Transitioning & Speaking up for the Weak

I am in the process of transitioning from itinerant for the past 12 months to a more stay-on-campus ministry of teaching at a Seminary. When one comes to a certain age, travelling is not so much fun. But I have one more trip to close up my itinerant ministry when I drive to a village at Kota Belud this Saturday. When I come back on Sunday I do not know which church I shall be worshipping in. That's the hardest part of transitioning from one community to another. I never thought this would happen, but I am reminded that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He has our best interests at heart (God's heart) and if we are in the centre of His will, we can't go wrong.

But I will have to find a new "home" church. I pray that in Sabah it won't be long, not like my Singapore's sojourn; I had tried 7 or 8 churches in Singapore but none welcomed me and my wife for 6 years and 3 months. It's hard to put in words lest I offend the children of this generation. I just received Singapore's Impact Magazine which reviewed my book, Departure Points published more than three years ago. Only now I read that a few Christian leaders and theologians dare to give some reflections and "critical analysis" of how the Church as a whole had responded to the pandemic. 

But when it was happening for more than two and a half years' long, it was generally just "toe the line theology" which is just following the world's narrative without much biblical basis. Yes some even argued it was a "social responsibility" to get vaccinated. Ask those family members who lost lives of loved ones due to the vaccines. Ask those who suffered and still suffering serious side effects. In the past year of my travel, I have at least ten pastors and not a few elders came up to me and told me of the side effects of vaccines. Some are still suffering terribly. Two pastors told me that now they make regular visits to the Hospital for check up due to irregular heart beat. They are in their early 40s and healthy individuals previously and now their health is jeopardised long term. One pastor told me that three of his closest members passed away within three months of the 2nd jab. 

When church leaders demand that all get vaccinated and mandated it or else face termination of service, that is as draconian as it gets. Where are the pastors, church leaders and theologians who speak for the weak at that time? Everyone just toed the line to their shame and guilt before the Lord. Of course, the Lord is merciful and He will forgive those who repent and regret their action and inaction in face of terrible sufferings of people and through this test of the pandemic, our faith is examined for there will be worse times to come before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory.