Author andrewong2024

Building His house

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Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin? ”

Haggai 1:3-4 (NIV)

In the days of Haggai, the people of Israel had neglected the rebuilding of the House of God. Instead, they were preoccupied with their personal opulence.

God was not against the Israelites lapping up in their prosperity. But He took offense that His people were unaffected with the state of His House laying in ruins. This reflected the condition of their hearts and love for God.

In their pursuit for worldly comfort and security, the Israelites had forgotten their true identity as His people of the living God. The very reason that they existed as a people and nation.

Similarly, we can neglect the Church as Christians; choosing our worldly identity over our true identity and purpose as His children. And as His children, we have an obligation to our spiritual family.

Whether it is the Church as the Body of Christ or a home church, it’s state or health ought to be our concern. Not only should we have an obligation to be part of this family, we also have an obligation to serve and build up the Church for His glory.

So whichever country or whatever place God has planted us in, let us not only see it fit to live in a godly manner. But also take it upon ourselves to join hands with fellow believers in building His Church where God can be rightfully and accurately represented in our communities.

Getting started

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So excited! This book came air couriered to my office this afternoon.

What is this? This is a teacher’s handbook from my home church.

It is an aid for conducting bible studies for the purpose of empowering and equipping Christians in walking fundamentally right with God.

I’m excited because it is my prayer and desire to encourage and help others in getting started proper and strong in their faith.

And that can only be achieved with revelation and understanding of His word. Right believing will lead to right living.

I’m equally excited too because this also signals for me in getting started the work He has prepared for me ever since He called me.

God is good!

A ‘tan gu gu’ moment…

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Unbelievably, my wife and I got to meet Singapore’s newly elected president, Tony Tan and his wife, Mary Chee during his visit to Vietnam in April.

Not only did we exchange a firm handshake, but we also had a considerably lengthy conversation before posing for the camera. I think if I was in Singapore, I can ‘tan gu gu’ (wait long long in dialect) to meet him. But I did, in Vietnam. Haha…

Easter in Saigon

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Sharing at ICF@HCMThis year’s Easter I had the privilege to share my life story at the International Christian Fellowship of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Like all my previous sharing, the focal point of my testimony has always been about my experience with God’s love and His transforming power.

However, every sharing takes on a different dimension. And I’ve noticed that my testimony (and  including myself) has been undergoing a ‘pruning’ process.

In fact, I suspect God is preparing me for greater things ahead especially with my project that I’m embarking on.

Curious to know what it is? Stay tuned then. Haha…

In the meantime, here’s wishing everyone a Happy Easter! Christ is risen!

He IS the life and the resurrection! And I’m going to live my life with His power!

The unmerited favour of God

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“For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, who am not fit or deserving to be called an apostle, because I once wronged and pursued and molested the church of God [oppressing it with cruelty and violence].

But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect).

In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.

So, whether then it was I or they, this is what we preach and this is what you believed [what you adhered to, trusted in, and relied on].”

1 Corinthians 15:9-11 (Amplified Bible)

G.R.A.C.E.

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Today I had a fresh encounter with the grace of God.

It became more apparent of how without the grace of God, I would not be where I am today.

I can truly say that I am who I am, and I’m doing what I’m doing because of the grace of God working in my life.

For who would imagine that it could be possible for me to be living and working in Vietnam?

For who would imagine that it could be possible for me to part of God’s redemptive plan for Vietnam?

For who would imagine that it could be possible for me to be meeting some of the people who I got to know and serve with in Vietnam of whom I know that I would not have met in normal circumstances?

I can only say that it is His grace that makes an unworthy person like me to be considered worthy to be used by God.

It is His grace that humbles me to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and compels me to live a life of submission to His will.

G.R.A.C.E…. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

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My Read of the Month:

Title: Anointed for Business: How to Use Your Influence in the Marketplace to Change the WorldAuthor: Ed Silvoso
Published: 2002
Genre: Church growth/discipleship
Ratings: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Ed Silvoso is one of the early proponents of the cultural mandate. I often draw divine inspiration from his teachings especially when I was fresh to the concept of “church without walls”.

Contrary from what the title suggests, this book does not teach about doing business or making  money. This book focuses on embracing God’s business of making an impact by discipling a nation as marketplace Christians.

Being not only a spiritual leader and evangelist, Silvoso is also an experienced business person. Hence, in his book he is able to eloquently blend biblical teaching with his experiences in redefining “ministry”.

Silvoso advocates the universal call for all Christians to use their secular jobs as a ministry vehicle for the gospel to be preached to, and heard by those within our sphere of influence.

“Today, skylines do not consist much of church spires but of the buildings that house the corporations that breathe life into commercial arteries of a nation,” explains Silvoso, “it is right there where the kingdom of God needs to be established.” And he  further adds that in order for transformation to take place, change has to come to the marketplace, and marketplace Christians must play a key role.

For instance in chapter 7: The Kingdom, the Church and the Marketplace, Silvoso points out that there were 40 major supernatural encounters recorded in the book of Acts. And interestingly, only one of them took place in a religious setting and the rest happened in the marketplace.

According to Silvoso, this highlights the truth that the Church should not be confined to a building or to a prearranged schedule of meetings. Therefore in order to start this change, Christians have to be released as ministers in the marketplace.

No longer must we take the regressive and passive approach in being satisfied in merely doing the Christian thing like going to church to do church but being a Christian who operates in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and applies God’s principles; being the Church and bringing God into the marketplace.

One part in the book not to be missed albeit controversial is found in chapter 2: Jesus in the Marketplace. Here, Silvoso debunks the traditional belief that Jesus Christ was poor when he was on earth. He presents evidence in the gospel to suggest that Jesus was well-to-do or wealthy. And inserts that Jesus himself was a businessperson in the carpentry industry and not a merely low-skilled carpenter that most of us are thought to believe.

Like most other books of a similar topic that challenges the nuclear church to recognise the call in the marketplace, this book does overly-focus the interest of the ministry in the marketplace and might downplay the relevance and importance of the ministry of the church in the process. In my opinion, both ministries need each other and have to work together strategically to effectively bring transformation to the city and nation.

Having said that, overall this book is a must-read for Christians to gain insights in how we as His people are to view and redeem the marketplace in a sustainable manner towards fulfilling the Great Commission effectively in this 21st century.

Who should read it: For pastors or church leaders, and Christian businesspeople or professionals.

God’s mighty men

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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.

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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!

Trusting my Lord to provide

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“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)