Vol 120 No 4 • APR 2018
ISSN 0129-6868 MCI (P) 019/11/2017
Christ IS Risen!
message.methodist.org.sg
COMING UP
CALLING ALL FAMILIES,
UP
‘JUST AS WE ARE’
Just As We Are: God’s Call For Families Paya Lebar Methodist Church, 5 Boundary Road, S(549954)
W
ALDERSGATE SUNDAY CELEBRATION 20 May | Sunday | 5.00-7.00 p.m. (doors open 4 p.m.) Bishop Emeritus Dr Wee Boon Hup ◆ Biblically strong families are the foundation of a strong church
By Grace Toh
hat comes to mind when you hear the word “family”? The same word could trigger varying responses: a warm, comforting sense of love; a deep, aching hurt or confusion; a sharp, bitter anger or resentment; or a cold, empty apathy and ambivalence. These mixed emotions towards family are inescapable – each of us may have been hurt ourselves or is likely to know at least one person who has had negative experiences with their family, and some seemingly with no end in sight. Such experiences are real and rife, not only as a modern malaise, but indeed for many persons whose family lives were recorded in the Bible. It appears that such are inherent to our condition of living in this broken world. Yet, the accounts of imperfect families in the Bible offer great hope for us – just as God used them despite their brokenness to accomplish His perfect purposes, He can use us in whatever family situation we find ourselves in. For He does call us – as individuals, as family units, and as a family in Christ – to come to Him just as we are, ‘warts and all’, and promises His grace that works in us to sanctify us for His glory. Come hear from three esteemed speakers at the upcoming Aldersgate SG 2018 (see box), who will draw their sharing both from authentic experiences of family life (in contemporary times and as historically recorded in the Bible), and from their understanding of God’s call for families. Join in the conversation. Pose your questions during the panel discussion, or ‘post’ them on our colourful ‘Thought Wall’. Come join our Methodist family in a visible sign of unity at the Aldersgate Sunday Celebration, as we re-commit ourselves to the Lord together through the Aldersgate SG Prayer of Commitment. Visit the booths of various Methodist agencies and learn how they can resource you and your churches’ ministries. Come “just as you are” to Aldersgate SG 2018, and answer God’s call! n
ALDERSGATE LECTURE & PANEL DISCUSSION 24 May | Thursday | 7.45-9.30 p.m. (doors open 6.45 p.m.) Bishop Emeritus Dr Wee Boon Hup ◆ Just As We Are: God’s Call For Families Mr Jason Wong ◆ Strong Fathers Are Key To Strong Families Ms Denise Phua ◆ Secret Weapons of a Working Mother in a Busy World Registration required for all events (for security, catering, logistics, and follow-up). Sign up by 7 May with your local church office, or at aldersgate.methodist.org.sg NEW! Come early to browse resource booths on Discipleship, Social Enterprise, Worship & Music, and more. Booths open two hours before each event.
Judicial Council Decision No.1 of 2018 In a written decision handed down on 6 March 2018, the Judicial Council of The Methodist Church in Singapore affirmed the ruling of the President of Trinity Annual Conference, that a retired pastor who is re-engaged into active service under ¶554A of The Book of Discipline (BOD) is considered a minister in full connection. – Pursuant to BOD ¶713
The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church. All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version, unless otherwise stated. Our address
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Methodist Message • #06-04, 70 Barker Road, Singapore 309936 Tel: 6478-4793 • Fax: 6478-4794 Email: newmm@methodist.org.sg MM website: message.methodist.org.sg Church website: www.methodist.org.sg
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Ms Tan See Keen Sub-editors Ms Tan Chiu Ai, Ms Chin Pik Yee Editorial Executive Mr Jason Woo
Have something to say or share? Email us at newmm@methodist.org.sg and if appropriate, your contribution could be published.
inside
this issue...
Film review I Can Only Imagine page 15
GoForth 2018 God’s great missional story pages 16-17
THINK Keeping faith alive page 23
BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2016. He served as President of the Chinese Annual Conference for two quadrennia from 2008 to 2016.
LOVE HIM FEED HIS SHEEP
the disciples would have felt the most uneasy. Peter was elated at the sight of his Lord, yet wondering how Jesus would relate to him. After all, Peter had denied his Lord after vehemently declaring his allegiance. Three times, Jesus offered Peter a chance to restate his love. Each time, Peter replied, “Lord, you know I love you.” Three times, Jesus reassured Peter of His love: by committing the care of His sheep to him. This Easter, may the Lord Jesus open our minds to the reality of His presence! Let us focus on how we will respond to the resurrected Lord.
J
esus Christ is the resurrected Lord! What does this piece of Good News mean to us when we hear it?
Altogether Jesus appeared to His disciples and others at least 10 times after His resurrection. The four Gospels record for us what happened when Jesus appeared to His disciples. Other mentions are found in Acts 1 and 1 Corinthians 15. In appearing to the community closest to Him, Jesus was reassuring them and opening their minds to loving and serving a living Lord, to hope and power. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, we read how the disciples received the Great Commission from our Lord. According to Luke
24:13-49, two of the disciples were on the road to Emmaus and realising that they had just spoken with the living Christ, they rapidly turned around and went back to Jerusalem to report to the others their eyewitness account. In John 20-21, Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples, taking time to help them overcome their grief and leading them to open their minds to the reality of His presence. Jesus went to meet Peter and the disciples who were fishing at the Sea of Tiberias, where Jesus had helped them with a miraculous catch of fish. After an early breakfast of grilled fish, when all had eaten their fill, Jesus turned to Peter – who among all
Just as Jesus spoke to Peter in such a personal way, let us see that the Great Commission is also about caring for others, especially the weak and vulnerable among us, the elderly and the young, the sick and their caregivers – are they not the sheep that the resurrected Jesus has asked us to look after and to feed? Remember when Jesus saw the harassed and helpless crowds, He was filled with compassion to see that the people were like “sheep without a shepherd”. “Pray,” He said, “to the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers to the harvest field.” Perhaps we need not go far to find these helpless sheep – who may be our family members, neighbours, colleagues, school mates, and friends. They are right there within our reach. Let us therefore extend the love of Christ to people, as a response that will please our risen Lord. n
Picture by andyhoech/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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CHURCH PROFILE Christabel Reena David is the Communications Chairperson of Trinity Methodist Church.
TRINITY MC:
WHERE DISCIPLES MAKE DISCIPLES T
rinity Methodist Church (TMC) is a family church established by a group of young couples when they saw the need for a Methodist church in the Serangoon Gardens area. They organised worship services and Sunday School classes in five homes, leading to TMC’s inception in 1956. 62 years on, TMC has about 30 small groups and 700 regular worshippers across our English services, Mandarin service, Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry – a testament to God’s faithfulness. God has also opened doors for us to engage with the community near and far. About 25 years ago, we started reaching out to the children and youth at Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home. We praise God that some of them have become leaders in our Youth Ministry. In 2007, we took over the
We continue our series of profiling local churches from our three Annual Conferences of The Methodist Church in Singapore. As we come to have a better understanding of each other’s history and ministry, we may discover more opportunities to forge cross-church partnerships and collaborations.
running of an IT centre in Serangoon North. Youth Avenue has become a safe place for the neighbourhood youth to meet others and participate in activities like soccer training and our annual Christmas party. In the 1990s, we adopted Cambodia as our mission focus and established a sister church, Glory Trinity Methodist there, raising a new generation of Jesus followers among the least reached.
It requires youths and young adults to humbly desire mentorship in their spiritual journeys. “Discipleship cannot be accidental and it cannot be done alone,” said TMC Lay Ministry staff, Mr Ang Hern Shung. “It requires a community to be intentionally interested in helping one another embark on a journey of spiritual transformation toward Christlikeness.” The vision of the church can be fulfilled only when every single member wants to be a disciple and then invests in others to help them become disciples. It may look like a simple vision, but it will take hard work to put into practice. As we embark on this exciting season in our 62nd year, we are trusting God to bring this vision to fruition. What seems impossible for man is possible with God. n
While we continue as a family church, there is a greater desire to embrace and draw the community around us into God’s family. The current vision of our church, “Where Disciples Make Disciples”, seeks to fulfil The Great Commission. This vision was inspired in 2013 when our Pastor-in-Charge, the Rev Alvin Chan, had a dream to make everyone around him a better Christian. God revealed to him that making people better Christians meant making disciples because God wanted disciples, not just Christians. This is both challenging and exciting as we look at how to turn our relationships with one another into discipling ones. It involves going beyond just asking “How’s your day?” to asking “How’s your walk with God?” It requires older Christians to reach out to younger ones, sometimes across generations, asking for permission to speak into their lives.
Trinity Methodist Church (Trinity Annual Conference) 34 Serangoon Garden Way Singapore 555940 Sunday Services: Traditional Worship: 8.45 a.m. (Sanctuary) Mandarin Worship: 11.00 a.m. (Sanctuary) Contemporary Worship: 11.15 a.m. (Worship Hall, Level 2) Contact us: Website: www.tmc.org.sg Tel: 6282-4443 Photos courtesy of Trinity Methodist Church
ONE MCS – TRAC HIGHLIGHTS The Rev Dr Gordon Wong was re-elected President of Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) in 2016 for a second quadrennial term, but is primarily grateful to God for the gift of his wife Lai Foon and two children Deborah and Jeremy.
DISCIPLES DOUBTS AND
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:16-17, NIV)
T
he Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Amazing, wonderful, incredible… almost unbelievable! Can the
dead be resurrected from the grave? Is this incredible promise of Easter too good to be true? Even the 11 disciples of Christ found this hard to believe. They had their doubts. Who wouldn’t? After all, they had witnessed the bloody crucifixion of Jesus just a few days earlier. Jesus was placed in a tomb, the equivalent of our modern cremation ceremony. So even though they now saw, with their own eyes, Jesus standing there before them on a mountain in Galilee, they couldn’t fully believe what they were seeing. The New International Version (NIV) translation quoted above implies that some of the 11 disciples worshipped while others doubted. That may be correct. But I wouldn’t judge too harshly the ones who doubted. They were not gullible, naïve, unthinking simpletons. No, those early disciples knew as well as we do that dead men usually stay dead.
However, the NIV translators may have missed Matthew’s point in verse 17. It is possible to translate the Greek verse as follows: “When they saw him, they worshipped him, but they had doubts.” If this is correct, it illustrates what may well be true of some, or perhaps many, of us today. Yes, we worship God faithfully Sunday after Sunday. We may also be disciples of Christ who serve alongside our fellow disciples. But we may still have doubts. Some things still seem too wonderful and incredible to believe. Conviction with crystal clarity is rare, and is not required for worship. We see only partially, we know only partially (1 Corinthians 13:9), so we should not be surprised if we believe only partially. Let us not be too quick to condemn those who doubt. Instead, as Jude 1:22 says: “Be merciful to those who doubt.” (NIV) We may have our doubts in our faith journeys, but they need not stop us from worshipping Jesus, the risen Christ. n
Picture by Patchamol/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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YOU & YOUR FAMILY Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award in 2011 and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
Hope and faith ARE WE BELIEVERS?
Yet as they faced each other in my office, the question each had to confront was: “Dare I hope the other will change? Can I trust my spouse to begin acting in a financially responsible manner, to be faithful and to love me above all others?” What is the basis of having hope in situations such as these? How can they argue for another chance after so thoughtlessly squandering earlier ones?
I
n the work I do, the word ‘hope’ seems a little out of place. As a family and marital therapist, I use psychology as a frame of reference for understanding my clients and guiding me on how best to assist them. Psychology, a science that seeks to study human behaviour, forms its ideas after close observation and rigorous testing of these observations in controlled studies.
– and I daresay, of their counsellors too – believing that change through counselling is possible.
‘Hope’, on the other hand, is based on our beliefs and expectations. ‘Hope’ and ‘science’ appear to reside in contrasting worlds. After all, when conducting scientific studies, we are warned to guard against our expectations as they can lead to biased interpretation of objective data.
Although these individuals have served their time in prison, many wonder if society and, more importantly, their own families will ever accept them. They may have paid the legal price for their crimes, but have the emotional, psychological, and social debts to those they hurt been reduced or cleared? They wonder if they will be given a second chance and forgiven for their past mistakes. Even greater is the need for hope if their ‘mistakes’ were made over and over again.
It is therefore surprising that the role of hope and expectancy has been identified as a critical factor for good outcomes in psychotherapy. Research has shown that good outcomes occur in roughly two out of three cases, and it is estimated that the role of hope and expectancy in positive outcomes is approximately 15 per cent. Small, you might think, but for clients and their loved ones, every percentage point counts. A number of studies in the fields of counselling and medical science have attested to the importance of clients
Two encounters I had recently pointed me to the importance of hope. The first time was when I was training volunteers who help discharged prisoners re-integrate into the community.
In the other case, I sat with a couple who have been in conflict for almost as long as they have been married. Their disagreements compounded over 15 years. Conflicts with both sets of in-laws, lifestyle and parenting differences, financial irresponsibility, and most recently, infidelity, marked the potholes of their marital journey.
Hope may take the form of expectation that there will be no repeat of past disappointments. Sometimes, we offer a reprieve when we see some fundamental change in the person, where in the past such behaviour was largely absent. Another reason for hope is that the parties involved may see there are still things that are important and dear to them. For spouses like in the second case above, it could be their children or that despite all the hurts, they still love each other. Still others may stay in their current situation out of sheer necessity, because other options are unavailable or unattractive. As believers – and now I am referring not to ‘believers of science and psychotherapy’ but to believers in Christ – why do we hope? Or more specifically, what is the basis of our hope? Our faith tells us that we have hope not because we lack other choices, but that the source of our hope is God, who can and does deliver. What is impossible for man is possible with Him. With our eyes on God, our current struggles are but momentary discomfort when seen in the light of our lives in eternity. As people of faith, we can hope not because of who are, but because of who God is. n Picture by sewcream/Bigstock.com
WELFARE SERVICES
LENT:
Galvanising Methodists for The Giving Methodist
By The Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team
T
he period of Lent was spent a little differently this year. Several Methodists around Singapore heeded the call of The Giving Methodist (TGM) campaign to perform acts of mercy in Jesus’ footsteps. The TGM provided simple and accessible opportunities for Methodists to give time, donations, and essentially a voice for the poor, needy, distressed, lonely, and elderly sick. Kicking off the TGM calendar was Sengkang Methodist Church’s (SKMC) visit to MWS Senior Activity Centre (SAC) at Fernvale Rivergrove on 10 Feb 2018. SKMC volunteers distributed mandarin oranges and Chinese New Year gifts to the SAC members, as well as HDB studio apartment residents in the same block. The next day, another group of SKMC volunteers knocked on the doors of 300 families of Block 350, Anchorvale Road, a rental block adjacent to the church, to give out mandarin oranges and food vouchers.
(Hougang) staff members spent their Saturday morning giving out hongbaos and jars of love letters to residents of two rental blocks. Some Methodists also formed small groups of their own to give back in their own way. For instance, on 26 Feb 2018, Jamie Loh and Jerusha Soh from Charis Methodist Church took the residents of MWS Nursing Home (Yew Tee) out to the neighbourhood coffee shop. What would seem a mundane activity for many of us was actually a treat for the residents.
“I’m glad to share Chinese New Year blessings with 300 families,” said SKMC member Daniel Kaeselitz. “With vouchers that can be exchanged for food at the coffee shop, recipients do not have to go hungry.”
In all, more than 280 activities were organised by 17 Methodist churches and nine MWS centres for Methodists to take part in. They included: • Ang Mo Kio Chinese and Tamil Methodist Churches’ blood donation drives • Christalite Methodist Chapel’s Mini Family Carnival • Cairnhill Methodist Church’s Take Jesus Out migrant-befriending activity • Trinity Methodist Church’s devotion and worship session at the Institute of Mental Health • Wesley Methodist Church’s Chinese New Year celebration at MWS Nursing Home (Yew Tee)
That same weekend, another group of Methodists also spread cheer to the less fortunate in Buangkok Crescent. Paya Lebar Methodist Church members and MWS Covenant Family Service Centre
People were mobilised into action through the TGM website at thegivingmethodist.sg which provided publicity resources about TGM and weekly prayer guides for those who
would like to pray for MWS and church social concerns ministries. You can still be part of TGM Although the ‘giving time’ activities at TGM have come to an end, you can still be part of the campaign. We have collected less than a quarter of what we need to raise through TGM for more than 9,000 beneficiaries – the needy, distressed, lonely, elderly sick – served at the 20 centres and programmes run by MWS. You can still make an impact by giving a dollar a day, or a one-off donation of $365 at thegivingmethodist.sg/givedonation (open until 30 June 2018). “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40, NIV) n
aims of • Create awareness about the disadvantaged • Engage Methodists in acts of mercy in a concerted, united way • Make social concerns the DNA of every Methodist Find out more about TGM at thegivingmethodist.sg To learn more about MWS, visit mws.sg Photo courtesy of the Methodist Welfare Services METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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HOME
Help St. John’s care for elderly
By St. John’s Home for Elderly Persons
S
ixteen years ago, Madam Jessie Ee (pic above, seated) found herself all alone at age 74 when her husband passed away unexpectedly. She had to stay on her own for several months until her niece introduced her to St. John’s Home for Elderly Persons. Over the past 60 years, St. John’s Home has been providing hundreds of needy elderly persons like Madam Ee shelter, comfort, professional care, and most of all, a home that has become a community of fellow seniors ageing gracefully. Methodists have for a long time been caring for the vulnerable elderly, including supporting the mission of St. John’s Home. The many Methodist supporters include Mr and Mrs Tan Boon Chiang, Mrs Checha Davis, and Mr David Alexander Ong, to name but a few. The General Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (GC WSCS) is a faithful supporter, and others in the Methodist community have also volunteered at the Home.
The Home’s General Manager, Mr Goh Beng Hoe, is a Methodist and so are four members of the Board. The Home is facing its biggest challenge to date—the lease on the land that St. John’s Home currently occupies has expired, and it urgently needs to be rebuilt on a smaller plot of land. The new five-storey building will cost $14 million to build. By God’s grace, we have so far raised $7.5 million. Construction will start in August this year, and we need to raise the remaining $4.5 million before its completion. By August 2018, residents like Madam Ee may not have a roof over their heads. Thus, we appeal to your generosity to either donate towards the Home’s Name-a-Room Campaign or give an outright donation to the building fund. Together, we can provide a refuge at St. John’s Home for the elderly and needy who have need of one. n
Thank you for your gift to the elderly and needy. For more information, please contact Mr Alvin Ching. Tel: 6285-4446 Email: cp.frm@stjohneldershome.org.sg Address: 69 Wan Tho Avenue Singapore 347601 Website: www.stjohneldershome.org.sg
Photo and artist’s impression courtesy of St. John’s Home for Elderly Persons
MISSIONS Rasanya Gnasegaran is the Administration Executive and Personal Assistant to the Executive Director of the Methodist Missions Society (MMS). She worships at Toa Payoh Tamil Methodist Church.
MELODIES THE HEART
OF
A
s a person who has music deeply intertwined with her daily life, I am fascinated by music of other cultures and, by extension, how people of various cultures worship the Lord Jesus through song. Worship through song is a common yet intimate way to express one’s relationship with God. In Ephesians 5:19-20, Paul instructs the people to “[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In a world with ever-evolving cultures, customs, and people groups, this idea of “making music from (the) heart to the Lord” therefore has important relevance towards the contextualisation of worship in the mission field. In October 2017, MMS gave me the opportunity to attend the Annual Meeting of the Methodist Church in Nepal, held at the Wesley Bardan Methodist Church in Kathmandu. I was excited to be travelling to a new place to see how God had been building the church there through MMS.
The opening hymn during the service was a Methodist classic - ‘O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing’, translated into Nepali. This was not unfamiliar to me as many Methodist hymns have been translated into various languages around the world. The praise and worship segment of the service, however, left a deeper impact on me as the leaders led the congregation in local Nepali worship songs. I learnt later from one of the missionaries that many of these songs were actually written by early Nepali Christians in the midst of severe trials and persecution. Since I could not understand the lyrics, my ears struggled to grow accustomed to the language and the people singing around me, while becoming more attuned to the music alone. Within a few moments, I found myself being moved to tears just by the melody of the song. The rise and fall of melodic cadences sounded to me like a lilting cry and praise, from the hearts of people in struggle, to the One who loves us unconditionally.
Upon reflection, I was in awe of how God had used the early missionaries to build bridges between cultures, enabling the people to worship in their own unique way. The blend of western instrumentation with traditional Nepali melodies was evident of the locals’ ability to incorporate the Christian faith into their own culture, and further adapt their music and worship to cater to the increasing number of young believers in their churches. While accepting Christ may have alienated them from their communities (due to Nepal having been, up until fairly recently, a Hindu Kingdom), the Nepali believers had found a way to retain their identity and culture by incorporating their rich musical heritage into their worship of the Lord. This encounter I had with God and His people has inspired me in my journey towards becoming a missionary. I have discovered the merits of different cultures and, importantly, how these may be used to enrich one’s personal relationship with Christ. The gift of contextualisation therefore makes worshipping the Lord vibrant, special, and most significantly, something that Jesus followers everywhere around the globe can relate to. This is indeed a great testament to our God, the God of all Nations! n
In a situation where I expected to comprehend nothing, the Lord spoke so profoundly to me just through music alone, transcending the barriers of language. Thus, I came to realise that His ways are truly higher than ours. Photos courtesy of the Methodist Missions Society METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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ADMISSIONS for 2019 Now Open
Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides
ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an allround English-based education for students aged 12 - 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP).
Mr Rob Burrough Principal
• Exceptional examination results; very strong value added achievement; and an all-round holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student : teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs – 16 Sporting; 12 Visual and Performing Arts; 12 Special Interest Groups • 25+ overseas trips per year • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for 4 Singaporeans to undertake the IB Diploma programme
Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal
Achievements Include
• Top students have achieved perfect IB scores of 45 points • 19 Top of the World awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past eight years
• Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years • Admissions to top universities in the UK, US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and Singapore GCE ‘O’ level students achieve outstanding valueadded examination results for the IB Diploma with improved pathways to good universities
• Successes at national level this past year in Archery; Touch Rugby; Cycling; Swimming; Chinese Drama; Debating; Fencing; Football; Golf; String Orchestra; Taekwondo; Volleyball; Wushu.
Mr Gavin Kinch Vice Principal
For more information, please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admission@acsinternational.edu.sg
Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal
ACS (International) - Building Through Belief"
HYMNS & SONGS Dr Yeo Teck Beng is a member of Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church.
THE DAY DEATH DIED O
Thine Be the Glory
n the first Easter morning, Jesus tasted death for us and triumphed over it. Paul said, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54b-55)
(The United Methodist Hymnal, #308) Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Jesus Christ, the “risen conquering Son”, has granted us victory over the grave through His resurrection. Death, our greatest enemy, has been defeated, and now through our Lord Jesus Christ, eternal life can be our experience.
Refrain: Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.
‘Thine Be the Glory’, a traditional Easter hymn, was originally written in French by the Rev Edmond L. Budry in 1884, which he titled as ‘A Toi la Gloire’.1 At 35 years old, the Rev Budry, a pastor in Verney, Switzerland, composed this well-loved hymn after the death of his first wife, Marie de Vayenborg. The French hymn in its original form was published in the YMCA hymn book, Lausanne, in 1904.
Lo! Jesus meets thee, risen from the tomb; lovingly He greets thee, scatters fear and gloom. Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing, for our Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting. [Refrain]
Nearly 40 years later, ‘A Toi la Gloire’ was translated into English by Richard Birch Holye, a Baptist minister in 1923.2 A man of considerable scholarship and who was conversant with 12 languages, the Rev Hoyle was commissioned to translate the hymn by the World Student Christian Federation, which later retained the copyright on his English translation.
No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life! Life is naught without thee; aid us in our strife. Make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love; bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above. [Refrain]
The three stanzas of this wonderful hymn convey the resurrection narratives in the Gospels. Stanza 1 narrates the part when “the angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away” (ref Matthew 28:2). Stanza 2 puts us in the shoes of the disciples who met with the risen Christ: “Lo! Jesus meets [us]… lovingly He greets [us]” (ref Matthew 28:9).
Words: Edmond L. Budry, 1904; trans. by Richard Birch Holye 1923 Music: Harmonia Sacra, ca. 1753; arr. from G. F. Handel, 1747
Death is then described as the Jordan River in stanza 3, where the believers, with doubts dispelled, ask the “Prince of Life” to “aid us in our strife” and to “bring us safe through Jordan to [His] home above”. As we live in great expectation of the triumphant promise of the joy we will one day experience with all fullness, when we will share in the heavenly celebration with all the saints, let us continue to raise our voices in praise of our victorious Lord! n
enneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for K Daily Devotions (Grand Rapids, Mich: Kregel Publications, 1990), 145. 2 Frank Colquhoun, A Hymn Companion: Insight into Three Hundred Christian Hymns (Wilton: Morehouse Barlow, 1985), 98. 1
Picture by gracel/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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MCS FOCUS: THE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE Jason Woo is Editorial Executive of Methodist Message. He put this article together with valuable input from Mr Stephen Lim, Chairperson of the Garden of Remembrance, and Ms Wendy Heng, General Manager of the Garden of Remembrance.
SAFE SPACE TO
REST AND REMEMBER “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
W
hen Jesus died on the cross some 2,000 years ago and thereafter paid for the sins of man past, present, and future, He removed the sting of death that has so plagued mankind since the Fall. However, the pain of losing a loved one is still ever present, even as we know that they have returned to the eternal home the Lord has personally prepared for them. Though we may feel some measure of comfort that our dear departed ones are at rest, surviving family members still need the space to grieve and share their loss. The Garden of Remembrance (TGOR) was thus established as part of The Methodist Church in Singapore’s (MCS) commitment to not only provide a quiet, restful place for our kin who have gone on ahead of us, but also a physical reminder to believers of the very real promise of Christ, who spoke about the day when we will all be reunited again in His presence and where there will be no more sorrow. Mr Stephen Lim, the Chairperson of TGOR, explained: “Our ministry is to reach out to families in their time of grief to provide comfort and care with Christian love. Through this, [we make it easier to] remember God’s grace that was witnessed in their deceased parents and loved ones.” In the face of the various options that Methodist families have when it comes to Christian columbaria (or even opting for secular ones), Mr Lim, who worships at Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church, added: “Our biggest challenge is to achieve both ‘do well’ and ‘do good’ objectives. By ‘doing good’, it simply means that TGOR must continue to be relevant and aligned with the Methodist community which encompasses our local churches, our Methodist brothers and sisters, and our clergy.”
A place of restfulness and peace Since 2001, TGOR has carved out a peaceful enclave amidst the lush greenery along Old Choa Chu Kang Road to house the remains of the departed. The columbarium was conceptualised to resemble a pair of open palms coming together in prayer. Surveying the grounds of the columbarium, it is evident that the various private balconies and terraces overlooking tranquil surroundings offer bereaved families and loved ones a quiet and peaceful environment for prayer and contemplation, allowing them to draw near to God and sense His comforting presence. TGOR has some 40,000 niches built over four storeys sitting on a hectare of land. Wide, breezy corridors and passageways also offer a spacious divide between the individual niche blocks, giving families the space and privacy they need in their time of grief and remembrance.
“As a Christian agency, we also aim to grow in our community outreach and engagement through our memorial services during All Saints’ Day and Easter, as well as direct engagement with local church communities.” n
Unbeknownst to many, this unique take on a columbarium actually garnered TGOR an ‘Honourable Mention’ in the 6th Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) Awards in Sep 2001 for the Religious Buildings category.
920 Old Choa Chu Kang Road Singapore 699815 Website: www.remembrance.sg Tel: 6795-8978 Email: remembrance@methodist.org.sg
Future plans for growth When asked what the future looked like for TGOR, Mr Lim shared: “There are several immediate challenges facing TGOR. The most pressing one is to be continually relevant to our community and faith, and having a firm mindshare amongst our members.”
Single, double, and premium niche options are now available at The Garden of Remembrance (TGOR). The premium niches allow deceased family members and loved ones to be housed together in a shared area with fully customisable plaques to celebrate the lives of those who have passed.
Mr Lim, however, did unveil exciting new plans for TGOR in the next few years: “For TGOR, service and product quality are among our top priorities. We are constantly working hard to improve both through important TGOR products and offerings that include parlour rentals and memorial services. In addition to niches, we will look into improving our range of niche offerings and establishing competitive pricing to meet various demands.”
Nine fully air-conditioned spaces are also available for Christian wakes, funeral and memorial services. Ranging from 350 to 3,000 sq feet with a seating capacity of 20 to 300 persons, the Chapel and memorial rooms of various sizes are available to cater to different needs. Enquire about TGOR’s services for exhumation, funeral wakes and memorial services.
Photos courtesy of The Garden of Remembrance METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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FILM REVIEW Jason Woo is Methodist Message’s Editorial Executive. When not working on the latest articles, he enjoys long jogs and cuddling up with his three cats along with a good book.
MORE THAN WE CAN IMAGINE
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uch can be said about how music can influence our lives; it can be deeply uplifting, poignant, and more importantly, utterly personal. Thus, when a young Bart Millard wrote ‘I Can Only Imagine’ following his father’s death from cancer in 1999, he meant it as an outlet to express the loss of the “father he [had] always wanted”. Never could he have imagined that the song would go on to become a smash hit, not only on the American Christian pop charts, but also resonating intensely with those in other parts of the world. The truth was, Bart’s relationship with his father, Arthur Millard, was one that was extremely strained and abusive. The elder Millard, in Bart’s words, was “a monster” who would relentlessly subject his son to corporal punishment and constantly berate him for just not being “good enough”. However, this relationship would radically change when the elder Millard encountered God.
This transformation is depicted in the upcoming film I Can Only Imagine, which straddles Bart’s coming-of-age story and a plot that chronicles the genesis of the famous Christian band, MercyMe. The film opens with a young Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley) growing up in the suburbs of Greenville, Texas, in the early 1980s.
The prepubescent Millard clearly loved music. In one part of the film, he used all of his allowance earned from mowing his grandmother’s lawn to purchase cassettes of the latest pop songs of the time. Whilst Bart’s mother was supportive of her son’s musical pursuits, Arthur (Dennis Quaid) was the angry, negative presence that sought to downplay his son’s abilities, making him feel generally worthless. Things came to a head when Bart’s mother finally moved out of the house, leaving Bart behind with his father. It led to the boy thinking that it was somehow his fault–a thought that would haunt him for most of his young adulthood.
point in the movie. We discover here why Arthur was so adamant about Bart dropping his illusions of grandeur in music, and how he was transformed from a belligerent parent to one who desired his son’s forgiveness. Perhaps, Arthur Millard was the ultimate protagonist in the movie. The film weaves in the beautiful message that God is truly the restorer of our broken lives. In the words of Bart Millard, “The gospel took my dad from being a monster to being one of the godliest men I ever knew, and that’s what set me on a warpath for the gospel. If the gospel can change that dude, the gospel can change anybody.” n
Following an accident in a football game that all but ended Bart’s aspirations to play the sport (and somehow please the gruff Arthur), making him even more useless in his father’s eyes, he moved on reluctantly to join his school’s Glee Club. When Bart’s teacher discovered his singing talent, the rest was history. I Can Only Imagine is a tale that explores the themes of forgiveness, redemption, the important role fathers play in their childen’s lives, for better or for worse, and the need to pursue one’s dreams, even if it breaks your heart. The latter half of the film, when Bart returned home to confront his father following a failed attempt to get his band MercyMe recognised by major record labels in Nashville, was easily the turning
Artwork courtesy of Shaw Organisation, used with permission
Screenings of I Can Only Imagine are available through bookings with Cru Singapore’s Media Ministry. Contact Mr Victor Ng at victorng@cru.org.sg or 6589-9640 for more information.
METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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HOME Ng Zhiwen oversees the area of Mobilisation in the GoForth National Missions Conference 2018 Organising Committee.
LOSING OURSELVES IN
God’s great missional story “Now is the judgement of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:31-32) Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung (left), Chairman of GoForth 2018 Organising Committee, urging churches to support the conference.
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ur God is a God on a mission! Our God seeks to rescue, redeem, and restore all of His creation through the death and resurrection of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus. In Dr Ed Stetzer’s words, our God is a missional God. And the Church is God’s principal vehicle for advancing His mission in the world. He came to draw us to Himself, and then to send us out for His work! (Mark 3:14) All of us then have a calling from God to discover and to ‘lose ourselves’ in His great big missional story – wherever He sends us. The only question is: “To where and to whom?” For some of us, it will mean being sent out of Singapore and into the cities of Asia and beyond. This should not be a surprise. We have the world’s most powerful passport. We have been blessed with substantial resources. Some have observed that we are like an Antioch in Asia. The bottom-line remains: We are God’s Church and His Spirit is already on the move to complete His mission – in and through us! GoForth: A millennium vision The first GoForth National Missions Conference was organised in 2002, after a few church leaders caught the vision of organising a conference to catalyse a national missions movement for every generation of the Church. Held every three to four years, GoForth serves as a platform to unite Singapore churches to seek the Lord together, to learn together, and to collaborate for our Father’s global mission. We cannot tell exactly how God will work through each conference, but we can expect Him to do something. I remember two conferences that had a deep impact on my life.
During the triennial Urbana 2003 Student Missions Conference, I told the Lord that I would be prepared to go wherever He would send me, if ever that time came. No such ‘call’ was given, but I reckoned what mattered was the willingness to go that God was nurturing in me. The other conference was the Lausanne Younger Leaders Gathering in 2016. That was when the Lord spoke clearly to me that I was to be a ‘connector’ for the Kingdom – to work for the unity of the Church. I was also very blessed to make new friends there, one of whom I look up to now as a spiritual mentor! How you can play a role in GoForth On the back end, there has been much prayerful planning on the part of the GoForth team to design and execute the GoForth 2018 Conference programme. Please pray for, support, and trust them to do the job well, as the Lord disciples and empowers us all. We want GoForth 2018 to be a blessing to the churches and the indiviwduals who attend, and for it to effectively serve the churches for missions equipping and mobilisation. Register for GoForth 2018 today at www.goforth.org.sg and you may encounter God in the following ways as you take the next step in following Jesus on His mission – whether as an individual, a leader, or church ministry: • Get awakened to His great big mission and discover how He has already been at work in and out of Singapore. • Receive greater clarity of your specific calling from the Lord. • Make new connections with people who may become your friend, ministry co-labourer, leader, or even mentor. • Gather as a community with other like-minded people who share the same passions and vocation as you. Such communities often become the incubators for future Kingdom initiatives!
A topic for everyone Take time to prayerfully browse through the many workshops, special lunchtime interest sessions (Circles of Passion), and our Children’s Programme. Do also check out our line-up of distinguished international and local speakers. With two language tracks – English and Chinese – conference delegates can select from more than 70 workshops covering pertinent topics that reflect the fastevolving urban lifestyle, community, and environmental needs and trends in Asia and beyond. For parents: Would you consider GoForth as an opportunity for your child to get further engaged in God’s mission? If your children are aged between 7 and 12 years old, sign them up for the Children’s Programme! I love what a pastor shared at a recent GoForth mobilisation event. He was addressing fathers and mothers when he said, “The best way for you to love them is to release them to do what God has put on their heart.” How GoForth can serve you as a church leader Consider the wide variety of ways to participate in missions: • Be ready for your Perspective of missions to be challenged and sharpened. • Review your church’s missions Policy, especially to find out more about strategies for urban evangelism
and church planting, and for bringing gospel witness through transformation in society. • Plan for GoForth to ignite and accelerate missionsrelated conversations in your church. Can the ‘Go Urban’ theme dovetail with the missions emphasis in your church, for instance? I know of a church which, on learning about GoForth’s ‘Go Urban’ theme, chose ‘My City | Beyond My City’ to be its missions theme for the year. • Meet with church and para-church organisation representatives to become your Partners in missions. • Bring along other People and help us get the word out. Let us know if we can supply you with free publicity materials to share with your congregation. Give someone a friendly nudge today by telling him or her, “I think you should go for GoForth.” • Pray with us and for GoForth – because Jesus said to His disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38) May GoForth be the occasion for God’s people here in Singapore to get down on our knees more earnestly and get fully engaged – mind, body, strength and soul – to share God’s great story with those who have yet to know Him. It was for this that He died. n
GoForth 2018 in a nutshell What? A missions conference for a National Missions Movement. When? 21– 23 June 2018. Where? ACS Barker Road Campus, 60 Barker Road, Singapore 309919. Which? There are different tracks to pursue: English, Mandarin, and Children’s. Conference details and registration: www.goforth.org.sg How? For more information, contact admin@goforth.org.sg, or your church’s pastor or missions staff. Who? How about you? Photos and event logo courtesy of GoForth 2018 Organising Committee METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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SOUNDINGS Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College, and Theological and Research Advisor for the ETHOS Institute™for Public Christianity (http://ethosinstitute.sg).
The politics OF
Easter
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uring the Easter service of the Orthodox Church, the ‘Troparion’ is sung after the celebrant announces the resurrection of Christ at the door of the church and intones the blessing to the Holy Trinity.
Soundings is a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian Incorporating Psalm 68, the Church declares: understanding. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before his face!
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. Easter celebrates the victory of God over every force that opposes His will and seeks to thwart His purposes. Paul puts this across arrestingly in Colossians when he says that Christ has “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them” (Colossians 2:15). Easter also underscores the fact that for Christians, redemption can never be seen only as a personal and private matter. The death and resurrection of Christ does not concern the salvation only of those who put their faith in Him.
human sociality that is not characterised by the divisions, boundaries, and bigotries that plague our fractured world, but energised instead by forgiveness, peace-making, patience, love, and truth-telling. In its attractive strangeness, the Church reminds the world that reality as it is, is not the original intention of its Creator. The presence of the Church should cause the world to yearn to become what it was meant to be. As the community of the resurrected Lord, the Church can never turn a blind eye to the evil in the world and the suffering it inflicts. In the service of the resurrected Christ, the Church will go to the world’s darkest places to bring the message of love and peace, and to rescue those who are trapped in the jaws of evil. The Church must oppose every form of injustice that crushes the weak and the poor and exalts the mighty. As the ambassadors of the resurrected Christ, people of the Church must also expose and oppose all manifestations of idolatry that accord the state or civil authority power to which they have no rightful claim. To declare ‘Christ is risen!’ is to relativise all authorities and sovereignties against the absolute authority and sovereignty of God.
It extends to the whole creation. It penetrates the very essence of this fallen reality and will transform it into the new creation when God’s kingdom is fully consummated with the return of our Saviour. Herein lies the politics of Easter. Easter addresses, in the most radical way, every aspect of human life – the economic, political, and social – and interrogates everything that our culture has fashioned. The Church that declares ‘Christ is risen!’ and is shaped by its union with the resurrected Lord must be truly countercultural – a community that is in many ways out of sync with the world it inhabits. As the body of the resurrected Christ, the Church resides in this world but is never an indistinguishable part of it (John 15:19). Hence, due to the strangeness of the Church, society’s relationship with it is always marked by unease and disquiet, if not open hostility. As people of the resurrection, the Church can be said to be a new form of human life – it offers a glimpse of humanity made new. The Church embodies a new and radical kind of
The Church will stand against the forces of darkness and oppose all forms of human wickedness until every knee is bowed and every tongue confesses the Lordship of the risen Christ. But the Church does not battle evil with missiles and bazookas. The politics of Easter requires the Church to see every political and social engagement as a form of self-emptying, or ‘kenosis’. For the eternal Son of God emptied himself and came in the form of a servant to die on the cursed tree for the world (Philippians 2:7). The Church therefore serves the world not by asserting itself, but by dispossessing itself of its own agendas and its own interests. The Church fights against evil not by violence or force, but by love. It does not wield the sword but carries the cross of humility and suffering, following our Lord. For the Church knows that love is more powerful than hatred. And because of Easter, we know that love will have the last word. n Picture by ruivalesousa/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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METHODIST MESSAGE, AuGuST 2013
April IS THE MONTH FOR THRIVING IN A ‘VUCA’ WORLD
21 Apr 2018 (Saturday), 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
480 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh, Toa Payoh Methodist Church, S(319641) Scan here to see Come and be inspired by working women sharing how they rise above the challenges events online! of a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world – and thrive to live a transformed life! Speakers for this year’s Conference will share their testimonies on how God has led them in their personal journeys despite disruptions, and how He remains in control even as they find their footing in this volatile modern world. Organised by Trinity Annual Conference Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS). Fee: $15 nett per person. Fees include breakfast, lunch, and tea break. Participants will be given conferencerelated materials, including a VUCA booklet with testimonies of the speakers, a book Uncovering The Truth – An Attempt to Disprove Christianity written by speaker Jaime Wong, and a Gideon New Testament with Psalms & Proverbs Bible.
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Registration begins on 4 Mar 2018 and closes on 8 Apr 2018. For more details and to register, please write to wscstrac@gmail.com or call 6100-9727.
CELEBRATING MSM’S 21ST ANNIVERSARY
28 Apr 2018 (Saturday), 5 p.m.
490 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Trinity Theological College, Chapel, S(678093) Come be a part of the Methodist School of Music’s (MSM) 21st anniversary celebrations, as we come together in a thanksgiving and dedication service, themed ‘The Work of Our Days’. Our Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung will be speaking at the event. Organised by the Methodist School of Music. Admission is free.
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For more details and to register your attendance, please contact the MSM office at 6767-5258. You may also email MSM at msm@msmusic.edu.sg.
LEARNING MORE ABOUT ASCENSION DAY
10 May 2018 (Thursday), 8 p.m.
5 Fort Canning Road, Wesley Methodist Church, S(179493) The Book of Acts highlights Jesus’ promise to His disciples of the power of the Holy Spirit they would receive. The Gospel of Luke focuses on the joy that filled the disciples after witnessing Jesus being taken up to heaven. What is the significance of the coming of the Holy Spirit, and of the joy that overwhelmed the disciples? Why is Ascension Day important, and why do we have to celebrate it? The Methodist Festival Choir invites you to ‘Risen Above: A Festival on the 40th Day of Easter’. Come, listen to the story of the Ascension, sing, and pray with us. Together we will discover the profound meaning of Jesus’ ascension, and reflect on how it may have an impact on our Christian discipleship. Admission is free and all are welcome.
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For more information, visit www.msmusic.edu.sg, email msm@msmusic.edu.sg, or call 6767-5258.
FELLOWSHIP ON THE GREENS
11 Jul 2018 (Wednesday), morning flight registration opens at 6.45 a.m., afternoon flight registration opens at 11 a.m. 1 Orchid Club Road, Orchid Country Club, S(769162)
Come celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Charity Golf Tournament. Its original intention – of gathering Methodist golfing enthusiasts and their friends on the greens, in benefit of people in need – carries on today. MWS is honoured to have Trinity Methodist Church convening this milestone event. In addition to familiar activities, the Committee is planning a few surprises. Don’t miss the opportunity to help raise funds that will be channelled to create change in the lives of more than 9,000 beneficiaries served by MWS. Let’s empower them to have life to the full. Organised by the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS).
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For more information on how to donate, sponsor, or participate as a golfer, please contact Ms Ruth Ng at 6478-4717/6478-4700, ruthnggy@mws.sg, or visit www.mws.sg/events/fellowship-greens-2018. Dinner tables are also available for sale at $100 per seat or $1,000 per table for 10 pax. Dinner programme will start at 7 p.m. METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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POEMS Dr Oliver Seet is a member of Wesley Methodist Church and a Board Director of the Metropolitan YMCA.
Resurrection One glorious morning when the popinjays of twilight were thrilling the eastern skies and lilacs and lilies were in full blossom in the garden where they had laid the body of Jesus bruised, broken, nail-pierced, dead beyond a doubt sealed in by a giant boulder in a sepulchre and watched over by centurions, There was a confluence of Heaven and Earth within the tomb a synapse of Divine and Corporeal, a transmogrification never seen since the Creation, when Jesus triumphant over mortality and the enslaving power of sin, rose in His resurrected body, – the firstborn from the dead. Angels from the Throne Room of Heaven suffused the tomb with holy light bursting the seal on the boulder, moving it aside like tumbleweed while the centurion guards transfixed, fell prostrate speechless and quivering in cold sweat at the sight of warrior angels clad in blinding light.
All nature rejoiced to see the curse that Adam brought onto the earth broken at last by the Son of Man at the Cross, victorious over the dominion of Death and Hades, as Heaven and Earth declared the awesome news that Jesus is Risen from the Dead, that all who come in repentance to the foot of the cross and look up in faith to Jesus will receive forgiveness from their sin and the gift of Eternal Life.
Because He lives the dossiers of sin and wrongdoing of those who believe are expunged by His precious blood. In place of filthy garments they shall receive suits of righteousness. All things are made new when the spirit of man is quickened into life by the Paraclete and he becomes a new creation – a citizen of the Eternal Kingdom. (Colossians 1:18-23, NKJV)
Because He lives the centuries bifurcate around him: He is pivotal to solar time. He stands at the crossroads of destiny, for each person passing by must choose his path and his final destination – Grace or Judgement when the windows of human time are forever shut.
Picture by serpeblu/Bigstock.com
METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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THINK Bishop Emeritus Dr Wee Boon Hup is the former Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore between 2012 and 2016. After his retirement, he was re-engaged as a Pastor at Paya Lebar Methodist Church. Bishop Emeritus Dr Wee will be one of the speakers at Aldersgate SG 2018, where he will share on God’s call for families.
KEEPING FAITH ALIVE
revival. When they sense their faith faltering, like David, they know how to “strengthen themselves in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6). They are the very agents God uses to bring about revival. Where we have ‘failed’ at discipleship in one important aspect is in doing it mostly in terms of programmes, of which there are plentiful. We end up trying to complete a curriculum by passing on information, without any transmission of the virtues of Christ and formation of His character in those participating in the programmes. For this transmission and formation to be effective in discipleship, it demands that we focus more on relationships where we are honest, transparent, and teachable with one another. Effective discipleship takes place either in a one-to-one setting or in the community as a whole. When one’s faith begins to flag, a close brother or sister, or others in that community, must actively reach out to encourage and edify.
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n the early days of my pastoral ministry, I was drawn to books, sermons, and meetings which had a revival theme.
Then it dawned upon me one day that pastors can be so enchanted with stirring this movement in their churches, without realising that it could actually be an indictment of their own ministry. If as a pastor, I say that my church needs revival, is that not an acknowledgment that my church is dying, if not already dead, spiritually speaking? And whose responsibility is it that it turns out that way? Mine? Or am I shifting the blame to my predecessors and the preceding generation of leaders? Strictly speaking, ‘revival’ refers to bringing (eternal) life to people. Paul wrote: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:1-6) So before we jump on the bandwagon, we need to check ourselves – when we make the rallying call for revival, are we also acknowledging our failure at discipleship? Authentic disciples are people truly alive. They do not need
Yet a faith that is solely dependent on others in community to invigorate it runs the risk of falling into an unhealthy dependency. One’s faith is ultimately one’s own personal responsibility. Discipleship also takes place in the family – the basic unit upon which communities are built. The one-to-one aspect is found between parent and child. Where we have failed here is in parents abdicating their roles as ‘disciplers’, and outsourcing it to pastors, church staff, and other persons interested in being spiritual fathers and mothers in this aspect of the children’s lives. As a result of this outsourcing, the subsequent generation of Christians has no role model on how parents should disciple their children. The parental art of discipling children is lost, compounding the church’s weak efforts at discipleship. Pursuing revival on its own is not the panacea for a faith in need of awakening, for when a revival does come, we still have to ask the question, “Then what?” We still have to disciple the revived. It is when we have lost the art of discipleship that we look for the quick fix of a revival. Discipleship has a beginning but no end while we are on earth, as it is something we work on through our lives. When we pay attention to it, our faith remains alive. We are then equipped and empowered to carry on the task of reaching those who really need revival with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. n Picture by PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek/Bigstock.com METHODIST MESSAGE • APR 2018
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“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.� John 11:25-26a
Background picture by Flynt/Bigstock.com