Old Wisdom but still true today

My friend Simon over at Just Another Blog just posted "Old Wisdom for Preachers Today". In it he blogs some notes from his reading of Richard Baxter's "The Reformed Pastor" (available here). It always brings me a smile that this generation in our 20s and 30s are rediscovering and re-reading the Puritans - they were men of convictions and character who sought to live Christ-honouring lives.

Simon wrote the following short notes which are also applicable to those called to some form of Christian Leadership within the body of Christ.

The Oversight of Ourselves -
1. Be diligent to keep myself in a spiritually fit and healthy condition;
2. Make sure your life agrees with your teaching; and
3. Make sure you have what it takes to be a good minister of Jesus Christ.

Application - The Need for Humility
Beware of -
1. Pride;
2. That we do not give the Lord’s work all the energy it requires; and
3. The worldliness amongst us

And lastly,
The management of personal work - It is vital people are convinced of their pastors ability and love for them. If his ability is suspect they will not value his teaching. If the sincerity of his love is questionable they will not trust him. If ministers tried harder to win people’s affection their ministry would be more effective.

The last paragraph caused me to pause for reflections: Do I love the young people I've been privileged to have influence over? Do I give my all to ensure I'm competent in ministry and in the teaching of God's Word? I need to love them and lead and teach them well.

HT. Simon Murphy

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Grace and Peace
Ollie
Dec 2008

What is the Gospel in 60 seconds

We have started some conversations about what is the Gospel at the blog - Towards a Gospel-Centred Church. Friends, feel free to drop in and interact with us.

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Grace and Peace
Ollie
Dec 2008

Towards a Gospel-Centred Church

Last night I met up with four other brothers-in-Christ - Eugene, Huaizhi, Edward and Simon. Though we only knew each other for a short period of time, there was a common bond in the Gospel. We had a good discussion over dinner. I was encouraged that there are like-minded brothers who are captivated by the Gospel, passionate about the Word of God and committed to the local church. We shall be starting a blog to capture some of our discussions and reflections. We hope to see the gospel advance in Singapore (and beyond) through healthy, gospel-centred local churches that display God’s glory in the way they teach and live out the gospel. You can eavesdrop on our discussions and conversations here.

Ollie
Dec 2008

Love and Labels!

I've just had a week of Youth Camp (from 7 to 12 Dec 08) - 6 days and 5 nights of living in camp with a bunch of 70 active and noisy youths and young adults - and I'm still a little tired from the experience. For this camp we decided to focus on the Gospel and emphasize the exposition of 1 John, resulting in more time in the Word of God compared to previous camps. Contrary to what many believed about the young people of today, many of them sat through and were taking notes diligently during the expositions which sometimes lasted an hour. And the youth leaders in preparation for the camp were doing devotions from CH Spurgeon who they found to be solid and deep, prompting them to think harder and moving them to live rightly. Who can imagine older teens reading from a 200 year old dead pastor and theologian and loving it!? When the Gospel and God's Word is faithfully declared; transformation occurs. The relationships in this camp were markedly different; being characterised by a love response and gratitude that God first loved us and that He demonstrated that through Jesus. We had one conversion and it was amazing to see the transformative effect of the Gospel - the countenance and posture of the youth was noticeable changed after repenting and believing into Christ. I am again in awe of what God can do when we seek to place the Gospel centre of our lives and Faith. Lastly, thank you to all those who kept us in prayer.


Ollie
Dec 2008

Grace Baptist Church Youth Camp 2008

Grace Baptist Church
Youth Camp 2008
8 - 12 Dec
@ MOE Diary Farm Adventure Centre
30 Diary Farm Road.
Singapore 679058.

This will be my ninth Youth Camp that I'll be involved in. The past camps have seen me play different roles - as part of the organising committee or conducting a workshop or giving a talk or simply visiting to encourage the youths and the youth leaders. This year I've again the delight and privilege of serving the youths in Grace Baptist Church by working closely together with a team of younger youth leaders. This will be my last youth camp before I head out to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to pursue a graduate course in Christian Education. In the course of preparing for this camp, I'm thankful to God for raising a team of young adults youth leaders who are passionate and committed to the Gospel and who love the next generation. I count it my joy to be able to serve and minister alongside them. God is sovereign and good; and he has raised others to continue to work with the youths here at Grace Baptist Church.

I invite you to keep us in prayer over the coming week as we run this Grace Baptist Church Youth Camp 2008. Please pray:

1. For the youth camp participants to be transformed by power of the Gospel and for them to Grow in the Lord.

2. For the camp speakers; workshop speakers; and young expositors as they prepare and share from God's Word.

3. For the youth camp leaders that they lead with servants' heart and with dependence on God.

4. For safety and good health for the youth camp participants; and a smooth running of the youth camp programme.

5. That in all things, we bring glory to God (1 Corinthian 10:31)

Ollie

Dec 2008

Serving with the Right Motives

I had the distinct pleasure of having a recent email conversation with Daphne - a promising younger sister in the Faith. She had asked a number of good questions on serving and doing God's work with the right motives. It gave me loads to think about, reflect and gave me the impetus to put it into words. I've re-posted the email with permission as follows:

Daphne (Daph) > Hi Ollie, I've been thinking about this for quite some time: being flawed people, our sacrifices (e.g.: service and striving to be holy) to God are never perfect, but because we have been atoned and justified for at the Cross, Christ's blood makes our sacrifices pleasing to Him. All this assumes that the Christian consciously submits and dedicates his life and actions to God.

Oliver (Ollie) >> Good question. Let's first look at this from the bible:

Romans 5:8-9
- Christ death on our behalf justified us, removed the penalty of sin and saved us from God's wrath.

Romans 5:19
- Christ obedience made us righteous.

Romans 8:1-11
- The flesh (or old non-believing self) cannot please God. Christ death removed our sins; His righteousness is credited to us. God's Spirit dwells in us and we can now please God.

Ollie >> Once we believe into Jesus as our Saviour and surrender to His Lordship, we are made righteous - i.e. we are justified by Faith. What this means is that all our work or sacrifices do not count for our justification, but rather our Faith in Jesus that made us righteous before God. Jesus lived and died for us. By his death he took on our sins and paid the penalty on our behalf, thereby averting God's wrath and paying the prize for our sins. Also what happens is that we also take on the life Christ lived - that is Christ righteousness from his living a sinless God-pleasing life is credited to us. This is what happened at the cross and this is substitutionary atonement - Our sins removed, and Christ righteousness credited to us. This means the act and event of salvation is all of grace through Faith because of what Christ has done not anything from us. I believe you already know all this; this leads on to the next idea which is the continual process of sanctification which I usually find most of us evangelicals are a little less clear on. ((Actually if you look in the bible, it speaks of us saved (justification); being saved (sanctification) and will be saved (future glorification) )).

What happens after justification and us being made righteous before God is that God's Spirit indwells us and now we are no longer enslaved to sin - meaning we can now have the right motivation and heart to do what is pleasing to God. This process of sanctification is usually a progress of growing more Christ-like and this occurs, quoting Jerry Bridges, when we respond in dependence to God's Spirit. This means that after we believe into Jesus, we can want to please God and do things to please Him.

Daph > What about people who try to live the Christian life with the wrong motives? A person comes to church/fellowship/serves/practices spiritual disciplines for other people or for mere obligation and subsequently through the work of the Holy Spirit, comes for the "right" motive. I'm very sure all Christians experiences this in different aspects of our life (especially worship) since our motives conform more to what God desires as we grow more and more.

At a young adults camp meeting just now, someone shared that God accepts the sacrifice of a Christian, whether his motive was right or wrong. I think this is really quite fallacious because if it is so, God would have accepted Saul's sacrifice instead of deposing Him, Psalm 51:16-17 says

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

Also, our desire to joyfully live as God's living sacrifices would be something extra we do for God since wrong motives can also be accepted - the idea of claiming some merit for the Holy Spirit's work.

Ollie >> Ok. I am assuming we are talking about Christians serving God with wrong motives and the wrong heart, for as said above non-Christians though they may "do" good (afterall they are still made in God's image), they are operating in the flesh and enslaved to sin and cannot please God.

Besides Psalm 51:16-17 which said that God does not delight in sacrifice or offerings of service rendered for that matter, but rather the right heart, there are other verses in the OT and NT.

Isaiah 29:13
- God looks beyond the exterior - what is said - to the heart (or motives)

Luke 16:15
- What is deemed right before men but done with the wrong heart is detestable to God.

Acts 5:1-11
- What seemed a generous act by Ananias and Sapphira done with the wrong motives is deplorable to God, and God judged them.

Ollie >> When it comes to pleasing God, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. As God's people we may do "good" or "religious" things, but what please God is the right heart and motives. In fact, the Pharisees were the most "religious" of the Israelites during Christ time, but their religiosity fed their pride, they wanted to look good in front of others - i.e. wrong heart and motives and Jesus reserved the most scathing remarks for them. The heart matters more than the act of service or sacrifice.

Daph > My alternative, however, is that God, in His forbearance, uses the sacrifice to change the person's motive, and that's His mercy. I don't think I can decide whether God will accept his sacrifice at this moment when the motive is wrong and the believer is not keen to change (thus "right" motive) but God definitely will if the believer's heart dedicates it to God.

So the crux is the believer's dedication to God.

Am I biblical in my explanation? My friend still didn't seem to agree.

Ollie >> Let's pull everything together and look and reflect through this.

All being said, this side of heaven, we are never perfect hence the ongoing process of sanctification and we cannot judge accurately the heart if the person who is serving or making the sacrifice (though I would think that over a period of time, you can probably discern the fruits that come after). However, like you, when someone says "God accepts the sacrifice of a Christian, whether his motive was right or wrong", I am uncomfortable. As we can see from the bible, the heart or motives matter most to God; God detest sacrifices made with the wrong heart. Although I would readily admit that most times when I do things, due to my sinful nature, it would be with mixed motives - I can hardly say that everything I do is out of pure motives and with the right heart. That is why I practice the discipline of self-examination. During these times, I thank God for the things I done with the right heart and I repent for those done with the wrong motives. I remember the Gospel and continue to do what I can in gratitude of what has already been done.

What I see is that while God is not pleased with what was done with the wrong motives or heart, God is Sovereign and Good, what was done wrongly can be turned to good by God (Genesis 50:20). That is usually what I pray after repenting; that what was done with mixed motives can be turned to His Glory. The crux of the matter is God's mercy and that He is Sovereign and Good.

Lastly, I'm concerned that what your friend said, if accurately reflects his/her beliefs, is tinged with works-righteousness (I am not saying he/she does not believe in justification by Faith, but rather his/her view on living the Christian life that pleases God seems to be driven by works rather than grace). When someone says my heart and motives doesn't matter; but rather what I do, it seems to me that he/she expect his/her works to please God and gain approval of others. Kingdom living as shared by Jesus in the Beatitudes is from inside out - from the heart. This "works-righteousness" belief could stunt growth as growth in Christ-likeness or sanctification is also by Grace - God's Spirit who indwells us initiate and sustain us in our living the Christian life and doing good. When we know this, we can readily respond in gratitude due to what God has already done, with the right heart and motives, please God and glorify Him. This is as you said in your blog, quoting form Jerry Bridges, preaching the Gospel to yourself daily.

Ollie >> Just my thoughts and reflections on what you said. Please feel free to engage me on this. :)

P.S. I hope if you want to talk to your friend, it will be with wisdom and discernment. Find ways to engage and communicate rightly. Remember love in truth and truth in love. :)

--
Grace and Peace


Ollie
Nov 2008

ESV Study Bible!

I've just bought my hard-cover ESV Study Bible! I had been waiting for weeks to get it; I had previewed it online; it was also endorsed and highly recommended by many of my contemporary "heroes" in the faith. And I had been waiting in anticipation for its sales in Singapore since its released in October 2008.

I was with Debo Yap when I bought it at Bethesda Book Centre (Toa Payoh); she was browsing through it in the car while I gave her a lift to ACJC and even she was impressed by the illustrations and copious Bible Study Notes. I've just spent my lunch in the office turning over the pages and I dare say I'm quite taken with the ESV Study Bible; I believe it will set the gold standard for Study Bible for some time to come.

I'm looking forward to reading it some more this evening, and to use it in my preparation for the message for the coming Grace Baptist Church Youth Camp. :)


Ollie
Nov 2008

Powlison on Self-Pity

“Feeling sorry for yourself is one of the strongest, most addictive narcotics known to man. It feels so good to feel so bad. Self-pity arises so easily, seems so plausible, and proves so hard to shake off.”

- David Powlison, Journal of Biblical Counseling (Summer 2007, Vol. 25, No. 3) p. 7.

HT: Tony Reinke @ Miscellanies


It is so easy to fall into self-pity; I can attest to that. Once you fall into a rut, you continue in a vicious cycle of blame and criticism - pointing an accusing finger at others, at circumstances and sometimes even at God. All the while pitying oneself, believing that you are a victim. However, if you probe deep enough you find that self-pity is the flip side of the coin of pride - both focus on the self. And the remedy to this self-centredness? The Gospel. The confession that I'm a sinner and yet the good news is that I've been forgiven because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, and the gratitude that follows lived-out will take our eyes off self to focus on Jesus.


Nov 2008
Ollie

What does it mean to think “theologically?

It is important to think theologically as all Truth is God's Truth. All of life needs to be framed theologically for the Glory of God and to fully delight in Him. By thinking theologically, we can fulfill the greatest commandment - to love God with my all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind.

Listen to Harry Reeder as he explains what it means to think "theologically".




Ollie
Nov 2008

What does the sovereignty of God mean?

"God is Sovereign; We are responsible - we are not robots." - Ligon Duncan

Among Christians, there is always a tension between God's Sovereignty and our responsibility. Listen to Ligon Duncan as he helps us make sense of this "apparent contradiction".


What does the Sovereignty of God means? - Ligon Duncan



God Sovereignty and our responsibility are coordinate truths - they are not opposing but they go together. This understanding when grasped, prevents us from falling into the ditch of passive inaction on one side where we throw our hands in the air and presume on God to act while neglecting our own responsibilities; and the drain of self-focused activism where we presume we act for God, and baptize our sometimes ego-driven actions as "doing for God". We need to adopt, as Jerry Bridges helpfully said, a response of dependent responsibility - to do what we can while dependent on God and acknowledging His Sovereignty over all things. I think this would free us to act boldly with joy and yet with a profound sense of humility and sense of our place in God's grand scheme of things.

Ollie
Nov 2008

How is Christianity relevant for today's culture?

We have often heard the remarks on how Christianity is irrelevant for today's culture, especially as we moved into a "post-modern" era of the 21st Century. Also some segments of the church - usually the market driven and seeker-sensitive, often cries out that we need to make church more relevant to the culture. How is Christianity relevant for today's culture? Tim Keller explains -

How is Christianity relevant for today's culture? - Tim Keller



It is when we follow the biblical mandate to live as salt and light where we are in society and to make disciples who do so, and not relying on programmes "relevant" to the culture, that makes Christianity relevant to the culture we are part of.


P.S. I also recommend Tim Keller's latest book - "The Reason for God". In it, he addresses the common objections to God that many non-Christians and atheist makes.


Ollie
Oct 2008

Why did Jesus have to die? What takes place on the cross?

Why did Jesus have to die? What takes place on the cross? - Thabiti Anyabwile




Ollie
Oct 2008

The Glory of the Cross

The Glory of the Cross

What wisdom once devised the plan
Where all our sin and pride
Was placed upon the perfect Lamb
Who suffered, bled, and died?
The wisdom of a Sovereign God
Whose greatness will be shown
When those who crucified Your Son
Rejoice around Your throne

And, oh, the glory of the cross
That You would send Your Son for us
I gladly count my life as loss
That I might come to know
The glory of, the glory of the cross

What righteousness was there revealed
That sets the guilty free
That justifies ungodly men
And calls the filthy clean?
A righteousness that proved to all
Your justice has been met
And holy wrath is satisfied
Through one atoning death

What mercy now has been proclaimed
For those who would believe
A love incomprehensible
Our minds could not conceive?
A mercy that forgives my sin
Then makes me like Your Son
And now I’m loved forevermore
Because of what You’ve done


Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life
2000 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/



Ollie
Oct 2008

Reflections from the International Church Discipleship Consultation 2008

It is my joy and privilege to participate in the International Church Discipleship Consultation (ICDC) organised by the Navigators, Singapore from 13 to 17 Oct 2008 in Kuala Lumpur. I'm currently in the midst of a "Think-Time" with my brothers and sisters from 22 participating countries - Nigeria, Kenya, Tonga, Vietnam, Malaysia, United Kingdom, America and many others spanning the globe. As I sat through many of the country reports and the talks and workshops, I was again humbled and awed at how God has worked in different contexts and different ways in different parts of His Global Kingdom, and by the passion and commitment of my brothers and sisters for the bringing the Gospel to the nations and for intentional discipleship that needs to follow. Many of them have sacrificed much in the name of Jesus.

Here as I am writing this, I am again reminded of the awesomeness of God's Kingdom and the colossal task placed before us - to take the Gospel to the nations; to disciple the whole person; and to mobilise the churches to bring to fruition what has already been established by the cross and resurrection - that is the sovereign and supreme rulership of Jesus over all. There is no place for personal pettiness or agendas; the task we are called to is just too big for a single person to accomplish. We need to put aside personal egos, work together and do what we can - there is more than enough work for each of us to do. Enough of the personal conflicts that may often plague christian ministry; and let us work together for the cause of Christ.

I think back to Mutua Mahiaini, who despite his illness, came all the way from Nigeria, to speak to us on Servant Leadership, his very presence at the consultation, serving us by sharing and speaking, speaks volumes of his heart of a servant. It is not mere talk on servant leadership, he exemplifies it. His exposition and meditation on Isaiah 42:1-4 bought home the point that servanthood and leadership goes together as part of God's redemptive calling as we "rule" over and "deliver" the people into a Kingdom of righteousness. His sharing of how if we, like Jesus, are called to be "servants" for God, then we will be upheld by the Father. There is no need for approval from others nor playing to the gallery; our sense of self is derived from God and this leads us to quietly follow the way of God. He further elaborated from the life of John the Baptist on how rather than pursuing a name for himself, he chose to be a voice - a voice for the Gospel of Christ and His Kingdom. This thought alone continues to reverberate in my soul - it caused me to examine my own motives and heart for ministry.

I also managed to catch Uncle Toh, an elder and pioneer in the work of the Navigators, over lunch. Our conversations over short lunch break left me with three questions to reflect and ponder over. He frankly said that I'm already in my 30s, and as I go for further studies to equip me in the ministry and to make this investment of 2 - 3 years of my life, I should go with a clear vision from God. From that, the mission, ministry, strategy and people would follow. He said he expects those in the 20s to be unsure, but not someone in the 30s! Also he continued and said that with this vision and focus, we would know what to say yes to and what to say no to. So what is my God-given vision? He also stated the importance of starting a ministry with reproduction in mind for sustainability - meaning that even as I do the work of the ministry, I should be already investing in the generation yet to come. Am I doing this in my ministry? Lastly, being a true blue Navigator, he elaborated on his belief that all church members should be disciplemakers. Am I a disciplemaker? And am I equipping others in my ministry to be disciplemakers?

There were many other speakers, Gary Poole shared on "Seeker Small Groups". Stanley Mukolwe shared on "The Challenge of Disciplemaking in the Church", Philip Flores on "The Poor are the Lost". All heart-felt and thought-provoking, but not all with points I agree. Nevertheless, it definitely caused me to think and theologically reflect on what the scripture says. Furthermore, the many cheerful conversations with my Philippines brothers; the spiritual depth of my African brothers and the wisdom of my Indian brothers all left me with much food for thought. I take great delight in our fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters from many nations in the Lord, and for this foretaste of heaven.

Ollie
Oct 2008

International Church Discipleship Consultation 2008

I'll be in Kuala Lumpur this coming week - 13 to 17 October, with Kim Meng and Bobby, to participate in the International Church Discipleship Consultation organised by the Navigators. I've been told that there will be participants from Africa, Korea, India and a number of other countries. I'm looking forward to the many enriching conversations as each of the participants follow Jesus in creating and facilitating biblical communities in the countries we have been placed in. It would be interesting to see how this plays out in the different countries and contexts and to distil out common principles that guide these efforts. I'm looking forward to this as well as perhaps craving out some extended time alone for me to reflect and prepare for my leaving for studies in Southern Seminary next year.

Friends, keep me in prayer for a good time of learning and connecting to both new friends and to God. I'll try to update when I'm over in the KL.


Grace and Peace,

Ollie
Oct 2008