One of the role of the deacon in the BPC is to attend the Elders & Deacons Court. At this meeting, members discuss over many issues concerning the church affairs and in particular how money is being used. If you look at the statment of income and expenditure for year ending 2007, it would be shocking to find that the Chinese/Hokkien Service had a deficit of $11,539.83. This is about 2-3% of their collection. To some, this may not be a big amount. But for a church that is dependent on worshippers' contribution, this is down right poor mismanagement of the good-will offering that people give to the church. Yet for this year 2008, we hear of renovation, buying of new electronics gadgets, and many things to make the church more conducive for worshippers. With this thoughtless spending, it will be another year of deficit.
There are at least 3 ordain ministers & preacher in this Elders & Deacons Court. I wonder whether they are mindful of how money given to the church is to be used? Most likely, they feel that money used for beautifying the church is well spent. Granted, but why do it till the account ends in deficit, going into the red?
Quite scary, isn't it? I wouldn't want to join them in this Elders and Deacons court and be held accountable for it one day, on earth or in heaven. We have just completed the study of 1 Timothy. I wonder how many is heeding the warning:
"... and do not participate in the sins of others; keep yourself pure." (1Tim 5:22)
When money is concern, every members want a say...
Mark Lim
Monday, July 14, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Organ Trading, the dilemma
The big discussion that is going for the past 2 weeks is should organ trading be made legal. Those who are suffering from organ failure or have loved ones going through such a struggle will know how it feels. Others, who are healthy will try to make a moral judgement. The best way out is to have altrustic donors. But in this world where 'money rules' - oran trading is seen as giving the seller (usually a poor healthy chap) a better life financially and giving the recipient a second life, so to speak, abeit the financial gain of the middle-man, runner, doctors, etc. If legalise, human body will now have a price tag. If not, sufferers will continue to hope for compassionate and altrustic donors or go abroad searching for their needed organs.
The lesson learnt:
(1) Keep myself healthy - eat right, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle. if this still doesn't help, then it is God's will for me.
(2) Be a willing donor - yes, if any of my family members do come to such a state that need an organ, I must be mentally prepared to donate with LOVE (1 Cor 13:3 - If I deliver my body to be burnt but have not LOVE, I gain nothing)
(3) Life is precious - From the Christian perspective, the body, soul and spirit is the most precious creation of God. Encourage healthy lifestyle - physically, socially, and spiritually to people around me.
Mark Lim
The lesson learnt:
(1) Keep myself healthy - eat right, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle. if this still doesn't help, then it is God's will for me.
(2) Be a willing donor - yes, if any of my family members do come to such a state that need an organ, I must be mentally prepared to donate with LOVE (1 Cor 13:3 - If I deliver my body to be burnt but have not LOVE, I gain nothing)
(3) Life is precious - From the Christian perspective, the body, soul and spirit is the most precious creation of God. Encourage healthy lifestyle - physically, socially, and spiritually to people around me.
Mark Lim
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Preparing two messages for one sermon
“God or Money, Who is LORD? What a title!” the worship leader announced the sermon title on 29th June 2008 during the Sunday Service, before I stepped up the pulpit to deliver the sermon. Why did I choose such a title, indeed?
During the first week of May, Pastor David sent me an email requesting me to preach on the last Sunday of June. Since I have done a lot of studies on the Epistle of 1Timothy, I gladly accepted it. As I started to prepare the sermon on 1Timothy chapter 6, I realized that key theme of the passage is on godliness and also with money/wealth. This is going to be a sensitive topic best avoided. Godliness, yes! Money, no! After many hours of preparation, praying, reflecting and meditating, I managed to come out with a simple outline:
Title: Directions for Christian Growth
(1) Good conduct (v 1-2),
(2) Godliness (v 3-16);
(3) Generosity (v 17-19)
By mid June, I have completed preparing the sermon, including the introduction and illustrations, except the conclusion, which I usually leave it to the last week after much prayer.
On 15th June during Sunday Worship, before the invited speaker started his message, I was staring at the title of the sermon for 1Tim 3:14-4:16: Protocol of God household. “What does it mean to the congregation, can they understand that? Can it be simplified, or make clearer and more personal? It doesn’t seem to make any impact on me.” I mused over the title, trying to come out with a better title for his sermon.
It was then, that inside me whispered: “God or Money, God or Money”. I realized then that my spirit was telling me that it is not for me to judge others sermon’s title but my sermon should be God or Money. “Why, this title?” I asked myself. The answer was very simple: Jesus Christ said it in Matthew 6:24. I wrote on the church bulletin: 1Tim 6: God or Money, who is more important? Introduction: Matt 6:24. I knew then that the effort of preparing the sermon during the last five weeks was going to be wasted if I were to change the title and look for another outline. Then, the amazing thing happened, the sermon outline just flew through my mind, as if the message just drop from nowhere, I started to write: (1) … in the workplace (v 1-2); (2) … in the way of life (v 3-16, 20-21); (3) … in the wealth (v 17-19). Within a minute or two, I had a new title, outline and even an introduction! All this happened so fast that I could still hear the speaker making his introduction and protocol greetings. It’s time to refine the title and made it more personal and Christian-like:
Sermon Text: 1Timothy 6:1-21
Sermon Title: God or Money, who is LORD … ?
Introduction: Matt 6:24
Outline:
(1) … in my WORKPLACE (vv 1-2)
(2) … in the WAY I live (vv 3-16, 20-21)
(3) … in my WEALTH (vv 17-19)
Conclusion:
Preparing the second message for the same Bible text was more spirit-led and soul searching. Many beautiful memories of how God provided for my financial needs, especially the bursary and scholarship that I received for my undergraduate studies convinced me that this would be a far more meaningful message than the first one I had prepared. My routine nightly 9:15pm prayer walk became a time of close fellowship with the Lord. It is time to throw away the first message. Did God want me to change my sermon? If it was from God, what was His intention? I remember the time when we are looking for another pastor and many responded with “no money, no additional pastor” arguments. Perhaps, this notion of money decides how the church is to run should be corrected.
There was still a nagging fear of how the congregation would feel after reading the sermon title. I then sent the sermon outline to Pastor David for him to print onto the worship bulletin. Hopefully, this would soften their anxiety on such a sensitive title after reading the outline. Just like the worship leader has said, “What a title!”
Serving Him with you,
Mark Lim Teng Lye
1st July 2008
During the first week of May, Pastor David sent me an email requesting me to preach on the last Sunday of June. Since I have done a lot of studies on the Epistle of 1Timothy, I gladly accepted it. As I started to prepare the sermon on 1Timothy chapter 6, I realized that key theme of the passage is on godliness and also with money/wealth. This is going to be a sensitive topic best avoided. Godliness, yes! Money, no! After many hours of preparation, praying, reflecting and meditating, I managed to come out with a simple outline:
Title: Directions for Christian Growth
(1) Good conduct (v 1-2),
(2) Godliness (v 3-16);
(3) Generosity (v 17-19)
By mid June, I have completed preparing the sermon, including the introduction and illustrations, except the conclusion, which I usually leave it to the last week after much prayer.
On 15th June during Sunday Worship, before the invited speaker started his message, I was staring at the title of the sermon for 1Tim 3:14-4:16: Protocol of God household. “What does it mean to the congregation, can they understand that? Can it be simplified, or make clearer and more personal? It doesn’t seem to make any impact on me.” I mused over the title, trying to come out with a better title for his sermon.
It was then, that inside me whispered: “God or Money, God or Money”. I realized then that my spirit was telling me that it is not for me to judge others sermon’s title but my sermon should be God or Money. “Why, this title?” I asked myself. The answer was very simple: Jesus Christ said it in Matthew 6:24. I wrote on the church bulletin: 1Tim 6: God or Money, who is more important? Introduction: Matt 6:24. I knew then that the effort of preparing the sermon during the last five weeks was going to be wasted if I were to change the title and look for another outline. Then, the amazing thing happened, the sermon outline just flew through my mind, as if the message just drop from nowhere, I started to write: (1) … in the workplace (v 1-2); (2) … in the way of life (v 3-16, 20-21); (3) … in the wealth (v 17-19). Within a minute or two, I had a new title, outline and even an introduction! All this happened so fast that I could still hear the speaker making his introduction and protocol greetings. It’s time to refine the title and made it more personal and Christian-like:
Sermon Text: 1Timothy 6:1-21
Sermon Title: God or Money, who is LORD … ?
Introduction: Matt 6:24
Outline:
(1) … in my WORKPLACE (vv 1-2)
(2) … in the WAY I live (vv 3-16, 20-21)
(3) … in my WEALTH (vv 17-19)
Conclusion:
Preparing the second message for the same Bible text was more spirit-led and soul searching. Many beautiful memories of how God provided for my financial needs, especially the bursary and scholarship that I received for my undergraduate studies convinced me that this would be a far more meaningful message than the first one I had prepared. My routine nightly 9:15pm prayer walk became a time of close fellowship with the Lord. It is time to throw away the first message. Did God want me to change my sermon? If it was from God, what was His intention? I remember the time when we are looking for another pastor and many responded with “no money, no additional pastor” arguments. Perhaps, this notion of money decides how the church is to run should be corrected.
There was still a nagging fear of how the congregation would feel after reading the sermon title. I then sent the sermon outline to Pastor David for him to print onto the worship bulletin. Hopefully, this would soften their anxiety on such a sensitive title after reading the outline. Just like the worship leader has said, “What a title!”
Serving Him with you,
Mark Lim Teng Lye
1st July 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sermon Outline for 1 Timothy 6 on 29 June 2008
This was suppose to the be printed into the worship bulletin for the Sunday worship on 29 June 2008, but somehow it didn't appear:
Sermon Text: 1 Tim 6
Sermon Title: God or Money, who is LORD ...?
Introduction:
Jesus Christ said, “No one can serve two masters …
You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Mat 6:24)
“There are 3 conversions necessary:
The conversion of the heart, mind and the purse”
- Martin Luther
Sermon Text: 1 Tim 6
Sermon Title: God or Money, who is LORD ...?
Introduction:
Jesus Christ said, “No one can serve two masters …
You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Mat 6:24)
“There are 3 conversions necessary:
The conversion of the heart, mind and the purse”
- Martin Luther
1. … In my Workplace (vv 1-2)
Be respectful, not complacence
Why? God’s name not be slandered (v1)
2. … In the Way I live (vv 3-16, 20-21)
· Be contented, not avarice
Why? (1) we can’t take money out of this world (v 7)
(2) love of money is a root of all evils (vv 9,10)
3. … in my Wealth (vv 17-19)
· Be generous, not arrogance
Why? God is the provider of everything (v 17)
Conclusion:
“… I will bless you; … and you will be a blessing. …
and all people on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:2,3)
Be a blessing …in my workplace, in the way I live, in my wealth
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