The reflecting theologian

A few months after deciding to sign up and enroll into AGBC, I have finally submitted the application form. I have to say, the journey was very much blessed by the support of my leaders and my parents. The greatest hurdle perhaps was informing my parents but I myself was surprised at how smoothly things went. When I mooted the idea to my mother, she was ok with it and even asked me if I have plans to become a pastor. Not that I have any plan on that but I certainly have plans to be a good theologian who treats the Word of God with a high view. After that, it practically set in motion the whole process of application. The only troublesome thing is the medical checkup and I didn't realise that I could only collect my medical checkup report two days after the checkup. Now that my application is done and I'm waiting for my matriculation interview, I think this is one of the many milestones cleared. It is by far not confirmed that I am guaranteed matriculation but I think things lo...

I have been thinking about the way that I am serving recently, or rather the way that God has used me in service recently. I guess attending a few HopeSem modules help to make things a bit clearer. I was glad when I realised that I shared the same conviction as Han Hui - cannot stand people from misquoting Scripture. I'm not sure about him but I also can't stand people with flawed theology. Over times, actually since I graduated from NUS, I'm beginning to realise that I am able to spot the flaws in people's theology more easily. In some sense, people's assessment of me has been consistent - I am becoming more and more logical and theological attuned. As I was reflecting on this, I can't help but marvel and wonder if this is indeed God working in my weaknesses. For people who know me a few years back while I was in secondary school, I was not known for my intellect. JC was a different story but I couldn't see things beyond the surface. Even in NUS, majoring...

I just realised that whenever I have the craving to go KTV, it tends to be an emo period in my life. Perhaps it's a sign that I want to de-stress or that I just want to let out my emotions. But I guess indulging myself in emo songs is not very healthy as well...

Earlier on, I decided to do a list of research topics which I have always wanted to go deeper into, partly due to ministry concerns. Here goes the list: Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit This topic primarily deals with Hope's doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the biblical foundation for the initial sign as speaking in tongues. I hope to address biblically how the abovementioned can be substantially backed by the bible in a disciplined and methodological manner, and not in the scanty form which our teachings or traditional charismatic teachings have always provided. On top of that, I also hope to deal with the problem of 'power experiences' versus the baptism. The result of the research should be posted in this blog (if it ever gets done) Likely resources: Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem Renewal Theology by William Rodman The Charismatic Theology of St Luke by Roger Stronstad Spirit and Power by William and Robert Menzies Definition ...

The American missionary Adoniram Judson arrived in Burma, or Myanmar, in 1812, and died there thirty-eight years later in 1850. During that time, he suffered much for the cause of the gospel. He was imprisoned, tortured, and kept in shackles. After the death of his first wife, Ann, to whom he was devoted, for several months he was so depressed that he sat daily beside her tomb. Three years later, he wrote: God is to me the Great Unknown. I believe in him, but I cannot find him. But Adoniram's faith sustained him, and he threw himself into the tasks to which he believed God had called him. He worked feverishly on his translation of the Bible. The New Testament had now been printed, and he finished the Old Testament in early 1834. Statistics are unclear, but there were only somewhere between twelve and twenty-five professing Christians in the country when he died, and there were not churches to speak of. At the 150th anniversary of the translation of the Bible into the Burmese langu...