are raised in such an environment, they grow up not fearful about trying new things, failing or suffering setbacks. This fearlessness is so necessary in times of uncertainty.
Hymns & Songs ¢ Judith Laoyan-Mosomos is the Director for Worship and Church Music at the Methodist School of Music, and a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
Love beyond measure
T
his is the fifth stanza of the hymn, “We Were Once as You Are”, included in Book III of the Olney Hymns, written by John Newton (1725–1807) and his friend William Cowper (1731–1800). I was introduced to it two weeks ago after receiving a question on the origin and nature of the hymn. It had been quoted in a sermon by Timothy Keller, which piqued the interest of someone and, subsequently, mine. Not much has been written about the hymn. Hymns in the Olney Hymnal were used for worship or other Sunday or weekday meetings. Newton and Cowper did not write tunes for these hymns but were mindful of the meter they used. The meter determined which tune may be fitting to accompany the text. As I read the text, I wondered: might this be our response to COVID-19? But what beauty have we seen about God in this time of distress? N. T. Wright, in his book God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and Its Aftermath, points us to Romans 8, which he was of the opinion is full of faith, hope and love. He further states that the chapter captures that the world we live in is full of darkness, but we are secured all because of God’s love outpoured in the death of Jesus (Rom 8:37–39). 2 This is the beauty of God we ought to see, be thankful for and take delight in. The world may be in turmoil, but that does not separate us from the love of God.
We cannot, however, take comfort and enjoy the security that we have been granted, and just go on with life. The hymn reminds us that it is our duty, as people of hope, to go out into the world to love and serve God with every ounce of our energy. As we grapple with the “new normal”, our responsibility of caring for our environment, each other, the less privileged, the poor and the needy is even greater. As Wright puts it, we cannot be spectators nor simply be beneficiaries of the beauty we see in God. We have to be active participants in the work that God has purposed us to do.3 For this text, I suggest we use hymn 502 of the United Methodist Hymnal (tune name: BRED DINA VIDA VINGAR). It is a beautiful Swedish folk tune that is easy to catch. Listen to the tune by scanning the QR code. The tune has an AABA form, where B prepares the singer for the crux of the text. 2 N. T. Wright, God and the Pandemic: A Reflection on the Coronavirus and Its Aftermath (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2020), 4243./ 3 Ibid, 51.
Stanza 5 of
“WE WERE ONCE AS YOU ARE” Our pleasure and our duty, Though opposite before; Since we have seen his beauty, Are joined to part no more: It is our highest pleasure, No less than duty’s call; To love him beyond measure, And serve him with our all. Words:
John Newton (1725–1807) and William Cowper (1731-1800)
METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
The S11 foreign worker dormitory in Punggol, the largest cluster of COVID-19 cases as of Aug 2020
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TRAC Bible Matters ¢ Ps Joey Chen has been the Assistant Pastor at Methodist Church of the Incarnation since entering Trinity Annual Conference as a Member-on-Trial in 2018. She enjoys good movies, good coffee and good books.
Singing in the spirit Does the practice of “singing in the Spirit” in charismatic worship services contravene the Bible’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 14:13—20?1 Several years ago, I visited a charismatic church. Halfway through the contemporary worship set, the congregation was invited to sing in tongues. Everyone broke out in glossalalic singing for a minute or so. That was my first experience of what is commonly known as “singing in the Spirit”. I had just that afternoon received the gift of angelic tongues (not at the charismatic church but at my own church), and coming from a church that did not permit speaking in tongues without interpretation during services (and rightly so), I found the experience refreshing. But how does the practice of singing in the Spirit square with Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 14:13—20? Before diving into this passage, it is important to get one thing straight—Paul recognised both human tongues (i.e. a foreign language) and angelic tongues. In 1 Corinthians 13:1, Paul referred to “speaking in tongues of men or of angels”. In case you think Paul might have been granting them a point and not actually affirming angelic tongues, he went on to say in 1 Corinthians 14:2 that “anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.” Too often, sincere Christians have dismissed the biblicity of angelic tongues by referring to the episode of speaking in human tongues at Pentecost in Acts 2. Paul also expressly said, “Do not forbid speaking in tongues” (1 Cor 14:39), so he was definitely not against the practice. When it comes to human tongues and angelic tongues, it is not either or—it is both/and. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was a corrective to a church that had not fully learnt how to follow Christ: amongst its problems were the overemphasis on personal rights and ecstatic experiences. The Corinthians lived in an era where it was universally accepted that spiritual gifts accompanied those who were “specially in touch with the divine…Their ‘enthusiasm’4 was the mark of the presence of the divine spirit within them”. The Corinthian Christians eagerly sought spiritual gifts as evidence of their spiritual maturity, and were practising their Christian faith in an emotional and enthusiastic manner, engaging the spirit but bypassing the mind. Some spiritual gifts (such as speaking in tongues) were elevated over others. Those who had the “better” spiritual gifts were lording it over others, creating division in the church (cf. 1 Cor 12). They were more concerned about the power of the Spirit
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that they exercised, than the community of the Spirit. Such actions were symptomatic of a bigger problem: their lack of love for each other was what made them act in selfish ways that were not conducive to building community (cf. 1 Cor 13). Paul needed to recentre the Corinthian church on what mattered in God’s eyes: building a loving community. So in 1 Corinthians 14, after establishing the centrality of love, Paul described what that love looked like when practised in community. He established the importance of love in pursuing and practising spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:1– 12). He instituted rules for worshipping in community (1 Cor 14:24–40). Worship was to be (i) accessible to everyone and no one would feel excluded, and (ii) useful for building up all believers. How does Paul’s words for the Corinthian Christians apply to our Christian context today? Let’s start by noting a major difference between worship in the Corinthian church and worship in the church today. Historical descriptions of secular gatherings show a pattern of eating together, and then guests taking turns to lead in song.6 It is likely that the worship of the early Christians followed this format, sans bawdy jokes and free flow of wine. These Christians would have written or rehearsed spiritual songs (“spiritual because they are inspired by the Spirit and manifest the life of the Spirit”7) and sung them to one another for the purposes of edification.8 This is different from most modern day worship (both traditional and contemporary) where a select group of people lead in the worship service. Paul’s concern with not speaking in tongues during worship—in a context where worship can be “led” by anyone in attendance—is ensuring that worship is always orderly and accessible. In other words, if we go by the spirit (as opposed to the letter) of what Paul said, it is not that singing in tongues is verboten, but how it is done that is key. For Paul, the principles of worship that cannot be compromised are: (i) worship must never be self-indulgent because it is for the edification of one another (1 Cor 14:1–5, 12, 17); (ii) worship must never be individualistic—we worship as a united body (1 Cor 14:6–11); (iii) we must be sensitive to those amongst us (pre-believers or those who do not speak in tongues) who may be stumbled by strange practices or feel awkward because they are excluded (1 Cor 14:16); (iv) worship must engage spirit and mind so that it is fruitful for the believer (1 Cor 14:13–15); and (v) worship must be orderly (1 Cor 14:40).
What does this mean for our context today? Here are some questions we can ask ourselves when considering whether there is room for singing in tongues in worship services: (i) Does my singing in the Spirit during worship come from a self-indulgent spirit? Is it symptomatic of an individualistic faith?
In worship, we are not just worshipping God. The purpose of worship is also to encourage and build up one another. My faith is not just between God and me, but held together in community. We worship as a community of faith, and not a collection of individuals who happen to share the same faith.
(ii) Does my singing in the Spirit during worship make those who have not received the gift of angelic tongues feel like outsiders? Will it make pre-believers feel awkward or stumble them? Does it prevent participation?
The key here is love, and we have the choice to love others by curtailing our freedom to worship out loud in angelic tongues. Who is doing it is also important: if the worship or service leader were to pray audibly in tongues for an extended period of time, there’s no way for the people to say “Amen” to what (s)he is saying.
(iii) D oes my singing in the Spirit during worship engage my spirit and my mind? Can I sing in the Spirit and still engage all of myself (mind included) in the worship of God?
The engagement of spirit and mind does not need to be simultaneous: it will suffice so long as there is adequate room given to both during worship. As Paul himself said, “I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.” We can do both! There is certainly room for the congregant to sing in tongues at intervals (e.g. in between worship songs, during musical interludes, during “free worship”). Engaging the mind happens when we read the lyrics in the hymnbook or on the projection screen, proclaim God’s truth through song, and we hear it proclaimed by our own voice intermingled with other voices. Singing in the Spirit should not be a substitute for engaging one’s mental faculties.
(iv) Does my singing in the Spirit during worship make it difficult for my brother- or sister-in-Christ to engage his/her spirit and mind? Does it edify my brother- or sister-in-Christ?
In a group context where everyone has the gift of angelic tongues, a period of singing in the Spirit together may not be out of place. The group may feel edified at the end of it because tongues do edify (1 Cor 14:4). However, we must be mindful of those who do not have the gift of angelic tongues, and ensure that adequate time is devoted to engaging the mind fruitfully.
(v) Does my singing in the Spirit during worship cause disruption to the service?
If done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Cor 14:40), a case can be made for singing in the Spirit during worship. For example, it is okay if it is done quietly without disrupting the singing of hymns or worship songs, or the congregational prayer. Another possibility is when the worship leader goes into a non-protracted time of “free worship”, as a congregation member I can sing in tongues so long as it does not make it difficult for those around me to worship.
Paul’s words in 1 Cor 14:13–20 are more about the big picture of loving your neighbour and less about the parochial debates about angelic tongues. The problem with angelic tongues was not that they were angelic tongues but what it did to the community of believers. Paul’s words are a corrective for Christians today who over-emphasise the individualistic, experiential aspect of Sunday services. As Gordon Fee said, “The point of everything in corporate worship is not personal experience in the Spirit, but building up the church itself.”9 When we come to worship on Sundays, we ought to prepare our hearts and minds to engage with God and with one another. It is the engagement with one another in worship that we often forget. In the words of bible scholar Andrew T. Lincoln, “Being filled with the Spirit involves not simply private mystical experiences but corporate worship and relationships…the fullness of the Spirit can only be properly experienced in community.” The other danger to avoid is a “flesh-led” attitude to worshipping in the Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, the people spontaneously broke out in tongues when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. When we are singing in the Spirit we must ask ourselves whether we are responding to the move of the Holy Spirit or we are willing ourselves to do it. Finally, we also need to understand and respect the traditions of different churches. Perhaps what is more important than examining and critiquing another church’s beliefs or practices that differ from ours, is that we have the humility to examine and critique our own in the light of the Gospel, and to learn from other churches. 1 Since Paul was addressing speaking in angelic tongues during worship in 1 Corinthians 14:13-20, we will be focusing on the angelic tongues aspect of “singing in the Spirit”, and not the “free worship” in intelligible words aspect of it. / 3 Hans Conzelmann, 1 Corinthians: A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975), 14. / 4 Not to be confused with the more contemporary use of the word to mean “a feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved in it”. “Enthusiastic” comes from the Greek word enthousiasmos, meaning “inspiration or possession by a god”. Someone who was enthusiastic in those days would have “behaved in unpredictable ways, threw themselves about, spoke in a frenzied manner, and so on.”(Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985], 161.) / 5 Morris, 161. / 6 Alikin, Valeriy A. “Singing and Prayer In the Gathering of the Early Church,” The Earliest History of the Christian Gathering: Origin, Development and Content of the Christian Gathering in the First to Third Centuries (Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2010), 211–54. / 7 Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians, vol. 42, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1990), 346. / 8 It is worth noting at this point that Ephesians 5:19 (in particular the phrase “songs from the Spirit”) does not provide the basis for the practice of singing in angelic tongues. This phrase could just as easily mean “songs composed with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit”. This latter interpretation becomes even more likely when one considers that the terms “psalms”, “hymns”, “songs from the Spirit” have been used interchangeably to mean the same thing in the Septuagint (an early Greek translation of the Old Testament that predates Ephesians by about 300 years, which the writer of Ephesians would have had access to). In my opinion, 1 Corinthians 14:15 provides a far stronger scriptural support for singing in angelic tongues. / 9Gordon Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 667.
The views expressed in this article are personal and might not necessarily reflect the official position of The Methodist Church in Singapore. This version of the article has been edited for brevity. A full version of the article can be found at http://www.trac-mcs.org.sg/index.php/resources/bible-matters?layout=edit&id=262 METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Soundings ¢ 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 (http://ethosinstitute.sg)
Redeeming work “Soundings” is a series of essays that , like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding.
I
n an article published on the Gallup website, Amy Adkins writes rather unflatteringly about Millennials’ attitude towards work. 1
“Millennials have a reputation for job-hopping,” she declares. “Unattached to organisations and institutions, people from this generation—born between 1980 and 1996—are said to move freely from company to company. More so than any other generation.’ Adkins cites a recent Gallup report which “reveals that 21 per cent of Millennials say they’ve changed jobs within the past year, which is more than three times the number of non-millennials who report the same”.
Whatever one may wish to make of Adkins’ characterisation of Millennials, it is perhaps true to say that all of us need to rediscover the true significance of work because we live in an age where it has been all too banal and vapid. Christians who wish to discover the true meaning of work must return to the paradisiacal Garden described in Bible’s first few pages. For it was there that humans, having been fashioned in the image of their Creator, were given the extraordinary mandate to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea
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and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen 1:28).
activity through which human beings can find meaning and fulfilment.
The first humans were told to be “fruitful”. They were commanded to “subdue” the earth, and exercise “dominion” over it. In other words, they were given the task of tending the Garden, of participating in the work of the Creator as His co-worker and partner.
But in order to achieve this, it is important that we see the work that we do as a way in which we can fulfil our calling, a vocation through which we offer our service to both God and neighbour.
As Stanley Horton puts it, “Adam was given work to do, such as cultivating, trimming and caring for the garden.” By this mandate, God made Adam “a responsible being sharing in part of the work of taking care of God’s creation”. 2
As Dorothy Sayers has so eloquently put it, with the right perspective, daily work is seen “not as a necessary drudgery to be undergone for the purpose of making money, but as a way of life in which the nature of man should find its proper exercise and delight and so fulfil itself to the glory of God”. 4
Work is an activity that is befitting of God’s special creatures who alone are given the privilege to be the bearers of the divine image. In fact, it is in performing daily work that human beings reflect the Creator, for the God in whose image they are made is Himself a worker.
When it is understood as a means by which we can fulfil our calling, daily work is transformed from drudgery to doxology—an act of praise, thanksgiving and worship to God. We offer the work of our hands to God by giving our very best and by making sure that God is honoured by it.
This has led theologians such as Pope John Paul II to maintain that work sets human beings apart from the other creatures that God has brought into being. “Work” writes the pontiff, “is one of the characteristics that distinguishes man from the rest of the creatures, whose activity for sustaining their lives cannot be called work. Only man is capable of work.” 3
But our daily work does not only bring glory to God. As the great Reformer Martin Luther has tirelessly stressed, in performing our daily work diligently and responsibly, we are in fact also serving our fellow human beings. We are responding to the call to love our neighbour.
Work is thus God’s intention for human beings and should never be seen as divine punishment resulting from the Fall. And although human sin has made it into something irksome, tedious and even dehumanising, daily work remains a divine mandate and therefore an
Human work is sacred because it was ordained by God before the Fall. This means that all human work, however lowly, is capable of glorifying God. In addition, work is the means by which we participate in the life-giving activity of the Creator himself. By it we fulfil our calling to love both God and neighbour.
1
Amy Adkins, “Millennials: The Job-Hopping Generation,” Gallup, https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231587/millennials-job-hopping-generation.aspx.
2
Stanley M. Horton, The Old Testament Study Bible: Genesis, The Complete Biblical Library: The Old Testament, Vol. 1, ed. Thoralf Gilbrant (Springfield: World Library, 1994), 29.
3
https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-_iienc_14091981_loborem-exercens.html.
4
Dorothy Sayers, Creed or Chaos? (Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 1974), 89. METHODIST MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Home ¢ Lois Chng is a member of Toa Payoh CMC and the artist of CAC News’ “I Am John Wesley” cartoon (www.cac-singapore.org.sg/cac-cartoon-i-am-john-wesley).
What does being a
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SEPTEMBER
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Looking Ahead ¢
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PRAY FOR THE 12TH SESSION GENERAL CONFERENCE 7 to 11 Sep 2020 and 2 to 4 Dec 2020
Join us in prayer for God’s guidance as important decisions are being made during the 12th Session General Conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS). Items you can pray for: •
Logistics and preparation for online or on-site meetings, including all technical details and measures required
•
Elections of major office-holders such as the Bishop, and Chairpersons of various Councils that oversee the church’s work over the next four years
•
Decisions made on behalf of MCS, such as matters of church law and policy, including amendments to The Book of Discipline, which are debated and discussed before being accepted
•
Delivery of reports on work done the last four years and the plans for the coming four years and beyond
•
Good health, protection and alertness of the delegates and supporting staff, that the proceedings may be carried out smoothly and thoroughly
TRAC SENIORS MINISTRY WORSHIP SERVICE: THE CHANGING TIMES 9 Sep 2020 (Wednesday), 2.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. 9220-8954 (Priscilla Low) priscillalow@trac-mcs.org.sg
Join Bishop Emeritus Dr Wee Boon Hup via ZOOM as he shares on Hebrews 13:1–10. ZOOM meeting details will be sent separately upon registration.
OCTOBER
Organised by TRAC Seniors Ministry
ETHOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2020: GOD AND CREATION 3 Oct 2020 (Saturday), 10.00 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. Wesley Methodist Church or via ZOOM (To be confirmed closer to the date) https://ethosinstitute.sg/godandcreation/ 6304-3765 (Ms Florence Kang) info@ethosinstitute.sg
The doctrine of creation is a central tenet of the Christian faith. It is found in the first pages of the Bible (Gen 1:1–31) and enshrined in the ecumenical creeds of the Church, such as the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds. This conference will explore this doctrine as it is presented in Scripture and tradition. It will also examine the place of this doctrine in the Church’s theology and worship, and its significance for Christianity’s dialogue with the natural sciences and the current ecological crisis.
2020
Organised by ETHOS Institute™ for Public Christianity.
MCS WHATSAPP BROADCAST GROUP In this unpredictable and spiritually challenging time, MCS will send updates, information and prayers when you sign up with our latest Whatsapp Broadcast Group! Here’s how. First, please save +65 6478-4786 in your phone contacts as “MCS”. (Please note that you will not be able to receive broadcast messages without saving the number.) Then complete the form found here: https://tinyurl.com/mcswhatsapp, and you are done! :)
THINK ¢ Jason Wong is Chairman of Focus on the Family (Singapore) and also of Elijah7000, a Christian movement to turn hearts of Christian fathers to their children. He is one of the speakers at “Passing on a Godly Legacy” (see page 4).
“If you see me, you see the Father”
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t has been said that fathers are like “God in human skin”. As our children call us “father”, we call God “Father”, which is both a privilege and a burden—a burden because how we father our children will affect their view of God the Father, and have a spiritual and eternal impact. Fathering is a heavy responsibility God has entrusted to men.
gave their lives to Jesus that day.
A study by the Swiss government published in 2000 reported some astonishing facts about the generational transmission of faith and religious values:“If both father and mother attend regularly, 33 per cent of their children will end up as regular churchgoers. If the father is irregular and mother regular, only 3 per cent of the children will subsequently become regulars themselves. And if the father is non-practicing and mother regular, only 2 percent of children will become regular worshippers.”
Once, a mentee of mine kept complaining about his father, by whom he had been deeply hurt when growing up. God led me to ask, “Do you know how your father was fathered by his father?” He replied, “My grandfather was a bad father to my father.” Immediately, the Holy Spirit spoke through me: “We cannot give what we had not received.” If our fathers had received love, they can give us love. But if all they got was pain, they could not help but pass down some of this pain. That day I told the young man this, he forgave his father.
In short, “it is the religious practice of the father of the family that, above all, determines the future attendance at or absence from church of the children”. In John 14:9, when a disciple asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus answered, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” Do our children see God the Father in us? Do our words and actions show that God is real in our lives and that we enjoy a deep relationship with Him? I led my father to Christ when he was in his 60s. Though I had been in the faith for longer than he, his childlike faith and desire to share the Gospel never failed to inspire me. During his last weeks on earth, before he passed at 87, though he could hardly walk or breathe because of lung cancer, he accepted his oncologist’s invitation to share his testimony with a group of cancer patients and their families. Three of them
How he loved God and how God loved him created a deep hunger and desire in me to press in further into the Lord’s presence. I want to have the same intimate relationship with God that my father had.
Even if our earthly parents did not give us enough love, our heavenly Father has more than enough love for us, for God is love. And when this love overflows, we may even offer some to our father and others in our family. I have for some time been sensing that a second wave of the fathers movement in churches is coming. Miraculously, since the beginning of this year, a number of church leaders have looked me up, either informing me that they had started a fathers group or seeking advice on how to start one. Individual fathers from different churches have also written asking me for information on joining the Elijah7000 movement. My own church has started an Elijah7000 father community. Our tagline is “If you see me, you see the Father”. You may want to do the same for your church.
