Leadership: Behind the Scene...

Yesterday, we have a wonderful celebration with the graduate students. Many people comments that we did well and they enjoy the celebration. As I reflect back from the day we started planning for the graduation salute ("a celebration organize by the student body to congratulate the graduating students"), there are many things that I think we can further improve.
As leader, I think I would give myself a 5/10 as for my effectiveness of leadership directing the course of the student council committee. As a leader, there is a tendency in my heart to escape from responsibility by taking the excuse of delegation. To be frank, throughout the preparation of the graduation salute, my part of responsibility much have been delegate to other people. It is because of their effectiveness and hardship that made the event a success. I am glad that I was put into a team of responsible leaders.
There are area that I have not communicate well with the committee. Throughout the meetings prior to the graduation salute, we have many misunderstanding within our committee. I think this is something that would happen because each of us have different perception towards an idea. However, this should not be an excuse for me as the leader to provide a better and clearer communication channel so that conflict of decision can be minimize to the minimum.
There are also some ugly scenes happen throughout the preparation for the graduation salute. I think maybe because my personality and my leadership is not strong enough that cause such incident. They are some real "scary" arguments that shock me. People can become very emotional. Perhaps I am still naive and not used to the "tension" situation. I will need to learn how to handle emotional situation.
There is one thing I think we did quite well is that we trust those we delegate the responsibility to. I think it is important to follow-up what we have delegate, and we did pretty OK in this area.
Those who read this blog, I would like to request that you will put my in your prayer. Throughout the leadership in the student council committee, there are many tension within myself that I have yet to resolve. The temptation of power, the tension between glory and humbleness. Even as I post this blog, there is a tendency in my to use this as a channel to self-promotion. There are many area that can easily cause me to fall in my leadership. Please pray for me and advice me when needed.
I think this should be about it for my reflection today. Reflection helps me to see things better and putting it down to words would help me to organize my thoughts.

Streching My Limit

My college term is coming to and end. Assignments due dates are just next week. Exams also next week. Really stress up now. Moreover, need to prepare for Graduation Salute, Alumni Home Coming, and Graduation Exercises praise and worship. Then at church need to plan next year program and follow through some on going projects. Work are pilling up.

What can I say, time is short, sweet or not, is all depend on me. Whether these things are going to built me stronger, or put me into a depression, is really up to me.

Whenever I looked at the vast sky, the wonders of God's work remind me again that God is almighty. The birds in the air remind me of God's providence. Although I am stressed up with my work now, God is still there in total control.

I have two choice, whether take this as challenge or take it as burden. I ask God to change my perspectives and attitude towards all these matters. I will stretch my limits to allow God's work be done in my life.

Church Split is one of the greatest sins of the church

In today General Epistle Class, I learned about the teaching by John in 1 John. John had a very strong message on God as Spirit, God as Light and God as Love. As my lecturer commenting the verses till 1 John 3, suddenly he changed in his tone and emotion. He was saying that church split is one of the greatest sins of the church. I was thinking about the phrase that he mentioned and reflected upon the Bible, 1 John. In chapter 2, the author of the Bible talked about God as light, and how Christians should keep themselves from sinning against God by following His commandments. Then suddenly, the author changed the topic to talk about antichrist and false teachers both in chapter 2 and 3. The author seems to address the issue in the church that there were divisions in the church. My lecturer painted the background of the Christians in 1 John, that they were actually quite emphasize on the Spirit. They were people claim to have direct message from God and started to deny the truth of God, even the atonement of Jesus Christ. Then these antichrists were influencing other Christians to leave the Church.

Leaving the church is a sign of hatred among brothers and sisters. This is absolute contradict with God, where Jesus came to demonstrate God’s love. Leaving the church here refer to people who were not happy with the church, who not satisfy with the church, who have conflict with the church and decide to leave the church. These people in the eye of John are not from God. This is because if you are in God, you will live like Jesus. Therefore, there is no reason for us to justify hatred because Jesus never hated his brothers and sisters. Moreover, church is a family, and how can family members leave the family? Church is not a social club. It is a God’s family where Jesus is the head of the family.

Nevertheless, the author of 1 John understands that there will be conflict in the church. Just like a family, there will be different opinions, different method of doing things, different personalities, the church consist of many different people. Therefore, it does not justify for a person to leave his/her church if things just don’t go according to their way. John was rebuking his audience for loving only in their words but not in deeds. I think one of the reasons that church conflicts were not able to resolve is because we don’t really practice what Jesus mean by love. Just be reading 1 John helps me to once again reflect my attitude towards church and my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I need to love them with the love of Christ.

The only reason I think we can leave is when a church is no longer a church. A good question to ask: What is a church? What does the Bible say about church? Well, buy some books and read about it.