As the year is fast approaching to its final countdown, many avid bloggers (and readers) have shared their lists of top books of 2008 that they have read. Their appetite for good books (Challies led the pack by reading 80+ books this year!) is really an encouragement. I have been a bit slack this year, my excuse is I have to read lots of non-theological literature as well including leadership, management, and the like. Just for your interest, a recent Wall Street Journal article "Bush is a book lover" reported the number and range of books that President Bush has read in 2008; apparently he too likes to read.
I have compiled the list of the Christian books below for your perusal, just in case you are wondering what you want to read during summer (if you are in my part of the world). Click on the hyperlink to see their review or comments on each book listed:
Tim Challies
Don’t Stop Believing by Michael Wittmer
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
The Reason for God by Tim Keller
Christless Christianity by Michael Horton
Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns
Love or Die by Alexander Strauch
Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson
Honorable mentions: The Courage To Be Protestant, Do Hard Things, A Tale of Two Sons, Why We’re Not Emergent, He Is Not Silent, and Touching History.
Seth McBee
1. The reason for God, Tim Keller
2. Jesus: Made in America, Stephen J. Nichols
3. God is the Gospel, John Piper
4. Vintage Jesus, Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears
5. Why We're Not Emergent, Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
6. A Tale of Two Sons, John MacArthur
7. Simple Church, Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger
8. The Law and Its Fulfillment, Thomas R. Schreiner
9. Death by Suburb, David Goetz
10. Game Day for the Glory of God, Stephen Altrogge
Dave Bish
1. You can change - Tim Chester.
2. Worship Matters - Bob Kauflin.
3. Alarm to the Unconverted Sinner - Joseph Alleine.
4. Miracles - C.S. Lewis.
5. Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life - Colin Duriez.
6. The Reason for God - Tim Keller.
7. The Kingdom and The Power - Peter Leithart.
8. Dominion and Dynasty - Stephen Dempster.
9. Death by Love - Mark Driscoll.
=10. Lectures to my students - CH Spurgeon.
=10. But is it real? - Amy Orr-Ewing.
Special mentions: Commentary on the New Testament use of the Old Testament edited by D.A. Carson and G.K. Beale, On the Incarnation by Athanasisus
Dec 29, 2008
Dec 24, 2008
Why Christmas is Revolutionary
I am sure there are many other, but the following ten reasons popped up in my head (more precisely, jumped out of my heart) when I reflected why Christmas is revolutionary. Let me know if you want to add yours. Why is Christmas revolutionary?
1. Because Christmas is about God coming to the world in the form of a helpless babe, not a superhero we all wish to have so that we can project our needs to have a false sense of security.
2. Because Christmas is about a birth of a baby whose sole purpose in life is to die.
3. Because the details of Christmas took place exactly as foretold by the prophets hundred years prior. There's got to be something extraordinary about that birth.
4. Because at Christmas, the birth of baby Jesus that was witnessed by more than animals than human did separate the two era of history: B.C. and A.D.
5. Because Christmas is about God oddly choosing two poor, nervous, inexperienced teenagers to be the earthly parents of Jesus, and trusted them for the first critical few years of a child's life, mostly as a refugee family who kept running into life-threatening dangers.
6. Because, as lovely as our Christmas cards depict the nativity scene may be, it was really a bloody Christmas. The mass murder of two-year old infants around Jesus' birth cannot possibly be worse. Christ's solidarity with people in pain and anguish was obvious right from his birth.
7. Because Christmas is about God coming in flesh, about the spirit entering the physical, thus showing that God cares both with our spirit and our body, with our spiritual and bodily needs, both of which he experienced first hand as a human. "What an unthinkable fact", said the Western and Eastern religious philosophers.
8. Because Christmas gives a whole new paradigm. We always think that our problems come from outside and the solutions come from within. We become our own savior, that's why we always end up disappointed. Christmas says. "Stop thinking that way. Instead, think this way: Your problems come from within and the solution comes from outside, Christ Incarnate."
9. Because Christmas only becomes "a good tidings of great joy" (as the angel said to the shepherd) when we readily accept the profoundly self-transforming fact of Christ as Savior first as a soul-piercing sword, like Mary did.
10. Because Christmas is a news, not an advice, that needs individual responses. Responses which collectively will transform individuals, families, nations, and the whole world. It has been that way in the past 2,000 years, and it will continue to be so.
1. Because Christmas is about God coming to the world in the form of a helpless babe, not a superhero we all wish to have so that we can project our needs to have a false sense of security.
2. Because Christmas is about a birth of a baby whose sole purpose in life is to die.
3. Because the details of Christmas took place exactly as foretold by the prophets hundred years prior. There's got to be something extraordinary about that birth.
4. Because at Christmas, the birth of baby Jesus that was witnessed by more than animals than human did separate the two era of history: B.C. and A.D.
5. Because Christmas is about God oddly choosing two poor, nervous, inexperienced teenagers to be the earthly parents of Jesus, and trusted them for the first critical few years of a child's life, mostly as a refugee family who kept running into life-threatening dangers.
6. Because, as lovely as our Christmas cards depict the nativity scene may be, it was really a bloody Christmas. The mass murder of two-year old infants around Jesus' birth cannot possibly be worse. Christ's solidarity with people in pain and anguish was obvious right from his birth.
7. Because Christmas is about God coming in flesh, about the spirit entering the physical, thus showing that God cares both with our spirit and our body, with our spiritual and bodily needs, both of which he experienced first hand as a human. "What an unthinkable fact", said the Western and Eastern religious philosophers.
8. Because Christmas gives a whole new paradigm. We always think that our problems come from outside and the solutions come from within. We become our own savior, that's why we always end up disappointed. Christmas says. "Stop thinking that way. Instead, think this way: Your problems come from within and the solution comes from outside, Christ Incarnate."
9. Because Christmas only becomes "a good tidings of great joy" (as the angel said to the shepherd) when we readily accept the profoundly self-transforming fact of Christ as Savior first as a soul-piercing sword, like Mary did.
10. Because Christmas is a news, not an advice, that needs individual responses. Responses which collectively will transform individuals, families, nations, and the whole world. It has been that way in the past 2,000 years, and it will continue to be so.
Scripture Memory Re-Imagined
It was hard not to be touched by the following two clips of Ryan Ferguson reciting dramatically big chunks of the Bible (instead of just one verse). I was blessed when I watched them. See them for yourself, then read his testimony in an interview with Tim Challies. If there is one thing that comes across crystal clear from the interview, it's the fact that we can all try to memorize Scripture for obvious benefits. It is not a question of ability, it is the question of willingness. The interview is a poignant reminder for me of my slack in the discipline of scripture memory.
Ryan recites Psalm 22:
Ryan recites Hebrew 9 and 10
Ryan recites Psalm 22:
Ryan recites Hebrew 9 and 10
Dec 17, 2008
Hard Drive Crash
About a month ago my hard drive had a near death experience. Honestly, that's the last thing that one would expect from a Macbook. But it did happen to me. The tech experts had been trying to resuscitate the drive for days, all they managed to save was some 20% of the files, most of which were 'junk' files from the manufacturer which I don't need. Following some horrific clicking noise, it died on the operating table. I managed to take a shot of it so that I have something to remember it by. I only wrote this now as I had gone through the five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. I remember screaming in my head, "This can't be happening, not to me!" (denial), then the tech experts told me "It's real, man." Moving on the second stage, I blurted out mentally something to this effect: "NO! NO! How can this happen!" When I asked the tech doctor what had possibly happened, he asked me if I had travelled interstate or overseas with my laptop. When the answer was yes, he immediately said "Aha, what might have happened was when your Macbook went through the security machine, it was in a sleep mode, not completely turned off. That has been known to cause fatal damage to the drive." I cringed.
The main reason for my anger was twofold. First, the 2000++ photos of my family are completely gone. I didn't make any backup (...yes, I know it's unthinkable). Second, my three years worth of sermon scripts also completely vanished into thin air. More than 1,000 pages of sermon texts are gone! Sermon series on the seven deadly sins, Ephesians, Minor Prophets, Attributes of God, Sermon on the Mount, and others which were meant to be turned into books one day completely extinct!
I had gone through the bargaining stage as well, hoping that some of my sermons and photos are saved. It happened only to the photos, very few though. Thus, I was depressed for days, trying to lament over the 10-15 hours I spent each week preparing one sermon. I wouldn't have the energy to do it all over again. What's the point?
Finally, however, I am now in the Acceptance stage, and am learning to live with the reality of my loss. Here are few lessons, theological and technical, which I have learned from this invaluable experience (they are not arranged in any order):
1. Always ensure my laptop is off before going through security check at the airport; the best way to do it is to take the batt off.
2. Always back up the files (Leopard now has a time machine that does automatic back up to ext drive)
3. I value my files more these days now that I realize I can lose them anytime. The same goes to all other things or more important people in our lives.
4. In his providence, God allowed me to lose these important stuff to remind me to be relying on him and him alone. He gives and he takes.
5. Much more important than sermon texts is the extent to which I have lived those truths written there. What matters is not whether I do have a growing collection of sermon texts (eventually they will not be taken to the eternal realm). What matters is whether I live what I preach.
6. Past memories (in the form of photos) are important, and nice to have. But much more important is the here and now. To live and savor the moments I have with my wife and my kids.
7. Technology is great until it does not work (that includes Mac, too). Technology will cease to be. Never rely on it, or get addicted to it. If we make it our pseudo-lord, our source of happiness (with internet and all), it will fail us terribly.
Dec 13, 2008
What Christmas is All About
Charlie Brown Christmas is probably the most classic, accurate depiction of Christmas. Thankfully, it is aired every year in America (sadly not in Australia and other parts of the world), and has then become an integral part of the season in that part of the world. What is special about this clip is that the messenger is only a little kid, Linus, who pronounces a big message that strips bare all the Christmas trappings deeply seated in our culture and zeroes in on the crux of the matter: God Immanuel in Christ Jesus!
Scots' Church CBD Christmas Service
I will be speaking at the Scots' Church CBD Christmas Service this Wednesday 17 Dec. Every year for the last seventeen years I have reflected on the birth of Christ Jesus our Lord during Advent and Christmas, and often found myself praying for fresh insights from the Holy Spirit. The task was even more daunting as I started to do that since ten years ago not only as a believer pondering Christmas, but as speaker delivering a Christmas message. I felt moving from the 'consumer' to 'supplier' side is both a privilege and stressful thing to think about. There is a limit to what we can preach about the characters around Christmas: The shepherds, Mary, Joseph, the Innkeeper, the Kings, Herod, and the angels. Or the prophecy, the virgin birth, and so on. So this year here I am doing it again. But I am thankful for "the breadth and length and height and depth" of Christ's love (Ephesians 3:18) which never ceases to amaze me as I learn once again to be fed from it. So this year I have reflected on my perceptions of Christmas which have changed a few times over the last seventeen years. Hence, the title of the message: The Christmas I Never Knew.
Dec 12, 2008
Conferences in Auckland
I had been away in Auckland for eight days to attend and present papers at two back-to-back conferences: Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management and International Conference on Studying Leadership. It was great to hear and converse with well-known management scholars such as Anne Tsui, Amanda Sinclair, Neal Ashkanasy, Keith Grint, etc. who flocked these conferences as keynote speakers and presenters. Attended by hundreds of researchers from more than 50 countries, there is a myriad of presentations on various management topics. I presented a paper on leadership complexity (co-authored with my wife and a Phd student) and another one on strategy and culture (co-authored with a Phd student).
The highlight of the conference is the second conference dinner. The conference dinner was held at the Mudbrick Winery in the Waiheke Island, which takes a combination of forty-minute ferry and five-minute bus ride to get there from the Auckland Harbour. It's all worth it however. As the photos below show, the venue is set in a perfect surrounding. Nice meal, inspiring guest speaker, and interesting conversations around the table made the evening quite a memorable one. The conference convenors have done a superb job organizing the whole conference.
On the way to the vineyard, I sat on the bus next to Professor Keith Grint. We talked briefly on various things then I asked him out of curiosity the following question: "What's the secret of writing a best-selling book like yours?" He responded: "I don't know. I never write a book to be a best-selling one. I don't really care. I just write what I believe is important to be shared." What a great advice!
This blog has been left quite unattended for the duration of my trip, but I have had many things to reflect on during that same period that I thought I would be posting in the next few days. Do you have any interesting experience in the last 8-10 days? Please leave a comment if you do.
Below will you find a few shots I took from Auckland, Rotorua, and the Waiheke Island using my old 3.2 megapixel camera. No wonder the Lord of the Ring trilogy were taken in New Zealand!
Auckland city from the SkyTower
The view from Mudbrick Winery in Waiheke Island
Rotorua from above
The highlight of the conference is the second conference dinner. The conference dinner was held at the Mudbrick Winery in the Waiheke Island, which takes a combination of forty-minute ferry and five-minute bus ride to get there from the Auckland Harbour. It's all worth it however. As the photos below show, the venue is set in a perfect surrounding. Nice meal, inspiring guest speaker, and interesting conversations around the table made the evening quite a memorable one. The conference convenors have done a superb job organizing the whole conference.
On the way to the vineyard, I sat on the bus next to Professor Keith Grint. We talked briefly on various things then I asked him out of curiosity the following question: "What's the secret of writing a best-selling book like yours?" He responded: "I don't know. I never write a book to be a best-selling one. I don't really care. I just write what I believe is important to be shared." What a great advice!
This blog has been left quite unattended for the duration of my trip, but I have had many things to reflect on during that same period that I thought I would be posting in the next few days. Do you have any interesting experience in the last 8-10 days? Please leave a comment if you do.
Below will you find a few shots I took from Auckland, Rotorua, and the Waiheke Island using my old 3.2 megapixel camera. No wonder the Lord of the Ring trilogy were taken in New Zealand!
Auckland city from the SkyTower
The view from Mudbrick Winery in Waiheke Island
Rotorua from above
Dec 1, 2008
Fasting and Prayer Service
Today we didn't have our usual Indonesian evening service. Instead, we had a combined service for fasting and prayer organized by the Presbyterian Church Victoria, Church and Nation Committee. The church was nearly full with approximately 500 people from various Presbyterian churches in Victoria. Several Christian Members of Parliament were in attendance, so were key officers in the Presbyterian Church Victoria.
Several messages were highlighted in the service. Among the most important ones were the need for the church of Jesus Christ to be awaken from a long sleep while the nation is going further and further away from God's revealed truth in the Scripture. The other point was the urgency and importance for the church of Jesus Christ to teach and nurture each individual Christian to have an all-embracing Christian worldview which helps them to acutely aware that there is no area in this life that does not belong to Christ.
These two points are crucial in my opinion to be entertained in the church's agenda at all times lest we become to preoccupied with the internal business of the church that does not contribute to the advancement of the kingdom of God. As important as it may be to exhort the believers to be steep in doctrinal and devotional matters, the church must not neglect the third matter that is the cultural reformation mandated by God.
The service was punctuated often with prayers for the nation, community, government at all levels, politicians, and the church. Of particular concerns were the Abortion Law that was recently passed in Victoria (see my previous post on Abortion Law) and the the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Bill (ART) that was going to be passed in the next few weeks by the Victorian State Government. The latter puts the rights of an adult and their wish to conceive using modern technology called Assisted Reproductive Treatment. Under the bill, eligibility for Assisted Reproductive Treatment is no longer based on medical infertility; singleness or homosexuality are considered valid reasons for this treatment. This practically means that single people, gay men, lesbian woman, heterosexual de facto couples can choose to have a child. On the other hand, a child may end up having two mothers or two fathers legally recognised. In fact, this technology allows a surviving partner to conceive a child from a deceased spouse.
Sitting at the very back (which is somewhat a luxury for me as I always sit in front in typical Sundays) reading passages like Exodus 20 and Romans 13 and praying for the above issues, I cannot help thinking the grave importance of the Christian politicians and their roles in shaping and influencing such society-changing policies. We should pray for them more often, that they may see with the eyes of their hearts the glory, justice, mercy, love, holiness, and majesty of God so clearly that their decisions and actions are completely bound by them.
I do hope that as people humbled themselves before the Lord in prayers, there is a continued sense of awe for God that we carry within which slowly but steadily transforms the way we see things, set priorities, make decisions, and take actions, for the sake of Christ.
Several messages were highlighted in the service. Among the most important ones were the need for the church of Jesus Christ to be awaken from a long sleep while the nation is going further and further away from God's revealed truth in the Scripture. The other point was the urgency and importance for the church of Jesus Christ to teach and nurture each individual Christian to have an all-embracing Christian worldview which helps them to acutely aware that there is no area in this life that does not belong to Christ.
These two points are crucial in my opinion to be entertained in the church's agenda at all times lest we become to preoccupied with the internal business of the church that does not contribute to the advancement of the kingdom of God. As important as it may be to exhort the believers to be steep in doctrinal and devotional matters, the church must not neglect the third matter that is the cultural reformation mandated by God.
The service was punctuated often with prayers for the nation, community, government at all levels, politicians, and the church. Of particular concerns were the Abortion Law that was recently passed in Victoria (see my previous post on Abortion Law) and the the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Bill (ART) that was going to be passed in the next few weeks by the Victorian State Government. The latter puts the rights of an adult and their wish to conceive using modern technology called Assisted Reproductive Treatment. Under the bill, eligibility for Assisted Reproductive Treatment is no longer based on medical infertility; singleness or homosexuality are considered valid reasons for this treatment. This practically means that single people, gay men, lesbian woman, heterosexual de facto couples can choose to have a child. On the other hand, a child may end up having two mothers or two fathers legally recognised. In fact, this technology allows a surviving partner to conceive a child from a deceased spouse.
Sitting at the very back (which is somewhat a luxury for me as I always sit in front in typical Sundays) reading passages like Exodus 20 and Romans 13 and praying for the above issues, I cannot help thinking the grave importance of the Christian politicians and their roles in shaping and influencing such society-changing policies. We should pray for them more often, that they may see with the eyes of their hearts the glory, justice, mercy, love, holiness, and majesty of God so clearly that their decisions and actions are completely bound by them.
I do hope that as people humbled themselves before the Lord in prayers, there is a continued sense of awe for God that we carry within which slowly but steadily transforms the way we see things, set priorities, make decisions, and take actions, for the sake of Christ.
Nov 28, 2008
When Busyness is A Sign of Laziness
CJ Mahaney wrote a series of blogs on the sin of procrastination. There are many poignant points shown there for people like me who often think that I can cover myself from all kinds of troubles by becoming busy. I know there are techniques that people learn to appear busy, but that is not what I meant. What I refer to is being busy with tasks, actually doing stuff that need to be done. This busyness often is a nice, comfy escape route that hides the deep-seated, sinful habit. Here is what I thought is the highlight of his postings:
I forget now who first brought these points to my attention. But the realization that I could be simultaneously busy and lazy, that I could be a hectic sluggard, that my busyness was no immunity from laziness, became a life-altering and work-altering insight. What I learned is that:
Busyness does not mean I am diligent
Busyness does not mean I am faithful
Busyness does not mean I am fruitful
Recognizing the sin of procrastination, and broadening the definition to include busyness, has made a significant alteration in my life. The sluggard can be busy—busy neglecting the most important work, and busy knocking out a to-do list filled with tasks of secondary importance.
When considering our schedules, we have endless options. But there are a few clear priorities and projects, derived from my God-assigned roles, that should occupy the majority of my time during a given week. And there are a thousand tasks of secondary importance that tempt us to devote a disproportionate amount of time to completing an endless to-do list. And if we are lazy, we will neglect the important for the urgent.
Our Savior understood priorities. Although his public ministry was shorter than one presidential term, within that time he completed all the works give to him by the Father.
The Father evidently called him to heal a limited number of people from disease, raise a limited number of bodies from the dead, and preach a limited number of sermons. As Jesus stared into the cup of God’s wrath, he looked back on his life work as complete because he understood the calling of the Father. He was not called to heal everyone, raise everyone, preach copious sermons, or write volumes of books.
While we must always be extra careful when comparing our responsibilities with Christ’s messianic priorities, in the incarnation he entered into the limitations of human life on this earth.
So join me over the next few days as we discover the root and nature of laziness, so that we might devote ourselves to biblical priorities and join our Savior in one day praying to the Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4, ESV).
Nov 26, 2008
Mohler on Two Ways to Question God
Are we allowed to question God? Albert Mohler's answer is "yes and no". He recently blogged about this age-old question when a caller to his radio program lamented the death of his young child. The caller is a believer, and wants to be an obedient follower of Christ. Then he asked Mohler "But, can we question God?"
Here are Mohler's answer, which I found practically useful:
Personally I have lots of questions to ask God. Things within my family, issues at work, challenges in the church, and a myriad of problems in this evil-ridden world. Now I know however that it is legitimate to question God just like a child who is both confused and curious to understand his parents. It's like saying, "Heavenly Father, I know you are sovereign and loving, but I am dumbfounded at the fact that such and such occured. What are you up to really? Why did you that? Isn't there a better way to get your will done in and through my life?"
I think such questioning does not put God in the dock. Or in the interview room. It merely reflects our intimate conversation punctuated by a belief that no matter what, He reigns supreme and no matter how, He cannot love us more and will not love us less.
Here are Mohler's answer, which I found practically useful:
It seems to me that the answer is both yes and no. Beginning with the biblical affirmation that God is omnipotent and omniscient, sovereign and ever-reigning, we start with the understanding that whatever comes to pass does so by the express command, ordination, or permission of the Father. Thus, the Creator is at all times responsible for his creation -- and for his creatures.
So, is it legitimate to question God?
Perhaps we should consider how God has revealed himself to us as Father. Considering a human father for a moment, we can recognize two different ways of questioning his ways. The first way would be to rest secure in his love and fatherly care, but to express confusion over his ways. Even the most faithful and trusting children wonder about their parents at times. What are they up to? Why did they make that decision rather than the other? What was the purpose of that action? As close as children are to parents, parents often perplex children by acting like adults. In this mode of questioning, the child never questions the father's love and faithful disposition, but does admit confusion -- and perhaps even disappointment.
The other way of questioning a human father is to question his character, his faithfulness, or the authenticity of his love. This is an altogether different mode of questioning. In this second pattern of questioning, the child questions the father's heart, not merely his actions and ways.
Now, move from considering these two different modes of questioning a human father to a parallel set of approaches to questioning our heavenly Father. It is not unfaithful to admit and to articulate a sense of perplexity and pain in observing the ways of God. There are times when we cannot offer an explanation of God's ways. At times, we cannot even detect any possibility of a purpose. We can admit this to ourselves, to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to our heavenly Father.
The other mode of questioning God, on the other hand, constitutes sin and implies unbelief. We cannot remain faithful and question God's own faithfulness. His love for those who are in Christ is beyond question. His character is a constant and his love never fails. He is not loving and gracious toward believers at one moment, only to turn into a malevolent deity the next. He never changes.
In this light, it would be sin to question God in this second sense -- the sense in which we might question whether God really loves us, or if He is really faithful to his promises. This is not the questioning worthy of a believer, but of an unbeliever.
Personally I have lots of questions to ask God. Things within my family, issues at work, challenges in the church, and a myriad of problems in this evil-ridden world. Now I know however that it is legitimate to question God just like a child who is both confused and curious to understand his parents. It's like saying, "Heavenly Father, I know you are sovereign and loving, but I am dumbfounded at the fact that such and such occured. What are you up to really? Why did you that? Isn't there a better way to get your will done in and through my life?"
I think such questioning does not put God in the dock. Or in the interview room. It merely reflects our intimate conversation punctuated by a belief that no matter what, He reigns supreme and no matter how, He cannot love us more and will not love us less.
Nov 25, 2008
Back from the trip
I just got back from a business trip in Indonesia, and given the absence of a high-speed internet I didn't have the chance to blog (I did try but I figured I would age faster if I waited for the internet to upload and download stuff, so I gave up in the end).
Apart from having research meetings at a few universities, I had the privilege to address some of the key people at these universities and share about a topic that is close to my heart, servant leadership. These talks convince me even more that there is a deep-seated desire within most folks to be the kind of leaders who are authentic and holistic. The preoccupation with performance and growth is not quite a thing of the past, but people are tired of this fixation which in the end belittles and manipulates people, all in the name of growth. If the recent global financial meltdown is not considered as a powerful reminder of the inherent limitation of performance-oriented leadership, I don't know what will.
Servant leadership, on the other hand, done rightly, maintains its primacy on developing others to become what they are capable of becoming through serving and empowering them. In the biblical language, servant leaders serve others to be the very person God wants them to be. There are no 'mini-me' followers in the process. The emphasis is not even the organization's goals. It's the followers' though servant leaders are accountable not only to the followers but to other stakeholders.
All in all, it's encouraging to see the enthusiasm is out there to learn, practice, and implement servant leadership in organizations, no matter how counterintuitive it may sound to most people.
Apart from having research meetings at a few universities, I had the privilege to address some of the key people at these universities and share about a topic that is close to my heart, servant leadership. These talks convince me even more that there is a deep-seated desire within most folks to be the kind of leaders who are authentic and holistic. The preoccupation with performance and growth is not quite a thing of the past, but people are tired of this fixation which in the end belittles and manipulates people, all in the name of growth. If the recent global financial meltdown is not considered as a powerful reminder of the inherent limitation of performance-oriented leadership, I don't know what will.
Servant leadership, on the other hand, done rightly, maintains its primacy on developing others to become what they are capable of becoming through serving and empowering them. In the biblical language, servant leaders serve others to be the very person God wants them to be. There are no 'mini-me' followers in the process. The emphasis is not even the organization's goals. It's the followers' though servant leaders are accountable not only to the followers but to other stakeholders.
All in all, it's encouraging to see the enthusiasm is out there to learn, practice, and implement servant leadership in organizations, no matter how counterintuitive it may sound to most people.
Nov 14, 2008
Sermon Schedule
This week has been a crazy week for me. Assignment and exam marking, research projects, grant applications, and other work stuff are overtaking my life routines (blogging, included). As the end of year is looming large, I have been taking stock of what I have gone through in my preaching this year. It turns out that I have been and will be doing 24 sermons from two chapters (Matt 5-6) as per the following schedule:
13 April Part 1 Beyond Common Sense
20 April Part 2 Blessed are the poor in spirit
27 April Part 3 Blessed are those who mourn
04 May Part 4 Blessed are the meek
11 May Part 5 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
18 May Part 6 Blessed are the merciful
25 May Part 7 Blessed are the pure in heart
08 June Part 8 Blessed are the peacemakers
22 June Part 9 Blessed are the persecuted
27 July Part 10 The salt of the earth, the light of the world (5:13-16)
03 Aug Part 11 Christians and the law (5:17-20)
31 Aug Part 12 Words that hurt, acts that heal (5:21-26)
7 Sept Part 13 Adultery (5:27-30)
14 Sept Part 14 Divorce and remarriage (5:31-32)
21 Sept Part 15 Say what you mean, and mean what you say (5:33-37)
28 Sept Part 16 Christians, be perfect! (1) (5:38-42, 48)
5 Oct Part 17 Christians, be perfect! (2) (5:43-48)
12 Oct Part 18 Secret Spirituality (6:1-18)
19 Oct Part 19 Pray like Jesus (1) (6:5-14)
26 Oct Part 20 Pray like Jesus (2) (6:5-14)
2 Nov Part 21 Pray like Jesus (3) (6:5-14)
9 Nov Part 22 Pray like Jesus (4) (6:5-14)
23 Nov Part 23 What drives your life? (1) (6:19-24)
30 Nov Part 24 What drives your life?! (6:25-33)
That marks the end of Chapter 6, and by God's grace the series from Matthew 7 will resume in February 2009.
Reading various works of theologians and commentators on Matthew 5-6 has been a very rewarding activity for me. In fact, the experience is akin to drinking from a water hydrant. The depth and breadth of perspectives on this magnum opus of our Lord's teaching is remarkable to say the least. It truly is a great disturbance for me. Re-reading my sermon notes on the above texts make me feel incapable of achieving God's unreachable expectations, and that was the intention, as only when we rest in Jesus' finished work on the cross can we be living our Christian faith with joy and hope.
13 April Part 1 Beyond Common Sense
20 April Part 2 Blessed are the poor in spirit
27 April Part 3 Blessed are those who mourn
04 May Part 4 Blessed are the meek
11 May Part 5 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
18 May Part 6 Blessed are the merciful
25 May Part 7 Blessed are the pure in heart
08 June Part 8 Blessed are the peacemakers
22 June Part 9 Blessed are the persecuted
27 July Part 10 The salt of the earth, the light of the world (5:13-16)
03 Aug Part 11 Christians and the law (5:17-20)
31 Aug Part 12 Words that hurt, acts that heal (5:21-26)
7 Sept Part 13 Adultery (5:27-30)
14 Sept Part 14 Divorce and remarriage (5:31-32)
21 Sept Part 15 Say what you mean, and mean what you say (5:33-37)
28 Sept Part 16 Christians, be perfect! (1) (5:38-42, 48)
5 Oct Part 17 Christians, be perfect! (2) (5:43-48)
12 Oct Part 18 Secret Spirituality (6:1-18)
19 Oct Part 19 Pray like Jesus (1) (6:5-14)
26 Oct Part 20 Pray like Jesus (2) (6:5-14)
2 Nov Part 21 Pray like Jesus (3) (6:5-14)
9 Nov Part 22 Pray like Jesus (4) (6:5-14)
23 Nov Part 23 What drives your life? (1) (6:19-24)
30 Nov Part 24 What drives your life?! (6:25-33)
That marks the end of Chapter 6, and by God's grace the series from Matthew 7 will resume in February 2009.
Reading various works of theologians and commentators on Matthew 5-6 has been a very rewarding activity for me. In fact, the experience is akin to drinking from a water hydrant. The depth and breadth of perspectives on this magnum opus of our Lord's teaching is remarkable to say the least. It truly is a great disturbance for me. Re-reading my sermon notes on the above texts make me feel incapable of achieving God's unreachable expectations, and that was the intention, as only when we rest in Jesus' finished work on the cross can we be living our Christian faith with joy and hope.
'We' vs 'Me' Leadership
Bill George, the famous author of Authentic Leadership (and True North) who became a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School after leaving his chairman and CEO post at Medtronic recently offered his take on Obama and his leadership in his Business Week column. He characterized it as "We" leadership as opposed to "Me" leadership.
He contrasted Obama's 'we' leadership approach and Bush's top-down, I-am-the-decider leadership mentality which has rendered ineffective in this era. He then cited Google, IBM, Avon, and even Saddleback and Willowcreek churches as champions of the empowering, collaborative leadership approach. His conclusion is:
The sweeping victory of Barack Obama ushers in a new era of leadership that will affect every aspect of American institutions and that sounds a death knell for the top-down, power-oriented leadership prevalent in the 20th century.
A new style of "bottom-up, empowering" leadership focusing on collaboration will sweep the country. A new wave of 21st century authentic leaders will take oversee U.S. institutions of every type: business, education, health care, religion, and nonprofits. These new leaders recognize that an organization of empowered leaders at every level will outperform "command-and-control" organizations every time.
The 20th century leaders focused on money, fame, and power, earning the title of the "me" generation. Their leadership destroyed many great institutions, as evidenced by the failures of Enron, WorldCom, and dozens of companies like them. The recent fiascos on Wall Street can be traced to the failure of "me" leaders who put themselves ahead of their institutions.
He contrasted Obama's 'we' leadership approach and Bush's top-down, I-am-the-decider leadership mentality which has rendered ineffective in this era. He then cited Google, IBM, Avon, and even Saddleback and Willowcreek churches as champions of the empowering, collaborative leadership approach. His conclusion is:
The most successful leaders will be those who can align people around common goals of serving people and empower them with a collaborative style. Their organizations will be the winners in restoring the U.S. to global greatness.
Nov 7, 2008
Jack Welch on McCain's Leadership Loss
The former world's best manager of the century, Jack Welch (and his partner), offered his insights on why Obama wins and McCain loses. First he said he believed that McCain's economic platform "made better sense for business, especially in terms of free trade, tax policy, and job creation", then went on to point out that McCain was deficient in three vital areas of leadership succcess: Vision, Execution, and Strategic Allies. Finally, some lessons for business leaders are drawn. Here are the key points:
Read the whole thing here.
Start with the granddad of leadership principles: a clear, consistent vision. . . McCain's health-care policy, for example, had real merit. But his presentation of it was always confoundingly complex... Meanwhile, Obama's message was simple and aspirational. He talked about the failings of George W. Bush. He talked about change and hope and health care for all. Over and over, he painted a picture of the future that excited people. He also set a perfect example for business leaders: Stick to a limited number of points, repeat them relentlessly, and turn people on.
The next leadership principle should sound familiar: execution... In nearly two years of steady blocking and tackling, Obama's team made few mistakes. From the outset, his advisers were best in class, and his players were always prepared, agile, and where they needed to be. McCain's team, hobbled by a less cohesive set of advisers and less money, couldn't compete.
Finally, this election reinforces the value of friends in high places...That's why you need to start any leadership initiative with your "high-level friends" firmly by your side, convinced of the merits of your character and policies. But that's not enough. If you want to keep your board as an ally, don't surprise them. Think about McCain's "gotcha" selection of Sarah Palin. Scrambling to catch up with the story, the media was not amused.
Read the whole thing here.
Prayer for Obama
Ligon Duncan offers a few important points of prayer for President Barack Obama:
The whole text can be found here.
We will pray that God would change President-Elect Obama's mind and heart on issues of crucial moral concern. May God change his heart and open his eyes to see abortion as the murder of the innocent unborn, to see marriage as an institution to be defended, and to see a host of issues in a new light. We must pray this from this day until the day he leaves office. God is sovereign, after all.
For those Christians who are more dismayed than overjoyed about the prospects of an Obama presidency, there should be a remembrance that as our President, Barack Obama will have God-given authority to govern us, and that we should view him as a servant of God (Rom. 13:1, 4) to whom we should be subject (Rom. 13:1, 5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). Thus, again, we are to pray for Barack Obama (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We are to thank God for Barack Obama (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We are to respect Barack Obama (Rom. 13:7). We are to honor Barack Obama (Rom. 13:7; 1 Pet. 2:17).
The whole text can be found here.
Fasting, Porridge, and Homesickness
First thing first. I am a stranger to the spiritual discipline of fasting. When I read Richard Foster's classic Celebration of Discipline, which outlines different kinds of spiritual discipline, I deliberately skipped the chapter on Fasting. But in the last couple months when I was preparing for a series of sermons on the Lord's prayer, my mind always thought about fasting for some unknown reason. This nagging thought became stronger when I meditated on the verse "Give us this day our daily bread".
By way of observation, I noticed something interesting about the 'strategic' place the verse resides. It is somewhat sandwiched between Jesus' teaching on fasting (Matthew 6:16-18) and Jesus' fasting before being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-4). Second, on the one hand, Jesus taught us to pray "Give us this day our daily bread" and on the other hand when tempted by the devil said "Men do not live on bread alone, but on every mouth that proceeds from the mouth of God." Now you see why I was intrigued by the connection between bread and fasting.
That sent me back to Foster's neglected chapter on fasting, which then led me to other things, and I found many enriching insights.
My first personal encounters with fasting took place when I was a new convert. A naive and restless teenager, I was dead curious why people in the church starve themselves then prayed like crazy as if armageddon was gonna happen that day. So I decided to jump on the fasting bandwagon. I can vividly remember that during those hours of skipping lunch, I fought very hard not to think about the legendary chicken porridge that the skillful ladies in the church prepared for those who participated in the day of fasting. Good things come to those who wait, and indeed... the porridge tasted like heaven.
That was basically my spiritual experience of fasting, which was more about the porridge than about God.
As I studied and read more about the subject, I began to learn the true meaning of fasting. The following are some memorable quotes I came across I thought are worth sharing here:
1. To expose the true conditions of our hearts (Matt 4:4)
2. To learn to hear the still, small voice of God (Acts 13:2)
3. To make a space for God to reorient ourselves (Matt 6:9-11)
4. To express our homesickness for the Lord; his name, his kingdom, his will be made perfect on earth (Matt 9:15)
5. To help our prayer life
I would recommend these two excellent resources for those who want to seriously consider engaging themselves with God through the discipline of fasting: A Hunger for God by John Piper and Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer by Dr Bill Bright.
By way of observation, I noticed something interesting about the 'strategic' place the verse resides. It is somewhat sandwiched between Jesus' teaching on fasting (Matthew 6:16-18) and Jesus' fasting before being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-4). Second, on the one hand, Jesus taught us to pray "Give us this day our daily bread" and on the other hand when tempted by the devil said "Men do not live on bread alone, but on every mouth that proceeds from the mouth of God." Now you see why I was intrigued by the connection between bread and fasting.
That sent me back to Foster's neglected chapter on fasting, which then led me to other things, and I found many enriching insights.
My first personal encounters with fasting took place when I was a new convert. A naive and restless teenager, I was dead curious why people in the church starve themselves then prayed like crazy as if armageddon was gonna happen that day. So I decided to jump on the fasting bandwagon. I can vividly remember that during those hours of skipping lunch, I fought very hard not to think about the legendary chicken porridge that the skillful ladies in the church prepared for those who participated in the day of fasting. Good things come to those who wait, and indeed... the porridge tasted like heaven.
That was basically my spiritual experience of fasting, which was more about the porridge than about God.
As I studied and read more about the subject, I began to learn the true meaning of fasting. The following are some memorable quotes I came across I thought are worth sharing here:
Fasting, if it be considered in itself, without relation to spiritual ends, is a duty nowhere enjoined or counselled. But Christianity hath to do with it as it may be made an instrument of the Spirit, by subduing the lusts of the flesh, or removing any hindrances of religion. And it hath been practised by all ages of the church, and advised in order to three ministries; 1. To prayer; 2. To mortification of bodily lusts; 3. To repentance.Why do we fast? There are many excellent reasons for fasting. Here is what I can gather from the Scripture and books:
Jeremy Taylor, Rules for Christian Fasting
More than any other single Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David said, "I humbled my soul with fasting" (Ps. 69:10). Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, they will surface during fasting. At first we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger then we know that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ.
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 64.
Fasting is a laudable practice, and we have reason to lament it, that it is so generally neglected among Christians today
Matthew Henry
I wonder whether we have ever fasted. I wonder whether it has ever occurred to us that we ought to be considering the question of fasting. The fact is, is it not, that this whole subject seems to have fallen right out of our lives, right out of our whole Christian thinking
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Of fasting I say this: It is right to fast frequently in order to subdue and control the body. For when the stomach is full, the body does not serve for preaching, for praying, or studying, or for doing anything else that is good. Under such circumstances God's Word cannot remain. But one should not fast with a view to meriting something by it as by a good work.
Martin Luther
1. To expose the true conditions of our hearts (Matt 4:4)
2. To learn to hear the still, small voice of God (Acts 13:2)
3. To make a space for God to reorient ourselves (Matt 6:9-11)
4. To express our homesickness for the Lord; his name, his kingdom, his will be made perfect on earth (Matt 9:15)
5. To help our prayer life
I would recommend these two excellent resources for those who want to seriously consider engaging themselves with God through the discipline of fasting: A Hunger for God by John Piper and Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer by Dr Bill Bright.
Nov 6, 2008
Day of Fasting
We had our corporate fasting-and-praying day last Tuesday. It was historic because in the short 3.5-year history of the church, it was our very first day of fasting as a congregation. It was timely because it was held on the famous Cup Day in Victoria when 'the race that stops the nation' is on. When the eyes of the nation are fixed on the strongest, fastest horses (and the bets that go with them), some two dozens people were fasting, worshipping, and praying for the nation, the church, and those we love deeply. I was reminded of the verses that the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 20:7-8:Some trust in chariots and some in horses,Obviously the psalmist was not thinking of Melbourne Cup Day when he wrote 'horses'. No, his mind was transported back to a more telling example of the pride of men. He was thinking of the horses and chariots that the Pharaoh's mighty army were riding when they were fast approaching the Israelites who were exiting Egypt. It does not take a Sun Tzu or Douglas MacArthur to predict whether or not those mighty chariots and horses can take the Israelites captive. With children and elderly people in their midst, there is no way the two million exodus can move faster than a turtle. But something then happened.
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright.
The Lord showed mercy to his people, and demonstrated to everyone alive then and today that trusting and boasting in the things of the world will result in a total disaster. Only the name of the Lord is a trustworthy source. Only the Lord of the universe is worth our complete trust. The latest global financial meltdown is a case in point. The Cup Day in many ways is not dissimilar.
As a church, when we were worshipping and fasting and praying we were testifying that we do not share the world's preoccupation with the best and mightiest of the world. When we humbled ourselves before the Lord, we acknowledged that the things that look very tough and valuable in the world can collapse and fail overnight, and that only the name of the Lord is a strong tower to which the righteous runs.
Nov 3, 2008
Robinson on Sermon Check-Up
In a recent piece in Preaching Today, the master preacher, Haddon Robinson, gave a comprehensive checklist that makes up an effective sermon organized around (1) Organization; (2) Content; (3) Delivery; and (4) Audience adaptation. It's a tall order, but it's worth considering every Sunday.
I remember reading more than 10 years ago Earl Palmer's strategies for sermon effectiveness, that is a preacher must have three kinds of fluency: Textual fluency, people fluency, and schedule fluency. The three things correlate highly with each other. The hardest component I found is people fluency. Pastors are busy. Preachers are busy. Some days the last thing they wish to do is to meet people. But this proves to be detrimental to preaching. Because often when we approach a text or think about its application, we end up thinking about people whom we spend time with. If we spend time with only the committee members or the elders, obviously the sermon will be written/preached with them in mind, and leaves out the rest of the people in the congregation.
What I found valuable in Robinson's checklist is the nitty-gritty details in the delivery, including non-verbal languages like eye-contact, vocal variety, posture, pauses, grammar, pronounciation, etc. These things are often easily ignored, particularly if the preacher assumes that the audience won't be smart enough to notice that anyway, or couldn't care less.
Here is the complete checklist:
ORGANIZATION
Introduction
Does the message get attention?
Does it touch some need directly or indirectly?
Does it orient hearers to the subject? Or to the main idea? Or to the first point?
Is it the right length? Is there a specific purpose?
Structure
Is the development clear? Is the overall structure clear?
Does the sermon have a central idea? Can you state it?
Are the transitions clear? Do they review?
Is there a logical or psychological link between the points?
Do the main points relate back to the main idea?
Are the subpoints clearly related to their main points?
Conclusion
Does the sermon build to a climax?
Is there an adequate summary of ideas?
Are there effective closing appeals or suggestions?
CONTENT
Is this subject significant? Is it appropriate?
Is the sermon built on solid exegesis?
Does the speaker show where he or she is in the text?
Is the analysis of the subject thorough? Logical?
Does the speaker convince you that he or she is right?
Does the content show originality?
Supporting material
Is the supporting material logically related to its point?
Is it interesting? varied? specific? sufficient?
Style
Does the speaker use correct grammar?
Is the speaker's vocabulary concrete? Vivid? Varied?
Are words used correctly?
Does the choice of words add to the effectiveness of the sermon?
DELIVERY
Intellectual directness
Does the speaker want to be heard? Is the speaker alert?
Do you feel the speaker is talking to you?
Is the speaker friendly?
Does the delivery sound like lively conversation?
Are words pronounced correctly?
Oral presentation
Is the voice easy to listen to? Is there clear articulation?
Is there vocal variety? Does the pitch level change?
Is there a variety of force? Does the rate vary enough?
Does the speaker use pauses effectively?
Physical presentation
Is the speaker's entire body involved in the delivery?
Does the speaker gesture?
Are the gestures spontaneous? Wide? Definite? Are there distracting mannerisms?
Is the posture good? Does the speaker look alert?
Is there good facial expression?
AUDIENCE ADAPTATION
Is the sermon adapted to hearers' interests? Attitudes?
Is the message related to hearers' knowledge? Does it meet needs?
Does the speaker look hearers in the eye?
Do you feel the speaker is aware of audience response?
I remember reading more than 10 years ago Earl Palmer's strategies for sermon effectiveness, that is a preacher must have three kinds of fluency: Textual fluency, people fluency, and schedule fluency. The three things correlate highly with each other. The hardest component I found is people fluency. Pastors are busy. Preachers are busy. Some days the last thing they wish to do is to meet people. But this proves to be detrimental to preaching. Because often when we approach a text or think about its application, we end up thinking about people whom we spend time with. If we spend time with only the committee members or the elders, obviously the sermon will be written/preached with them in mind, and leaves out the rest of the people in the congregation.
What I found valuable in Robinson's checklist is the nitty-gritty details in the delivery, including non-verbal languages like eye-contact, vocal variety, posture, pauses, grammar, pronounciation, etc. These things are often easily ignored, particularly if the preacher assumes that the audience won't be smart enough to notice that anyway, or couldn't care less.
Here is the complete checklist:
ORGANIZATION
Introduction
Does the message get attention?
Does it touch some need directly or indirectly?
Does it orient hearers to the subject? Or to the main idea? Or to the first point?
Is it the right length? Is there a specific purpose?
Structure
Is the development clear? Is the overall structure clear?
Does the sermon have a central idea? Can you state it?
Are the transitions clear? Do they review?
Is there a logical or psychological link between the points?
Do the main points relate back to the main idea?
Are the subpoints clearly related to their main points?
Conclusion
Does the sermon build to a climax?
Is there an adequate summary of ideas?
Are there effective closing appeals or suggestions?
CONTENT
Is this subject significant? Is it appropriate?
Is the sermon built on solid exegesis?
Does the speaker show where he or she is in the text?
Is the analysis of the subject thorough? Logical?
Does the speaker convince you that he or she is right?
Does the content show originality?
Supporting material
Is the supporting material logically related to its point?
Is it interesting? varied? specific? sufficient?
Style
Does the speaker use correct grammar?
Is the speaker's vocabulary concrete? Vivid? Varied?
Are words used correctly?
Does the choice of words add to the effectiveness of the sermon?
DELIVERY
Intellectual directness
Does the speaker want to be heard? Is the speaker alert?
Do you feel the speaker is talking to you?
Is the speaker friendly?
Does the delivery sound like lively conversation?
Are words pronounced correctly?
Oral presentation
Is the voice easy to listen to? Is there clear articulation?
Is there vocal variety? Does the pitch level change?
Is there a variety of force? Does the rate vary enough?
Does the speaker use pauses effectively?
Physical presentation
Is the speaker's entire body involved in the delivery?
Does the speaker gesture?
Are the gestures spontaneous? Wide? Definite? Are there distracting mannerisms?
Is the posture good? Does the speaker look alert?
Is there good facial expression?
AUDIENCE ADAPTATION
Is the sermon adapted to hearers' interests? Attitudes?
Is the message related to hearers' knowledge? Does it meet needs?
Does the speaker look hearers in the eye?
Do you feel the speaker is aware of audience response?
Oct 31, 2008
Keller on The Prodigal God
"There are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord, one is by breaking all the moral laws and setting your own course, and one is by keeping all the moral laws and being very, very good."Tim Keller in The Prodigal God
Read the book review by Challies here, I think it's a must-have book.
Oct 30, 2008
As long as you are happy, honey!
A recent Wall Street Journal article entitled Who Wears the Pants discusses the role of women and men in making decisions.
The article cited a widespread opinion that "incomes give women power in their marriages," says Leslie Bennetts, a Vanity Fair writer and frequent "Today Show" guest. Apparently money is not a factor in the influence of women in marriage. The article reported that:
Interestingly, the article continues by suggesting another more important issue, that is the perception of men and women on marital satisfaction.
The Bible teaches that a marriage is like an advertising billboard for Christ and the church. A Christian husband must be like Christ, who was willing to lay his life down for the church. On the other hand, a Christian wife must be like the church, that obeys Christ as the head of the church. A temporal marriage on earth is supposed to reflect this eternal reality of Christ and the church. In that context, it is true that a husband should endeavor to make his wife happy, but that is not the main goal. The main goal is to present the wife before God without blemish. The main goal is not to make her happy, but to set her apart for God, which is why a husband must spiritually lead and become a role model for his wife to relate to God in gratitude obedience.
The article cited a widespread opinion that "incomes give women power in their marriages," says Leslie Bennetts, a Vanity Fair writer and frequent "Today Show" guest. Apparently money is not a factor in the influence of women in marriage. The article reported that: A Pew Research Center study released a couple of weeks ago found that when it comes to decision making in the home, wives in a majority of cases either rule the roost or share power equally with their husbands, regardless of how much money the women earn.This is an interesting social phenomenon, and perhaps it has to do with the natural distribution of tasks, that is women are more attuned to how things are run in the house (e.g., kids' school, family events, etc.) relative to men who are more preoccupied with work. But if more and more women are also working full-time these days, why then wives are still dominating the decisions? How do you make decisions in your family? What has been working best for you?
Of the 1,260 men and women whom Pew pollsters surveyed over the summer, 43% responded that the woman makes most of the major decisions for the family, with 31% saying that the couple makes most decisions together. There was a small difference (within the margin of error) between the control exerted by wives who earn more than their husbands and those who earn less (46% versus 42%). But in both cases, women wielded sole decision-making power far more than men did, indicating that what "father knows best" is when to defer to mom.
Certainly that was what University of Iowa researchers found last year when they measured how couples negotiate conflict over household decisions. That study not only confirmed that men will usually go along with their wives but found that when couples do disagree, wives are far more persuasive than husbands in changing their spouses' minds.
Interestingly, the article continues by suggesting another more important issue, that is the perception of men and women on marital satisfaction.
The general consensus of sociologists is that, whereas a woman's marital satisfaction is dependent on a combination of economic, emotional and psychological realities, a man's marital satisfaction is most determined by one factor: how happy his wife is. When she is happy, he is. Working within this framework, most husbands are unwilling to dig in their heels on any issue unless they have a tremendous incentive to do so.For husbands, it's really about "I am happy as long as you are, honey". Does this imply that women are more complex than men when it comes to trying to understand each other to make marriages work?
The Bible teaches that a marriage is like an advertising billboard for Christ and the church. A Christian husband must be like Christ, who was willing to lay his life down for the church. On the other hand, a Christian wife must be like the church, that obeys Christ as the head of the church. A temporal marriage on earth is supposed to reflect this eternal reality of Christ and the church. In that context, it is true that a husband should endeavor to make his wife happy, but that is not the main goal. The main goal is to present the wife before God without blemish. The main goal is not to make her happy, but to set her apart for God, which is why a husband must spiritually lead and become a role model for his wife to relate to God in gratitude obedience.
Stop World Hunger
Around this time last year, The UN World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian aid organization, had a call for video submission on hunger. Their goal was "to make a top rated viral video that creates a real buzz and gets people thinking about hunger." Of more than 70 submissions from all over the world, here are the most often viewed videos on YouTube. The winner will be flown to shoot a video at a relief operation in one of the hot-spots where the WFP is locked in a feverish struggle to slow starvation and save lives.
Oct 26, 2008
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread: A Prayer
You taught us to pray, O Lord, "Give us this day our daily bread"To remind us that you are the God from whom all blessings flow
For we often take things for granted, and live as if we are capable of being truly self-sufficient
We boast our achievements, and forget it is you who give us the power to make wealth
The truth is we can only ask "Give us O Lord..." like a beggar begging for mercy
For our daily needs are supplied each day by your loving provision
The food we eat, coffee we brew, jeans we wear, house we live in
The health and sanity we hold dearly, job we work, friendship we treasure,
The broadband we surf the net with, and... ah, Lord, you know our ever-growing list of needs
For what do we have that we did not receive you; we have no reason to boast ourselves
As you provided manna from heaven for your children for forty long years
so are our daily needs given by a gracious Father to whom we owe our lives
You taught us to pray, O Lord, "Give us this day our daily bread"
To make us be a contented person daily as you supply our needs, not wants
You wants us to live one day at a time, not be anxious about the future
So we individually pray o Lord: Give me neither poverty nor riches
Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Indeed you can give me abundantly should you choose to do so
Serving me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.
And the overflowing cup of blessings that tastes heaven
But other times you want me to go through times of need
To tear down my pride and self-absorbed tendency
Help me learn in whatever situation to be content.
Help me learn the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
So I can say "I can do all things through him who strengthens me"
Freely submits to and delights in the Father's wise disposal in every circumstance
You taught us to pray, O Lord, "Give us this day our daily bread"
So that when we pray for our needs, that is done solely for one three-pronged purpose
that should become our primary concern, our preoccupation in life:
Hallowed be thy name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth
When we pray for our needs which are temporal, may we do it in view of the eternal
We pray for health, not so that we can continue living in sin, but so that we can serve you with all our might
We pray for food, not so we can satisfy our tastebuds, but so that we have the stamina to carry on your will in our lives
We pray for our partners, not so that they love us more, but so that they love you more than anything or anyone else in their lives
We pray for our kids, not so they can grow up to be nice and smart kids, but so that their lives are spent for the sake of God's kingdom
We pray for the degree we are doing, not so that we can graduate with honour, but so that it equips us to redeem the field we will be working in after we graduate
We pray for our business, not so that we become like Buffett or Gates, but to be able to give more to the Lord's work and to do the business in God's way and for God's glory
We pray for promotion, not so that we can gain top dollars, but so that we can be more effective salt and light in the new position
We pray for a new house, not so we can boast about it nor live in it like a king, but so that we can show hospitality to others
We pray for a new car, not so we can enjoy comfort at the next level, but so that we can assist those without transport to church
We pray for all our needs, so that God's name be hallowed, God's kingdom come, God's will done on earth
You taught us to pray, O Lord, "Give us this day our daily bread"
To remind us that we can’t say the Lord’s prayer in first person –
Saying I, me, my, mine, myself and be enslaved by that desire
For we can only say 'us, us, and us", remembering those around us
And the millions in the world who go to bed each night hungry and helpless
Everytime we pray "Give us today our daily bread", remind us of our world
Where 923 million people are hungry.
Where every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger; one child every five seconds.
Where 1.4 billion people lived below the international poverty line, earning less than $1.25 per day.
Where every year about 9.7 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday
We pray o Lord for the world where everyone has the basic needs fulfilled
And until that happens, help us to never stop fighting on their side
In prayer and action, in thoughts and deeds, speaking for those who can't speak for themselves
In our respective God-given capacity and according to God's given talents
You taught us to pray, O Lord, "Give us this day our daily bread"
To remind us that our needs will never be satisfied by the bread of this world
Our needs for companion in friendships
Our needs for happiness in marriage
Our needs for meaning and purpose in life
Our needs for a sense of security in our jobs
Our needs for a sense of belonging and acceptance by others
Our needs for a sense of achievements and success
All those needs, once fulfilled, only lead us to deeper hunger and thirst
For those needs are pointers to our deepest need, o Lord, that is you
Only the Bread of Life can satisfy our deepest longing
Amen.
Oct 23, 2008
The Lego Church
Welcome to the Lego Church!
Made from more than 75,000 Lego pieces, it seats 1,372 people. It has 3,976 windows, a balcony, a Narthex, stairs to the balcony, restrooms, coat rooms, several mosaics, a nave, a baptistery, an altar, a cross, a pulpit and an elaborate pipe organ.
Its size is about 7 feet by 5 1/2 feet by 30 inches (or 2.2 m x 1.7 m x .76 m). No wonder it took 1.5 years of planning and building.
Those of us who are so used to multitasking and, hence, suffer attention-deficit disorder (thanks partly to Google - see my previous posting here) would be totally puzzled how one could possibly summon all his/her patience cells to do such a huge project.
Made from more than 75,000 Lego pieces, it seats 1,372 people. It has 3,976 windows, a balcony, a Narthex, stairs to the balcony, restrooms, coat rooms, several mosaics, a nave, a baptistery, an altar, a cross, a pulpit and an elaborate pipe organ.
Its size is about 7 feet by 5 1/2 feet by 30 inches (or 2.2 m x 1.7 m x .76 m). No wonder it took 1.5 years of planning and building.
Those of us who are so used to multitasking and, hence, suffer attention-deficit disorder (thanks partly to Google - see my previous posting here) would be totally puzzled how one could possibly summon all his/her patience cells to do such a huge project.
Christians, Be Perfect!
The following is my recent sermon in Indonesian on the above topic:Bayangkan kalau saat interview pekerjaan, boss Anda berkata, "Apakah Saudara siap untuk bekerja di perusahaan ini dengan sempurna tanpa cacat sedikitpun?" atau saat mau dating dgn seorang wanita lalu dia berkata, "Mmm...sebelum kita berpikir untuk melangkah lebih jauh, saya ingin kamu tahu bahwa harapan saya tidak lebih dan tidak kurang adalah seorang pria yang sempurna tanpa cacat dari semua segi. Apakah Anda orangnya?"
Tentu Anda akan merasa terpelanting jauh secara mental mendengar ekspektasi yg sangat tidak masuk akal itu. Mana ada pegawai yg sempurna? Apalagi pacar yg sempurna... "Emang gua robot!"
Jika demikian halnya, kita perlu mempertanyakan apakah Yesus serius saat Ia berkata kepada para murid dan calon muridNya, "Karena itu haruslah kamu sempurna, sama seperti Bapamu yang di sorga adalah sempurna" (Matius 5:48)? Struktur present tense yg dipakai dalam kalimat tsb menunjukkan bahwa Ia ingin agar hal tersebut menjadi tujuan yang secara terus-menerus kita miliki.
Yesus tidak menciptakan standar baru. Dalam Kejadian 17:1, Allah berkata kepada Abram 'I am El Shaddai; walk before Me, and be PERFECT' Kata tamiym yang dipakai dalam Perjanjian Lama untuk kata 'sempurna' sepadan dengan kata teleios yg dipakai dalam Perjanjian Baru (Mat 5:48). Allah mengulangi hal tersebut dalam Ulangan 18:13 "You shall be PERFECT before the Lord your God." Dengan kata lain, Yesus hanya mengembalikan standar yang dituntut Allah sejak dalam kitab Kejadian, yaitu agar umatNya sempurna seperti Allah sendiri.
Untuk memahami tuntutan Allah tersebut, kita perlu memahami arti kata "SEMPURNA", dari dua sudut. Pertama, dalam konteks keseluruhan Alkitab. Kedua, dalam konteks yg lebih immediate yaitu Matius 5:21-48.
1. Konteks Alkitab
Alkitab menyatakan bahwa sempurna bagi umat Allah berarti terus-menerus berada dalam sebuah paradoxical tension:
ALREADY PERFECT, but NOT YET PERFECT
NEVER ATTAIN PERFECTION, ALWAYS STRIVE FOR PERFECTION
Sebagai umat tebusan-Nya, kita sudah sempurna tetapi belum sempurna. Rasul Paulus berkata, "Not that I...am already perfect (teleios)...Let those of us who are mature (perfect) be thus minded...' (Phil 3:12-15). Bagian ini menolong kita untuk mengerti bahwa orang yg sempurna bukan orang yang sudah mencapai puncak kematangan rohani sehingga ia tidak dapat lagi bertumbuh. Melainkan orang yg sempurna adalah orang yang senantiasa berjuang untuk terus menjadi sempurna.
Rasul Paulus menulis bahwa dia telah sempurna, dalam pengertian sempurna atas dasar pekerjaan Kristus yg telah genap diatas kayu salib. Apakah setelah menerima Kristus Yesus sebagai Tuhan dan Juruselamat kita, kita tetap masih bisa berdosa? YA, karena natur kita sbg org berdosa. Tetapi tanda kita telah mendapatkan iman yang menyelamatkan itu adakah kerinduan untuk kembali kepada Allah, dan kerinduan untuk bertumbuh dalam anugerah, dalam kebenaran, dalam kesucian. Sampai kapan? Sampai kita sempurna seperti Allah Bapa.
Kita tidak akan mencapai kesempurnaan dalam dunia ini, namun kita harus senantiasa mengejar kesempurnaan. Karena Allah sempurna, maka kita yang sungguh-sungguh adalah anak Allah akan senantiasa berusaha bergerak ke arah kesempurnaan standar Allah. Jika kita suam-suam kuku, jika kita mandeg bertumbuh secara rohani, jika karakter kita tidak ada perubahan, kita perlu memeriksa diri kita. Sungguhkah kita telah mengenal Kristus Yesus?
Kita memang diselamatkan melalui iman, tetapi iman yang menyelamatkan adalah iman yang rindu menjadi sempurna seperti Allah.
Tuhan khan bisa pakai orang yang tidak sempurna, yang berdosa, kenapa kita kok repot-repot amat? Ya, tetapi Yesus berkata kepada setiap murid-muridNya, jadilah sempurna. Saya harus jadi seorang yang sebaik apa untuk menyenangkan hati Allah? Sampai Engkau sempurna seperti Bapa. Tapi saya khan hanya manusia yang tidak sempurna? Yesus berkata: Jadilah sempurna.
Hari ini dia berkata kepada Anda dan saya, Jadilah sempurna.
Pertanyaan selanjutnya: Sempurna dalam hal apa? Pertanyaan ini dapat kita jawab dengan akurat dalam konteks Matius 5:21-48.
2. Konteks Matius 5:21-48.
Kita perlu melihat konteks Matius 5, khususnya ayat 21-48 karena mencabut perintah menjadi sempurna ini tanpa melihat konteksnya seringkali menghasilkan konsep yg salah dan berbahaya. Yesus berkata bahwa Ia datang bukan untuk meniadakan hukum Taurat, melainkan untuk menggenapinya. Menggenapi disini bukan menyelesaikan hukum Taurat shg hukum itu tidak lagi berlaku bagi kita. Menggenapi juga bukan hanya berarti melakukan dengan sempurna.
Menggenapi disini berarti memenuhi apa yang tersirat dalam hukum Allah tersebut. Itu sebab Yesus menyatakan enam buah antitesis di ayat 21-47 dengan mengatakan "Kamu telah mendengar . . . tetapi Aku berkata kepadamu." Ia mengatakan bahwa hidupnya telah menyatakan apa yg diinginkan Allah melalui hukum Taurat. Berikut bagaimana keenam perintah dalam PL tersebut menunjuk kepada sebuah gaya dan pola hidup umat Allah yang telah ditebus:
1. Jangan membunuh ----> rekonsiliasi (21-26)
2. Jangan berzinah ----> kemurnian (27-30)
3. Jangan bercerai ----> kesetiaan (31-32)
4. Jangan bersumpah ----> kejujuran (33-37)
5. Jangan membalas ----> penyangkalan diri (38-42)
6. Jangan membenci musuh ----> Kasihilah musuhmu (43-48)
Komunitas umat Allah ditandai bukan hanya dengan tidak membunuh, tetapi dengan adanya rekonsiliasi. Tidak cukup berkata "Oh, saya sih orang Kristen, jadi saya tidak pernah berzinah." Yang kita perlu tanyakan, apakah kita sungguh menjaga kemurnian hati kita setiap saat? Tidak cukup hanya mengasihi rekan kita dan tidak mencelakai musuh, Yesus ingin kita mengasihi musuh kita. Dan seterusnya.
Konteks Matius 5:21-48 menyatakan bahwa dalam ke-6 itulah kita dituntut untuk menjadi sempurna sama seperti Allah.
Namun kalau kita jujur, apakah mungkin kita terus-menerus rindu untuk menjadi sempurna seperti Bapa dalam setiap hal diatas?
Bapa gereja Augustine dalam Confessions, Buku X, Chapter 40 menulis demikian tentang hal tersebut: "God does not command his people in vain with no power to bring them to pass." Sebelum bertobat, Augustine hidup tidak beres, mengumbar hawa nafsu seksual senantiasa. Setelah ia bertobat, ia bergumul keras dgn masalah itu. Dalam pergumulannya itulah, ia menemukan insight yang saya kira hari ini sangat berharga untuk kita mengerti:
"Thou commandest continence. Grant what thou commandest and command what thou wilt"Augustine berkata kepada Allah seakan-akan begini: "Tuhan, engkau memerintahkan aku mematikan hawa nafsu seksual-ku... Namun Engkau tahu aku tidak mampu melakukannya dengan kekuatanku sendiri. Bahkan aku akan berdosa jika mengandalkan kekuatanku sendiri. Jadi berikan hal tersebut kepadaku ya Tuhan. Berikan apa yang Engkau perintahkan kepadaku untuk memiliki."
Pemahaman yg sama ditunjukan oleh John Bunyan dalam satu poetry yg dia tulis:
"Run, John, run the law commands,
But gives me neither feet nor hands;
Far better news the gospel brings:
It bids me fly; it gives me wings."
Hukum Allah dan Injil memiliki persamaan, yaitu keduanya memiliki tuntutan-tuntutan hidup benar di hadapan Allah (banyak orang Kristen berpikir bahwa hidup di era Perjanjian Baru berarti hukum Allah tidak lagi berlaku, tentu ini tidak benar karena kotbah di bukit berisi tuntutan-tuntutan Kristus yg bahkan jauh lebih sulit. Namun beda hukum Allah dan Injil adalah hukum Allah hanya menuntut kita untuk ini dan itu, hukum Allah justru menyatakan bahwa semakin keras kita berupaya memenuhinya, semakin kita sadar kita tidak mampu. Sebaliknya Injil bukan hanya menuntut, tetapi memampukan kita untuk memenuhinya di dalam Kristus Yesus. Injil memberi kita sayap untuk terbang!
Injil mendemonstrasikan dua hal kepada manusia. Pertama, bahwa hukum Allah harus kita lakukan dengan sempurna (ini menyembuhkan kita dari arogansi hari kita yang berpikir bahwa kita dapat menyelamatkan dirinya sendiri). Kedua, bahwa Anak Allah telah memenuhi dengan sempurna tuntutan hukum-hukum Allah (ini menyembuhkan kita dari kebangkrutan kita yang senantiasa gagal melakukan hal yg sama).
Dengan demikian motivasi kita untuk taat, utk menjadi sempurna bukan untuk
- Menjaga image diri saya ("kalau saya tidak taat, dosa saya pasti kebongkar dan malu kalau orang tahu").
- Merontokkan rasa PD saya ("dosa membuat saya sulit percaya diri")
- Memelihara tradisi ("saya aktif di gereja, dan aktivis mestinya tidak melakukan hal seperti itu")
- Takut dihukum Allah ("api neraka bagi orang Kristen KTP yg palsu")
Kita harus berusaha hidup sempurna seperti Allah bukan karena kita takut Allah akan membuang kita (itu HUKUM). Kita berusaha hidup sempurna karena Allah telah membuktikan diatas kayu salib bahwa Dia tidak akan pernah membuang kita seberapapun bobrok-nya kita (itu ANUGERAH). Inilah motivasi kita hidup sempurna seperti Allah, yaitu untuk hidup seperti anak-Nya yang telah Ia kasihi sepenuhnya.
Kerinduan untuk menjadi sempurna seperti Allah kita miliki bukan dengan berusaha lebih keras (karena itu akan membuat kita semakin frustrasi dan diperbudak oleh rasa bersalah). Kerinduan utk menjadi sempurna kita miliki dengan belajar lebih berserah lebih sungguh kepada Kristus, yang hidup dengan sempurna mentaati kehendak Allah namun mati di kayu salib bagi kita yang tidak mampu hidup sempurna dihadapan Allah. Kita tidak bersandar pada kemampuan diri kita, tetapi bersandar kepada Kristus yg telah menggantikan tempat kita diatas kayu salib.
Hukum mengutuk kita, anugerah membebaskan kita. Berita Injil adalah berita sukacita karena:
- Ia tidak hanya menuntut kita menjadi sempurna, tetapi Ia memberi kepada kita kerinduan untuk menjadi sempurna.
- Ia tidak hanya menuntut kita hidup suci, Ia memberikan kepada kita kesucian itu.
- Ia tidak hanya menuntut kita untuk mematikan dosa, tetapi Ia juga memampukan kita untuk melawan dan membunuh dosa
- Ia tidak hanya menutut kita untuk menjadi manusia baru, Ia menciptakan manusia baru itu dalam diri kita ("dan mengenakan manusia baru, yang telah diciptakan menurut kehendak Allah di dalam kebenaran dan kekudusan yang sesungguhnya" - Efesus 4:24)
Dengan demikian Kristus bukan hanya sebuah inspirasi atau model untuk kita teladani, tetapi sebagai Juruselamat yg telah hidup dan mati bagi kita, sehingga di dalam Dia kita dimampukan untuk semakin rindu serupa seperti Allah Bapa di surga.
Berikut apa yg saya refleksikan beberapa waktu lalu:
We obey not to earn God's favour.
We obey because God's favour was upon us.
We obey not so that we can find God.
We obey because God has found us.
We obey not to make God indebted to us.
We obey because we are indebted to Him.
Our obedience is not a means of grace.
Our obedience is a response to grace.
"Run, John, run the law commands,
But gives me neither feet nor hands;
Far better news the gospel brings:
It bids me fly; it gives me wings."
Management Practices and Creativity
Teresa Amabile, a Harvard Business School professor, recently started a new thread of discussion centered on the question: "Is Management the Enemy of Creativity?" Here is the problem she posed:There's a crisis in corporate management. While the basis of competition has shifted decisively to innovation, most management tools and approaches are still geared to exploit established ideas rather than explore new ones.The solution she proposed is not to ditch management altogether, but to reinvent it in such a way that management practices are able to engage as many people from diverse backgrounds as possible to jump on board solving problems with creative ideas. The post understanably receives many commments, one of which points to research in Neuroscience which provides a reason why creativity and management practices are strange bedfellows.
Perhaps that's why corporate acquisitions have reached such high levels over the past decade. Creativity takes root in entrepreneurial ventures, and big companies, unable to cultivate it within their own walls, end up buying it instead.
Management practices have historically been rooted in analysis and a linear approach in an effort to attain a level of predictability [whereas]... creativity is rooted in dissonance and breaking predictable patterns
Oct 22, 2008
Self-Made Salvation and the Gospel
I came across another good piece in the Leadership Journal written by Bob Hyatt. It reminds me the importance of feeding our sanctification on our justification, a concept which I learned not long ago. The solution to our un-Christlikeness is not trying harder but to rest more and delight more on Christ' finished work who lived the life I should have lived and died the death I should have died.
Here is an excerpt from Hyatt's article:
Here is an excerpt from Hyatt's article:
A confession: Since becoming a pastor, I find that I struggle with very different things now than I did before. For instance, I don't look at porn. But I don't look at it for all the wrong reasons.
The truth is, every time I'm tempted to, I begin to think about how much it would cost me if I were to get caught. First, the damage it would do in my marriage is huge in my mind. Second, even though I know my elders and I could probably work through something like that, I'm still conditioned to respond how I was taught in the churches of my youth, where pastors were assumed to be "above reproach" (read: "inhumanly perfect"). When issues such as sexual immorality arose, pastors would disappear—they resigned or were fired.
What I mean to say is that a huge part of why I don't look at porn is that I don't want to lose my job. Right choice, wrong motive. Sometime I wonder, who would I be if I weren't a pastor?
My idol is what my people think of me. That's my real struggle. It is so important, in fact, that when I have an off Sunday, and I think everyone went home grumbling about how badly I preached, I'm devastated. I can't sleep. When someone leaves our community or criticizes my pastoring? More sleepless nights.
Why? Because the truth is that, in many ways, Jesus isn't my Savior. My congregation is. Or, more precisely, their approval is. I want it. I need it. I'd even say that a big part of my identity is based on the results I am getting as a pastor and what people think of me. That idol occasionally, coincidentally, pushes me toward doing the right thing or keeps me from doing the wrong thing.
But the problem is, whenever I come up against a struggle or a temptation and I choose to do the right thing because I need to protect that idol of others' approval—even if I'm ostensibly doing the right thing—in reality, through nurturing that idolatry, I've nurtured serious evil in my heart.
Twisted. Even worse, I've realized that by pursuing my idol of people's approval I'm countering the message I proclaim week after week.
...God began to speak to me about my striving, about my sorry attempts at self-justification and my desire to prove my worth and value—to save myself through my performance as a pastor. Rest is what I needed, but not just the rest of my body in sleep. Not even the rest of my mind from the cares and worries of ministry. All the way down, deeper than both of those things, what I needed was the rest of my soul in the finished work of Jesus.
Ortberg on the Gospel
An excerpt from Ortberg's recent piece in Leadership Journal entitled The Gospel and Happiness Paradox:
Maybe the "if you were to die tonight" version of the gospel falls victim to the happiness paradox. If "heaven" is understood as "ultimate happiness," then I can seek to obtain it while remaining trapped in my self-centeredness. If "heaven" is understood as the eternal pleasure factory, then obtaining it has no intrinsic relationship to transformation, therefore no intrinsic relationship to discipleship.
But if the gospel really is the announcement of the availability, through Jesus, of the "with-God life," then things begin to fall into place. Grace is not just the forgiveness of sin, it is the power to live the with-God life from one moment to the next. Heaven is not a pleasure factory that an angry God chooses to shut some people out of because they don't pass a theology test; it is a community of servanthood that can only be enjoyed by a certain kind of character.
Oct 20, 2008
Earth from Above
There is no way we can marvel at these photo shots Earth from Above without wondering whether there is something or someone behind the great design of the world. The more than 700 comments this posting attracts is testament to our amazement of this wonderful creation called planet earth. And its wonder should point us to bow down and worship Him, the Grand Designer.
Oct 18, 2008
Yancey on Rumors of Another World
This nearly hour-long talk is based on one of Philip Yancey's book, Rumors of Another World. Yancey is my most favorite author, and perhaps the most influential evangelical writer of our time whose works have had a huge impact on both Christians and non-Christians alike. I think he wrote some 27 books, many of them are award-winning.
In this talk he discussed the central theme that is found in all his books, that is how his faith survived the worst church he grew up in. Thankfully that worse faith journey led him into the loving arms of Jesus, an experience of which that propelled him to write books about the amazing grace he never experienced and the Jesus he never knew growing up in that church.
Two years ago, he talked about the blind-opening experience after surviving that church in an interview with CT. But what captured me most in that interview is his pattern of living as a journalist. I initially thought that Yancey can write with such fresh insights and so productively because he is a brilliant, prolific writer. As I read more of his books, I began to understand that like many other writers he learned from (Henry Nouwen, C.S. Lewis), writing for Yancey is a process of self-discovery. He started to approach subject from a point of curiosity rather than mastery. The following excerpt from that interview gives us a glimpse of what it takes for Yancey to be an inspirational writer he is.
In this talk he discussed the central theme that is found in all his books, that is how his faith survived the worst church he grew up in. Thankfully that worse faith journey led him into the loving arms of Jesus, an experience of which that propelled him to write books about the amazing grace he never experienced and the Jesus he never knew growing up in that church.
Two years ago, he talked about the blind-opening experience after surviving that church in an interview with CT. But what captured me most in that interview is his pattern of living as a journalist. I initially thought that Yancey can write with such fresh insights and so productively because he is a brilliant, prolific writer. As I read more of his books, I began to understand that like many other writers he learned from (Henry Nouwen, C.S. Lewis), writing for Yancey is a process of self-discovery. He started to approach subject from a point of curiosity rather than mastery. The following excerpt from that interview gives us a glimpse of what it takes for Yancey to be an inspirational writer he is.
What would people be surprised to discover about your life as a writer?
They would probably be surprised to know how boring most of a writer's life is. Sure, you get to travel a bit and do interviews in magazines or on the radio. But that's the artificial side; that's not the real life. The real life of a writer, for me, is an isolated, paranoid sort of existence. [He laughs.] I cannot write with someone in the room. People write to me and say, "I'd like to be your intern; can I come watch you write?" No way! I have to be alone, and when I get into that zone of writing, I eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for weeks at a time. I don't want to think about anything else but the writing part. So I'll go away on a writing retreat and spend five days in a row alone, writing. Then I'll take a break for a couple of days and start over again. When I was working on Prayer last year, I did this for about 12 weeks in a row.
How does this affect your interaction with other people?
There has to be a sort of reentry period, because after a while I realize the only human I have talked to all week was the clerk at Starbucks. I'll say, "Tall latte, please." And that's it. I talk to Janet at night, of course. But sometimes when I'm in the thick of it, we'll have dinner with friends, and I realize that I've kind of lost the art of interacting with others. My timing is off.
Oct 13, 2008
Mystery Worshipper For Hire
Wall Street Journal ran an interesting article on a new market research ploy to attract and retain worshippers: Hire mystery worshippers. Marketing terms like brand loyalty and customer retention and ecclesiastical watchwords such as church growth and seeker-sensitive used to be strange bedfellows. Now they are often used in the same breath. The WSJ noted the meticulous attention a mystery worshipper does in his undercover inspection which covers anything from sermon to tissue boxes:"This summer, Mr. Harrison scoured a megachurch in Cedar Hill, Texas, and jotted down a laundry list of imperfections: a water stain on the ceiling, a "stuffy odor" in the children's area, a stray plastic bucket under the bathroom sink and a sullen greeter who failed to say good morning before the worship service. "I am a stickler for light bulbs and bathrooms," he says.
Mr. Harrison belongs to a new breed of church consultants aiming to equip pastors with modern marketing practices. Pastors say mystery worshippers like Mr. Harrison offer insight into how newcomers judge churches -- a critical measure at a time when mainline denominations continue to shed members and nearly half of American adults switch religious affiliations. In an increasingly diverse and fluid religious landscape, churches competing for souls are turning to corporate marketing strategies such as focus groups, customer-satisfaction surveys and product giveaways.
His critiques can be bruising, pastors say. "Thomas hits you with the faded stripes in the parking lot," says Stan Toler, pastor of Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City, who hires a secret shopper every quarter. "If you've got cobwebs, if you've got ceiling panels that leak, he's going to find it."
One weekend this past summer, Mr. Harrison drove up to Trinity Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, in a bright-red rented Chevrolet. Armed with a digital camera, he trolled the church's grounds and its new $13 million sanctuary, snapping shots of weeds growing in the parking lot, loose lighting fixtures and a fuse box missing a lid. "Please cover as soon as possible," he wrote in his 67-page report. Few staff members were around on a stifling Saturday afternoon, but Mr. Harrison had a cover story just in case: He was a friend of the pastor's visiting from out of town, and was touring to get ideas before renovating his own church.
Before inspecting the church grounds, Mr. Harrison called Trinity early in the morning to test its voicemail, scrolled through the church's Web site and asked a clerk at a nearby copy shop if he knew anything about Trinity. The young man hadn't heard of it.
The next morning, Mr. Harrison -- who has a round, dimpled face, a salt-and-pepper mustache and a talent for blending into crowds -- arrived a few minutes before the Sunday worship service started. He strolled past the coffee bar where dozens of people chatted, past the electronic giving kiosk and into the cavernous, stadium-style sanctuary, where he sat alone in the eighth row. Wearing a short-sleeved shirt rather than his usual suit and tie, Mr. Harrison fit into the boisterous, casually dressed crowd of 800 worshippers. He turned off his cellphone and filled out a visitor-information card. The lights dimmed as a 10-piece rock band took the stage and ripped into a rollicking song. Mr. Harrison discreetly scribbled notes onto a tiny pad tucked into his palm.
The church scored a solid four stars -- three stars on hospitality and cleanliness, four on appearance and five on the worship experience. Mr. Harrison praised Trinity for using ushers ("I just think it's classy," he says) but hammered the church for its coolness toward visitors. "None asked my name. None asked about my church background. None asked about my spiritual condition. None invited me to return," he wrote in his report.
I think there is nothing wrong with using marketing strategies to evaluate and improve our ministries so they become more effective for the sake of the church mission. Surely it won't hurt the church to be made aware that the congregation has been so aloof and detached towards newcomers. In fact, it's good to have third-party observation and perceptions particularly if they are complete strangers who can spot things which are often overlooked by the church ministers, staff, and members. In fact I made it a habit to ask overseas visitors what stands out to them before, during, and after the service, both the positives and negatives.
However, there is a limit to what marketing tactics can and should do in advancing the mission of the church. As it is the church of God, its mission, values, culture, structure, design, system, and practices cannot be dictated by consumers. Instead, it should be aligned with God's sovereign will in each of those areas as stated explicitly or implicitly in the inspired Scripture. Instead of making customers their god, churches have to make God their God.
Hence, if the mystery worshipper says that the pew is not as comfortable as the movie theater down the road, for example, one must perhaps ponder the reason why it was made rather uncomfortable in the first place before considering to do a major refurbishment to compete with the theater. One reason would be that the whole point of coming to church is to worship in obedient gratitude a living, sovereign, almighty God, not to enjoy ourselves with free stand-up talk and upbeat music while sitting in comfy couches while sipping a cup of latte.
More subtle and important here is perhaps the question: Church growth according to who? Toilet cleanliness, ample parking space, comfy pews, nice coffee machines, warmhearted and always-welcoming members, uplifting music, inspirational sermons might attract new folks to the church. And possibly, get their hearts changed to love Jesus. Then we thought that's what matters, people are being converted to Jesus. In the end, we get some of the glory as man-made strategies are being employed as a means to that end.
If we stop and ponder for a second what God says in all these, we will be compelled to ask "Is the change we are implementing honoring God?" If it does not honor God, would we be willing to abandon it and obediently follow God's prescribed method of change. This presuppositional view will help us filter all kinds of church strategies we used.
In his letter to a church which would had been rated very low by church consultants, the Apostle Paul taught the change God prescribed: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." People are changed when they are smitten by the beauty of God, when they see with their ears the glory of God being preached from the pulpit, when they encounter the holiness of God and as a consequence are made aware of their bankruptcy apart from the grace of God. When the church of God lives to proclaim the glory of God, people do come.
On that note, however, the apostle added that the strategy will prove ineffective with some individuals: “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing" (2 Corinthians 4:3). Those who are perishing will not see the glory of God in the gospel, and no marketing strategies will change that fact. The best thing that our man-made efforts can achieve is getting them return and linger in the church, which often is maintained at the expense of the flock of God that needs to be nurtured (today this is called seeker-sensitive strategies).
If the Apostle Paul did not feel the necessity to alter his church strategy because of that, perhaps neither should we.
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