One Up for Singapore

You've got to see this. I found it on my of my friend's blog and almost fell off my seat watching it. I thought to myself, "Wah, sure or not? Don't kid yourself lah. Where got people so excited to go to Singapore university one? It's such a lie lor. Even Singaporeans themselves want to get out and go to overseas university. How can you even produce a video like that??!"

On reflection though, I started to ask myself how come I would have such a response. Is it only natural to feel repulsed by something like that?

Yes, I do have my fair share of bad run ins with the school administration. Maybe more than my fair share even. Was that the reason I found it difficult to be proud of my own alma mater? It's strange isn't it? That we find it difficult to be proud of many things Singaporean. For example, many successes of Singaporeans are seen with skeptical and suspect eyes until these people are actually recognised by the international community. Then we go, "Wah... this guy Singaporean leh. Must be because grow up overseas that's why so good lah..."

I am sure I am not alone in thinking like this. And I feel this is a cause for prayer. Can we believe God that one day our local university will be so popular internationally because the students and teachers are a great blessing to anyone who studies there? I think that should be a more appropriate response than to be skeptical about a video like that. In fact, if you look at it this way, then this video is really prophetic in a way! And it starts from us believing that God can indeed use our educational institutes in this powerful way!

Let's start by being that blessing to the people around us in school. Let's be like what Paul told Timothy in the Bible - An example for the believers.

As much as the video still makes me cringe a little, I claim it in Jesus' name and ask God for a change of heart. If we are to answer God's call to be a blessing to the nations, then certainly this is what we must do. What do you think?

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Shaking the planet in Ultraviolet - Last day TODAY!

Ultraviolet Concert 2006
Planetshakers

Date : 11 Aug (Fri) & 12 Aug (Sat)
Time : 7.30pm
Venue : MAX Pavillion, Spore Expo Hall 10
Price : Student/NSF: $4 per ticket
Working Adult: $8 per ticket

The time has come for the Planetshakers Team to shake another region of the globe. Uniting with Faith Community Baptist Church in Singapore for the Youth Harvest Weekend on August 11 & 12, the Planetshakers Team are excited about sharing the love of Jesus in this religiously diverse nation. Powerful praise and worship and anointed preaching - this will be an encounter with the power of God like none other!

Click on the above here for more exciting information and to send e-invites to your friends.

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Are you a TRANSFORMER?

http://www.transformersmovie.com/

For most of us born in the 1980s, Transformers represented an era where we were constantly captivated by the imagination and inspiration that this cartoon series brought. I loved the Transformers man. I thought it was one of the most exciting and visually enticing cartoons of its time. Together with cartoons like Visionaries, Robotech, Mask and Centurians, this show ranked right up there in my list of must watch cartoons.

But that's not why I am writing this. I was more drawn to the word TRANSFORMERS than the cartoon or in 2007, the movie itself. What is a transformer? Electrical engineers will tell you it's the thing that steps up or steps down voltage in a power grid. Haha.

To me, a transformer is someone who transforms things. But in order for him to do so, the transformer must be able to first transform himself. That made me think about how God has called us to be the light and the salt in this world. Both are transformers if you think about it. They change the environment they are in. They make a place brighter or tastier. How can we be the light and the salt if we are first not transformed by His grace?

And if we self-proclaim that we have been transformed, how can we not change the environment that we are in? That's the beauty of it! When you are truly transformed, you naturally become a transformer!

Many years ago, I was asked to think about my mission statement in life. I told God, I wanted to be an architect. An architect of man. A person who builds up the people around him. So that as I grow and experience the reality of God in my life, the people around me might also do so because of what I had allowed God to do through my life. Yes, I think I have done that to a certain extent. But I am ready for a power-up.

What about you my dear reader, are you ready to be transformed? If you are, join me as I borrow a line from the Transformers.... "People of God, TRANSFORM and ROLL OUT!"

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A Change in Perspective

When was the last time you heard your teacher tell you that your worth is determined by how well you scored in your examinations? She might not have said it exactly in these words, but I'm sure some time in your school life, you might have heard statements such as, "If you don't study hard now, what are you going to become in the the future? You want to be road sweeper ah?"

Or, "If you don't put in more effort, you are not going to get your As. How to get scholarship like that?" If these are not familiar to you, I'm sure you think the people in your school who score the best are somehow more valued. Afterall, they are the ones that the school acknowledges, they are the ones that the government is most willing to spend money on to sponsor for overseas studies, they are the ones who are superior to us!

And when we do actually get a chance to be one of these "superior beings", we can't help but think lesser of others.

Now, since when was the value of our life determined by academic qualifications? Since when was the life of a road sweeper less precious than any one of us? According to the Bible, NEVER!

In Psalms 139:14, the psalmists tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made! Not some of us, not those who study hard, but ALL OF US!

Why then do we subscribe to the thinking that our worth is determined by the value system of the world that we live in? My guess is, that's the only way we know how to. THAT was the way we were TAUGHT to! Such ideas and mindsets have become 2nd nature to us in a society where meritocracy is the rule of the day!

Is meritocracy a necessary evil? No. By itself, it is a fair way of helping us be accountable for the work we put in. Basically, you reap what you sow. But taken the wrong way, it also says, if you reap badly this time, then your value as a person is less. So basically, if you reap badly too many times, you just become a person who is of no value to anybody.

What does all these tell us? Education in the world needs to be REDEEMED. Dr Richard Edlin from NICE (National Institute of Christian Education) gave an insightful and thought-provoking lesson at tribe meeting yesterday. He challenged us to re-think the way christian teachers taught in school and to consider whether each gesture, word, teaching method etc came from a perspective that was biblical. He put forth to us that there is no such thing as NEUTRALITY. If we are not teaching something that is biblically sound in values and motivation, then we are re-enforcing worldly values to our students.

I thought to myself, "Gosh, although I am not a teacher, I need to be able to discern for myself what values my teacher/lecturer is teaching me, or promoting through his/her teaching!" It determines what kind of experiences I allow myself to be influenced by and hence what kind of person I become!

Yesterday's teaching was special because it wasn't about teachers rising up to their calling in Christ and about Christian education. Not just about anyway. For me, it was a call to live my live as a TRUE Christian! One that was approved unto the Lord. Regardless of what profession I am in or intend to be in, it was a challenge to re-examine how I lead my live - my motivations, my intentions, my way of doing things, my values.
It was a call towards holiness and Godliness!

Hence, I think it apt to end this entry with a timely reminder from Romans 12:1-2.

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I urge you to read these 2 verses, and then read it once again. What does it mean for you? Let God reveal to you the ways that are not pleasing unto Him so that you might be transformed through the living word of God.

Amen

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Walking for a Cause.

What is it about close to 20, 000 people waking up even before the sun has on a saturday morning, to go walk around the city? On a normal day, madness I would say. But this was no ordinary day. As I rode the escalator up from City Hall MRT, still very much in screen saver mode, I laughed to myself as I saw may others like me, complete with panda eyes, trudging their tired bodies along to the Padang. Yes, on a normal day, we wouldn't be caught dead doing this. but like I said, this was no ordinary day.

Today, we came to revive a special walk. A walk that was really about sending a message of hope and love to our community. Being in FCBC, we are naturally also volunteers of TOUCH Community Services (TCS). And participating in today's walk showed a support on our part of the good work that TCS does, a sign of approval to the many staff and volunteers of TCS that we appreciate your service and a loud resounding message to those we serve that "YES, YOU MATTER!" So as I dragged myself to the padang, haversack, camera bag and 2 laptops in tow, I put a little more lift in my step and smiled a little brighter. Yes, today was a significant day.

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