LET US ARISE

It’s been a while since I last reminisce about life, faith and everything else under the sun. In a couple of my posts on Facebook I teased out a little about the excitement I have been anticipating as I sense that some good things are about to happen in the church. Some people were asking me what it is all about. I think it is too early to spill out what I think is in store but I would like to throw out some thoughts.

One of the things that a few of us have been mulling about is to re-look at “doing church”. Are we building the church of God rightly? Did we miss anything? We have been around for 30 years (FGA Centre) and I have been in pastoral ministry in this church for the last 28 years. Where are we going? Where are we heading? Did we come close to what God has purposed for us to be? And I think it is always good to take two steps back and re-examine ourselves in the light of the vision and passion that God placed in the founding fathers of the church.

I, for one, am interested in all that God has for the church. So, starting next year we will emphasise the whole premise of God’s Word through Isaiah – “LET US ARISE!” From January to April 2014 it would be to ARISE AND RETURN - Christ's Kingdom in Us. Then, from May to August 2014 it would be to ARISE AND BUILD - Christ's Kingdom in the Home. For the third trimester, that is, from September to December 2014 it would be to ARISE AND SHINE - Christ's Kingdom in the Marketplace. Each trimester emphasizes on a different aspect of the REIGN OF CHRIST --- in an individual life, in the basic Christian community (family and homes), and in the community at large (Penang and Beyond).

While we seek to establish the Kingdom of God in and through us, the Church Leadership continues to diligently seek to discover God’s purpose for us and with courage and tenacity to change as the Lord leads. After all we have been around for the last 30 years and it's a good to seek God afresh for a fresh mandate.

So, one of the "reformations of FGA Centre" is to re-establish that Christianity is a way of life, not a series of religious meetings; but an expression of the priesthood of believers. No church is lead by a single leader but by a team of leaders who collectively expresses the gifting of the 5-fold ministries. We must return from seeing Christianity as an organization to seeing Christianity as an organism. We have to stop thinking in terms of bringing people to a building which we call “a church”, but to think in terms of every believer’s home as a potential for the church to be expressed as believers gather together. One other thing is the idea of rediscovering the Lord’s Supper in its depth of meaning and significance through celebrating it in the home.

Before I sign off I would like to comment that the small group gathering of friends and fellow followers of Jesus Christ regularly for edification, for mutual care and concern, and fellowship is the way to “do church” in our context and in the 21^st century!

Think with me.

SEALINK CONFERENCE IN MYANMAR

After a trip to Yangon, Myanmar I realized that I must be fully appreciative of my homeland Malaysia. I may not like a lot of things that are happening here. I may not be happy with the inflation, the rising cost of living, and the price hike of petrol. I certainly am frustrated with corruptions, violence and injustices. Yet, I am thankful I am a Malaysian. I am thankful that there is still freedom and peace in this country. Myanmar is trapped in the 70s. But I am sure that if the government of the day in Myanmar continues to work towards greater democracy, greater freedom and peace they will rise up to be a great nation. What about Malaysia?

I saw much unemployment and much poverty in Myanmar - people living in just basic sustenance. In Malaysia we have so much food, so much resources and luxury. Let us not fall into the trappings of affluence and become blurred in our vision of the future – lackadaisical and laissez-faire, no longer visionary and far-sighted. As Christians we need to think beyond the NOW and be prepared for the near return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Are we ready? Are we willing to sacrifice to see the Gospel of the Kingdom spread to the ends of the earth? Passion without sacrifice is just selfish passion but passion with sacrifice is the fuel that the Lord can use to set the world on fire – the fire of revival.

Years ago, in my younger days, I was so fired up for missions. I travelled quiet a fair bit to East Malaysia and Thailand for missions. I have long forgotten the adrenalin rush of missions. I am too contented with the “ministry” back home in Penang. Yeah, I do attend mission conferences and consultations but somehow it has become academic and rhetorical. I realized, after SEALINK in Myanmar, that I could no longer be a champion of Global Mission from a purely philosophical-rhetorical verbiage but to start getting my hands dirty – to be holistically involved in societal transformation with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. I pray that I will begin to walk the walk and not just talk the talk till the cows come home (they never do – period!)