TGIMB
Saturday, July 11, 2009

Thank God It's My Birthday. =]

Posted by yipeng 10:23 AM 0 comments

Book Review: The Hole in the Gospel
Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The Hole in our Gospel offers readers an opportunity to get inside the head of Richard Stearns, President the humongous aid organization World Vision, and former CEO of multiple companies. This was reason enough for me to read the book, but Richard spoke not only to the head but also to my heart.

The Hole in our Gospel is another book that recognizes that the Church is not what it is supposed to be, and contains a healthy realism of the implications of this unfortunate reality.

Going a full circle, it manages to offer hope and much optimism for the individual’s ability to make a difference. Coupled with messages about the seriousness of the poverty, hunger, sickness, water, sanitation, mentality, illiteracy and more; is World Vision’s reminder “Don’t fail to do something just because you can’t do everything”.

Richard emphasises 3 points, a) Every one of these hurting people is created in God’s image and loved by Him, b) Every one of these challenges has a solution, c) Every one can make a difference.

“Who is my neighbour” Richard asks, when we are made aware of the humanitarian concerns through news and new media, when we have access to many of these humanitarian sites, and when we have the financial, technological, or personal ability to care for the poor and needy?

Apart from speaking to the individual, he also makes a case for the Church’s ability to change the world as a collective. To message is clear – God has empowered now go meet the need!

You would not expect anything less from the President of World Vision, but Richard’s message was more comprehensive and well thought than I expected and is written exemplarily.

The book contains a healthy dose of narratives, some biblical which he gives depth in expression and others from Richard’s own experiences including stories about how he came to work at World Vision and his own salvation account. He speaks of these experiences humbly even though his actions are often commendable.

He does not simply tell of the great humanitarian crisis but puts the responsibility firmly on the shoulders of each individual to play his or her own part. The message encourages, challenges, and convicts without pointing fingers.

This book breaks down mental barriers that prevent regular Christians from taking action. Like the Little Engine That Could, it will leave you not only willing, but desirous, and singing “I think I can” over this seemingly impossible task.

Posted by yipeng 11:01 AM 0 comments

Labels: Book Reviews, Evangelism, Gospel, Missions

Book Review: The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross
Monday, July 6, 2009

While the message of the gospel never changes, there is wisdom in communicating it in a way that hearers will be open to receiving it. Yet this elementary principle is often not practiced.

Dr. Nabeel T. Jabbour’s book The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross speaks of the ineffectiveness of the Church to share the love of Jesus to the world’s Muslim population. It is a straightforward book written for Christians (particularly American, but relevant for other multi-religious societies) who have difficulty deciding & understanding how best to relate to them.

Reflecting on his own experiences of relating to Muslims and living in the Middle East, he breaks the book down into 3 sections, the setting, message, and receiver.

From the outset he challenges the reader to expand his perceptions of Muslims as people, and to rethink the assumptions often made in sharing Christ or doing Church in the western context.

This is one of his major themes, as can be seen throughout the book, and the rhetorical challenge is the book’s strongest focus. I will not reveal too much, but one example is the discerning what is absolutely essential for a non-believer to become a follower of Jesus – the gift, as he calls it; from the wrapper or non-essentials that is helpful in one context but inappropriate or even harmful in another.

Nabeel first uses more abstractions to help us understand behaviour, followed by the gritty operational aspects of relating to Muslims, such as the selection of words & actions and use of conceptual frameworks they are familiar with. He offers wise and reasonable observations on working with Muslims.

It is a simple book, not a teach-all. But a teach-all would not be possible to write without being overly judgemental and rigid. It feels incomplete even, perhaps because the last section of the book is made available only via email (for free) in the form of an addendum. But it does serve its purpose of giving an introduction and context for Christians to start working learning more and witnessing from.

It is a quick read, and I found the reflection questions found after most chapters to be genuinely helpful to check both by understanding and self. These are question that I suspect will facilitate reflection even if you have worked with Muslims for many years.

If you live in a multi-religious society, or work with Muslims, you may find this book a relevant read.

Posted by yipeng 6:21 PM 0 comments

Labels: Book Reviews

Remember the Lord
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Nothing has meaning when I sin against the Lord,
Not love, not time.
No, nothing at all.
If only I would remember always.

I forget that He is the Master.
Not you, not I.
No, to behave so is pride.
If only I would remember always.

My spirit cries “You foolish man!”
Who seeks death, not life?
No treasure on earth truly satisfies.
If only I would remember always.

I must go before Him with fear and trembling,
I will not run. I could not hide.
Why would I? No God provides grace in Jesus Christ.
If only I would remember always.

Posted by yipeng 12:18 AM 0 comments

Labels: repentance

Answering God's Calls
Sunday, June 28, 2009

The secret to a life of significance does not lie in asking "What singular purpose does God have for me?", nor "What great things will He lead me to do?" but is answered in "What am I doing with my life?" God calls us to Christian responsibility, to Christ-likeness, and this humble common purpose is undoubtedly most glorifying to God.

Posted by yipeng 7:06 AM 1 comments

Prayer mirrors the gospel.
Thursday, June 18, 2009

“The gospel, God’s free gift of grace in Jesus, only works when we realize we don’t have it all together. The same is true for prayer. The very thing we are allergic to—our helplessness—is what makes prayer work. It works because are helpless. We can’t do life on our own.

Prayer mirrors the gospel. In the gospel, the Father takes us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of salvation. In prayer, the Father receives us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of help. We look at the inadequacy of our praying and give up, thinking something is wrong with us. God looks as the adequacy of his Son and delights in our sloppy, meandering prayers.”

—Paul Miller, A Praying Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress 2009), 55

Posted by yipeng 5:58 PM 3 comments