Monday, September 29, 2008
If you have been following this blog for a while now, you might be aware of my struggle about whether to stay in my current church in Singapore or find a new one. This has been tugging at my heart ever since I first came to Adelaide - so it has been almost 3 years.
Due to various circumstances, I find it hard to call the church I had been attending the past 6years or so, my home church. Don't get me wrong, the kids there are nice and the aunties and uncles there have been so supportive to my whole family. Unfortunately, I have not been able to make much of a connection there. And then I came here, and I found a church which is poles apart from the church back home. Although I have not really connected with the people there either, I feel like I am a part of the church simply because it holds dear the same values that I do. Perhaps you may think that I have just found a church that said what I liked to hear. And in some ways yes. Call me a weirdo if you want, but I love it that my pastors continually emphasize that it is about THE CHURCH and not edge church, aren't afraid to rebuke their members for being calculative, or to admit that there is trouble in their own personal lives or to challenge us to love people unconditionally, even those that society would much rather ignore like drug addicts. I love seeing lives in the community being changed and impacted by the church, because we weren't afraid to be there for them.
Ok, I digress. Back to my original point - the weekend that just passed has helped me make up my mind. After coming here, I wondered why God led my family to that church and why we stayed there for so long. Then I wondered why God brought me to a church that was so different here. At first I thought that God wanted me to bring back what I learnt here. Then I thought that I should come under the covering of the church and not bring my ministry there. In other words, I should go to a church where I agree with the church. But after Kairos and yesterday's sermon, I realized what I should do.
Christian leadership is God-focused, people -centered and is about change and transformation. Leadership isn't just for people who are in the pastoral team or in committees. All of us are leaders, called to lead people to Christ. I reconsidered why I wanted to go back to my church in Singapore. It wasn't because I wanted fame or glory. I am fully aware of the amount of opposition I will face. How seemingly impossible the task is. But because I know it is God's will that His people become one in Christ. I have also come to a realization that church shouldn't be just about fellowship, it should also be ownership and that I should not just choose the option that feels better. Ownership also means not just living in maintenance mode (i.e. status quo) but continuously moving forward; not isolating ourselves from the world but insulating ourselves with God's grace so that we can help people in need without stumbling ourselves. I saw that if I simply chose to move to a church that I was comfortable in, it would be a more selfish option and Im not sure how that will change anything back home. I am also convinced, that if that is God's will for me to have a role in His plan, then no matter how hard the circumstances may be, it will still happen. By the way, His plan will be carried out whether or not I live in obedience, but should I choose to disobey, Im gonna miss out, which I don't wish to.
Monday, September 22, 2008
I am currently writing out my literature review for my honours project about English phonology in preschool Singapore-Chinese bilingual children and have been reading about Singapore English. It truly has been very enriching and entertaining to read about Singlish and the world's view on it. Here was something not very related to my topic, but hilarious nonetheless: The 3 Little Pigs – Singapore version
Ones apron a time got tree little pig, call them Ah Beng, Ah Seng and Ah Tee. They think they big already and no wan to liv with mama, because liv with mama sometimes quite pek chek and also can become suaku! So they say goodbye to their mama and go out of house. Mama tell them to be careful of the big, bad woof, because you know, this big, bad sabo king want to eat them. They tell their mama, "we know lah, not scared one". We build house so woof cannot get us. If he try, he will be sorry.
The first pig, Ah Beng he think he very clever, he also cannot wait one, very kancheong type you know. So he build a house very quickly. Finish very fast- how? Aiyoh, he use straw lor, just tie and tie and tie together and then very quick okay already.
This woof very clever kay see, so he pretend and say nice things and ask Ah Beng to let him to inside house. Little Ah Beng also quite clever, he say, "No way man, I know you, don't bluff. Sorry you not welcome here".
The woof say "U no let me in mare? U dare mare? I blow your house down then you know". And he blow and blow and he poon and poon and he use all his inside strength and jia lat man, Ah Beng's house come down.
...
Moral of the story :->
Number 1 - do things slow, slow, must plan, think, plan, nowsdays they say strategic planning. No lush and lush and chin chai build. Chin chai do things ownself die - never think, how can use straw build house, how can house be strong, sure kanna one lah.
Number 2 - don't be so tum sim. Blow down one house, two house not enough want to blow until all tree. Given people some face, don't be too hao lian! In the end too tum sim also kanna - woof kanna heart attack.
Same lah we all also like that, enough is enough, some people pia until they mati.
Number 3 - those who got must kongsi with those who no got then the world sure better place. Remember : if you have and your neightbor no have, kongsi lah. And those who tumpang must know cannot tumpang too long, or else. But when kongsi right hand must not know what left hand give or else no use lah. This mean kongsi quietly, don't let whole world know you give okay. Very chim, right? My apologies to all non-Singaporeans/Malaysians reading this, I'm afraid you probably have absolutely no idea what this story was all about. Perhaps you have come across one of my countrymen and have wondered what on earth we were saying - it sounds like English but then again, it doesn't. Welcome to the world of Singlish - a force that unites all Singaporeans (Gupta, 2001).
Just wanted to share some thoughts about the message that Ps Jonathan preached yesterday.
Being a Christian and living a life of freedom that we all were made for is a process that involves 4 steps:
1. Make a Decision to believe that Christ died for your sins and He is your Lord and Saviour.
2. Become a Disciple of Christ - doing what God says and abiding in His word
3. Then you will Discover the truth
4. Which will bring Deliverance - as the truth will set you free
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
A lot has happened in Adelaide recently… for a small city of approximately 1 million people.
News flash for those who are not here and for those who live here but have not bothered to be in touch with the outside world – my senior pastor’s son, Mike Gugliemucci, who until recently was a part of Planetshakers and Hillsongs church, had confessed to lying to the world about his illness. For the past 2 years, we all believed he had cancer, including those closest to him, his wife and parents. Our hearts wrenched whenever he led the song he wrote during his 'illness' – Healer. All over the globe, the song touched and inspired many. And now, we find that it was all based on a lie that was used to cover up an even bigger one – his addiction to adult pornography for the past 16 years.
Like a hurricane, this news had left many aghast, confused and angry. He was a highly respected youth leader here and I know many young people looked up to him. It will not be surprising to hear if people leave church because of this.
My church may not be as high profiled as those churches mentioned earlier, but I believe that we have had to deal with the bulk of this. A news program called Mike Adelaide’s biggest conman and for a city this size, news need not travel far. My senior pastor and the other church leaders, who have treated him like family as well, have had to cope with their own grief as well as any directed anger from the masses who would like to know how and why this has happened.
The Sunday after the news program was aired on national tv, I went to church expecting something different. Indeed it was, with one of the pastors reading a confession that Mike himself wrote as well as the church’s statement. And once again, I am not ashamed to say I love my church. There was no condemnation from the people - we do not condone what Mike has done, we will still extend grace and love to him. My church has been very involved in the community and our pastor shared that even those from the community have given them their support during this tumultuous period. A non-church going brother of one of our pastors even called to say, “Tell Mike we love him.”
When I first heard the news, I was surprised and skeptical – trying to see how he could have kept it from those so close to him. However, I was not angry at all when it was confirmed. Whilst speculations of why it happened and what led to it may be rife, like how being in a charismatic mega-church seems to breed celebrity status, does it really matter? My only concern was for the people who may be disillusioned by the whole thing and walk away from God and I committed to prayer, anyone and everyone who may be hurt from this incident.
As my pastor put it, we are not building the church, God is. Hence, even though it is sad that this has happened, the church will go on – our senior pastor will continue to be our senior pastor, our annual conference will still be held this month and the city branch will still move to Hindley St, the red light district of our city. I believe that God will use this to bring more people to Himself, as ludicrous as it sounds, for with God, nothing is impossible. In fact, the response we have gotten has only revealed that the people out there who need God and are hurting, can identify with Mike. If we as the church were to abandon him at this time when he needs us most, how can we reach the lost? Jesus said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”(Mark 2:17). The church is really made up of people who acknowledge that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24). It does not matter who you are or what you have done, God loves you the same and His grace is extended to you – you just have to accept it.
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
Adobe Photoshop Elements for supernatural abilities
