The reflecting theologian

I had wanted to write this but till now, have not been able to find time to do. As many of us know, this year's Valentine Day falls on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year. To many Chinese, it's a double celebration of love, since it's supposedly the coinciding of the western and the Chinese V Day. Unfortunately, to the horror of many friends, I chose to spend the night with another guy friend, praying with him and spending quality time with him. Why so? Why choose not to celebrate V Day? When I was younger, I used to find V Day a romantic idea. As I grow older, and as I see my friends engaging in mercenary trade during V Day, I realised that things actually get more expensive during V Day. There is a problem here. The flowers that the guy can normally get for cheaper price, he's getting it at more expensive price, just because people celebrate love that day. Likewise for the many soft toys and blinks blinks that guys will get for the girls. Furthermore, if someone is g...

I recently posted an article from Mark Driscoll on missionary dating on Facebook:  http://theresurgence.com/2014/01/29/missionary-dating-and-other-bad-ideas . After I shared the article, a couple of my friends on Facebook began to protest against the article (they are non-Christians btw). Part of the reason is because of the view that Christians cannot date non-Christians even if the non-Christian is awesome and that Christians are limiting themselves and restricting their choices of dates. Here I would like to provide some thoughts regarding this issue. Assuming that we are talking about normal dates whereby a guy just meets up a girl to interact and build relationship with a view on getting beyond the friendship level but with no intention to get into marriage, I will say that the guy, regardless of his religion, is free and has all the choices under the heaven. That being said, I am by no means saying that I approve of such approach, but given the parameter, this is possible a...

Thinking about God and praying to God are not two discrete acts which we must somehow try to bring together by some mechanical bridge called 'spiritual application'; rather they are ultimately a single act of relating to God." - Simon Chan I recently read this interesting book by Simon Chan on Pentecostal Theology and the Christian Spiritual Tradition. The argument of the book is that we need to look at Pentecostal theology on a broader picture and ground it within the larger Christian tradition. He does a great job in explaining how it can be done. But I found that he made one profound point, that our theology cannot be solely based on the biblical theology, even though biblical theology has its place in ensuring that our theology is also founded on solid biblical ground. Specifically, my reflection here wants to focus on the above quoted statement. The main point is that everything that we do ultimately relates back to God, whether we are thinking about Him or prayin...

Today I must say that I was a bit caught aback by the sermon. Ps Jeff preached from Acts 11:19-26 on the characteristics of the Antioch church. Towards the end of the sermon, he repeated his points from last week, that in order to do supernatural pioneering, we need to make room for God and to flow with the Holy Spirit. And the one thing to do in order to make room for God is to wait. Wait. For a moment, I was really stunned to the point of tears. Because to wait on God was the last and perhaps most important lesson that God taught me or made me realise in 2013. And at that particular kairos moment, I thought it all made sense why. God needed me to learn how to wait so that I can make room for Him as we embark on a supernatural pioneering journey. An epiphany which I have not had for quite some time from sermon. Thank God for pulling all these threads together. This has made me more confident and assured that any future pioneering works that I will be embarking on are not goi...

I was watching this video the other day after my class on pastoral ministry. My lecturer asked those who are planning to go into full time ministry to watch this video, to get a sense of the challenges that a pastor could face when he serves full time, especially in the midst of planting a new ministry. For some reason, the testimony of Ps Yen Chin Long and Yoko Maruyama touched my heart a lot while I was watching this video. The reality of serving God does not limit to a full time minister and it does apply to the folks in the marketplace as well. I was just telling a friend the other day that my schedule this year is more or less packed. On top of the duty of leading a LG in church, there's my studies, being the Lighthouse editor for AGBC this year, my other community ministry projects such ad breakfast with love, tuition with love, educational tours, Batam reading programme etc. It is going to be a busy year and I ask myself how on earth am I going to dig out time for other are...

Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deservest; To give and not to count the cost; To fight and not to heed the wounds; To toil and not to ask for rest; To labour and not to ask for any reward save knowing that we do Thy will. Through Jesus Christ our Lord - Ignatius Loyola

The time has come again for my annual affair of reviewing the year that just passed. In short, it has been an emotionally charged year with so much challenges that lie ahead of me. Once again, let me look at my year month by month: January January marked the beginning of my first semester with AGBC. The year started with an orientation programme with AGBC, attending the Spiritual Emphasis Chapel, preached by the new principal of AGBC - Ps Anthony Phua. The point of the message, on the Presence of God, coincided with what Ps Jeff preached during the Christmas service and the God's Church God's Way vision that Ps Jeff has been sharing with Hope in 2012. It almost served as a confirmation that I am in the right place to receive my theological education. Attending my first few lessons in AGBC also led me to realise that all these times, God has been preparing me for all the things I needed to do well in Bible College. Moreover, the spiritual formation class that I sat through h...