BookPastor >> "Claiming Resurrection in the Dying Church" (Mary Olson)

In an age where many churches in the West are shrinking and dying, is there hope for the future of the Western Church? The author of this book thinks so, even as the numbers continue to dwindle. This review as first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Aug 1st, 2016.

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TITLE: Claiming Resurrection in the Dying Church: Freedom Beyond Survival
AUTHOR: Anna B. Olson
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2016, (134 pages).

The Church in the West is deteriorating. The mainline churches are dying. More and more churches are diminishing in size and influence. These are often supported by statistics that show a consistent decline through the years. In a rapidly graying population, young people are also leaving churches in droves. As buildings echo out and going to Church is no longer a regular weekend activity, what is the future of the Church? Are we nearing the end, or for some, at the end? Amid such bad news, how can the Church proclaim good news when it does not look like good news at all to the health and numbers of the Church? In what the author calls a "love letter to the dying Church," Anna Olson writes a compassionate and understanding book to encourage the weary and to comfort the discouraged. In such times, it is so easy to throw in the towel and close down the Church. She gently reminds us that God is not finished with the Church yet. There is still work to be done. She writes:

"Giving up does not have to mean locking the doors and going
home. If God is not finished, we are not either. There is more for us: more life, more hope. But we are freed from knowing the shape it will take. We are freed from the daunting task of birthing the new with only our own waning strength. We begin to face the future with freedom and faith rather than fear and the weight of failure. Giving up on success frees us. We are free to measure the fruits of our ministry not by the marks of longevity, affluence, and popularity but rather by the mark set by Jesus: love of God and neighbor."

Inspiring Video: A Brand New Ending

"It is not death people are afraid of. It is getting to the end of life only to realize that you never truly lived." These words are the beginning of this very inspiring video. (Alternative Link)



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"The Four Candles" - A Beautiful Story

This is a beautiful story of four candles that tried to stay lit.



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If you want to read the story in text, click below...

A Chinese Bamboo Story - Inspirational

This is a heartwarming story about hard work, patience, and hope. Be encouraged!


 


conrade

Midweek Meditation: "Anticipation"

"We therefore live in anticipation, not fulfilment. Experiences which we have on earth can thus be seen as hints of something greater which is yet to come. If our real destiny lies with some good which lies beyond this world, we should expect to encounter hints of this goodness in this world. They will only be hints - yet they will be real, conveying to us something of what lies tantalizingly beyond us.

The overwhelming sense of joy that comes from achieving something worthwhile can thus be seen as a hint of something even more wonderful that is yet to come.On earth, such joy is transient, fading away with a speed which can frighten us as much as disappoint us. It seems so transient and brief. If we were to pursue such earthly joy for its own good, we would be doomed to frustration and bitterness. But what if such experiences of joy are not to be seen as things to be captured before they fade away, but as hints of a joy which we have yet to experience, something which awaits us?" (Alister McGrath, An Unknown God, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999, p28-9)

conrade

BookPastor >> "The Hope Quotient" (Ray Johnston)

A lot of attention has been put toward faith and the age-old topic of "love." Relatively speaking, "hope" is not touched on as much apart from mere mention in passing. The authors here show us that hope is a powerful way of life. This book was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on September 2nd, 2014.

conrade

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TITLE: The Hope Quotient: Measure It. Raise It. You'll Never Be the Same.
AUTHOR: Ray Johnston
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2014, (240 pages).

Many believers say that faith is the only thing we need. Others echo along with it that "All you need is love." What about the other aspect of 1 Corinthians 13:13, Hope? Why is faith and love relatively more talked about that hope when hope is the very thing the world needs more and more? Founder and President of Thriving Churches International, Ray Johnston aims to up our "hope quotient" (HQ) and inject this necessary attribute for the world at large, and for people from all walks of life. Johnston, an inspirational speaker and life coach had spent seven years researching the material for this book. It all began with a conversation with his daughter who told him that the greatest thing she can ever have is to be encouraged. Johnston in turn saw through it all, and learned that the greatest gift indeed is the gift of hope. This is because hope liberates one from the past; motivates one to bounce back from despair; initiates one's freedom to dream; and activates the making of the world into a better place. On the opposite end of the spectrum is discouragement which Johnston calls a "disease" that discourages, depresses, and destroys. The main thesis of the book is: "Raising these Seven Factors raises Your Hope Quotient which creates Fresh Vision which unleashes a Whole New Future."

BookPastor >> "Footprints" (Margaret Fishback Powers)

TITLE: Footprints: The True Story Behind the Poem That Inspired Millions
AUTHOR: Margaret Fishback Powers
PUBLISHER: Toronto: CAD: Harper Collins, 1993, (106 pages).

Many people have read the poem and have been inspired by it. In an age of the Internet, people have searched for it on Google, and many do not even know where it originated from. Who wrote it? What is the story behind it? The answer to it all is in this book. The story begins at the hospital bed where an excited nurse was sharing about the popular "Footprints" poem to a recovering patient in an intensive care ward. She wanted to encourage Paul and after reading it, she admitted that she don't know who the author was. Paul said he did. It was his wife. Paul was recovering from a heart attack and his daughter had just survived a drowning situation. The same poem that had been read to him had also blessed millions of people around the world. The problem is, not many people knew who was the author, including the same nurse.

Written in 1964, twenty years ago before this book was published, the former school teacher gives readers a flashback to her earlier years on how she had survived an electrical storm while in the classroom. She reflected on moments with her soon to be husband, how God had inexplicably been carrying them through their tough times. While the author survived the lightning, one of her students did not. The going was tough but she found assurance that the Bible declares death does not have the final say. God does. That begins her initial thoughts on writing the first few sentences of the world famous poem.

The Ingredients That Helped Form the Poem

Fishback-Powers's poem was one soaked in reflections over her life and her loved one, especially her husband, Paul who himself had a traumatic childhood. From Paul's life, she learns about the deep grace of God who rescued Paul from his doldrums, his unhappy childhood, and the loss of his mother. She remembers her near-death experience, avoiding an oncoming truck; a stinging punishment in school, and her encounter with a threatening bumblebee. Gradually she learns from her husband the meaning of: "Memories and mistakes should be guideposts, not hitching posts." Through the hard times, she hears the soft voice of God speaking to her. Then on an ordinary beachwalk with her husband, the words from Paul accelerates the writing of the poem.

"Margie, when the most troublesome times come, that neither one of us can handle, that's when the Lord will carry us both, as long as we maintain our faith and trust in Him." (42)

Absorbed in the thought of that one set of footprints, she allows her mind to dream and her writing to flow. In between her wedding plans and the hope of a beautiful marriage, she has an increasing awareness of the peace and comfort of God in the midst of tragedy and suffering. Yet, that one thought remains consistently clear. God had carried them in the past. God is carrying them in the present. God will be carrying them through the future.

Challenges in life may be different. The way to survive them all is to know that one is carried by God all through the day, all the way. The author also shares her struggle with copyright matters, establishing her authorship, especially when the poem had become famous. Even when she had won the right to have her book published by a prominent book publisher, she realized that enforcing it will be difficult. She ends the book with a poem of trust again: "Leave It There" with the Lord.

That is what faith is about. Not making big money or profits, but helping others to walk the way of life with Jesus carrying us. If you want to read about the controversy over Footprints' authorship, you can check out the article here.

conrade

"Before the Morning" (Josh Wilson)

When we are down or distressed, we need a hand to guide us upward. We need hope to point us forward. We need to focus on the Risen One, who has promised us something far better than anything we can find on this earth: His Very Self.

This song is particularly encouraging as it does exactly that, to enable us to remember that darkness will never be forever. For the dark times we encounter, are but "before the morning." The dark night would never have the last say. It's the morning that will come forth. God's glory. Here the story behind the song here.

Before The Morning (Josh Wilson)

Do you wonder why you have to,
Feel the things that hurt you,
If there's a God who loves you,
Where is He now?

Maybe, there are things you can't see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending
Some day some how, you'll see, you'll see

Would you dare, would you dare, to believe,
That you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain that you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming

So hold on, you got to wait for the light
Press on, just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling, 
It's just the dark before the morning

My friend, you know how this all ends
And you know where you're going,
You just don't know how you get there
So just say a prayer.
And hold on, cause there's good for those who love God,
Life is not a snapshot, it might take a little time,
But you'll see the bigger picture

Would you dare, would you dare, to believe,
That you still got a reason to sing,
'cause the pain that you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming

So hold on, you got to wait for the light
Press on, you just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling, 
It's just the dark before the morning
Yeah, yeah,
Before the morning,
Yeah, yeah

Once you feel the weight of glory,
All your pain will fade to memory
Once you feel the weight of glory,
All your pain will fade to memory
Memory, memory, yeah

Would you dare, would you dare, to believe,
That you still got a reason to sing,
'cause the pain that you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming

Would you dare, would you dare, to believe,
That you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain that you've been feeling,
Can't compare to the joy that's coming

Com'n, you got to wait for the light
Press on, you just fight the good fight
Because the pain you've been feeling,
It's just the hurt before the healing

The pain you've been feeling,
Just the dark before the morning
Before the morning, yeah, yeah
Before the morning

conrade

Midweek Meditation: Christmas Hope

As we prepare for the Advent season, for the next four weeks, we will be reflecting on the themes of hope, peace, joy, love, and finally, Christ. This week, we look at hope.

 

conrade

A Faith That Overcomes (Testimony of Jacqueline Law)

Thanks to Timothy L who shared this, this farewell video of the HK star, Jacqueline Law has become a touching testament of faith. How one person who learns to overcome the challenges of life, economic hardship, questions of life, her struggle with deaf, and cancer, goes beyond simply trying to deal with her own struggles. She wants to give glory to God and hope to others too!

This video is mostly in Cantonese, with a little Mandarin sprinkled throughout. With both Chinese and English subtitles, readers will be warmed and encouraged to see and hear the powerful testimony of this brave sister in Christ, who died of pancreatic cancer in Singapore on June 30th, 2012 at the age of 46.

I learn from her life and her testimony about the importance of faith, of friends to share the pain and struggles, and of the Church that points one another toward the True Hope and Joy in God. Be encouraged. This video may be lengthy, but I assure you, it is worth your time. Set aside a part of your schedule, and then watch this.

The Full Video (about 40 minutes)

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For those who are time conscious, I have placed the following links with headings for your convenience.

1. Introduction to Jacqueline Law (0:00 - 7:07)
2. Lightness of Soul (9:01 - 10:31)
3. Video Background (10:32 -13:27)
4. "Spiritually Strong when Physically Weak" (13:28)
5. Challenge #1 Testing and Coming to Faith - (15:43)
6. Challenge #2 - Encountering Deaf and Despair (19:51)
7. Serving People in Love @ Mary Kay (21:44)
8. Challenge #3 - Cancer and Chemotherapy (25:46)
9. Love not Sympathy (28:46)
10. Between Limits and Unlimited (31:26)
11. Far Sighted Vision (33:18)
12. Concluding Words (37:57)

Thank you, Jacqueline Law, for your life of faith, and your joy in the Lord Jesus that surpasses all worldly understanding. Rest in peace.

conrade

An Encouragement for the Day - 12 July 2012

Here is an encouragement for today.

May your day be filled with joy and purpose, and hope. Let Christ shines from within you.

 conrade

5 Pictures to Move the Human Heart

I came across this today. In a "No News is Good News" world, it is gratifying to see some hope been restored to humanity simply through kind acts. I glanced through the 21 pictures here, and thought I can share the my top 5 on this page. I have enclosed the credits accordingly.

#1. God called Adam to take care of creation. This child leads the way. I loved this!

(Credit: http://www.buzzfeed.com)

#2. Trust Unlimited. As one who loves reading, I must say this gesture by this small bookshop reminds me of the poor lady who donated 2 copper coins to the temple treasury in the New Testament.

(Credit: http://www.buzzfeed.com)

#3 The Old Leads the Way. This is a classic case of putting the interests of others before self. These elderly by adopting a life of self-sacrifice, has led the way to teach the young the same.

(Credit: http://www.buzzfeed.com)

#4 - This is an act of grace, recognizing the pain that the Church has unwittingly inflicted, and making an open apology. No questions asked. Isn't this is what grace is all about?

(Credit: http://www.buzzfeed.com)

(Credit: http://www.buzzfeed.com)

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#5 I like this customer service. It reminds me of Jesus who does not ignore the little ones, but urges all to welcome the little children.

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(Credit: www.buzzfeed.com)

Getting Ready for Palm Sunday

This Sunday is more than simply an ordinary Sunday. In the Christian calendar, it is also known as Palm Sunday, the day in which Jesus was greeted with palms, and shouts of joy with celebration of a coming king. This event is significant enough for all four gospel writers to record. (Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12). Here are the similarities.

• All four gospel writers recorded Jesus' request to untie and to bring a colt (young donkey) to him.
• All the people were excited about the coming king
• All the people celebrated with raised arms and palm leaves
• It was a joyous occasion and a remarkable flashback to the prophecy in the Old Testament.
• Shouts of 'Hosanna!' rang throughout.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of what we commonly call Passion Week. Amid the happy throngs and celebratory atmosphere, Jesus knows that there is more than meets the eye.

• The people were expected a kingly figure to ride on a majestic horse, but Jesus came on a never been ridden colt;
• The people expected Jesus to be the one to liberate them from Roman bondage. Instead Jesus will soon be arrested and executed under the Roman authorities
• The people thought that this is the beginning of the end of Roman rule. Little did they know that Palm Sunday begins the road to Calvary, to liberate all mankind from the rule of sin.

As we get ready for Palm Sunday, it is important to remind ourselves to learn to see from God's perspective, rather than to be stuck in human perspective. Watch this video and see the difference.




conrade

"I Am Second" (Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett)

TITLE: I Am Second: Real Stories. Changing Lives.
AUTHOR: Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2011, (246 pages).

This is a book that brings together stories of ordinary people who experience the high of achievements in their respective areas of difference, and being cruelly brought down by the circumstances of life. Following the pain, the sorrow, and the torment of being thrown at the bottom of the pit, the protagonists in each chapter find hope, meaning, and purpose as they receive a second chance. More importantly, this second leash of life begins with a confident declaration that one is no longer a self-seeking 'I am first.' Instead, it is a brand new attitude that is not shy to say: "I am second."

The twenty stories in this book have essentially this message, that "I am second, because God is first." Through the pop singer Brian 'Head' Welch, we read about how Welch learns the futility of money, pleasure, and fame, and that these things do not really matter as much as he thought in the journey of life. Michelle Aguilar tells of how her parents' broken marriage affects her self-image, and subsequently her relationship with her mum. Even after winning the TV series, 'The Biggest Loser,' she is able to attribute her inner strength and motivation back to God. There is also a pastor struggling with a life of duplicity where he is a porn addict on one hand, and a pastor on the other hand. There is He confesses that his road to recovery begins when he confesses himself as a broken and needy person, and found support in an accountability group. There are stories of drug addictions, failed relationships, the futility of fame and riches, of recovery from racial hatred, war ethical dilemmas, marriages broken and healed, and others. One of the most visible stories is that of Bethany Hamilton whose bravery in coming back to the surfing scene despite losing her left arm to sharks has inspired the making of the movie, "Soul Surfer." There are many more well-known personalities who tell of their riches-rags-zero-newlife transformation. All of them have one thing in common, that God is first, and they are happily second.

Closing Thoughts

It is difficult not to be moved by the openness and honesty as each testimony speaks of the wonderful feeing of being #2 in a world that is crazy about being #1. The authors of the book have helpfully pointed readers to other similar stories on the Internet. Conveniently stored in the "iamsecond.com" website, there are videos, audios, and pictures to supplement the book. This book is powerful in at least three ways. Firstly, it reminds us of the futility of putting our hopes in the things of the world. Worldly things are temporal and will not last the length of time. Secondly, it reminds us that there is hope in God. The world picks and chooses what it deems suitable at that time, place and circumstances. God accepts people regardless of the ups and downs of life. Thirdly, it gives us a brand new meaning and purpose in life, which comes very powerfully when we declare "I am Second."

As I think about the white chair on the book cover, and how each person in the story sits to tell their testimonies, I see the symbolism the following way. An empty chair symbolizes that the invisible God is first sitting on the chair. It is the grace of God that invites individuals to come and sit with God, and to learn intimately that there is no shame in "I am second." All of us will have a chance to sit on the chair and to experience renewed hope and joy in our lives. Most importantly, these experiences are but glimpses of our eternal life in God. A life in Jesus that will last and last and last.


Rating: 4.5 of 5.

conrade

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Three Difficult Words

TITLE: THREE DIFFICULT WORDS
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 17 Feb 2012

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Gal 3:16)

How do we distinguish the differences between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit? In this article, I want to deal with three difficult words that will shed light over the nuances and subtle differences between flesh and Spirit.

1) 'Concerns' vs 'Worries'

(Credit: mudpreacher.org)

Last week's edition in Sabbathwalk deals largely with the question: "Is worry a sin?" In that article, I argue that we do not need to rush to label all worries as sin. However, behind every worry, there is sin lurking nearby. Distinguishing legitimate concerns from unhelpful worries can be a tricky thing. There are no easy formulas.

One of the most popular gospel stories about a worry is the story of Mary and Martha. In that incident, Martha was busy rushing to get things done inside the house. The presence of a distinguished guest only made it worse. It came to the point that she could not take it anymore. She had to pressure Jesus to tell Mary off.

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (Luke 10:40)

Instead, Jesus responded:

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

In this case, note Jesus' comment about 'many things.' One sign in which a genuine concern has deteriorated to unhelpful worry is the pervasiveness of it all. One thing leads to another. Instead of focusing and keeping things in perspective, Martha has allowed the need to get things done to dominate her thinking and feeling. Worse of it all, Martha has allowed worry over chores become more important than her relationship with her sister. Just think about it. Instead of talking nicely to Mary, Martha performs a double-whammy. She uses a third-party (Jesus) to communicate to her sister. She refuses to call her sister by name. When one becomes frustrated to the point of putting tasks above relationships, something has gone out of whack!

Paul writes to the Romans as follows:

"that we should no longer be slaves to sin." (Rom 6:6)

As long as we are in the flesh, we sin. As long as we are sinners, we are slaves to sin. Is our 'concern' or 'worry' enslaving us? If it is, disregard the semantics. The flesh can easily transform a 'concern' into a 'worry,' and 'worry' into an endless cycle of anxiety and distrust. Joanna Weaver gives us some tips about distinguishing concerns from worries. She says that concerns tend to be on a legitimate problem, while worries often hype up unfounded cares. Concerns are specific but worries are fleeting. Concerns address the real problems while worries is 'obsessed' about the problem. For Christians, the biggest marker is WHO we are directing our concerns toward. Are we directing it to God? Are we directing it to self-wisdom?


2) 'Confident-in-Self' vs 'Confidence-in-God'

We can either continue to live in the flesh or to live in the Spirit. We have to choose. Not choosing it is already a choice of the flesh. One question that I like to ask is when is 'self-control' a legitimate one? My SabbathWalk article this week talks about the character of spiritual leadership. Apparently, one of my readers have pointed out that the table that I quoted from J. Oswald Sanders tends to be oversimplified. The disagreement is over the flesh-led 'self-confidence' versus a Spirit-inspired 'confident in God.' What I have failed to include is that Sanders is comparing and contrasting the 'differences' between natural and spiritual leadership. He is not directly throwing away the baby with the bathwater. Sanders acknowledges that while everyone of us has a natural ability to become a leader, spiritual leaders do not REMAIN in their natural skills. They progress to becoming more led by the Spirit more and more. At the same time, they become less reliant on the cleverness of the flesh. This is the crux of spiritual leadership that is confident in God.

Self-confidence is a tricky thing. I understand that there are legitimate desires to do something well. Yet, many Christians begin well but fail to end well. When we are confident in self, we may start well. We may not end well. Instead, we may end up prideful about our competencies. Worse, we may end up attributing all achievements to a humanistic glory rather than acknowledging that we have accomplished so much because God has first enabled me and blessed me with skills.

This is the case of the Babylonian ruler, King Nebucchanezzar during the times of Daniel. See how self-deception engulfs the arrogant king.

"The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’" (Dan 4:30)

God humbles the proud but elevates the humble. The choice is not ours but God's. Self-confidence in the flesh, directly or indirectly, puts the self on the throne, and uses the name of God for self-fulfillment.

Jesus says:

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11)

The great English preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon says it well:

"Humility is a right estimate of one's self."

Ditto.

3) 'Self-Control:' Flesh or Spirit?

The third thing about the flesh and the Spirit is about who is sitting on our throne. Is it us or is it God? This is admittedly a tough one. From Paul's letter to the Romans, we see how sin controls us. Sin tries to master us (Rom 6:14). Sin enslaves us to make us serve its whims and fantasies (Rom 6:16,19). Sin remains in the flesh (Rom 7:18). Sin ties to disturb our spiritual contentment in God with an unholy discontent in keeping the law (Rom 7:23). We can only be set free when we confess we need help (Rom 7:24).

What is even more confusing is that self-control is labeled a fruit of the Spirit in Gal 5:23. The Greek word 'egkrateia' means mastery of the self. It is refusing to let the flesh control us, and to let the Spirit of God lead us, willingly and lovingly.

Self-control in the flesh has to do with the reverse. Instead of mastery of self, it unwittingly allows self to become master and dictator of the flesh. One simple way to discover this is the age-old saying: "Only time will tell." Indeed, spiritual things do not always happen at an instant. King Saul started well, but ended tragically when he set himself higher than God. When sin is in control, it aims for the next level: Cruise control. In other words, sin is like a Trojan horse, entering our bodies and minds with an innocent premise. When the time is right, it will grow and take control over our complete selves. White becomes black after multiple layers of gray.

Norm Wakefield teaches us the need to be connected to the Spirit. He writes:

"One of the most important aspects of this new you is the way your Spirit has been connected to the Spirit of our Lord. The power to confront the sin in our flesh resides in this new, mighty, invincible power that has been bonded to our spirit. So now we can begin to understand our Lord's strategy. He doesn't change our flesh; rather, he unites our spirit with a force that is greater than the evil force in our flesh. His intention is to defeat this persistent power by bringing a new greater power through our spirit. A crucial key is to discover how to join forces with the Spirit of God in a way that allows his unlimited power to be unleashed against the enemy that occupies our flesh." (Norm Wakefield, Who Gives a Rip About Sin?, Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002, 97)

When we see 'self-control' in terms of who is behind the wheel, we can understand who is in control. We all like to be steering the wheel ourselves. There is a saying that if Jesus is sitting in the front of our cars next to us, swap seats! Let Jesus do the driving.

When we live in the flesh, we indoctrinate ourselves into thinking that it is all about us. When we live in the Spirit, we humbly acknowledge that it is all about God. Flesh will continue to war against the Spirit. We have to choose. Even for those who have confessed Jesus as Lord, they are still living in the flesh.

Christian Spirituality is how we allow the Spirit of God change us from behind to become more Christlike.  Fleshly control not only refuses to cede control to God. The flesh seeks to put itself on the throne, and unwittingly becomes victims of the devilish forces of darkness and deception. William Farley makes this insightful comment in his recent book, Gospel-Power Humility.

".. the proud man thinks he is humble, but the humble man thinks he is proud." (William P. Farley, Gospel-Powered Humility, Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2011, p26)

Be careful. Many activities start off honourably with a declaration that they are serving God. Eventually, they end up becoming a self-serving enterprise.

conrade

Remembering 2011; Anticipating 2012

Each end of the year brings about retrospective moments. What was I doing on Dec 31st, 2010? What were my New Year resolutions, if any? What are the things I regretted doing or not doing? The thoughts are many. The answers are few. In the final blog post for 2011, let me attempt to do 3 things. Firstly, I will recall what are the memorable moments of 2011, and secondly, some teaching moments for me. Thirdly, I hope to point out some reasons for hope in the coming new year.

A) REMEMBERING 2011 + B) Teaching Moments

1 - Moving: This year, my family moved to the city of Coquitlam. Since coming to Canada, we have been renting. We have also been forced to move from one location to another due to various factors. For the past 7 years, each move we made was Eastward. We simply could not afford the high rentals. At the same time, why sink in rental money that bring no returns when we can pay installments instead and eventually own our house? Money has been very tight for us, as we continue to live on a year by year basis. Like many of my friends, one sudden shift in our job situations, and we will probably start to pack our bags once again.

Teaching Moment: Perhaps, this reminds me that life is really temporal. We are all on a journey whether we know it or not. Our constant moves remind me that we are on a journey. I remember Mark Nepo's words about journeying. “To journey without being changed is to be a nomad.
To change without journeying is to be a chameleon.
To journey and be transformed is to be a pilgrim.”

2 - Ministry: Working with my senior pastor, I have been given more opportunities to preach, while holding down my regular responsibility as a part-time student. This year, I have also completed my first study series with a very good group of brothers in the Men's Fellowship in Church. Teaching programs have been held on average about once a month. The Church has by and large been very gracious to let me serve. It has been joyful. The moments of ministry can be very stretching. On the one hand, I celebrated the births of new babies with members of my congregation. On the other, I mourn the passing of dear brothers and sisters who have passed on. Some got married. Some others are struggling with their marriages. A few people had a renewal due to some major revelation of health problems. If there is one word to describe ministry this year, it is the word, 'enjoyable.' It has given me new impetus to write, to learn, and to preach the Word.

Teaching Moment: Serving is a privilege. Just because we have the training or the gifting does not mean we barge into any place demanding to serve. That would be tragic as it is pride in action. I learned again what it meant to serve from the edges. It is nice to be serving with a senior pastor who is kind and understanding. In fact, the Church I serve is really gracious about it, very concerned that they do not over-stretch me. I learned to serve joyfully. This reminds me of Richard Bondi's very good book, that encourages us to begin our service not from the center (ie, being a senior pastor, or a central lynchpin of a ministry) first, but from the edge (take the lower position first). The advantages are many, the primary being the opportunity to shift focus away from self to others, and more importantly, to God.

3 - Blogging: From one blog, I started another two new ones, namely, "Panorama of a Book Saint" (booksaint) and "Bookworm Pastor" (bookpastor). This is because of the sheer volume of new books to review as well as to avoid clogging up my blog frequency on Yapdates. This is one reason why Yapdates have not had that many postings this year compared to the last. On "Panorama," the focus is on new books that I have been generously given by various publishers and agents for review. On BookPastor, I make a weekly recommendation of a book a week to encourage my readers to read or buy for their own personal or spiritual nourishment. Of course, my daily meditations on "Theology@Work" continued on in 2011.

Teaching Moment: Blogging remains one of the most important tools in modern ministry that is increasingly technological and electronic. Churches do well to establish an online ministry as much as possible. This is going to be the main way in which people communicate. As I write, it is an opportunity for me to share of my reading and my learning. This is where my gifting is.

4 - SabbathWalk: The year 2011 marked 3 years of weekly ministry of an article a week. Each week, I attempt to draw in biblical reflections and write my thoughts about contemporary issues and culture. There are times I feel so dry and exhausted that nothing seems to flow. Other times, I have so many things to write about that I came up with more than 2 posts! Thankfully, I managed my regularity and have produced more than 150 articles to date. This week was the last for 2011, entitled "Overcome Evil with Good." My blog articles have been subscribed to and read by people all over the world, in North America, Asia, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. Every subscriber brings me an encouragement, even though I have not met many of them.

Teaching Moment: These weekly reflections is my personal training to learn to prepare a message once a week. It is also my way of practicing a readiness of heart to prepare to give anyone the hope in Christ I have, at anytime. This way, my teaching remains fresh. My learning remains sharp.

5 - Reviews: My reviews have gained in ranking on Amazon. As of today, my Top Review ranking has moved up to #9899, up from a few hundred thousandth position. This has been my best rank to date. Books are pouring in from different publishers like Baker, Barbour, Brazos, Discovery House, Moody, NavPress, Thomas-Nelson, Tyndale, Waterbrook, Westminster John Knox, Zondervan, and others. My reading has certainly improved. There are times in which I felt the writer mainly repeating what others have said. I suppose having read most of the literature within the genre, there is bound to be a sense of familiarity with it.  It comes with the territory.

Teaching Moment: I love to read. I want to learn. The more I read, the more I realize I do not know so much. I am thankful for the opportunity to read and to review. My hope is that my reviews will enable to bridge author to readers, ideas to hearts, and encourage authors to continue writing and readers to continue reading. Even as the publishing industry goes through mounting challenges, every support counts. I believe that good writing requires good reading. The publishing industry fills an important role in society in terms of educating and forming people of influence.

6 - Living in Vancouver

Every year, people ask me when I will be returning home. Honestly, I don't know. Since 2004, I have lived on a year by year basis. All I want is to learn to be faithful to what God has called me to. Learning to engage the culture of our age is one way in which we practice faithful witness. Vancouver has had their fair share of ups and downs. There is the highlight of the Stanley Cup run of 2010/11 where the home team (Vancouver Canucks) easily became the best team of the league and went all the way to the wire for the coveted cup of ice hockey, the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, they lost to Boston Bruins at the very last game. This high became an immediate low. The team lost the cup. The players their composure, and the city, their pride as rioters ransacked and looted several parts of downtown Vancouver. Then there is the Occupy Vancouver protest movement which has gotten many people to think about the rich-poor divide. There is the multiple strikes movements from bus drivers to school teachers; from postal workers to construction unions.

Teaching Moment: We cannot take our peace for granted. Rather have peaceful protests to let citizens voice their opinions, than to shut them up and store up anger. I learned about the practice of a free democracy in which power and control do not reside in any one place or person. Having said that, I learn the importance of praying for leaders. They have a tough job. A protest may be a time to vent our anger and dissatisfaction. However, that does not mean we have a free license to disobey or break laws. Canada after all, is much more blessed than many other countries in the world. Do not take our freedom for granted.

C) Hope for 2012

I do not foresee anything drastically different from what I am doing. As the year is about the begin, there is no point in writing too much or too detailed. What I will offer are snippets of hope. The rest will be filled in as the year progresses.

This year, I hope that I will be able to defend my thesis successfully and graduate. That will give my family a reason to cheer. By April 2012, hopefully you can call me 'Dr.'

In my ministry, it will be more challenging as I preach more in Church, about twice a month. My senior pastor has left and it makes ministry a little more demanding than before. May the joy of the Lord be my strength. May the Lord guide the leadership to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In my reading, I hope to do more reviews that are insightful and helpful for my readers. It remains a core part of my ministry.

In my writing, I want to continue to engage culture as well as to promote Bible learning not only in Church but in the blogsphere.

In social networking, I want to begin a discussion within the church about a social media strategy. If we can do it well, we can use an increasingly important piece of technology to form relationships and communications frameworks. Who knows, social media may very well be an excellent opportunity to bridge the generation gap.

In hockey, I look forward to the Vancouver Canucks going for another Stanley Cup Run. Only this time, I hope they will be more mature, and will go all the way to win.

Finally, my family. I want to pray for them more. I ask God to show them the way to determine their calling in life. I pray too that I will be a responsible father to guide them and to teach them in the way they should go. The year 2012 also marks my 20th Anniversary. It will be special time. Hopefully, God will spring a pleasant surprise for my wife and I.

Have a wonderful New Year 2012 ahead!

conrade

Looking for Hope

TITLE: Looking for Hope
Written by: Conrade Yap
Date: 9 June 2011

Vancouver’s home ice-hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks has accomplished a lot this year, much more than previous years. Winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the very first time, it is widely acknowledged as the best team in the National Hockey League for the year 2011. At the post-season playoffs, they have also demonstrated resilience in coming back to defeat their nemesis, the Chicago Blackhawks, overcoming the Nashville Predators, and steamrolling over the San Jose Sharks to win the top prize of the Western Conference. Fans throughout the province who have been captivated by the success of the Canucks, have made many restaurants and bars profitably happy. The mood in the streets is chirpy. People everywhere are understandably hopeful that this year will be the year the Canucks will bring back the coveted Stanley Cup.

After winning the first two games, city folks have helped to drive up ticket prices, increased police presence on the streets, and sparked a huge demand for Canucks jerseys and memorabilia. After losing the next two games, many were left in a state of shock. They don’t know what hit them.


Hanging on the balance
What do we do when our last hope is hanging on the balance? On the one hand, we do not want to ‘jinx’ the probability of winning. On the other hand, we are careful not to put all our hopes in one hockey team for the fear of being disappointed. Where then is hope?

Today, the city is much more subdued. The local team has lost miserably to the Boston Bruins. According to one report, ticket prices have fallen a whopping 40%! So much for fan loyalty. As quick as some people are to embrace the Canucks as their team, so quickly they lose their enthusiasm, and their hopes as well.

I know of some people who will pray for the Canucks during a tense game situation. Incredibly, losing is not an option. Losing to a hated team is anathema. How does hope look like when the results hang on the balance?

Expression of Hope in the Psalms
The Psalms of David are filled with all kinds of emotions. It expresses both joy as well as sorrow, gladness and sadness; hopefulness and hopelessness. That is why reading the Psalms is one way of enabling us to express our humanness in our world of ups and downs. One popular Psalm is Ps 42. Beginning with a reference to a deer panting for waters, so too are people who longs deeply for God. Being taunted by enemies, forsaken by loved ones, misunderstood by friends, it is a lonely journey to bear emotions of hurt. The Psalmist finds strength in taking refuge in God.

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence." (Ps 42:5)

This verse probes inside a person to ask what is troubling the heart. The Psalmist recognizes that the soul is going through a hard time. It is in despair. It is in turmoil. The Hebrew expresses this cry of the heart as ‘roaring’ its cries. It is intense. The whole being is shaken.

Meekly, there is a glimmer of hope. Gently, the psalmist pulls back from total self-destruction. Firmly, he gathers himself to recognize the reality of WHO is in control. It is not the emotional turmoil. It is not the enemy. Neither is it the circumstances that led to the troubled heart. He yearns for God. He lives on in hope. He embraces the LORD Almighty as the Giver of all hope. God’s presence is all he needs.

As we increase our awareness that the LORD is in control, we decrease our tendency to yield ourselves to things outside of our control. When we gaze upon the Face of God, we will not be easily moved or shaken by the events of the world. Instead of banking all of our hopes in mere results of a hockey game, an examination result, or an important contract, we ought to sit our hearts in our Creator God. Only God alone satisfies. Only God alone purifies. Only God alone supplies us all things. Including hope.

For fans of Vancouver Canucks, do not fret. Do not fear. May the best team win. More importantly, let us pray that the home team will play with winning hearts and in true sportsmanship. Do not lose sight of the meaning of a game. It is just a game. Allow it to bring out the best in us. Regardless of the results, may it bring out the best not only among the players, but among all supporters near and far. I will rather the home team lose graciously and with sportsmanlike behaviour, than to win at an ugly cost. Life is more than a hockey game. Let us put our hopes not on the results, but on the living God.

Game 5 is tomorrow. Bring on our hopes. It is not the winning or losing. It is the hoping that brings life.


conrade

Book Review: "Max on Life"

TITLE: MAX ON LIFE - answers and insights to your most important questions
AUTHOR: Max Lucado
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2011, (260 pages)

This is a book of wisdom given via short snippets in a style that is truly Lucado. The question and answer format makes this book highly readable. With gentle and calming answers to some of the most difficult questions of life, Max comes across like a wise man, a friend, a pastor, and a dear brother in Christ. His words are convicted but not controlling. His insights are served with a dose of imaginative prose that proves again why Lucado is one of the evangelical world's favourite writers.

Lucado uses alliteration to express 7 kinds of questions. Under HOPE, he addresses issues surrounding faith in God, salvation, purpose, and grace. Under HURT, he deals with the tough issues of pain, suffering, and different conflicts people face. Under HELP, Lucado gives his take about Church, Christian disciplines, and Christian practices like prayer. Under HIM/HER, he deals with relationships, sex, adultery, romance, marriage, divorce and others. Under HOME, he tackles the tough issues surrounding parenting. Under HAVES/HAVE-NOTs, he talks about work matters, financial stuff, and dealing with the modern pressures of work life. Under HEARAFTER, he writes about the future, aging and the afterlife.

What I like about this book is the pastoral tone throughout. Lucado manifests understanding of the layperson. He is not easily swayed by worldliness in the world, and encourages readers to hang on to hope in God. At the same time, Lucado is never shallow theologically. While the writings display a high degree of readability, it does not mean Lucado is uninformed about theological doctrines and scholarship. Some scholars may mistakenly assume that Lucado's writings are geared more to the popular audience in mind. I beg to differ. Truth and wisdom can be dispensed in both easy-to-read snippets, as well as heavy and bulky theological compendiums. This book may look like snippets, but then, isn't our life filled with snippets too?

Ratings: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

Book: "Live Like You Mean It" (TJ Addington)

TITLE: Live Like You Mean It
AUTHOR: T J Addington
PUBLISHER: NavPress, 2010.

Three words describe my thoughts about this book: 'Practical, Personal, and Pastoral.' Addington, a survivor of a serious illness, writes this book in a very introspective manner. Having struggled through multiple medical treatments in hospital from Dec 2007 to January 2008, there is a sense of urgency in him, to share what is most important not just for him, but for people in general. (read more on his medical journey here) This is made real not via answers but questions. Through 10 penetrating life questions, Addington guides the reader to consider putting one's life into perspective, and to practically make it count. The purpose is to help the reader 'who desires to understand his or her life in a new way' (14).

The 10 questions are worded in very PRACTICAL ways. Each points to an objective. For example, the first questions focuses one on the pinpointing the purpose in life. The second makes one recognize how one is 'wired.' The third urges the reader to leave a legacy, and so on.

1. Why am I here?
2. What is my sweet spot?
3. What will I leave behind?
4. What really matters?
5. What is my plan?
6. How do I best recharge?
7. How can my life have a ripple effect?
8. How do I relate to God?
9. Will I say yes to God?
10. What shall I do next?

Somewhere through the middle of the book, Addington becomes more PERSONAL, with deeper sharing about his illness and his hospitalization period of ups and downs. He talks about recognizing our most valuable resources (66-7). He probes the need for relationships (82). He makes a strong case for relationship with God, to be 'recharged' (chapter 6). He encourages us to grow in community by becoming a 'ripple for Christ' (chapter 7). He even shares about his personal letdown after a frustrating 3-year role as a pastor in a church. Despite his apparent short-lived stint as a minister, he remains very much pastoral at heart. 

Addington brings this PASTORAL heart into the book as well. This is most evident in the way he approaches the tough matters of life. Addington relates the tragic story of Zach, and how the parents Shawn and Sally responded. Writes the author:

"The question is not whether we will suffer but how we will respond to it when it happens. A proper view of suffering requires a proper view of God and His work in our lives." (145)

Chapter 9 may very well be worth the price of this book. Addington challenges the reader not with scholastic references, or statistical numbers. This book deserves to be on the bookshelf of 'life guides.' The practical tips in the book gives the reader a ready-made reference to guide the reader to plan his own life more intentionally. The personal sharing gives the book a strong flavour of authenticity. The pastoral stance provides a comforting touch to the needs of a world of ups and downs. Praise God for people like T J Addington. I look forward to his next book.

4 stars of 5 

conrade

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I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book: "Fierce Goodbye"

Book: Fierce Goodbye - Living in the shadow of suicide
Authors: G Lloyd Carr and Gwendolyn C Carr
Published: Waterloo, ON: Herald Press 2004 (2nd ed.)
Reviewed by: Conrade Yap


The authors update this book, previously published in 1990 under the title "After the Storm." This time, this book is relaunched together with a DVD. It tells of the days. months and years of grieving and dealing with the suicide of their daughter Katie. The Carrs combines the poetic creativity of Gwendolyn and the theological training of Lloyd.

A) About the Book
Written in three parts, the book is about how one can deal with the issues and realities surrounding suicide. Written from a Christian perspective, the authors take issue with the traditional views on suicide, in particular the Roman Catholic pronouncement of suicide being a sin, and proposes an alternative AND biblical way to approach the matter of suicide.

Part 1 of the book deals with the emotional turmoil after getting the terrible phone call about Katie taking her own life. Part 2 deals with the biblical basis and the traditional approaches toward suicide taken by the church in general. Part 3 contains the updates about how the couple is coping with the loss.

B) My Comments
I find the book a very honest and intentional attempt to do two things. Firstly, the Carrs desire to bring back some dignity to their daughter's death, in the light of grief that is not helped by the harsh tradition and perceptions on suicide. Nobody sets out to want to kill themselves in the first place. Using biblical texts and a re-look at the famous Church fathers such as Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and the martyrs of the Church, they highlight the reasons behind the Roman Catholic view on suicide being a sin. Simply put, due to the early glorification of martyrdom being the ultimate witness for Christ, the Church in the early centuries want to prevent foolish seeking of dying per se. In other words, there is a difference between one who dies for Christ, versus one who dies for the 'glory' of being a martyr. They then put forth a compelling biblical case that suicide is not necessarily a sin, as there are examples in the Bible, where one practically went to their deaths. Samson committed suicide. In a way, while it is not technically a suicide, Jesus walked intently toward his death, knowing that he will be killed. This brings to mind our common usage of "This is plain suicide!" for instances where we place ourselves at great risk.

Secondly, the Carrs introduce three fresh observations on the biblical description of the suicide cases.

• suicides that follow humiliation after a war defeat is seen as a 'death with honour.' (example of Abimelech and Samson)
• Biblical writers treat suicide cases merely as another 'death' where the dead person is given the normal rites of burial;
• Not a single biblical text point to suicide actually being a sin. In other words, there was no condemnation for the WAY the people died.

The single most helpful thing I learn from this book is that suicide is not an unforgivable sin. The Church traditional interpretation of suicide as a sin is largely based on Augustine's  understanding of "Thou Shalt Not Kill" commandment. Too many people have lived under the fear and condemnation of suicide as an 'unforgivable'' sin. This is wrong. Should we limit God's grace to this life only?

Having said this, I must say that there is a certain reservation I have regarding this book. The main thing is that the authors have integrated their grief so much into the theological search, that I begin to wonder if there is any emotional bias in their interpretation. While the book is strongly based on biblical texts, there is also a danger of people trying to justify suicide as 'acceptable.'

A discerning reader will understand where the Carrs are coming from. I commend this book and urge those who are grieving, or seeking some guidance about theological thinking behind tragic suicides to include this book in their personal grief library. Strongly recommended for pastors, teachers and caregivers.

conrade