A Stagnant Pool or a Flowing Stream

I left Bethany Church at the beginning of this year and worship at a church near my home.

Some people may wonder why I do so. Have I backslide; one member of Bethany Church emailed me. Some see me as “quitter”, a famous word coined by a former Prime Minister for those who leave Singapore to stay in a foreign country.

I have been in Bethany church for 25 years. That is a long time. I have rendered my time, energy and money for the work of the church all these years without grumbling or complaining. Prior to coming to Bethany, I was with another church for 10 years which later closed down. I was also with the Navigators, a para-church organization during my youth and university days. So I am quite exposed to church growth, church health and how church fades away. All these years in Bethany, I have observed that the church health and growth have somehow impeded. Occasionally, I casually mentioned to the Pastor and sometime to the leaders. It is up to them to respond to my sharing.

Bethany is very small. In 1989 we had about 28 members. In 2011, I read from Facebook that Bethany have her 100th members. But, we know that not all the 100 members are still worshipping in Bethany. Most of these memberships are due to biological growth. Our children have grown up. Why is the growth slow? From my perspective, I see the church becoming a stagnant pool. I tried to change that many times. But after reaching the age of 50, I decide to find a flowing stream than to transform a stagnant pool into a flowing stream.

To grow, I need to drink from a flowing stream, not a stagnant pool.

I know that there are many good Bethany members also realize this. So they attend courses organized by other churches such as St. Andrew Cathedral and even the BSF classes. Some joined other churches on mission trips and training courses. I too, attended classes from the Singapore Bible College because Bethany is not feeding her flock. Sunday sermon is the bare minimum for every church. But primarily, the church should be feeding her lamb and her sheep. No, I am not talking about a 1 to 2 hours spur of the moment teaching or training. It must be a structured continuous feeding the lambs and sheep until they too are able to feed others.

With a change of leadership, my hope and prayer is that Bethany can become a flowing stream.

Psalm 1:3
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

The Right Focus

We are often distracted and discouraged when we see better competitors and challenges ahead.

Focus on the goal, not the obstacles.

A few days before the cross country race, my daughter found out that only the top 15 of each level will get a trophy. There were more than 300 runners in each level and also there are many athletes among here peers. As she is not actively involving in any sport in school, she got a bit concern and sent me an SMS:

“Bad news. The cross country only top 15 get price for per level… And plus all the sport, so many already.”

In a race, it is not about your competitors, but yourself. You are running against the clock. So I told her to just do her best and enjoy the run. Winning is secondary. Focus on the end point and sense your performance along the way … start slow, build up and end strongly.

During the race day, I prayed for her. I hoped that she learnt a vital lesson from this run. The lesson is to do her personal best.

After the race, she texted us:

“EVERYONE I GOT 10 POSITION FOR CROSS COUNTRY THANK GOD”

I am happy for her.

As I reflect on this, a verse came to mind:

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrew 12:1,2)

In life, there will always be better competitors, insurmountable challenges, difficulties and trials. All these will test my faith. The way to run this race of life then is to fix my eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Agape

2 are better than 1

We need someone to pace with us.

Last weekend, my daughter and I ran 10 laps of 400metres track around the Sea Shell Park near my home. She was preparing for her school 4Km run and I thought this might be a good prep run for her. It wasn’t a very fast run, but for her age to clock about 22 minutes is quite a decent timing. Still, I think she felt the pain as she tried to endure through the whole distance.

Discipline, endurance, … self-control …

These words flooded my mind as I reflect on what we have gone through that afternoon. I am glad that she made it and completed her 4Km run.

Yesterday, she sent me an SMS and wrote that she tried to do it again on herself. This time she only managed to complete 7 laps.

Maybe it’s because she slept late last night (after 1am with all those school works :( )

Also, it’s easier to give up when the pain is building up and running alone. We runners all know that. Running in groups is easier. We motivate one another.

In our spiritual journey we also need someone to run with us.

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor: (Ecc 4:9)

I thank God that when I first became a Christian, an older Christian came along and guide me in my growth. Oftentimes, he checked on my Scripture Memory verses, studied the Bible and shared his life with me. Later, he taught me how to do it to others. Then, it was my turn to teach them how to teach others. It’s exciting to be “spiritual grandfather”.

If it wasn’t for all this Christian brother to come along my way, I would just be a Sunday churchgoer today.

The "Still small voice"

How often are we conscious of God’s presence in our midst?

Familiarity breeds contempt, so they say. That probably drowns my consciousness of God’s presence.

But on Wednesday, I had a change of routine. This week is Communic Asia Expo 2011 and I was on duty at Marina Bay Sand Convention Centre. Colleagues advised me to take the train there to avoid the exorbitant car parking price. OK, it has been a long time since I last took the Mass Rapid Transit and I have not even taken the Circle Line since it started operating.

In the train, a heard a lady about my age kept grumbling: “I am squeezed!” and the train I was in was not even fully packed. I was a bit irritated and start harboring ill feelings about her, when I felt within me whispering: “Don’t judge!” My mood immediately changed and I told myself that she was not feeling well. It was then that I heard her daughter asking her about her medication.

Hmmn, was God trying to teach me something?? Does God still speak to me? For me, whether God speaks loud and clear or the “still small voice” inside me speaking does not matter. What I need is able to response correctly to this “still small voice”. Maybe that is the way, God gets my attention …

… after the fire, came a gentle whisper … (1King 19:12)


Agape

Open or close door?

Whenever there is a slight vibration on the adjacent wall of my office, the door just swing back and close by itself. The door’s magnetic holder has weakened its magnetic field, no longer strong enough to keep the door open. It takes me a while to ensure the door stays open every morning when I go into my office. This has been going on for weeks now and I found myself keep asking:

Should I just leave the door close at all time?

That’s what my bosses – the President of the Company, the General Managers do.
Likewise, other Vice Presidents also shut their doors.

I think those who shut their offices' doors prefer to do things in privacy, and maybe telling others not to disturb them unless necessary. This thought is not wild guessing. Working with them for more than a decade, I can safely say this is also in line with their characters.

For me I prefer to have my office door opens at all times. Colleagues can just pop in any time, without ever to knock. It’s my way of saying: “You are welcome to interrupt me. Just drop by for a chat!”

…

In life, I definitely like God to open doors of opportunities and ministries for me:
See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. (Rev 3:8)

In prayer, I long for open door:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matt 7:7)

To others, I need to be like Job:
but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler (Job 31:32)

To my Lord, I want to response with an open door:
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Rev 3:20)



I think I need to buy a door stopper soon … In the meantime; I will just fold a piece of paper many times and slide it under the door to keep it opens. :)

… and be an “open-door” person!

Agape

Lost ... and getting back on track

It’s quite fearful when one is lost and does not know the way home!

Late last night, as I was walking around the quiet neighborhood, a teenager came out to me and asked for direction.

He asked, “How to go to Temasek Polytechnic?”

“Why do you want to go to Temasek Polytechnic, it’s so late now?”

Through the conversation (as I walked with him to a bus stop to catch a bus home), I found out that he was actually lost. He has taken a correct bus but headed toward the wrong direction and he ended up in Pasir Ris. He then wandered about in Pasir Ris. The fear in his face showed it all. But boy being boy (he is in Secondary 1), he was struggling to contain his emotion. I got him to talk to his father through my hand phone. …

After waiting for a long while with him at the bus stop, he finally got up the bus. It must be quite an experience for him.

…


All we like sheep has gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way …

Being lost and gone astray is quite scary. We need help to get back on track again. Spiritually, we are also like that. By making a wrong decision, we drift off and get further and further away (ending up in the East of Singapore!).

I also thought about my children who are not much age difference from this boy. How would they respond if they were lost? Are they smart enough to find their way home? More worrying is, would they know that they are spiritually going astray?

Agape

A Book of Complaining

I have been reading the Bible quite constantly since the beginning of this year, alternating a book from the Old Testament and the New – Genesis, Mark, Exodus, Acts, Leviticus, Hebrews, Numbers … Intersperse reading with some wisdom chapters of Psalms and Proverbs to spice up the reading.

The Book of Number, in particular strike me as a book of complaining. The people complain of no food and no water. The spies complain of difficulty to take the land of Canaan. The Levites complain and rebel. Even Mariam and Aaron (sister and brother of Moses) complain.

It’s tough to live with people that’s always complaining and bitching around.

The results? … All these complainers die without entering the promise land. And they have to move about for 40 years aimlessly. The Book literally covers a 39 years span of time.

Maybe I complain too much also?

Well, thank God for reading this book.

It was quite enlightening.

I may spend a lot of time this year to study this book. :)