Four Kinds of Small Group Participants

TITLE: FOUR KINDS OF SMALL GROUP PARTICIPANTS
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:1
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 3 Apr 2012

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

[This is Part 3 of a series on Small Group Ministry]

This week, an opinion poll suggests that "Canadians want everything for nothing." The statement is based on half the number of people surveyed who will vote against any politician who hikes taxes. While they are quick to demand for all things, from social welfare to personal benefits, they are extremely reticent, even vocal against paying for them. Paul Kershaw, a professor at the University of British Columbia observes that there are more people with an "anti-tax" sentiment who "want something for nothing." (Source: News1130.com, May 2nd, 2012)

Scary. If the report is true, that we are seeing a new generation of people who want everything, but unwilling to give anything, we are in trouble. In economic theory, the:re is what is called a "multiplier effect," where a stimulus leads to a knock-on effect that will generate a life of its own. Governments often provide the initial investment. A simple example goes like this. The Government issues a billion dollar contract to a big corporation to build a highway. This big corporation goes on to engage hundreds of other subcontractors and workers, who in turn benefit other entities like restaurants, hotels, transportation, logistics, school, and other miscellaneous sectors. In other words, one giant stimulus gets multiplied many fold. While there are other practical limits to such a theory, the idea is basically this: Giving stimulates economic activity or giving, taking, and sharing.

What if in our small groups in church, we see more of such people who give nothing but expect everything? There will be no multiplier effect. Worse, it becomes a shrinking effect when everybody takes and nobody gives. Continuing our series on small groups, this week, I like to suggest that there are at least four kinds of people in any small group environment. On the healthy end of the spectrum is a group called "healthy lambs" and "skinny goats" that nourish the whole community. On the unhealthy end, the appearance of "lamp-poles" and "leeches" suck away the life of the group. My main point in this article is that we should all strive to become the healthy kind, the healthy lamb. Let me first begin with the worst kind of participant, what I call the LEECH. Eeek!

SMALL GROUP LEADERSHIP

TITLE: SMALL GROUP LEADERSHIP
SCRIPTURE: Acts 2:13-14
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 27 Apr 2012

"Some however, made fun of them and said, 'They have too much wine.' Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd." (Acts 2:14)

This is Part 2 of a series of 4 articles dedicated to small groups ministry. For the next three weeks, I will write about small groups with regards to leadership, to meeting inner membership needs, and to reaching out and outreach as a group.

A) Leaders are So Hard to Find

I have been involved with small groups ministry for a long time. Since my Inter-Varsity days, where I first came to the faith, I have been active as a participant, as an organizer, as a leader, and increasingly as a trainer and equipper. Everywhere I go, there is a recurring need: Leaders.

Leaders are so hard to find. Good leaders are even more difficult to get. This is why one of the most important activities in the Church is training and development. Back in my undergraduate days when I first became a Christian, I was filled with enthusiasm to be with fellow believers, to learn from my seniors, and to grow in Christ. I read. I pray. I memorize Scripture. When it comes to the Annual Leadership Conference organized by my fellowship, I would just say to myself that those are for the more experienced, the more capable, and the more mature people. I had no sense of calling. I had no idea what leadership actually means or requires. I preferred to simply grow my own faith, and be content with my small circle of brothers and sisters in Christ. Living together in the hostel can be fun. People would come by my room each day, thanks to my proximity to my neighbours who were extremely active in the Christian Fellowship. They had many more years of experience as a Christian than me. I was barely two years old in Christ. One evening, the chairman of the Fellowship came by. I was visiting my neighbours. He was confirming the attendance list for the annual leadership training event with my esteemed neighbours. I happened to be visiting and chatting away with them. The chairman said that he had one last spot on the Christian leadership training course. Whether it is by coincidence or by divine calling, he saw me and offered me the opportunity to take that last spot.

I was bowled over. Me? I'm such a young believer.

My neighbours egged me on. The chairman looked at me with an inviting eye. I was floored. Resistance then is futile. Thus began my introduction to leadership. Simply put, I was there at the right time, at the right place, and at the right moment. I did not know why I accepted the opportunity then. What I do know is that I am glad I accepted the invitation. It opened my eyes to the new world of being a leader for Christ. It encouraged me to grow in ways that I would never have dreamed possible.

B) Sweet Spot of Leadership

Leadership Discernment: G.O.A.L

One of the ways in which discernment needs to do is to locate what Max Lucado calls the "sweet spot." I like to call it the G.O.A.L. Comprising three concentric circles, spiritual discernment is to find the spot where three things intersect: Gloryfying God; Opportunity to Serve, and Availability of our Strengths, toward Leading for God. I call it the way to discern our calling.

Three questions are to be asked in discerning God's call for leadership.

1. G: How does it glorify God?
2. O: What are the opportunities and needs in my community?
3. A: What are my available strengths?

The central point of intersection is a great spot for us to discern our calling to leadership.

B) G = Glorifying God

When the early Church experienced ridicule from people who said that they were drunk from wine, Peter stood up to lead the disciples. Instead of cowing away in fear like what he did to Jesus when he denied Christ thrice, Peter became a fearless witness for God. He seeks to glorify God with his leadership.

In small group environments, sometimes it is easy to get caught up in trying to make small groups an end in themselves. Call it a "Holy Huddle" or an exclusive "Holy Club." These groups exist only for themselves. I have known of groups which continue to remain in the similar size for decades. They are mainly content in serving one another. Leaders need to learn to see beyond the obvious membership needs. As a Shepherd, he/she needs to keep in mind how the group glorifies God. One of the things I regularly do in my group is to worship as a group. Playing musical instruments is not a requirement for leadership though it can surely enrich the worship experience. One reason why I like to encourage singing as a group is because it unites all of us to sing as one body. In singing, we remind one another the reason we gather. Songs like "As we gather" or "Bind us Together" remind us of our common bond in Christ and the reason we gather. The key is to let the worship guide our thoughts and to allow the Spirit of God to set the mood for the meeting. If there is no one who can play the music, use an MP3 player, or a Youtube video. Sing Acapella. Read Scripture. Leaders must be worshipers themselves. Worshipers will worship regardless of music, instruments or available facilities. The moment the prospective leader shuns away from worship, he has disqualified himself from leadership.

C) O=Opportunities

The Early Church waited for the Holy Spirit to come, and when the Spirit fills their hearts, they are empowered to serve and the share the gospel. Acts 2 shows us that the people were gathered together as one body when the Spirit arrives. Being Church is essentially coming together as a people of God in the Name of Christ. When people come together, they open themselves to learn to recognize needs within the group as well as outside the group.

The next question to ask is about the opportunities and needs around us. It is tragic to see groups disperse when the leader fails to turn up for the meeting. When I lead groups, I make attendance a priority. The one person expected to be present at ALL meetings is the leader. As I look back at my years in leading small groups, I notice one thing: No one else beats my attendance record. Another thing is, I find coming to small group gatherings a joy rather than a chore.

The needs of any group are many. Probe deeper and one will easily find all kinds of challenges. They can range from issues with spouses to discipline matters with children. While people can sometimes choose to come on the basis of how interesting the topic of study is, when the relationships are there, people will come. In other words, for those without good relationships with the other group members, often come to the meetings on the basis of how interesting the study is or how convenient the meeting times and locations are. Those with good relationships will come regardless of the logistics or the study.

Leaders are to maintain a conscious balance for both content of the meetings as well as the relationships among the group. The most important opportunity available for leaders is prayer. Leaders must be prayerful people for their group members. If a prospective leader shuns from prayer, he has disqualified himself from leading small groups.

D) A=Availability

Peter has a gift of leadership. As the spokesman of the group, he stood up with the Eleven to address the  crowd. He made himself available to be used by God, on behalf of the group, to share with the hearers outside the group. Peter could have said that he is busy trying to unite his small group of new believers. He could have spent time to analyze what had happened when the Spirit fell on them. He could have avoided the ridicule of the people by just closing the door in the upper room. Instead, he made himself available to speak for the group, and for God.

In our modern world, "busy" is our common name. It is a cultural symbol of importance. It becomes a convenient excuse for anything we try to avoid. "Busy" is a catch-all reason not to go for any small group meetings. When one is unwilling, any reason is good enough, including busyness. If a prospective leader is not willing to make sacrifices, to make him or herself available for the greater cause, he/she has disqualified him/herself from leadership.

E) Leaders are Called

Leading small groups is not necessarily difficult. Taking up the mantle of leadership can be quite an easy feat. The challenge is to grow in leadership. Entering is easy. Sustaining is hard. Good leaders are growing leaders themselves. They need to. I take encouragement from the life of Peter. Having been a disciple of Jesus for three years, his number of years as a believer is perhaps about 4 years by Acts 2. Some Churches tend to choose only from people who have more than 10 years as a believer. No. I know of some who have been Christians for many years but remain spiritual babies. On the other hand, there are young Christians who are giants in faith.

My former professor at Regent College has this to say about leadership and calling.

"Inherent in God's call is something fierce and unmanageable. He summons, but he will not be summoned. He does the calling; we do the answering. . . . . . At times we try to tame the call by equating a staff position in a church or religious organization with the call itself. But the call always transcends the things we do to earn money, even if those things are done in the church. Our vocation in Christ is one thing; our occupations, quite another." (Darrell W. Johnson, "The Call to Ministry," in Leadership Handbook of Management and Administration, Baker Books, 2007, 43)

I thought about my early years as a Christian. In my heart, I asked about how best to glorify God (G). The opportunity to be trained as a leader was offered to me: (O). Inside my heart I was nervous but keen to take the step of faith. I made myself available (A). That began my growth as a leader.

What about you? Is God calling you to avail yourselves to be a leader? Are you willing to step up to serve? Are you willing to carve out time to pray for your group members? Are you prepared to give up personal comfort for the sake of community benefit? If the answer to any of these is yes, follow the Spirit's prompting.

THOUGHT: "We often say we have no priest, but that is not so. The fact is that we are all priests, or potential priests. In the same way, we may think we have no leaders, but that is not so either. We are all leaders, or potential leaders. Just as we are all required to be prepared to minister through the spoken word, we are all required to be prepared to receive a leading, or a prompting which may call us and others in directions we had not dreamt of." (Margaret Heathfield, a Quaker)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

On Small Groups

TITLE: ON SMALL GROUPS
SCRIPTURE: Acts 2:42-47
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 20 Apr 2012

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."(Acts 2:42-47)

I will be graduating next month from my doctoral program. That means, after May 11th, you can officially call me (Dr), though I will feel weird about it all. I want to pay tribute to my small group in Singapore. Many of them have been supporting me in different ways for the many years since I left for Vancouver. Thus, for the next four weeks, beginning with this article, I will be writing on small group matters. This week, I will be reflecting on small groups as a necessary part of any Church. Growing Churches will have vibrant small groups. Growing groups have people who are convicted by the Holy Spirit about one's sin, counseled by one another, and live in community that shares not just material needs, but spiritual needs.

A) Growing Churches (Acts Style vs Modern Style)

I have read Acts 2 umpteen times, never bored, always amazed. Amazed at how united the members of the early Church are. Amazed at how diligent they meet on a daily basis. Amazed at the same things that they do and yet they do not seem to be bored by the routine.  Most of all, I am amazed that the Lord added to their numbers on a daily basis. In a context of a Western Church that seems to be shrinking year after year, this passage of Scripture appears out of this world! The Church in Acts shares everything they have. The modern Church takes when it is possible. The Acts Church comes together daily enthusiastically. The modern Church gathers on a weekly basis, depending on one's work schedule.The Acts Church gave fully of what they have. The modern Church gives a little of what they have. The Acts Church enjoys the favor of all the people. Many in the modern Church expect favor from people.

In a nutshell, the modern Church is a far cry from the early Church. I confess I may have been a little harsh on the modern Church. My point is that I am more amazed at how the Church in Acts behave. I am simply giving credit where credit is due. The Acts Church is amazing! It does something that modern Church seminars, inspirational talks, or leadership conferences cannot replicate. Growth. We have seen how the world's largest Church has grown beyond a million members. South Korea's David Cho Yonggi's Church has been growing tremendously. We have also seen the great success stories of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, as well as Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. There are also stories of the unofficial church in China, North Korea, and elsewhere in Africa that are growing by leaps and bounds.  A sizable amount of growth comes from the prosperity gospel camp.

B) A Growing Church Has Vibrant Small Groups

Go to most growing churches and you can easily hear leaders talking up the impact of small groups and how people's lives have been changed. Most churches have them. Traditional churches need them. Megachurches thrive on them. One of the biggest impacts have come about through the popular concept of 'cell groups.'

Groups are essential to any Church. It is essential for community building. A healthy Church is not one that has a big building packed every Sunday. A healthy Church is one that has every member in a small group. In other words, a healthy Church is not an efficiently run organization, but a living organism. An organization can strategize, plan, and implement programs to attract people. An organism will be attractive in itself. After all, if a person is cared for, and is able to care for others, everything else is secondary. That includes programs, type of study materials, or the logistics of meeting times and places. If a person has a reason to come, he/she will find every means to make it to the meeting. If the person does not want to come, any excuse is possible.

C) A Program Is Only An Introduction

I once interviewed a pastor at a large Church about his Church strategy for growth. "Programs!" he said. His reasoning was that the programs are needed to meet the different needs of the people. Thus, there are programs for different ethnic groups, various age groups, and all kinds of interest groups. The basic conviction is that, with the right program mix, the people will keep coming, and keep bringing friends. I am not too sure if that works. I know of several people from that same church. Apparently, they are not very involved in the Church at all. "Attend Church service only" is the regular answer. The pastors do not know them. They do not know others. Others do not even know they exist. My problem with this approach is that programs may draw people in, but they do not necessarily build relationships. We build relationships with people meeting people where they are, not programs catering to people's tastes.

My point is, programs come and go. People live and love. Programs only lead us to the meeting place, but the rest is up to the people. Programs are temporal. People are not. If that is the case, why focus on programs when we ought to focus on people?

Now, let me be clear. I am not against programs. I simply want to maintain that programs are only introductions or invitations. The growing and the relating is up to God using us, and us obeying the Spirit's leading.

D) Small Groups are Necessary

John Wesley has often been credited with the invention of small groups. Douglas Hunt calls Wesley the "pioneer of small-group evangelism." Tim Stafford acknowledges the small group as one of Wesley's "most enduring legacies." It has also been widely recorded that John Wesley's famous "Holy Club" marks one of the earliest versions of Wesleyan style small groups. Here is one tip that Wesley has given the Christian world. D Michael Henderson has even called John Wesley's Class Meetings as the "Model for Making Disciples." John Wesley writes about the beginning of a small group.

"In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to me in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption. They desired (as did two or three more the next day) that I would spend some time with them in prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath to come; which they say continually hanging over their heads; that we might have more time for this great work, I appointed a day when they might all come together; which from thenceforward, they did every week, namely, on Thursday, in the evening. To these, and as many more as desired to join with them (for their number increased daily) I gave those advices, from time to time, which I judged most needful for them; and we always concluded our meeting with prayer suited to their several necessities." (John Wesley, in his Preface to the Rules of the Societies)

Like the Acts Church, I am amazed at John Wesley's strict no-holds-barred purpose of conviction, counsel, and communion. Firstly, there is a conviction to tackle sin head on. Secondly, there is counsel via opportunities to pray and come together to meet on a regular basis. While it is a little different from the Acts Church which meets regularly, Wesley's model follows the rules of consistency (every week) rather than a literal copy of Acts (every day). Thirdly, there is a communion element, whether people's needs are addressed via prayer.

Be amazed by the quantity of people being added in the Acts Church. Be amazed by the desire of people to meet to confess sins and grow in Christ during Wesley's times. Can you be amazed by opportunities in your Church to grow small groups? You do not need many. Just begin with two or three persons and launch a small group. Do all the sowing that you can. Do all the watering that you can. Do all the care and cultivation that you can. Then sit back. Pray. Relax, and watch the Holy Spirit makes it grow.

THOUGHT: "The heart of this revolutionary system was a cell group of six to eight people which Wesley named 'the class meeting.' They met weekly to give an account of their personal spiritual growth, according to the rules and following the procedures which Wesley had carefully crafted. The class meeting proved to be such an effective tool for radical personal change that it can be acknowledged as the pivotal medium which enabled the message to be internalized. The Methodist movement helped shape England's moral and spiritual destiny, and its impact continues to be felt around the world, . . . . . but the key element was the class meeting." (D. Michael Henderson, A Model for Making Disciples, Evangel Publishing, 1997, p11-12)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

In Defense of Plan B

TITLE: In Defense of Plan B 
SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:6-8
Date: 13 Apr 2012
Written by: Conrade Yap

 “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.” (Acts 16:6-8) 

Life is strange.

Sometimes I feel like we are easily stuck when we feel like we do not have all the right answers. More often than not, we like to have things laid out properly and done correctly before we really get that feeling of satisfaction. When things are rushed, we feel less than 100%. We are not as contented with the results, saying that things could have been better. When our Plan As fail to take effect, we kick in Plan B, often lamenting that “if only” we have Plan A, then life will be better. Much better. Pete Wilson writes about this effect on how we tend to believe that the grass is always greener on the other side. We say,

“Everyone else is getting married. Everyone else is having kids. Everyone else is successful. Everyone else is healthy. Everyone else is happy in their marriages - or content and productive in singleness.” (Pete Wilson, Plan B, Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2009, 4) 

When our Plan As fail, we scramble our Plan Bs reluctantly. We work out our contingency plans not without dreaming how life is much ‘better’ if our As turn out according to plan. This week, I like to reflect on why we ought to see that very often, man’s Plan B may very well be God’s Plan A for us. 

A) When A Fails

People generally loves a good story. Fairy tales are best. It brings about the glimmer of hope that we can one day have a happily-ever-after ending. Single girls dream of being swept up by a handsome princely character, full of riches and charisma. Married men dream of a nice loving wife who cooks well, brings us children brilliantly, looks beautiful all the time, and provides excellent sex on bed. Young men envision careers that provides global travel with executive perks. Living in a society infatuated with all things success and happiness, everyone seeks after the same things: Becoming rich and successful. Even Christians are caught up in that mad rat race. They employ their best efforts. They utilize their connections. Some even use God. When times are good, they answer with shouts of “Hallelujah! Praise God!” When times are bad, they question God.

B) The Bithynia Denial

After traveling far and wide, Paul must have gotten used to preaching the gospel to different lands. After all, Acts recorded him making four missionary journeys in his outreach to the Gentiles. During his second missionary journey, made sometime between AD 50-52, Paul and his followers encountered a road block. After traveling westward through the lands of Galatia and Phrygia, they were attempting to bring the gospel to the lands west of Mysia. At that time, the Roman Empire has divided Phrygia into two separate regions: Asia and Galatia. It was in Asia that Paul encountered the impasse. This Roman province of Asia is not to be confused with our modern understanding of Asia. Around AD 25, the Romans have carved out an expanded area comprising of cities such as Mysia, Lydia, Caria, and parts of Phrygia.

So Paul and his companions, instead of heading up northward toward Bithynia, they headed west toward Troas. All because Paul had been prevented from entering Bithynia. Whether it is through visions, dreams, of physical barriers we do not know. What we do know is that Paul wanted to enter Bithynia (His Plan A) but instead entered Troas (Plan B). The text says that “the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to” enter Bithynia. As a result, they skipped Mysia.

C) Paul’s Focus is on Christ

I am not sure how Paul felt at that time. Perhaps, he was disappointed that Bithynia was out of his reach. From the use of the Greek ‘perazo,’ it can be interpreted to indicate their best efforts to enter the land. This same verb can also be translated as ‘to attempt to go; or tempted to enter.’ It is enlightening to note that as far as the gospel is concerned, it is not the place of travel but the heart of obedience that matters. For Paul, if northward bound is not possible, head westward. It does not matter as long as the gospel is preached. This attitude has been recorded in Philippians 1:18:

“But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,” (Philippians 1:18) 

I have heard of some friends of mine wanting to reach a particular people group for God. Along the way, their best intentions fell apart. Their dreams were not met. Their Plan A fails to materialize and they have to accept their Plan Bs, even Cs. I too have my fair share of Plan A not coming into play.

Back in 2004, I was eager to get theological training, and then return to my home church and hopefully teach in a local seminary. Naive and idealistic, my wife and I uprooted ourselves from the comforts of Singapore to go to Canada, thinking that after 3-4 years, we will all return and then serve happily ever after back home. Unfortunately, that Plan A seems more distant with each passing year. Our kids became more used to the school systems here. Lifestyles change. People changes. We change. Even the place that we used to call home has changed. The Singapore we know in 2004 is no longer the same as in 2012. My father passed away in 2010. Each time I returned home for a visit, people tend to be extremely busy with their own stuff. A friend of mine who has since decided to stay in Canada commented to me in a somewhat skeptical manner:

“Don’t bother returning to Singapore. People have no time for you anyway.” 

I hesitate to come to that conclusion. I know of many people who will spend time. I also understand why he said what he said. After all, I too have experienced my fair share of disappointments with regards to trying to meet up with ‘busy’ people in Singapore. You can plan ahead. You can even get all the people’s names and reminders in place. Yet, at the very last minute, things can change. People have their own priorities. Their Plan As are not necessarily yours, and your Plan As is not necessarily theirs.

Personally, we need to be open to one another. Emergencies can happen at any time. Our Plan As are often simply a plan waiting to be changed at last minute’s notice. Matt Chandler once said that there is a big difference between trust and understanding. Trust is what is needed when we lack the understanding. Likewise, when we fail to understand why our Plan As did not work, we need to trust God to help us work out our Plan Bs, Cs, or even Ds.

Who knows? Our Plan As need time to be baked in God’s perfect timing. In the meantime, He can choose to use us more effectively through Bs, Cs, Ds, Es, even Fs. As far as God’s will is concerned, it is not the plan per se. It is the heart that seeks to obey God regardless of what it is. Pete Wilson writes:

“God can take the pain and hurt you’ve experienced and use it to expand and mold your heart to reflect his heart. The question is, do you think you can sacrifice who you are today for who you could become?” (Pete Wilson, Plan B, 222) 

Bingo! Sacrificing something temporal in order to gain something eternal is priceless. Paul is able to obey God despite the Bithynian denial. He knows what is at stake. It is not his pride of being denied entry. Neither is it his frustration at why God is stopping him from sharing the gospel northward. As the song goes in the Jimmy and Carol Owens’s play called the Dreamer:

“When GOD Closes the door, HE opens a window,
so I can see HE's working it out the very best for me.”

Trust God. Trust Him for all of your plans, not just your plan As or Bs. As far as God is concerned, He does not distinguish it according to A, B, C, D, or whatever. His goal is to love us so much that He gave Jesus for us. We are called to bring this love into our homes and beyond our local comforts of home.


THOUGHT:  "Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it." (Eliza Tabor)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Thanksgiving for everything? Are you kidding me?

TITLE: Thanksgiving for everything? Are you kidding me?
SCRIPTURE: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 6 Apr 2012

"In everything give thanks." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

How is it possible to give thanks in everything?

(Credit: manwifeanddog.com)

Tom went into a business partnership with his best buddy Tim. Both put in their fair amount of hard work. One day, for some reason, Tim decided to take the money that was meant to be deposited into the business account and absconded. How on earth is it possible for Tom to be thankful about what had happened?

Patricia prayed for years for the eventual healing of her sick mother. She had faith. Faithfully she asked her church elders to lay hands, to pray, and to anoint her mother's head with oil. She followed the best medical advice given to her, took her mum regularly for treatment. Unfortunately, her mum died a year later. How can Patricia give thanks?

After working faithfully for his employer for 30 years, Anthony was laid off and were treated the same way as a 1-year old employee. How can Anthony be thankful about such a treatment to him, a loyal and faithful worker?

Life is tough. Many things can be planned, but outcomes are very much unplanned. A business failure, a death, and a terminated career are some of the things that make thanksgiving such a difficult thing to do.

1) State of Unthankfulness in Society

It is easy to simply take things for granted. Whether it is a cleaner at the food courts, or the parking attendant, we tend to assume that it is their job to do what they are supposed to do. When we see dirty spots on our table and off we go, barking at the frantic cleaner to come and clean up. Sometimes, just waiting a few minutes longer for the response drastically reduces our readiness to thank the cleaner. Consider the parking attendant. He is doing his job, applying company policies to vehicles that have breached the time limit for parking. Drivers who have received violation tickets are normally mad. Are we to withhold thanks from people who are merely doing their jobs, and who have inadvertently annoyed us with violation tickets? After all, aren't errant drivers at fault in the first place?

The list is long.

2) An Unthankful Heart is a Spiritual Condition

Perhaps, the reason why Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to give thanks in everything comes out of something less externally affected, but internally motivated. Things done to us may irritate us and make us unhappy. External things are not within our control. The same is not true for internal.

Like Jesus' teaching about turning the other cheek when a person slaps him. Or the fact that if we have two coats, to keep one, and to give the other away. Or the example of giving in secret instead of in public. All of these actions stem from the inner self. It transforms an internal heart of gratitude into external actions of thanksgiving. Good fruits come out of a good tree. An inner disposition drives an outer application.

Jesus has even said about a kind of unclean condition. He reminded the people.

"He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’" (Mark 7:6-7)

When our hearts are far from God, we cannot honour God with our hearts. Likewise, if our hearts are not thankful in the first place, thanksgiving is more a challenge than a joy.

3) Story of the Ten Lepers

In the story of the ten lepers, Jesus laments at the poor level of thankfulness in the hearts of people. Out of ten people who desired to be healed, and who were healed, only one returned to Jesus and thanked Him. Not only that, he was a Samaritan, a 'foreigner' as recorded in Luke 17:18. The story has several pointers with regards to thanksgiving.

#1 - Thankful People a Minority
It is sad that people in general have lots of opportunity to demonstrate thankfulness. The sad case is that many chooses NOT to. Christians are called to be thankful for everything because without God, we are nothing in the first place. When we are thankful, we acknowledge that God is in control and we are trusting God to deliver the best, not on our own mortal timeframe, but in God's eternal timelessness.

#2 - Spiritual Healing is Harder

The ten lepers were all healed, but the poor rate of thanksgiving only goes to show that man's default condition is sin manifested in unthankfulness. Jerry Bridges in his book, "Respectable Sins" have even called unthankfulness a sin. An interesting thing in the story of the ten lepers occur in Luke 17:19.

"Then he said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'" 

What? The one who has given thanks have been declared 'well?' Is Jesus implying that the other 9 men are not fully well yet? This is a remarkable clue that healing needs to be holistic. Just like faith without good works is dead, or theory without practice is empty, outer healing without inner healing is incomplete. The 9 lepers who are healed were healed on the outside. Only the tenth obtains inner healing. For Jesus has declared: 'your faith has made you well.'


#3 - True Thankfulness is Heartfelt

Note the four acts of the tenth leper. He intentionally came back. He praised God loudly. He flung himself at the feet of Jesus. He gave thanks. Only a person deeply touched can do such things. It goes beyond the head and flows from the heart. Such a thankful heart is what Paul is asking the Thessalonians to practice.

Finally, let me close with some of the possible reasons why the other nine lepers did not return to give thanks.

1. SKEPTICISM: "How do I know if the healing is permanent or not?"
2. ABSENT-MINDED: "Oops. I forgot."
3. PRESUMPTUOUS: "I'm sure others can do it."
4. UNTHANKFULNESS: "Am I supposed to give thanks in the first place?"
5. INFERIOR COMPLEX: "Jesus is so high, and I am so low. How can I even approach Him?"
6. SUPERIOR COMPLEX: "Jesus is a Jew. I am a Samaritan. How can I thank Him?"
7. TAKE FOR GRANTED: "Jesus is supposed to do his job anyway."
8. FEELING UNJUST: "I have suffered so long. Why didn't Jesus heal me earlier?"
9. VICTIMIZED: "If Jesus is God, He should have prevented me from being leprous in the first place!"

Is it possible that the nine men who failed to return are guilty of at least one of them above? Perhaps. May we be free from these acts of ungratefulness as we reflect upon the immense grace of God as we think of Christ willingness in going to the cross.

THOUGHT: "You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink." (G. K. Chesterton)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Will Jesus Use Facebook?

TITLE: WILL JESUS USE FACEBOOK?
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 28:16-20
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 30 Mar 2012

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:16-20)

There is one lingering question that is becoming more fascinating by the day. "Will Jesus use Facebook?" For Christians, this question typically triggers at least two kinds of responses. The first group deplores any technological association (branded the world) with a sacred figure. The second group embraces the use of anything as long as Christ is preached.  My reflection this week will touch on the impact of online media on society, with a particular interest in what it means as far as Christian witness is concerned.


A) Technological Luddites

In the 19th Century in the UK, due to the perceived threats of technology on their jobs, many workers revolted against factories that implemented modern machinery. Instigated by a person called General Ned  Ludd, a movement arose between 1811-1816 that emboldened ordinary wage earners against anything that threatened their livelihood, namely, technology innovations. Workers burned, broke, and banished the machinery in a widespread protest against technological devices. The term 'Luddism' is now used to describe people who sense a fear of the downside of technology and seek to fight against the use of certain technologies or engineering innovation. Such a fear reared its head again during the Industrial Revolution where machines increasingly dominate workplaces. I remember a time when my fellow workers were complaining about their duties being replaced by a robot. Sure enough. After a few quarters, the company laid off people in order to cut costs.

At the turn of the century, technology has appeared more frequently via a new name: The Internet. Like Newton's law, whenever there is a change, there will also be an equal and opposite reaction. Cultural critics like Neil Postman have since argued against the downsides of technology, saying that:

"Technology always has unforeseen consequences, and it is not always clear, at the beginning, who or what will win, and who or what will lose." (Neil Postman, in a speech here, given in Stuttgart)

Others like Sherry Turkle, a long time observer of human-machine interactions bemoans the way people are isolating themselves as they allow technology to get in the way. Nicholas Carr goes farther to warn people about how technologies like Google are changing our brains and the way we think and live. In an insightful book called The Shallows, Carr argues that as people praise the glories of modern technology and gadgets, many users tend to be blind to the side effects of technology.

"Our focus on a medium's content can blind us to these deep effects. We're too busy being dazzled or disturbed by the programming to notice what's going on inside our heads. In the end, we come to pretend that the technology itself doesn't matter. It's how we use it that matters, we tell ourselves." (Nicholas Carr, The Shallows, New York, NY: W W Norton, 2010, 3)

Not to be left behind, we have Kevin Kelly, in a provocative book, "What Technology Wants," that pushes the envelope even more, saying that the new technological world is not about what man wants from technology, but about what technology wants from people. On the pervasive use of smartphones, one contributor to the Economist appeals to us to remove our enslavement.

Neo-Luddites! You may accuse them.

B) On the Other Hand

Then there are those who champion technologies. The bookstores are full of those in praise of Google, the Internet and the use of technology. Just talk to any man in the street and you will realize that they spend more time connecting online than relating offline. Christians have also adopted the use of computer terminology in their writings. Neil Cole, a church planter even uses computer software versions to tell Church History. He calls the New Testament Church in the early centuries "Church 1.0." The 16th Century Reformation is called "Church 2.0," and our modern era represents the evolution of a new version called "Church 3.0!" Popular speakers Tami Heim and Toni Birdsong have combined their expertise to urge Christians to go online and to learn to share our faith in the Internet world. As I read their latest book, '@StickyJesus,' I get a feeling that the Great Commission can be read as:

".... Go ye therefore and make digital disciples of all online communities. . . ."

Acts 1:8 can be partially re-written as:

". . . . you will be my witnesses on Google, and in all Twitter and Facebook, and to the ends of the social media world."

Again, those are not their words. They are conjured up as a result of reading how passionate Heim and Birdsong have been. They argue:

"For you, a Christ follower, the discussion around technology and its impact for good cannot be left to chance. It's a conversation that must be an ongoing priority. It must become part of the writings, readings, and teachings that communicate faith to this and future generations. And if businesses, motivated by profitability and survival, continue to generate effective content marketing solutions and new ways to engage the public, the body of Christ should be alert - and teachable - to use those same strategies." (Toni Birdsong and Tami Heim, @StickyJesus, Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2010, 7)

C) My Take

My personal reading of it all is that we need to learn to use technologies well, but also critically. We need to periodically take a step back and ponder why we are doing what we are doing. We need to pause to reflect upon the ways of social media, the pros and cons, and to draw the line often by saying:

"Social Media. You shall have no hold on my life."

I thank God for cultural critics like Postman, Turkle, Carr, and others. They help many of us who tend to use technological gadgets uncritically sit up and think. We are pressed with questions like:

• Is there a better way to communicate than using the Internet?
• How do I know if I am addicted to Facebook?
• Am I missing out opportunities offline when I am hooked online most of the time?
• Why do I need so many 'friends' on Facebook?
• Am I using social media, or is social media using me?

The human problem is not technological. The human problem is still sin. Before the rise of the Internet, parents worry about their kids spending too much time watching TV or playing games on the computer. Society gets worried about the drug problem or gang recruitment activities in their neighbourhood. Pornography was a big concern a number of years ago.

Not anymore. Now, people have shifted to social media, and we hear news of Internet predators posing as innocent 'friends' to try to manipulate young minds to meet them at a physical location. The threat is real. Policing the Internet is becoming more and more challenging as privacy structures become more sophisticated. Sin masquerades itself in any media, any platform, through any channel. Christian, beware!

D) Will Jesus use Facebook? 

As I read the gospels, I believe it is likely that Jesus will meet us where we are. Just like the Samaritan woman in John 4, Jesus meets her at the well at odd hours during the day. Like Zacchaeus, the despised tax collector in Luke 19, Jesus offers to meet him at his house. Like the lame man in John 5, Jesus sees him at the Sheep Gate in Bethesda. The interesting thing is that Jesus did not remain at the well. Neither did he stick around in the house of Zacchaeus. He did not linger all the time at the Sheep Gate in Bethesda. After the witnessing for God, and the demonstration of signs, Jesus moved on! Even if Jesus has a Facebook account, He will not linger around in cyberspace. Neither will he be hooked online so many hours that he fails to pray and seek God's face first thing each day.

Yes, Jesus if he is walking the streets today, he will not simply disregard the technological gadgets we have on our hands. Instead, he may be asking us what we are doing, or why are we Tweeting what we are tweeting, or writing stuff on Facebook.

What will you do, if Jesus asks you: "Will you be my friend?" Certainly, Jesus will not simply want to be a 'friend' on your lists of Facebook friends. He wants to be more. Much more.  Will you let Him? Will you lead others to Him? Let me close with the following set of tips from Birdsong and Heim, which I hope can help us be more intentional and godly in our social media interactions.

• "I am on my face before God before I get on Facebook and seek Him before I tweet.
  
• I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance and discernment before I enter into social media platforms.
  
• I am deliberate about preparing my heart to go online and devoted to the larger, eternal mission.
  
• I am others-focused and enter online communities with a desire to serve.
  
• I am intentional about checking my heart for conceit, superiority, prejudice, and judgment.
  
• I am fully present to people when I engage.
  
• I acknowledge that God values every person I encounter online and that beating hearts are behind every picture and post.
  
• I choose to be digitally generous. I retweet, post comments to blogs, follow up on emails promptly, and help promote worthy causes online."

(Toni Birdsong and Tami Heim, @StickyJesus, Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 2010, 175)


THOUGHT: "It is questionable if all the mechanical inventions yet made have lightened the day's toil of any human being." (John Stuart Mill)


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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Fighting Authority?

TITLE: FIGHTING AUTHORITY?
SCRIPTURE: Titus 3:1-2
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 22 Mar 2012

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." (Titus 3:1-2)

Currently, there is an ongoing dispute between the British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF) and the provincial government over pay and class conditions in the province. After several months of limited strike actions by teachers, the government has passed a law making it illegal for teachers to initiate job actions. Called Bill-22, if the teachers union decides to go on a strike, not only will it be an illegal act, the federation will be fined heavily for every day of job action. As the two parties go after each others' throats, the rest of the province helplessly look on. Many parents have to rearrange their work schedules in order to provide for alternative arrangements for their children. Some take no-pay leave. Others decide to put their children into private schools instead. The entire situation is not only messy for many households, but utterly embarrassing for the entire province. It has made Canada look silly, like children refusing to let go of each other's demands.

A) No Winners

I tell my kids that in situations like these, there are no winners. Everybody lose. The government loses credibility. The union leaders lose respectability. The teachers and many parents lose financially. Children lose out on instructional time. Anyone associated with businesses during a normal school day will also lose substantial income. When schools are not in session, there will be minimal business. I have heard from several teachers that they too are on the helpless end. Even for those who desire to simply concentrate on teaching, they cannot flout union regulations. If the union asks them to strike, they have to strike. So much for democracy. It is a socialist platform in which majority rules. Unfortunately, the BCTF has unwittingly isolated many parents as they look to become more militant in their demands. Just this week, the leaders even dare to broach the idea of 'breaking the Bill-22 law.' This raises alarm bells. It begs the question: What kind of a message are the teachers sending to our children? I think, the recent actions have given me concerns about the elevating stakes. As both BCTF and the government go back and forth at each other, the following unwittingly gets communicated.

1. "If you do not get what you want, DEMAND!"
2. "If you still do not get what you want, STRIKE!"
3. "If you still do not get what you want, and forced to back down, STRIKE BACK!"

"Sticky" Faith vs "Post-It-Note" Faith

TITLE: "Sticky" Faith vs "Post-It-Note" Faith
SCRIPTURE: Luke 8:14-15
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 13 Mar 2012

"The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." (Luke 8:14-15)

MAIN POINT: Inculcating sticky faith, in a 'post-it-note' world?

Man has always strived to invent things, and to create wonderful gadgets and devices. Yet, for all their striving and their diligence, the fact remains that many of the world's most innovative stationery products happen by accident. The American company, 3M (also known as Minnesota Manufacturing and Mining company) has long been known for producing great innovative products. Sometimes, they create so many different things that they do not know what to do with it. One of such an invention was a special adhesive developed by Dr Spencer Silver. Such a chemical will be able to hold light objects together temporarily without forming a permanent bond. At that time, this product is deemed to be a 'solution without a problem.'

While searching for a marketing application, Silva's colleague, Arthur Fry decides to use the adhesive for his music notes while singing for the Church choir. Often, the choir will struggle to keep the musical sheets together as any movement will cause the papers to fall all over the place. Just then, Fry remembers the adhesive back in the office and decides to use them for his choir notes. The application works like a champion for the church choir. The rest is history. The Post-It-Note pad becomes one of the most successful products ever to be launched by the 3M Corporation.

The 5Rs of RE-tirement

TITLE:  THE 5R's OF RE-TIREMENT
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 6 Mar 2012
SCRIPTURE: Ecclesiastes 7:10

"Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions." (Ecclesiastes 7:10)

Last week, thanks to a few thoughtful and passionate members of my congregation, we celebrated the retirement of two sisters in Christ. One has retired from the financial industry, while the other from the medical sector. Both have been very ardent Church going members, dearly loved by the people in the Church. I gave a short exhortation for these two persons and invited the rest of the people to eavesdrop. This week, I will summarize what I have said that evening, and expand a little bit on the points I made.

A) Wisdom from Cicero

Beginning with the wise words of the Roman philosopher, Cicero, I read out the following:

"It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved but by reflection, force of character, and judgment. In these qualities, old age is usually not only not poorer, but is even richer." (Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC)

For a person more than 2000 years ago to speak so profoundly on the nature of the human individual, this is impressive. In our modern era, we are gravitated toward bigness, the powerful, the speedy, or any positive superlatives like great, gigantic, and gargantuan. The computing world magnifies power and speed through maxims like 'faster is better,' 'powerful is wonderful,' 'big is greater.' The consumer world advocates more as better. We see supermarkets selling goods in quantity by introducing 'huge' savings if we buy more. Hypermarkets sell things in bulk on the basis of value for money. Manufacturers bundle in a lot of stuff that we usually do not need together with some basic commodity that we need.

Unfortunately, many of us in our aging years bring these ideas into our thinking as well. We lament at our 'slowness' in getting things done when we see our younger colleagues doing more things at three times our speed. We are discouraged when we can only do one job while our juniors accomplish three tasks in a multitasking environment. We walk while they run. We single task as they multitask. We work  with frequent pauses while the young does not seem to need any rest!

(Credit: National Post)

The main problem with such a lifestyle of speed and might is this. As one tries frantically to make things happen, they risk rushing into doing things without adequate reflection. A story was told of a Chicago man who receives a request for an interview from a company located in Portland. After packing his bags and making his travel arrangements, he begins to think about how efficient he is in his logistics. Unfortunately, in his rush to get things done, he fails to clarify exactly which Portland the company is in. Upon arrival in Portland, home to the nice Western coast of Oregon, he is horrified to realize that the actual interview is in Maine, all the way to the Eastern part of the United States!

B) Wisdom, Character, and Judgment

No matter what, there are many things in life that cannot be measured by speed, by might, or by physical abilities. This is because life is not always quantitatively determined. More is not always more. Less is not necessarily bad. A recent article in ChristianityToday laments the trend of modern higher education that is introducing secular values that displaces the importance of wisdom. They focus on technical knowhow, content, and the frenetic focus on specialization. All of these quantitative measurements are accomplished at the expense of qualitative factors such as wisdom, character, and judgment.

Cicero reminds us again that there are things that old age will enable one to develop more and more. The older we become, the more we realize that the futility of life is real. We learn from one of the wisest man who has ever lived, Qoheleth in Ecclesiastes. He reminds us that it is not a wise thing to constantly harp back at the past, saying 'Why are the old days better than these?' Such good-old-days thinking is prevalent among the older folks. When they see that they are no longer as competitive as before, as efficient or as competent as in the past, they start to feel depressed. Wisely, Qoheleth reminds us that such thinking is not good. Even the mere 'asking' of such a question is rendered foolish. By being fixated on the past, not only do we bog ourselves down with unhelpful nostalgia, we miss out the opportunities to live a brand new phase of life, to reap the benefits of what it means to grow old.

C) RE-TIRE

For Christians, think retirement in terms of RE-TIRE. Like fixing in All-Season tires when Spring/Summer approaches, or Winter tires before the cold and the snow comes, re-tirement is about receiving old age as a gift rather than a dreaded stage of life. We say goodbye to the old phase and greet the new phase with a bright 'hello.' We re-tire our lives in a way that recognizes our new stage of life.

Like Cicero, we can learn to be more reflective, to appreciate more about character building, and to develop a heightened sense of discernment and wise judgment. These characteristics are sharpened even more as one reflects back on the past years of old. In other words, the years that have gone by are not to be lamented merely as the good-old-days. They are essentially past events, valuable lessons, and personal stories that help one to live better, live wiser, and live more meaningfully. Instead of good-old-days thinking, I suggest the following 5Rs of RE-TIREMENT.

D) THE 5R's of RE-TIREMENT

i) READ a little more

Far too many people are buying books without actually reading them. They have become book collectors rather than book readers. Their bookshelves are full and some books remain in a shrink-wrapped condition! Perhaps, as one prepares to slow down, they can pick up the reading habit all over again. Read widely to supplement one's life learnings by interacting with some of the wise authors. Appreciate life through the literary gems. I recommend Joan Chittister's 'The Gift of Years' and Billy Graham's 'Nearing Home' as two possible books to begin your reading quest.


ii) REFLECT a little more

The young does not have many years to reflect upon. They are too busy trying to live out their careers and lives. Not so for those who have more than 60 years of life. Ask any statistician or economist who works with numbers. They will tell you that a wider range of data will give a much more credible understanding and interpretation to any particular study. The old will have this special privilege of reflecting. They can give thanks for the good times, and to learn from the bad times. They grow as a person as they reflect more of their past. One of my favourite writers is the Danish philosopher, Soren Kiergergaard, who famously writes:

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” (Søren Kierkegaard)


iii) RE-ENERGIZE a little more

Physical exercise is a legitimate spiritual discipline. In fact, the older we get, we need to make sure that our physical conditions do not be compromised. Instead of running, why not walk? After all, health experts have said that by mere walking, one can meet the exercise requirements by at least 50 percent! Moreover, if the old can keep fit, it is a valuable contribution to society as well. Healthy individuals mean less stress on the national health system. It means more money saved for society. It creates lesser burdens for the young who are already struggling with the many challenges in this tough life. As the elderly re-energizes themselves, they too are setting forth a good example for the rest of society to follow. Talk about leading by example.


iv) RELAX a little more

The common catchphrase in our conversations is "I'm busy." This catch-all excuse can be used in practically any situations. Retirement phase is a good time to simply learn to slow down and relax. Like Jesus' teachings in Matthew 6. Look at the lilies of the field, or the birds in the air. Contemplate how God has fed and clothe them. It is a great opportunity to reflect and ponder about God, and the spiritual life that we do not normally get to appreciate. Chances are, the more we relax and give thanks, the more we learn to appreciate the little things in life, and the little acts of kindness done for us.

v) REACH OUT a little more

Finally, as the old increases in wisdom, character, and discernible judgment, they can become excellent mentors to younger ones among us. They can share of their experiences. They can learn how to say yes and when to say no. As they seek to disciple a younger person by reaching out to them, they are helping to fill in the gap that the young needs. In an age where Universities, colleges, and workplaces, have become so sidetracked by competence and efficiency, the older folks among us can help to supplement these temporal things with something more eternal: Wisdom. Reach out a little more and to bless a younger chap.

No one knows more about the futility of power, money, and fame than those who have tasted it and found it lacking. No one can appreciate the temporal nature of worldly things than the elderly and older people in retirement. Remember. Retirement is not a time to dread or to lament about one's physical prowess being halved. It is less about physical but more about spiritual. Let me close with Joan Chittister's words about old age.

THOUGHT: "A burden of these years is that we might allow ourselves to believe that not being as fast or as busy as we used to be is some kind of human deficiency.

A blessing of these years is that we can come to understand that it is the quality of what we think and say that makes us valuable members of society, not how fast or busy we are." (Joan Chittister, The Gift of Years, New York, NY: BlueBridge, 2008, 12)

Grow old gracefully inside, and graciously outside.


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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries.

Purpose of Church

TITLE: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF CHURCH?
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 3:10-11
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 29 Feb 2012

"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:10-11)

Main Point: Is your Church a hospital, a hotel, or herald of angels?

Many Christians go to Church on Sundays. Faithfully they attend, faithfully they give, and faithfully they stayed with the Church. For many Christians, Church on Sundays pretty much is their main source of fellowship with fellow believers. For the young, it means Bible stories, games, and fun activities. For the youths, it often means some level of serious Bible study before the main event: Sports! For the rest of the congregation, it is one full length Sunday service complete with psalms, Bible readings, sermons, and others. Is this what Church is all about? What about our modern era? I like to begin by asking which of these is true of your Church.

1. Is your Church constantly clamouring for care, with people constantly wanting to be fed and need lots of attention? If the majority of your church are complaining about the lack of pastoral care, perhaps your church is running on 'HOSPITAL' mode.
2. Is your Church more about maintaining a level of comfortable social gathering, where activities center around playing sports, social outings, buffets, BBQs, and food? If the majority of your Church functions like that, your church is running on 'HOTEL' mode.
3. Is your Church actively looking out for opportunities to share the gospel, to be the mission post, the salt and light of the neighbourhood? Is the Church actively equipping members and friends to reach out and touch lives? If it is, your church is running on 'HERALDS of angels' mode.

This week, I want to look at the purpose of Church. I begin by asking whether the Church is some kind of a hospital for hurting people. Is it a place where people constantly cry out for their needs to be met? Is it where people feel that the leaders are largely ignoring their needs.

Or is the Church more like a hotel? Is it a place for people to enjoy connecting with one another like a business conference? Is it a place for people to have fun and fellowship all the time, delegating the other stuff like mission work, prayer, evangelism, and discipleship matters to the ragtag bunch of 'more spiritual people' to do? After all, some Church organizations have hired specific people to do their jobs, so why not simply let them? Let the ordinary member just eat, drink, and be merry. Let the more pious people, the elders, the pastors, the leaders, the trained, and the experienced handle the rest of the Great Commission?

A) What Is the Purpose of Church?

Church is for all. Unless every member wakes up to the responsibilities and the roles that they are in, they are not living up to the expectation of living stones for God. The WWII martyr for Christ, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says this about the purpose of Church.

"The church is the church only when it exists for others. To make a start, it should give away all its property to those in need.. . . . It must tell people of every calling what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison, NY: MacMillan, 1967, 282)

The passion of Bonhoeffer is clear. Church is not about us. It is about God, and church is a channel in which we glorify God. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul has this passion too. God intends his wisdom to flow 'through the church' outwards, to rulers, to authorities in the heavenly realms. The imagery is impressive.

How can the heavens see the glory of God on earth? Answer: When all of earth manifests God's glory. This means that the church is the primary engine in which the glory and wisdom of God is expressed. Mind you, it is more than evangelism and mission. It is all of our lives as a manifestation of God! This is the purpose of church.

During the times of the early Church, the members are persecuted and they come together largely to encourage one another. Times are really bad. The name 'Christian' is very unglamourous, and often used as a derogatory manner. Church for them is fellowshipping in their common suffering, and their persecuted identity in Christ. Through their persecution and suffering, their fervent practice of faith has glorified God and the gospel spreads far and wide.

What about the modern church? Let us look at how some Churches have turned into.

B) Church as Hospital

For the early Church, the gospel spreads vibrantly from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to many other parts of the world. Peter ministers to the Jews. Paul goes to the Gentiles. It is outward looking, and upward honouring. The Church in hospital mode tends to see too many of the unmet needs. Their self-seeking attitude has become so big that the general mood is this:

"How can our church help others when our needs are not met? Our members are hurting. Our people are needy. The pastor hardly visits. The elders seem to have their own busy schedules. Nobody cares for me!"

In hospital mode, the church is constantly on a 9-11 emergency call mode. An illness, a major accident, a sudden death, are all examples of emergencies that turn the church into a hospital. Others suffer job losses, marital problems, relationship woes, which also turn the church into counselling centers. While these are legitimate needs, it is a problem if these occupy the main concerns of church leadership. Such an attitude is too inward looking and outward lacking. After a while, caregivers get exhausted. Some becomes so discouraged at the continued level of give-and-give-and-give-some-more that they leave the church eventually.

C) Church as Hotel

Some Churches spend lots of money on their church building fund. After the mad and passionate plea for money, property, and building resources, after the work has been completed, the vibrancy dies down. Once the structures are built, people settle down, feeding themselves with frequent meals together. They meet to play more often than to pray. They plan social outings more often than designing opportunities to hang out with the neighbourhood. They take away parking spaces on Sundays and give nothing back to the neighbourhood. The Church in hotel mode is constantly consuming things for themselves, budgeting programs for themselves, and planning events for themselves. Such a mentality is narcissistic, inner-looking, and also outward lacking.

In hotel mode, Christians become fattened up so much that they eat more and more while the original cause of Christ becomes less and less prominent in their spiritual radar.

D) Church as Herald of Angels

Let me say an emphatic no to hospital-mode or hotel-mode kinds of church. In my opinion, the former is a counseling center, the latter a social club. None of these are true churches of Jesus Christ. The Church as a biblical model knows that it exists for the benefit of others.

Let us read through a few passionate quotes from some Christians from the past.

On the existence of the Church, the famous Oxford don, CS Lewis writes with conviction:

"The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose." (CS Lewis, Mere Christianity, Harper Collins, 2001, p199)

The English missionary to China, James Hudson Taylor says:

"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."

One of my favourites is from the British cricketeer turned missionary to China, Charles T. Studd says:

"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." (CT Studd)

The very popular spiritual writer, Dallas Willard, even calls the ignorance of the mission of God, as the Great Ommission.

"The last command Jesus gave the church before he ascended to heaven was the Great Commission, the call for Christians to 'make disciples of all the nations.' But Christians have responded by making 'Christians,' not 'disciples.' This has been the church's Great Omission." (Dallas Willard, The Great Ommission, San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 2006)

Men like these are people I call 'heralds of angels.' Jesus says:

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." (Matt 9:37)

In hospital mode, these words become: "The church is needful but the carers are few."
In hotel mode, these words become: "The food and fun are plentiful and the consumers are many."
In heralds of angels mode, people will turn Matthew 9:37 into a response: "Yes Lord. I will go."

What kind of mode is your Church? What are you doing about that? Perhaps, begin with prayer, just as Jesus has said:

"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matt 9:38)

Thought: "To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map." (William Carey, missionary to India)

sabbathwalk

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