10 Ways to Cultivate a Reading Culture (by ChatGPT) #LeadersAreReaders October 2023

When I was in Taiwan for IFES staff training, I observed two (2) interesting things. First, the local staff have lots of books on their office shelves; and secondly, there are about three to four bookstores around my staying area. In East Asia, Taiwan has a strong reading culture, with a high literacy rate. Reading is valued in both educational and leisure contexts. So I asked ChatGPT about how to cultivate a reading culture. It replies: "To cultivate a reading culture, consider these steps:

1. Lead by Example: Demonstrate your love for reading. When others see you enjoying books, it can inspire them to do the same.

2. Create Reading Spaces: Designate comfortable spaces for reading at home or in communal areas. A cozy reading nook or a well-lit corner can make a difference.

3. Book Clubs: Join or start a book club. Discussing books with others fosters a sense of community and can make reading a shared experience.

4. Book Recommendations: Share your favorite books and ask for recommendations. Word of mouth is a powerful way to discover new and interesting reads.

5. Set Reading Goals: Encourage setting realistic reading goals. Whether it's a certain number of books per month or exploring different genres, goals add a sense of achievement.

6. Library Access: Make sure there's easy access to a variety of books. Local libraries or book swaps within the community can enhance the availability of reading material.

7. Reading Challenges: Participate in reading challenges. Many online platforms offer challenges that can motivate individuals to diversify their reading habits.

8. Family Reading Time: Establish a routine for family reading time. This can create a positive association with reading from a young age.

9. Celebrate Reading Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate reading achievements. This could be finishing a challenging book or reaching a personal reading milestone.

10. Incorporate Reading into Daily Life: Integrate reading into daily activities. Whether it's reading newspapers, magazines, or even e-books, make it a part of your routine."

I hope by doing no.1 "Lead by Example," through this channel, I can help to spark your passion to read books more frequently - or to start all over again the habit that once was yours. Remember, the key is to make reading enjoyable and accessible, fostering a positive environment that encourages a love for books.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #ReadingCulture #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business - and What To Do About It (2020) by Jason Dorsey and Denise Villa, PhD, Book Review

"All of our interactions with Gen Z," writes the authors, "have led to a key conclusion: the ways in which leaders typically recruited, managed, and marketed to older generations will NOT work with Gen Z." Many companies, organizations, and businesses know they need to adapt to Gen Z (a.k.a. iGen, approximately born between 1996 to 2012) but they feel paralyzed. They don't know how or what to change or where to even start. Plus, Gen Z's expectations are so different because THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT from other generations. We need help and this book is helpful.

Although I realized that Zconomy is more relevant to those who own businesses, are active in sales, marketing, and product strategy, and work in the marketplace leadership positions, I find that it is helpful too for me as a Christian worker to be more informed about Gen Z's behaviors, preferences, and motivations. Part 1: The Making of Gen Z is profound and clear; Part 2: Meet the World's Most Influential Customers gives me lots of engagement ideas and info on their consumer psychology; and Part 3: How Gen Z Is Changing the World of Work shed light on the employment world from the Gen Z's perspectives. They are the fastest-growing generation of employees (churches and NGOs take note too) and so it is crucial for leaders to change - or die.

I agree (but not all the time, of course) with the authors when they point out that this generation has so much to learn from other generations, and at the same time, there is so much too we can learn from them. They have great potential! "Gen Z offers a huge opportunity for leaders and organizations to grow, strengthen, innovate, and outperform - if leaders like you are willing to adapt to the generation" 

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #Zconomy #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Beyond AD 2000: A Call to Evangelical Faithfulness (1999) by Hwa Yung, Book Review

Beyond AD 2000: A Call to Evangelical Faithfulness (1999) by Hwa Yung

This is an essay by Bishop Emeritus Dr. Hwa Yung, when he was a principle of Seminari Theologi Malaysia (STM), addressing his concern for the Malaysian Church, especially the evangelicals, to “be the ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light of the world’, to bear witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit in word and deed, and to proclaim to all humanity that the gospel ‘is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes.’” This essay was first written in a shorter form around 1994 and expanded into a longer essay in 1999 outlines six (6) agendas for evangelicals in Malaysia as he looked ahead toward the year 2000 and beyond. Bishop’s knowledge of the history of the evangelical movement is admirable. It shows clearly in Chapter 2: Evangelical Strengths and Weaknesses before he dives into the main issues. I have to admits that the cover and the title of this essay are unattractive (dear publisher, sorry), so it takes years for me to grab it and read (now you know how important is a first impression, right?). But when I take a second look at the table of contents, I was struck by the urgency and relevancy of the agendas that Bishop was so concerned about 22 years ago. Here are the first three agendas and my comments on each:

Agenda One: The Primacy of Scripture. The first strength of the historic evangelicalism was the sola scriptura (Scripture alone) principle. “Yet,” Hwa Yung observes, “there are clear signs that evangelicals in Malaysia are losing their grip on the primacy of Scripture in their life and ministry.” I agree. I’m a bookworm. In Malaysia or Sarawak to be exact, there are very few bookstores. And sadder still is that there are very rare Christian bookstores. And if you find one or two, you’ll be amazed by the kind of books that are available. “The books that really sell are those centered on experience, rather than on the Word.” The author said that this is a reflection of the spiritual state of our own churches. I would like to add: the decline of reading habits among Malaysian Christians nowadays is a sure correlation with the decline of reading Scripture for themselves. If Scripture is not read, then, the primacy of Scripture is non-existence. Besides that, “many Christians appear to accept rather uncritically the misleading and wrong teachings that have been often meted out to them, supposedly from the Bible.” Careless interpretation of Scripture as one of the products of liberal Christianity also contributes to the problem. Hwa Yung's advice is first, we must strongly emphasize again the sola scriptura principle today; secondly, we must make every effort to master God’s Word and be mastered by it; and thirdly, teach it properly and faithful to God’s people.

Agenda Two: The Holy Spirit and Revival. “The second great strength of evangelicalism has been its recognition of the place the Holy Spirit plays in bringing new life to the individual and revival to the church.” It seems to me, as a Borneoan, the East Malaysian churches here are very into the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the yearning for revival in our land. The good side of these emphasizes is that our understanding of Christianity should not just be about knowledge but also experience. But there are dangers too such as extremism, triumphalism, and anti-intellectualism. Added with the lack of the primacy of Scripture, our churches are exposed to the heresies of the hyper-charismatic, the prosperity gospel, and false teachings in general. Thus, we need to “hold Spirit and God’s Word together in proper harmony.” I have a copy of Colin Whittaker’s Great Revivals (1984) where he reviews revivals from the days of the great awakening under Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and John Wesley, right up to the thrilling move of the Holy Spirit in Communist China. One thing I noticed is that the inseparable partnership of Spirit and Word that gave birth to genuine revivals. What God has joined together, let no one separate! At the end of this chapter, Bishop encourages this reader to learn from Asian Christian leaders of the past such as Sadhu Sundar Singh, John Sung, and Petrus Octavianus. Why? Because they, in his opinion, “combined outstanding demonstrations of signs and wonders in their ministries with a strong biblical stress on the holiness of character and sacrificial living.” Not to mention, as exemplified by one of my heroes Dr. John Sung, they were also Bibline. 

Agenda Three: Evangelism And Cross-Cultural Missions. This agenda is kind of obvious. What is being an evangelical if not engage in evangelism? But don’t be surprised that many Malaysian churches today, especially the natives in my view, have neglected the mandate to proclaim the gospel (Greek, euangelion, means good news) to the world. Most of the Christian events that I’ve seen nowadays are very inward focus, rarely do I see about witnessing to the unbelievers or the challenge to the mission. We need to commit ourselves again to the Great Commission as commanded - NOT suggested - by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20. “The first is the work of evangelism within our own country,” equips Hwa Yung, “The second is the work of cross-cultural missions overseas.” One question that stuck with me that the Bishop asked is this: “Are we really serious?” You and I might see the importance of this agenda but are we really serious about doing it? Do my finance, choices, and ministry agree with it? This chapter is an easy read but hard to swallow. The author gave the example of the Nestorian Church of Persia, despite the pressures and persecution it faced, during the early part of the 8th century up to the 14th, the church was the most powerful missionary force in the whole Christian world. Reason being? “Strong evidence exists to suggest that it was the missionary spirit of the church which fed back into the life of the mother church in Persia, to constantly renew its vitality, and turned it outwards instead of inwards as it did elsewhere. In other words, because it was willing to give life to others, it was itself given new life.”

Agenda Four: Social Responsibility In God’s World; Agenda Five: Personal Holiness And Christian Character; and Agenda Six: The Heart of the Gospel - The Cross. Again, although this essay was written about 22 years ago, the agendas that Bishop Hwa Yung outlines here are still reverent and all the more urgent for today to call us to evangelical faithfulness. I’ve been blessed by the message and am grateful for the reminder. I wish he would revisit this essay and write a full book about it with new materials, updates, and exclusively aim for the Malaysian church. He did a condensed version of his earlier book, Mangoes Or Banana? The Quest for an Authentic Asian Christian Theology (1997), to Toward an Asian Theology (2020), so it is possible, right? Come on Bishop!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #EvangelicalFaithfulness #BishopHwaYung #MalaysianChurch #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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To read my review of Hwa Yung’s Bribery and Corruption: Biblical Reflections and Case Studies for the Marketplace in Asia (2018), CLICK HERE

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Ashamed of The Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World (2010, Third Edition) by John MacArthur, BOOK REVIEW

Ashamed of The Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World
(2010, Third Edition) by John MacArthur

Our Lord Jesus Christ reminds the disciples: "Whoever is ASHAMED OF ME and OF MY WORDS in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also BE ASHAMED when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). The apostle Paul reminds the church: "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). And almost at the end of his life, he reminds his timid protégé, Timothy: "Therefore DO NOT BE ASHAMED of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God... which is why I suffer as I do. But I AM NOT ASHAMED, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me" (2 Timothy 1:8, 12).

John MacArthur argues that the American Church is heading - in fact here and now, even worst - back to the Down-Grade Controversy* during the time of Charles H. Spurgeon. Progressive theology, liberalism, (post) modernism, pragmatism, seeker-sensitive, and the worldliness of the churches today are getting worst and worst. Shocking but not surprising since the Scripture already warned us in 2 Timothy 3. I figure whatever happened to the churches in America will eventually happen here in Malaysia. I have observed it here already. Instead of God-centered, our churches become human-centered. Instead of Word-saturated, the pastors preach on self-motivated. Instead of the Gospel of Christ, the people crave entertainment and organize miss world a.k.a. ratu cantik di gereja. Sometimes I cannot see the difference between the church and the world. Generally speaking, we are ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

As usual, MacArthur tackles these issues with grace and firmness, the balance between exposing the falsehood and the exposition of the truth of God's Word, outlining the bankruptcy of show-time religion and the power of God unto salvation. I've read this book once and now that I read it again, I found many unnoticed treasures. It encourages, reminds, and warns me if I ever compromising the truth (Lord, am I ashamed of your Gospel?). I can finish it earlier but I deliberately reading it slowly and sometimes repeatedly to savor the nuggets of truth found in this finely written classic. Read it! 📖💪😊 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #AshamedOfTheGospel #JohnMacArthur #CharlesHSpurgeon

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The Power of Positive Leadership (2017) by Jon Gordon, Book Review

The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World (2017) by Jon Gordon

Jon Gordon is famous for his bestseller, The Energy Bus, his first book about a man whose life and career are in trouble until he learns great lessons from a unique bus driver and colorful passengers how to overcome adversity and be positive in his outlooks, leadership, relationship, and teamwork. The Energy Bus’s main character is based on Jon’s own life, and if you already read that book, you’ll appreciate this one because The Power of Positive Leadership is a book about how to turn from a negative zombie to a positive leader. As a leader, we will surely face obstacles, failures, and test daily and there are times when it seems as if everything in the world is turning against us. But take heart, we don’t have to be bitter and become losers. We can choose to be positive. “We are not positive because life is easy,” writes Jon Gordon, “We are positive because life can be hard.”

I love this one: “Positive leadership is not about fake positivity. It is the real stuff that makes great leaders great. Pessimists don’t change the world. Critics write words but they don’t write the future. Naysayers talk about problems but they don’t solve them. Throughout history, we see that it’s the optimists, the believers, the dreamers, the doers, and the positive leaders who change the world.” So true! I read lots of leadership books and dozens of biographies of the great (and worst) leaders and I never read about negative leaders who make the world a better place. There is no need for me to share what the research says about how positivity affects leadership, relationships, business, workplace, teamwork, emotional health, and productivity. The question is not WHY positive leadership is important, but HOW to be a positive leader. And so, with compelling stories (there are many good stories here), practical ideas and practices, Jon Gordon shares 9 Frameworks on how we can utilize and implement his positive leadership principles into action:

#1 Positive Leaders Drive Positive Cultures. “Culture is not just one thing. It’s everything” (Jon Gordon)

#2 Positive Leaders Create and Share a Positive Vision. “It is important to have a compelling vision and a comprehensive plan. Positive leadership – conveying the idea that there is always a way forward – is so important because that is what you are here for – to figure out how to move the organization forward” (Alan Mulally)

#3 Positive Leaders Lead with Optimism, Positivity and Belief. “The most important characteristic of a leader is optimism” (Bob Iger)

#4 Positive Leaders Confront, Transform and Remove Negativity. “Being positive won’t guarantee you’ll succeed but being negative will guarantee you won’t” (Jon Gordon)

#5 Positive Leaders Create United and Connected Teams. “It’s the leader’s ability to unite and connect people that truly creates great teams and organizations” (Jon Gordon)

#6 Positive Leaders Built Great Relationships and Teams. “Leadership comes down to taking care of the people in your organization and making them the best they can be, not giving up on them and never failing to be there for them” (Pete Carroll)

#7 Positive Leaders Pursue Excellence. “People think you have to choose between positivity and winning. You don’t have to choose. Positivity leads to winning” (Jon Gordon)

#8 Positive Leaders Lead with Purpose. “We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it” (Jon Gordon). This is my favorite quote!

#9 Positive Leaders Have Grit. “The number one predictor and factor of success is not talent, title, wealth or appearance. It is grit!” (Jon Gordon)

When I first read the title of this book, I think of Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking. While positive thinking will help me in my personal life, positive leadership will not only impact my own but also others’ lives such as my family, friends, Bible Study group, team and organization. As Jon Gordon ends this book, he writes, “When you become a positive leader, you will not only make yourself better, but you will also make everyone around you better – and that’s a great place to start!” I fully recommend this book not only to professionals and business leaders but to anyone who wants to be 1% more better every day. I also recommend that you subscribe to Jon Gordon’s Positive University Podcast too.  

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

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BOOK REVIEW: The Top 10 Mistakes Leaders Make (2007) by Hans Finzel

In the Introduction, Finzel says: "Leadership can be dangerous. To understand this, study world history and the lives of great and terrible leaders and what they accomplished through others. We who are in leadership can, on one hand, move men, women, and mountains for tremendous good. On the other hand, we hold the power to do irreparable damage to our followers by the mistakes we make.”

From that premise, he lays out ten mistakes that leaders commonly make because they generally "fall into leadership" and "tend to do what comes naturally—we 'wing it'":

Mistake #1: Having a Top-Down Attitude

Mistake #2: Putting Paperwork before Peoplework

Mistake #3: The Absence of Affirmation

Mistake #4: Not Making Room for Mavericks

Mistake #5: Dictatorship in Decision Making

Mistake #6: Dirty Delegation

Mistake #7: Communication Chaos

Mistake #8: Missing the Clues of Corporate Culture

Mistake #9: Success without Successors

Mistake #10: Failure to Focus on the Future

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Good Faith: Being A Christian When Society Thinks You're Irrelevant and Extreme (2016) - Book Review

Good Faith: Being A Christian When Society Thinks You're Irrelevant and Extreme (2016)

by David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons

The moment I saw the cover of this book – with Kinnaman and Lyons as its authors – I grabbed it (bought 3 copies) and proceed to the counter (BookXcess always have the lowest price). Why? Because I've read their previous remarkable book, unChristian (2007), and was greatly helped by their insights, interviews, research studies, and Biblical understandings. With this one, I'm not disappointed! "I love this book," recommend Francis Chan, "It is a timely reminder that Christians don't have to conform in order to survive. It encourages those of us with deep convictions not to cower but to boldly speak truth with wisdom and love. Radical followers of Jesus can be relevant." Oh yeah!

From the first chapter, this book aims to address these questions: "What does the future hold for people of faith when people perceive Christians as irrelevant and extreme? In what ways can faith be a force for good in society? How can people of faith contribute to a world that, more and more, believes religion is bad?" From the outset, Kinnaman and Lyons convincingly show that many people increasingly view religion—any religion—as "extreme" and "irrelevant." This forces "good faith" Christians to be more intentional and prepared in their interactions with the world. Although the future becomes more hostile, faith can be good in society through ongoing mercy-care and the Gospel proclamation. Both authors also say that Christians can contribute to this world by holding firm to their confession and convictions while striving to live peaceably with all. In essence, Good Faith = How Well We Love + What We Believe + How We Live.

The way forward, they suggest, centers on good (yet difficult) conversations around those areas that people identify as "extreme" and "irrelevant" characteristics of Christianity. The book focuses on four areas: (1) Neighborliness and intolerance in public life; (2) Relationships; (3) Sexual ethics; and (4) Church and religion. Each area has multiple chapters devoted to it and is spangled with personal anecdotes from Kinnaman and Lyons's life accompanied by the wealth of data they've acquired over the years. It makes for a compelling, easy and enjoyable read. There are a lot of commendable aspects of this book but I'll focus on only two of them:

Firstly, this book does not give readers with false hope. Kinnaman and Lyons are men of faith but also very realistic. They are not suggesting that if Christians could just be nicer and more winsome and more engaging the world would like us more and everything will turn out good. They know how the world treated Jesus, and what He said about the world treating His disciples. They write, "It's not enough to be nice… it's no longer sufficient for Christians to be winsome. Being winsome is not bad. It's good. But aiming for niceness as our ultimate goal can give us a false sense of making a difference… Nice doesn't overcome the perception that Christians are crazy." The world will hate us no matter how nice we are. That's not an excuse for us to be compromise or uncaring but it does call us to be winsome while remaining unwavering in our confession and convictions.

Secondly, this book appeal for Christians to admit our failures. This is by no means a major thrust of the book, but it is there... The church should be the leaders in the world to show the "good faith." After all, Jesus came into the world to save sinners. There are plenty of sins to confess. It's of no use to scream about the speck in someone else's eye without removing the plank from our own eyes first. Has the church always been a place of grace for those who have had abortions? Same-sex attractions? And those who suffered unspeakable racial injustice? Not as a whole. The church has, at times, been too slow to speak and act, and complicit in abuse and shame. Instead of saying, "yeah but" as justification for the Christian's sins of commission and omission, we should confess our sins and God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. "We must be the people of God who, rather than being defined only by what we are against, are also defined by what we are for."

There a lot more you can learn about our ever-changing culture that may affect you and me as Christians in the world today as presented in this book. No matter where you are (although the context and research studies of this book are mainly from America), Good Faith is a great place to start. The book is helpful and insightful on the cultural front. You may disagree with some of their antidotes, you may experience differently, you may dislike their approach – but you'll be encouraged to "led by love, grounded in biblical belief, and ready to live as counterculture for the common good, we trust that our good faith will be used by God to renew the world." 

This book is divided into 3 parts:

Part 1: Understanding Our Times

Chapter 1: Bad Faith, Good Faith

Chapter 2: Irrelevant

Chapter 3: Extreme

Chapter 4: The Tension We Feel and Why

Part 2: Living Good Faith

Chapter 5: Love, Believe, Live

Chapter 6: The Right Questions

Chapter 7: Who Will Lead?

Chapter 8: Assimilate or Accommodate

Chapter 9: After the Revolution

Chapter 10: Marriage, Family, and Friendships

Chapter 11: Life, Death, and Disability

Chapter 12: Race and Prejudice

Chapter 13: The Gay Conversation

Chapter 14: We Can't Live without Intimacy

Chapter 15: Five Ways to Be Faithful

Part 3: The Church and Our Future

Chapter 16: Firm Center, Soft Edges

Chapter 17: Church in a New World

Chapter 18: Faithful in Exile

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity (2012) by Tina L. Seelig

InGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity (2012) by Tina L. Seelig

My first encounter with Tina Seelig was gone I searched the internet for talks and documentaries on innovation and creativity. Her TED Talk on the same title amazed me. And her Talks at Google caused me to say, ‘This woman is brilliant!’ She is an international best-selling author and award-winning Stanford University educator and she teaches creativity to students at Stanford and to business leaders around the world. With this credibility, she is the most suitable writer to write on how to be (more) creative and uses simple tools to enhance each individual creative genius.

In today’s world, innovation and creative problem solving are more important than merely having knowledge and good grades. Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination (or creativity) is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” That is not to say knowledge is not important – I vow to pursue knowledge every day for the rest of my life – but knowledge alone is not enough. Tina Seelig argues that creativity “is not just something you think about (knowledge) – it is something you do.” And because it is something we do, then, creativity can be taught and enhance from inside out – it is doable. The word ‘ingenious’ is derived from Latin which means natural capacity or innate talent. We can, Tina believes, ignite our inborn inventiveness. Let’s do it!

In this book, Tina offers a revolutionary creative model she called ‘Innovative Engine’ which explains how creativity is generated on the inside and how it is influenced by the outside world (refer to pic below, comment section). There are 6 crucial components: the three insides are – knowledge, imagination, and attitude; and the three outside are – resources, habitat, and culture. In the inside, knowledge provides the fuel for imagination; imagination is the catalyst for the transformation of knowledge into new ideas, and attitude sparks curiosity to acquire related knowledge. From the outside, innovation is influenced by resources, habitat, and culture (think of Google creative-culture).

Tina shows many easy and fun examples in this book: Chapters 1 to 3 delve into the process of enhancing our imaginations by reframing problems, connecting ideas (or ‘connecting the dots’ said Steve Jobs) and challenging assumptions. Chapter 4 focuses on the power of observation to gain knowledge. Chapter 5 to 8 investigates the factors in our habitats that influence our creativity including space, constraints, incentives and team dynamics. Chapter 9 to 10 address our attitudes in doing and thinking about problems or new ideas. And the last chapter 11 she pulls the components back together and shows how all the parts fit together to create the ‘Innovation Engine’, a powerful engine for innovation.

In conclusion, Seelig writes: “You hold the keys to your Innovation Engine and have creative genius waiting to be unleashed. By tapping into this natural resource, you have the power to overcome challenges and generate opportunities for all dimensions. Your ideas – big and small – are the critical starting point for innovations that propel us forward. Without creativity, you are trapped in a world that is not just stagnant, but one that slips backward. As such, we are each responsible for inventing the future. Turn the key.” Buy this book!

[Btw, I bought this book from book fair last year, just RM10. I’m one happy reader!]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God's Master Plan: To Gather People of Every Tribe and Nation (Genesis 11:4,6-9)

“[Men] said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth’… The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’ So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. This is why it was called Babel – because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth”

(Genesis 11:4, 6-9, NIV).

God’s first command to humanity was: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). In other words, spread out across the earth! When people spread out, after few decades, they will speak different languages and creating different cultures (Yes, I watched National Geography on human languages and cultures). Without human intervention, that seems to have been God’s plan all along – to have not “one language and common speech” (11:1) forever but a multi tribes and nations, each praising God in its own way. The Bible has much to say about “every tribe and nation” coming to God.

But in the generations after the Flood, the people had other plans. They didn’t want to fill the earth and subdue it. They wanted to stay right where they were and become great – “make a name for ourselves” – which can be mean as wanted to be like gods. So they began building the great city and the tower that would reach to the heavens – challenging God’s authority and God’s lordship over the people and culture.

God had other plan for them. He confused their language and scattered them from there over all the earth. Certainly, it was a punishment. But it was also a mercy, for it forced the people out of their delusion of self-sufficiency and self-reliance into something richer and more adventurous. It is amidst of our diversities that God want us to unite under one Christ. In this way, God is more glorified when “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9) worshiping God. Beautiful! This is God’s plan. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Pray for Persecuted Church: Somalia

[The Voice of the Martyrs prayer calendar] Somalia has experienced continuous conflict for more than a decade and has not had a functioning government since 1991. Transparency International ranks Somalia as the most corrupt country in the world. Islam is the official religion, and there is no official religious freedom. Out of 22 people groups in Somalia, 16 are unreached by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Category	Restricted Nation
Religion	Muslim 99.7%, Christian 0.3%
Ideology	Islam
Head of State	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Most Somali Christians are secret believers who worship in house churches. Persecution has intensified in the past 15 years amid increasing lawlessness and diminishing authority of the central government. Islamic radicals, such as the al-Shabab group, have vowed to eradicate all Somali Christians. The murder of Christians, specifically Muslim converts to Christianity, is increasingly common. Conversion to Christianity is not illegal, but it is socially unacceptable. Persecutors include family members, clan members, Islamic extremists and local administrators. Distribution of the Somali Bible is possible only in refugee camps and outside the country. On May 10, 2009, the parliament approved implementation of Shariah Law nationwide in an effort to appease the militant Islamic groups. The transitional government has also banned proselytizing. A 17-year-old girl who converted to Christianity was shot to death in an “honour killing” on Nov 25, 2010.

Pray for Pastor “Abu” and for Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) safe house

that shelters persecuted Somali Christians.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus and the Punk-Rocker

Not-so-hardcore-Japanese-punk fashion

As I Googled the word ‘Punk’, there are two basics definitions, 1) “a loud, fast-moving, and aggressive form of rock music, popular in the late 1970s”, and 2) “a worthless person” (often used as a general term of abuse). Punk rock (or simply, punk), as I understand it back then, is more of the message it brings than about the music. “What is punk to you?” I asked a student who doesn’t like to go to church and Christian fellowship but like hanging out with me for a cup of coffee and discussing the latest movies and a bit of music. “I’m not sure,” this guy with a black t-shirt and tight jeans said. I know, it’s difficult to describe it. He paused and then continued, “Punk is me. Punk is you. Punk is the way we show and expressed our anger, love, and passion in life… It’s inside of us… and some may express it through actions, words, clothes, etc. It’s about what you believe, values, and who you are.” I nodded not as approval but as a sign of understanding. “It’s about being an individual. It’s about breaking the status quo! There really aren’t guidelines or rules for punk… everything fuck off! If you don’t like certain kinds of music genres, fuck off, punk is for me.” He smiled. Too emotional I think but I understand.

How interesting, I said to myself. He is bold and authentic, rude but kind, punk, and a bit philosophical. I don’t like his language and I surely won’t listen to some of the songs that he recommended to me. But I do like this man. He knows that I work in a Christian student ministry, but he doesn’t feel uneasy or shy when he shared his life with me. I listened to his stories once per month at least over a cup of coffee, and I would share with him about my own life, the Bible, and Jesus whenever I could. Both of us like punk rock (such as Blink 182, Green Day, Bowling for Soup, The Offspring, etc.), but I’m not sure if he also likes the Jesus of the Bible (maybe He is not sure yet), and it doesn’t matter for now because it’s not about winning another ‘Christian’ but it’s about showing and introduce a person like him to the Person of Jesus Christ. Loving actions, truthful words, continue the prayer.  

In the Bible, after Jesus called Matthew (or Levi), the tax collector to follow him, he then had a dinner in Matthew’s house where “many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples” (Mark 2:15, NKJV). Know this, tax collectors were hated by people because they cooperated with the Roman government. Therefore Jesus’ actions in spending time with sinners transcended the taboos and culture of the day. Jesus may have broken some religious rules and traditions. Jesus, as a spiritual leader, (so the other religious leaders thought) shouldn’t be among the social outcasts of society or even spending time with the publicans and sinners – but Jesus does the opposite! Jesus looked past all that and saw their need. Jesus cares about people and their soul’s eternal destinies. He builds trust and relationships. He shows compassion and sincerity. He showed Himself to others. “Those who are well not need a physician,” Jesus proclaimed, “but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17). Jesus came to the sinners (build a relationship) and Jesus called people to repentance (changed life).

Me and the punk guy. Jesus and the tax collector. I’m not Jesus, Jesus is not me. The punk guy and the tax collector (and me) are sinners, but they’re not the same. We’re different. But all of us (and you) have the same need – we need Jesus. So if we are Christians, then we ought to be like (Jesus) Christ since Christians mean a follower of Christ. Follow. Exemplify. Be. Therefore, like Jesus, we should look beyond church building, Christian fellowship, and even the culture of the day to people’s hearts. Jesus showed us that we shouldn’t let cultural norms or even Christian subculture norms of today dictate who we should evangelize and befriend. Punk rockers, tax collectors, me and you need Lord Jesus. The sick need a Physician. Lost sheep need a Shepherd. The sinner needs the Saviour, Jesus Christ. Commenting on John 17:14-19, David Mathis, executive editor for desiringGod.org, writes, “Jesus’s true followers have not only been crucified to the world but also raised to new life and sent back in to free others. We’ve been rescued from the darkness and given the Light not merely to flee the darkness, but to guide our steps as we go back in to rescue others.”

“Even punk-rockers are seeking for the One true God.

Gives us a chance to discover more of Jesus and don't judge us very quickly.

Yes, hang out with us. Our hearts are restless until they find rest in God.

 Tell us (more) about Jesus.

Welcome us, Punk, but you may not affirm our music. We’re okay."

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.