The reflecting theologian

It is exasperating over the past few weeks. I was reading through some materials on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is saddening to see that cessationism to be such a developed theological standpoint while dispensationalism remains a highly under-developed theology. Reading through some of materials that we are teaching our disciples about Holy Spirit baptism, it is just pure pathetic in terms of the development of the argument for the speaking of tongues (as an example) as the initial and compulsory sign of Holy Spirit baptism. We need to develop our theology a bit further and teach our disciples to be more grounded in the word.  Agree that we need to avoid the danger of allowing our theological bias affect how we interpret the Word, but I think there is a difference between quoting verses out of context and correctly and reasonably interpreting the Word.  Just ranting and ranting. 

美好的救主 患難時刻你是隨時的幫助 主你賜的平安 勝過這世界 一生信靠你不怕任何風浪 信實的天父 看顧我心靈使我能夠得堅固 你照亮我道路 引導我的腳步 我全部生命都願順服 我要永遠敬拜你 在我生命中你永遠都是唯一 沒有人能夠取代你 我親愛救主 有誰能夠叫我與你分離 我要不住敬拜你 願你永遠能喜悅我的生命 求你滿足我的渴慕 願緊跟隨我救主

It started some years back when Wenjiang and I met at Mt Sophia food court to talk about some YG and Uni-YA stuff. His comment that I love the Word struck me a lot. That comment arose from my comment that people around are literally biblically illiterate (ok, I might have been a bit harsh then). But I felt back then that there were so much room for people to learn about the word. Then I learned about the MA in Christian Apologetics in Biola, and started to get myself acquainted with the different apologetic approach and started reading different authors on apologetics and theology. From then, I began to think seriously about obtaining formal training in theology and possibly apologetics. There were two limiting factors which stopped me from really exploring these options further. Firstly, by then I knew that God was already calling me to missions. The calling of God to testify about His grace in foreign land becomes a lingering thought and David Livingstone's prayer becomes my da...

I have been listening to this song. Can't get tired of it at all. Name above all names, Saviour Redeemer Lord.

I was asked yesterday if I am able to cope with all the stuff that I am handling in church. Actually I believe there are other people who are handling and serving much harder than I am. But as I am thinking about this, a long-drawn conclusion that I made sometime back just came to mind. I am a full time servant for Christ but only a part time staff in MOH. I serve 24 hours for Christ but work only 42 hours a week as a staff in MOH. Therefore, it is important for me to put into perspective the things that God has entrusted me to do. My work in MOH must and should be a direct consequence of the service I provide for Christ 24 hours a day. If I need to be excellent in my work, it is because I need to be excellent in my service to Christ. What this means is that what standards I apply in my service to Christ must apply to my work. This may sound strange to people who may think that serving Christ (to some this equates serving in the church) doesn't require a high standard or rather...

I am supposed to be sleeping and supposed to be tired. But currently unable to sleep even though my body needs the rest. I am just thinking about the service yesterdat. It was the first time I had to pray and minister to people whom I am unfamiliar with and to pray prophetically for them. I was stunned when a sister came up to me and asked to just pray prophetically. I dun know her at all. But I prayed for her in the end. Perhaps the greatest dangerpoint for us as ministers when we need to pray prophetically for people is the fact that praying prophetically is a great responsibiity. Generally when people want to be prayed for, they are genuinely yearning for a personal word from God and expect us to be the mouthpiece of God to deliver the message. This means that the ministering has to be something from God and we must be extra careful while speaking the word in faith. This is because if we minister based on fragments of our own imagination without the input of God, this can cause ...

Second day of devotion and here I am reading the familiar story of Moses parting the red sea. As I was reading the passage, I was imagining the parting of the sea and as the Israelites crossed the dry ground, God was causing confusion amongst the Egyptian army, to the point that their chariots were jammed. It was very dramatic, I can image. Reflecting upon the story, it is a familiar story but yet it is another story of God delivering the Israelites supernaturally, on top of what they already witnessed in Egypt with the Ten Plagues. But it was curious, that before Moses parted the sea, the Israelites were complaining that Moses had brought them out to the open desert to die, when God had already showed His prowess in front of them. Such is the lack of faith and yet God still delivered them. Perhaps what's to be pondered in our lives is whether we remain faithless despite the deliverance of God from challenging situations time and time again, whether supernatural or seemingly na...

Today is the first day as we start the 15 days of devotions in preparation for the Supernatural Conference. I was just reading today's passage, Genesis 1 - 2:3, on how God created the universe. As I was meditating on the passage and having my evening jog just now, a song very apt of this theme just played on my iPhone (bearing in mind I turned the shuffle mode on). How great is our God - both the Chinese and English versions were played in consecutive order. How apt is it! How great is God who created the heaven and the earth. I remember the first week of my conversion when I went up to Genting as a pre-arranged trip. Upon reaching the mountain top, I was awed (despite the fact that I had been up there for many times) by how God created the nature. Every time I visit some foreign places, I will be awed by the greatness of His creation. But it is not merely admiring and being in awe of God's greatness and creation. Lately I have been listening to a song written by Hope a few...

In some ways, reflecting on what Wenjiang shared last night during the YG prayer meeting, I must admit that leadership is a lonely journey in my context. I sometimes wish that I can use fatigue as an excuse to cancel LG or not go for service and use work or appointments with friends as a reason to not attend prayer meetings. I sometimes wish that I can close my eyes on all the problems and live life as a simple LG member. But Wenjiang said it right - it's a matter of making that simple decision and saying 'no' to all these temptations. Why do we want to lead a LG in the first place? There is no reward for leading a LG. I don't get a special bonus from church for expanding my LG into a unit, or bringing in 100 people to Christ. It is, in practicality, a shit task that earns no appreciation sometimes. But if I want special reward, I would do better if I hedge my bet in my work or the world. If I want appreciation, I have no need for the church as investing my time som...

i just read this at the OM regular update on how the political changes in Myanmar affected the ministries there: "The change has been very rapid," reports the leader of OM Myanmar, "and people feel more freedom in the media, in the streets and in the church. As this is all very new, no one is sure to what extent that freedom will reach, but we thank God for the open door and answered prayers!" In the midst of this new freedom, new challenges abound. Adds the leader of OM Myanmar, "Under the old regime, there was a certain level of protection from human trafficking and drugs, etc. There is a deep concern that this new freedom will be used in the wrong way. Significant inflation resulting from increased foreign interest and investment has also made life very expensive for locals. We struggle to make ends meet as a team." It is intriguing to think that the team won't have issue making ends meet before political changes, while needing to be careful abou...