Teaching or Pastoring

I read from the Early Church in the first 400 years that their best theologians and scholars were bishops of churches. Even the great St. Augustine pastored a relatively small church in North Africa but through his preaching and writings influenced millions down the ages. John Calvin was also a pastor of the Genevan church but no one could claim greater scholarly achievements like Calvin could for a few hundred years after him. Luther might have been a full-time Professor but he was also pastor of his Wittenberg congregation. But nowadays, there is too much division and specialisation in church or in Seminary. It is hard to do both and excel in them both. You are either a lecturer or professor or a church pastor. Sometimes I wish I could do both.

Preaching & Bible Study on the 7 Churches of Revelation

Nowadays I don't even look at my watch as I preach. If I am asked to preach for 30 mins like in some Singaporean churches, so be it. But some traditional churches insist on 20 mins and when I did that in a Cathedral in Singapore, a couple of members asked why my sermon was so short. But yesterday I felt the strength of the Lord and I saw members were hungry for the word.

70 Days & Counting

It's surreal. Yesterday another friend asked me about my future ministry. Two days ago, my former Deputy chairman of the church in Ranau also texted me and he expressed surprise that I had gone over to the "other side". It's hard to explain the mixed feelings I have had experienced in the past month. Yes, it's been exactly a month since I signed the acceptance letter of appointment as a Seminary's lecturer. My tenure will begin on 1st June, 70 days from today. On one hand, I felt relieved that it was all over in terms of my future ministry and that it is done and dusted. Speculation and texts reached a crescendo a couple of weeks before I put my name on the dotted line.

Itinerant Preacher & God's Provision

I have lived the life of an itinerant preacher for the past 11 months since May 2022 where all the Covid19 restrictions were lifted in Malaysia. But they are those who would still use rules and regulations to bind people instead of setting them free to serve God. I am glad that since I was in my mid-20s, I never really had to answer to any man or human authority. Before I turned 25 years old, I was my own boss of my legal firm. When I started serving full-time, out of my free will and in freedom I served my denomination though free from all men, yet a slave to all in order per chance I could save some for Jesus' sake. Even in Singapore, I taught how I liked and never compromised my principles. If I could teach a few OT papers and second year Greek, I might have stayed on in Singapore since there were two ready sponsors each with SGD3,000.00 per month to the sum of SGD6,000 in 2014.

Money Saved, Money Spent

Why do we save money? Why do we invest in an interest-bearing account? Do we save forever? No! We save in order that we may spend when the time comes or when we are in need. Woe betide those who have no savings or emergency funds for when they meet with some contingency, they have no money. Having no money as an adult is not a very good feeling. I remember NZ's former PM, John Key said that it was scary to be without money and he made heaps before retuning to NZ and entering politics. When I bought my little Korean car, I saved some money in order that I did not need to feel I am indebted to the bank, though I took out a 3-year car loan.

Walking by Faith

It's great if we have a Chrystal Ball in front of us foretelling our future so that at least we can plan ahead with a measure of certainty. But our future is in God and only God knows our future and all our futures are in Him. It's still two and a half months before I move into my College apartment and work starts on 1st June getting the lectures ready before the Second Semester begins. So what do I do in the interim? Barely 75 days to the start of June, I can do nothing or I can do much.

Fed by Ravens

Elijah was fed by ravens during the drought he proclaimed against King Ahab who persecuted the prophets of Israel. Indeed God has fed me in these 15 months without pay. Few would believe my finances remain like in the times of employmemt, though some will be surpriseed how little pastors are paid in this corner of the world. One elder lamented that he knew of a pastor with a wife and child but paid RM800.00 per month just slightly above half the minimum pay set by the government.

Intense Conversation

I was still tired from the exertions on Sunday where I conducted a Bible Study in the afternoon after preaching in the morning. And the Saturday before I had shared a devotion before praying for a baby who was two and a half months old. So last night I was invited to a dinner and knowing my politician friend I know that we would engage in some intense conversation. I have known this friend for more than 30 years and way before we bought a house my family stayed with in his family home in KK for four or five days. For the first 13 years of ministry I had relied on the goodwill of church members snd stayed in several homes during my leave or Semester holidays.

Right in the Heart of the City

The Seminary where I shall be based in June is right in the heart of the city, up a hill called Signal Hill just 1.5km from city centre. When I came down from Ranau early 2019 my prayers were that my ministry would be based in Kota Kinabalu. For me to influence the whole State you have to make an impact on the city. Why is the city so important? Why is a church in a city so important? The church is called to light in the city as a light set upon a hill that can't be missed. Although the Seminary is hidden among green forests and many trees, one can't miss the place as it is directly opposite the Palace where the Governor lives (TYT).

Last Throw of the Dice?

When one is nearing 60 years old, one thinks he is nearing the end of his career. Yet I have the quiet assurance that I have three more phases of ministry before my time is up. I have gone through 4 phases already, so it is more than half way into my ministry which I received from the Lord. The first phase is 4 years post Bachelor degree in theology where I practically preached at least 350 sermons in all with the last 300 sermons in 3 years. Then my post doctoral phase which lasted just over 5 years as pastor of my home church. After that my third phase was out of Sabah where I served in Singapore for 6 years. But the fourth phase was the toughest since for 49 months I was up in Ranau and another 2 years in KK for a total of 6 years in active service.

Anti-Intellectual Movement in Church is Well and Alive

I find it increasing unable to breath and move among the circle of my friends. Besides one or two people I know, there is no one else from the professional world has entered full-ministry since the mid-1995. It's going to be three decades long soon without a single working professional giving up his job and entering into full-time ministry. Even in the late 1980s, we had a few qualified teachers after a few years of teaching, gave up the teaching profession which is one of most secured government jobs with good pension, and then they had entered into ministry in their late 20s or early 30s. But now there is none. There are two or three University graduates among our ranks but they had little to no working experience and having struggled to find a good job in the world they had entered full-time ministry. I can truly say that there is this anti-intellectual movement in church that is dominating the discussion and narrative about full-time ministry and becoming God's servants in general.