Download to read offline
![8 9
where we created this activity
called the "Experience Museum",
patterned after the Holocaust
Museum in Israel. It presented
the various aspects of our lives
as disciples, such as service
through social concerns and
prayer. Although it wasn't done
as excellently as we had hoped, it
has become a spiritual milestone
for me, as it prepared me for some
really out-of-the-box ideas that I
am doing now with Truthmin.
During a warmth lunch, I was
pleasantly surprised and blessed
when church members had
specifically kept some food for the
different people involved in service,
who had to come down late for
lunch. That is what we call "family".
YouintroducedSOAPasamethod
of doing daily devotions to CCMC.
Has SOAP made a difference to
you personally?
I think reading the Word of God is a
fantastic thing, a heavenly privilege.
((TO BE ABLE TO
PROCESS AND HEAR
GOD SPEAKING
THROUGH HIS
WORD HAS BEEN
AN ENORMOUS
BLESSING TO ME.
))
So, to be able to process it and hear
God speaking through the Word has
been an enormous blessing to me.
In the 16+ months of doing SOAP, I
have had a lot of rock bottom valley
and mountain top experiences. The
Word has been a balm in the tough
times, guidance in the uncertain
times, and great affirmation in
joyous times.
What life lessons have you learnt
for yourself in the years you have
been at CCMC?
Besides the three principles men-
tioned before, there are these:
1) Relationship with God is more
important than ministry. Ministry
without relationship is a facade and
hypocrisy.
2) In a far deeper measure,
I learnt that God will provide
for every need, whether it is
encouragement, wisdom or even
finances.
3) The heart is deceitful above
everything else. I must constantly
scrub my heart.
What untapped potential do you
see in the people of CCMC?
I guess the same applies to the
universal Church: To achieve
maximum potential is to first
discover what God has put in us
in terms of callings and gifts. This
comes from walking with Him and
being able to hear His voice. After
that, it is a matter of obedience,
in following through with His
directions. And God will certainly
bring us to the fullness of life and
the future that He promises us.
What is your prayer for CCMC as
you prepare to move to a new
place of ministry?
That CCMC will be a Godly example
of what a covenant community
should be like.
How can we pray for you now?
Pray for wisdom and anointing in
life and ministry. [+]
HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING*
Robert Lowry
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth's lamentation
I hear the sweet though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul –
How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord, my Saviour, liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am his –
How can I keep from singing?
How can I keep from singing?
* From Offerings: You are Worthy
(See page 40)
CASHLUNACCBY-NC-SA2.0](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-6-320.jpg)
![12 13
Iban Annual Conference to raise
funds for their new church building
project in the new residential
township of Sibu Jaya. They started
with about 20 worshippers in a
shophouse and, today, there are
more than 120 people worshipping
there. They will raise 60% for this
building project and will need help
with the remaining 40%. The cost
is estimated at RM$1.2m. I am
excited about the potential of this
ministry. They need our help.
Has the Methodist church com-
munity changed over the years?
If so, how?
Change is a necessity as long as it
does not affect doctrines. In a way,
we are all changing all the time.
As we grow older each day, our
body changes, whether we realize
it or not. The same is true of the
Methodist Church in Singapore
from worship style to ministry
emphasis.
The TRAC Methodist Book
of Discipline has been so
transformed. Very creatively, the
Methodist Youth Fellowship has
been transformed into the Youth
Ministry, for example. We have a
danger of wanting to copy mega
churches and slowly lose our own
Methodist identity. Authority of
people in positions have been
diluted, from Bishop to President
to District Superintendents.
Structurally, when I first entered
the pastoral ministry, it was the
Bishop who appointed us pastors
to the churches. After that, it was
the President, and his District
Superintendents would execute his
directives. Pastors would provide
leadership in local churches. Today,
pastors are becoming like "office
CEOs".
These changes are not
fundamentally important as long
as the biblical contents remain
and are taught correctly in our
churches. These are structural
changes I am talking about.
Once, we were a Methodist
Church for the middle and lower
income. Today, we have become a
community of higher and middle
income, which would explain why
Methodist Welfare Services is
doing well, and a number of our
Methodist Churches have good
social outreach programmes.
We must never forget that Jesus'
ministry was to those with
needs – spiritual, emotionally,
psychological, mental, physical
and financial, especially the poor.
It is important to have a wholistic
ministry, one that is balanced.
Tell us three principals of church
ministry which you have learnt
from your time as a pastor.
My own outlook on ministry
has changed. I used to think of
myself as being a pastor of the
local church I am appointed to.
But after serving at Fairfield MC,
my understanding changed. I
now see myself as a pastor of the
community where the church is.
People are important, not
numbers. We can grow the church
but if the personal touch is missing,
the church is lukewarm or dead.
The clergy and the laity
must work hand in glove. When
professionalism gets into the
church life and ministry, then the
church has become an organization
and not the living Body of Christ.
Yet, at the same time, this does not
mean we do thing with an attitude
that condones sub-standards. In
the old hymn, "Give of your best to
the Master", the key word is "best".
I gave my best when I was working
in a secular job for five years
before entering the ministry and
I must continue to give even more
while serving the Lord.
I remember having some duties
at the Padang on Singapore's
National Day during my NS days.
To receive the President at 9
am, we had to turn up for duty
smartly attired at 6 am. That was a
privilege of duty.
So, where is God in our lives
on weekdays and Sunday as
pastors, Lay Ministry Staff and
church members? In the past, you
only have the pastor and the lay
leadership. Today, we have opened
the "Lay Ministry Staff" and "Lay
Executive or Professional Staff"
window. This can create a tension
over time because the Lay Ministry
Staff stay longer in the church than
the pastor and the pastoral role
can become blurred. So, this may
result in people asking "What do
the pastors actually do?"
What do you miss in your old
areas of ministry?
I miss being a pastor of a
small church – knowing every
member and ministering to them
individually. Today, most of our
churches have over 500 members
and even though it may have two
pastors, the struggle to relate, to
connect, to minister, is there.
Mission ministry to the Ibans
is where my heart beats most.
Every trip, including those that just
requires my presence to take facts
and photos for the records, give me
joy as I have the opportunity not
only to update information but to
relate and build bonds of Christ's
love and fellowship with our Iban
brothers and sisters.
I miss Barker Road Methodist
Church, my first pastorate. It has
a special place in my heart as I
remember learning and growing
together with the members, and I
appreciated the godly and loving
leaders there. Many held high
positions in life but I felt greatly
cared for and respected as they
supported me, a green horn, in the
pastoral ministry. I felt blessed.
Share two memories which you
value from your ministry.
There are simply too many
wonderful memories to pen. But
let me share these two:
I observed and learned with
great admiration the preaching
ministry of Rev Dr Tony Chi on my
first appointment to Wesley MC.
I am still an imperfect preacher
today, not because of him, but
because of my own limitations.
The second one was at Barker
Road MC. After Jessie delivered
our first born son, Jed, the ladies
came to visit and saw me washing
nappies and cooking in the kitchen.
They rallied around and got me
a washing machine and arranged
some ladies to cook and deliver
some food to us at least two to
three times a week. Jesus was
there for us through their kind
gestures and help.
What is the effect of daily devo-
tions in your life and ministry?
It is dynamic and uplifting. First,
the Word of God is so relevant in
all circumstances and situations in
life. Sometimes, you find words of
encouragement and, at other times,
assurance or even correction.
I have my own days of feeling
up as well as feeling down. Yet, God
speaks lovingly and gently. I used to
be an impatient youth and a fighter,
and I literally had fought bare fisted
with other youths. God's Word
changed that.
In the past, I memorized
scripture. But now that has
changed to knowing God through
His Word rather than just knowing
scripture.
What life lessons have you learnt
in your years of ministry?
God must come first before
anything else. Love people, not
things, including material wealth.
Rules and governance are there
to help us, not to bind us. It is a
privilege to serve, and so serve
with joy.
What are your prayers for CCMC
as you join the church as a new
place of ministry?
That we will build a good, healthy
relationship with MGS and make an
impact on the students, teachers,
staff, vice-principals and principal.
That we will fulfill God's
purpose in building a congregation
of disciples of and for Jesus Christ.
That God will use our different
giftings and strengths to unite and
make us shine for him in the Bukit
Timah community.
How can we pray for you?
For health. For wisdom in man-
aging time as I take on different
roles as pastor of CCMC, Director
of Seniors Ministry in TRAC, and
keeping an eye on Sarawak Iban
missions. To fit in quickly and be
a help to the pastors, the pastoral
team, the church leadership and
the membership. [+]
((PEOPLE ARE
IMPORTANT, NOT
NUMBERS. WE
CAN GROW THE
CHURCH BUT IF
THE PERSONAL
TOUCH IS MISSING,
THE CHURCH IS
LUKEWARM OR
DEAD. ))](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-8-320.jpg)
![16 17
is only one master and Lord and
that is Christ himself. Our loyalty
and devotion must be to him and
him only. Christ requires complete
allegiance and obedience.
The word “disciple” comes from
the word “discipline”. There can be
no discipleship if there is no disci-
pline. Following Christ is not just a
hollow or idealistic concept. It re-
quires concrete action on our part.
It requires daily discipline, disci-
plining our thought life, our behav-
iour, abiding in his Word, worship-
ping him in spirit and in truth, and
praying unceasingly.
Spiritual discipline has to be-
come a way of life. A disciple of
Christ reflects the likeness and glo-
ry of Christ. He upholds the prin-
ciples and values of Christ. He is
proud to be associated with Christ
and would only boast about his
master and not himself. He must
give all glory to his Master and
serve his Master with humility and
diligence.
CCMC has embarked on the vi-
sion of reminding every believer
that we are disciples and disciple
makers. It is the high calling that
Christ called us to.
What would a church be like if
there is no disciple? It would not be
a church at all! On the other hand,
if the church is filled with Christ's
true disciples, can we imaging how
powerful and dynamic the church
would be?
I believe we will see God’s pow-
er and presence manifested in our
midst in far greater measure when
we are a church committed to dis-
cipleship. There will be fruitfulness
and growth and the church will
glow and grow. I strongly believe
that being a disciple of Christ and
making disciples for Christ should
be the underlying heartbeat of all
we do. It is a vision that is clear,
concise and powerful!
I remember reading the clas-
sic book In His Steps by Charles M
Sheldon. In the story, the question
((FOLLOWING
CHRIST IS NOT
JUST A HOLLOW
OR IDEALISTIC
CONCEPT. IT
REQUIRES
CONCRETE ACTION
ON OUR PART.
))
"What would Jesus do?" and liv-
ing out the answer transformed a
whole church and impacted those
each member came into contact
with.
May we seek God's perfect will
and do what Jesus would have us
do. For a disciple of Christ is a fol-
lower of Christ: A Christian.
We need to ask ourselves a very
fundamental question: Are we con-
tented just to be a church goer or do
we live as disciples of Christ? This is
a important choice that no one can
make for us but only we can make
for ourselves.
I hope we will all make the right
choice and be committed to follow
it through by the empowerment of
the Holy Spirit. [+]
Raymond Chow is a lay ministry
staff at CCMC.
by GOH ECK KHENG
EVERY CHRISTIAN IS
A DISCIPLE
Matt 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit
and teaching them to obey
everything I have com-
manded you. And surely I
am with you always, to the
very end of the age.”
for you. By this My Father
is glorified, that you bear
much fruit; so you will be
My disciples.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I
give to you, that you love
one another: just as I have
loved you, you also are to
love one another. By this
all people will know that
you are my disciples, if you
have love for one another.
John 13:14-15
If I then, your Lord and
Master, have washed your
feet; ye also ought to wash
one another’s feet. For I
have given you an exam-
ple, that ye should do as I
have done to you.
I John 2:3
Now by this we
may be sure that we
know him, if we obey
his commandments.
1 Peter 1:15-16
but like the Holy One
who called you, be holy
yourselves also in all your
behavior; because it is
written, "You shall be holy,
for I am holy."
DISCIPES HAVE HELP
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will
send in My name, He will
teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance
all that I said to you.
Disciple
To The Point
DISCIPES HAVE JOY
IN ABIDING
John 15:9-14
Just as the Father has loved
Me, I have also loved you;
abide in My love. If you keep
My commandments, you
will abide in My love; just as
I have kept My Father's com-
mandments and abide in
His love. These things I have
spoken to you so that My
joy may be in you, and that
your joy may be made full.
DISCIPLES SHARE CHRIST
Matt 28:19
Go therefore and make dis-
ciples of all nations, baptiz-
ing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit…
17
HOW disciples LIVE
Matt 5:14a, 16b
“You are the light of the
world.... let your light shine
before others, so that they
may see your good works
and give glory to your
Father who is in heaven.
John 15:1-2, 5, 7-8
"I am the true vine, and
My Father is the vinedress-
er. Every branch in Me
that does not bear fruit
He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He
prunes, that it may bear
more fruit.... I am the vine,
you are the branches. He
who abides in Me, and I
in him, bears much fruit;
for without Me you can do
nothing.... If you abide in
Me, and My words abide in
you, you will ask what you
desire, and it shall be done
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Mark 8:34-35
When He had called the
people to Himself, with His
disciples also, He said to
them, “Whoever desires to
come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross,
and follow Me. For whoever
desires to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life
for My sake and the gospel’s
will save it.
THE PURPOSE OF
DISCIPLES
1 Peter 2:21
For you have been called
for this purpose, since
Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example for
you to follow in His steps
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again
to the people, he said, “I
am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will
never walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life.”
TRUTH AND FREEDOM
FOR DISCIPLES
John 8:31-32
So Jesus was saying to
those Jews who had
believed Him, “If you
continue in My word, then
you are truly disciples of
Mine; and you will know
the truth, and the truth will
make you free.”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-10-320.jpg)
![18 19
Many of us have heard of great
evangelists like Billy Graham and
Billy Sunday, but probably few
of us have heard of a man whose
relatively short fifteen-year minis-
try has and will impact China and
South East Asia for generations to
come – Doctor John Sung.
Doctor Sung was born as Sung
Shang Chieh in 1901 to a Christian
family. He was raised in Hinghwa,
Fukian, China. His ministry started
when, as a young boy, Sung would
go around every Sunday with his
father who was a pastor. When his
father was absent, Sung would step
into his shoes as the substitute
preacher, and this earned him the
nickname "little pastor".
One day, Sung felt a calling from
God to go to America for further
studies. At that time, this was
almost unheard of, especially since
Sung's father earned a mere 30
dollars a month. However, Sung felt
convicted to go and nothing stood
in his way. With herculean effort
and a lot of fundraising, Sung man-
aged to raise the dollars needed to
pay for a trip to America.
In America, Sung studied at
the Ohio Wesleyan University and
The Ohio State University. He was
a brilliant student and took just
seven and a half years to earn his
doctorate in Chemistry.
Despite all his intelligence and
qualifications, Sung had already
chosen the path he wanted to take.
Back in China, he rejected an offer
from Peking University which came
with a lucrative salary. He also
rejected a research fellowship in
Germany. While contemplating his
future, he had discerned God say-
ing to him, "What shall it profit a
man if he gain the whole world and
lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).
So, he gave himself to the preach-
ing of the Gospel.
For a large part of his evange-
listic work, Sung was a member of
an evangelistic group known as the
Bethel Band. This preaching band
consisted of Sung, Andrew Gih,
Philip Lee, Frank Ling and Lincoln
Nieh. They travelled all over China,
spreading the gospel. Sung and Gih
were the main preachers.
Known for his energetic preach-
ing style and dramatic delivery,
Sung’s fame spread like wildfire
across China. During gospel servic-
es, he encouraged the congregation
to confess and come right with
God. This firebrand’s charisma
was very amazing and hundreds of
people, believers and non-believ-
ers, would repent of their sins and
let Christ into their hearts at every
service.
On one occasion, at a confer-
ence where Sung preached, all the
provinces in China but one was
represented among the congrega-
tion. The numbers in the congrega-
tion were far more than
the location could hold. This was
a common occurrence at many
services when Sung preached.
As quoted so aptly from his
biography by Leslie T. Lyall, “Those
were hallowed days of blessing and
great joy. It was more than ever
clear that Dr Sung was an instru-
ment God has raised up for such a
time in history of the nation and of
the Church in China.”
During his preaching days, Sung
visited Singapore a total of seven
times. Thus, his messages did have
a huge impact on our very own
country as well.
Yet, despite all his achieve-
ments, Sung was far from a perfect
man. One of his shortcomings was
his lack of social graces, and he
was known to be rather curt and
unsociable. Furthermore, he often
spent long periods of time away
from his family and left his wife to
handle family affairs. Unfortunate-
ly, sacrifices had to be made for
Sung’s amazing work.
Once, Sung was sent to a mental
asylum for 193 days by seminary
authorties because his passion-
ate preaching caused them to
think that he was out of his mind.
During that time, he read the Bible
40 times from cover to cover! He
became grounded deeply in God’s
Word. This was a turning point in
Sung’s life as he fully committed
himself to God’s work, and he real-
ised that God had given him those
193 days to rediscover himself and
to have a spiritual walk with Him.
In fact, this period sets the stage
for what was to be one of the great-
est revivals ever witnessed in Asia.
Sung died at the age of 42 from
intestinal tuberculosis. Till his very
last day, he continued to praise
God and relied on him for strength.
Even in his dying days, he contin-
ued to preach, speaking in sitting
or lying position because of his
great discomfort. Though his body
was weak, the fire in his eyes
continued to burn with that same
passion for God that everyone
had become accustomed to. As a
Chinese saying goes," Life is like a
candle. Its quality isn't measured
by its length, but by the amount of
light it shines onto others."
Doctor John Sung was a man
who leaves behind a great legacy,
and the impact of his ministry will
be felt for generations to come. He
was an inspiration to all who met
him. John Sung is someone I would
truly call a bright candle. [+]
Kevin Tong worships in OC at CCMC.
(( Sung visited Singapore a total of
seven times. Thus, his messages did
have a huge impact on our country.
))
JOHN SUNG
The Man, His Legacy
KEVIN TONG](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-11-320.jpg)
![26 27
Here are some tips to parents of early and young adolescents
to promote the teenager’s social and emotional success.*
• Support and praise your child’s efforts and accomplishments.
• Listen and openly talk with your child.
• Recognise that your teenager’s feelings are real and be careful
not to minimise or dismiss them.
• Understand your teenager’s need to be like his peers.
• Tolerate (within reason) your teenager’s developing likes
and dislikes in clothes, hairstyles, music.
• Encourage your teenager’s goals, plans for the future.
• Spend time together as a family.
• Educate your teenager about risks associated with alcohol
and drug use.
• Talk with your teenager about the physical changes in
puberty that affect height, weight, and body shape. Avoid
critical statements or nagging about eating, weight or
appearance.
• Be involved in your teenager’s school life and attend events
and parent-teacher conferences.
* Source: Developed by the Life Education Committee of
Kankakee and Iroquois counties with funding from the U.S.
Department of Education’s Grant to Integrate Schools and
Mental Health Systems.
SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL
SUCCESS FOR TEENS
in a constructive way, where there
should be a balance between the
adolescents’ needs to assert their
individuality and the need to re-
main close and connected to their
parents. The process of exploring
autonomy therefore allows adoles-
cents to identify their own choices,
instead of over relying on those
imposed by authority figures.
In late adolescence, individuals
become increasingly aware of the
social norms related to sex and
sexuality – the extent to which ad-
olescents perceive that their peers
are having sex, using protection,
sexual permissiveness, and so on.
This might pose a great problem
as this age range is a period where
adolescents’ susceptibility to peer
pressure is at its peak.
As adolescents start participat-
ing in romantic relationships more
seriously, they draw from their
previous social experiences with
family and friends. In late adoles-
cence, they become increasingly
vulnerable to emotional volatility
– they more frequently report feel-
ings of loneliness, embarrassment
and anxiety, together with extreme
mood swings.
While emotional volatility
might have stemmed from hor-
monal changes that occur during
puberty in early adolescence, emo-
tional volatility in late adolescence
might have more basis in the is-
sues related to independence and
environmental factors where new
anxieties and pressures like fitting
in, achieving good grades and peer
conflicts which are intensified dur-
ing adolescence may contribute to
a high level of stress.
As adolescents move towards
adulthood, they gradually begin to
work toward their own goals. They
want to be respected as young
adults and sometimes will resist
a controlling adult. Most impor-
tantly, they need an environment
that stresses honesty, fairness and
responsibility. [+]
ADELINE EE
Jesus, Our Rest
S: Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy and my burden is light.
O: Jesus calls all who are weary
and burdened to come to him,
be like him, and learn from him.
A: Jesus was very active in preach-
ing, teaching, healing the sick, and
dealing wisely with cunning Phar-
isees. Yet, in doing all these things,
he was always very restful, never
LEE YIN SIAU
His Easy Yoke
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you and learn
from me, for I am gentle and hum-
ble in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls.
O. Jesus wants us to surrender our
burdens to him and to rely on him,
taking on his yoke instead of strug-
gling on our own. When we learn
BO CHAI HIAH
Guard Our Hearts
S: Matt 15:18
But the things that come out of the
mouth come from the heart, and
these makes a man “unclean”.
O: The heart is where we have
our beliefs, attitudes, convictions,
emotions and will. God looks at our
heart. In the Sermon on the Mount,
the root of murder is anger, and
that of adultery is lust. The secret
places of our hearts determine our
words and deeds.
A: We must guard our hearts for
it is the wellspring of life. As our
heart is deceitful above all else, we
need God’s word and Spirit to lead
us. As a parent, I need to address
the heart issues of my child and
not get overly concerned with
external behavior.
P: Lord, we commit our hearts to
you. Let it not be hardened due to
disobedience. Give us a heart in
tune with you. Amen!
SOAP
Many from CCMC have found
that using the Life Journal
Reading Plan, also known as the
SOAP method of daily devotions,
has drawn them closer to God
as they read scripture expecting
God to speak.
Postcards with the scriptures
for SOAP readings are regu-
larly distributed in CCMC. You
can also access the Life Journal
Reading Plan by downloading
the You Bible app on your phone.
Here, we share how the same
passage spoke differently to
three people.
TAN BUCK CHYE
Come to Jesus
S: Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened, and I will give you
rest.
O: Jesus was probably referring to
the heavy spiritual burdens and
yoke of Old Testament laws laid on
by the Pharisees.
A: 'Come to Jesus' is to believe and
trust him. Powered by His Holy
Spirit, we will be carried in the
arms of Jesus rather than laboring
by the efforts of our fallen self.
P: Each time I am down, I look to
you Lord, and know that I am loved
by you. Nothing else matters. I will
be still and know you are God.
worried, stressed or desperate.
Jesus, who is restful yet effective,
lives in us too. We can look to him
let him lead and guide us, we can
flow with him in a restful peace, to
be effective and fruitful wherever
we are.
P: Dear Lord, help us to draw our-
selves out from this world, to place
our hearts in seeking rest in you. In
Jesus' name, Amen.
and submit to his way, by his grace,
we will find peace and rest.
A. God never guarantees that
believers will have a stress-free
life. But he promises that we can
exchange our yoke for his, that we
will always have help. Whatever
yoke we are carrying, even if we
like to imagine that our yoke is the
heaviest, we are never alone when
we surrender and let him takeover.
P. Thank you Lord for Your grace
which is more than sufficient for
each and everyone of us. You will-
ingly bear our burdens when we
ask, though we often wallow and
complain. Help us, in all humility,
to focus on your mighty strength
and your glory, and give thanks for
your easy yoke!](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-15-320.jpg)
![30 31
less the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up
late, toiling for food to eat – for he
grants sleep to those he loves.
(Ps 127:1-2)
independent spirit
Established business principles.
Experience. What was taught in
professional courses. Advice and
consultation. These are some of the
things that help us make decisions
in the course of everyday work.
It is all too easy to make pre-
sumptions, assuming, even believ-
ing, that we are doing God's will
when we have never waited or
listened to his instructions.
As much as God has given us
brains and the ability to acquire
and use knowledge, how wonder-
ful it is that we can still rely on him
for guidance and direction.
Trust in the Lord with all your
heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways
submit to him, and he will make
your paths straight. Do not be wise
in your own eyes; fear the Lord and
turn away from evil. It will be heal-
ing to your body and refreshment to
your bones.… (Proverbs 3: 5-8)
But they soon forgot what he
had done and did not wait for his
counsel. In the desert they gave in
to their craving; in the wasteland
they put God to the test. So he gave
them what they asked for, but sent
a wasting disease upon them. (Ps
106:13-15)
building our barns
at the expense of god's house
This point comes from the book of
Haggai. The Jews had been allowed
by the king of Persia to return to
Jerusalem to rebuild God's temple.
Work was started but the Samar-
itans caused all the work to come
to a halt. Sixteen years went by and
the people became more interested
in working on their houses than
rebuilding the temple of God.
The prophet Haggai then
encouraged God's people to finish
rebuilding the temple, saying that
the problems the Jews were facing
was due to their laziness in the
things of God.
We must be careful that we
do not become so engrossed in
building our own kingdoms at the
expense of building the Kingdom
of God.
This is what the Lord Almighty
says: "Give careful thought to your
ways. Go up into the mountains and
bring down timber and build the
house, so that I may take pleas-
ure in it and be honored," says the
Lord. "You expected much, but see,
it turned out to be little. What you
brought home, I blew away. Why?"
declares the Lord Almighty. "Be-
cause of my house, which remains a
ruin, while each of you is busy with
his own house. Therefore, because
of you the heavens have withheld
their dew and the earth its crops.
I called for a drought on the fields
and the mountains, on the grain,
the new wine, the oil and whatever
the ground produces, on men and
cattle, and on the labor of your
hands. (Hag 1:7-11) [+]
((AS MUCH AS
GOD HAS GIVEN
US BRAINS AND
THE ABILITY TO
ACQUIRE AND USE
KNOWLEDGE, HOW
WONDERFUL IT IS
THAT WE CAN STILL
RELY ON HIM FOR
GUIDANCE AND
DIRECTION.
))
+From time to time, I will ponder
about life and the various ways we
can get stuck in discouragement or
despair. That is not necessary. All
it takes is a change in perspective.
In God's time and wisdom, we all
can learn to re-direct our energies
toward constructive thinking and
helpful living. Here are 14 thoughts
which can help us change our
perspectives.
1) It doesn't matter if the
plans you have made have failed
miserably; it matters more that
you have given your best and have
succeeded in trying.
2) It doesn't matter if your
superiors constantly complain or
criticize your work; it matters more if
you can distinguish the constructive
from the destructive, and respond
humbly.
3) It doesn't matter if you've only
got a C in your mid-terms; it matters
more if you become more resilient
to try again, and aim for an A in life.
4) It doesn't matter if all the
world's a stage and everyone seems
to be mere players; it matters more
if the world stage is your chance to
be the best player you can be.
5) It doesn't matter if you do
not know what to do with your life;
it matters more if you do not stop
seeking and searching for your calling.
6) It doesn't matter if people
brand you a failure in things you
do; it matters more if you see each
failure as a step toward success
waiting to happen.
7) It doesn't matter if you feel
inadequate every time you go to
Bible study; it matters more if each
time you go, you learn that only in
God, one is adequate.
8) It doesn't matter if you feel
your life in the past had been
wasted; it matters more if you
recognize that there are still many
years left to try living well again.
9) It doesn't matter if you
cannot remember all the Ten
Commandments; it matters more if
you put into practice what you CAN
remember.
10) It doesn't matter if you
feel your spiritual life is stagnant;
it matters more if you not only
recognize it, but is prepared to do
something about it. You can start
with praying first.
11) It doesn't matter if you feel
lonely, or think no one seems to be
listening to you; it matters more
if you know that God listens even
when the world turns away. Jesus
knows what loneliness is all about.
12) It doesn't matter if you have
not brought anyone to Christ in the
past; it matters more if you learn to
shine wherever you are, that you
are part of the sowing, watering, or
cultivating. Let someone else do the
harvesting while you do the planting.
13) It doesn't matter if you feel no
one appreciates you, or thanks you
enough; it matters more if you appre-
ciate others and thank God more.
14) It doesn't matter what you
think about yourself; it matters more
what God thinks about you.
Food forThought
BY YAP KIAN SENG
Fruit is always the miracu-
lous, the created; it is never
the result of willing, but
always a growth. The fruit of
the Spirit is a gift of God, and
only He can produce it. They
who bear it know as little
about it as the tree knows of
its fruit. They know only the
power of Him on whom their
life depends.
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
The Cost of Discipleship
Action and contemplation
are very close companions;
they live together in one
house on equal terms. Mar-
tha is Mary's sister.
~ Benard of Clairvaux
Our works do not ennoble
us, but we must ennoble our
works.
~ Meister Eckhart
Discipleship is a daily disci-
pline; we follow Jesus a step
at a time, a day at a time.
~ Warren Wiersbe
IT DOESN'T MATTER](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-17-320.jpg)
![As Jesus and his
disciples approached
Jerusalem, Jesus
sent John and Peter
into the city to make
the preparation for
the Last Supper
[Lk 22:8].
During the Last
Supper, John sat
next to Jesus. When
Jesus said that one
of the dsiciples
would betray him,
John leaned on
Jesus and asked,
"Lord, who is going
to betray you?'
[John 21:20]
John, together with Peter and
James, fell asleep as Jesus prayed
at the Garden of Gethsemane.
[Mark 14:33]
John was the only one
of the 12 disciples
who was with Jesus at
the foot of the cross.
There, Jesus asked
John to look after
Mary, the
Lord's mother.
[Jn 19:25-27]
John was filled with the Holy Spirit with the other disciples at
Pentecost [Acts 2:4]. He was with Peter at the healing of the lame
man in the temple [Acts 3]. He was thrown into prison with Peter
because of their faith in Chirst and testified before the Sanhedrin
[Acts 4]. He and Peter visited the newly converted in Samaria [Acts
8:14].
John, along with Peter and another disciple named James were re-
ferred to as "pillars of the church" [Gal 2:9]
John wrote the Gospel of John, and I, II and III John. While in exile
on the island of Patmos, he wrote the Book of Revelation [Rev. 1:9].
THE APOSTLE JOHN
Manga by GILLIAN GOH
John was the son of Zebedee. His
brother was the Apostle James.
They were fishermen, partners of
the Apostle Peter, who caught fish
in the Sea of Galilee [Matt 4:21].
John was mending nets with James in a boat when Jesus called
them to follow him. So, they got out of the boat, left their
father and the hired workers, and went away with Jesus to be his
disciples [Mark 1:19-20].
John was one of
the three disciples
(with Peter and
James) to witness
the raising of the
daughter of Jairus
from the dead
[Mark 5:37-43].
As Jesus travelled to Jerusalem,
he sent messengers to a Samaritan
village to make preparations for him.
When the Samaritans rejected Je-
sus, John and James said, “Lord, do
you want us to tell fire to come down
from heaven and consume them?”
Jesus rebuked them. [Lk 9:51-6]
He was also with Peter and James when
they saw Jesus transfigured so that his
face became bright like the sun and his
clothes shone like light. They then saw
Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah. [Matt
17:1-2]
Jesus gave John
and James the
name Boanerges,
which means
“sons of thunder”
[Mark 3:17].
When Mary Magdalene
told John and Peter
that Jesus' body was
missing, John outran
Peter and was the first
to look into the empty
tomb. He was among
the discipes who
first saw the
risen Christ.
[Jn 20]
JOHN](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-18-320.jpg)
![34 35
Dear Abigail,
I am so happy that we now have
three pastors in CCMC. Each of them
are men of stature.
Zacchaeus Yao Ming
Dear Zach Yao Ming,
Indeed! Our pastors are men of
stature. You can say that we have
Large Ling, Junior John and wee
Wee.
However, 1 Samuel 16:7 tells
us that height and appearance are
not important to God. "For the Lord
sees not as man sees: man looks on
the outward appearance, but the
Lord looks on the heart.”
We thank God for the goodness
of the hearts of our pastors.
Love and Peace,
Abigail
Dear Abigail,
There has been a great deal of
discussion about the Noah movie.
What do you think?
Floating About
Dear Floating About,
Here's what I think:
(1) Don't miss the boat.
(2) Don't forget that we're all in the
same boat.
(3) Stay fit. When you're 600 years
old, someone might ask you to do
something REALLY big.
(4)Buildyourfutureonhighground.
(5) For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
(6) Speed isn't always an advan-
tage; the snails were on board with
the cheetahs.
(7) When you're stressed, float
awhile.
(8) When the doo-doo gets really
deep, don't sit there and complain
– shovel!
(9) No matter how bleak it looks,
there's always a rainbow on the
other side.
(10) Plan ahead. It wasn't raining
when Noah built the ark.
Yes or Noah?
Abigail
Dear Abigail,
Will you suggest some hymns for the
Gold Years Ministry (GYM) service?
Tone Deaf
Dear Tone Deaf,
Just a Slower Walk with Thee
Give Me the Old Timers' Religion
Blessed Insurance
Golden Girl Abigail
Dear Abigail,
There has been so much talk about
Discipleships in CCMC lately: Disci-
ple I Class, Disciple II Class, Disciple
Making.... Shouldn't we take a reality
pill? How can we mere mortals live
up to the Disciples of Christ? They
are Saints, after all.
Get Real
Dear Get Real,
The disciples were a ragtag bunch
of ordinary folk, including fisher-
men and a tax collector (Matt 4:18-
22, 9:9), who made commitments
to follow Christ. After that,
(1) They squabbled over who
among them was the greatest (Mk
9: 33-35).
(2) They shooed away children to
wanted to be with Jesus (Lk. 9:50).
(3) They were thick, and didn't al-
ways understand what Jesus taught
them (Mark 8:19-21).
(4) Jesus himself called them
men of little faith (Mt. 17:20, Lk.
12:22,28, Mk. 4:40, Lk. 8:25).
(5) Jesus told them time and again
about his suffering and death but
they didn't get it (Matt 16:21-23).
(6) They dozed off when Jesus
asked them to pray with him at his
deepest point of need (Matt 26:
36-45).
(7) Peter denied Jesus three times
in one night (Lk 22:54-62).
(8) Thomas doubted that Jesus had
risen from the dead and demanded
physical proof (Jn 20:24-29).
Yup, let's get real. These men
were like us until they were trans-
formed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
The Disciple Abigail
ASK
ABIGAIL
ABIGAILGOH
Songs & Singers
34
Bon Jovi’s rock anthem, Livin’ on a Prayer, almost never saw the light of
day. Back in the Eighties, Jon Bon Jovi, the band’s leader, initially thought
that the song too ‘soft’ for Bon Jovi’s hard rock image. It was only after
co-writers Richie Sambora and Desmond Child re-arranged the music with
different bass lines, drum fills and a talk-box guitar solo, giving it an edgier
sound, did it make it into the 1986 milestone album, Slippery When Wet.
The song tells the story of Tommy and Gina, a working-class couple
faced with hard times and yet determined to overcome their situation.
Sambora shared, “The storyline is about working class families, much like
Jon and mine as we were growing up. We were lower-middle-class kids. We
respect our parents and our roots so it was natural to write a song about
how we grew up. In a way, the characters represented our parents and their
eternal hope and optimisim.”
Therefore, beneath the driving bass lines and heroic guitars of Livin’
on a Prayer is a song about relationships and hopes. Sambora went on to
say, “The message is very simple – if you love each other, care about each
other, and support each other, that’s it, that’s all that matters… it’s about
an atypical relationship where people stick together no matter what. That,
unfortunately, doesn’t happen to most people these days.”
The message of hope and treasuring relationships was poignantly
conveyed when Jon and Richie perform a cathartic, stripped down, acoustic
version of Livin’ on a Prayer for the 2001 America: A Tribute to Heroes live
telethon in support of the first responders who had lost their lives in the
9/11 attacks. The concert was lauded by Rolling Stone magazine as one of
the 50 moments that changed Rock and Roll.
The universal appeal of the song also comes from its timeless message
of struggling to succeed. Sambora said, “I’m grateful that we’ve gotten this
far. I’m a guy who grew up on a dead-end street next to a swamp... and I
literally climbed out of it.”
However, even when success is achieved, it can never be guaranteed to
last. In 2006, Heather Locklear, Richie Sambora’s wife of 10 years, filed for
divorce. As recent as June 2013, Sambora pulled out of the band’s Because
We Can world tour citing “personal issues”. The grapevine says that Jon and
Richie had fallen out over money.
While Livin’ on a Prayer refers to “prayer”, Jon Bon Jovi said in a 2007
interview in TIME magazine, he said that the song is “non-denominational”
and that he is “very open-minded when it comes to religion”.
Therein lies the difference for Christians as we journey down life’s road.
Rather than a general faith in the goodness of humanity, we can draw our
strength from goodness of a living God.
The sentiment of the song takes on deeper meaning when we think
about the Apostle Paul’s own writing in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the
good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” In this way, Livin’
on a Prayer need not be a song that is about placing faith in humanity alone,
but about a personal relationship with a God who watches and cares over
us, our relationships and our aspirations. With Him, even though we are
only halfway there, and we can keep on living – on a prayer. [+]
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER
BON JOVI BY LESTER NG
EARLMCGEHEEBYCC2.0](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-19-320.jpg)
![38 39
with food. Teaching them to choose
healthful eating that takes some ef-
fort over immediately gratifying, less
nourishing options may also help
encourage them to learn to love the
bodies they have been blessed with.
Cooking is a great teaching tool
and an opportunity for family values
to be reinforced and built on. Since
the start of the year, we have been
working on a few simple “house
rules” we, as a family, plan to keep
in order to maintain a happy home
environment. Basically, these house
rules include exercising patience with
one another, speaking with kindness,
picking up after ourselves and taking
care of each others’ things. Working
on a meal together is really the per-
fect opportunity to emphasize and
train these key areas since taking
turns, being polite and respectful of
each person’s work space and learn-
ing to clean up afterwards are part
and parcel of the experience.
Spending time together working
side by side in the kitchen is an inval-
uable opportunity to pass on family
traditions particularly during special
occasions. My maternal grandmoth-
er or ‘Nana’, as I called her, cooked
using her gut instinct almost all of
the time. Trying to recreate her sig-
nature dishes without having actu-
ally witnessed her in action means it
is nearly impossible to replicate that
distinct flavor. I regret not having
spent more time observing her in the
kitchen so I’m now making a more
conscious effort to document, and
perhaps later on, teach my favour-
ite recipes my own children. In the
meantime, I want to make cooking
together an experience that leaves
a happy trail of memories and expe-
riences. Besides, it's a fact that chil-
dren are more likely to eat what they
have helped to make.
The best part of cooking together
as a family is that it gives everyone a
sense of accomplishment, especially
little ones. Being able to participate
a basic daily activity builds their con-
fidence and their willingness to offer
help can make a difference. Zachary
and Eli really like knowing that they
are being of service to me and they
feel proud of the contribution they
have made. Being able to cook to-
gether is so important to me person-
ally since I am also given the chance
to demonstrate the patience (es-
pecially when clear instructions are
ignored) and graciousness (so what
if the carrots aren’t chopped in pre-
cisely the same shape?) I want my
children to mimic.
So how can you get cracking with
the seemingly daunting task of get-
ting everyone involved in the kitchen
to work? Here are some pointers that
might make the impossible more do-
able and practical:
1. Designate a day for family cook-
ing. It could be once a week, or once
a fortnight or even once a month but
choose a day when everyone’s sched-
ules are the least harried.
2. Keep things simple. Whether
you’re a seasoned cook or a new-
bie, remember that cooking solo is
quite different from having all hands
on deck and it may sometimes take
longer. Pick easy to prepare recipes
and save those more elaborate men-
us for when you have more time.
3. Plan ahead. There is really
no need to spend hours on end in
the kitchen. Having a plan of action
makes things more convenient and
less stressful. Decide beforehand
who can do what portion of the cook-
ing to minimize confusion.
4. Remember your end goal is
more about being able to spend
quality time together rather than the
quality of the food or the punctuality
with which you start your meal.
It really doesn’t matter if you have
managed to pull off a five-course
meal or a one-pot supper. Having this
time together should really be about
realizing the gift God has given in the
form of each family member and that
as you pause to give thanks to Him
for His provisions, all will know that
these blessings come from our Father
in heaven. [+]
There are many episodes in the gospels where
Jesus communed with his followers over a meal.
Consider the feeding of the multitudes, the break-
ing of bread at Emmaus, the Last Supper, and the
picnic on the shore after the ressurection. Commu-
nity time over food is clearly important to the Lord.
Even on a human level, sociologists have found
that where husbands and wives have a strong mar-
riage, where parents have better relationships with
their children, families were more likely to have
family dinners. That is to say, the practise of family
meals is an indicator of the family health.
Eating together as a family – when members
gather, talk and share values in the process – is an
effective way of building a strong family culture.
How then, can we break bread together in an inten-
tional way?
Try to eat together regularly. Make this a priority
and schedule work and activities around family
meals. It does not have to be dinner. It could be
breakfast, lunch, or even dessert. Stories abound
where busy, high-powered executives go home for a
meal and then return to work.
Impractical, you say, when parents work late,
son has football at 6 pm and daughter has tuition at
7. Where evenings are crazy, perhaps mornings are
not so much. Even when mornings and evenings
are bad, everyone can take a break from their own
((COOKING IS A
GREAT TEACHING
TOOL AND AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR
FAMILY VALUES TO
BE REINFORCED
AND BUILT ON.
))
activities and gather for a snack as a family before
bedtime. The key is to make time to come togther as
a family regularly for bonding time.
Say grace. Giving thanks before eating emphasis-
es gratitude to God, and is a simple way of pre-
senting your family together before the Lord. Take
turns to give thanks. Even the youngest child can be
taught to give thanks with a set prayer. Alternative-
ly, grace can be sung.
Breeding good manners. Eating together is per-
fect for teaching children manners, either explicitly,
or by example. It will help them cultivate a polite
and refined mindset that will go far beyond the
meal table.
Have meaningful conversations. Don’t ask ques-
tions that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or
'no'. Ask open-ended questions about their day.
Families with older children may discuss current
events and issues.
Sharing family history, stories from your grow-
ing-up years, and teaching points from your experi-
ences will interest your children. Simply put, if you
are real and open with your kids, they will be open
and real to you.
All this can happen quite naturally and spon-
taneously over a meal – when the physical, moral,
intellectual and spiritual health of every member of
a family can be nourished. [+]
LET'S BREAK BREAD TOGETHER
ABIGAILGOH](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lfjan2014web-140604094228-phpapp02/85/Loaves-Fishes-Jan-Mar-2014-21-320.jpg)
Uploaded byMediagates360 Pte Ltd
Loaves+Fishes Jan-Mar 2014
This document contains the magazine of the Covenant Community Methodist Church. It includes articles on moving to new responsibilities in an interview with Pastor Khoo Kay Huat as he prepares to leave CCMC, a profile of Pastor David Wee who has recently joined CCMC, and a call for submissions for a new CCMC logo. It also contains regular features on getting to know members, recipes, Bible studies, songs and more.
Loaves+Fishes Jan-Mar 2014
- 1. You must tryYong Luan’s Pastel Goreng, Indonesian Chicken Puff! The Covenant Community Methodist Church Magazine Avoid Workplace Pitfalls HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN MANAGE STRESS IS EVERY CHRISTIAN A DISCIPLE? Eating and Cooking Together as a Family MICA (P) No: 104/03/2013 LOAVES+FISHES JAN/MARCH 2014 Enlarged Regular Feature: GETTING TO KNOW YOU DavidWee: RECALLED TO SERVE
- 2. I WILL PRAISEYOUR NAME* Reginald Chan Mark Masillamoney Kevin Lam You founded the world With Your breath. The heavens praise Your mighty works. You call out each star By their name. Your power, the skies, They all proclaim. Great are you, Lord. You have restored my life. I will praise your name And I will lift my voice. I will sing of your great love. You are my Lord, my all. Jesus, your name is mighty, Your name is holy, Your name is wonderful to me. Jesus, your name brings power, Your name beings wonders. Jesus, your name is worthy To be praised. * From Offerings: You are Worthy (See page 42) STARS:SCOTTCRESSWELLCCBY2.0,Man:BARTCCBY-NC2.0 JenRockCCBY-NC-SA2.0 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR A NEW CCMC LOGO Are you inspired? As the name of our church signifies, God has raised a covenant community of believers in CCMC where we are to live in convenantal relationship with the Lord and with one another. Our scriptural inspiration is drawn from both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission: To love the Lord our God with all our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves; and, seeking always to make disciples of all believers. Acknowledging that God’s Kingdom has been inaugurated in our midst, we seek to embrace that Kingdom culture and its values by striving to love as true disciples of Jesus in Growth, Fellowship and Service. CCMC would like to invite you to design a logo that embodies this church vision of making everyone a disciple of Jesus Christ. + This call for a logo design is open to all CCMC members and their families and friends, including pastors, leaders, staff and their families. Submission deadline: 31 July 2014 Contact the church office at admin@ccmc.org.sg for details requirements.
- 3. 3 CONTENTS MOVING TO NEW RESPONSIBILITIES FarewellInterview with Pastor Khoo Kay Huat 6 JOHN SUNG The Man, His Legacy 18 STRESSED OUT BY GROWING UP 20 ME? A DISCIPLE? 14 RECALLED TO SERVE Pastor David Wee 9
- 4. 4 5 Loaves +Fishes is published quarterly by Covenant Community Methodist Church Level 4, Methodist Girls’ School 11, Blackmore Drive Singapore 599986 Tel: 64669652 Fax: 64667470 Email: admin@ccmc.org.sg www.ccmc.org.sg MICA (P) No: 104/03/2013 Printed by Oxford Graphic Printers Pte Ltd EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Editor Rev John Benedict Foo Editorial Advisor BG David Koh Managing Editor Goh Eck Kheng Members Chong Cheh Hoon Leanne Pattiselanno Artists Abigail Goh Gillian Goh Contributors Raymond Chow Chung Kong Mun Adeline Ee Anita Fam Grace Foo Grace Ng Lester Ng April Ong Ong Yong Luan Clarissa Soo Tan Buck Chye Joshua Tan Miriam Wun Yap Kian Seng Wendy Yeap ON THE COVER Pastor David Wee and his wife, Jessie. Photograph by Sandy Chian esus' departing words to his early disciples before his ascension were, “Go and make disciples of all nations….” The call to discipleship has never been clearer and stronger than now. God’s vision for Covenant Community Methodist Church is to raise a community of faithful disciples in intimate covenant relationship with God and actively living out the Great Commandment and Great Commission. “Discipleship” is going to become the byword for everything we do here at Covenant Community. After all, it is a biblical thing to do since being a Christian is synonymous with being a disciple, and the New Testament records more than two hun- dred and fifty times that the term “disciple” is being used when referring to believers. Simply put, a disciple focuses on these three things: Growth - We experience authentic spiritual growth and ma- turity in our individual lives. Our personal faith becomes rele- vant in our daily living. We consistently grow in godliness and in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus. We develop a greater desire and deeper yearning for the living presence of God in our lives. We become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we wholly depend on God for guidance and empowerment. Fellowship - We enjoy intimate fellowship of Christian love, encouragement and mutual support. We recognize the impor- tance of being in the Body of Christ. We actively seek ways to enhance the fellowship by our presence and participation. Service - We engage in joyful service to touch lives and im- pact them for eternity. We employ our time, talents and treas- ures in our ministry for the edification of believers and the sal- vation of the lost. God is calling CCMC to become a godly people of power and influence. By being divinely transformed and supernaturally empowered, we are letting the presence and power of Christ shine through us for the glory of God. Let us experience the reality and challenge of becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ together. Rev John Benedict Foo MAKING DISCIPLES REGULARS Ask Abigail 35 Crafts for Kids (pull out) Crumbs 48 Good Things 40 Kitchen 46 Manga Hero 32 News Bites 42 SOAP 27 Songs & Singers 34 Food for Thought 31 To the Point 17 ENLARGED REGULAR FEATURE Getting to Know You 45 RECIPE FOR FAMILY BONDING Binding Family Ties in the Kitchen 36 LOAVES+FISHES FEEDBACK Loaves+Fishes wants to hear from you on a number of levels. We are looking for people to join our editorial committee to plan and publish the magazine. We are looking for people to contribute to the magazine on an ad hoc basis. If you have a recipe to share, a testimony (short or long) to give, something to publicise in the Good Thing pages, news to report, a Christian principle to edify our readers with, or any other piece of writing, we say "thank you" to you in advance. LET'S BREAK BREAD TOGETHER 39 We also want to hear from you about what you think about Loaves+Fishes. Tell us what you like and what you don't. Tell us about what you want in future issues. Is there an article about a particular subject you'd like? Let us know. Is there a word that you would like illuminated by the Word through the To The Point Bible study page? Let us know too. Help us make this magazine always relevant to you. Email us at ccmcloavesfishes@gmail.com. PITFALLS IN THE WORKPLACE 28 RENEESUENBYCCBY-NC-ND2.0
- 5. 6 7 Moving toNew Responsibilities A farewell interview with Pastor Khoo Kay Huat grown up to be young adults, thus becoming a layer of leaders and disciple-makers for the next generation. I have been privileged to see many of the youths grow up to be outstanding, mature disciples. Credit must go to the OC leaders who have put in time, heart and even tears into these young lives. Share with us three principles of church ministry, learnt from your time in CCMC, which you will use in your future ministry. Building great people is more important than building a "great church". If we do ministry just to achieve a dream or a goal, we would have missed out on the essence of ministry, which is all about people. Be less task-oriented, more people- oriented. Be noble. Never ever lower ourselves to some form or even appearance of carnality, no matter what happens. We are God's children, we should act no less. For myself, it is an acknowledgement of my weaknesses, so I must keep reminding myself of this. Steward what we have, no matter how insignificant it is. Sometimes, the little seeds that we steward have the ability to grow into something spectacular. We must never question whatever God gives us, even if it may initially be illogical.Itwasinthesmallestthings that I found greatest joy and fruit. What will you miss in CCMC? Many things! The many experiences of God: lessons learnt, His presence in certain "moments". The church family. The food. The long and sometimes intense meetings! Even the quiet mornings before school starts, where I ready myself for our school ministry via chapel. Please share two specific mem- ories which you value from your ministry in CCMC. There was a particular OC Camp How did you discover your calling to full-time Christian ministry? I first dreamt about my calling when I was 16. In the dream, a church member asked me to baptize him! I thought I had been serving too much in church but many others came around to encourage me to serve in full-time ministry, without them knowing that I had the dream! The final confirmation came when God convinced my mother that this was the path for me. God certainly answered every excuse and reason that I came up with to avoid pastoral ministry! Where have you served to date? I was serving in Wesley since my teenage years. After going to Trinity Theological College, I returned to Wesley as a pastor in 2005. I was posted to CCMC in February 2009. I have been posted to Bedok Methodist Church. You are the Director of Youth Ministry in TRAC. Tell us about your ministry there. Truthmin's main mission is to help youthsandyouthministriesinTRAC through worship, discipleship, leadership development and dis- cerning culturally relevant methods for ministry. The ministry has a number of TRAC-wide programs and events. Trackers is a three-month discipleship program for youths and young adults, culminating in mission trips to various Asian countries. Fusion is an annual event where more than 1,200 youths gather for a time of worship and learning from the Word. Fuse is a monthly prayer meeting. Fulcrum is a training program catered to youth workers. We are also involved in CD projects that encourage youth to write worship songs (See page 40). How has OC changed in your years of ministry with them? For one, the older youths have ((IF WE DO MINISTRY JUST TO ACHIEVE A DREAM OR A GOAL, WE WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON THE ESSENCE OF MINISTRY, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. )) SANDYCHIAN
- 6. 8 9 where wecreated this activity called the "Experience Museum", patterned after the Holocaust Museum in Israel. It presented the various aspects of our lives as disciples, such as service through social concerns and prayer. Although it wasn't done as excellently as we had hoped, it has become a spiritual milestone for me, as it prepared me for some really out-of-the-box ideas that I am doing now with Truthmin. During a warmth lunch, I was pleasantly surprised and blessed when church members had specifically kept some food for the different people involved in service, who had to come down late for lunch. That is what we call "family". YouintroducedSOAPasamethod of doing daily devotions to CCMC. Has SOAP made a difference to you personally? I think reading the Word of God is a fantastic thing, a heavenly privilege. ((TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS AND HEAR GOD SPEAKING THROUGH HIS WORD HAS BEEN AN ENORMOUS BLESSING TO ME. )) So, to be able to process it and hear God speaking through the Word has been an enormous blessing to me. In the 16+ months of doing SOAP, I have had a lot of rock bottom valley and mountain top experiences. The Word has been a balm in the tough times, guidance in the uncertain times, and great affirmation in joyous times. What life lessons have you learnt for yourself in the years you have been at CCMC? Besides the three principles men- tioned before, there are these: 1) Relationship with God is more important than ministry. Ministry without relationship is a facade and hypocrisy. 2) In a far deeper measure, I learnt that God will provide for every need, whether it is encouragement, wisdom or even finances. 3) The heart is deceitful above everything else. I must constantly scrub my heart. What untapped potential do you see in the people of CCMC? I guess the same applies to the universal Church: To achieve maximum potential is to first discover what God has put in us in terms of callings and gifts. This comes from walking with Him and being able to hear His voice. After that, it is a matter of obedience, in following through with His directions. And God will certainly bring us to the fullness of life and the future that He promises us. What is your prayer for CCMC as you prepare to move to a new place of ministry? That CCMC will be a Godly example of what a covenant community should be like. How can we pray for you now? Pray for wisdom and anointing in life and ministry. [+] HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING* Robert Lowry My life flows on in endless song; Above earth's lamentation I hear the sweet though far-off hymn That hails a new creation: Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul – How can I keep from singing? What though my joys and comforts die? The Lord, my Saviour, liveth; What though the darkness gather round! Songs in the night He giveth: No storm can shake my inmost calm While to that refuge clinging; Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, How can I keep from singing? I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin; I see the blue above it; And day by day this pathway smoothes Since first I learned to love it: The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, A fountain ever springing: All things are mine since I am his – How can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing? * From Offerings: You are Worthy (See page 40) CASHLUNACCBY-NC-SA2.0
- 7. 10 11 Pastor DavidWee RECALLED TO SERVE How did you discover your calling to full-time Christian ministry? At my mother's deathbed, when I was 16, she told me to enter Trinity Theological College (TTC). I took it with a kilo of salt and kept quiet. Five years later, my home church, Paya Lebar Methodist Church, had a leaders retreat at Telok Paku, Changi, and I heard my leaders affirming the decision to sponsor someone to fulltime studies at TTC. In the quietness of my heart, I knew it was meant specially for me. One member of the church had studied in TTC and never completed it and they were disappointed. Therefore, for them to make this important decision was definitely crossing a big hurdle and indeed God-directed. I spoke to Rev George Wan and he affirmed my calling. Outline for us where you have served to date. 1976 August - Assistant to the Pastor, Wesley Methodist Church. 1977 September - Senior Pastor, Barker Road Methodist Church. 1983 January - Senior Pastor, Bedok Methodist Church. 1990 January - Senior Pastor, Christ Methodist Church. 1995 January - Pastor-in-Charge, Wesley Methodist Church. 1999 Sabbatical. 2000 January - Pastor-in-Charge, Fairfield Methodist Church. 2004 July - Missionary Pastor with the British Methodist Church in Hull, West Circuit. 2008 August - Pastor, Barker Road Methodist Church and assigned to Holland Village Preaching Point. 2013 January - Retired Pastor 2014 February - Pastor, Covenant Community Methodist Church. Tell us about your ministry in Iban missions. I first got involved with the Ibans in 1975 when I was given three months Field Education Work in Kapit, Sarawak. After that, I led teams there to conduct the Youth Leaders and Sunday School Teachers' training programme. In 1981, during the training programme, I felt the Lord moving me to challenge 10 of the Iban youths to serve Him fulltime. At the end of that camp, I pulled them aside and spoke to them about the situation and need in the Sarawak Iban Annual Conference (SIAC) and all of them committed themselves to serve the Lord. I praise God that, today, seven of them are still serving as pastors; one had transferred out to the Sidang Injil Borneo (previously known as the Borneo Evangelical Mission) while two have passed away. When I came back from UK and learned that TRAC had stopped supporting them, I was disheartened but not defeated. I felt the Lord challenging me to go back and help them. So, when it became clearer that Holland Village Preaching Point was going to become a Local Conference (ie a full-fledged church), I prepared myself for retirement. The timing could not be more perfect. I was better able to assist in putting into place connections for the training of the Iban Children Ministry and Youth Ministry. I ran the Pastors' School this May with our Conference President. In 2013, when I retired, I got Dr Cheah Fung Fong in to help them with the Children's Ministry, and the Trackers to help with the Youth Ministry. Friends and relatives have donated about RM$100,000 for the pastors' salary. (Note that after serving more than 30 years, the Iban pastors are still getting RM$1,200 per month!) This year, I am looking at churches to twin with Iban churches and to help the Sarawak (( AT MY MOTHER'S DEATHBED, WHEN I WAS 16, SHE TOLD ME TO ENTER TRINITY THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE. I TOOK IT WITH A KILO OF SALT… )) (Top) On the Kapit River, Sarawak, late 1970s. (Above) Marrying Yeo Eng Chian and Karen at Wesley Methodist Church, 1996. SANDYCHIAN
- 8. 12 13 Iban AnnualConference to raise funds for their new church building project in the new residential township of Sibu Jaya. They started with about 20 worshippers in a shophouse and, today, there are more than 120 people worshipping there. They will raise 60% for this building project and will need help with the remaining 40%. The cost is estimated at RM$1.2m. I am excited about the potential of this ministry. They need our help. Has the Methodist church com- munity changed over the years? If so, how? Change is a necessity as long as it does not affect doctrines. In a way, we are all changing all the time. As we grow older each day, our body changes, whether we realize it or not. The same is true of the Methodist Church in Singapore from worship style to ministry emphasis. The TRAC Methodist Book of Discipline has been so transformed. Very creatively, the Methodist Youth Fellowship has been transformed into the Youth Ministry, for example. We have a danger of wanting to copy mega churches and slowly lose our own Methodist identity. Authority of people in positions have been diluted, from Bishop to President to District Superintendents. Structurally, when I first entered the pastoral ministry, it was the Bishop who appointed us pastors to the churches. After that, it was the President, and his District Superintendents would execute his directives. Pastors would provide leadership in local churches. Today, pastors are becoming like "office CEOs". These changes are not fundamentally important as long as the biblical contents remain and are taught correctly in our churches. These are structural changes I am talking about. Once, we were a Methodist Church for the middle and lower income. Today, we have become a community of higher and middle income, which would explain why Methodist Welfare Services is doing well, and a number of our Methodist Churches have good social outreach programmes. We must never forget that Jesus' ministry was to those with needs – spiritual, emotionally, psychological, mental, physical and financial, especially the poor. It is important to have a wholistic ministry, one that is balanced. Tell us three principals of church ministry which you have learnt from your time as a pastor. My own outlook on ministry has changed. I used to think of myself as being a pastor of the local church I am appointed to. But after serving at Fairfield MC, my understanding changed. I now see myself as a pastor of the community where the church is. People are important, not numbers. We can grow the church but if the personal touch is missing, the church is lukewarm or dead. The clergy and the laity must work hand in glove. When professionalism gets into the church life and ministry, then the church has become an organization and not the living Body of Christ. Yet, at the same time, this does not mean we do thing with an attitude that condones sub-standards. In the old hymn, "Give of your best to the Master", the key word is "best". I gave my best when I was working in a secular job for five years before entering the ministry and I must continue to give even more while serving the Lord. I remember having some duties at the Padang on Singapore's National Day during my NS days. To receive the President at 9 am, we had to turn up for duty smartly attired at 6 am. That was a privilege of duty. So, where is God in our lives on weekdays and Sunday as pastors, Lay Ministry Staff and church members? In the past, you only have the pastor and the lay leadership. Today, we have opened the "Lay Ministry Staff" and "Lay Executive or Professional Staff" window. This can create a tension over time because the Lay Ministry Staff stay longer in the church than the pastor and the pastoral role can become blurred. So, this may result in people asking "What do the pastors actually do?" What do you miss in your old areas of ministry? I miss being a pastor of a small church – knowing every member and ministering to them individually. Today, most of our churches have over 500 members and even though it may have two pastors, the struggle to relate, to connect, to minister, is there. Mission ministry to the Ibans is where my heart beats most. Every trip, including those that just requires my presence to take facts and photos for the records, give me joy as I have the opportunity not only to update information but to relate and build bonds of Christ's love and fellowship with our Iban brothers and sisters. I miss Barker Road Methodist Church, my first pastorate. It has a special place in my heart as I remember learning and growing together with the members, and I appreciated the godly and loving leaders there. Many held high positions in life but I felt greatly cared for and respected as they supported me, a green horn, in the pastoral ministry. I felt blessed. Share two memories which you value from your ministry. There are simply too many wonderful memories to pen. But let me share these two: I observed and learned with great admiration the preaching ministry of Rev Dr Tony Chi on my first appointment to Wesley MC. I am still an imperfect preacher today, not because of him, but because of my own limitations. The second one was at Barker Road MC. After Jessie delivered our first born son, Jed, the ladies came to visit and saw me washing nappies and cooking in the kitchen. They rallied around and got me a washing machine and arranged some ladies to cook and deliver some food to us at least two to three times a week. Jesus was there for us through their kind gestures and help. What is the effect of daily devo- tions in your life and ministry? It is dynamic and uplifting. First, the Word of God is so relevant in all circumstances and situations in life. Sometimes, you find words of encouragement and, at other times, assurance or even correction. I have my own days of feeling up as well as feeling down. Yet, God speaks lovingly and gently. I used to be an impatient youth and a fighter, and I literally had fought bare fisted with other youths. God's Word changed that. In the past, I memorized scripture. But now that has changed to knowing God through His Word rather than just knowing scripture. What life lessons have you learnt in your years of ministry? God must come first before anything else. Love people, not things, including material wealth. Rules and governance are there to help us, not to bind us. It is a privilege to serve, and so serve with joy. What are your prayers for CCMC as you join the church as a new place of ministry? That we will build a good, healthy relationship with MGS and make an impact on the students, teachers, staff, vice-principals and principal. That we will fulfill God's purpose in building a congregation of disciples of and for Jesus Christ. That God will use our different giftings and strengths to unite and make us shine for him in the Bukit Timah community. How can we pray for you? For health. For wisdom in man- aging time as I take on different roles as pastor of CCMC, Director of Seniors Ministry in TRAC, and keeping an eye on Sarawak Iban missions. To fit in quickly and be a help to the pastors, the pastoral team, the church leadership and the membership. [+] ((PEOPLE ARE IMPORTANT, NOT NUMBERS. WE CAN GROW THE CHURCH BUT IF THE PERSONAL TOUCH IS MISSING, THE CHURCH IS LUKEWARM OR DEAD. ))
- 9. 14 15 es, ifyou are a Chris- tian, you are a disciple of Christ. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded his dis- ciples to "make disciples of all na- tions, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". That Jesus linked mak- ing disciples with baptism is sig- nificant. This means that when we commit ourselves and proclaim our faith in Christ, we are also commit- ting and and proclaiming ourselves as Christ's disciples. What does it mean to be a disci- ple of Christ? The scriptural refer- ence that comes to me immediately is Luke 9:23. I have always believed that this verse carries the essence of becoming a disciple of Christ. Here, Christ lays down the conditions for anyone who aspires to become His disciple. Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. (Lk 9:23,24) This is my understanding of being a disciple of Christ based on Luke 9:23. Denying self means total surren- der to God – “Not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). It implies com- plete obedience to the will of God. We are no longer in control of our own lives but we allow Jesus to rule in our lives. Gal 2:20 says that we are cruci- fied with Christ, which means we die to our old selves and become alive in Christ. We are to be a liv- ing sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1,2). We allow Christ into our lives to take over ownership completely. We must be willing to let go of our selfish desires and be committed to doing his will. Christ now sits on the Y ((TO FOLLOW CHRIST IS TO ALLOW HIM TO LEAD US AND GUIDE US; TO FOLLOW AFTER HIS HEART AND HIS WAYS. )) by Raymond Chow A disciple? Me? throne of our lives and rules over our lives. There is no holding back anything from him. All that we have and all that we are are to be used for his glory and purpose. Taking up the cross means to be willing to bear the same burden and sufferings that Christ has gone through. The cross symbolises sur- render, sacrifice, suffering. Christ commited himself to sacrificing himself and suffering for our sake so that he can save us all from our sins. This is also an act of obedience to God’s will – to fulfil God’s pur- pose no matter what the cost. Bearing the cross also means doing what Jesus would have us do. Jesus surrendered himself to- tally to his Father on the cross. It also means being willing to give our lives totally for God’s purpose and will. The cross also symbolises salva- tion and redemption. Jesus loves the world so much that he is willing to give his life to save the world. Like- wise, when we take up the cross, we are also allowing Christ to lay the burden and passion of saving souls upon us. We must have the same passion for souls as Christ has and be a witness to the world for Christ regardless the cost. To follow Jesus is to allow him to lead us and guide us; to follow after his heart and his ways. When we follow Christ, there is no turning back. Disciples of Christ have only one purpose, and that is to please their master and to go where Christ would have them go and do what he would like them to do. It also means imitating Christ in our character, at- titude and behaviour. A disciple has no rights to him- self as he has willingly submitted himself to his master. In order to do that, he must know his master well and have complete trust in him. He wants to learn as much as possible from his master and do his master proud. For a disciple of Christ, there
- 10. 16 17 is onlyone master and Lord and that is Christ himself. Our loyalty and devotion must be to him and him only. Christ requires complete allegiance and obedience. The word “disciple” comes from the word “discipline”. There can be no discipleship if there is no disci- pline. Following Christ is not just a hollow or idealistic concept. It re- quires concrete action on our part. It requires daily discipline, disci- plining our thought life, our behav- iour, abiding in his Word, worship- ping him in spirit and in truth, and praying unceasingly. Spiritual discipline has to be- come a way of life. A disciple of Christ reflects the likeness and glo- ry of Christ. He upholds the prin- ciples and values of Christ. He is proud to be associated with Christ and would only boast about his master and not himself. He must give all glory to his Master and serve his Master with humility and diligence. CCMC has embarked on the vi- sion of reminding every believer that we are disciples and disciple makers. It is the high calling that Christ called us to. What would a church be like if there is no disciple? It would not be a church at all! On the other hand, if the church is filled with Christ's true disciples, can we imaging how powerful and dynamic the church would be? I believe we will see God’s pow- er and presence manifested in our midst in far greater measure when we are a church committed to dis- cipleship. There will be fruitfulness and growth and the church will glow and grow. I strongly believe that being a disciple of Christ and making disciples for Christ should be the underlying heartbeat of all we do. It is a vision that is clear, concise and powerful! I remember reading the clas- sic book In His Steps by Charles M Sheldon. In the story, the question ((FOLLOWING CHRIST IS NOT JUST A HOLLOW OR IDEALISTIC CONCEPT. IT REQUIRES CONCRETE ACTION ON OUR PART. )) "What would Jesus do?" and liv- ing out the answer transformed a whole church and impacted those each member came into contact with. May we seek God's perfect will and do what Jesus would have us do. For a disciple of Christ is a fol- lower of Christ: A Christian. We need to ask ourselves a very fundamental question: Are we con- tented just to be a church goer or do we live as disciples of Christ? This is a important choice that no one can make for us but only we can make for ourselves. I hope we will all make the right choice and be committed to follow it through by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. [+] Raymond Chow is a lay ministry staff at CCMC. by GOH ECK KHENG EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A DISCIPLE Matt 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have com- manded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:14-15 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an exam- ple, that ye should do as I have done to you. I John 2:3 Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. 1 Peter 1:15-16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." DISCIPES HAVE HELP John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Disciple To The Point DISCIPES HAVE JOY IN ABIDING John 15:9-14 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's com- mandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. DISCIPLES SHARE CHRIST Matt 28:19 Go therefore and make dis- ciples of all nations, baptiz- ing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… 17 HOW disciples LIVE Matt 5:14a, 16b “You are the light of the world.... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. John 15:1-2, 5, 7-8 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedress- er. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.... I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.... If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP Mark 8:34-35 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. THE PURPOSE OF DISCIPLES 1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” TRUTH AND FREEDOM FOR DISCIPLES John 8:31-32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
- 11. 18 19 Many ofus have heard of great evangelists like Billy Graham and Billy Sunday, but probably few of us have heard of a man whose relatively short fifteen-year minis- try has and will impact China and South East Asia for generations to come – Doctor John Sung. Doctor Sung was born as Sung Shang Chieh in 1901 to a Christian family. He was raised in Hinghwa, Fukian, China. His ministry started when, as a young boy, Sung would go around every Sunday with his father who was a pastor. When his father was absent, Sung would step into his shoes as the substitute preacher, and this earned him the nickname "little pastor". One day, Sung felt a calling from God to go to America for further studies. At that time, this was almost unheard of, especially since Sung's father earned a mere 30 dollars a month. However, Sung felt convicted to go and nothing stood in his way. With herculean effort and a lot of fundraising, Sung man- aged to raise the dollars needed to pay for a trip to America. In America, Sung studied at the Ohio Wesleyan University and The Ohio State University. He was a brilliant student and took just seven and a half years to earn his doctorate in Chemistry. Despite all his intelligence and qualifications, Sung had already chosen the path he wanted to take. Back in China, he rejected an offer from Peking University which came with a lucrative salary. He also rejected a research fellowship in Germany. While contemplating his future, he had discerned God say- ing to him, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). So, he gave himself to the preach- ing of the Gospel. For a large part of his evange- listic work, Sung was a member of an evangelistic group known as the Bethel Band. This preaching band consisted of Sung, Andrew Gih, Philip Lee, Frank Ling and Lincoln Nieh. They travelled all over China, spreading the gospel. Sung and Gih were the main preachers. Known for his energetic preach- ing style and dramatic delivery, Sung’s fame spread like wildfire across China. During gospel servic- es, he encouraged the congregation to confess and come right with God. This firebrand’s charisma was very amazing and hundreds of people, believers and non-believ- ers, would repent of their sins and let Christ into their hearts at every service. On one occasion, at a confer- ence where Sung preached, all the provinces in China but one was represented among the congrega- tion. The numbers in the congrega- tion were far more than the location could hold. This was a common occurrence at many services when Sung preached. As quoted so aptly from his biography by Leslie T. Lyall, “Those were hallowed days of blessing and great joy. It was more than ever clear that Dr Sung was an instru- ment God has raised up for such a time in history of the nation and of the Church in China.” During his preaching days, Sung visited Singapore a total of seven times. Thus, his messages did have a huge impact on our very own country as well. Yet, despite all his achieve- ments, Sung was far from a perfect man. One of his shortcomings was his lack of social graces, and he was known to be rather curt and unsociable. Furthermore, he often spent long periods of time away from his family and left his wife to handle family affairs. Unfortunate- ly, sacrifices had to be made for Sung’s amazing work. Once, Sung was sent to a mental asylum for 193 days by seminary authorties because his passion- ate preaching caused them to think that he was out of his mind. During that time, he read the Bible 40 times from cover to cover! He became grounded deeply in God’s Word. This was a turning point in Sung’s life as he fully committed himself to God’s work, and he real- ised that God had given him those 193 days to rediscover himself and to have a spiritual walk with Him. In fact, this period sets the stage for what was to be one of the great- est revivals ever witnessed in Asia. Sung died at the age of 42 from intestinal tuberculosis. Till his very last day, he continued to praise God and relied on him for strength. Even in his dying days, he contin- ued to preach, speaking in sitting or lying position because of his great discomfort. Though his body was weak, the fire in his eyes continued to burn with that same passion for God that everyone had become accustomed to. As a Chinese saying goes," Life is like a candle. Its quality isn't measured by its length, but by the amount of light it shines onto others." Doctor John Sung was a man who leaves behind a great legacy, and the impact of his ministry will be felt for generations to come. He was an inspiration to all who met him. John Sung is someone I would truly call a bright candle. [+] Kevin Tong worships in OC at CCMC. (( Sung visited Singapore a total of seven times. Thus, his messages did have a huge impact on our country. )) JOHN SUNG The Man, His Legacy KEVIN TONG
- 12. 2120 Wendy Yeap isa school counsellor, mother of two grown-up children, and a member of CCMC. Children encounter different pres- sures in the course of their primary and secondary school days. In a psychosocial stage model, the main challenge of children in primary school will be "Industry vs Infe- riority", meaning to say that the children either has the motivation to master new skills to achieve their goals or they might lack the motivation to achieve. In early adolescence (12-18 years), the main challenge will be "Group Identity vs Alienation (Peer Pressure)". This means their desire is to feel accepted by their peers but, unfortunately, some feel alienated. I have found this model to be very helpful in understanding the development of children, although I do find that behaviour changes can already be detected in children even before the age of 12. That is why the Parenting Teenagers Course by Relationship Central, the ministry arm of Alpha, caters to parents whose children are from 11 to 18 years old. One reason why pressures arise is developmental. The other reason is environmental. Actually, these reasons are interlinked. Children have the motivation to master new skills to achieve their goals if they feel confident that they have the ability to do so. Those who are brought up in a secure home environment will have an advantage. Pressures arise when the aptitudes for skills that the children have are not valued by society. Those who do well are usually those who have aptitudes for literacy skills, sports and social conformity. Young adolescents who need to belong to peer groups may feel the pressure to conform, leading them to sacrifice their individuality, personal aspirations and goals. Those who do not feel accepted by their peers may, in the longer term, find difficulty in developing social support networks. This may affect their physical and mental health. Parents can give children a secure base in dealing with these pressures. One way to do this is to have the same caregiver for at least the first three, preferably five years, of the children's lives. The caregiver needs to be attentive and responsive to the children too. Those who depend on a "team" of caregivers, should work well together with them so that every- one has a similar style of communi- cation and belief about caregiving. Affirm and celebrate all efforts and achievements of the children, even for skills that are not valued by society. Supervise and set appro- priate boundaries for teenagers but do not be over-restrictive or over-permissive. If possible, make the home a welcoming place for their friends as well. I like this quote by Dr Huang Wei-Jen, a clinical psychologist and a faculty member of Northwest- ern University Feinberg School of Medicine, "Listening is loving. Empathy is healing." We can help our children by fostering a warm atmosphere at home, by being loving, accepting and empathetic. Do not be the expert but be curious when asking questions. When they have a secure relationship with you, they would usually ask you for advice. Our children's needs are for sig- nificance – do they matter and are they loved– and security. So focus on connecting with our children rather than forcing compliance. Paul's attitude towards the Thessa- lonians gives us a biblical picture of parenting. ... but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much STRESSED OUT BY GROWING UP that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 ) ... For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12) I remember that when my daughter was in secondary school, she once shared with me, on our drive home, a problem she was having. I cannot remember what it was about but she was very troubled. When we arrived home, I left the engine running so that she could continue telling me her story. I nodded and tried to convey my empathy, while listening lovingly. I think I said something like “it must have been a bad situation.” She looked at me and asked if that was all I had to say. So I asked if she would like my advice. She said yes, and that was my opportunity to share with her my opinion and experience. In short, focus on the par- ent-child relationship so that you can help your children face their pressures. You can learn more on this subject in the book Effective Parenting in a Defective World by Chip Ingram. CLARISSA SOO is a former teacher with two children in primary school. She is also a member of CCMC. In terms of academic pressure, children want to do well. They have to do well. They don't want to go into a "bad" class the following year. The subjects in themselves may not be easy too. I actually think Science and Chinese are challenging if the children do not What pressures do children face today and what can parents do to help their kids deal with them? Clarissa Soo, GRACE FOO, Wendy Yeap, APRIL ONG and Grace Ng share perspectives. ABIGAILGOH
- 13. 22 23 (( WEDON'T REALISE THAT WHAT WE SAY UNINTENTIONALLY BECOMES THE SOURCE OF PRESSURE FOR THE KIDS.… HAVING SAID THIS, I MUST QUALIFY THAT "PRESSURE" IN ITSELF IS NOT ALWAYS A BAD THING. )) get sufficient external help. In secondary school, children not only have to do well in their exams, they also have to deal with growing up issues. The need to have a clique of good friends is very real. In co-ed schools, boy-girl relationships put a lot of pressure on the children. Schools have recognition systems and awards for those who do well as leaders or in their CCAs. It can be difficult for some kids who are mediocre and don't get the awards and are never "recognised" pub- licly. I'd blame parents for the pressure which children face, if I could. We don't realise that what we say unintentionally becomes the source of pressure for the kids. Setting goals for our kids like, "you need to get into a good class next year", "you need to get all band 1s", "you need to do piano exams", "how come you can't be the highest in class?" are all not necessary comments. Having said this, I must qualify that "pressure" in itself is not always a bad thing. How we create that pressure is important. I'd rather the child set her own re- alistic goals. It could well be a Band 2 for Chinese because that's what she is capable of after working very hard at it. I like to emphasise the journey and the process in helping chil- dren deal with pressures – not the result. I believe in being respon- sible and diligent. If you do well, good for you. If you don't do well in the eyes of your classmates and teachers, I tell my kids "It's ok. No worries. You've done your best". I encourage my kids to follow their interests and passions. And this will help them enjoy their jour- ney in life, be it in school or out- side school a lot more, and hence, with less pressure. Isabelle loves swimming and wants to train many times a week in the evenings and comes home at 8.30 pm. I allow her. Darryl wants to learn electric guitar, drums, take art classes and play lots of soccer. I let him. I do, however, insist on Isabelle learning piano. She "hates" it but I give her no choice because I believe in the value of music. How do I relieve her of the pressure? She has piano lessons only once a month and she plays only pop songs of her choice. I say there is no need to take any piano exams. We can help our children man- age pressures for themselves by providing them with the necessary skills and strategies. Time-manage- ment and discipline is important. I keep teaching them this. We teach them godly values. We tell them that we all have different gifts, and we don't need to answer to anyone but God. We just do our best. Isabelle has handbell and swim- ming activities and she just asked to join softball. I know that it'll be pressurising and stressful if she took on softball. So, I had to talk through my thinking with her. I'm hoping this would, in turn, teach her that we can't have everything we like or want. I've always taught my kids that God makes us all differently. We are unique. Hence, we don't need to be good in everything or in most things. Over time, we will find out what our gifts from God are. Also, we don't need to be top in class or in school or anywhere. We just work hard and do our best. APRIL ONG, a member of CCMC, is a working mom with a daughter in primary school and another in secondary school. I think the big pressure is about having friends and being accepted. It is faced by children throughout their school years and, for some of us, even when we are older! The challenge for parents is to be sensitive enough to help our children by listening to them when they face these pressures and yet not over compensate or over react. The paradox is that these pressures can arise when parents encourage their kids to think inde- pendently and express their views such that they may seem different from their peers. Personality traits also come into play. To mitigate this, we need to encourage and teach our kids to be open to accepting people who are different from them – in appear- ance, in views and in tastes. Just as we have had to learn to fend for ourselves and to cope with such pressures, we need to trust that our children will likewise go through the heartaches and pains that come with these pressures un- scathed. As parents, we still need to keep watch but we must not over react to the degree that we prevent our children from learning to deal with such situations for themselves. The fact that we are all equal in God’s eyes and that Jesus came so that all may be saved is a great principle. It is an important teach- ing point on love and acceptance for our children. GRACE FOO is a Christian Ministry Worker with four children, three of whom are teenagers. Children feel a strong pressure to be like others and to be well liked. Notwithstanding wanting to be fashionable, they hate to stick out, be singled out – be the odd one, the misfit, the uncool one. Hence, primary school children obey teachers because they think that disobedience would make them stand out in an extremely embarrassing manner. For secondary school students, they may follow the group they hang out with, and do things they normally wouldn't have done, and be so protective of their friends (as in not allowing their parents to criticize their choice of friends) since these friends accept them (read:likesthemfor"whotheyare"). These pressures may arise because the children's emotional needs have not been met early in life. Sometimes in parenting, espe- cially in the case of the first child in the family, parents are unable to respect the child's point of view. To them, it's a case of "we know better". So, as parents continually try to mould the child into a shape that they can accept, the child will start doubting her ability to choose well, and would rather hide behind a group that is liked. They demon- strate a belief in group intelligence, and will go with the crowd. They start to think that since their parents choose almost everything for them, why can't they at least choose their own friends. Thus, to help their children, parents may first need to help themselves. Parents should get trained to a heightened level of awareness of their own blind spots and gain greater sensitivity to- wards the needs of their children. There is no resource better than God. If our children know God and walk with Him, we know that they are in safe hands. We have far too many children in churches who have an "inherited faith", but not a personal faith. Hence they need "bribes", "rewards", or even coer- cion to get them to go to church. We need to trust our children to God. Consider this application of Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord (for the education/upbring- ing career path of your children) with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding (nor being reliant on the wisdom of the world); think about Him in all your ways (walk with the Lord yourself, setting the pattern for your chil- dren) and He will guide you on the right paths."
- 14. 24 25 ((YOUNG ADOLESCENTS NEED HELP TOLEARN TO BETTER APPRIASE EMOTIONALLY CHARGED EVENTS IN A WAY THAT THEY BECOME MORE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AT HAND. )) GRACE NG is the principal of Meth- odist Girls' School. In middle to late childhood (6-10 years old) children are more aware of their strengths and weaknesses – that they may do well in certain tasks but poorly in others. They acquire both the cogni- tive ability and the opportunity to compare themselves against their peers and, as a result, their self-as- sessments gradually decline from the overconfidence of the pre- school years to levels that are more accurate. Here, as children face increas- ing expectations and begin mas- tering new skills, they soon learn that recognition from adults can be gained through their academic, athletic, artistic, communal perfor- mances, and more. They pay extra attention to their relative proficiency in do- mains that are of personal value to them, and they become high- ly vulnerable as they may lose confidence if they recognise their shortcomings in relation to others. Increasingly for children, the transition to school becomes a source of stress. Cross-cultural studies show that many children across different countries perceive school as a source of trying and stressful experiences. There is an increasing tendency and need to base one’s sense of self on how one performs in relation to other peers, with an increase internalisation of others’ standards for performance. The increased expectations with regard to intellectual ability and achievement, coupled with peer relationships, makes late childhood a stressful period for many of them. This period of time is the step- ping stone, where adults can help children find niche arenas where they can develop to be particularly successful. To facilitate their sense of self-efficacy, children need to be recognised for their efforts, thus praise of their efforts and accom- plishments from adults would be good for maintaining positive self-esteem across all areas – phys- ical, social, academic. In the process of growing up, children observe role models from whom they learn coping strategies and which they apply to similar sit- uations thereafter. An example can be how they use similar verbal ex- pression of anger as compared to physical forms of expression when faced with peer conflicts, if their parents do the same during family conflicts. Children need to be con- tinuously trained to be skilled in controlling their affect and also in expressing them appropriately. Parents should ensure that the home environment facilitates equal opportunities and participation among siblings. Early and young adolescents (10-14 years old) start to increas- ingly base their self-evaluations on their appearance and popularity. This is usually tied to body image issues pertaining to increased dissatisfaction in appearance and attractiveness. Self-esteem issues with regard to dissatisfaction with the body and negative body image are more pronounced in young girls. Boys in this age range tend to have a higher overall sense of self- worth as compared to the girls, as they are more likely to over- estimate their abilities, while girls underestimate theirs. Girls face more difficulty accepting criticism and failure. Boys perceive themselves as better athletes, and have greater self-confidence in their capacity to control the world and solve problems, versus girls, who are more apt to think of themselves as more well-behaved in school and more competent and considerate in social relationships. Young adolescents begin to struggle with questions of self-identity and the need to fit into the adult world. In this process of defining themselves independently from their parents, young adoles- cents may often turn to media as sources of self-socialization and of messages about their identity in terms of gender, sexuality, and ethnicity. This time phase, characterized by an abundance of sexual chang- es due to puberty, also marks the beginning of a lengthy process of learning how to manage sexual feelings such as sexual arousal and attraction, developing new forms of intimacy, and learning skills to regulate sexual behaviour to avoid undesirable consequences. Their perception over the im- portance of friends and the devel- opment of higher-level intimate friendships where levels of inti- macy, self-disclosure and loyalty among friends are high. Adolescents in this age range are extremely vulnerable to stress, due to the school transition that they would make from primary to secondary school. This is known as the top-dog phenomenon – the potential effects of adolescents moving from the highest position in the hierarchy to the lowest posi- tion when transiting into second- ary school. Research shows how self- esteem is relatively higher when they are in their last year of pri- mary school and they enjoy school more than in their first year of secondary school. Adolescents in earlier years of secondary schools have been reported for more disci- pline problems than young adoles- cents in primary schools. There might be fads and con- formity in dressing and communi- cation styles. Coupled with height- ened concern over how others evaluate them, they start to ex- perience peer pressure. A desire to be part of the “in” crowd may also cause some adolescents to lead “double lives.” They may display entirely different sets of behaviour in different environments. With the onset of puberty and its accompanying hormonal chang- es, young adolescents face frequent fluctuations in mood, emotional upheavals and contradicting ten- dencies. During this time, adoles- cents would find themselves oscil- lating between opposite extremes, experiencing laughter one moment and melancholy the next. As their bodies undergo rapid changes, they may start to feel self-conscious, awkward, and perhaps, alienated from their own bodies. Peers also become potential sources of aggravation due to feel- ings of humiliation and anger that arise from peer conflicts. This transition can be made less stressful if young adolescents have positive relationship with friends and undergo the transition in car- ing and supportive schools. Young adolescents need help to learn to better appraise emotional- ly charged events in a way that they become more able to deal with the problem at hand. They need opportunities for exploration of identity, their beliefs and future directions, and also guidance in terms of conflicting identities. Older adolescents slowly estab- lish a sense of identity – a self-con- structed definition of who they are, what they find important, what they believe, and what they want to do in life. Also equally prominent in this phase where adolescents prepare to enter adulthood is the desire for autonomy – the ability to govern oneself, make independent deci- sions, control one’s feelings and choose one’s values. For older adolescents, the de- velopment of autonomy must come
- 15. 26 27 Here aresome tips to parents of early and young adolescents to promote the teenager’s social and emotional success.* • Support and praise your child’s efforts and accomplishments. • Listen and openly talk with your child. • Recognise that your teenager’s feelings are real and be careful not to minimise or dismiss them. • Understand your teenager’s need to be like his peers. • Tolerate (within reason) your teenager’s developing likes and dislikes in clothes, hairstyles, music. • Encourage your teenager’s goals, plans for the future. • Spend time together as a family. • Educate your teenager about risks associated with alcohol and drug use. • Talk with your teenager about the physical changes in puberty that affect height, weight, and body shape. Avoid critical statements or nagging about eating, weight or appearance. • Be involved in your teenager’s school life and attend events and parent-teacher conferences. * Source: Developed by the Life Education Committee of Kankakee and Iroquois counties with funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Grant to Integrate Schools and Mental Health Systems. SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL SUCCESS FOR TEENS in a constructive way, where there should be a balance between the adolescents’ needs to assert their individuality and the need to re- main close and connected to their parents. The process of exploring autonomy therefore allows adoles- cents to identify their own choices, instead of over relying on those imposed by authority figures. In late adolescence, individuals become increasingly aware of the social norms related to sex and sexuality – the extent to which ad- olescents perceive that their peers are having sex, using protection, sexual permissiveness, and so on. This might pose a great problem as this age range is a period where adolescents’ susceptibility to peer pressure is at its peak. As adolescents start participat- ing in romantic relationships more seriously, they draw from their previous social experiences with family and friends. In late adoles- cence, they become increasingly vulnerable to emotional volatility – they more frequently report feel- ings of loneliness, embarrassment and anxiety, together with extreme mood swings. While emotional volatility might have stemmed from hor- monal changes that occur during puberty in early adolescence, emo- tional volatility in late adolescence might have more basis in the is- sues related to independence and environmental factors where new anxieties and pressures like fitting in, achieving good grades and peer conflicts which are intensified dur- ing adolescence may contribute to a high level of stress. As adolescents move towards adulthood, they gradually begin to work toward their own goals. They want to be respected as young adults and sometimes will resist a controlling adult. Most impor- tantly, they need an environment that stresses honesty, fairness and responsibility. [+] ADELINE EE Jesus, Our Rest S: Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. O: Jesus calls all who are weary and burdened to come to him, be like him, and learn from him. A: Jesus was very active in preach- ing, teaching, healing the sick, and dealing wisely with cunning Phar- isees. Yet, in doing all these things, he was always very restful, never LEE YIN SIAU His Easy Yoke Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and hum- ble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. O. Jesus wants us to surrender our burdens to him and to rely on him, taking on his yoke instead of strug- gling on our own. When we learn BO CHAI HIAH Guard Our Hearts S: Matt 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these makes a man “unclean”. O: The heart is where we have our beliefs, attitudes, convictions, emotions and will. God looks at our heart. In the Sermon on the Mount, the root of murder is anger, and that of adultery is lust. The secret places of our hearts determine our words and deeds. A: We must guard our hearts for it is the wellspring of life. As our heart is deceitful above all else, we need God’s word and Spirit to lead us. As a parent, I need to address the heart issues of my child and not get overly concerned with external behavior. P: Lord, we commit our hearts to you. Let it not be hardened due to disobedience. Give us a heart in tune with you. Amen! SOAP Many from CCMC have found that using the Life Journal Reading Plan, also known as the SOAP method of daily devotions, has drawn them closer to God as they read scripture expecting God to speak. Postcards with the scriptures for SOAP readings are regu- larly distributed in CCMC. You can also access the Life Journal Reading Plan by downloading the You Bible app on your phone. Here, we share how the same passage spoke differently to three people. TAN BUCK CHYE Come to Jesus S: Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. O: Jesus was probably referring to the heavy spiritual burdens and yoke of Old Testament laws laid on by the Pharisees. A: 'Come to Jesus' is to believe and trust him. Powered by His Holy Spirit, we will be carried in the arms of Jesus rather than laboring by the efforts of our fallen self. P: Each time I am down, I look to you Lord, and know that I am loved by you. Nothing else matters. I will be still and know you are God. worried, stressed or desperate. Jesus, who is restful yet effective, lives in us too. We can look to him let him lead and guide us, we can flow with him in a restful peace, to be effective and fruitful wherever we are. P: Dear Lord, help us to draw our- selves out from this world, to place our hearts in seeking rest in you. In Jesus' name, Amen. and submit to his way, by his grace, we will find peace and rest. A. God never guarantees that believers will have a stress-free life. But he promises that we can exchange our yoke for his, that we will always have help. Whatever yoke we are carrying, even if we like to imagine that our yoke is the heaviest, we are never alone when we surrender and let him takeover. P. Thank you Lord for Your grace which is more than sufficient for each and everyone of us. You will- ingly bear our burdens when we ask, though we often wallow and complain. Help us, in all humility, to focus on your mighty strength and your glory, and give thanks for your easy yoke!
- 16. 28 29 ((i findso much meaning because I know that i am doing something of eternal value… i am asked to plant the seed. )) (Left) Christina, top left, with the Praise Club of ACS(P). And whatever you do, do it heart- ily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inher- itance; for you serve the Lord Christ (Col. 3:23-24) In creation, God demonstrated that he believes in work. He is the Master Creator. Thus, all legitimate work reflects the activity of God. We honour him when we reflect his life through our work and how we work. Indeed, the Hebrew word, avodah, used to describe work assigned to Adam in the Gar- den of Eden, also means worship. Yet, we struggle and do not always find joy in work and the work place. Here, we examine the various pitfalls that contribute to this. unbiblical view of work Do we segment our faith life from our work life? All work is "fulltime Chris- tian service". There should be no distinction between secular and sacred work. God is not just interested in our 'holy activities' pursued within the church community, but all our ac- tivities, including work, as his holy people. Work is thus our ministry and calling. God has called each of us to our work and we are called to view our work as a ministry unto Him. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. (Ps 90:17) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:17) unholy union with the world system One of the greatest pieces of work described in the Bible is the building of the Tower of Babel. But it was not work that was pleasing to God. In the project, the Babylonians' goal was to estab- lish themselves, make a name for themselves, entrench themselves as objects of honour and fear, and reach heaven in their own way. This Babylonian system of work and competition is prevalent in the self-centered secular approach to work and business today. The Hebrew word, avodah, mentioned earlier, has a third meaning: to serve. Service gives a much-needed perspective to work of every kind as it shifts the focus from self – power, glory, independance to cooperation and coexistance with others. unholy alliances The Bible has many accounts of people who dishonoured God by making unholy alliances. Here's one from 2 Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, made an alliance with Ahaziah, the king of Israel who was guilty of wickedness. Jehoshaphat agreed to construct a fleet of trading ships for Ahaziah. After these were built, Eliezer prophesied against Jehos- haphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade. We must ensure that our work alliances uphold Christian values, work ethic, and bring glory to God. confidence in self Success boosts confidence, es- pecially when it comes from planning, sweat and toil. It has the tendancy of making people place more reliance in their own strength and abilities alone rather than seeing God as the source and where our provision lies. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Un- Sins of the Marketplace Os Hillman • PITFALLS A T T H E W O R K P L A C E by GOH ECK KHENG Based on an article by Os Hillman in Charismanews.com
- 17. 30 31 less theLord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves. (Ps 127:1-2) independent spirit Established business principles. Experience. What was taught in professional courses. Advice and consultation. These are some of the things that help us make decisions in the course of everyday work. It is all too easy to make pre- sumptions, assuming, even believ- ing, that we are doing God's will when we have never waited or listened to his instructions. As much as God has given us brains and the ability to acquire and use knowledge, how wonder- ful it is that we can still rely on him for guidance and direction. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be heal- ing to your body and refreshment to your bones.… (Proverbs 3: 5-8) But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them. (Ps 106:13-15) building our barns at the expense of god's house This point comes from the book of Haggai. The Jews had been allowed by the king of Persia to return to Jerusalem to rebuild God's temple. Work was started but the Samar- itans caused all the work to come to a halt. Sixteen years went by and the people became more interested in working on their houses than rebuilding the temple of God. The prophet Haggai then encouraged God's people to finish rebuilding the temple, saying that the problems the Jews were facing was due to their laziness in the things of God. We must be careful that we do not become so engrossed in building our own kingdoms at the expense of building the Kingdom of God. This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleas- ure in it and be honored," says the Lord. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Be- cause of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands. (Hag 1:7-11) [+] ((AS MUCH AS GOD HAS GIVEN US BRAINS AND THE ABILITY TO ACQUIRE AND USE KNOWLEDGE, HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT WE CAN STILL RELY ON HIM FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION. )) +From time to time, I will ponder about life and the various ways we can get stuck in discouragement or despair. That is not necessary. All it takes is a change in perspective. In God's time and wisdom, we all can learn to re-direct our energies toward constructive thinking and helpful living. Here are 14 thoughts which can help us change our perspectives. 1) It doesn't matter if the plans you have made have failed miserably; it matters more that you have given your best and have succeeded in trying. 2) It doesn't matter if your superiors constantly complain or criticize your work; it matters more if you can distinguish the constructive from the destructive, and respond humbly. 3) It doesn't matter if you've only got a C in your mid-terms; it matters more if you become more resilient to try again, and aim for an A in life. 4) It doesn't matter if all the world's a stage and everyone seems to be mere players; it matters more if the world stage is your chance to be the best player you can be. 5) It doesn't matter if you do not know what to do with your life; it matters more if you do not stop seeking and searching for your calling. 6) It doesn't matter if people brand you a failure in things you do; it matters more if you see each failure as a step toward success waiting to happen. 7) It doesn't matter if you feel inadequate every time you go to Bible study; it matters more if each time you go, you learn that only in God, one is adequate. 8) It doesn't matter if you feel your life in the past had been wasted; it matters more if you recognize that there are still many years left to try living well again. 9) It doesn't matter if you cannot remember all the Ten Commandments; it matters more if you put into practice what you CAN remember. 10) It doesn't matter if you feel your spiritual life is stagnant; it matters more if you not only recognize it, but is prepared to do something about it. You can start with praying first. 11) It doesn't matter if you feel lonely, or think no one seems to be listening to you; it matters more if you know that God listens even when the world turns away. Jesus knows what loneliness is all about. 12) It doesn't matter if you have not brought anyone to Christ in the past; it matters more if you learn to shine wherever you are, that you are part of the sowing, watering, or cultivating. Let someone else do the harvesting while you do the planting. 13) It doesn't matter if you feel no one appreciates you, or thanks you enough; it matters more if you appre- ciate others and thank God more. 14) It doesn't matter what you think about yourself; it matters more what God thinks about you. Food forThought BY YAP KIAN SENG Fruit is always the miracu- lous, the created; it is never the result of willing, but always a growth. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only He can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit. They know only the power of Him on whom their life depends. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Mar- tha is Mary's sister. ~ Benard of Clairvaux Our works do not ennoble us, but we must ennoble our works. ~ Meister Eckhart Discipleship is a daily disci- pline; we follow Jesus a step at a time, a day at a time. ~ Warren Wiersbe IT DOESN'T MATTER
- 18. As Jesus andhis disciples approached Jerusalem, Jesus sent John and Peter into the city to make the preparation for the Last Supper [Lk 22:8]. During the Last Supper, John sat next to Jesus. When Jesus said that one of the dsiciples would betray him, John leaned on Jesus and asked, "Lord, who is going to betray you?' [John 21:20] John, together with Peter and James, fell asleep as Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane. [Mark 14:33] John was the only one of the 12 disciples who was with Jesus at the foot of the cross. There, Jesus asked John to look after Mary, the Lord's mother. [Jn 19:25-27] John was filled with the Holy Spirit with the other disciples at Pentecost [Acts 2:4]. He was with Peter at the healing of the lame man in the temple [Acts 3]. He was thrown into prison with Peter because of their faith in Chirst and testified before the Sanhedrin [Acts 4]. He and Peter visited the newly converted in Samaria [Acts 8:14]. John, along with Peter and another disciple named James were re- ferred to as "pillars of the church" [Gal 2:9] John wrote the Gospel of John, and I, II and III John. While in exile on the island of Patmos, he wrote the Book of Revelation [Rev. 1:9]. THE APOSTLE JOHN Manga by GILLIAN GOH John was the son of Zebedee. His brother was the Apostle James. They were fishermen, partners of the Apostle Peter, who caught fish in the Sea of Galilee [Matt 4:21]. John was mending nets with James in a boat when Jesus called them to follow him. So, they got out of the boat, left their father and the hired workers, and went away with Jesus to be his disciples [Mark 1:19-20]. John was one of the three disciples (with Peter and James) to witness the raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead [Mark 5:37-43]. As Jesus travelled to Jerusalem, he sent messengers to a Samaritan village to make preparations for him. When the Samaritans rejected Je- sus, John and James said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” Jesus rebuked them. [Lk 9:51-6] He was also with Peter and James when they saw Jesus transfigured so that his face became bright like the sun and his clothes shone like light. They then saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah. [Matt 17:1-2] Jesus gave John and James the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder” [Mark 3:17]. When Mary Magdalene told John and Peter that Jesus' body was missing, John outran Peter and was the first to look into the empty tomb. He was among the discipes who first saw the risen Christ. [Jn 20] JOHN
- 19. 34 35 Dear Abigail, Iam so happy that we now have three pastors in CCMC. Each of them are men of stature. Zacchaeus Yao Ming Dear Zach Yao Ming, Indeed! Our pastors are men of stature. You can say that we have Large Ling, Junior John and wee Wee. However, 1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that height and appearance are not important to God. "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” We thank God for the goodness of the hearts of our pastors. Love and Peace, Abigail Dear Abigail, There has been a great deal of discussion about the Noah movie. What do you think? Floating About Dear Floating About, Here's what I think: (1) Don't miss the boat. (2) Don't forget that we're all in the same boat. (3) Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big. (4)Buildyourfutureonhighground. (5) For safety's sake, travel in pairs. (6) Speed isn't always an advan- tage; the snails were on board with the cheetahs. (7) When you're stressed, float awhile. (8) When the doo-doo gets really deep, don't sit there and complain – shovel! (9) No matter how bleak it looks, there's always a rainbow on the other side. (10) Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark. Yes or Noah? Abigail Dear Abigail, Will you suggest some hymns for the Gold Years Ministry (GYM) service? Tone Deaf Dear Tone Deaf, Just a Slower Walk with Thee Give Me the Old Timers' Religion Blessed Insurance Golden Girl Abigail Dear Abigail, There has been so much talk about Discipleships in CCMC lately: Disci- ple I Class, Disciple II Class, Disciple Making.... Shouldn't we take a reality pill? How can we mere mortals live up to the Disciples of Christ? They are Saints, after all. Get Real Dear Get Real, The disciples were a ragtag bunch of ordinary folk, including fisher- men and a tax collector (Matt 4:18- 22, 9:9), who made commitments to follow Christ. After that, (1) They squabbled over who among them was the greatest (Mk 9: 33-35). (2) They shooed away children to wanted to be with Jesus (Lk. 9:50). (3) They were thick, and didn't al- ways understand what Jesus taught them (Mark 8:19-21). (4) Jesus himself called them men of little faith (Mt. 17:20, Lk. 12:22,28, Mk. 4:40, Lk. 8:25). (5) Jesus told them time and again about his suffering and death but they didn't get it (Matt 16:21-23). (6) They dozed off when Jesus asked them to pray with him at his deepest point of need (Matt 26: 36-45). (7) Peter denied Jesus three times in one night (Lk 22:54-62). (8) Thomas doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead and demanded physical proof (Jn 20:24-29). Yup, let's get real. These men were like us until they were trans- formed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). The Disciple Abigail ASK ABIGAIL ABIGAILGOH Songs & Singers 34 Bon Jovi’s rock anthem, Livin’ on a Prayer, almost never saw the light of day. Back in the Eighties, Jon Bon Jovi, the band’s leader, initially thought that the song too ‘soft’ for Bon Jovi’s hard rock image. It was only after co-writers Richie Sambora and Desmond Child re-arranged the music with different bass lines, drum fills and a talk-box guitar solo, giving it an edgier sound, did it make it into the 1986 milestone album, Slippery When Wet. The song tells the story of Tommy and Gina, a working-class couple faced with hard times and yet determined to overcome their situation. Sambora shared, “The storyline is about working class families, much like Jon and mine as we were growing up. We were lower-middle-class kids. We respect our parents and our roots so it was natural to write a song about how we grew up. In a way, the characters represented our parents and their eternal hope and optimisim.” Therefore, beneath the driving bass lines and heroic guitars of Livin’ on a Prayer is a song about relationships and hopes. Sambora went on to say, “The message is very simple – if you love each other, care about each other, and support each other, that’s it, that’s all that matters… it’s about an atypical relationship where people stick together no matter what. That, unfortunately, doesn’t happen to most people these days.” The message of hope and treasuring relationships was poignantly conveyed when Jon and Richie perform a cathartic, stripped down, acoustic version of Livin’ on a Prayer for the 2001 America: A Tribute to Heroes live telethon in support of the first responders who had lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. The concert was lauded by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 50 moments that changed Rock and Roll. The universal appeal of the song also comes from its timeless message of struggling to succeed. Sambora said, “I’m grateful that we’ve gotten this far. I’m a guy who grew up on a dead-end street next to a swamp... and I literally climbed out of it.” However, even when success is achieved, it can never be guaranteed to last. In 2006, Heather Locklear, Richie Sambora’s wife of 10 years, filed for divorce. As recent as June 2013, Sambora pulled out of the band’s Because We Can world tour citing “personal issues”. The grapevine says that Jon and Richie had fallen out over money. While Livin’ on a Prayer refers to “prayer”, Jon Bon Jovi said in a 2007 interview in TIME magazine, he said that the song is “non-denominational” and that he is “very open-minded when it comes to religion”. Therein lies the difference for Christians as we journey down life’s road. Rather than a general faith in the goodness of humanity, we can draw our strength from goodness of a living God. The sentiment of the song takes on deeper meaning when we think about the Apostle Paul’s own writing in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” In this way, Livin’ on a Prayer need not be a song that is about placing faith in humanity alone, but about a personal relationship with a God who watches and cares over us, our relationships and our aspirations. With Him, even though we are only halfway there, and we can keep on living – on a prayer. [+] LIVIN' ON A PRAYER BON JOVI BY LESTER NG EARLMCGEHEEBYCC2.0
- 20. 36 37 Chopping, whisking,whipping, mash- ing, kneading – the hum of a busy kitchen is music to my ears. Even though it is rife with constant activity, it is personally rather cathartic to be in the midst of all that bustle. Cooking has always been, to me, a solitary endeavor where I can zone out for a while and dive into the pleasurable activity of making some- thing delicious. I have always found it intrinsically satisfying about being able to personally oversee a process from start to finish though I certain- ly have those days when I switch to autopilot mode and just want to get dinner on the table and fill hungry bellies before the protesting begins. While I have always enjoyed the soli- tude of working in the kitchen, I have tried to make a conscious effort to in- clude my sons, Zachary, 6, and Eli, 3 when I cook. I love the idea of being able to spend quality time with them while still being able to complete my mealtime tasks. Getting my boys into the kitchen all started as a practical solution to having to juggle cooking while en- tertaining and minding my then one- year-old Zac while we were in Spain. My husband, Lenard’s hours in school stretched from the early morning to well into the night, so Zac and I spent most of the weekdays more or less on our own. Finding creative ways to keep the little guy busy became necessary if I wanted to get anything done during the daylight hours. Even though Zac was too little at the time to fully comprehend what “helping mummy” in the kitchen meant, it didn’t stop him from want- ing to be involved. As he was still crawling then, he’d sit on the floor and play with the pots and pans I wasn’t using. He was quite satisfied with the vegetable scraps I’d give him to work with for his own concoc- tions. I loved being able to maintain that contact with him even in my tiny kitchen and yet keep him out of my hair long enough to get dinner ready. As he got older and masak-masak with scraps no longer cut it with him, I started experimenting with other ways to get him involved in “real meal preparation” like spreading his own peanut butter on his bread for break- fast, helping me pour and mix ingre- dients when possible, or making sim- ple crackers to go with soup. When it was too challenging to include little hands, I’d make some simple home- made Playdough so there’d be some- thing to keep them working alongside mine with less intrusion in the things we planned to eventually eat. I was really excited when Eli was old enough to join his big brother and me at the kitchen table. His favourite activity by far is chopping so when- ever I’m working on a soup where everything ends up in a blender any- way, he’s the first one at the work- bench with a butter knife in hand. It’s because of him that I try to keep scraps (like carrots that are too soft or mushroom stems) in the fridge for occasions when he wants to get in- volved but the actual work calls for a more delicate touch. Now that I have two assistants on hand at any one time, the challenge lies mostly in con- flict management since they ironical- ly end up squabbling over who has more “work” to do! Still, that does not deter my efforts to get my chil- dren involved in kitchen work. In fact, there are lots of benefits to sharing the cooking experience with children regardless of their age or gender. Cooking together is an opportuni- ty to impart important life skills that will come in handy when they even- tually have to fend for themselves. Instead of letting my children’s col- lege experience be their first taste of having to find their way around a kitchen, equipping them with the ba- sics like how to pick the best-quality ingredients, following a simple reci- pe or even cooking eggs gives them a head start to being more at ease with preparing meals. Learning to cook together with us may liberate them enough in the kitchen that they find the pleasure in getting creative ((COOKING TOGETHER IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPART IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS THAT WILL COME IN HANDY WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY HAVE TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. )) Building family ties in the kitchen. LEANNE PATTISELANNO RECIPE FOR FAMILY BONDING ABIGAILGOH
- 21. 38 39 with food.Teaching them to choose healthful eating that takes some ef- fort over immediately gratifying, less nourishing options may also help encourage them to learn to love the bodies they have been blessed with. Cooking is a great teaching tool and an opportunity for family values to be reinforced and built on. Since the start of the year, we have been working on a few simple “house rules” we, as a family, plan to keep in order to maintain a happy home environment. Basically, these house rules include exercising patience with one another, speaking with kindness, picking up after ourselves and taking care of each others’ things. Working on a meal together is really the per- fect opportunity to emphasize and train these key areas since taking turns, being polite and respectful of each person’s work space and learn- ing to clean up afterwards are part and parcel of the experience. Spending time together working side by side in the kitchen is an inval- uable opportunity to pass on family traditions particularly during special occasions. My maternal grandmoth- er or ‘Nana’, as I called her, cooked using her gut instinct almost all of the time. Trying to recreate her sig- nature dishes without having actu- ally witnessed her in action means it is nearly impossible to replicate that distinct flavor. I regret not having spent more time observing her in the kitchen so I’m now making a more conscious effort to document, and perhaps later on, teach my favour- ite recipes my own children. In the meantime, I want to make cooking together an experience that leaves a happy trail of memories and expe- riences. Besides, it's a fact that chil- dren are more likely to eat what they have helped to make. The best part of cooking together as a family is that it gives everyone a sense of accomplishment, especially little ones. Being able to participate a basic daily activity builds their con- fidence and their willingness to offer help can make a difference. Zachary and Eli really like knowing that they are being of service to me and they feel proud of the contribution they have made. Being able to cook to- gether is so important to me person- ally since I am also given the chance to demonstrate the patience (es- pecially when clear instructions are ignored) and graciousness (so what if the carrots aren’t chopped in pre- cisely the same shape?) I want my children to mimic. So how can you get cracking with the seemingly daunting task of get- ting everyone involved in the kitchen to work? Here are some pointers that might make the impossible more do- able and practical: 1. Designate a day for family cook- ing. It could be once a week, or once a fortnight or even once a month but choose a day when everyone’s sched- ules are the least harried. 2. Keep things simple. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a new- bie, remember that cooking solo is quite different from having all hands on deck and it may sometimes take longer. Pick easy to prepare recipes and save those more elaborate men- us for when you have more time. 3. Plan ahead. There is really no need to spend hours on end in the kitchen. Having a plan of action makes things more convenient and less stressful. Decide beforehand who can do what portion of the cook- ing to minimize confusion. 4. Remember your end goal is more about being able to spend quality time together rather than the quality of the food or the punctuality with which you start your meal. It really doesn’t matter if you have managed to pull off a five-course meal or a one-pot supper. Having this time together should really be about realizing the gift God has given in the form of each family member and that as you pause to give thanks to Him for His provisions, all will know that these blessings come from our Father in heaven. [+] There are many episodes in the gospels where Jesus communed with his followers over a meal. Consider the feeding of the multitudes, the break- ing of bread at Emmaus, the Last Supper, and the picnic on the shore after the ressurection. Commu- nity time over food is clearly important to the Lord. Even on a human level, sociologists have found that where husbands and wives have a strong mar- riage, where parents have better relationships with their children, families were more likely to have family dinners. That is to say, the practise of family meals is an indicator of the family health. Eating together as a family – when members gather, talk and share values in the process – is an effective way of building a strong family culture. How then, can we break bread together in an inten- tional way? Try to eat together regularly. Make this a priority and schedule work and activities around family meals. It does not have to be dinner. It could be breakfast, lunch, or even dessert. Stories abound where busy, high-powered executives go home for a meal and then return to work. Impractical, you say, when parents work late, son has football at 6 pm and daughter has tuition at 7. Where evenings are crazy, perhaps mornings are not so much. Even when mornings and evenings are bad, everyone can take a break from their own ((COOKING IS A GREAT TEACHING TOOL AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILY VALUES TO BE REINFORCED AND BUILT ON. )) activities and gather for a snack as a family before bedtime. The key is to make time to come togther as a family regularly for bonding time. Say grace. Giving thanks before eating emphasis- es gratitude to God, and is a simple way of pre- senting your family together before the Lord. Take turns to give thanks. Even the youngest child can be taught to give thanks with a set prayer. Alternative- ly, grace can be sung. Breeding good manners. Eating together is per- fect for teaching children manners, either explicitly, or by example. It will help them cultivate a polite and refined mindset that will go far beyond the meal table. Have meaningful conversations. Don’t ask ques- tions that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Ask open-ended questions about their day. Families with older children may discuss current events and issues. Sharing family history, stories from your grow- ing-up years, and teaching points from your experi- ences will interest your children. Simply put, if you are real and open with your kids, they will be open and real to you. All this can happen quite naturally and spon- taneously over a meal – when the physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual health of every member of a family can be nourished. [+] LET'S BREAK BREAD TOGETHER ABIGAILGOH
- 22. 40 41 PrOF BRAWN ProfessorBrawn is a smart, kind and strong superhero created by a child with a learning disability. The professor is the face of Professor Brawn Cafe, a social enterprise which provides affordable good food prepared and served by a workforce comprising people of different abilities, ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Its values are quality, dignity and inclusiveness. The cafe was started by parents and friends of special needs people in 2009. They wanted to make a difference to those who need a leg up in society by providing jobs, showing the special talents of special needs people, and raising awareness and supporting the cause. Besides bistro favourite like fish and chips, gourmet sausages with rosti, black miso cod fish and waffles with ice cream, Professor Brawn Cafe also sells attractive notebooks and T shirts designed by those with special needs. The cafe has two outlets, #02-78/79 Novena Square, 238 Thomson Road Singapore 307683 and 10 Circular Rd, Singapore 049366, convenient for family meals and work-day lunches. || Anita Fam do you HAVE GOOD THINGS TO SHARE? Send your recommendations to ccmcloavesfishes@gmail.com Good Things BIBLICAL DESIGNS In early 2010, graphic designer Jim LePage started Word, a pro- ject where he created at least one design for every book of the Bible. Then he met Troy Deshano, an il- lustrator who had a similar interest in the Bible and design, and from their friendship came Old & New at http://oldandnewproject.com. Good Things YOUR FAITH ON YOUR SLEEVE FaithClothes is an online store owned by Jessica and her father, Kevin. She designs the patches used to decorate the hoodies and pullovers while he handles the business, logistics, and sourcing for the shop. "Our apparel designs are born from a desire to share our faith with others," they share. "We want our designs to spark a conversation, but in a more subtle way than the "t-shirt evangelism" that seems to make up much of the TRUTHMIN's OFFERINGS In 2010, Truthmin – TRAC Youth Ministries – launched "Even the Rocks Cry Out" (ERCO). An annual worship songwriting project, it is aimed specifically to encourage and cultivate songwriting within Methodist youth. In just these few years, more than 100 songs have been submitted by the youth of our churches. From this effort comes Offer- ings: You are Worthy, a profes- sionally produced compilation featuring the music and voices of Methodist youth. The CD is available from SKS Bookstore, Trumpet Praise and other good Christian bookstores, and tracks may be purchased from Apple iTunes Store and halomedia. asia. Offerings will certainly encour- age the church at large to sing songs written by this generation, for this generation. || Goh Eck Kheng Old & New Project is a platform for graphic artists to show works based on Biblical stories and pas- sages. The website is a curated col- lection of designs by international illustrators, artists and designers. Every weekday, a new artwork con- tributed by one of selected artists is posted on the site. The aim is to make both the art and Biblical text accessible to all, no matter how much or little they know about theology. It is not an attempt to convert. It is a new look at this old book by artists from all types of faith perspectives. The Old & New Project recog- nises that one of the biggest draw- backs of contemporary Biblical art is that much of it is very proper. Thus, some of the art and writing for Old & New may contain all sorts of 'improprieties', including sexual references just like the Bible itself. Every design, such as 'Tongues of Fire' by Brian Danaher below, is available for sale as prints at http://society6.com/oldnewpro- ject. All proceeds go to charities from around the world. || Miriam Wun Christian apparel market." They testify that their patch designs provide a personal reminder of Christian testimony and have started many conver- sations about faith. So go ahead, wear your faith on your sleeve! || Goh Eck Kheng THE LONG RIDE On 18 March 2014, two middle- aged men on motorbikes roared out of ACS(I) to begin a 23,000-km journey across 17 countries to Stockhom via Indo-China, China, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. Philip Iau and Mikael Hartman are not on this journey for a lark. They are breast cancer specialists with the National University Hospital on a mission. Iau is Head & Senior Consultant, Division of General Surgery, and Head, Breast & Trauma Services, while Hartman is Senior Consultant, Breast & Trauma Services, Department of Surgery. By this endeavour, they aim to raise awareness of breast cancer issues in developing countries with large rural populations where the lack of financial and healthcare resources, cultural habits, and late detection of breast cancer are barriers to treatment and cure. Working with a network of collaborators, they are conducting public seminars, undergraduate or post graduate teachings, and other activities to meet local needs. At the same time, the two doctors aim to raise their own awareness about what problems undeveloped Asian populations face in treating and reducing death from breast cancer. The Long Ride is scheduled to end on 15 June 2014 and the journey, so far, has had its adventures, including sandstorms and panic attacks. You can follow The Long Ride by logging onto http://longridess. com/, http://longridess.blogspot. sg/ and https://www.facebook. com/LongRideSS You may also wish to make a donation to breast cancer research at http://medicine.nus.edu.sg/ medsur/TheLongRide/index.htm || Goh Eck Kheng BOUND TO BE GOOD Helena Cho has been crafting bracelets, embossed with scripture, for men and women since 2011. For her, it is a way of spreading positive and inspirational messag- es. Helena said: "I love being able to inspire people to be the very best version of themselves." Her company, Good Work(s) Make a Difference, has pledged 25% of its net profits to charity and supporting needy communi- ties around the world. https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/ shop/GoodWorksBracelets || Goh Eck Kheng
- 23. 42 43 News Bites 43 THETALE OF OC CAMP 2013 There once was a great church community, That all worshipped the Holy Trinity. They held an event, Which was called OC camp On a beach outside the Johor city. Our tale starts with the One Community, a group of youths who longed for God. A camp was organised for fellowship, games, fun and, of course, time together to worship the Lord. It was held from 6 - 9 December 2013 at Pulai Desaru Beach Resort & Spa in Johor. There was a total of about 90 in attendance, and it seemed like it was going to be yet another great camp. We set off from church in Singapore, And the campers, that’s us, were soon in Johor. We arrived at noon, And prayed in the room. Where we all waited for what was in store. On schedule, we got into the buses with our groups and began our journey. The entire ride was filled with sounds of laughter and loud conversations – the real feeling of the energy of youth. Even I was engaged in conversation the whole way with a fellow group member and I don't remember much other than laughs and great company. We arrived at the campsite and were taken up to the worship room where we were prayed for individually. Immediately, I felt the presence of God not just in the room, but in every single leader that was praying for us. With this, I felt an air of expectancy – God was going to do great things at camp. Then hence came our guest speaker: Pastor Chua, And he was a truly great cause for hurrah, The messages he sent, Were of God descent, And we were all just like “Hallelujah”. Our guest speaker was Pastor Jason Chua. A great blessing at this camp, Pastor Chua preached at every worship session and brought the word of God to everyone. His focus on our camp theme, prayer, was essential in helping us understand more about our relationship with God. He made a deep impact by preaching and praying for our young community. The camp had a total of eight groups, Of which just about all had nine troops, They set out to play, But to the games were they prey, As well as stalking cameraman, Luke. At camp, we were split evenly into eight groups: Gingerbread Man, Scientist, Yeti, Welder, Island Warrior, Barbarian, Scarecrow, and Constable. For many of us, there were a few names of new friends we had to learn, but it wasn’t long before everyone settled in their groups and became comfortable. On the second day in our groups, we started playing games together. For those that were at their first OC camp, the games may have seemed a bit messy, but everyone was eager to join in and we had a lot of fun. 42 FILTERED AND SELECTED Two illustrations by Abigail Goh (above), resident illustrator of Loaves+Fishes, have been selected for the US Society of Illustrators' 2014 Student Scholarship Competition Exhibition being held in the Museum of American Illustration in New York from 7 - 31 May 2014. One of the selected illustrations (below) is that for "Our Children in the Wild Wide Web" in the July/September 2013 issue of Loaves+Fishes. The other is "Litho- pedion", which shows a person in meditation superimposed on a stack of pebbles. Abigail, who is studying illustra- tion in Savannah College of Art and Design, is the daughter of our church secretary, Betty Wee. The Society of Illustrators was founded in 1901 and has organised News Bites the annual Student Scholarship Competition and exhibition since 1981. Pieces are accepted based on the quality of technique, concept and skill of medium used. This year, some 300 outstand- ing works were chosen by a jury of professional peers, including illustrators and art directors, from more than 8,700 entries submitted by college professors across America. The Student Scholarship Competition is one which can kick start a career as it showcases the most sophisticated, well-crafted and original work by student studying illustration in the United States. || Goh Eck Kheng While we all thought first night was great, We were all left till the last day in wait, For when that last night came, We went through the prayer train, And God’s presence had just so much weight. The first night of worship really was great, with people genuinely worshipping the Lord. At every OC camp I’ve been to so far, every night of worship always gets better than the night before. And this camp was no different. The first night had so much intent. By the time we came to the last night, everything was just like… intense. On the last day we had some group pictures, Which marked the end of our adventures, We sat on the grass, And with all our class, We pulled out the funniest gestures. On the last day of camp, we had some group pictures taken in our individual camp groups as well as together as a whole. I think it’s what made us feel a lot like One Community, but for many of us, it still was a little silly. However, I feel that that’s the spirit of camp, and I hope that this spirit can continue. For, whenever there is God and people together, there will always be fellowship, fun, and, of course, God in the centre! Now the end of the camp loomed ever near, So we’ll just have to wait that one more year, But for those that were absent, I urge you to be present, At what will be another great camp next year. || Joshua Tan NEW OC SCHEDULE The timing of the OC Youth Service and Life Groups have changed from March 2014. The Youth Service, still at the Youth Hall, now begins at 9 am and ends at 11 am. The Life Groups for youth in Secondary 1 to 3 meet in the MGS campus from 11 am to 12.30 pm, in time for families to have Sunday lunch together. One reason for the change is that this new timing will give more youths the opportunity to join Life Groups which are an integral part of OC community life. It also addresses the concerns about the convenience and safety of younger youths going for Life Groups after dark during the week. For older youth in Secondary 4, Junior College and Polytechnic, their Life Groups continue to meet on weeknights. The reactions to these changes have been good, with more youths now attending Life Groups. Note that there is no youth service nor Life Groups on every first Sunday of the month, or when there is a combined church service. || Adeline Ee NEW PASTOR FOR CHRESS The Cabinet of the Cambodian Methodist Church has appoint- ed Pastor Vuthy (below) as the interim pastor of Chress Methodist Church as Pastor Phirun has been posted to another church. Pastor Vuthy is concurrently the principal of the Cambodia Methodist Bible School. Since his appointment, a plan for action has been drawn up to establish a sound foundation of a good and dedicated team of church leader for Chress. This includes the recruitment of Yada, who recently completed his course with the Cambodian Disciple Training Centre, as Youth Director to minister to the youth and young adults of the church. Yada, whose salary is supported by CCMC, lives in the church prem- ises so as to improve the security of the building. Both Pastor Vuthy and Yada are conversant in English, which makes communications with visiting mis- sion teams convenient. || Chung Kong Mun
- 24. 44 45 Rajiv Niles 9am service, band What is your favourite food and drink? Bak Kut Teh Coffee What do you appreciate the most in friends? Loyalty Whatdon’tyoutolerateinothers? Indecisiveness What is your idea of happiness? Spending quality time with family. What is your idea of misery? Being away from my musical in- struments for too long. What talent do you wish to have? Play the drums. Which Biblical character do you most identify with? Joseph What do you like most about CCMC? The people and fellowship. What is your motto? Just do it! Elizabeth Chua 11 am, Finance Chair What's your fave food and drink? Popiah, Honey lemon What do you appreciate the most in friends? Sincerity. A good Christian brother or sister who helps me walk the straight and narrow path. Whatdon’tyoutolerateinothers? I have learnt not to be in a mental space of non-tolerance. What is your idea of happiness? Being at peace with God, self and others. What is your idea of misery? Being unable to do what you really want to do and being unable to be whom you want to be. What talent do you wish to have? To connect with more people. Which Biblical character do you most identify with? I'd love to be like Paul. What do you like about CCMC? It's not too big or small. It has a sense of community yet small enough to know most people. Peo- ple have a genuine heart for God. What is your motto? Start with the end in mind. Andrew Wee 11 am service What is your favourite food and drink? Chye Tow Kway Iced lemon tea What do you appreciate the most in friends? Loyalty Whatdon’tyoutolerateinothers? I'm supposed to love them all. What is your idea of happiness? Being with people you love, includ- ing God. What is your idea of misery? Chinese composition exam. What talent do you wish to have? To sing better. Which Biblical character do you most identify with? It depends on the season; could be Job or Timothy. What do you like most about CCMC? Friendly. Near my house. What is your motto? The best is yet to be. Getting to Know You Join the Covenant Community Methodist Church group inspiring notes sharing updates photos reviews
- 25. 46 47 Ong YongLuan’s Pastel Goreng Indonesian Chicken Puff (Makes 20 to 25) For the skin 60 ml water 1 tablespoon (20 g) butter or margarine ½ teaspoon of salt 20 ml fresh coconut milk 300 g flour 2 egg yolks ½ egg white Curry puff mould For the filling 300 g chicken meat, boiled, deboned and shredded 6 shallots, sliced 4 cloves garlic, sliced ⅓ teaspoon coriander powder 1⅓ cm Sand Ginger (Kencur, Kaempferia galanga), skinned and ground to a fine paste* 1 carrot, shredded 20 g bean vermicelli (tang hoon) 1½ teaspoons salt A pinch of pepper ³̷₄ tablespoons sugar 30 ml coconut milk 50 ml chicken stock 1 tablespoon fried onions 3 eggs, hard boiled, each cut into 6 to 8 slices *Pictured on right. This can be purchased at most Malay vegetable stalls in the market. Alternatively, use ½ teaspoon Sand Ginger powder Born into an Indonesian Chinese family which revolved around cooking and eating, Yong Luan was blessed with the privilege of tasting some of the best Indonesian cuisine. Her mum was an avid and talented cook, who helmed her own Indonesian restaurant in the early 1980s. It was during the days when she assisted in this venture that Yong Luan began acquiring the know-how and techniques required in preparing Indonesian dishes. Since then, cooking has been her hobby as well as passion, and it brings her great joy to whip up dishes for friends and family. From 2005 to 2009, a good friend enlisted Yong Luan's help in manag- ing Pondok Jawa Timur restaurant, an experience that helped further hone her cooking skills. Kitchen 1) To prepare the dough for the skin, heat water, butter or margarine, salt and fresh coconut milk over a small flame till the butter melts completely. Be careful not to let the butter boil. 2) Mix this into the flour and knead it evenly. Add the eggs and mix well and knead to get the dough for the skin. Set aside. 3) To prepare the filling, use 3 to 4 tablespoons of cooking oil to stir fry the shallots and garlic till they are light brown. Add the coriander power, and Sand Ginger followed by the chicken, carrots, bean vermicelli, salt, pepper and sugar. Then, add in the coconut milk and chicken stock. Cook till it is almost dry. Lastly, add in the fried onions. 3) Divide the prepared dough into 20 to 25 portions and roll each portion into a circle and place it in the curry puff mould. Place some filling in the centre of the dough with a slice of egg and close the mould to get the curry puff. 4) Fry the curry puff till golden brown over medium fire. Drain and serve.
- 26. 48 49 Crumbs My Balloon TanBuck Chye On 7 April, Pastor Kin Yew shared in his sermon about how God assured him of his love by making a heart- shaped balloon, stuck for many days at the ceiling, float down to him. Someone told me after the 11 am service that he wished he has these manifestations too. I felt the same. I asked God why I don't get any balloons. I sense His presence everyday and all the time, but mostly cognitively, being the way I am. So I prayed: "Dear Lord, wouldn't it be a wonderful testimony of your love if I can also share an experience like Pastor Kin Yew's?" After church that day, as I was queuing to buy duck rice to take home, the Lord led me to strike up a conversation with an elderly gentle- man in front of me. He said that he is 80. I said he looks good and can live to 100. He said, "What's the point?" "Why don't you go to church? I just came from church – CCMC," I suggested. Guess what? He said he used to come to CCMC when Norman Wong was our pastor. Now he goes to church only on Christmas. God didn't send me a balloon. Instead, he sent me someone looking for Christian love. God is good indeed! THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE “What is the normal Christian life? The apostle Paul gives us his own definition of the Christian life in Galatians 2:20… He is, we believe, presenting God’s normal for a Christian, which can be summarized in the words: I live no longer, but Christ lives his life in me.… If we say: “I’ll not do it; I’ll trust thee to do it for me,” then we shall find that a Power stronger than ourselves is carrying us through. ~ Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life PERSPECTIVE When we see people who live in the center of chaos without themselves becoming chaotic, we have seen the reign of God alive and smiling. ~ Lectio with the words of Joan Chittister by Maria Ling-Lim Ichthus (ikh-thoos) is the Greek word meaning "fish". It is the anagram of the Greek words Iesous, Christos, Theou, Uios, and Sotor meaning, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior". This symbol was used amongst Christians of the 1st and 2nd century AD as a means of identifying or acknowledging a fellow believer in Christ during times of persecution without the need for any verbal communication being exchanged. For this purpose, Christians would often draw an ichthus in the dirt, mud, sand, or on the walls of caves. The drawings on the cards are by Didier Martin, a Frenchman who is a children’s book and comic illustrator, and paper engineer. He also creates children's activity pages and occasionally board games. As a Christian, Martin has a calling to reach out to children. It is for this reason that he uses his blog (http://jacques- mylittlehouse.blogspot.sg/) to share the various beautiful and creative projects he has devised for little ones. All drawings © Didier Martin Cut along the dotted lines to make a memory game based on the life of Jesus. The cards illustrate: The birth of Jesus (Lk 2:1-20) The boy Jesus at the Temple (Lk 2: 41-52) Jesus' baptism (Matt 3:13-17) Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) Jesus calling his first discipes (Matt 4:18-22) Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26) Jesus healing Jarius' daughter (Mark 5:21-43) The Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) Jesus praying at Gethsemane (Lk 22:39-46) Jesus suffering on Calvary (John 19:16-30) Jesus' resurrection on Easter (Matt 28:1-10) Jesus ascending into heaven (Acts 1: 1-11) As you play this game with your children, do tell them these gospel stories. The Life of Jesus Memory Game
- 27.
- 28. 52 53 Do youwant to live as committed disciple of Christ? Examine the 34 marks of discipleship in the Disciple 1 Course, a 34-week study of the entire Bible. Orientation Session: Monday. July 7 at 7.30pm, MGS Level 2 Conference Room. Registration starts 18 May at the church information counter or email admin@ccmc.org.sg. BOOKCOVER:MARKLARSONCCBY-SA2.0,BACKGROUND:CCBY-NC2.0
- 29. 54 GIVE ME ANEW, A PERFECT HEART Charles Wesley Give me a new, a perfect heart, From doubt, and fear, and sorrow free; The mind which was in Christ impart, And let my spirit cleave to Thee. O take this heart of stone away! Thy sway it doth not, cannot own; In me no longer let it stay; O take away this heart of stone! Cause me to walk in Christ my Way; And I Thy statutes shall fulfill, In every point Thy law obey, And perfectly perform Thy will. MIXYLORENZOCCBY-NC-SA2.0 Within me Thy good Spirit place, Spirit of health, and love, and power; Plant in me Thy victorious grace, And sin shall never enter more. O that I now, from sin released, Thy Word may to the utmost prove! Enter into the promised rest, The Canaan of Thy perfect love. Now let me gain perfection’s height; Now let me into nothing fall, Be less than nothing in Thy sight, And feel that Christ is all in all.