Natural Tendency

Last few days, I am a group of BCM students went to Ipoh for mission purpose. Indeed, we have a wonderful time there. I always enjoy going Ipoh for mission because of the people there. Sometime i think why they need people like us to go, they have such a powerful community testimony. Perhaps, it is more like to bless us than needing our help.

As we reach Ipoh, the Christian community receive us so warmly. I could feel the love of Christ among their midst. Although this is not the first time serving in Ipoh community, I am still amazed at their hospitality and love. They respect and honor the pastors. We as so called "future" pastor were being treated the same way.

Then we continued our tasks there in Ipoh. We serve the children, youth, adult and senior adult. As we preach and teach, I found a common theme within our content. It is the natural tendency for Christian to love. Our lecturer preach that mission is a natural outflow of the Church. I preach on mission is built into humanity using different gifts, Our team leader preach on mission as our natural reaction to share life.

In our sharing, we need not to condemn the people that if they don't share the gospel, the people will be thrown to hell. The people knew this truth. What we share is to encourage them to press on in showing love and care to those around them. That itself is a natural reaction of Christian Lifestyle. As you become a Christian, there will be a sudden change in your life, if not, at least it will slowly take place. Somehow, your capacity to love will increase, you will become more compasion, and justice is absolute in your life.

People around us actually aware of all the changes that happened in our life. Whether good or bad, people can see. Even more amazing, God will actually add colours to all the changes. This is what I called, "Gifts" from God. After accepted the Lord, most of us will experience certain changes in life. Either we felt relieved that we are set free from the bondage of sins, or we will become more active in life because we know our purpose on earth.

However, our life become more difficul to live compare to the past. The reason is that our capacity of love increase. We started to acknowledge absolute truth. We understand that our lives have moral consequences. So, naturally, our life will change. This change is called "Sanctification."

Throughout the process of sanctification, God will put gifts into our life. God will allow us to go through certain experiences, could be good or bad. God will be at the background, colouring our life. Mission in some way, is to portray this portrait that God has paint in our life, to people surrounding us. We share our life story to our friends, neighbours and relatives. Therefore, it will be as natural as we chit chat over the coffee shop.

Our natural tendency to love and care is one of our main witness to the world. Let us continue to do the very little things, love more, care more and fight for justice more. God will be at the back, drawing the best out of us. Let our life be a natural outflow of God's love. Then, people will see us and praise our Father in heaven.

Spiritual Disciplines: Door to Liberation

Currently I am teaching "Spiritual Discipline" in my church. Those who are interested, our class start at 11.30am, Education Block Level 5, every Sunday. This book, "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster was one of my reference book. Let me share a little bit of my study in this post.

A Study base on "Celebration of Discipline" (Richard Foster)

The intention of spiritual discipline is to invite us to explore the spiritual realm. In today world, spirituality is becoming superficial. Spiritual discipline is to call us to move from surface living into the depths.Spiritual discipline is not for spiritual giants, but for ordinary human beings.

Spiritual discipline is to help ordinary people experiencing God transforming power which liberate themselves from the bondage of worldly desire.

Spiritual disciplines are not hard to practices but require time and effort. As you practice spiritual discipline, you will face two struggles:

1. The philosophic mind of human. We tend to doubt our ability of reaching beyond the physical world. We try to use intellectual and rationality to limit our understanding of the unseen spiritual realm.
2. Practical of spiritual disciplines. We don’t really know how to practice spiritual disciplines. There are not much practical steps that stated in the Bible to lead us in practicing spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual habits set us free from the ingrained habits of sin. When we were sinners, our lives were live under the condition of sin. The natural motions of our lives are sinful. Sin is part of the internal structure of our lives. We are being trapped by sin.

We try to use will power and determination to overcome sin. However, such power will only result in temporal success. The Bible teaches us to deal with our mind and our inner self rather than just physical victory.

Spiritual discipline is to help us re-direct our focus to God, relying on His power and grace to transform us. God has given us the disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving His grace. However, take note that the spiritual discipline by itself can do nothing. They are only a means, a channel for God’s grace. The practices do not produce transformation, but it will put us in the place where we can receive God’s grace for transformation.

However, there is a danger to put the spiritual disciplines higher than God. This becomes legalism. The spiritual disciplines are not laws; they are only God given means for us to break out from our sinful condition and into a new condition where we can receive God’s abundance grace. Our heart and attitude towards the spiritual disciplines will affect our spiritual life.

Dealing with People who are hurt in the Church

Recently I was bombarded with this question, how to help those who are in hurt? When you face certain situation, sometimes you might act in certain way out of the norm. People who are hurt will do things beyond our expectations. So, as a church, how should we respond to these people. At one hand, we do not want to condone the wrong things they are doing. Perhaps during their hurtful time, they sin excessively. On the other hand, we know that they are suffering with the pain in their heart, and if we come straight to them, it might not able to help them at all.

As a Christian, if you see your brother/sister, facing difficulties in life, and he/she make certain decision or conclusion that you think is wrong, what will you do? If after you have try persuading yet it doesn't seems to help, what will you do next? On top of that, you find that people in the church started spreading rumours about what this brother/sister did, how do suggest to manage the situtation?

I welcome discussion from anyone who are reading this post. Put your comment in.

Reflecting My Journey as the Student Council President in BCM

Last Wednesday was my college's Student Council Annual General Meeting. We elected the new president and the new board of Student Council for the year 2008/09. First of all, congratulation to the new president, M. C. and the rest of the elected body. This board is indeed an opportunity for you to serve in another capacity. Take it with all your heart as it will reflect your ministry philosophy in the future.

After the election, I began to reflect my term as the Student Council president. Well, I can just say I learned some hard truths in life. There were high and low times as a president of the student body. Just as I learn to lead, I also learn to obey and trust God's people.

After a year of presidential, I have to admit I am so limited and imature in many ways. I thought I can do many things, but actually I can't. I realize there are things beyond our grasp, and we could hardly control. I thought I can challenge the student to be motivated about school's activities, but I ended up feeling passive about the school.

For me, it was a real struggle between benefit and values. I know that being able to lead as a president is an opportunity and I will be learning many values of life. However, as I face with pressure from different faces, struggling with school work, I begin to ask the question of "benefit." "Do I really have to do it? Why me? What benefit will I again afterall? Isn't there are people more capable than me in the school?"

I took time going through these questions, and I push myself to the core of it. "Who are you, Victor? Who has brought you here? Who you are serving?" As I question my own belief system, this indeed was the darkest fear in my life. It is a question of principle of life. It really push me to the limit when I started the "WiFi" system in the school. I almost giving up and really wanted to throw all my credibility out of the window and shout to the school, "Please Don't Find Me Anymore!"

However, God was merciful. He took me into the desert, and let me learn the lesson of submission that is above "duty." He then put a conviction into my heart; "Serve people, Serve God." I realize how far I am from that verse simply commandment. It was really tough but God was not absent. He was there and he led me through the wilderness experience.

If you ask me, is there anything you feel proud of throughout this year in the student council? Yes, indeed there are! My team of committee help to organize events such as Graduation Salute (Party for graduates), BCM Day (Food and Fun Fair), Festival Celebration (e.g. Christmas), WiFi system in the dorm and protecting the welfare of the student body.

However, if you ask me if there is anything you feel regret after a year of service? Yes, there are also. I lost my first focus when I step into the leadership position. When I was elected as president, I told God that there is one thing I must do is to re-create the spiritual dynamic that was once experience in the early revivals of BCM. Students will be so earnestly praying everyday, there were signs and wonders, the school itself impacting the surrounding community. Sadly, after I ended my term, I realize what I did throughout the year has far from my initial goal. Nevertheless, God is good. He has prepare the next committee to take the student body to a higher level.

There is another thing that I felt kinda miserable, is that I have not changed my attitude of laziness. Frankly speaking, being a president, you will decide whether to be busy one or an easy one. The direction is on your hand, and you choose your own plan. I have not taken my responsibility well to motivate the team and charge them to move into another level. Here is what I need to further work on with my attitude, my laziness, my leadership capacity and my vistion casting skills.

Nevertheless, I really thanks my committee for their effort to make our journey a memorable one. This is one way you that makes you remember the school forever. It is through our laughter, our tears, our conflicts and our partnership that we will make this school, a place that is special in our heart. From the bottom of my heart, thank you M.F., L.T., L.C., R.K., D.S., and M.C. (I try not to put full name to avoid unnecessary issues, but you know who you are). I also would like to thank our advisor, F.T. for her patient and willingness to guide our committee throughout the year.

To those who are leading voluteers out there (or perhaps the new board of student council), remember who you are dealing with. You cannot use the leadership system in the world to lead volunteers and BCM students. I have no answer for it, but you need to find out what is their need for motivation. As a president for a year, I realize that we need to first know who we are leading, then only we can lead well. However, this does not means that you can't ask commitment from them, but rather the opposite of it. It is really an art to ask commitment from voluteer that will give them a sense of motivation or significant. Remember, Jesus is our highest model. Allow Jesus to teach you leadership in a way that you never think off.

Invitation from Aloneness to Solitude

“It is in deep solitude and silence that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brother and my sister.” Thomas Merton

As I study the invitation of aloneness to solitude, it is amazing to know that this invitation is the most fundamental discipline that moves us from the business of the world to the presence of God. It is through solitude that we are able to develop intimacy with God.

So what is solitude? This invitation invites us to be alone with God, laying aside all social and activities of the world, and find solace in the presence of God. Jesus himself practiced solitude. He went into the wilderness to be alone before he started his public ministry, went to the mountain to be alone before he select his disciples and went to the garden to be alone before he sacrifice his life on the cross.

What is the meaning to go from aloneness to solitude? Jesus calls us from loneliness to solitude. In our society today, we are filled with so many negative influences. We are trapped by these “negative voices” that put us into the temptation of self-rejection. We became addicted to the noise and crowds around us that we are so fearful to be alone. When we are alone, we feel lonely and empty.

Moving from aloneness to solitude is to find fulfillment of being alone with God. By changing and renewing our mind, we are able to break free from the fear of aloneness, and maintain the state of solitude at all time.

However, in the journey from aloneness to solitude is not without trials. We are so comfortable with our lifestyle. We want to be appearing important and significant to others. We want to be busy all the time. When we are call to be silence and be attentive to God, we will find ourselves struggling with our mind and thoughts.

As we allow ourselves open to God, there are many times we will face negative result such as dryness, depression and even lost. This is what St. John of the Cross called “The dark Night of the Soul.” As we removed all our false identity, being alone with God, we are forced to face our inner self. It is at these moments, God will nurture our souls. Our soul’s appetite will then change from the voice of the people, to the love and grace of God. We will no longer fear of being alone, but constantly experience the presence of God, even in our daily life.

I too face great difficulties as I journey into the state of solitude. I am a second child, with an elder and younger brother. Throughout my childhood, I have been crying for attention, do my best in everything I could in order to receive approval from people around us. As I face adulthood, I become so dependent on my friends.

When I practice the discipline of being, the question of ‘significant’ keeps popping out in my mind. God is dealing with my identity. If I were to strip off from all my credential, all my status, and all my achievement, who am I to God? I struggle to find my true self in God.

As I continue my journey to the state of solitude, I became aware of my selfishness in making relationship to people around me. I became aware of my perception of friendship which is really base on my personal benefits. I became so aware of my weaknesses which tear my self-confidence down to the drain.

However, God did not leave me there. After some time journeying to solitude, I found my true identity in Christ. My heart was filled with gladness that I was a child of God, love and care by Him. I was able to regain my confidence in life, not on myself, but on the grace given by God.

Today, as I relate to others, I can really appreciate those friendships. I can be alone with God and enjoy every moment of it. Although there are times there is the tendency to walk back the old ways, the temptation of the ‘significance’, and the feeling of loneliness still persist from time to time, yet, whenever I face such situations, I will be able to aware of it and move into solitude.

This invitation really helps me to understand many pilgrims who struggle with their life. It is because I am in solitude; I can see the image of God in the pilgrims’ life. I can relate with them in term of their struggles, but yet not being pulled down by their negativity because of my intimate relationship with God.

During my journey of solitude, I could pour out all my emotions and problems to God. Whenever I face difficulties with the seeker, I can come before God and pour out to Him. There in the state of solitude, God will hear me and help me regain my strength.