Author Archives: andrewong2024

About andrewong2024

I'm just your regular guy who is in pursuit of his purpose in life. And life it seems, is a spiritual journey towards self-completion that ultimately leads one towards a lifestyle of service for the betterment of our society. This blog is entails that journey.
August 30, 2011

Why Vietnam?

By andrewong2024

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.

2 comments   |  tags: | posted in Adventures in HCMC

August 15, 2011

My God is with me

By andrewong2024

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.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Adventures in HCMC, His & My Story

August 1, 2011

By andrewong2024

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)

2 comments | posted in His & My Story

July 26, 2011

Moving to the next level

By andrewong2024

This is worth the watch for inspiration and insights from Lance Wallnau for personal or corporate growth in moving toward the next level.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , | posted in Jesus and the Marketplace Series

July 24, 2011

By andrewong2024

My Read of the Month:

Title: The Church in the Workplace: How God’s People Can Transform Society
Author: C. Peter Wagner
Published: 2006
Genre: Church leadership/ Discipleship
Ratings: 3.7 out of 5 stars

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.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Book Reviews

July 22, 2011

Conquering the 7 mountains

By andrewong2024

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.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in My Unsung Heroes

July 19, 2011

Riding on His wave

By andrewong2024

Honestly, I do not know where to begin with this simply because I’m still in a state of awe with what has been unfolding before me.

But I’ll start by saying that this new job that will see me (and my wife) relocate in Vietnam is a miracle.

As I reflect how this was even possible in the first place, there’s no denying that it is all His doing.

There are just too many divine connections, circumstances and decisions made that worked seamlessly over the years to make this happened.

Aside from this being my dream job in terms of the role, industry and overseas market, this was also the country that I was targeting to work and live one day with my family.

In fact, my plan was to arrive in Vietnam by 2018. But I guess God had other plans for me on His time-table.

No doubt that this is a testimony attesting of God’s accelerated growth towards spreading His transformational love in Asia. And I’m riding on that wave.

Though I may not know exactly what this wave will take me through, but by faith I know it will take me to places where I will be able to see more of His glory in its fullness.

And that is all that matters to me; to be closer to Him and to be in the centre of His will in fulfilling His purpose.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in His & My Story

July 18, 2011

Heading to Vietnam

By andrewong2024

Stay tuned for the details…Too much to share in just one posting (:

Leave a comment   |  tags: | posted in All in a Day's work, His & My Story

July 11, 2011

Faith activates a response from God

By andrewong2024

Most of us would have read or heard about the miracle healing of the woman who was bleeding for 12 years from the gospel.

For those unfamiliar, this story is about a sick woman who believed that she would receive her healing by merely touching the cloak of Jesus (c.f. Mark 5:25-34).

She did just that when Jesus passed by her and true enough, her bleeding immediately stopped.

Faith touches God

What is interesting about this miracle was the response of Jesus. He turned around in the crowd and asked,“Who touched my clothes?”

It is interesting because there were many others around Jesus who were touching him. Even his question caused his disciples to be puzzled.

But strangely enough, no one else but that sick woman received her miracle. And we can safely surmise that there were others possibly needing a miracle of some kind.

So why did Jesus responded only to her touch? And what made her so special? FAITH. It was her faith.

Have faith in God 

Similarly, many of us may pray to God just as many in the crowd were touching Jesus. But are our prayers made with faith or out of a religious habit?

Therefore, when it comes to answering prayers, it is not our needs that activates a response from God. It is our faith.

And in particularly, God responds in a real and powerful way to those who have the faith to believe in Him and expect results. 

So today, are you in need of a miracle? Or is there a prayer that has not been answered for a long time?

Remember it is our faith that will get God’s attention amongst the crowd and activate a response from Him. So have faith and believe for your miracle.

1 comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Extra Thoughts

July 5, 2011

All for His glory

By andrewong2024

Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families.

Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”?

That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.

That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (The message)

Leave a comment | posted in Food4mySoul

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