The same speaker who spoke last Sunday (22nd June) is also conducting Caring Evangelism in July. He wanted to set up a surprise (as usual) by having a party immediately after his first class. I am supposed to prepare the party (and not to tell anyone). This is one area that I am the weakest. I am thinking over this the whole week, what material to get and how to do the decoration. It is lunch time but the kind of food is not for lunch but just finger food and cakes, etc.
One more week to think!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Don't fall into trick by sermon
Last Sunday (22nd June 2008), the speaker put a quote on the power-point and asked the congregation which verse was the quote found in the Book of Proverb. It seemed that the verse was advising people not to lend others money. His eagerness to get the congregation to reply seem to good to be true and I guess many tried to jolt through their memories on the Book of Proverb. After a while. he replied (with a smile to indicate that he is setting up a trick) that, "no, it is not from the Bible" but one of secular quotation.
I am not surprise that this speaker would pull such a trick at the congregation. What if one member did reply (and wrongly did so). Wouldn't it bring shame to such a listener and strick fear into the rest. What good is there to pull such a stance? Sermon should be delivered in such a way that it allows the Holy Spirit to convict the congregation and convert them to God and not to keep them on the toe of any trick or false quotation. After that incidence, I totally lost track of his sermon.
This is one lesson learnt for me about sermon delivery
Mark Lim
I am not surprise that this speaker would pull such a trick at the congregation. What if one member did reply (and wrongly did so). Wouldn't it bring shame to such a listener and strick fear into the rest. What good is there to pull such a stance? Sermon should be delivered in such a way that it allows the Holy Spirit to convict the congregation and convert them to God and not to keep them on the toe of any trick or false quotation. After that incidence, I totally lost track of his sermon.
This is one lesson learnt for me about sermon delivery
Mark Lim
Saturday, June 14, 2008
BPCES Church Camp 8-11 June 2008
Met a Singapore Bible College classmate on Thursday, 12 June and we started talking about many churches in Singapore going to Malaysia during this period. I believe his church retreat would be very difference from Bethany, as he started to ask me about conducting workshops and Bible Studies. ...
Bethany Church Camp is very relaxing when compare to other churches. The programmes are packed with BS, Workshop, Messages and alot of equipping and training. For us, it is just a message and group discussion. Even then, very few shared and made applications from the messages.
What is one thing in this camp that make a difference from me?
The movie, Facing the Giants. It taught me to trust in God and do all things to glorify Him. Like Grant Taylor, we face an uphill task to get his team to work and give their best, I too daily faces technical problems. My job is to solve technical problems. It is a trying job that what customer requires, I must try to fulfill them so as to get the business. Many times, I live in fear and I pray for everything that I am assigned to do. God has been good to me. Sometimes, when I am doing some troubleshooting (solving) technical problems, I had to stop and pray in the midst of my job. Watching this movie make me empathise with the coach, Grant Taylor as I am almost in the same situation as him.
Mark Lim
Bethany Church Camp is very relaxing when compare to other churches. The programmes are packed with BS, Workshop, Messages and alot of equipping and training. For us, it is just a message and group discussion. Even then, very few shared and made applications from the messages.
What is one thing in this camp that make a difference from me?
The movie, Facing the Giants. It taught me to trust in God and do all things to glorify Him. Like Grant Taylor, we face an uphill task to get his team to work and give their best, I too daily faces technical problems. My job is to solve technical problems. It is a trying job that what customer requires, I must try to fulfill them so as to get the business. Many times, I live in fear and I pray for everything that I am assigned to do. God has been good to me. Sometimes, when I am doing some troubleshooting (solving) technical problems, I had to stop and pray in the midst of my job. Watching this movie make me empathise with the coach, Grant Taylor as I am almost in the same situation as him.
Mark Lim
Christian Discipleship is not an option
Am I a disciple of Christ?
The message during the Church Camp @ Cinta Ayu, Pulai Spring Resort in JB on 8 June 2008 was on John 15:1-17. Abiding in Christ is not an option. In verse 6, Jesus said that whoever does not abide in Him is thrown away. Without abiding in Him, we can't bear fruit. Only by bearing fruits would we prove to be His disciple (v8). These words tingle in my mind - abiding in Christ, bear fruits, what fruits?
What is abiding in Christ?
One that lives in obedience to Christ and follow Him (Mt 4:19). Am I obeying Christ? In what ways and how obedient am I?
Bearing Fruits
What fruit is Jn 15 refering to? It is bringing non-believer to come to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord? Or Spiritual Fruits? Or both? Reflecting on this, it is harder to get people to accept Christ now than when we were students. Try as I may, the respond from colleagues are usually apathy and disinterested. I have tried to invite them to church, talk to them about our lives but they don't see the need for God. This is because there are no problem in their lives. Perhaps, it is good that crisis does occur to make us see how vulnerable life is and we need God. I just have to pray for them. So, still no fruits!
Discipleship loves one another (Jn 13:34,35)
Yep, I need to love other Christians in speech, thoughts and action.
Mark Lim
The message during the Church Camp @ Cinta Ayu, Pulai Spring Resort in JB on 8 June 2008 was on John 15:1-17. Abiding in Christ is not an option. In verse 6, Jesus said that whoever does not abide in Him is thrown away. Without abiding in Him, we can't bear fruit. Only by bearing fruits would we prove to be His disciple (v8). These words tingle in my mind - abiding in Christ, bear fruits, what fruits?
What is abiding in Christ?
One that lives in obedience to Christ and follow Him (Mt 4:19). Am I obeying Christ? In what ways and how obedient am I?
Bearing Fruits
What fruit is Jn 15 refering to? It is bringing non-believer to come to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord? Or Spiritual Fruits? Or both? Reflecting on this, it is harder to get people to accept Christ now than when we were students. Try as I may, the respond from colleagues are usually apathy and disinterested. I have tried to invite them to church, talk to them about our lives but they don't see the need for God. This is because there are no problem in their lives. Perhaps, it is good that crisis does occur to make us see how vulnerable life is and we need God. I just have to pray for them. So, still no fruits!
Discipleship loves one another (Jn 13:34,35)
Yep, I need to love other Christians in speech, thoughts and action.
Mark Lim
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Finishing the race, keeping the faith
Many a times when we want to get a person to LEAD in any activities for BPCES, we look around and see so few men available to do so. It used to be 5 of us. One has left for oversea posting and another is heavily involved in his work. That leaves 3 of us – Tony, KC and yours truly. Take for example the up and coming Church Camp in June. Tony finds it hard to get any man to be the camp commander when he decided not to be the camp commander this year.
However, many of the wives are still very involve in the church ministry. In fact, if we were to see any new faces that join the BPCES committee, it is very likely that the women will come forward and not any men, even though they have the capability to do so. Many of them are managers, senior professional in their own field of expertise. Why do men don’t see the need to finish the Christian race well? Those who have served in the English committee or worship leading during their younger days (I am told by Pastor David) are not in any leading role for the church now.
There are also people in the Bible who finish poorly. The first 3 kings of Israel – Saul, David, and Solomon all ended their lives poorly for the LORD. This serves as a warning for all of us. It is not how well we start or serve during our journey on earth, but most importantly, how well we end in our Christian faith.
Let learn from Jesus’ example. Though He reached to the masses, in teaching, healing and feeding the mass, he also disciples 70, 12 and mostly important His 3 closest disciples, Peter, James and John. For BPC, the pastor minister mostly to the masses by his preaching and teaching. What is lacking for him is that he did not invest his time and energy to groom some “Peter, James and John”. By that, I don’t mean the youth but the men. Likewise, as BSG leaders, we should not only encourage and nurture those in our group, but to concentrate on finding a Peter, James or John. When the time for us to move out of the BSG, these Peters, James, or Johns can then stand up and lead.
Let all of us think how we can help one another to finish the race well, not just warming the pew. For those of us who are still in the race, let’s us also be a catalyst to others. It is my hope that there are more than just the 3 of us but more men whom we can tape on in time of need – for worship leading, BS leading, English Committee, or organizing any activities for the church like Church camp and outings.
PS: Chee Seng is coming join our church! Praise the Lord!
Mark Lim
However, many of the wives are still very involve in the church ministry. In fact, if we were to see any new faces that join the BPCES committee, it is very likely that the women will come forward and not any men, even though they have the capability to do so. Many of them are managers, senior professional in their own field of expertise. Why do men don’t see the need to finish the Christian race well? Those who have served in the English committee or worship leading during their younger days (I am told by Pastor David) are not in any leading role for the church now.
There are also people in the Bible who finish poorly. The first 3 kings of Israel – Saul, David, and Solomon all ended their lives poorly for the LORD. This serves as a warning for all of us. It is not how well we start or serve during our journey on earth, but most importantly, how well we end in our Christian faith.
Let learn from Jesus’ example. Though He reached to the masses, in teaching, healing and feeding the mass, he also disciples 70, 12 and mostly important His 3 closest disciples, Peter, James and John. For BPC, the pastor minister mostly to the masses by his preaching and teaching. What is lacking for him is that he did not invest his time and energy to groom some “Peter, James and John”. By that, I don’t mean the youth but the men. Likewise, as BSG leaders, we should not only encourage and nurture those in our group, but to concentrate on finding a Peter, James or John. When the time for us to move out of the BSG, these Peters, James, or Johns can then stand up and lead.
Let all of us think how we can help one another to finish the race well, not just warming the pew. For those of us who are still in the race, let’s us also be a catalyst to others. It is my hope that there are more than just the 3 of us but more men whom we can tape on in time of need – for worship leading, BS leading, English Committee, or organizing any activities for the church like Church camp and outings.
PS: Chee Seng is coming join our church! Praise the Lord!
Mark Lim
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