My powerful weekend during last week’s services (24-25 Sep’ 2011) at City Harvest Church. Here’s me with my spiritual leaders from Singapore and Vietnam.
From right: Kelvin Chew, my cell leader, Pastor Kong Hee and Pastor Vinh from Agape Outreach Church, Vietnam.
My Doodling:
My apologies for the absence of updates… I’ve been busy on all fronts. But the latest is that I’ll be flying back this weekend specially to share my testimony on the gigantic stage of Suntec during the weekend services of City Harvest Church. This will be the largest audience I will be addressing *sweat*… Indeed, from glory to glory for His fame!
“I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little.
I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.
Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.
Philippians 4:11-13, 19-20 (The Message)
My Read of the Month:
Title: Losing My Virginity – the Autobiography – Updated Edition
Author: Richard Branson
Published: 2007
Genre: Business leadership/Entrepreneurship
Ratings: 
Richard Branson isn’t on my personal list of top CEO or leaders, but there’s no denying that’s he has my admiration for building one of the most successful brands in the world- Virgin.
Albeit the brand has not being as prominent as it was years ago, but it remains one of the most recognisable brands and company that started from scratch by the flamboyant and enterprising Mr Branson. And this is what mostly this book is about- a rags to riches story.
The book starts off during his growing up years as a young boy and his adversities especially with his learning disability of dyslexia. His early life provides glimpses of the environment and upbringing he had which were critical elements that made him who he was and is today in his entrepreneurial pursuit.
Interestingly, his first business started in a modest basement in London when he dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start a youth-culture magazine called Student. Then, his headmaster parting words to him were: “You will either go to prison or become a millionaire.”
And of cos, we now know which Branson has become, but not before getting himself close to imprisonment for tax evasion charges.
Growing up in 1969 and surrounded by the music and drug scene, it was commendable how Branson was always on the look out for business opportunities and not just following the crowd.
During that time, he had the idea to begin a mail-order record company when demand for music was popular in order to help fund his magazine efforts. And that was the birth of the Virgin.
With that mail-order company sprung from one business to another which followed with record stores, then to a record studio and eventually a music record label. Subsequently, other Virgin companies also emerged such as his own airline and publisher which owns the copyrights of this book.
What I found useful were his honest sharing of his ups and downs as a business man and also his personal life with his family and marriage. These were invaluable insights that provided caution of the sort of challenges that every entrepreneur would encounter.
Branson is also well-known for his adventurous and wild PR stunts which earned him the title, “King of the Publicity Stunts”. Some of his ground-breaking or memorable antics were his attempts to circumnavigate the globe by balloon and donning a wedding dress after shaving his beard to promote his bridal wear store Virgin Brides.
Many have criticised him for his insatiable appetite for publicity for some of his outrageous stunts, but I believe his main motive is driven more by his appetite to push the boundaries and limits. The stunts are a mere reflection of his drive and entrepreneurial streak that has made Virgin the company it is today.
Today, Virgin Group holds more than 200 companies in over 30 countries including the United Kingdom, the U.S., Australia, Canada, Asia, Europe and South Africa. And for his contribution to entrepreneurship, Branson was knighted in 1999, and in 2009 he landed at No. 261 on Forbes’ World Billionaires list with his $2.5 billion in self-made fortune, which includes two private islands.
He is married to his second wife, Joan Templeman, with whom he has two children: Holly and Sam. And currently lives in London.
Who should read it: Aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders who need inspiration and a rejuvenated mind.
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It may be a surprise to many, but my decision to live and work in Vietnam was not a recent one.
In fact, my plans to relocate to this country started as earlier as 2005. That was when I first visited Ho Chi Minh City.
It was during that visit that I fell in love with the people, culture and food.
Apart from that, it was apparent that there were plenty to do in socially transforming this country. Equally ample were the opportunities for economic growth that were just waiting to be uncovered.
Therefore, ever since my first visit in 2005, I had continued to visit Ho Chi Minh City almost every year for short-term community projects. And every trip intensified my love and burden for this country.
However, relocating to Vietnam had always being about His timing and the right opportunity. And when that timing and right opportunity came together unexpectedly in June this year, it was not that difficult to accept the offer and take the leap of faith.
Now that I am finally in Vietnam, I’m convinced that it is He who brought me here. But for what specific reasons? I’m still finding out with each passing day.
Though I may not be super-rich, well-connected or multi-talented, but I do know that I’m blessed. And it is simply my desire to be a blessing in this land where I believe I can make some difference with Him and through Him.
It has been two weeks since I have arrived in Ho Chi Minh City.
And I’ve settled in quickly and nicely.
Much of this smooth assimilation has been the people whom I had been led and connected to.
Some of them I knew before I’d arrived and some, after my arrival.
Even before I’d arrived, God assured me with these words from Acts:
“For I am with you (Paul), and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
Therefore, in spite of the hasty manner in which I had to relocate for my new job, I was at ease and at peace through out.
Interestingly, I believe it was not a coincidence that I had arrived before Singapore’s national day.
Through a divine connection, I was invited to the national day reception organised by the Consulate General office in Ho Chi Minh City.
At this annual reception, I had the opportunity to meet the Singapore community who was residing in Vietnam in one swoop. And there’s no doubt that the introduction of these new friends has put me in good stead with a network to build on.
More importantly, I’ve also connected to a community of fellow Christians in this city.
God is good. I’m thankful for His favour and goodness; surrounding me with His people to remind me that I’m not alone and He is with me.
My Doodling:
I can’t believe that in a couple of hours I’ll be leaving for Ho Chi Minh City to begin a long-awaited chapter of my faith journey with God. I’m excited and thankful! Indeed, when you take care of God’s business, He will take care of yours (c.f. Matthew 6:33)
This is worth the watch for inspiration and insights from Lance Wallnau for personal or corporate growth in moving toward the next level.
My Read of the Month:
Title: The Church in the Workplace: How God’s People Can Transform Society
Published: 2006
Genre: Church leadership/ Discipleship
Ratings: 
There’s no denying that there is a nationwide sweeping movement of the Holy Spirit raising up His people in the marketplace in advancing His kingdom in this 21st century.
In Singapore, it seems most of us in the Body are just beginning to acknowledge and understand what God is doing through this movement.
Because for the longest time, believers were mostly taught and encouraged to rise up in their churches and in the process gave lower priority to secular work over church work. This has eroded God’s influence in the marketplace.
In this book, Peter does an excellent job in addressing this self-imploding crisis. He presents the two forms of churches- the nuclear church and the extended church and their different characteristics with their rule books. This truly helps to understand both camps and how to marry the two forms in forging a formidable force in bring heaven on earth.
What I found particular insightful was Peter highlighting the lack of spiritual governance in the marketplace from Mondays to Saturdays or the 9 to 5 window. And unlike the marketplace or extended church, the (nuclear) church has established its spiritual governance. This can be observed by how people would ‘naturally’ behave to a set of ‘Christian’ conducts or culture in the church.
Therefore, it is for this reason that God is raising up marketplace apostles and pastors to lead and govern His sheep in the marketplace towards discipling a nation. But for this to truly take place, we need to understand that Christian ministry is not confined to the nuclear church. And our secular work is equally sacred and significant.
The only fault that a reader may find with Peter might be his take on the current state of the nuclear church which might come across as a tat harsh. However though his views on nuclear churches (in general) may be negative, but I find that he isn’t far off from his analysis.
So depending on how you look at it or receive it, this book is an awesome reference book for church growth. And for Christians in Singapore, we can be encouraged that he mentions Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) and City Harvest Church (CHC) as role model churches that have moved the Church into the marketplace.
Who should read it: All Christians, especially pastors and ministry leaders.
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With Dr. Lance Wallnau, one of the earlier proponents of the Church in the Marketplace movement or the 7 Mountains Mandate at the Asian Marketplace Conference 2011.
