Ministry Milestone: Ordination

On the second and last day of the leaders' retreat, in the first morning session, I showed for the first time in public (among 20 leaders) my ordination certificate on the screen in a slide. It happened that on 6th December 2025 was the 29th anniversary of my ordination as a full-time worker (pastor & elder) of Sidang Injil Borneo (Borneo Evangelical Church).

Leaders' Retreat & God's Will

It was by God's grace and His will that the Retreat proceeded as planned. I had prepared for it in the past 2 and a half months, half the time not knowing whether it was going to proceed or not. I will do my best to the last day has been my principle since the entry into full-time ministry, because it is for God and not for men. I am happy that at the end, one participant laid down what was at stake. The church needs a leader if we wanted to fulfil God's plan for the church.

Leaders’ Retreat

Twenty six leaders confirmed their attendance with half of them not part of the Church Council of 15 leaders with two absentees as one deaconess was transfered to Keningau last month. It is only a 21-hour long retreat with dinner starting at 6pm after check in on Friday and we will end by 3pm on Saturday. Some of the leaders will have to return to church at 7.30pm Saturday for the Sunday service rehearsal.

Voting in Sabah

In May 2013 my wife and I returned to Sabah to vote in the 13th General Election. We spent altogether SGD1,000.00 for our return airfare and other expenses incurred just perhaps 3 days back in Kota Kinabalu before flying back to Singapore to complete the marking of papers and College’s graduation. At that time we had been awarded Singapore Permanent Residence less than a year before (June 2012) and I had no idea that I would be returning to Sabah for good in just over a year after the May 2013 Election. Looking back the call of Sabah was just too great to ignore.

Who is the skilful writer and preacher?

Instead of stressing myself out due to others’ neglect or no-show, I am focusing on what I can do. I already sacrificed my Mondays (my day off) for a whole year without much rewards so now I am taking another approach - focus on what I can do in my spare time that is writing biblical commentaries. It is now my third day writing especially in the early hours of the morning from 6am-10am. It requires much skills to write a commentary let alone in one’s second language.

Writing for the Second Day

I have just completed my commentary on the last few verses of John 16 which I left off last October 2024.  I am writing for the second day running, having not written a single line since I took up my current pastorate a year ago. I am taking a few days to write in view of my lighter than usual preaching duties in the next couple of weeks. There are two visiting preachers and I am only preaching on 13th and 14th December when the church celebrates our Christmas before the exodus back home (villages) for some of the church members just before the actual Christmas Day on the 25th.

The Fight Goes On (A New David)

There are some basic assumptions that I think every believer should know - like who are the major prophets? and why are they called major prophets instead of minor prophets? Sometimes I suspect the teaching in Sunday School is very weak, like many children going through six or seven years of Sunday School hardly know much about the Bible. The battle for biblical literacy goes on. Yesterday I preached a sermon that requires much background knowledge of history, politics and wars during the rise of David and the reign of David over Israel.

Moral & Spiritual Clarity

I had a full 10 days to contemplate what I wanted to do in 2026 which is less than 7 weeks away. I prayed day and night crying out to God for spiritual clarity. There is much moral indifference in the world and as much as I can help it, I need to have a stance of moral clarity. A fortnight ago, a friend told me a famous preacher taught that polygamy was permissible. I dismissed it outright and stated that a sin is a sin, adultery is adultery, divorcing and re-marrying is a sin, marrying a divorced woman whose husband is still alive is sin (four places in three Gospels speak of all these), but alas very few preachers make it clear for the lack of moral and spiritual clarity.

Leaders & its Timing

I had had 10 days of rest and reflection since returning from Entilibon in the early hours of Sunday (9hb November) arriving in Kota Kinabalu just before 10am. I drove for nearly 5 hours with an half hour breakfast stop in Ranau, in the coffee shop I frequented regularly as it is one of the few shops opened by 6am in the morning. It was a perfect place for me to be 10 years ago in Ranau when I rose for early breakfast preparing to preach two Sunday sermons at 8am and 10am.

Why Departure Points

"Departure Points" is my second book published almost 6 years ago in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of full-time ministry in Christ. I chose the title from Robert Alter's translation of a verse in the book of Numbers where the Israelites made more than 40 departure points in their journey to the promised land through the wilderness of Sinai. I felt the same, having known the Lord for more than 42 years in Christchurch, following His leading, I have moved from one place to another in ministry, sometimes from one country to another. I had about 8 different appointments with two of my other posts being elected by delegates in an AGM, making 10 different posts or positions in ministry.

48 Hours

In two days’ time or 48 hours, I shall be travelling to a village, 4.5 hours’ drive from Kota Kinabalu. I just realized I had been invited a total of 12 times in the past 12 months since I took up my pastoral role in Kota Kinabalu. I was more than anything ready to stop travelling, but due to pressing needs I am still preaching in faraway places in my 61st year. I planned to stop when I turned 55 yo but added another 6 years to my exertions for the Lord.