Salt is good [an excellent thing], but if salt has lost its strength and has become saltless (insipid, flat), how shall its saltness be restored?
It is fit neither for the land nor for the manure heap; men throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him listen and consider and comprehend by hearing!
Luke 14:33-35 (Amplified Bible)
In my humble opinion, I think many churches in this present age function with a dualism that divides life and ministry into sacred and secular compartments.
Because of this, many of us followers of Christ unknowingly or knowingly grow up adopting a “only work in church and church-related ministries are spiritual” attitude.
This also forms a perception that church-related ministries or activities are of greater interest or importance to God when compared to secular activities.
The great divide
If we seriously take a quick glance across churches, we will find that majority are spending most of their time and money in equipping members to do church ministries.
Not that there’s anything wrong in doing so, but I think we have sincerely overlooked the fact that most of us followers of Christ are actually spending most of our time outside the church.
But the real pressing need is for us believers to be equipped for the marketplace.
Jesus in the marketplace
Re-visiting and studying the life of Jesus Christ and His ministry while He was on earth should help us understand the essence of Christianity.
When we follow Jesus, we have a higher chance of living out the faith out and walking in His will as originally designed for our relationship with God.
Statistics show that out of 132 public appearances made by Jesus, 122 of them were in the marketplace. Out of the 52 parables He had told, 45 had a marketplace context. Out of the 33-plus years He lived, most of His adult life was a carpenter.
He demonstrated for us a living faith that bridged the so-called spiritual and secular seamlessly.
Christians in the marketplace
I think it is clear that it is not enough to equip the clergy for the church. We need to equip all of God’s people for all of life. We need to equip Christians for the marketplace.
In this context, marketplace refers to anywhere outside the four walls of the church. And that’s the place where our faith needs to be lived out as everyday, that’s where we need to cope with the opportunies and temptations in our workplace and in our home.
Hence, if we are spending most of our time living only in the so-called spiritual world, what earthly use will we have to His cause?
Our work in the office or at home is as much God’s work as evangelism and praying for the sick.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
If we desire to see the universal Church fully embracing and living out God’s original mandate for humankind to manage His creation, then churches need to teach, model, pray and provide relational support towards a balanced theology towards of life and work.
* Click over image to view for larger version
This event is organised by the Contemporary Issue Ministry of Graduates’ Christian Fellowship (GCF).
Recently, I replaced my identity card with updated details and photograph.
The old one (on the left) was done near the period of my national service enlistment which explains the botak and beh song (not happy in Hokkien) look.
Now after 12 years, at least I’m smiling and looking more song (happy) in my latest photograph. Ha ha…
The years passed by
As I reflected on the changes, and especially my journey with God through those 12 years, I am amazed and humbled by His wondrous love.
Like what the third line in verse 4 of Isaiah 54 (see previous entry) speaks of: “You will forget the shame of your youth.” I cannot refute His claims.
Over the years, I have indeed experienced how He has really done that for me.
The years ahead
This year, my directive and anchor scripture is Isaiah 54:2-4.
God is making it clear to me- to enlarge, stretch, lengthen, strengthen mysef in order to grow towards His expansion over my life for the years ahead.
Though I know the road ahead will be challenging, but I’m confident that God is faithful and true.
I want not only to grow to know the word of God more, but to know the God of the word even more. I don’t want just to be informed, but be transformed.
I’m not content in merely being inspired by His word, but I pray that I will see every promise He has for me come to pass in my life.
“Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.”
Isaiah 54:2-4 (NIV)
Early this week I paid a visit to the Singapore Flyer and found it in a sorry state. It was still closed.
But taking things on a lighter note, here are some pictures taken during the breakdown which were used as a spoof with the Singapore Flyer’s advertising tagline:
Pictures of spoofs courtesy of Ah Gong Hippo’s Blork.
This may be wishful thinking, but I thought to myself, “What the heck! Anything is possible rite???” LOL…
Here’s a compilation of nine wishes for a better and more fun Singapore to live in for 2009:
Which of these do you think will happen first??
My Doodling:
If you are stll in the midst of doing your planning for 2009 and are clueless about it to begin with, let me recommend a goal-setting planner. Hope it might come in handy. Click HERE>>>.
Picture taken with W236 cellgroup, City Harvest Church at the New Year’s Thanksgiving Gathering on 2 January 2009.
Entering into the new year, God moved in a special way.
It happened during my first weekend church service of 2009.
He is faithful
I was in a posture of worship during the corporate worship segment and I was brought back to flashes of my journey in 2008.
God led me to re-visit the ups and the downs; the successes and the failures; the high-spirited and low-spirited moments I experienced last year.
Those flashbacks were mainly surrounding last year’s second major decision that I had made.
I felt God reaching in and taking my bundle of “emotional burdens” that I had carried for feeling that I had let others down and also from being felt misunderstood by some.
By then, my ‘dam’ was breached and I broke down. I teared uncontrollably because I was moved by His faithfulness, love and belief in me; through it all.
I’m His precious
Standing where I was in His loving presence, God spoke these re-assuring words to me:
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
Isaiah 43:4
It’s one thing to know that you’re precious to God from reading the bible or from others but another to ‘hear’ it personally from Him!
God really spoke into my heart and affirmed what was my cry- to do His will. And His will and highest priority is in people especially those who are lost (c.f. Luke 15:4-8).
Though my original plans to church-plant have been pushed back by my move and coupled with other decisions that I have made, but more importantly, I now know that my plans have now become His plans.
The divine exchange
I’m convinced that if I truly want to plant a church, it has to be built to last right from the start as it deeply concerns the lives of people; not just their salvation, but discipleship towards biblical kingdom-living.
His Church should not be built for a ‘flash in a pan’ season just to boost my own ego or to gain satisfaction by making a tick on my list of lifetime goals.
I believe that the Holy Spirit is raising up a new breed and generation of His leaders and churches in this 21st century and I want to be part of that. That is why I’d moved.
In taking this step of faith and obedience, I know He wants to further equipped me and established me spiritually and practically too.
In exchange for people’s lives, I know I need to stretch myself and grow. The more I grow, the more lives (or at least the chances increases) will be saved.
Thank you God for first paying the price in exchange for my wretched life. Now my life is yours. Use me.
Andrew: Inside & Insights 