What of Those Who Have Never Heard? (1986) by J. Oswald Sanders, Book Review

Whenever someone asked me, "Is Jesus the only way to salvation?" my answer is, "Yes." Jesus said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). It's not a way or one of the ways but "the Way" and He emphasized on exclusivity,  "No one... except through Me." But what about those who have never heard about Jesus and the Gospel? My initial response is that, except for children and the mentally deficient who are covered by the blood of Jesus, everyone is morally responsible for the light that they have received and for the law written on their hearts through nature, tradition, and conscience (refer to Romans 1-2). So, even if they never heard about Jesus once in their lifetime, on judgment day, they will have no excuse. As for what will happen to them, I say, we can be certain that the God who exhibits His love on the cross will be absolutely fair and that the righteous Judge of all the earth will do right!

Now, where do I get a such conviction? Through the written Word of God, the Scripture, and with the help of books such as this one, that is, by divine revelation (mainly) and critical thinking. I'm all for originality but when it comes to eternal matters, I go to the Author of life and His (flawed yet faithful) saints. J. Oswald Sanders writes this book with compassion, conviction, and clarity. He cares for souls and set out his Biblical position clearly by quoting relevant Scriptural passages with context and supporting them with thoughts from recognized evangelical scholars. He begins not by answering the question directly but first and foremost, with the urgent call of mission and evangelism. Chapter 1: Why Mission? I love it! If you read books on an important topic like this one only out of curiosity, then, it is of no use. But if it's also out of concern for others, then, it will move you to action. This book is a great tool to do just that.

"If what is written in the foregoing pages is the Scriptural teaching concerning the spiritual condition of the unevangelized heathen - and I see no alternative to believing that it is - then how URGENT is our obligation to make Christ known to all men as speedily as possible. We should throw ourselves into the missionary enterprise with abandon," challenge Mr. Sanders to us, the receivers of God's gracious salvation. A student once asked Charles H. Spurgeon about this very same topic. He answered him very directly, "It is more a question with me whether we who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who are lost can be saved." Amen.

Note: I would like to recommend another short book that covers this topic but from a different theological perspective (a.k.a. Calvinism), namely, John Piper's Jesus The Only Way to God: Must You Hear the Gospel to Be Saved? (2010)

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #LeadersAreReaders #JesusTheWay #MissionAndEvangelism #GospelOfSalvation #JOswardSanders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Reading to Escape - And Come Back #LeadersAreReaders February 2023

My leader once asked me, “You read a lot of books. Is this a form of escapism for you?” My answer was (and is): “Yes, in one sense it is for the purpose of escape, but not so much as escapism. I’m not reading to avoid reality, but I do read to temporarily escape to another world.” For me what’s dangerous is when we read to escape from responsibilities. What I’m promoting is that we read to escape to another world where we get help, encouragement, and inspiration in order for us to return home to reality and live responsibly.

Good - Christian or non-Christian, fiction or non-fiction - books can bring glory and honor to God, the Giver of Thought and Word when they help us to see more of God’s greatness, beauty, creativity, and reality. Books that help us to understand and appreciate His creations and providence in history. Spark our imagination and critical thinking. Bring awareness to things visible and invincible. See good versus evil. Light conflicts with darkness. These are the kind of books that I want to escape to. Nora Ephron writes, "Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it's a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it's a way of making contact with someone else's imagination after a day that's all too real."

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #ReadingIsEscape

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Jesus and the four Gospels: An Illustrated Documentary (1979) by John W. Drane, Sort-Of Review

 Jesus and the four Gospels: An Illustrated Documentary (1979) by John W. Drane

On the back cover: “Jesus Christ is a crucial figure of history. Today he is worshiped as God by millions, and his teaching continues to influence individuals, even whole societies. His life has been dramatized and written about many times; he is the star of film and musicals.” This book is 44 years old and yet this statement is even truer today! What’s the hype about The Chosen TV series? What’s the talk about The Asbury Revival? What’s up with The Jesus Revolution movie? You might have some thoughts about all these things (or have no idea at all) but I assure you I have both optimistic views and skeptical opinions about how the modern churches, the world, and the culture take interest in the person of Jesus. Either for goodwill or money, out of love or selfish ambition, sincere from the heart or with dark agenda, I stand with the Apostle Paul’s attitude: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice” (Philippians 1:18. Although I might quote this verse out of context, I just want to highlight his attitude that no matter what, at least, Jesus is known).

As a Man, Jesus’ personality, character, conduct, and teachings are amazing beyond description. As God, Jesus stands above all else in heaven and on earth. I sometimes tell people that the cure for most depression is the study of the Scripture, especially if we focus on the person of Jesus. Why? Most depression is due to overthinking about one’s own self. The key is to focus and think about something or Someone more glorious, beautiful, epic, amazing, divine, and great. Mere human beings - you and me! - are not. So, fix your attention on joy and the source of joy, Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man. How to do that? First, I told you already, to read and study the Scripture particularly the New Testament. Then, read books that help you understand the Scripture (But then again, the thought of ‘reading’ books can make someone more depressed. I say, try to actually read).

Books such as this one are excellent companions to the Scripture. It's not boring. It is well-informed but not overtechnical. The main text is written in an easy-to-understand style for the general reader but there are dozens of heavier subjects also included that might interest you because as you know, Jesus is popular and yet controversial. There are some amazing photographs too that help to stimulate the information. The book is divided into three main sections and twelve chapters: 1) God’s Promised Deliverer (The world of Jesus; Jesus’ birth and early years; Who was Jesus?; Why did Jesus die?; The resurrection); 2) God’s New Society (The nature of the new society; Pictures of the new society; The power of new society; God’s society in action); and 3) Knowing about Jesus (What are the gospels?; The four Gospels; Are the Gospels true?). John Drane ends his remark like this: “If Jesus rose from the dead, then we must face the implications, the need to submit to the risen Lord and his demands over our lives. But it also assures us that both his demands and promises are reasonable, fair, and true because they can be vindicated by reference to the events of history.” The Jesus of history is the Christ of faith.

Here are some other books (of its kind) that I would like to recommend too:

1. Stephen M. Miller’s The Jesus of the Bible (2009). I read this a long time ago. Superb!
2. Donald L. Blake’s Jesus, A Visual History (2014)
3. Robert H. Stein’s Jesus the Messiah (1996)
4. R.T. France’s A Portrait of Jesus (1975)
5. Leon Morris’s The Lord from heaven (1974)
6. David Limbaugh’s The True Jesus (2017). I’m halfway through the book. Pause.

 #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #JesusChrist #TheGodMan #TheGospel #HistoryFaith #JohnDrane #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Gospel-Centered Teaching: Showing Christ In All the Scripture (2013) by Trevin Wax, Book Review

Gospel-Centered Teaching: Showing Christ In All the Scripture (2013) by Trevin Wax

 

Thanks for the flight delay, I can finish reading and taking notes from this book. It is concise, practical, and to the point. This Gospel-Centered term, I observed, was once the most popular term in American Christianity to call us back to the role of the power and influence of Jesus in every area of life. It has become popular too in Asian churches. In fact, in many ways, it has become a movement (and I’m afraid, a cliche too). But today, it seems to me, the spirit of it is on the decline. Either we should emphasize more or use other terms, I believe we all must be Gospel-Centered in everything. “You want the truths of the gospel to impact the way you do everything - from theology to application, to any subject you’re discussing,” writes Trevin to the teachers and preachers. He continues, “The way you help your people understand that the gospel is for all of life is not by telling them the gospel pervades everything, but by showing them in how you teach.”

To the author, being Gospel-Centered really matter because:- a) The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It’s not in me or you. It's not in our ability or talent. It's in God as Romans 1:16 declared. “People just keep on believing the gospel. Why? Because the gospel is such an easy message to believe? No. Because the gospel is powerful. The Spirit works powerfully through the gospel to bring us to salvation”; b) Because the gospel is the power of God for sanctification. “It’s the message God uses to grow us in holiness and conform us to the image of His Son”; c) The gospel provides the motivation for mission. I love this point so much. We all know that our church or youth group or Christian fellowship or Bible Study group should make an impact outside our immediate circle. But our solutions are very outward focus such as doing more activities rather than looking inward to our teachings about the gospel. “The root cause of our lack of engagement in God’s mission is not a missions problem but a gospel problem,” highlight the author. “We demonstrate by our inaction that we no longer marvel at grace. We are unaffected by the beauty of what God has done for us in Christ.” We must be Gospel-Centered.

There are lots of insights, challenging statements, thoughtful advice, and reality-check questions that Trevin shared in this book. Some still ring in my mind, “It’s not WHAT’s missing but WHO’s missing”; “Be careful that when you point people to Jesus, you’re not simply demonstrating the cleverness of your own interpretation”; “If all we draw from Bible study are proverb-like teachings for daily living, then we are approaching the Scriptures as if we’re at the center”; and more. Let me end with three questions that Trevin asks and explores in this book - and for teachers to ask themselves - in order to teach a Gospel-Centered message: 1) How does this topic/passage fit into THE BIG STORY of Scripture?; 2) What is DISTINCTLY CHRISTIAN about the way I am addressing the topic/passage?; and 3) How does this truth equip God’s church to live on MISSION? Good questions!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GospelCenteredTeaching #ChristInAllTheScripture #MissionAndEvangelism #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Three (3) Categories of Books To Avoid #LeadersAreReaders April 2022

In his highly recommended book, Lit! A Christian Guide To Reading Books (2011), Tony S. Reinke shares three categories of books to avoid:

1) AVOID CERTAIN BOOKS BECAUSE OF TIMING. "Choosing what books to read is often not a yes/no decision but a now/later decision," writes Reinke. "The same is true for young Christians who are new to the faith. Be cautious of reading literature that you are ill-equipped to read with discernment. Sometimes the proper Christian approach to literature is humble postponement." I agree. One day, a student saw me reading Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion, a passionate atheist who states that it is irrational to believe in God and why religion is harmful to mankind. After he noticed that I'd written the review, he wanted to borrow the book because he was interested too. I'm all out for reading widely and books that I don't agree but he was not equipped to read this kind of book with discernment (Dawkins, although a brilliant scientist, is such a lousy layperson theologian). I know because I've observed his knowledge of the Scripture is still under development. So I refuse kindly, explained to him patiently, and encourage him to study the Scripture first. I love that he wants to read books at all but at this rate, he needs to practice "humble postponement."

2) AVOID CERTAIN BOOKS THAT GLORIFY EVIL. This does not mean avoiding books that mention evil or give descriptions of evil or capture the dark realities of life. The Scripture doesn't even avoid the topic of evil explains Reinke. "The more important questions are these: How are the violence, sexual sin, and skepticism presented? Is it presented as evil? Is fornication celebrated, or are the consequences of sin made obvious? Does the book celebrate sin, or leave evil unresolved?" These are good questions to think about. This is why I'm very concerned with the rise of open occultism and the glorification of witchcraft in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Books such as The Harry Potter and the likes should be avoided. As the Scripture says, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20). Books that expose evil, yes; books that glorify evil, no.

3) AVOID CERTAIN BOOKS FOR CONSCIENCE'S SAKE. Reinke asserts, "While there are no rigid rules for what Christians should or should not read, we must be sensitive to our own consciences and the consciences of those around us. As we establish our own understanding of what books we will and will not read ourselves, we must respect the parameters that other Christians have chosen to set for themselves and their children." For me, as an example, I have no problem reading books on Islam and from Muslim writers although I don't believe in their core teachings. I enjoy especially the writings of the liberal Muslim modern-day intellectuals. But I find myself couldn't even read a page or two of Anton S. Lavey's The Satanic Bible. Both are false religions (respectfully honest), yet, I couldn't consciously endure the other. It's a matter of conscience, a level of tolerance, and a mass amount of discernment. On this, Reinke has a good reminder: "A firm grasp of the biblical worldview learned directly from the study of Scripture is essential for a Christian book reader because distortions to the biblical worldview can be found on every shelf in the bookstore." Yes!

#ServeToLead #BooksToAvoid #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

CLICK THE LINKS to read my book reviews of #LeadersAreReaders for April 2022

1) The Science of Self-Learning (2018) by Peter Hollins, CLICK HERE
2) The Spirit-Filled Life (1895, 2019) by John MacNeil, CLICK HERE
3) The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven (1988, 2000) by Michael Green, CLICK HERE
4) Matthew: The College Press NIV Commentary (1997) by Larry Chouinard, CLICK HERE

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The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus: Guard the Truth (1996) by John R. W. Stott, Not A Review

The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus: Guard the Truth (1996) by John R. W. Stott

 
At first, I wanted to reread John Stott's excellent commentary on 2 Timothy because I thought it is a fitting book for me to end the year well. But when I realized that I haven't read commentary on 1 Timothy & Titus entirely, I should go for this one instead. This decision proved to be profitable and timely! Praise God. Why do I think reading good Bible commentaries is important? On the back cover of every J.C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts on the gospels says this gem of wisdom: "If the best way to understand the Christian Faith is to read the Gospels, then the next books in order of importance have to be those which aid in the understanding of those Gospels." I find that this is also true for the pastoral letters or epistles such as 1, 2 Timothy & Titus. The best way to know the truth is to read these sacred letters firsthand. The next best is to read good commentaries about them.

I love to read commentaries written by the late Dr. John R. W. Stott (1921-2011) especially on The Sermon on the Mount, Romans, and 2 Timothy. His books such as Basic Christianity, Your Mind Matters, and The Preacher's Portrait also plays a significant role in shaping my Christian faith, mind, and calling. I'm forever grateful for Uncle John's ministry! To come back to his commentaries, I find that Dr. Stott is clear in his expositions, balanced in his teachings, and faithful to the evangelical beliefs. They are both scholarly and yet readable. One very helpful feature that I like the most is that, when Dr. Stott comes to difficult or controversial passages of the pastoral letters (such as on slavery, sexual roles in the church, government, etc.), he will take extra care to outline and explain other major different interpretations before he proceeds to the most probable one with sound Biblical arguments* and applications. If you want to read Bible commentaries or looking for references to prepare for your sermon and Bible study, I fully recommend The Bible Speaks Today Series published by Inter-Varsity Press (IVP). Simply one of the best!

Before I end (sorry, this is NOT a book review after all), let me share how I use a Bible commentary like this one for all its worth. First, I will try to read 1 Timothy & Titus from at least 2 to 3 Bible translations. I read from the New Living Translation (NLT), the English Standard Version (ESV), and the JB Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS is actually a paraphrase). This first step is important because you need to be familiarized with the Scriptures before you study the Scriptures. By the way, keep in mind that the new edition of The Bible Speaks Today Series is using the New International Version (NIV) as the main translation. Secondly, always bring the Bible with you as you read through the commentary. The reason being is that when you read something that sparks your interest or speaks to you, you need to 'see' it in the pages of the Bible for yourself. This is not just good for memorization but also good for your faith and trust in the written Word of God. Finally, share what you have learned with as many people as possible through your social media, during Bible studies, when you give counsel to others, etc. If you read, you learn once. If you read and teach, you will learn twice. If you read, teach and live it, it will be part of your life 😉✌💡

#ServeToLead #GrowingLeaders #LeadersAreReaders #JohnStott #BibleCommentary #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Romans 2:1-4 God's Kindness Leads To Repentance (#LetterToTheRomans)

Why does God still let the sinners live? Surely it's NOT because they are good but because God IS good. Many of us misunderstand the goodness of God towards the sinners. "God’s kindness [or goodness] is meant to lead you to repentance" (Romans 1:4). The clock is ticking. The offer is now. Today is probably your last breathe. Will you repent? ⏳⌛⚡

To watch previous short studies of #LetterToTheRomans CLICK HERE http://bit.ly/LegasiRomans 

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Romans 1:18-20 Bad News: The Wrath of God (#LetterToTheRomans)

"The wrath of God." Many people, including Christians, are either confused or afraid or denying this truth in the Bible altogether. But I would like to submit: If you don't understand the wrath of God, then, you can't appreciate (or perhaps don't know) the gospel of God. Let's start with, what is the wrath of God? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheWrathOfGod

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Romans 1:16 I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel (#LetterToTheRomans)

John W. Stott in his commentary on Romans 1:16 quoted a preacher as saying: "There is no sense in declaring that you're not ashamed of something unless you've been tempted to feel ashamed of it." If Paul the Apostle without a doubt knew this temptation, surely, we are no better, right? Do you feel ashamed of the Gospel? How to overcome it? ���⚡��� #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #IAmNotAshamed #ThePowerOfTheGospel

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Romans 1:15 I Am Eager to Preach the Gospel (#LetterToTheRomans)

Can you sense the enthusiasm and passion of Paul the Apostle when he wrote: "I am eager [or ready or willing] to preach the gospel" (Romans 1:15)? Dear pastors, teachers, preachers, evangelists - Christians a.k.a. Christ-followers - when was the last time you're EAGER to preach the gospel? ������⚡ #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheGospelOfGod #IAmEager

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Romans 1:14 I Am Under Obligation to Preach the Gospel (#LetterToTheRomans)

Paul the Apostle said, "I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish" (Romans 1:14). "Under obligation" or "a debtor." How and why Paul in debt with them? And do you know, if you a believer, you are also in debt to others? Why? ��������� #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #IAmADebtor #UnderObligation

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Children Are Watching YOU!

I was sitting with a group of mothers in the kitchen during my cousin's wedding. I got to get away from the heavy noises and went for a coffee. I overheard one of the mothers said, "I don't know how to tell my daughter to stop playing with her phone and study for the exam." And then I observe, she always holding her phone while complaining about her daughter. It's like an alcoholic father telling his son to be a good man. How irony.

"There is nothing more influential in a child's life than the moral power of a quiet example," reminds William J. Bennett. "For children to take morality seriously, they must see adults who take morality seriously" ���⚡��� #ServeToLead #LeadingByExample #ChildrenDoWhatChildrenSee

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Romans 1:2 The Gospel: Old News, Sure News & Good News (#LetterToTheRomans​)

 
"[The gospel of God] which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures" (Romans 1:2). What is the Gospel? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheGospelOfGod

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The Preacher's Portrait: Some New Testament Word Studies (1961) by John Stott, Book Review

 

The Preacher's Portrait: Some New Testament Word Studies (1961) by John Stott

A book like this must be read with a pen and paper at hand. When Stott writes, I better listen. His writings, especially a superb commentary on 2 Timothy, have been parts of God's instruments that changed my life and draw me closer to the God of the Bible and quench my thirst for His Word. Stott writes clearly (not as an academic scholar but as a loving "Uncle John"), biblically (or should I say, exegetically), and humbly (in the preface he reminds his readers, "I do not pose as an expert, I am far from it"). Yes, I realize some controversies surrounding Stott during his lifetime and even after he died in 2011. Most are false, some are questionable, one or two are plausible. I admire Stott but never in my right mind believe what he wrote is infallible. I echo what Peter said to the Lord Jesus Christ, "You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). Only Jesus and His words are infallible - and inerrant.

When Stott was asked during an interview, "What do you believe about the state of preaching today?" Without a pause, he said, "Miserable!" (watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/eXpY0IPYxcE). I miserably agree. Preachers today become celebrities; preaching becomes entertainment, and motivational speaking and marketing strategy filled the pulpits. Or look at our social media ministries. The message of Memikul Salib Kristus have become self-help advice Menjadi Orang Berjaya dan Sukses and minimize into trivial "Bolehkah Orang Kristian Bertatu?" 😒 What a downgrade! What have we become? Since 1961 through this book (then later in 1982, when he also wrote I Believe In Preaching), John Stott keeps urging us to return to Biblical preaching.

"We need," states Stott, "to gain in the Church today a clearer view of God's revealed ideal for the preacher, what he is, and how he is to do his work. So I shall be considering his message and his authority, the character of the proclamation he is called to make, the vital necessity of his own experience of the Gospel, the nature of his motive, the source of his power, and the moral qualities which should characterize him, notably humility, gentleness, and love. This, I suggest, is the preacher's portrait, a portrait painted by the hand of God Himself on the broad canvas of the New Testament." In short, the preacher is 1) A Steward, 2) A Herald, 3) A Witness, 4) A Father, and 5) A Servant. At first, I wanted to just share summary outlines of what Stott writes about each word. But then again, maybe I'll pass. If this review sparks your interest, you'll find ways to search for it online or better - buy the book! 😉

I was listening to an interview in Open Book Podcast when Stephen Nichols asked John MacArthur about one of the books that influence him the most in his early years as pastor. Yes, one of them is The Preacher's Portrait. He said, "By the time I was through that book, I knew I could never do anything in a pulpit - in my life - except explain the Scripture." The impact of this book is evident 💪 ✍📖 #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #JohnStott #BiblicalPreaching #PreacherAndPreaching #GodsWordAutority

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The Good News Is NOT that Jesus Lived and Died, BUT that He Died and Lives

Ron Rider, a leading evangelical advocate for the poor, tells about a conversation he had with German theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg. As they were discussing the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the theologian emphatically declared, "The evidence for Jesus' resurrection is so strong that nobody would question it except for two things: It is a very unusual event, and second, if you believe it happened, you have to change the way you live."

IF you're a Christ-follower, His resurrection means changing your way of life. Eugene Peterson said, "There are no steroids available for growing up in Christ more quickly." Growing you must, slowly, yes, but surely. If there is no growth, then you got to question your faith. It is real or not.

Now, IF you're not-yet Christ-follower, there is no harm in investigating the resurrection. Read and watch the materials against and for the resurrection. Probably, this is going to be your most amazing journey! Seeking for the truth #ServeToLead #JesusIsRisen #TheResurrection #SpiritualLeader

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5 Things that Are "Wrong" Around the Birth of Jesus In Luke 2:8-20 (Short Bible Study)

Open Your Bible to Luke 2:8-20 (NIV):

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

5 Things that Are "Wrong" Around the Birth of Jesus In Luke 2:8-20:

#1 Controversial Pregnancy?

#2 King Born in the Manger?

#3 Short Heavenly Announcements?

#4 First Evangelists Were the Shepherd?

#5 So BIG News, So Little Responses?

Want to Watch Current Videos?

Episode #1: https://youtu.be/PVorOCQqOVM

Episode #2: https://youtu.be/F5Kp-JU-c90

Episode #3: https://youtu.be/1h56S9IGvf0  

Episode #4: https://youtu.be/2fQYRCvIn5k

Episode #5: https://youtu.be/4JsE7rFRCig

Episode #6: https://youtu.be/Swmh_gjEBp0  

Episode #7: https://youtu.be/A-lKr7906JI

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

6 Observations from Kuching Christmas Parade 2018 (and Why You Should Come Next Year)

Trinity Methodist Church (TMC) Kuching is a missional church. I had attended TMC for about 2 years and then moved to the local Anglican Church. I was involved in the TMC Mission Ministry for one year as part of the committees. I’ve witnessed the church's genuine passion for Christ and desire for others to know Him as Lord and Saviour. TMC's Mission is “Being and Making Disciple for Christ” and the leaders led by Rev Dr. Lau Hui Ming (a very humble man) make sure that their members – the church – grasp the vision and mission in their lives. They put their money (and prayer) where their mouth is. The church grows because the church goes. So, no wonder TMC has been organizing the Kuching Christmas Parade since 2007 because it aligns with its mission statement.

This year, the theme is Good News of Great Joy. It was expected more than 7,000 participants before the event, but it turned out to be more than 10,000 Christians from almost all the main churches in Kuching on the actual day. There were children and adults, church leaders and elders, youths and students, uniformed bands, decorated cars and Christmas trees. The 4-5km parade started from MBKS Jubilees ground to Kuching waterfront and back to the Jubilees ground. Malay Mail (8^th Dec 2019) online news reported that the participating churches were the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Methodist Church SCAC, Methodist Church SIAC, BEM (SIB) Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Salvation Army, Sarawak Baptist Church, Blessed Church, Sarawak Grace Assembly Kuching, Hope Church Kuching, Calvary Family Church, Good News Fellowship, City Harvest Church, and Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES). I joined under the banner of FES, a student ministry, which consisted of students from local campuses and universities such as UiTM, UNIMAS, TCS, SIDMA/UNITAR, I-System, etc. To use Nicholas Spark’s classic romance novel, the parade was “a walk to remember.”

The picture was taken from Herald Malaysia (http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/some-10000-christians-take-part-in-kuching-christmas-parade/33776/1)

There are Six (6) Things that I observed during the parade that I want to share with you here:

#1 It Didn’t Rain. 2 hours before the parade, the weather was cloudy. When I took a picture at 4.04 pm, I thought it was going to rain and the event would be canceled. But the people who were practicing that day seemed to be ignoring the weather and proceeding with the program as if nothing bad going to happen. Either they were ignored or they had faith in God for good weather (or both), what was sure was that people were praying all day long. I was told that a group of intercessory prayer was praying for the event since morning until the end of the parade [To the point of contrast, the anti-ICERD rally at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, ends early today due to rain. Coincident?].

#2 There Was No Wind. I noticed during praise and worship and prayers when most people bowed down and prayed, I looked up and was puzzled by the strangeness of the weather. The tree leaves don’t move at all. No wind. So how come the cloudy weather suddenly becomes clear? Strange. Usually, if the weather is cloudy and there is no wind, then most probably (90%) it’s going to rain. But during the parade, there is no rain at all, only drizzle after that. Miracle.

#3 The Most Smiling Faces of the Year. Pastor Nicholas Ningkau of the Sarawak Grace Assembly Church of Kuching said to the Malay Mail reporter, “When Christians take part in the parade, it has always been peaceful as we sing Christmas songs.” Imagine about 10,000 participants filled with Christian joy of celebrating the birth of the Saviour, met with about 5,000 plus excited people who stood on the sidewalk to witness the parade (including those in the cars), there was no doubt about the joy that we experienced together. I’ve never seen the most smiling faces in Malaysia any other month of the year except on Christmas (probably I'm biased).

#4 A Cloud of Witnesses. Cloudy weather? No more. A cloud of witnesses? Yes! Everyone knows that there are lots of Christian denominations in Sarawak. So much so that even some Christians are confused. Thus, the Christmas parade is one of the biggest opportunities for us to show that although we are different – we are one. Also, the Christmas parade is the largest gathering of Christians in Kuching (on the same day, there was also a Christmas parade in Miri and Bintulu). Not only had we witnessed churches coming together as one body of Christ, but we also represented Christians from multi-ethnic and racial backgrounds. This reminds me of Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17:21, “that all of them may be one” so that “the world may believe that [the Father] has sent me.”

#5 Kids, Kids, Kids. One of the best parts of the Christmas parade is the kid's joyful heart. If you joined the parade you’ll know what I mean. If not, I hope you join next year. For the sake of these kids, join the parade! They love to see us. They enjoy joyful celebrations. They expect gifts from us. Even if some of the kids might not get any presents or candies, your smile, handshake, and hi-five are enough for them (although there were kids who solely came with one overarching purpose – to collect gifts only). If we can instill in the children’s minds that Christmas is a season of celebration, giving, and sharing, then we already teach them the most important values in life.

#6 Sarawak Is Like No Other. You heard this so much that it might sound like a cliché but it’s true. Sarawak is a place where people of various races are (almost totally) free to practice their culture, tradition, and religion without hindrance. “For Sarawakians,” said Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, “diversity is beauty and strength, and not division.” I agree! During the parade, a group of Malay Muslims wished us “Merry Christmas!” and we did not end up with a religious debate. Instead, we greeted one another in perfect harmony and peace-loving humanity. A group of Buddhist society (I assumed because they were wearing the same uniform) joined the parade and passed along biscuits for us to give to others. It wasn’t much but it shows that we are all in this together. Jason Mraz puts it beautifully: “The question is why, why are we here? To say our hello's and goodbye's and then disappear; This beautiful life, what is it for? To learn how to master peace or master war… Love is still the answer.” And Sarawak is like no other (it rhymes).

Next Year's Christmas Parade. Don’t miss it. Join.

You Will Be Blessed and Bringing Blessing to Others. This is Christmas.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

PS: I don't like big events. Crowd drains my energy, personal time empowers me. But the Christmas Parade is different. It is churches coming together. It is an open invitation. It is a Church with no walls! Worship in buildings is comfortable, but worship in the open space is freedom. Christ's birth was announced to sinners, His death was a public execution, and He rose again and was taken up to heaven... all in public. This is not a secret society or buildings religion... this is Christianity, followers of the living Christ!