Through the years, we have enjoyed much peace, stability, growth and prosperity despite the many upheavals at different times and seasons. The Lord has preserved us as a nation...as the Body of Christ rise up in prayer. Truly we thank God for raising up His people to stand in the gap to intercede like never before. Over the last two decades, we have seen the prayer movement gaining great speed. This is just the beginning. God desires to shape this nation to display His glory and splendor to all people groups and the nations beyond. Let us continue with fervency to intercede and proclaim "MERDEKA" in all realms!
PROCLAIM:
■ MERDEKA over our nation and Government! Declare Isa 60: 1-3 over the nation, liberating her from all spiritual darkness. Ask our Father of Light to shine His everlasting light over our nation and to all people groups.
■ MERDEKA over the Church, liberating her from all contaminations of the world that she will set herself apart. Call forth an army of united generations to come forth to be His witnesses in all realms.
■ MERDEKA over financial institutions! Declare Isaiah 60:5-7, liberating this realm from greed, materialism and hoarding. Call forth abundance of wealth to be released to fund national and global evangelisation.
■ MERDEKA over the Education Realm, liberating our nation from all false ideologies and humanistic world view. Call forth a generation of young people who will distinguish herself in leadership with wisdom, knowledge and character to serve His calling.
■ MERDEKA over IT and Communication, liberating her from all onslaught of the evil one who seeks to sow confusion, corruption, distortion and perversion of truth! Call forth a new wave of young generation of believers to dominate this realm with creative ideas to reach the unreached with the gospel.
■ MERDEKA over Media and Arts, liberating this realm from all wrong values and virtues from being sown. Raise godly Christian men and women to take this gate to influence viewers with godly values and principles.
■ MERDEKA over the majority group in our nation! Freedom to accept Christ without restrictions
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Monday, 30 August 2010
5-Sep-10
Barnabas P.
Terry C.
Colleen, Hong Lu, Foong Yee
Lydia Sim, Jocelyn Lee
Darren, Anna Sim
Ken Fhui
Moses Tan
Manjit Singh, Hiew FF
Terry C.
Colleen, Hong Lu, Foong Yee
Lydia Sim, Jocelyn Lee
Darren, Anna Sim
Ken Fhui
Moses Tan
Manjit Singh, Hiew FF
Day 23 (Monday 30 August) - Silent Cry!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
War has been declared since the beginning of time when the 'serpent' sought to crush the seed of the woman - her posterity. Today, within nations globally, hundreds of millions of innocent lives have been snuffed out before they could see the light. Bruising the woman's seed bruises the heart of God as each human life is of great worth and value in His sight. EVERY life is precious and matters to God! The Church must therefore be His voice for the helpless and VOICELESS generation! May their silent cry be our cry today...
Reflection: Gen 1:26-27, Psalm 139:13-18. Pause a while to consider the things that break God's heart. Thank the Lord for His love for you and all people groups because we are beautifully and wonderfully made in His image.
Prayer Points
■ Stand in identification repentance on behalf of people in our nation who have shed innocent blood and seek His forgiveness and mercy on behalf of those who have committed this grievous sin.
■ Ask God for deeper understanding of the sanctity and dignity of all human life. Church to rise up to be the voice for the voiceless!
■ Uphold programs by Christian organisations that focus on youths, that more teenagers will resolve to make a stand against premarital sex. Godly values and purity to be restored in teenagers.
■ Exposing and closing down all clinics that illegally practice abortions in our nation
War has been declared since the beginning of time when the 'serpent' sought to crush the seed of the woman - her posterity. Today, within nations globally, hundreds of millions of innocent lives have been snuffed out before they could see the light. Bruising the woman's seed bruises the heart of God as each human life is of great worth and value in His sight. EVERY life is precious and matters to God! The Church must therefore be His voice for the helpless and VOICELESS generation! May their silent cry be our cry today...
Reflection: Gen 1:26-27, Psalm 139:13-18. Pause a while to consider the things that break God's heart. Thank the Lord for His love for you and all people groups because we are beautifully and wonderfully made in His image.
Prayer Points
■ Stand in identification repentance on behalf of people in our nation who have shed innocent blood and seek His forgiveness and mercy on behalf of those who have committed this grievous sin.
■ Ask God for deeper understanding of the sanctity and dignity of all human life. Church to rise up to be the voice for the voiceless!
■ Uphold programs by Christian organisations that focus on youths, that more teenagers will resolve to make a stand against premarital sex. Godly values and purity to be restored in teenagers.
■ Exposing and closing down all clinics that illegally practice abortions in our nation
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Sunday Sermon 29-Aug-2010
Speaker: Pastor Donald Wayne Dickma
Sword of The Spirit Family Church, Damansara Jaya
http://www.mediafire.com/?gwy9w6i584cbyjf
(8MB MP3)
Sword of The Spirit Family Church, Damansara Jaya
http://www.mediafire.com/?gwy9w6i584cbyjf
(8MB MP3)
Day 22 (Sunday 29 August) - Caring for the Elderly
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Manjeet had served faithfully as a clerk in the Government all his working life. He longed to see the day of retirement but when it came and the days turned to months and then years, he became restless and anxious as his EPF savings started dwindling and his children contemplated putting him in a home. Today, like Manjeet, many senior citizens face a grim reality. A survey of 65-year-old retirees found that many had exhausted their savings (70% of EPF savings were spent within 10 years ) and were dependent on their children who in turn are shirking their responsibilities. Many idle away their time worrying and gossiping in coffee shops, food courts, stock markets, courting China women. Some like Manjeet have begun to cry out to the Lord, "Now that I am old and grey, do not abandon me" Ps 71:18.
Reflection: Psalm 71:9, 16-18. Ask the Lord to forgive us if we have shirked our responsibilities towards our elderly parents, if we have not understood their needs and have been impatient with them.
Prayer Points
■ Ask the Lord to strengthen family ties, commitment and responsibility and that children will care for their elderly parents.
■ Bless all senior citizens in the Body of Christ that they will use their remaining years to serve Him faithfully, impart, nurture and give godly advice to the younger generation.
■ Church to equip and integrate senior citizens into the various church ministries and that there will be avenues for them to reach out to other retirees caught in worry, doubt, fear, aimlessness and loneliness.
■ Effective government policies to be implemented for the well being of elderly, disabled persons. To subsidise the rising cost of healthcare, food, housing for senior citizens, establish well-run homes and to find ways to utilise them in nationbuilding efforts
Manjeet had served faithfully as a clerk in the Government all his working life. He longed to see the day of retirement but when it came and the days turned to months and then years, he became restless and anxious as his EPF savings started dwindling and his children contemplated putting him in a home. Today, like Manjeet, many senior citizens face a grim reality. A survey of 65-year-old retirees found that many had exhausted their savings (70% of EPF savings were spent within 10 years ) and were dependent on their children who in turn are shirking their responsibilities. Many idle away their time worrying and gossiping in coffee shops, food courts, stock markets, courting China women. Some like Manjeet have begun to cry out to the Lord, "Now that I am old and grey, do not abandon me" Ps 71:18.
Reflection: Psalm 71:9, 16-18. Ask the Lord to forgive us if we have shirked our responsibilities towards our elderly parents, if we have not understood their needs and have been impatient with them.
Prayer Points
■ Ask the Lord to strengthen family ties, commitment and responsibility and that children will care for their elderly parents.
■ Bless all senior citizens in the Body of Christ that they will use their remaining years to serve Him faithfully, impart, nurture and give godly advice to the younger generation.
■ Church to equip and integrate senior citizens into the various church ministries and that there will be avenues for them to reach out to other retirees caught in worry, doubt, fear, aimlessness and loneliness.
■ Effective government policies to be implemented for the well being of elderly, disabled persons. To subsidise the rising cost of healthcare, food, housing for senior citizens, establish well-run homes and to find ways to utilise them in nationbuilding efforts
Saturday, 28 August 2010
Day 21 (Saturday 28 August) - Media & Arts
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
In 1962, a director of FBI said, "Movies are doing more to advance crime and juvenile delinquency than any other factor today." How true his statement has become. The media is a powerful tool that can advance good or bad, positive or negative effects. Today we are seeing a stream of perverted sex, witchcraft, violence, murder, brutality, high divorce rates and so forth. The trends are also changing with more and more young people watching movies and entertainment contents online. Fewer people are reading newspapers while more are downloading contents on to their personal computers. Through advances in technology, the media and arts sector has begun to establish its own social networking and followings. The traditional forms of social life are fading away. In the midst of this rapid change, we thank God that the Body of Christ has begun to redeem the media and arts sector. The challenge calls for us to consider how we are to create contents that are truthful, reflecting godly spiritual values, relevant to the younger generation and at the same time, creative and entertaining.
Reflection: Prov 4:24-26. How do you spend your time? Are you concerned about what you see? Does it affect you spiritually? Commit to the Lord.
Prayer Points
■ Ask the Lord for greater understanding of the new things He is doing. Despite the many media options available, pray that our eyes and ears are constantly focused on Him.
■ Believers who will use their God-given skills and talents to reach out to the lost generation through movies, music, games, comics etc. Pray for the expression of these gifts in every language: English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil and others.
■ God to raise a new breed of believers who will be pioneers of the new media technology. They will be creative, relevant and will utilise every new medium available to bring the prophetic message to the nations.
■ Pray that the government will continue to support creativity and free speech in the media arts. Pray that no one will be prevented access to what God wants to do in the media and arts
In 1962, a director of FBI said, "Movies are doing more to advance crime and juvenile delinquency than any other factor today." How true his statement has become. The media is a powerful tool that can advance good or bad, positive or negative effects. Today we are seeing a stream of perverted sex, witchcraft, violence, murder, brutality, high divorce rates and so forth. The trends are also changing with more and more young people watching movies and entertainment contents online. Fewer people are reading newspapers while more are downloading contents on to their personal computers. Through advances in technology, the media and arts sector has begun to establish its own social networking and followings. The traditional forms of social life are fading away. In the midst of this rapid change, we thank God that the Body of Christ has begun to redeem the media and arts sector. The challenge calls for us to consider how we are to create contents that are truthful, reflecting godly spiritual values, relevant to the younger generation and at the same time, creative and entertaining.
Reflection: Prov 4:24-26. How do you spend your time? Are you concerned about what you see? Does it affect you spiritually? Commit to the Lord.
Prayer Points
■ Ask the Lord for greater understanding of the new things He is doing. Despite the many media options available, pray that our eyes and ears are constantly focused on Him.
■ Believers who will use their God-given skills and talents to reach out to the lost generation through movies, music, games, comics etc. Pray for the expression of these gifts in every language: English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil and others.
■ God to raise a new breed of believers who will be pioneers of the new media technology. They will be creative, relevant and will utilise every new medium available to bring the prophetic message to the nations.
■ Pray that the government will continue to support creativity and free speech in the media arts. Pray that no one will be prevented access to what God wants to do in the media and arts
Friday, 27 August 2010
Day 20 (Friday 27 August) - IT & Communication
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
While the older generations were brought up around television, our youths today are brought up on computers. This worldwide phenomenon has changed our entire culture. With the emergence of global network, information is being disseminated at rapid speed that's beyond any control! The young generations, who have been around computers their entire lives, are able to run businesses faster and cheaper. These young people who are knowledgeable about video, audio and the written word have more potential to change theworld than many corporations.
Today, we see God's hand moving among our youths. They have the potential to change the world and He is preparing a generation of revolutionaries. Those who are destined by God to be a part of this movement will be on the new era of reformation that will revolutionise our world.
Reflection: Dan 12:4 says knowledge will increase in the last days. IT communication has made it possible to acquire knowledge freely and make it available to the rich and poor, young and old.
Prayer Points
■ Ask for forgiveness for the many times we have abused IT technology. We may have used it to cheat on our spouses, avoid spending time with our loved ones, steal intellectual property, download pornography, spread malicious statements, etc.
■ Pray for wisdom and understanding of the times. Pray for strategies on how to use IT to reach and impact generations and nations.
■ Church - equipped to minister to and lead a people living in the information age. Pastors/leaders will be discerning, at the forefront of the cutting edge of new technology for the advancement of His kingdom.
■ Pray for Information, Culture, Communication and Arts Minister Dato' Seri Dr Rais Yatim, that he will personally know the Lord who raised him up for such a time as this.
While the older generations were brought up around television, our youths today are brought up on computers. This worldwide phenomenon has changed our entire culture. With the emergence of global network, information is being disseminated at rapid speed that's beyond any control! The young generations, who have been around computers their entire lives, are able to run businesses faster and cheaper. These young people who are knowledgeable about video, audio and the written word have more potential to change theworld than many corporations.
Today, we see God's hand moving among our youths. They have the potential to change the world and He is preparing a generation of revolutionaries. Those who are destined by God to be a part of this movement will be on the new era of reformation that will revolutionise our world.
Reflection: Dan 12:4 says knowledge will increase in the last days. IT communication has made it possible to acquire knowledge freely and make it available to the rich and poor, young and old.
Prayer Points
■ Ask for forgiveness for the many times we have abused IT technology. We may have used it to cheat on our spouses, avoid spending time with our loved ones, steal intellectual property, download pornography, spread malicious statements, etc.
■ Pray for wisdom and understanding of the times. Pray for strategies on how to use IT to reach and impact generations and nations.
■ Church - equipped to minister to and lead a people living in the information age. Pastors/leaders will be discerning, at the forefront of the cutting edge of new technology for the advancement of His kingdom.
■ Pray for Information, Culture, Communication and Arts Minister Dato' Seri Dr Rais Yatim, that he will personally know the Lord who raised him up for such a time as this.
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Day 19 (Thursday 26 August) - Common Good & Justice
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Islamic authorities have issued edicts that barred girls from behaving like tomboys and banned Muslims from doing yoga, although neither was enforced. Earlier this year, a Muslim woman was ordered to be caned for drinking alcohol.
In recent times, criticisms against the Islamic authorities' overzealous attempts at clamping down on immoral behaviour have mounted from various young professional groups, many of whom are Muslims. These professional groups have also taken pains to point that such practices have damaged Malaysia's reputation as a progressive and moderate Muslim-majority country.
We thank God for the rise of such professional groups and forums in the area of justice and common good. Let's pray for more of these groups who can speak objectively and sensibly against all forms of injustice and unrighteousness in this land.
Reflection: Isa 40:3-5. Thank the Lord who is working out His purposes in the nation using different people groups. Ask the Lord to enlarge our hearts and mind for the nation and people whom He will use.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for raising up groups of Muslims who are concerned about justice and righteousness for everyone.
■ Pray the Body of Christ will also be open-minded to engage with the moderates to seek the common good of our nation in regards to human rights, constitutional laws, policies and religion.
■ Believers to be His salt and light influencing and impacting these moderates by our lifestyle and values so that their hearts will be opened to the gospel.
■ Fear of God to be upon judges, lawyers and advocates so that they will be people of integrity, upholding righteousness and justice without fear of men or partiality in judgment. More Christians will be raised up in the judiciary.
Islamic authorities have issued edicts that barred girls from behaving like tomboys and banned Muslims from doing yoga, although neither was enforced. Earlier this year, a Muslim woman was ordered to be caned for drinking alcohol.
In recent times, criticisms against the Islamic authorities' overzealous attempts at clamping down on immoral behaviour have mounted from various young professional groups, many of whom are Muslims. These professional groups have also taken pains to point that such practices have damaged Malaysia's reputation as a progressive and moderate Muslim-majority country.
We thank God for the rise of such professional groups and forums in the area of justice and common good. Let's pray for more of these groups who can speak objectively and sensibly against all forms of injustice and unrighteousness in this land.
Reflection: Isa 40:3-5. Thank the Lord who is working out His purposes in the nation using different people groups. Ask the Lord to enlarge our hearts and mind for the nation and people whom He will use.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for raising up groups of Muslims who are concerned about justice and righteousness for everyone.
■ Pray the Body of Christ will also be open-minded to engage with the moderates to seek the common good of our nation in regards to human rights, constitutional laws, policies and religion.
■ Believers to be His salt and light influencing and impacting these moderates by our lifestyle and values so that their hearts will be opened to the gospel.
■ Fear of God to be upon judges, lawyers and advocates so that they will be people of integrity, upholding righteousness and justice without fear of men or partiality in judgment. More Christians will be raised up in the judiciary.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Day 18 (Wednesday 25 August) - A Call Towards Social Justice
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
At the launch of the Government Transformation Programme held on 18 December 2009 at the Sunway Convention Centre, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dato' Idris Jala said there were approximately 44,000 households classified as extreme poor under the poverty income level. According to the mid-term review of the 9th Malaysia Plan, a poor family is classified as one whose income earning is less than RM720-00 in the peninsula and RM960-00 and RM380-00 in Sabah and Sarawak respectively. Some have suggested that the poorest 10% of the population have only a 1.7% hold of the economic income compared to the richest 10% who control 38.4% of the income.
This simple statistic reveals a great disparity in terms of income and resources between the rich and poor. This social injustice is a setback in the Government's agenda to eradicate poverty. The Government has acknowledged the weaknesses in the National Key Result Area (NKRA). We need further involvement from churches, especially from the younger generation. But are our youths prepared to take up the cause for social justice for the poor or are they too "young" to be troubled by such realities? Believers, regardless of age, must be reminded that they are called to be salt and light for the nation. As light unto the nation, we have the responsibility to take on this cause for those who have been sidelined and marginalised.
Reflection: Micah 6:8, Isa 1:17. What is the Lord impressing upon your heart in regards to Scriptures? Renounce any indifference and apathy towards the poor and marginalised. Ask the Lord to fill us with love and compassion.
Prayer Points
■ Breakthrough in our younger generation to be conscientised on these realities and be moved to show compassion and mercy in dealing with the poor and marginalised.
■ Body of Christ will be generous in releasing wealth for God's redistribution to advance His Kingdom in places and among peoples in deep spiritual and material need.
■ Effective community services / projects run by local churches to impact poor communities. Lord of Harvest to release workers into these areas to minister effectively to break the yoke and set the people free from every bondage.
■ Government to effectively implement projects and policies and that will eradicate poverty. Wisdom in law enforcement to battle the various social problems in the country such as drugs, child abuse, rape, prostitution, violence, gangsterism, gambling etc. Exposing and eradicating corruption in every governing body
At the launch of the Government Transformation Programme held on 18 December 2009 at the Sunway Convention Centre, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dato' Idris Jala said there were approximately 44,000 households classified as extreme poor under the poverty income level. According to the mid-term review of the 9th Malaysia Plan, a poor family is classified as one whose income earning is less than RM720-00 in the peninsula and RM960-00 and RM380-00 in Sabah and Sarawak respectively. Some have suggested that the poorest 10% of the population have only a 1.7% hold of the economic income compared to the richest 10% who control 38.4% of the income.
This simple statistic reveals a great disparity in terms of income and resources between the rich and poor. This social injustice is a setback in the Government's agenda to eradicate poverty. The Government has acknowledged the weaknesses in the National Key Result Area (NKRA). We need further involvement from churches, especially from the younger generation. But are our youths prepared to take up the cause for social justice for the poor or are they too "young" to be troubled by such realities? Believers, regardless of age, must be reminded that they are called to be salt and light for the nation. As light unto the nation, we have the responsibility to take on this cause for those who have been sidelined and marginalised.
Reflection: Micah 6:8, Isa 1:17. What is the Lord impressing upon your heart in regards to Scriptures? Renounce any indifference and apathy towards the poor and marginalised. Ask the Lord to fill us with love and compassion.
Prayer Points
■ Breakthrough in our younger generation to be conscientised on these realities and be moved to show compassion and mercy in dealing with the poor and marginalised.
■ Body of Christ will be generous in releasing wealth for God's redistribution to advance His Kingdom in places and among peoples in deep spiritual and material need.
■ Effective community services / projects run by local churches to impact poor communities. Lord of Harvest to release workers into these areas to minister effectively to break the yoke and set the people free from every bondage.
■ Government to effectively implement projects and policies and that will eradicate poverty. Wisdom in law enforcement to battle the various social problems in the country such as drugs, child abuse, rape, prostitution, violence, gangsterism, gambling etc. Exposing and eradicating corruption in every governing body
How a Church Communicates in a Generation Gap
From HERE
I read a few interesting articles today in Entrepreneur Magazine and Marketing Pilgrim, about how people communicate, and have difficulty communicating, between the generational gaps. Each generation has a different way of embracing new forms communicating that becomes comfortable to them but where gen-x and gen-y ‘ers seem to have adopted to new forms of communication, the boomers have let is slide and still prefer their face-to-face and over the phone exchanges.
Face-to-Face, Phone, or Twitter-ific
The reports go on to talk about how that makes it difficult to properly communicate between the boomers and gen’ers who don’t really care for face to face and hate making an actual phone call. All that got me thinking about how we communicate within the church. Poor communication in a church can kill its momentum, growth, or relationships, but “poor” communication is not universal and what is poor communication from a 20-something to a boomer is acceptable among their peers.
Being Unaware Creates Mis-Understanding
It doesn’t take long to see how mis-understandings in communication methods between generations can cause problems. As an example, I have found that the farther away you get from the Baby Boomer generation the less an actual response to something is deemed necessary… a response to a phone call, email, sms, facebook comment, tweet on Twitter, whatever it is, the younger you are, the fewer responses are deemed to be needed where the closer to a boomer you are, the more you expect a response to everything.
Where a boomer-ish person is offended by a non-response, the gen-y’er doesn’t even give it a second thought. Being a Gen-X’er myself, I get quite irritated with non-response but always try to remember who it is I am communicating with, then interpret what their lack of response means. What it means is that they don’t communicate in the exact same method I do, and I shouldn’t hold that against them when I don’t get a response.
Of course that is a generality and certainly not scientific, but it highlights that an understanding of how each generation prefers to communicate is needed, especially within the church body. If we want the church body to grow, if we want to reach new people for Jesus, we have to understand how the younger generation likes to communicate, what is important to communicate to them, and what they could care less about. As we all get older, it isn’t about what makes us happy and what we like, right?
Who is the Church Trying To Reach Anyway?
Who are we trying to reach? If we are trying to reach the Boomer’s, they are probably still looking for those traditional forms of communication from the church like a weekly snail-mailed newsletter, a printed paper bulletin, a pictorial directory of church members, and even those phone calls to the house. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Gen-Y doesn’t care a thing about getting something in the mail or receiving a bulletin when they walk in, that just isn’t what they are looking for in a church, it doesn’t add any value to their experience.
They want to share ideas. They could possibly be the most sharing generation the world has seen, but it isn’t sharing face-to-face like the boomers, it is sharing stories, ideas, life dreams, it is life lived as open source. Even email is unimportant, and becoming less and less important as time goes by. It is just considered to be spam (even if it isn’t), and sending an email newsletter is irrelevant to the generation that lives on rss feeds.
Produce, but Don’t Push Information
Like each past generation, they want to communicate with each other in the manner they are accustomed to, which is electronically. They get their information proactively, and don’t want it pushed onto them, this means we have to produce the information and let them come get it. Communicating things in that manner may seem backwards to traditional means (because it is), and may be more difficult, but push methods will be rejected by the Gen-Y’ers.
So how do we produce information we want them to see and just hope they find it? Carefully I guess, but I know if it is meaningful enough to them, they will find it. Word of mouth still rules with Gen-Y as it does with Boomers, so maybe that is the bridge over the generation gap.
Check out the chart below. I think if we make an effort to understand how each generation prefers to communicate we can better know how to serve each person. Serving someone in a manner or custom they could care less about it totally ineffective and a waste of everyone’s time. Wouldn’t it be better to know how best to serve (communicate with) each individual person instead assuming all will respond in the same way?
Learning the Differences, is Important
Communicating in the Generation Gap
I read a few interesting articles today in Entrepreneur Magazine and Marketing Pilgrim, about how people communicate, and have difficulty communicating, between the generational gaps. Each generation has a different way of embracing new forms communicating that becomes comfortable to them but where gen-x and gen-y ‘ers seem to have adopted to new forms of communication, the boomers have let is slide and still prefer their face-to-face and over the phone exchanges.
Face-to-Face, Phone, or Twitter-ific
The reports go on to talk about how that makes it difficult to properly communicate between the boomers and gen’ers who don’t really care for face to face and hate making an actual phone call. All that got me thinking about how we communicate within the church. Poor communication in a church can kill its momentum, growth, or relationships, but “poor” communication is not universal and what is poor communication from a 20-something to a boomer is acceptable among their peers.
Being Unaware Creates Mis-Understanding
It doesn’t take long to see how mis-understandings in communication methods between generations can cause problems. As an example, I have found that the farther away you get from the Baby Boomer generation the less an actual response to something is deemed necessary… a response to a phone call, email, sms, facebook comment, tweet on Twitter, whatever it is, the younger you are, the fewer responses are deemed to be needed where the closer to a boomer you are, the more you expect a response to everything.
Where a boomer-ish person is offended by a non-response, the gen-y’er doesn’t even give it a second thought. Being a Gen-X’er myself, I get quite irritated with non-response but always try to remember who it is I am communicating with, then interpret what their lack of response means. What it means is that they don’t communicate in the exact same method I do, and I shouldn’t hold that against them when I don’t get a response.
Of course that is a generality and certainly not scientific, but it highlights that an understanding of how each generation prefers to communicate is needed, especially within the church body. If we want the church body to grow, if we want to reach new people for Jesus, we have to understand how the younger generation likes to communicate, what is important to communicate to them, and what they could care less about. As we all get older, it isn’t about what makes us happy and what we like, right?
Who is the Church Trying To Reach Anyway?
Who are we trying to reach? If we are trying to reach the Boomer’s, they are probably still looking for those traditional forms of communication from the church like a weekly snail-mailed newsletter, a printed paper bulletin, a pictorial directory of church members, and even those phone calls to the house. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Gen-Y doesn’t care a thing about getting something in the mail or receiving a bulletin when they walk in, that just isn’t what they are looking for in a church, it doesn’t add any value to their experience.
They want to share ideas. They could possibly be the most sharing generation the world has seen, but it isn’t sharing face-to-face like the boomers, it is sharing stories, ideas, life dreams, it is life lived as open source. Even email is unimportant, and becoming less and less important as time goes by. It is just considered to be spam (even if it isn’t), and sending an email newsletter is irrelevant to the generation that lives on rss feeds.
Produce, but Don’t Push Information
Like each past generation, they want to communicate with each other in the manner they are accustomed to, which is electronically. They get their information proactively, and don’t want it pushed onto them, this means we have to produce the information and let them come get it. Communicating things in that manner may seem backwards to traditional means (because it is), and may be more difficult, but push methods will be rejected by the Gen-Y’ers.
So how do we produce information we want them to see and just hope they find it? Carefully I guess, but I know if it is meaningful enough to them, they will find it. Word of mouth still rules with Gen-Y as it does with Boomers, so maybe that is the bridge over the generation gap.
Check out the chart below. I think if we make an effort to understand how each generation prefers to communicate we can better know how to serve each person. Serving someone in a manner or custom they could care less about it totally ineffective and a waste of everyone’s time. Wouldn’t it be better to know how best to serve (communicate with) each individual person instead assuming all will respond in the same way?
Learning the Differences, is Important
Communicating in the Generation Gap
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Day 17 (Tuesday 24 August) - Wealth In The Nation!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
The Lord has ordained the creation of wealth through commerce. Wealth is to be gained through righteous dealings and shared with the poor. This cycle of receiving, generating wealth and giving to the needy is a wondrous picture of God's providence and care for the poor. Let the people of God in every line of commerce seize this truth that through our vocation, we will portray our God as a God of justice, truth, righteousness and uprightness, so that even the unbelievers will be amazed as was the Queen of Sheba with Solomon in 2 Chro 9:2-4, and give glory to God!
Reflection: Deut 8:17-18, Matt 6:33. Ask the Lord to open our eyes to see God as the all-sufficient provider, that through our commercial participation, they will see us as His representation of justice, truth, righteousness and uprightness. Ask the Lord to reveal ways in which you have fallen short in the area of portraying godly ideals such justice, truth and righteousness. Confess and pray that He will strengthen you.
Prayer Points
■ Renounce and repent of sin of greed, materialism, pride and ingratitude towards God's financial blessings to our nation.
■ Believers in the financial realm to be a blessing, that Christians demonstrate the divine principle of blessing others financially, showing mercy to and helping those who are under financial distress.
■ Exposure and correction of unrighteous dealings in all sectors of commerce, law, policy-making, leadership practices and employee actions. Law and policies governing commerce to be reviewed to cover loopholes on unfair practices.
■ Commercial entities to embrace giving to the needy within and outside the nation as part of the company culture. Prov 19:17 affirms that pitying the poor equates to lending to the Lord. What a privilege!
The Lord has ordained the creation of wealth through commerce. Wealth is to be gained through righteous dealings and shared with the poor. This cycle of receiving, generating wealth and giving to the needy is a wondrous picture of God's providence and care for the poor. Let the people of God in every line of commerce seize this truth that through our vocation, we will portray our God as a God of justice, truth, righteousness and uprightness, so that even the unbelievers will be amazed as was the Queen of Sheba with Solomon in 2 Chro 9:2-4, and give glory to God!
Reflection: Deut 8:17-18, Matt 6:33. Ask the Lord to open our eyes to see God as the all-sufficient provider, that through our commercial participation, they will see us as His representation of justice, truth, righteousness and uprightness. Ask the Lord to reveal ways in which you have fallen short in the area of portraying godly ideals such justice, truth and righteousness. Confess and pray that He will strengthen you.
Prayer Points
■ Renounce and repent of sin of greed, materialism, pride and ingratitude towards God's financial blessings to our nation.
■ Believers in the financial realm to be a blessing, that Christians demonstrate the divine principle of blessing others financially, showing mercy to and helping those who are under financial distress.
■ Exposure and correction of unrighteous dealings in all sectors of commerce, law, policy-making, leadership practices and employee actions. Law and policies governing commerce to be reviewed to cover loopholes on unfair practices.
■ Commercial entities to embrace giving to the needy within and outside the nation as part of the company culture. Prov 19:17 affirms that pitying the poor equates to lending to the Lord. What a privilege!
Monday, 23 August 2010
29-Aug-10
Dr. Siow KW
Kai Yew
Lareina, Peggy Tan, Shankar R
Meng Fhui, Jonathan L
Terry C., Weng Ern
Anna Sim
Ken Fhui
Manjit Singh, Tommy Q.
Kai Yew
Lareina, Peggy Tan, Shankar R
Meng Fhui, Jonathan L
Terry C., Weng Ern
Anna Sim
Ken Fhui
Manjit Singh, Tommy Q.
Suggested : 4Q 2010 + 2011 Activities
check this link for more updates!!. (click)
(as at 22 Aug 2010)
2010
Youth & Young Adults Camp:
17 - 19 November (after SPM)Inviting a special team from Sunway... "Spiritual Quotient"..
Mix of workshops, games & teaching / sharing..
Sports & Games:
20 November onwards (school holidays)Badminton... Bowling.. Captain Ball.. etc
Orang Asli Mission Trip:
20 November (KIV) - public holidayUncle Leong will liase with Pastor David
Learn simple Malay Christian songs
Youth &Young Adult Mash-Up:
provides a space for YF/YA to experiment and lead in worship and conducting a 'service' of their own..Youth &Young Adults have worship together.. followed by either:
- Prayer in teams of 3 or 4
- Cell Groups for YF & YA separately
- Special speakers (main service) to speak to the YF/YA
-
2011
Jalan Jalan Cari Makan
School holidays / long weekendsEvangelistic.. Charter bus..
Building relationships with believers and non-believers
Sports & Games (as above)
WFA Family Day
Station games / telematches + picnicWFA Treasure Hunt
Walk / drive around Seremban town looking for the next clue..Adults can be "station masters" to give the next clues
Can be evangelistic.. Building relationships
Cinema Cinema Cinema
Showcase movies with good (Christian) values..Can be made discussion topic later..
Prove that movies & media are not always "bad/negative/dirty/meaningless"
Sky Trek / Paintball
Rough it out! Get dirty and sweaty in a good way!
Day 16 (Monday 23 August) - Education
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Many teachers have been of great influence to many successful citizens of the nation. At the inaugural gathering of Mission Schools Organisation held last year, Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Abdul Razak paid tribute to his teachers during his days at St John's Institute. We too may have our own stories of our favourite teachers and how they have played an influential role in our lives. Teachers are supposed to be role models and exemplary citizens. They stand to make or break a student's future and by their sacrifices, they contribute to moral citizenry. If this profession is of critical importance, why are there less and less Christian teachers today? Consider the following statistics based on a 2005 survey conducted by the Teachers' Christian Fellowship:
* There are approximately 836 Christian teachers of different age groups. Of this figure, 5% are below the age of 30.
* The largest number total around 42%. They are between ages 50 and 59. This means that in a couple of years when these teachers retire or leave the service, there will be very few Christian teachers around!
These are alarming figures and the implication is clear. At this rate, unless more Christian students enrol to become teachers within our national school system, we will have no more Christian schoolteachers within the next 10 years. Can we, the Christian community, afford this?
Reflection: Prov 22:6. Thank the Lord for teachers. Desperately beseech the Lord to move our young generation to respond to the teaching vocation. Breakthrough in parents' hearts to release their children to serve His call as teachers.
Prayer Points
■ Pray for Christian teachers and students that their eyes will be opened to their role and calling and to be His witness in the midst of darkness. Powerful move of God in our schools and campuses. Christians would be God's agent of spiritual and moral change.
■ More Christian school principals to be raised up to be in position to bring transformation in schools. Pray for strong Christian Fellowships to be established in every school.
■ Wisdom for Minister of Youth and Sports to spearhead government programs for young generations that will instill godly values and raise godly leaders and a productive generation.
Many teachers have been of great influence to many successful citizens of the nation. At the inaugural gathering of Mission Schools Organisation held last year, Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Abdul Razak paid tribute to his teachers during his days at St John's Institute. We too may have our own stories of our favourite teachers and how they have played an influential role in our lives. Teachers are supposed to be role models and exemplary citizens. They stand to make or break a student's future and by their sacrifices, they contribute to moral citizenry. If this profession is of critical importance, why are there less and less Christian teachers today? Consider the following statistics based on a 2005 survey conducted by the Teachers' Christian Fellowship:
* There are approximately 836 Christian teachers of different age groups. Of this figure, 5% are below the age of 30.
* The largest number total around 42%. They are between ages 50 and 59. This means that in a couple of years when these teachers retire or leave the service, there will be very few Christian teachers around!
These are alarming figures and the implication is clear. At this rate, unless more Christian students enrol to become teachers within our national school system, we will have no more Christian schoolteachers within the next 10 years. Can we, the Christian community, afford this?
Reflection: Prov 22:6. Thank the Lord for teachers. Desperately beseech the Lord to move our young generation to respond to the teaching vocation. Breakthrough in parents' hearts to release their children to serve His call as teachers.
Prayer Points
■ Pray for Christian teachers and students that their eyes will be opened to their role and calling and to be His witness in the midst of darkness. Powerful move of God in our schools and campuses. Christians would be God's agent of spiritual and moral change.
■ More Christian school principals to be raised up to be in position to bring transformation in schools. Pray for strong Christian Fellowships to be established in every school.
■ Wisdom for Minister of Youth and Sports to spearhead government programs for young generations that will instill godly values and raise godly leaders and a productive generation.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
4Q 2010 + 2011 Activities
check this link for more updates!!. (click)
(as at 22 Aug 2010)
2010
Youth & Young Adults Camp:
17 - 19 November (after SPM)Inviting a special team from Sunway... "Spiritual Quotient"..
Mix of workshops, games & teaching / sharing..
Sports & Games:
20 November onwards (school holidays)Badminton... Bowling.. Captain Ball.. etc
Orang Asli Mission Trip:
20 November (KIV) - public holidayUncle Leong will liase with Pastor David
Learn simple Malay Christian songs
Youth &Young Adult Mash-Up:
provides a space for YF/YA to experiment and lead in worship and conducting a 'service' of their own..Youth &Young Adults have worship together.. followed by either:
- Prayer in teams of 3 or 4
- Cell Groups for YF & YA separately
- Special speakers (main service) to speak to the YF/YA
-
2011
Jalan Jalan Cari Makan
School holidays / long weekendsEvangelistic.. Charter bus..
Building relationships with believers and non-believers
Sports & Games (as above)
WFA Family Day
Station games / telematches + picnicWFA Treasure Hunt
Walk / drive around Seremban town looking for the next clue..Adults can be "station masters" to give the next clues
Can be evangelistic.. Building relationships
Cinema Cinema Cinema
Showcase movies with good (Christian) values..Can be made discussion topic later..
Prove that movies & media are not always "bad/negative/dirty/meaningless"
Sky Trek / Paintball
Rough it out! Get dirty and sweaty in a good way!
Sunday Sermon 22-Aug-2010
Speaker: Pastor Dr Paul Cheng
River of Life, Bandar Puteri
http://www.mediafire.com/?n27r8m4wljwhd5n
(8MB 73minutes MP3)
River of Life, Bandar Puteri
http://www.mediafire.com/?n27r8m4wljwhd5n
(8MB 73minutes MP3)
Day 15 (Sunday 22 August) - Only Way!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
We are not here in this beautiful nation by chance but by His divine appointment, being part of His glorious plan to bring redemption to all people groups in the nation. The destiny of 28 millions comprising various people groups lies in our hands! Since the beginning of time, the enemy has stolen, robbed, perverted and blinded the hearts and minds of the people groups to worship him and alienated them from the life of God. We are here for a MISSION and VISION for the nation. There is only One Way, One Hope, One Faith, One Life - all found only in Jesus Christ. The hope lies with the Church taking hold of the keys to change the course of history and destiny of this nation to redeem all mankind to Him. Is your life a witness that points people from all faith to Him? Or do you see the magnitude of the task and shrink back?
Reflection: 2 Pet 3:9, Col 1:10, 13, 14, 20-27. What is your purpose and mission in life? Commit it to the Lord and confess where we have failed to be His witness in our character, attitude and lifestyle.
Prayer Points
■ In identification repentance on behalf of the nation and people groups, ask the Lord for forgiveness for idolatry and for Him to set all people groups free from their spiritual blindness and break every pact and allegiance to the god of this age.
■ Decree open heavens for outpouring of His spirit upon all people groups to bring spiritual awakening and unprecedented revival.
■ The Lord to prepare His Church; Body of Christ in all generations to be equipped and empowered to teach, disciple and mentor new believers. Passion and compassion for the lost.
■ Churches to be set ablaze with hearts for missions to plant home churches in places among people where the gospel has not been preached, both locally and beyond our borders.
We are not here in this beautiful nation by chance but by His divine appointment, being part of His glorious plan to bring redemption to all people groups in the nation. The destiny of 28 millions comprising various people groups lies in our hands! Since the beginning of time, the enemy has stolen, robbed, perverted and blinded the hearts and minds of the people groups to worship him and alienated them from the life of God. We are here for a MISSION and VISION for the nation. There is only One Way, One Hope, One Faith, One Life - all found only in Jesus Christ. The hope lies with the Church taking hold of the keys to change the course of history and destiny of this nation to redeem all mankind to Him. Is your life a witness that points people from all faith to Him? Or do you see the magnitude of the task and shrink back?
Reflection: 2 Pet 3:9, Col 1:10, 13, 14, 20-27. What is your purpose and mission in life? Commit it to the Lord and confess where we have failed to be His witness in our character, attitude and lifestyle.
Prayer Points
■ In identification repentance on behalf of the nation and people groups, ask the Lord for forgiveness for idolatry and for Him to set all people groups free from their spiritual blindness and break every pact and allegiance to the god of this age.
■ Decree open heavens for outpouring of His spirit upon all people groups to bring spiritual awakening and unprecedented revival.
■ The Lord to prepare His Church; Body of Christ in all generations to be equipped and empowered to teach, disciple and mentor new believers. Passion and compassion for the lost.
■ Churches to be set ablaze with hearts for missions to plant home churches in places among people where the gospel has not been preached, both locally and beyond our borders.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Day 14 (Saturday 21 August) - Possessing the Gates
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
In Gen 22:17-18, the promise of victory was given to Abraham and His seed. We, His church are Abraham's spiritual descendants to secure victory over the enemies in Christ. This promise and blessing is in our hands and He is hastening His time for restoration and aligning families with all generations uniting and standing together as an army for the battles ahead! Surely the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church when all generations rise up in one accord, standing and possessing all gates of influence for transformation! Army of God, arise and join our Commander-in-Chief!
Declare and affirm the Word in Gen 22:17-18 aloud. Are you faltering in God's promise? Renounce every unbelief and doubt and ask God for faith to believe and step out.
Prayer Points
■ Pray for the fullness of restoration and realignment of families; parents with their children praying together.
- Restoring family altars.
- Increase of youths and children attending church prayer meetings with their parents.
■ Raising up powerful Prayer Cells to be established in every high place of authority to possess all realms of influence.
■ Call forth the invincible army that God is preparing for Himself in the last days (Joel 2:10-11), consisting of all generations in close rank, invading every territory and bringing it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
■ Lord of Harvest to raise labourers among the adults, youths and children to reach out to the lost, to teach and disciple their generation.
In Gen 22:17-18, the promise of victory was given to Abraham and His seed. We, His church are Abraham's spiritual descendants to secure victory over the enemies in Christ. This promise and blessing is in our hands and He is hastening His time for restoration and aligning families with all generations uniting and standing together as an army for the battles ahead! Surely the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church when all generations rise up in one accord, standing and possessing all gates of influence for transformation! Army of God, arise and join our Commander-in-Chief!
Declare and affirm the Word in Gen 22:17-18 aloud. Are you faltering in God's promise? Renounce every unbelief and doubt and ask God for faith to believe and step out.
Prayer Points
■ Pray for the fullness of restoration and realignment of families; parents with their children praying together.
- Restoring family altars.
- Increase of youths and children attending church prayer meetings with their parents.
■ Raising up powerful Prayer Cells to be established in every high place of authority to possess all realms of influence.
■ Call forth the invincible army that God is preparing for Himself in the last days (Joel 2:10-11), consisting of all generations in close rank, invading every territory and bringing it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
■ Lord of Harvest to raise labourers among the adults, youths and children to reach out to the lost, to teach and disciple their generation.
Friday, 20 August 2010
Day 13 (Friday 20 August) - Our Golden Eagles!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Many seniors in the church refrain from taking an active role in the church because of their age and the availability of younger and more energetic people. Many feel that others are able do a better job and so they just fade away into the background. Should our seniors resign and become dormant in the Church? Has their time passed? God forbids! The church must not allow the seniors to be forgotten. Instead they are the treasures and they have their role to play. With their wealth of life experience, they can pass on their accumulated wisdom to the younger generation. They have much time in hand to serve as counsellors, advisers and mentors to the younger ones. Let us not forget that God called Abraham and Moses in their old age to change the history and destiny of their nation. A crown is not complete without these precious stones. Let us affirm and stand together and call forth His destiny for our Golden Eagles!
Reflection: Gen 12:1-5. How do you respond to His Word or promises? Do you doubt, procrastinate or are reluctant to obey His Word and allow your natural instinct to dictate your decisions and justify your actions. Let us renounce and repent of our unbelief, self justification and disobedience.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for all senior citizens in our churches. Bless them with every spiritual gift and pray that God will use them mightily as His agent of change and to influence the younger generations in godly ways.
■ Deliver the seniors from looking back on their past glories/achievements but rather look ahead to seek the Lord for new ways and understanding of current trends to bridge and forge deeper relationship with all generations so that they remain relevant to impact them.
■ Seniors will find their place and role in every local church to serve. Ask the Lord to raise a wave of seniors who will rise up to be gossipers of the gospel in coffeeshops, markets, shops, stalls, parks... etc.
■ Retired government civil servants will use their gifts and talents to contribute to society and nation building.
Many seniors in the church refrain from taking an active role in the church because of their age and the availability of younger and more energetic people. Many feel that others are able do a better job and so they just fade away into the background. Should our seniors resign and become dormant in the Church? Has their time passed? God forbids! The church must not allow the seniors to be forgotten. Instead they are the treasures and they have their role to play. With their wealth of life experience, they can pass on their accumulated wisdom to the younger generation. They have much time in hand to serve as counsellors, advisers and mentors to the younger ones. Let us not forget that God called Abraham and Moses in their old age to change the history and destiny of their nation. A crown is not complete without these precious stones. Let us affirm and stand together and call forth His destiny for our Golden Eagles!
Reflection: Gen 12:1-5. How do you respond to His Word or promises? Do you doubt, procrastinate or are reluctant to obey His Word and allow your natural instinct to dictate your decisions and justify your actions. Let us renounce and repent of our unbelief, self justification and disobedience.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for all senior citizens in our churches. Bless them with every spiritual gift and pray that God will use them mightily as His agent of change and to influence the younger generations in godly ways.
■ Deliver the seniors from looking back on their past glories/achievements but rather look ahead to seek the Lord for new ways and understanding of current trends to bridge and forge deeper relationship with all generations so that they remain relevant to impact them.
■ Seniors will find their place and role in every local church to serve. Ask the Lord to raise a wave of seniors who will rise up to be gossipers of the gospel in coffeeshops, markets, shops, stalls, parks... etc.
■ Retired government civil servants will use their gifts and talents to contribute to society and nation building.
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Day 12 (Thursday 19 August) - Undivided Devotion
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
As the population disparity between males and females widens, many middle-aged single women today find themselves without suitable life partners. This is further aggravated when there are more single women than single men in local churches. The danger with this situation is the temptation to get married outside of the faith. Coupling this is the pressure that comes from parental and communal expectations of marriage. Is being single a social stigma? Or some may ask, "Do we need a life partner to have a fulfilled life?" Let us remember, true fulfilment only comes from the Lord, not marriage. So, let us affirm the singles in our midst. In His sight, all are precious and no one group is above another; whatever social standing or status we are in, we are all equal before the Lord. Let us therefore stand together as ONE Body.
Reflection: 1Cor:32-35. Whether you are married or single, are you living a fulfilled life? Is there any false expectation or fear of commitment? Commit and surrender to Him.
Prayer Points
■ Singles will find their deepest satisfaction and fulfilment in Him. A life of commitment and undivided devotion to Him.
■ Redeeming the fullness of their time, resources and giftings to serve Him. The Lord to raise exemplary leaders among them to disciple, mentor and guide the younger generations.
■ Those who are single by divorce or death of their spouse. Pray that they find their hope in Him with renewed passion and destiny to serve Him.
■ Workers and tentmakers to be raised up among them to take the message of hope to the least-reached people groups in the nations.
As the population disparity between males and females widens, many middle-aged single women today find themselves without suitable life partners. This is further aggravated when there are more single women than single men in local churches. The danger with this situation is the temptation to get married outside of the faith. Coupling this is the pressure that comes from parental and communal expectations of marriage. Is being single a social stigma? Or some may ask, "Do we need a life partner to have a fulfilled life?" Let us remember, true fulfilment only comes from the Lord, not marriage. So, let us affirm the singles in our midst. In His sight, all are precious and no one group is above another; whatever social standing or status we are in, we are all equal before the Lord. Let us therefore stand together as ONE Body.
Reflection: 1Cor:32-35. Whether you are married or single, are you living a fulfilled life? Is there any false expectation or fear of commitment? Commit and surrender to Him.
Prayer Points
■ Singles will find their deepest satisfaction and fulfilment in Him. A life of commitment and undivided devotion to Him.
■ Redeeming the fullness of their time, resources and giftings to serve Him. The Lord to raise exemplary leaders among them to disciple, mentor and guide the younger generations.
■ Those who are single by divorce or death of their spouse. Pray that they find their hope in Him with renewed passion and destiny to serve Him.
■ Workers and tentmakers to be raised up among them to take the message of hope to the least-reached people groups in the nations.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Day 11 (Wednesday 18 August) - Kingdom Driven Purpose
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Our Father longs for the hearts and minds of young adults. This generation of youths who have great potential and resources, are the most untapped or un-used as they are busy with their careers or find church not relevant. When they are captured and captivated, they will be world changers, fulfilling God's destiny for their lives and calling for His Kingdom purposes. Daniel 11:32b will be fulfilled when we know God intimately and are moved by God-powered desires! Let this generation's allegiance and priority be aligned to Him. When we place Him continually in the centre of our hearts, we will walk as a generation who makes a difference for His Kingdom's purposes.
Reflection: Col 3:1-2, John 4:34. Jesus came with a mission to do the will of His Father. What is your mission and purpose in life? Commit to the Lord and ask Him for the hunger to know Him intimately. Confess and renounce ways in which other matters have captured our hearts such that our allegiance and priority have shifted from our Lord. Receive His grace and the strength to reorder your life. Seek counsel and support from your elders.
Prayer Points
■ Believers will be awakened to their hope, calling and purpose. Set free from aimlessness and purposelessness.
■ Churches will birth relevant and creative ministries, that spiritual gifts will be uncovered and developed to serve the church and non-believers in our workplace and communities.
■ Spiritual fathers and mothers to arise in churches, to model Christ-likeness for the young adults in family life, work and service unto the Lord. They will submit to the Lord with regards to life partners and honour Him by their purity and faithfulness.
■ Young adults of all races to channel their idealism and passion appropriately and the Lord to harness them to be a mighty force to birth forth prayer cells to impact all realms of influence towards nation transformation!
Our Father longs for the hearts and minds of young adults. This generation of youths who have great potential and resources, are the most untapped or un-used as they are busy with their careers or find church not relevant. When they are captured and captivated, they will be world changers, fulfilling God's destiny for their lives and calling for His Kingdom purposes. Daniel 11:32b will be fulfilled when we know God intimately and are moved by God-powered desires! Let this generation's allegiance and priority be aligned to Him. When we place Him continually in the centre of our hearts, we will walk as a generation who makes a difference for His Kingdom's purposes.
Reflection: Col 3:1-2, John 4:34. Jesus came with a mission to do the will of His Father. What is your mission and purpose in life? Commit to the Lord and ask Him for the hunger to know Him intimately. Confess and renounce ways in which other matters have captured our hearts such that our allegiance and priority have shifted from our Lord. Receive His grace and the strength to reorder your life. Seek counsel and support from your elders.
Prayer Points
■ Believers will be awakened to their hope, calling and purpose. Set free from aimlessness and purposelessness.
■ Churches will birth relevant and creative ministries, that spiritual gifts will be uncovered and developed to serve the church and non-believers in our workplace and communities.
■ Spiritual fathers and mothers to arise in churches, to model Christ-likeness for the young adults in family life, work and service unto the Lord. They will submit to the Lord with regards to life partners and honour Him by their purity and faithfulness.
■ Young adults of all races to channel their idealism and passion appropriately and the Lord to harness them to be a mighty force to birth forth prayer cells to impact all realms of influence towards nation transformation!
When the Generation Gap Comes to Church
Rachel Boehm Van Harmelen (from HERE)
(Article first appeared in the June 22, 2009 issue of the Christian Courier)
“No longer just a problem for families, the generation gap has donned casual business attire and come to work,” state Beverly Kaye, Devon Scheef and Diane Thielfoldt in their article entitled “Engaging the Generations.” According to these authors, an organization that fails to actively engage across generations fails to thrive. When cultural generations clash in a workplace, the results often include conflict, misunderstanding and miscommunication. Talented workers leave for greener pastures, and those who remain lose their motivation. Workplace morale takes a dive.
It is not only businesses that can suffer from generational disharmony. When the generation gap comes to church, it can wreak havoc with a congregational’s well-being and long-term sustainability.
Rev. Adrian Van Giessen, Regional Team Leader – Eastern Canada for Christian Reformed Home Missions, believes that the church, like other organizations, has good reasons to be concerned about multigenerational engagement. But the church’s reasons are rooted, first and foremost, in God’s Word. “Using the analogy that Paul uses in Romans 12 of the church as a body, a healthy church not only recognizes different spiritual gifts as important but also the experiences and wisdom that various generations bring to the body,” Van Giessen says.
“There is a human tendency for each generation to believe and act like the church exists just for them,” Van Giessen says. Programs like girls and boys clubs, youth groups, women’s and men’s Bible Studies, seniors’ activities and Sunday Schools have sprung up over the years, targeting specific generations with age-appropriate programming. These programs are important and necessary in nurturing people along their faith journeys, but now many churches are seeking a place where they can bring the generations back together.
Multigenerational Worship
“Members representing different stages and ages in their faith journey ought to learn from one another,” says Irene Bakker, a member of Hebron Christian Reformed Church in Whitby, Ontario. Bakker chairs a committee in her church that was established to plan multigenerational worship. Hebron’s leaders identified a need for parents and children, young and old, youth and seniors, to engage in “spiritual conversations” across generations. Worship seemed like a good place to start that dialogue.
“Worship is one setting where we may have as many as four or five generations present in the same space,” says Bakker. “Worship plays a key role in our faith formation, and multigenerational communal worship more accurately reflects the unity and diversity of the body of Christ.”
Bakker and her committee intentionally design worship with all generations in mind. The committee itself has members representing all the different generations in the church, something that Bakker says has led to many interesting conversations as services are planned.
“We have a large range of ages in our congregation and many different musical tastes,” Bakker says. “One of the most challenging aspects has been finding songs that all generations know and sing well. In addition, it has been difficult to engage both children and mature seniors with the same sermon.”
But the intentionality of their worship design is having a positive impact, and the blessings for the church are clear. Bakker says the church has seen a new eagerness in young people coming to worship. From handing out bulletins to collecting the offering and helping to write songs, they participate in worship, are blessed and are a blessing to others. Because the committee incorporates worship activities that appeal to diverse learning styles and life experiences – from drama to art – a broader range of individuals can now use their gifts within the worship service and beyond.
A Common Mission
Van Giessen believes that efforts like Hebron’s to bridge the generation gap can go a long way to strengthening churches. “As a church planter who has spent a lot of time in emerging churches, I’ve seen and experienced the blessings that come when people, old and young, work side by side on a common mission. When people from all age groups are involved in a shared mission and recognize the need for various gifts and experiences to help make that work, ministry flourishes and generational differences seem to melt away.”
The sense of Kingdom completeness that comes when generational boundaries are blurred is rooted in Scripture. “God’s Kingdom includes all ages. From generation to generation – the Scriptures tell us – we are blessed and enriched by each other’s perspectives,” says Rev. Karen Wilk, Pastor of Community Life and Discipleship at The River CRC in Edmonton, Alberta.
A few years ago, Wilk participated in a Sustaining Pastoral Excellence peer learning group with colleagues from other Christian Reformed Churches in her region. Together, Wilk and her peers explored the topic of multigenerational ministry. “This really helped us think through the Biblical, theological grounding for being multigenerational,” says Wilk. The pastors who participated in the group continue to reap the rewards of applying their learnings within their congregations, says Wilk. “It has helped us keep other age groups in mind when planning and thinking about church life.”
Multigenerational ministry is something that comes quite naturally in a newly established church like The River CRC, says Wilk, but it is crucial for any church’s ministry—even older, more established churches. “Multigenerational ministry is in our DNA,” she says. “We have youth in our worship bands, doing audio-visual, leading children’s ministry, and participating with our service projects.”
Mentoring
Connecting old and young across the generations also presents valuable opportunities for mentoring within churches, says Van Giessen. “Especially among the younger generations, like the Millennials, there is a hunger and deep desire to walk and live closely with older folks who are willing to love and affirm them.”
In their article, “Engaging the Generation,” Kaye, Scheef and Thielfoldt suggest that informal mentoring allows for the transfer of new skills and insights—something that is desperately needed in the church today. But the authors warn leaders not to think of cross-generational mentoring as a one-way street. While retired church members representing “The Silent Generation” or “The Boomers” can mentor younger people, youth also have skills to share. For instance, technically-literate Millennials can teach older members a thing or two about harnessing the power of the internet to accomplish ministry goals. Gen Xers may challenge authority and rules but they bring intention to vision and purpose within a congregation’s ministry.
What the Holy Spirit Intends
Bridging generation gaps in the church may seem like a lot of work, but the rewards will be worth it. It will foster unity and provide a purpose that is larger than any individual generation’s hopes and experiences.
“Through multigenerational ministry, the church can begin to experience what the Holy Spirit intends for us all,” says Van Giessen, “to be a body of diverse yet unified people.”
(Article first appeared in the June 22, 2009 issue of the Christian Courier)
“No longer just a problem for families, the generation gap has donned casual business attire and come to work,” state Beverly Kaye, Devon Scheef and Diane Thielfoldt in their article entitled “Engaging the Generations.” According to these authors, an organization that fails to actively engage across generations fails to thrive. When cultural generations clash in a workplace, the results often include conflict, misunderstanding and miscommunication. Talented workers leave for greener pastures, and those who remain lose their motivation. Workplace morale takes a dive.
It is not only businesses that can suffer from generational disharmony. When the generation gap comes to church, it can wreak havoc with a congregational’s well-being and long-term sustainability.
Rev. Adrian Van Giessen, Regional Team Leader – Eastern Canada for Christian Reformed Home Missions, believes that the church, like other organizations, has good reasons to be concerned about multigenerational engagement. But the church’s reasons are rooted, first and foremost, in God’s Word. “Using the analogy that Paul uses in Romans 12 of the church as a body, a healthy church not only recognizes different spiritual gifts as important but also the experiences and wisdom that various generations bring to the body,” Van Giessen says.
“There is a human tendency for each generation to believe and act like the church exists just for them,” Van Giessen says. Programs like girls and boys clubs, youth groups, women’s and men’s Bible Studies, seniors’ activities and Sunday Schools have sprung up over the years, targeting specific generations with age-appropriate programming. These programs are important and necessary in nurturing people along their faith journeys, but now many churches are seeking a place where they can bring the generations back together.
Multigenerational Worship
“Members representing different stages and ages in their faith journey ought to learn from one another,” says Irene Bakker, a member of Hebron Christian Reformed Church in Whitby, Ontario. Bakker chairs a committee in her church that was established to plan multigenerational worship. Hebron’s leaders identified a need for parents and children, young and old, youth and seniors, to engage in “spiritual conversations” across generations. Worship seemed like a good place to start that dialogue.
“Worship is one setting where we may have as many as four or five generations present in the same space,” says Bakker. “Worship plays a key role in our faith formation, and multigenerational communal worship more accurately reflects the unity and diversity of the body of Christ.”
Bakker and her committee intentionally design worship with all generations in mind. The committee itself has members representing all the different generations in the church, something that Bakker says has led to many interesting conversations as services are planned.
“We have a large range of ages in our congregation and many different musical tastes,” Bakker says. “One of the most challenging aspects has been finding songs that all generations know and sing well. In addition, it has been difficult to engage both children and mature seniors with the same sermon.”
But the intentionality of their worship design is having a positive impact, and the blessings for the church are clear. Bakker says the church has seen a new eagerness in young people coming to worship. From handing out bulletins to collecting the offering and helping to write songs, they participate in worship, are blessed and are a blessing to others. Because the committee incorporates worship activities that appeal to diverse learning styles and life experiences – from drama to art – a broader range of individuals can now use their gifts within the worship service and beyond.
A Common Mission
Van Giessen believes that efforts like Hebron’s to bridge the generation gap can go a long way to strengthening churches. “As a church planter who has spent a lot of time in emerging churches, I’ve seen and experienced the blessings that come when people, old and young, work side by side on a common mission. When people from all age groups are involved in a shared mission and recognize the need for various gifts and experiences to help make that work, ministry flourishes and generational differences seem to melt away.”
The sense of Kingdom completeness that comes when generational boundaries are blurred is rooted in Scripture. “God’s Kingdom includes all ages. From generation to generation – the Scriptures tell us – we are blessed and enriched by each other’s perspectives,” says Rev. Karen Wilk, Pastor of Community Life and Discipleship at The River CRC in Edmonton, Alberta.
A few years ago, Wilk participated in a Sustaining Pastoral Excellence peer learning group with colleagues from other Christian Reformed Churches in her region. Together, Wilk and her peers explored the topic of multigenerational ministry. “This really helped us think through the Biblical, theological grounding for being multigenerational,” says Wilk. The pastors who participated in the group continue to reap the rewards of applying their learnings within their congregations, says Wilk. “It has helped us keep other age groups in mind when planning and thinking about church life.”
Multigenerational ministry is something that comes quite naturally in a newly established church like The River CRC, says Wilk, but it is crucial for any church’s ministry—even older, more established churches. “Multigenerational ministry is in our DNA,” she says. “We have youth in our worship bands, doing audio-visual, leading children’s ministry, and participating with our service projects.”
Mentoring
Connecting old and young across the generations also presents valuable opportunities for mentoring within churches, says Van Giessen. “Especially among the younger generations, like the Millennials, there is a hunger and deep desire to walk and live closely with older folks who are willing to love and affirm them.”
In their article, “Engaging the Generation,” Kaye, Scheef and Thielfoldt suggest that informal mentoring allows for the transfer of new skills and insights—something that is desperately needed in the church today. But the authors warn leaders not to think of cross-generational mentoring as a one-way street. While retired church members representing “The Silent Generation” or “The Boomers” can mentor younger people, youth also have skills to share. For instance, technically-literate Millennials can teach older members a thing or two about harnessing the power of the internet to accomplish ministry goals. Gen Xers may challenge authority and rules but they bring intention to vision and purpose within a congregation’s ministry.
What the Holy Spirit Intends
Bridging generation gaps in the church may seem like a lot of work, but the rewards will be worth it. It will foster unity and provide a purpose that is larger than any individual generation’s hopes and experiences.
“Through multigenerational ministry, the church can begin to experience what the Holy Spirit intends for us all,” says Van Giessen, “to be a body of diverse yet unified people.”
The Generations in Your Church Today*
A cultural generation is a cohort of people whose youth was shaped by a particular set of events and trends. Because of these shared experiences, cultural generations develop similar values and approaches toward life.
The Silent Generation (born between 1933 and 1945)
This generation grew up in the years following the Great Depression. The harsh economic climate of childhood taught them discipline and self-sacrifice. Over the course of their lives, this generation saw their affluence increase. They tend to be team players who are loyal to organizations. They have a huge knowledge legacy to share and a strong work ethic.
The Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)
Boomers grew up in a time of unprecedented economic prosperity and post-war hopefulness. They were typically raised in nuclear families, most often with a stay-at-home mom. Boomers worked hard and were rewarded for it. They tend to be optimistic and driven by success. Because of their sheer numbers (they are the largest generation alive today), they have dominated the workforce for decades. Boomers excel in tackling issues and finding solutions.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1976)
Divorce and working moms became the new normal for this generation, and many in this generation demonstrate characteristics of independence, resiliency and flexibility. Gen Xers came of age during a major recession. They saw their parents laid off after decades of service. Many graduated from university to find few jobs and opportunities. As a result, Gen Xers became loyal, not to organizations, but rather to their work, their team or their boss. Gen Xers thrive in situations that minimize rules and maximize flexibility and participation. They value feedback and are looking for meaning in their work.
The Millennials (born between 1977 and 1998)
Raised in a child-centric world, this generation has been showered with attention and held in high regard by the adults in their lives. As a result, they are self-confident and achievement-oriented. Technology has surrounded them from birth, and they are more techno-savvy than any previous generation. Their parents involved them in many social, sports and school activities, and they are masters in multi-tasking. They thrive in teams and expect structure.
*Adapted from descriptions of generations provided in “Engaging the Generations” (Beverly Kaye, Devon Sheef and Diane Thielfoldt) and “What You Need to Know about Mentoring the New Generations” (Devon Sheef and Diane Thielfoldt)
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Day 10 (Tuesday 17 August) - Youth Power
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Never before have we experienced a wave of young people rising up in prayer, reaching out in compassion for the welfare of the nation. This is just the tip of the iceberg; we have yet to see the fullness of that which is to come. As we enter this critical hour, may His Spirit accelerate the stirring of His call to these young generations to live out their destiny in pursuit of a lifestyle of holiness that is grounded in His Word and to give Him wholehearted devotion until they come forth into His fullness.
For the church, we need to equip, empower and commission this generation to have, alongside their parents, a passion for Jesus and pursue a supernatural empowering of the Holy Spirit to fulfil His purpose. Let us not stand in the way to hinder them but release them to the Lord!
Reflection: Eph 3:16-20. How deep is your root in Christ? Do you have difficulty in communicating with youths/young adults? Use the verses to pray for the youths and for yourself.
Prayer Points
■ An outpouring of His love and power to come upon this generation that they will set themselves apart for Him and excel in His excellence. An increased hunger for the knowledge of God through His Word. Many secondary students will take up Bible Knowledge in schools.
■ Neutralize all assignments of the enemy and the prevailing trends that seek to corrupt and enslave this generation. Smoking, drug addiction, pornography, homosexuality, materialism, cyber games, gangsterism… etc
■ Godly role model who will lead, guide and mentor them. Uphold youth pastors and workers who work among them.
■ Powerful student movement among Christian youths. Raising up a band of witnesses to champion Christ in schools, colleges, vocational schools and universities . Establishing strong Christian fellowships and prayer cells.
Never before have we experienced a wave of young people rising up in prayer, reaching out in compassion for the welfare of the nation. This is just the tip of the iceberg; we have yet to see the fullness of that which is to come. As we enter this critical hour, may His Spirit accelerate the stirring of His call to these young generations to live out their destiny in pursuit of a lifestyle of holiness that is grounded in His Word and to give Him wholehearted devotion until they come forth into His fullness.
For the church, we need to equip, empower and commission this generation to have, alongside their parents, a passion for Jesus and pursue a supernatural empowering of the Holy Spirit to fulfil His purpose. Let us not stand in the way to hinder them but release them to the Lord!
Reflection: Eph 3:16-20. How deep is your root in Christ? Do you have difficulty in communicating with youths/young adults? Use the verses to pray for the youths and for yourself.
Prayer Points
■ An outpouring of His love and power to come upon this generation that they will set themselves apart for Him and excel in His excellence. An increased hunger for the knowledge of God through His Word. Many secondary students will take up Bible Knowledge in schools.
■ Neutralize all assignments of the enemy and the prevailing trends that seek to corrupt and enslave this generation. Smoking, drug addiction, pornography, homosexuality, materialism, cyber games, gangsterism… etc
■ Godly role model who will lead, guide and mentor them. Uphold youth pastors and workers who work among them.
■ Powerful student movement among Christian youths. Raising up a band of witnesses to champion Christ in schools, colleges, vocational schools and universities . Establishing strong Christian fellowships and prayer cells.
Monday, 16 August 2010
22-Aug-10
Tom C.
Foong Yee
Jocelyn C., Siew Pin, Gigi Lim
Jocelyn Lee, Jacinta Lee
Anna Sim, Prisca
Darren
Terry C.
Tommy Q., Manjit Singh
Foong Yee
Jocelyn C., Siew Pin, Gigi Lim
Jocelyn Lee, Jacinta Lee
Anna Sim, Prisca
Darren
Terry C.
Tommy Q., Manjit Singh
Day 9 (Monday 16 August) - Spiritual Shepherds
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. The enemy knows where to strike. Pastors, elders and church leaders are often the chief targets of the enemy's attack. Spiritual leaders are not super-beings. They have their needs, limitations and weaknesses. In addition, the ministry has become more and more complex and challenging. To be effective servants of God, they need the affirmation, assistance, support and encouragement from the Body. Their success will in turn result in the success of the Body and the Church! Believers, let us arise and be committed to pray daily for our spiritual leaders to make the difference.
Reflection: Mark 14:27, Hebrews 13:17. As leaders are the prime target of the enemy, how often do you pray for your pastor, elder or leader? Do you hold any grudge, anger or frustration against your spiritual leader? Take this time to confess to the Lord and ask Him to cleanse and heal every offence and hurt.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for pastors, elders, spiritual leaders for their sacrifices to obey the call of God in their lives. Renewing of their passion and intimacy with the Lord. Strengthening of their relationship with their spouses and children.
■ Confess and repent of church disunity; renounce every strife, contention, disunity, slandering, murmuring, envy, jealousy, backbiting, pride and rebellious spirit. Healing, restoration and reconciliation of every broken relationship. Unity, love and forgiveness to prevail in all local churches.
■ Support & strong relationship between shepherd and sheep.
■ Thank the Lord for unity among all denominations that they will continue to stand together as ONE mighty force and voice for the nation. Bless all the spiritual heads of each denomination for greater wisdom and anointing to prepare and empower their churches for what is to come.
- One heart with a united vision and purpose to build God's kingdom.
- A strong network of churches in united effort in sharing resources and manpower in community projects to reach out to the lost.
Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. The enemy knows where to strike. Pastors, elders and church leaders are often the chief targets of the enemy's attack. Spiritual leaders are not super-beings. They have their needs, limitations and weaknesses. In addition, the ministry has become more and more complex and challenging. To be effective servants of God, they need the affirmation, assistance, support and encouragement from the Body. Their success will in turn result in the success of the Body and the Church! Believers, let us arise and be committed to pray daily for our spiritual leaders to make the difference.
Reflection: Mark 14:27, Hebrews 13:17. As leaders are the prime target of the enemy, how often do you pray for your pastor, elder or leader? Do you hold any grudge, anger or frustration against your spiritual leader? Take this time to confess to the Lord and ask Him to cleanse and heal every offence and hurt.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for pastors, elders, spiritual leaders for their sacrifices to obey the call of God in their lives. Renewing of their passion and intimacy with the Lord. Strengthening of their relationship with their spouses and children.
■ Confess and repent of church disunity; renounce every strife, contention, disunity, slandering, murmuring, envy, jealousy, backbiting, pride and rebellious spirit. Healing, restoration and reconciliation of every broken relationship. Unity, love and forgiveness to prevail in all local churches.
■ Support & strong relationship between shepherd and sheep.
■ Thank the Lord for unity among all denominations that they will continue to stand together as ONE mighty force and voice for the nation. Bless all the spiritual heads of each denomination for greater wisdom and anointing to prepare and empower their churches for what is to come.
- One heart with a united vision and purpose to build God's kingdom.
- A strong network of churches in united effort in sharing resources and manpower in community projects to reach out to the lost.
Sunday, 15 August 2010
Sunday Sermon 15-Aug-2010
Speaker: Sis Ch'ng Kooi Hwa
White Fields Assembly, Seremban
http://www.mediafire.com/?7xkzsx3azyummsx
(5MB 40minutes MP3)
White Fields Assembly, Seremban
http://www.mediafire.com/?7xkzsx3azyummsx
(5MB 40minutes MP3)
Day 8 (Sunday 15 August) - Interdependence
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
We need to seek God and get rid of the pride and loftiness in our hearts and mind. Like Moses, we need humility and strong team unity so that the 'giants' in our nation will be conquered. In Ex 17:8-16, we see the interdependence of all generations for the battle to be won. Moses could have held his hands up like a champion, but if Joshua and his men had not shown up, there would not have been any victory. In this critical hour, how much more do we need to work, not independently but rather interdependently, with all generations for the sake of His kingdom, changing and transforming every realm for His Glory!
Reflection: John 15:5, Exodus 17:8-16. Do you have heart issues working with others or submitting to those in authority or younger leaders at your workplace / ministry or church? Be honest and confess your pride, envy, jealousy, strife…
Prayer Points
■ On behalf of the Body of Christ, confess and renounce our pride, independent spirit and ask Him to clothe us with humility and grace to work with others. Pray for renewed minds and hearts to embrace each generation and to appreciate its strength and gifting.
■ Pastors and leaders to discern their members' strength and gifting; to encourage, affirm, equip and empower them to serve and to position them according to their gift and calling.
■ Church - unity and strong teamwork among all age groups in ministries for the expansion of His work both internally and externally, touching communities and nation.
■ Speak blessings of unity and pray that all extended church organisations, Christian NGOs, ministry networks to be connected, honouring and serving interdependently for the common good of nation building towards national transformation.
We need to seek God and get rid of the pride and loftiness in our hearts and mind. Like Moses, we need humility and strong team unity so that the 'giants' in our nation will be conquered. In Ex 17:8-16, we see the interdependence of all generations for the battle to be won. Moses could have held his hands up like a champion, but if Joshua and his men had not shown up, there would not have been any victory. In this critical hour, how much more do we need to work, not independently but rather interdependently, with all generations for the sake of His kingdom, changing and transforming every realm for His Glory!
Reflection: John 15:5, Exodus 17:8-16. Do you have heart issues working with others or submitting to those in authority or younger leaders at your workplace / ministry or church? Be honest and confess your pride, envy, jealousy, strife…
Prayer Points
■ On behalf of the Body of Christ, confess and renounce our pride, independent spirit and ask Him to clothe us with humility and grace to work with others. Pray for renewed minds and hearts to embrace each generation and to appreciate its strength and gifting.
■ Pastors and leaders to discern their members' strength and gifting; to encourage, affirm, equip and empower them to serve and to position them according to their gift and calling.
■ Church - unity and strong teamwork among all age groups in ministries for the expansion of His work both internally and externally, touching communities and nation.
■ Speak blessings of unity and pray that all extended church organisations, Christian NGOs, ministry networks to be connected, honouring and serving interdependently for the common good of nation building towards national transformation.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Day 7 (Saturday 14 August) - Curse or Blessing?
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Abraham, the father of our faith, inherited blessings from God that saw the progression of generational blessing passing from one generation to the next. In Gen 27:33, Isaac said to Esau, "I blessed him (Jacob) and indeed he will be blessed!" In Gen. 48-49, Jacob gathered his sons and blessed them and their families and spoke prophetically about their destinies. The words of faith pronounced by the Old Testament patriarchs over their children had great power.
Parents ought to store up treasures of His promises in the Word to bless their children by faith! Today we need to ask ourselves, "What spiritual depth do I have to speak forth His Word in faith to our children or to the next generation that will affect their life and destiny?" Or have we spoken death? We need to sanctify our tongue today!
Reflection: Prov 18:2, James 3:3-11. Confess and repent of any spoken word that has pronounced death and curses, belittled or put down your children. Seek God to cleanse and purify your heart to speak words of life and blessing. Parents, bless your children.
Prayer Points
■ Ask God to heal all wounded and damaged child and youth who are emotionally and spiritually crippled by words spoken over them by their parents, relatives, spiritual leaders, teachers or others. Break every lie and curse upon their lives.
■ Youth and children will be deeply rooted in God's love and in the Word so that they will find their identity and security in Him and fulfil His calling and destiny.
■ Raising up prophetic generations in all age groups, who are deeply rooted in the Word of God to release His rhema Word in season to turn the tide of evil for spiritual breakthrough and transformation of the nation.
■ Positioning of godly believers in high places of authority to be His prophetic voice to influence decisions and policies in state affairs.
Abraham, the father of our faith, inherited blessings from God that saw the progression of generational blessing passing from one generation to the next. In Gen 27:33, Isaac said to Esau, "I blessed him (Jacob) and indeed he will be blessed!" In Gen. 48-49, Jacob gathered his sons and blessed them and their families and spoke prophetically about their destinies. The words of faith pronounced by the Old Testament patriarchs over their children had great power.
Parents ought to store up treasures of His promises in the Word to bless their children by faith! Today we need to ask ourselves, "What spiritual depth do I have to speak forth His Word in faith to our children or to the next generation that will affect their life and destiny?" Or have we spoken death? We need to sanctify our tongue today!
Reflection: Prov 18:2, James 3:3-11. Confess and repent of any spoken word that has pronounced death and curses, belittled or put down your children. Seek God to cleanse and purify your heart to speak words of life and blessing. Parents, bless your children.
Prayer Points
■ Ask God to heal all wounded and damaged child and youth who are emotionally and spiritually crippled by words spoken over them by their parents, relatives, spiritual leaders, teachers or others. Break every lie and curse upon their lives.
■ Youth and children will be deeply rooted in God's love and in the Word so that they will find their identity and security in Him and fulfil His calling and destiny.
■ Raising up prophetic generations in all age groups, who are deeply rooted in the Word of God to release His rhema Word in season to turn the tide of evil for spiritual breakthrough and transformation of the nation.
■ Positioning of godly believers in high places of authority to be His prophetic voice to influence decisions and policies in state affairs.
Friday, 13 August 2010
Day 6 (Friday 13 August) - No Substitute!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Today, parents are more disconnected and less involved in their children's lives than any other generation. Many parents have entrusted the care of their children to "surrogate parents" - parents or parent-in-laws, day-care centres, babysitters or worse, television and video games which have begun to influence the children's moral and social values.
God Himself gave parents - not Sunday School teachers, schools, youth ministry leaders or anyone else - to nurture and admonish their children in the ways of the Lord. There's no short cut in parenting. Parents need to be responsible for the role God has entrusted to them and not to abdicate that high calling.
Reflection: Deut 11:16-21. Let us search our hearts where we have not fulfilled this command and have abdicated our role in instructing children in the ways of the Lord. Confess to the Lord.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for homemakers and pray for strength and grace that they will be empowered to fulfil different roles, His calling and destiny.
■ Working parents that they will encounter God afresh and to know the perfect will of God for their lives. Despite busy schedules, parents will give priority to God. Imparting strong values and priorities to govern every home so that children will be brought up by strong discipline.
■ Parents to seek the will of God for the plans for their children, to prepare, guide and release them to serve His purpose.
■ Uphold kindergartens, day care centres, Sunday School teachers to teach and impart godly values and principles to the children.
Today, parents are more disconnected and less involved in their children's lives than any other generation. Many parents have entrusted the care of their children to "surrogate parents" - parents or parent-in-laws, day-care centres, babysitters or worse, television and video games which have begun to influence the children's moral and social values.
God Himself gave parents - not Sunday School teachers, schools, youth ministry leaders or anyone else - to nurture and admonish their children in the ways of the Lord. There's no short cut in parenting. Parents need to be responsible for the role God has entrusted to them and not to abdicate that high calling.
Reflection: Deut 11:16-21. Let us search our hearts where we have not fulfilled this command and have abdicated our role in instructing children in the ways of the Lord. Confess to the Lord.
Prayer Points
■ Thank the Lord for homemakers and pray for strength and grace that they will be empowered to fulfil different roles, His calling and destiny.
■ Working parents that they will encounter God afresh and to know the perfect will of God for their lives. Despite busy schedules, parents will give priority to God. Imparting strong values and priorities to govern every home so that children will be brought up by strong discipline.
■ Parents to seek the will of God for the plans for their children, to prepare, guide and release them to serve His purpose.
■ Uphold kindergartens, day care centres, Sunday School teachers to teach and impart godly values and principles to the children.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Day 5 (Thursday 12 August) - Turn Your Heart!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Mal 4:5-6. God promised to send us the prophet Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and children to their fathers and together to God. Fathers are to instruct and train their children and grandchildren in the ways of the Lord so that our Christian heritage is not lost in one generation but that the love for God may be passed from one generation to the next. Let us therefore pray for significant breakthroughs for parents and children as we turn their hearts back to our Heavenly Father in repentance on where we have failed, so that the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings.
Reflection: Mal 4:1-6. Are you holding grudges, anger, frustrations, unforgiveness or disappointment against your loved ones? Confess to the Lord, release and seek forgiveness.
Prayer Points
■ Implore the Lord to turn hearts back to our Abba Father wholeheartedly. Parents to children; Pastor/Elders to their flock. Openness, mutual trust and respect to be restored in all relationships.
■ Ask the Sun of Righteousness to bring restoration and reconciliation in families. Family altars to be restored and homes to be His lighthouse as a place of refuge to those who are in need.
■ Fullness of the restoration of fathers to take their rightful role as head of household, leading by godly example, guarding and governing their homes in the fear of God.
■ Ask the Lord for the latter rain outpouring that a great revival will commence over the entire nation and beyond.
Mal 4:5-6. God promised to send us the prophet Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and children to their fathers and together to God. Fathers are to instruct and train their children and grandchildren in the ways of the Lord so that our Christian heritage is not lost in one generation but that the love for God may be passed from one generation to the next. Let us therefore pray for significant breakthroughs for parents and children as we turn their hearts back to our Heavenly Father in repentance on where we have failed, so that the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings.
Reflection: Mal 4:1-6. Are you holding grudges, anger, frustrations, unforgiveness or disappointment against your loved ones? Confess to the Lord, release and seek forgiveness.
Prayer Points
■ Implore the Lord to turn hearts back to our Abba Father wholeheartedly. Parents to children; Pastor/Elders to their flock. Openness, mutual trust and respect to be restored in all relationships.
■ Ask the Sun of Righteousness to bring restoration and reconciliation in families. Family altars to be restored and homes to be His lighthouse as a place of refuge to those who are in need.
■ Fullness of the restoration of fathers to take their rightful role as head of household, leading by godly example, guarding and governing their homes in the fear of God.
■ Ask the Lord for the latter rain outpouring that a great revival will commence over the entire nation and beyond.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Day 4 (Wednesday 11 August) - Honour God!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
We may ask, "What is the spiritual state of our nation and why is there so much internal strife in our homes, churches and among people groups in our nation?" The reasons are simple: we have broken the two commandments - loving God and loving one another. All broken relationships are the result of violating these commandments. If we desire to see revival, harmony, unity and order in our nation, we need to address the root issue of "honouring God and honouring one another!" We need to deal with our disobedience, negative attitudes and pride so that all generations, families, churches and nation will be healed, restoring God's order to transform this nation.
Reflection: Mal 2:2-6, Matt 19:19, Pro 15:33. In what ways have I dishonoured God, my parents, neighbours, friends and the authorities. For example, have I honoured God in my giving? Confess and stand in identification repentance on behalf of the church and nation for dishonouring Him by our lives and attitude.
"Faithful and uniform obedience to this royal law throughout the churches of Christ would be of itself an evangelistic power, an aggressive spiritual energy far transcending all the revival meetings ever held." D. Jackson
Prayer Points
■ Honour and respect to be restored in all relationships beginning with our relationship with God, parents and children, husbands and wives, the elderly and the youths, employers and employees, church leaders and members, government officials and the public.
■ Humility to initiate forgiveness in all broken relationships. Believers to live God-honouring lives in all aspects - thoughts, actions and words - and to be His salt and light.
■ Body of Christ to honour God in their substance, that resources will not be lacking in community projects that reach out to the lost, poor and helpless in all states.
We may ask, "What is the spiritual state of our nation and why is there so much internal strife in our homes, churches and among people groups in our nation?" The reasons are simple: we have broken the two commandments - loving God and loving one another. All broken relationships are the result of violating these commandments. If we desire to see revival, harmony, unity and order in our nation, we need to address the root issue of "honouring God and honouring one another!" We need to deal with our disobedience, negative attitudes and pride so that all generations, families, churches and nation will be healed, restoring God's order to transform this nation.
Reflection: Mal 2:2-6, Matt 19:19, Pro 15:33. In what ways have I dishonoured God, my parents, neighbours, friends and the authorities. For example, have I honoured God in my giving? Confess and stand in identification repentance on behalf of the church and nation for dishonouring Him by our lives and attitude.
"Faithful and uniform obedience to this royal law throughout the churches of Christ would be of itself an evangelistic power, an aggressive spiritual energy far transcending all the revival meetings ever held." D. Jackson
Prayer Points
■ Honour and respect to be restored in all relationships beginning with our relationship with God, parents and children, husbands and wives, the elderly and the youths, employers and employees, church leaders and members, government officials and the public.
■ Humility to initiate forgiveness in all broken relationships. Believers to live God-honouring lives in all aspects - thoughts, actions and words - and to be His salt and light.
■ Body of Christ to honour God in their substance, that resources will not be lacking in community projects that reach out to the lost, poor and helpless in all states.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Day 3 (Tuesday 10 August) - New Wine for Marriage!
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
Marriage is a holy covenant before God and is constituted by Himself (Gen 2:24). The importance of marriage is demonstrated in John 2:1-11, when Jesus began His ministry by attending a wedding feast and performed His first miracle by turning water into wine. In the Jewish customs, the wedding feast probably lasts a week. When wine runs out during such a long feast, it could bring shame to the host.
Likewise in many marriages today, instead of turning our trials and pain in marriages into the sweetest joy through the years, many marriages have become insipid, sour and even bitter, while others are empty, dry and hopeless. Whatever the state, God is a covenant-keeping God who seeks to restore all marriages and relationships if we turn our hearts back to Him. Let us begin by renewing our covenant relationship with Him!
Reflection: John 2:1-11. For married couples, is there fresh 'wine' in your marriage or are you dried up in anger or bitterness? Confess and renounce. On behalf of the Church and nation, beseech the Lord for forgiveness for the broken faith in our relationship with Him, committing spiritual adultery by pursuing the things of the world.
Prayer Points
■ Couples to place God in the centre of their marriages, restoring their first love to Him and to each other so that joy and freshness will overflow. Couples to submit to each other and for open, transparent communication.
■ Plead for deliverance to set marriages free from destruction, divorce, deception, depression and disillusionment. Pray for release of forgiveness, healing and restoration in broken couples.
■ Pray against all assignments of the Enemy to break down marriages; for protection for all marriages. Pray for the marriages of your pastor, elder and leaders.
■ Protection for our youths against all perversion and distortion of marriages such as same-sex marriages, co-habitation and fornication. Pray for godly couples who
will be good role models to the younger generation.
Marriage is a holy covenant before God and is constituted by Himself (Gen 2:24). The importance of marriage is demonstrated in John 2:1-11, when Jesus began His ministry by attending a wedding feast and performed His first miracle by turning water into wine. In the Jewish customs, the wedding feast probably lasts a week. When wine runs out during such a long feast, it could bring shame to the host.
Likewise in many marriages today, instead of turning our trials and pain in marriages into the sweetest joy through the years, many marriages have become insipid, sour and even bitter, while others are empty, dry and hopeless. Whatever the state, God is a covenant-keeping God who seeks to restore all marriages and relationships if we turn our hearts back to Him. Let us begin by renewing our covenant relationship with Him!
Reflection: John 2:1-11. For married couples, is there fresh 'wine' in your marriage or are you dried up in anger or bitterness? Confess and renounce. On behalf of the Church and nation, beseech the Lord for forgiveness for the broken faith in our relationship with Him, committing spiritual adultery by pursuing the things of the world.
Prayer Points
■ Couples to place God in the centre of their marriages, restoring their first love to Him and to each other so that joy and freshness will overflow. Couples to submit to each other and for open, transparent communication.
■ Plead for deliverance to set marriages free from destruction, divorce, deception, depression and disillusionment. Pray for release of forgiveness, healing and restoration in broken couples.
■ Pray against all assignments of the Enemy to break down marriages; for protection for all marriages. Pray for the marriages of your pastor, elder and leaders.
■ Protection for our youths against all perversion and distortion of marriages such as same-sex marriages, co-habitation and fornication. Pray for godly couples who
will be good role models to the younger generation.
Monday, 9 August 2010
15-Aug-10
Caleb R.
Peggy Tan
Colleen, Foong Yee, Hong Lu
Prisca, Meng Fhui
Terry C., Weng Ern
Ken Fhui
Moses Tan
Hiew FF, Tommy .Q
Peggy Tan
Colleen, Foong Yee, Hong Lu
Prisca, Meng Fhui
Terry C., Weng Ern
Ken Fhui
Moses Tan
Hiew FF, Tommy .Q
Day 2 (Monday 9 August) - Building Blocks
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
God Himself ordained family and marriages as the basic building block of human society. When the family unit crumbles, society will crumble as well. This family unit is most powerful and families need to WAKE UP to the realisation that the family institution is under attack! The war started in Genesis in Adam's family and today, the same destructive force is against families, marriages and children. But God is the Restorer and Master Builder of every broken relationship. If God is for us, who can be against us! Let us look to Him to re-build and strengthen and defend our families.
Reflection: Eph 5:22-33, 6:1-4. Seek God to deal with our hearts if there is anger, rejection, resentment, disappointment or failure to forgive our parents, spouses, brothers and sisters. Confess and reconcile with one another.
Prayer Points
■ Healing and reconciliation in all families. Mutual love and submission to be restored in all levels of relationship within families.
■ Rise up in faith and ask the Lord to free families from every assignment of the Enemy who has come to steal, kill and destroy family unit. Claim Joel 2:25 for families, 'I will give you back what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops!'
■ Pray for strong Christian homes. Parents to guide and impart godly values to their children for a future generation of responsible citizens who will love and serve God, family, society and nation regardless of race and religion.
God Himself ordained family and marriages as the basic building block of human society. When the family unit crumbles, society will crumble as well. This family unit is most powerful and families need to WAKE UP to the realisation that the family institution is under attack! The war started in Genesis in Adam's family and today, the same destructive force is against families, marriages and children. But God is the Restorer and Master Builder of every broken relationship. If God is for us, who can be against us! Let us look to Him to re-build and strengthen and defend our families.
Reflection: Eph 5:22-33, 6:1-4. Seek God to deal with our hearts if there is anger, rejection, resentment, disappointment or failure to forgive our parents, spouses, brothers and sisters. Confess and reconcile with one another.
Prayer Points
■ Healing and reconciliation in all families. Mutual love and submission to be restored in all levels of relationship within families.
■ Rise up in faith and ask the Lord to free families from every assignment of the Enemy who has come to steal, kill and destroy family unit. Claim Joel 2:25 for families, 'I will give you back what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops!'
■ Pray for strong Christian homes. Parents to guide and impart godly values to their children for a future generation of responsible citizens who will love and serve God, family, society and nation regardless of race and religion.
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Sunday Sermon 8-Aug-2010
Speaker: Elder John Lee
Full Gospel Assembly, Batu Pahat
http://www.mediafire.com/?5wkf7s89tfkdbzd
(7MB MP3)
Full Gospel Assembly, Batu Pahat
http://www.mediafire.com/?5wkf7s89tfkdbzd
(7MB MP3)
Day 1 (Sunday 8 August) - Divine Order
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
God is a God of order! In whatever position we may be in, the secret of real peace and joy lies in the maintenance of His divine order in our inner being. Whether in family or church, if we fail to uphold God's order and substitute that with any other for the sake of our convenience and expediency, disharmony and confusion will be the inevitable result. This is what we are facing today individually and nationally! Breakthrough will never come unless we align our lives according to His order and set the right priorities in our lives, with the Lordship of Christ at the helm and all others in submission to Christ as Lord.
Reflection: Isaiah 38:1-4. The Lord sent a prophet to Hezekiah and ordered him to put his house in order. While the context is about the necessary preparation in view of his impending death, we will do well to take heed. In the next 40 days, seek God to reorder your life, family, church and nation, putting our priorities and relationships right. Confess where you have failed and ask Him to correctly order the priorities in your life and ministry.
Prayer Points
* Church and Nation: Identification and repentance - of our disobedience, violation of His Commandments, substituting and abdicating His Lordship.
■ Idolatry - materialism, self, status, success
■ Independence - pride, strife, manipulation
■ Immorality - lust, adultery, fornication, pornography
■ Impurity - lying, backbiting, gossip, half truths, boasting, malice, slander, etc.
■ Injustice - indifference towards the lost, marginalised, poor, oppressed
* Implore the Lord to align the corporate body of Christ back to Him that there will be connection with Him in spirit and in truth. Healing and reconciliation in all broken relationships. Restoring order and unity in churches.
* God's righteousness and justice to prevail in all government and private sectors. Wisdom for PM, DPM and Cabinet to govern the nation in the fear of God. Continual peace, stability, harmony and prosperity.
God is a God of order! In whatever position we may be in, the secret of real peace and joy lies in the maintenance of His divine order in our inner being. Whether in family or church, if we fail to uphold God's order and substitute that with any other for the sake of our convenience and expediency, disharmony and confusion will be the inevitable result. This is what we are facing today individually and nationally! Breakthrough will never come unless we align our lives according to His order and set the right priorities in our lives, with the Lordship of Christ at the helm and all others in submission to Christ as Lord.
Reflection: Isaiah 38:1-4. The Lord sent a prophet to Hezekiah and ordered him to put his house in order. While the context is about the necessary preparation in view of his impending death, we will do well to take heed. In the next 40 days, seek God to reorder your life, family, church and nation, putting our priorities and relationships right. Confess where you have failed and ask Him to correctly order the priorities in your life and ministry.
Prayer Points
* Church and Nation: Identification and repentance - of our disobedience, violation of His Commandments, substituting and abdicating His Lordship.
■ Idolatry - materialism, self, status, success
■ Independence - pride, strife, manipulation
■ Immorality - lust, adultery, fornication, pornography
■ Impurity - lying, backbiting, gossip, half truths, boasting, malice, slander, etc.
■ Injustice - indifference towards the lost, marginalised, poor, oppressed
* Implore the Lord to align the corporate body of Christ back to Him that there will be connection with Him in spirit and in truth. Healing and reconciliation in all broken relationships. Restoring order and unity in churches.
* God's righteousness and justice to prevail in all government and private sectors. Wisdom for PM, DPM and Cabinet to govern the nation in the fear of God. Continual peace, stability, harmony and prosperity.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
When Is It Adultery?
by Mark Gungor on August 3rd, 2010
Share
Is what Jesus said true? Seems like a pretty straight forward question. Born again Christians who believe the bible is the inspired Word of God would quickly give an emphatic “yes” as an answer. But I would like to challenge believers in an area where they say Jesus’ words are true, but aren’t necessarily living like it. It’s a rather sad indictment on Christianity today that we even have to ask: When is what Jesus said about divorce and remarriage being adultery ever true? What’s more shocking is that almost no one I ask seems to be able to give an answer to the question!
Divorce is common among people in churches today. Statistically, divorce is occurring among believers at the same rate as non-church couples—actually at an even higher rate than atheists! Christians are most often divorcing not because of an affair or sexual unfaithfulness, but for any reason under the sun—everything from “my spouse isn’t meeting my needs” and “he/she isn’t my soul mate” to “we just can’t get along”. Sometimes very strict churches will take a real hard line and say that you can never remarry after divorce or else it’s adultery. They maintain that you must live alone for the rest of your life, no matter the circumstances, even if a person divorced prior to becoming a believer. Undoubtedly, people have been hurt by that rigid stand.
If you read the bible, you’ll see that Jesus was actually very strong on this. He said if a man divorces his wife for any other reason but sexual unfaithfulness and she marries someone else, she commits adultery. That’s pretty strong. The fact that people apply that with no exception, even to those who made the decision to divorce when they were not believers, is pretty harsh. But that’s not the common practice in most churches today.
Most churches are not taking the extremely strict stand on divorce and remarriage. In fact, too many don’t take any stand. What I see as a bigger problem, and occurring more often, is that now you can get divorced and remarried for any and every reason—biblical or not. I think the casualness churches treat marriage with is wrong. People divorce their spouse, then they just move on to the next person and the church remarries them as if it’s no problem. To me it’s like a version of wife swapping and the church just smiles and thinks it’s no big deal. We’ve gone to the other extreme on this and it needs to be dealt with.
So when is remarriage adultery?
Remember, Jesus said remarriage in situations other than when sexual unfaithfulness has occurred, is indeed adultery. My question to churches is: When is that true for Christians today? When is what Jesus said ever true when it comes to the revolving door of marriage among believers? I’m concerned that there are so many excuses and exceptions that divorce and remarriage is not considered adultery in any situation. Today there are so many exceptions that we end up invalidating the very words of Christ. I do think adultery is a real deal breaker and the bible clearly makes accommodation for it. Other than this, I tend to be very conservative on this and in my church, but for a marriage that ended because of adultery committed against them, I will not remarry a person. (Unless it’s back to their original spouse, which I have actually done!) They can go somewhere else and find someone else to marry them.
What about…
People will come up with all kinds of scenarios and ask me the question, “What about domestic violence or abuse? Or alcoholism?” Look, I’m not God and everyone has to deal with their own conscience on this. But again, here we get into this area of excuses and exceptions. Do you really think there was no such thing as men hitting their wives in Jesus’ day? Then why didn’t he mention that excuse? Women say, “I’m divorcing my husband’s because he’s an alcoholic”. Do you really think people we’re alcoholics in Jesus’ day? Come on, we’re talking about over two thousand years ago when people were pretty barbaric. You think our culture is bad now? It was worse then! According to Jesus, there was only one excuse…that was sexual unfaithfulness.
Now, all kinds of people have been remarried in these types of “non-adultery” situations—do I think they’re all doomed? No. Are they supposed to divorce the new spouse because it’s not according to the bible? Certainly not. There is no way to go back and unscramble all the eggs, but I think as Christians the ideal is to follow God’s word, stop all the divorcing, and do it right in the first place. Then it wouldn’t even be an issue!
People make mistakes
I totally understand that people make mistakes, often times before they were saved and came to Christ. Then later they become born again, have repented, they are part of the church, and are serving Jesus. That’s a completely different scenario and of course God’s love and grace are greater than virtually any situation. My concern is that Christians use grace as a license to do what’s wrong and then they think, “God will just forgive me.” Yes, God forgives, but Paul writes in the bible and says we should not use grace as an excuse to do the wrong thing. I’m afraid that’s where we’re at in the church today.
A standard needs to be set
Truly, at some point, a standard needs to be set. I think churches have virtually no standard anymore and we need to start taking this very seriously. When you say “I do”, it means you did—till death do you part. We must realize that there is a biblical standard that has been ignored and it’s time for the Church to quit treating it so casually and answer the looming question: When is what Jesus said ever true? If we can’t even answer the question, we are in a really bad place.
Share
Is what Jesus said true? Seems like a pretty straight forward question. Born again Christians who believe the bible is the inspired Word of God would quickly give an emphatic “yes” as an answer. But I would like to challenge believers in an area where they say Jesus’ words are true, but aren’t necessarily living like it. It’s a rather sad indictment on Christianity today that we even have to ask: When is what Jesus said about divorce and remarriage being adultery ever true? What’s more shocking is that almost no one I ask seems to be able to give an answer to the question!
Divorce is common among people in churches today. Statistically, divorce is occurring among believers at the same rate as non-church couples—actually at an even higher rate than atheists! Christians are most often divorcing not because of an affair or sexual unfaithfulness, but for any reason under the sun—everything from “my spouse isn’t meeting my needs” and “he/she isn’t my soul mate” to “we just can’t get along”. Sometimes very strict churches will take a real hard line and say that you can never remarry after divorce or else it’s adultery. They maintain that you must live alone for the rest of your life, no matter the circumstances, even if a person divorced prior to becoming a believer. Undoubtedly, people have been hurt by that rigid stand.
If you read the bible, you’ll see that Jesus was actually very strong on this. He said if a man divorces his wife for any other reason but sexual unfaithfulness and she marries someone else, she commits adultery. That’s pretty strong. The fact that people apply that with no exception, even to those who made the decision to divorce when they were not believers, is pretty harsh. But that’s not the common practice in most churches today.
Most churches are not taking the extremely strict stand on divorce and remarriage. In fact, too many don’t take any stand. What I see as a bigger problem, and occurring more often, is that now you can get divorced and remarried for any and every reason—biblical or not. I think the casualness churches treat marriage with is wrong. People divorce their spouse, then they just move on to the next person and the church remarries them as if it’s no problem. To me it’s like a version of wife swapping and the church just smiles and thinks it’s no big deal. We’ve gone to the other extreme on this and it needs to be dealt with.
So when is remarriage adultery?
Remember, Jesus said remarriage in situations other than when sexual unfaithfulness has occurred, is indeed adultery. My question to churches is: When is that true for Christians today? When is what Jesus said ever true when it comes to the revolving door of marriage among believers? I’m concerned that there are so many excuses and exceptions that divorce and remarriage is not considered adultery in any situation. Today there are so many exceptions that we end up invalidating the very words of Christ. I do think adultery is a real deal breaker and the bible clearly makes accommodation for it. Other than this, I tend to be very conservative on this and in my church, but for a marriage that ended because of adultery committed against them, I will not remarry a person. (Unless it’s back to their original spouse, which I have actually done!) They can go somewhere else and find someone else to marry them.
What about…
People will come up with all kinds of scenarios and ask me the question, “What about domestic violence or abuse? Or alcoholism?” Look, I’m not God and everyone has to deal with their own conscience on this. But again, here we get into this area of excuses and exceptions. Do you really think there was no such thing as men hitting their wives in Jesus’ day? Then why didn’t he mention that excuse? Women say, “I’m divorcing my husband’s because he’s an alcoholic”. Do you really think people we’re alcoholics in Jesus’ day? Come on, we’re talking about over two thousand years ago when people were pretty barbaric. You think our culture is bad now? It was worse then! According to Jesus, there was only one excuse…that was sexual unfaithfulness.
Now, all kinds of people have been remarried in these types of “non-adultery” situations—do I think they’re all doomed? No. Are they supposed to divorce the new spouse because it’s not according to the bible? Certainly not. There is no way to go back and unscramble all the eggs, but I think as Christians the ideal is to follow God’s word, stop all the divorcing, and do it right in the first place. Then it wouldn’t even be an issue!
People make mistakes
I totally understand that people make mistakes, often times before they were saved and came to Christ. Then later they become born again, have repented, they are part of the church, and are serving Jesus. That’s a completely different scenario and of course God’s love and grace are greater than virtually any situation. My concern is that Christians use grace as a license to do what’s wrong and then they think, “God will just forgive me.” Yes, God forgives, but Paul writes in the bible and says we should not use grace as an excuse to do the wrong thing. I’m afraid that’s where we’re at in the church today.
A standard needs to be set
Truly, at some point, a standard needs to be set. I think churches have virtually no standard anymore and we need to start taking this very seriously. When you say “I do”, it means you did—till death do you part. We must realize that there is a biblical standard that has been ignored and it’s time for the Church to quit treating it so casually and answer the looming question: When is what Jesus said ever true? If we can’t even answer the question, we are in a really bad place.
Monday, 2 August 2010
8-Aug-10
Barnabas P.
Prisca
Siew Pin, Jocelyn C, Lareina
Lydia Sim, Jocelyn Lee
Darren, Ken Fhui
Kai Yew
Meng Fhui
Manjit Singh, Tommy Q.
Prisca
Siew Pin, Jocelyn C, Lareina
Lydia Sim, Jocelyn Lee
Darren, Ken Fhui
Kai Yew
Meng Fhui
Manjit Singh, Tommy Q.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Sunday Sermon 1-Aug-2010
Speaker: Dr Siow Khim Woon
White Fields Assembly, Seremban
http://www.mediafire.com/?rw9nbooawiotinm
(6MB MP3)
White Fields Assembly, Seremban
http://www.mediafire.com/?rw9nbooawiotinm
(6MB MP3)
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