Author andrewong2024

Capitalising on the Global Trends

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If we take a quick glance at the past global trends, we can easily traced the Hand of God behind each of these emergence of new technology that had enabled His word to spread exponentially.

Below are some of these past major breakthroughs of existing technologies:

  1. The invention of the first alphabet around 2000 BCE. That came in time for His word to be put in scripture.
  2. The arrival of the printing press around 1440 that allowed the Reformers led by Martin Luther, to place the bible into the hands of the people.
  3. The discovery of the electronic means of mass communication- radio and film in the late 1800s. This gave birth to the evangelical movement, allowing believers to use these mediums to spread His word.
  4. TV and satellite transmission were developed in the early 1900s. This was just when the charismatic movement begun and allowing all kinds of gospel television to spread around the world.

And today, we can observed how the emergence of the Internet in the mid 1990s has tremendously shaped our world into a global village; greatly accelerating the speed of globalisation through the easily-accessible exchange of information for economic or social reasons.

With the Internet, we’ve seen how businesses have adopted and leveraged on the Internet by further expanding their reach and operations across the globe.

Governments are also slowly realising that the old model of central governance is becoming almost impossible to lead a nation in this 21st century as the Internet has given more ‘power’ to the people th an ever before.

What about His Church? How have we capitalise on the opportunities of the current trend of globalisation? Are we still stuck in old ways?

Uniting the Church as one

Today’s globalised world has opened new doors of opportunities for churches within a nation and around the world to unite as a body to collaborate towards fulfilling the Great Commission.

No church, denomination or movement is the best or has the best strategy or method in accomplishing God’s work. As the saying goes, “Together everybody achieves more”. And may I add “faster” too.

But above the call of duty to fulfill the Great Commission, isn’t it the prayer of Jesus that His people may be one just as He and the Father are one? (c.f. John 17:20-24)

Hence, I believe that in this opportune era, we as the Church ought to make deliberate initiatives to walk in His heart beat as one body so that the whole world may know that we’re truly His disciples (c.f. John 13:34-35) as God is love.

And I think there’s no better way to spread the message when we become the message!

Tony Blair: Being Open Is The Key To Being Successful

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Below is a reproduced article that I had recently wrote for City News Print Weekly. It was a report of a speech Former UK Minister Tony Blair made when he stopped over in Singapore last month. He provided his views on global trends and challenges facing today’s world. Enjoy the read.

“The speed of change in our modern world is just too overwhelming and nothing is left untouched by the pace and depth of the nature of change. In our fast-changing world, you cannot stand still,” he said.

It is crucial that one be open-minded. Blair viewed it necessary as “new thinking and new ideas do not come to closed minds.”

In our modern world, where different races, creeds, cultures and religions live side by side, it is vital for individuals to see themselves as global citizens.

Hence, individuals ought to have the humility to learn from others who are different from them. It is when one becomes closed-minded, intolerable and disrespectful toward others, that he or she becomes limited in development.

In today’s inter-connected world, success also is built on partnerships between individuals.

Read the full report here>>>

The “Million Dollar Sermon” Story

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Here’s an interesting story extracted from “Think & Grow Rich”. It’s about noted preacher, educator, and pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church, the late Frank W. Gunsaulus who delivered the “Million Dollar Sermon” to create money (in a creative manner) in order to make a difference in his society.


The late Frank W. Gunsaulus was a beloved educator and clergyman who began his preaching career in the stockyards region of Chicago.

While Dr. Gunsaulus was going through college, he observed many defects in the educational system, defects which he believed he could correct, if he were the head of a college.

He made up his mind to organise a new college in which he could carry out his ideas, without being handicapped by orthodox methods of education. But he needed a million dollars to put this project across!

He didn’t have that large sum of money. And could not make any real progress for almost two years.

One day while in his room thinking ways and means to raise the money to carry out his plans, he daunted on him that he had done nothing but think. He finally resolved that the time had come to take action!

He made up his mind, then and there, that he could get the necessary million dollars within a week.

What happened next was he called the newspaper and announced he would preach a sermon the following morning, entitled- “What I would do if I had a million dollars.”

The next morning he rose early, went into the bathroom, read his sermon, then knelt on his knees and asked that his sermon might grab the attention of someone who would supply the needed money.

At the pulpit where he begin his sermon to the audience, he spoke with all his heart and soul of his dreams. He shared what he would do with a million dollars if that amount was placed in his hands. He described his plans in organising a great educational institution where young people would learn to do practical things, and at the same time develop their minds.

When he had finished and sat down, a man alowly arose from his seat and made his way toward the pulpit. That man approached Dr. Gunsaulus with an extended hand and said, “Reverend, I liked your sermon. I believe you can do everything you said you would, if you had a million dollars. My name is Phillip D. Armour.”

Next, Dr. Gunsaulus went to Mr. Armour’s office and the million dollars was presented to him. With that money he founded the Armour Institute of Technology, now known as Illinois Institute of Technology which has been a existing legacy till today.

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My Doodling:

If you’re an inspiring social entrepreneur and have plans to create money to give money, here’s an event not to be missed. The Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) is organising “Entrepreneurs Meet Social Entrepreneurs“ on 19 May 2010 from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Today’s the last day to register so act quickly!

Making $ense out of Money

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Like it or not, all of us need money.

We need money to meet our personal or family needs, to run a business, to fund a humanitarian project and even our missions work.

Clearly, money is not merely an ethereal felt need. It is a real need. And whether poor or rich, there is no denying that everyone needs money.

Though not life’s most important need, it’s significance should not be taken lightly.

More about money

Money originated as a commodity; it is a medium of exchange and a means to an end.

The truth about money is that it is inanimate; neither good or bad. In other words, it is morally neutral.

Money takes on the character of the person who owns it and controls it. It amplifies what is in the heart of the owner.

A car in the hands of a responsible and careful driver would make it a good mode of transportation, but in the hands of a reckless and drunk driver, the car becomes a mode of destruction endangering lives.

Similarly, a rifle in the hands of a soldier is a tool for security, but placed in the hands of a terrorist, it becomes a deadly tool of terror and evil.

In other words, whether money is branded evil or good is determined by who owns it and how it is used.

Creating money to do more

Imagine with me- “What if most of the existing wealth or money in the world were in the hands of God-fearing people?”

Think about the ease churches would have in sending out missionaries to other countries or the readiness to set up businesses to create employment for the needy or what about just feeding the poor and hungry. The list goes on and on.

Take 48-year-old Mr. Petrus Carstens as an example. His desire to truly make a difference with ordinary lives convinced him to make a drastic decision to become a full-time investor over his pastoring duties for a 4,500 strong church in South Africa.

According to the Sunday Times’ (dated 16 May 2010) article- “Ex-pastor turns evangelist of wealth”, Mr. Carstens was a pastor in South Africa for 15 years till 2002. But later, he realised that besides praying for the poor, he could actually do more by creating wealth to better and further help the people.

“I want to use this money (generating from his investments) for economic empowerment programmes in the developing world,” said Mr. Carstens who has successfully built up an asset base exceeding US$2.4 million within two years since he started investing in 2004 and currently owns 10 companies.

I believe there are many other Christians like Mr. Carstens that are stepping up for the Church into the marketplace in reaching its rightful potential as the Head and not the tail.

God is never opposed to us prospering or getting rich, it is only the wrongful attitude towards handling and using money that He condemns.

With a kingdom mentality and an understanding of the role of money in view of God’s perspective as a means to an end and resource to make a real sustainable impact, we ought to be bold to seek the Lord in prospering us for the sake of the gospel and the many lives that we can potentially be a blessing to.

Renewing our Minds with His word

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“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Debunking some myths about Money

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When it comes to the subject of money, there’s no denying that many Christians and even churches expressed divided views and adverse attitudes towards it.

It seems that this subject or the biblical relationship we ought to have with money, is mostly and widely misunderstood.

I believe that this misunderstanding or misconceptions arise as a result of us having tainted personal perspectives towards money that are largely shaped and influenced by our different upbringing and environment.

The common misconceptions

Before we uncover more truths related to money and us, let us first address some of the common myths about money that can be found in the Church.

The following are the common myths or misconceptions about money that majority of the Church has:

  • Money is the root of all evil
    God is never against us having more money. He just doesn’t want money to have us and rule our lives. Money is a good servant, but a bad master.

    Whether rich or poor, it will be impossible for us to serve God wholeheartedly when money becomes our master. It is the love for money that is the root of all evil (c.f.     1 Timothy 6:10).

  • Desiring to be rich or prosperous is sinful
    Our motive for desiring to be rich is the most important factor in receiving God’s intended prosperity upon our lives. It has to be stemmed from a “receive so I can give” motive where we desire to be blessed to be a blessing (c.f. 1 Chronicles 4:10).

    Therefore, desiring to be rich is not a sin. It is our motive that determines if our desire to be rich is sinning against God. Make no mistake that God delights in prospering us. The better financially positioned we’re, the better we’re positioning ourselves to help more people.

  • Being rich makes me less spiritual
    This belief that a true Christian should be poor has been with us for a long time, and it is a deception from the enemy to keep the Church feeble. Without financial resources, much of our efforts to accomplish God’s will are impeded.

    In other words, being poor doesn’t make us more spiritual than if we’re rich. Our spirituality is primarily determined by our obedience to God and not whether we’re rich or poor (c.f. Matthew 6:33).

Money is a spiritual subject

Money is a very spiritual subject. The fact that it actually represents our lives; how we manage and use it does matter to God, makes it an important spiritual subject. And our enemy knows this.

For too long the Church has been deceived where we’re now mostly living in insufficiency, poverty and debt. This has resulted in us being displaced from our rightful position where we’re not fully experiencing His abundance.

Though money or rather prospering financially is just one of the aspects in our development in God, but it is nevertheless a key aspect. And I think this is especially so living in today’s modern world.

Therefore, if we truly desire to live out our fullest potential in advancing His Kingdom, then we need to learn how to adopt a biblical IQ in handling money.

Without it, we can never be a master to money but a slave; constantly susceptible and limited by it.

Time to Grow Rich

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The Lord spoke and encouraged me with His word from Job 8:7. This was directed as “a word for the season” in this new phase that my wife and I are in. Both of us are believing and praying together for these goals to be met by 2015 in His name for His glory!

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My Read of the Month:

Title: Think and Grow Rich
Author: Napoleon Hill
Published: 1960
Genre: Self-development/motivational
Ratings: 5.0 out of 5 stars

How to get money is the main message of this book after observing that millions of people are paralysed with the fear of
poverty.

Though published some 50 years ago, the concepts and principles presented in this book are timeless; a product of two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill. Mr. Hill draws on stories of Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other millionaires of his generation to illustrate his principles.

Some of them debunked conventional financial wisdom, and were thought-provoking such as ‘knowledge is not power, but only potential power’; ‘hard work and honesty alone will not bring riches’; ‘money does not make more money’; ‘money is “shy and timid” and need to be attracted’.

However, the most priceless truth I learned from this book which was surprisingly related to achieving riches was about sex! According to Napoleon, the driving force of sex when appropriately harnessed and transmuted “is capable of lifting men into a higher sphere of thought which enables them to master the sources of worry and petty annoyance which beset their pathway on the lower plane.”

And he further added that because of this misunderstanding and misuse of sex (this great force), majority of men had lowered themselves to the status of the lower animals. Don’t you just agree?

Believe it or not, this fascinating and in-depth book is built on biblical principles and truth. That is why I found this book explosive! It really expanded my horizon to receive more from this Infinite Intelligence (a term made in this book in reference to God). And it has to be read with an objective and opened mind.

And whether the principles work or not, give me some time to test them out okay? When I reach my financial goals, I will update here in my blog. Haha…

Who should read it: Everyone should especially for those who desire (and not merely wishing) to get rich- this could also be used in its general sense of financially, spiritually, mentally and materially.