An Incredible Journey Ahead
by Chris Kam, Senior Pastor
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am about to touch the two-month milestone while writing this article since I came on as the Senior Pastor of DUMC. All I can say at this point is that it’s been an incredible two months! It has been both a humbling and exhilarating ride as God began a new work in our Church. I had prayed for a renewed visitation of the Holy Spirit as we begin a new season with a new sermon series on the Holy Spirit starting with my first sermon as the Senior Pastor on Pentecost weekend (14/15 May). My desire was to prophetically preach a sermon to reflect the foundation to which I would like to build DUMC to be in the next 10 years. We preach Christ as the basic reason for our existence. The Gospel continues to be our reason for being church as the herald and our call is to make disciples who are Christ-centered, Spirit-driven and Bible-directed. Everything we do is for the sake of the Gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, in a spiritual environment of prayer and worship. I was awed by the altar calls on that first Saturday and Sunday as the front was swamped by what I estimated to be about two thirds of the congregation, in both celebrations, hungering to be baptised in the Holy Spirit or to be more empowered by Him. I cried to the Lord, for this is what I and many are praying to see, a hunger for Him more and more! Some have shared with me about a tangible experience of being baptised in the Spirit, receiving the gift of tongues and the physical healings that took place. I wasn't even aware until someone told me that some were falling under the power of the Lord in the back rows. A few reported they saw angels, fire, stardust and gold leaves falling. An intercessor texted this: "I saw someone on the far right of the auditorium (near the VIP room) holding a flaming torch setting the dry twigs and brush on fire. The auditorium was like a field full of dry branches but somehow I knew it was about the people in it. I saw the fire quickly sweeping from the right to the left and I remember thinking, it's spreading like wildfire.
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My prayer is for the Holy Spirit to remain with us in DUMC. We want the Holy Spirit's habitation not just a Holy Spirit visitation." That is my prayer too! I pray that revival is not an exception but a norm. We know by faith that the Holy Spirit inhabits His people upon conversion by regeneration or new birth, but the outward manifestation of that is dependent on the desire of His people to facilitate that by faith and openness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Often, we are the ones standing in the way of the Him and we need to repent from that. Over the last eight weeks, we have seen many touched by the Holy Spirit in an incredibly progressive manner. Many have testified of an increasing awareness of the works of the Holy Spirit in their lives, from the time they were baptised in the Holy Spirit and now practicing their prayer tongues for at least ten minutes a day. They experienced a renewed desire to read His Word and pray. Coming to weekend celebrations have become anticipated events and cell groups are experiencing a renewed zeal in prayer. Testimonies of healings, from mouth ulcers, toothaches, pain in the ear to someone whose shorter leg was lengthened. Two known cases of viewers on our internet livestream were baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues during altar calls. Prophetic words are given in increasing measure as the Holy Spirit bring to prominence this much needed gift in the Church. The most exciting would be an increasing boldness to share the Gospel as members now are learning to be led by the Holy Spirit. I am praying for a new evangelistic zeal to be increasing in the coming months. I am thankful for the trusts given to me by the leaders of the church. Isaac Newton said and I quote: “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” I am thankful to every person that had invested into my life. My desire is not about growing the church although the temptation is to think of that as a primary goal. My desire is to hear the voice of God, to know what is
God's heart for DUMC. It takes courage to do many things, but sometimes it takes greater courage to not do the things God has not told us to do. I am reminded about the reign of King David. One thing that stood out for me was this verse. 1 Samuel 18:14 “In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.” The reasons the Lord was with him was simply that he often inquired of the Lord. In a battle, he asked “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” (2 Samuel 5:19). He asked for permission. In the midst of the battle, he inquired again in verses 22-23 asking this time for an attack strategy. He even inquired of the Lord of the place he should stay (2 Samuel 2:1). If you remember, I asked you at my commissioning to pray for me three things and I hope you will continue to do so. Firstly, is to remain humble in Him to be teachable and always inquiring of Him. Secondly, pray that I will keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). Thirdly, I will have fun doing this in this 10-year runway. It will be hard and challenging work but let’s count the cost and have fun doing it with joy along the way. The call this year is to Step Up and I pray that you and I will make the most of the incredible spiritual journey, not only for ourselves, but building DUMC for our next generation and beyond.
by Jeric Lam, Floodgates
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unday, 8 May 2016 marked a historic day for DUMC. At the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, DUMC held its combined worship celebration to commemorate the Commissioning of its incoming Senior Pastor - after more than 20 years at the helm, Pastor Dr Daniel Ho stepped out and passed the leadership baton to Pastor Chris Kam. It is probably not an understatement to regard this the event of the year, or even the decade, for the church. Particularly for long time DUMC members, this was a momentous occasion, a significant milestone in the history of DUMC. As I drove into Sunway Pyramid’s carpark that sunny Sunday morning, it occurred to me that I did not know what to expect from this event as the church has never had a leadership transition of this scale. As I walked from the humid, exhaust-filled carpark into the cool embrace of the Convention Centre lobby, I noticed the familiar sight of Pastor Daniel standing by the entrance, greeting each celebration attendee. As someone who has attended DUMC for several years, it was an especially humbling and heart-warming sight to witness this great servant of God tirelessly welcoming people to the morning’s celebration. The respect and honour the congregation has for Pastor Dr Daniel Ho is immeasurable.
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The convention centre which seats 3000 was abuzz with anticipation and filled with
energy as I entered. I could only marvel at the amount of effort and preparation put in by the relevant DUMC ministry teams to make this event a success; to name a few: the First Touch Ministry ushers in their bright red blazers guiding attendees to their seats, the DEW media crew managing the sound, light, photography and video aspects of the event - and as this is a combined celebration translators seated in translation booths to cater for the non-English speaking congregations of Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, Myanmar and Tamil. In the hall, everyone was smiling, greeting familiar faces and talking to acquaintances while waiting for the celebration to start. Even before the official start of the celebration at 10am, the hall was packed as more than 3,000 of us filled the venue to bear witness to the historic occasion. As I looked around, I observed that people from all walks of life were in attendance, from the elderly to families with young children, to young adults and teenagers. The atmosphere was one that was serious in accordance with the nature of the event, yet joyous and celebratory at the same time. And right on the dot at 10.00am, the Resonate worship team led by Pastor Gilbert kicked off the celebration with a spirited worship session. After worship, a video recapping DUMC’s history and journey since establishment was played. It was an amazing reflection of how God was and is still working through DUMC, touching and impacting countless lives.
When DUMC was birthed in 1980, the church started only 20-strong, and now there are over 5000 people worshipping at DUMC each week. I was amazed at the growth and journey of the church. No doubt this is a testament of God’s faithfulness to DUMC and His people. Pastor Daniel then took the stage, in what was his last celebration as Senior Pastor after a stellar 36 years of service. He announced that DUMC has made history as the first mega church in Malaysia to undergo a major leadership transition. The transition has been in the works for 3 years, with thorough planning and preparation invested to ensure a smooth and seamless leadership transition. Next, Philip Kua, a good friend of Pastor Chris, spoke about the traits and character of Pastor Chris as a leader and as a friend, describing him as someone who listens, who is compassionate, faithful, loyal and dependable. In addition, Philip urged the church to join Pastor Chris and his team on an adventure with God.
Pastor Chris then went on stage and shared that he was stepping up into the church hot seat with fear and trepidation, as he explained that this task is beyond human capability alone. Pastor Chris accorded a special mention to his parents (both of whom were in attendance) and gave heartfelt thanks to them for their support ever since he decided to serve the church full time 22 years ago. When describing his motivations, Pastor Chris cited the hands he shakes and little fist-bumps he makes. These are what keep him going. Through these handshakes, Pastor Chris is able to meet people and witness their transformation and their personal journey with God. With the little fist-bumps, Pastor Chris sees the hope and future of DUMC as he strives to make church exciting for the younger generation. After this, the eldership and leadership team were invited on stage to pray for and commission Pastor Chris and his wife, Stella Hoh. It was a humbling experience to witness history being made. The new Senior
Pastor, Pastor Chris, looks forward to the next 10 years as he starts a brand new chapter of this amazing story with God. Pastor Daniel returned to the stage, presenting his first sermon under his new designation, the Founding Senior Pastor of DUMC. He shared his visions and dreams for the church, and how he would like to see a church that is active in prayer, has an evangelistic culture and is able to make an impact in our communities. Pastor Daniel also shared his #twenty35 visions of DUMC becoming the hub for live bands, jazz festivals, sport carnivals and be recognized as KL/PJ’s top 10 must-visit places, prompting cheers from the crowd. Finally, Pastor Daniel urged the church to rally around Pastor Chris’ leadership to support him, and reminded us that although victory is assured with God, we still need to toil and put in the effort. The celebration was then closed with prayer and worship. While this historic event for DUMC had come to a close, a new journey for the church with God is only just beginning.
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Celebrating Faith & God’s Faithfulness by Low Mei Ling, Floodgates
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On 8 May 2016, Pr Daniel Ho officially handed over the Senior Pastor’s baton of DUMC to Pr Chris Kam. How does one honour a man who has spent 45 years of his life in God’s ministry and dedicated 36 of those years building and growing a church from zero base to what it is? Today, DUMC is a mega church in Malaysia and is also favourably regarded internationally. The leadership of DUMC decided to show its appreciation to Pr Daniel by organising a Thanksgiving Dinner at Majestic Hotel on 22 May 2016 and by publishing a book entitled “Daniel Ho: A Heart for People”. The book was launched by Anglican Archbishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing and every family at the Thanksgiving Dinner was blessed with a copy. The ballroom of Majestic Hotel was literally packed to the brim on 22 May 2016 with about 1,000 guests. For those who made it to the dinner, it was really an honour to be part of the celebration. Karen Lam, our very own DUMC member was an excellent Master of Ceremonies. After a time of beautiful worship led by Pr Gilbert and Juwita Suwito, Pr Chris dedicated the evening to God.
A dinner blessed by God It was an evening of celebrating faith and God’s faithfulness in the life of Daniel Ho. Although it was about Pr Daniel Ho, at the end of the evening, many guests felt that they
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were touched by God. They went home in a celebrative mood, feeling very thankful and joyful to be part of God’s Kingdom. Everything about the dinner pointed back to God, giving Him all honour and glory. God’s presence was felt and that made the dinner celebration extra special. Pr Daniel only invited a few of his friends like Dr Ravi Zacharias and Pr Edmund Chan from abroad and Pr Dr Philip Lyn from East Malaysia. It was a delight to hear their perspectives of Pr Daniel.
Pr Dr Philip Lyn, Senior Pastor of Skyline SIB, Sabah Pr Philip described Pr Daniel as the master of understatement. He recalled the time after both of them had reached the top of Mount Kinabalu and all Pr Daniel could say of his experience was “Not bad, not bad.” This is so very true of Pr Daniel that he is very calm and not easily excitable. The two men are such good friends after 40 years of friendship that Pr Daniel could say this of Pr Philip, “There is nothing he would not do for me and likewise, there is nothing I would not do for him. So when we meet we do nothing for each other.”
Pr Edmund Chan, Leadership Mentor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church, Singapore. Pr Edmund highlighted “humble boldness” as a key quality that is consistent in Pr Daniel’s life, a quality in character that is exceedingly
admirable, yet exceedingly difficult to achieve. Pr Edmund prayed that the legacy that Pr Daniel leaves behind will raise a generation of men and women who understand the power of “humble boldness”.
Dr Ravi Zacharias, Author and Speaker Dr Ravi having read the many stories in the newly launched book of how Pr Daniel journeyed through all kinds of situation with his people, had this to say, “Daniel, you have been there for your people. You stood by them. That is why they are here for you today. You are truly a shepherd to them and pastoring is a vanishing gift in our time.” In closing, Dr Ravi asked, “What is the most productive decade of a leader’s life?” He then explained that survey results show that the most productive decade of a leader’s life is when he is in his 60s. The second most productive decade is when he is in his 70s and it gets going from there unless he loses his health.” Dr Ravi then turned to Pr Daniel and Doris to say, “Daniel, you are about to enter the most productive decade of your life and Doris, please take care of his health.” This closing remark by Dr Ravi had the guests roaring in laughter and agreement.
Rev Dr T Jeyakumar, President of Trinity Annual Conference Rev Jeyakumar in his closing speech, described Pr Daniel as a man and a servant of God. He also paid an excellent tribute to Pr
Daniel when he said, “On behalf of the Methodist Church, we want to thank Pr Daniel for all that he has done and for all he has been to all of us. You have made our church very proud.”
Pr Daniel looking back in gratitude “In the blink of an eye” - that was how Pr Daniel felt of his past 36 years of co-founding, leading and growing DUMC. As he turned 65 and reflected on the years, he was full of gratitude that God would draw him, a small kampung boy in Ayer Tawar to faith in Christ, helped him to grow as a Christian, found him Doris, a woman of God to be his helpmate in ministry and enabled him to do His Kingdom work. He acknowledged his wife, Doris, their only son, Matthew, and many other family members for their support of his work and ministry all these years. He also expressed his gratitude to his co-founding elders, Dr Wong Cheng Mung and Dr Ling Khoon Chin, pioneer church members, all DUMC pastors, leaders, members and staff who helped to build DUMC.
Much to learn from this man of God People caught meaningful lessons even from a Thanksgiving Dinner Pr Daniel’s name was visibly absent on the stage backdrop Pr Daniel’s motto in life is, “Everything I do is for the Lord and His Glory”. At
most birthdays, weddings and special events, the name of the person will always be on the stage backdrop but at Pr Daniel’s Thanksgiving Dinner, there were only these words, “Celebrating Faith & God’s Faithfulness”, which pointed people to God and intentionally away from him. Pr Daniel is an exemplary man of God Letting go is never easy. Most parents struggle when it is time to let go of their children. Hence, it is amazing how Pr Daniel could readily let go of his leadership position at DUMC after having worked so hard to grow the church for 36 years and even planned the transition himself. As Pr Daniel honours God, God honours him At the celebration dinner were two types of guests - paying guests who are DUMC members and non-paying guests who are friends of Pr Daniel and Doris. That was the original plan but God’s ways are always amazing. God had arranged for Tan Sri Francis Yeoh, a Christian corporate captain, to volunteer to pay for the event. All the monies received earlier from paying guests were used to bless some Christian ministries and non-profit organisations.
For all that Pr Daniel has done and accomplished for DUMC, he would always have a special place in the hearts of the people. Many lives have been touched and transformed by God through him. Some of these stories of how people of all age groups and strata of society have been impacted by him are captured in the newly launched book. Now known as Founding Senior Pastor of DUMC, Pr Daniel is still a member of DUMC staff team. In this new season of his life, he is looking forward to do more teaching and also mentor leaders in the seven different domains ranging from business, creative arts, education, entertainment, media, politics and science. Relieved from operational responsibilities, Pr Daniel will now have more time to impact lives for God. Many more people are going to be fired up for Kingdom work as Dr Ravi Zacharias aptly puts it, “It is impossible to spend time with Daniel and come away uninspired.”
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LEADING ACROSS GENERATIONS
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s early as 6.30am, evidently excited on-ground volunteers, young and old, were seen running around to ensure last minute necessities were taken care of for the conference to run smoothly. By 7.30am, many excited delegates began to flood the concourse area queuing to get registered. Photographers were clicking away and soon after, our guest speakers with their DUMC hosts arrived and were warmly welcomed by excited faces – the kind we would usually see at Saturday evening and Sunday morning celebrations. At LEAD2016, not only are we blessed by the participation of more than 1000 delegates but also privileged to have as our plenary guest speakers:
JEFFREY RACHMAT, a sought-after speaker in Indonesia and internationally, on topics such as leadership, relationship, marriage and business JOEY BONIFACIO, a pastor at Victory
Fort Bonifacio - he serves on the leadership team of Every Nation Ministries and is also the Executive Director of the Real LIFE Foundation
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by Michelle Wong, Floodgates
GARY SKINNER, a visionary and a Team Leader of Watoto Ministries in Uganda - Gary and his wife Marilyn founded the Watoto Church and Watoto Child Care Ministries. JOSEPH BONIFACIO, director of the
School of Campus Ministry and Executive Director of Every Nation Campus Ministry in Manila. The vibrant and impactful worship sessions were led by SIDNEY MOHEDE and the DUMC Resonate Team. Throughout the day, attendees were energised by exciting games and prize give-aways. In the evening, we were treated to a special performance - dancers, a rapper and a beatboxer performing together for an arousing performance, the first ever of such a collaboration in DUMC. Kudos to the organising team for the meticulous planning of the conference: registration & information counters, worship team, food trucks, plenary and stream sessions. The conference began with an opening speech by Senior Pastor Chris Kam. He spoke about our recent Holy Spirit sermon series and shared an inspiring quote a member had sent him, “it is not merely the visitation of the Holy Spirit that we want, but the co-habitation of the Holy Spirit within”.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8) Some take-aways from the conference:
The Power of Salvation
Pastor Jeffrey confessed that English was not his first language, but his fourth! Nonetheless, he assured us that while different languages may connect people and although religious faith comes in many forms, the power of salvation comes in just one name – Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ understood that connection with people is of paramount importance so if we want to win humanity for Christ, we must first win their hearts. Pastor Jeffery ended with a timely reminder that “we do not do good things in order to get saved. We are saved so we can do good things.”
Honour God, Make Disciples
In his plenary session, Pastor Joey shared his church mission statement, “To honour God by establishing Christ-centered, Spirit-
empowered, socially-responsible churches and campus ministries in every nation.” On this he elaborated that we need to be watchful of the devil who has come to steal, kill and destroy. A great example of the non-adherence of this rule can be seen from the first fall of man in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden. Quoting from Acts 1:8, Pastor Joey stressed that a leader is empowered by the Spirit to empower people and make disciples. The Holy Spirit, moreover, seeks for us to pray in order to acknowledge that without God, things would not work. The Greek word for Spirit is “dunamis”, it is from here that the word dynamite comes from. Dynamite contains nitro-glycerine, which is so volatile it could not be used until Nobel found a way to use it safely. From then on, clearing lands for the building of train tracks no longer took weeks and months using picks and shovels but mere days with the dynamite. The same is true with us: we need to harness the power of the Holy Spirit to make an explosive .impact in our lives as Christians. What we are struggling with on our own may be resolved in much shorter time. The more pertinent question is; when the Holy Spirit speaks to us, are we quiet enough to hear His voice?
Purpose of God for you
Joseph is a legendary character of leadership to whom God had promised, “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens” (Hebrews 12:26). This man was shaken multiple times in order to remove such “shakeable things” so that he could become the leader God wanted him to be. Looking at the series of events in Joseph’s life, God moulded him to be a man that no longer relied on the favour or timing of man. Through God working in his life, he was no longer impatient and no longer living for himself but for God, the One who called him into His favour. Pastor Joey capped the evening’s sermon with a simple yet profound quote: “A leader must not be impatient but learn to live in God’s time. The only thing greater than you and I are the purposes of God. God shakes you because He has purposes for you”.
Fruit that Follows
John 15:8 reads, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples”. This is a reminder that the goal in life does not end at “success” but we need to be spurred on, to be “fruitful”. With this verse, Pastor Jeffrey reminds us that being a leader is more than merely adding value to people’s lives and bringing them to a better place, it is also a call to lead them to fruitfulness. The Parable of the Sower reminds us that the focus is not on the seed as there is nothing wrong with the seed. The focus of the parable is on the soil where the seed is sown. The soil is the atmosphere of the church and we, the congregation, are the seeds. As our church is at an advancing age, perhaps it is time for us to be fertilised again. Our God is, after all, a generational God. More on the topic of leadership, we are reminded that while many leaders are trained to see the fault in people, we as God’ s people need to train ourselves to see the ‘gold’ in them for there is greatness in everyone.
Serve me by Serving Others
When Pastor Gary took the stage, he shared on how he was drawn to the ministry of caring for children. In grappling with his calling, he had asked God why his focus should be on children rather than becoming a speaker and the answer he got was, “because I want you to”. That was all he needed to hear and it was sufficient. Pastor Gary reminded us that God hears the cry of the needy and broken hearted and He sends us out to serve (ref: Matthew 25:40-45). God wants to take the seemingly weak and insignificant to lead them to do great and significant things for Him. Lest we forget, the pathway to greatness is through servanthood in humility.
only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. These words of Jesus are very specific – that the thief takes something away from someone who does not pay attention, hence anything left unattended will deteriorate over time. As such, the call for us is to guard what we have and to guard our hearts. Ultimately, the best way to keep something is to work it, to invest in it.
A leader that follows
While the title here might suggest an oxymoron and today’s culture demands that leaders should lead, yet Joseph Bonifacio emphasises that Jesus is the perfect example of a leader, one who follows the will of His Father. We should take heart that God does not call us foolish because we make mistakes but only when we refuse to be corrected. Accordingly, young leaders who want to be empowered must be willing to accept correction when their mistakes are highlighted. In the bible, we see discipline as a form of love, a form of correction, rather than a call for submission. So then, is it worth keeping the grudge of feeling offended? Is it worth carrying the burden? Especially if it is against the one who intends to minister, mentor us? I think not. The three-day conference ended with a finale performed by an intergenerational choir proclaiming the greatness of our God. We truly praise God for the privilege to be a part of LEAD2016…see you at LEAD2017. Register now http://dumc.my/lead/
Work It
Then “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). While other translations mention to cultivate, to develop, and to make it better, the central point is that God would not have asked Adam to do something if He knew Adam could not do it. So, why work it? Pastor Jeffery refers us to John 10:10 which reads, “The thief comes
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A men’s conference By Fong Siew Keong
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himself to come over to this part of the world to be the keynote speaker at our upcoming Men’s Conference! We then began discussions with one of our key ministry partners, Mike Griffin of Equipping Leaders for Asia. Mike made the key connections with Man In The Mirror Ministries and before we knew it, Pat had agreed to make his first speaking trip to Asia! It would be a series of Men’s Conferences starting with Beijing, then Malaysia, Singapore and finally back to Shanghai. It is with great anticipation that many of us men wait to hear from the author of ‘Man In the Mirror’ himself. Pat’s earliest book, written in 1989, which had changed the lives of millions of men throughout the world. This book was even selected as one of the 100 most influential Christian books of the Twentieth Century!
his year, Men Alive! – the men’s discipleship movement of DUMC – is hosting a national men’s conference with Patrick Morley as its keynote speaker. This will be one of the most exciting men’s conferences in this region to date! The theme ‘Chosen’ is taken from 1 Peter 2:9 which reads, ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’. God has chosen us to be the people we are meant to be. It is up to us to answer that call and to take those steps to become that person!
Men Alive! was started in 2010 by the then Deputy Senior Pastor of DUMC, Pastor Chris Kam. We started off as Fathers Club whose intention was to 'jump start' the group by drawing in fathers. As the group grew, we saw that there were more and more men joining us who weren't fathers. We then decided to re-brand ourselves as Men Alive! in January 2013 to capture the wider network of men who would not normally attend a gathering predominantly intended for fathers. Since then we have been seeing God's faithfulness in our lives as more and more men have joined the movement to build discipleship into the lives of other men. We realise that men are not meant to be islands but instead need to be connected in fellowship structures with fellow men that support each other. Our meetings are held regularly on the third Saturday of each month and at these meetings, the men often share testimonies about their journeys through life. Some men have shared of their lonely struggles and their plight in being a Godly man in this day and age. Others have shared about how they overcome the daily challenges they face, with the Lord as their guide. Some shared fathering tips on how they raise their children as a Twenty-First Century father while some
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(brave) men even shared about their wives! All these life stories make the Men Alive! meetings a place where fellow brothers-in-Christ can take off their masks and pretentions, and learn to become authentic men, men that God had planned for us to be. In 2015, we embarked on the study of Patrick Morley’s new book, coincidentally (and perhaps divinely) entitled ‘Men Alive’. In this book, Pat outlined seven Primal Needs that are inherent in men. Needs such as: not being alone, knowing that God loves him, knowing that life has a purpose, etc. Pat shared that if these needs are not met, men become restless and often settle for mediocrity. It was an enlightening time of learning and growing together for many of us. Mid-way through these sessions, a thought occurred to us that we could invite Pat
We at Men Alive! also see this as an opportunity to network with fellow men from churches throughout Malaysia as many men have been blessed by Pat’s books. As we spread the word around, various churches have expressed their enthusiasm and have also jumped at the opportunity to be part of the conference and to hear from Pat himself! We pray that as many men attend this conference, their lives will be changed and the men of Malaysia will truly transform this nation for the Lord! Become the man that God has Chosen you to be! Register for this year’s men’s conference, 20-22 October 2016 at dumc.my/chosen For more information email men.alive@dumc.my, Fong Siew Keong, the Head of Ministry of Men Alive!
Spiritual Fathering
Servanthood A Lesson from History "If today you (the king) will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favourable answer, they will always be your servants." (1 Kings 12:7) by Dr Daniel Ho, Founding Senior Pastor
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olomon had tragically become ungodly, corrupt and oppressive in the latter years of his rule as king of Israel. Now the people of God came to the newly-installed young King Rehoboam, son of Solomon, of the united nation of Israel and said, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labour and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you” (1 Kings 12:4). King Rehoboam consulted the advisers to King Solomon and these advisers say to him, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favourable answer, they will always be your servants.” What wise counsel: If you serve them, they will serve you. Sadly, King Rehoboam did not listen to the counsel of these wise old advisers. The Bible records, “But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him” (1 Kings 12:8). These “clones” or “yes men” of Rehoboam only say what he would like to hear. These young men told the king to say to the people of Israel, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions” (1 Kings 12:14). That advice was tragically the beginning of the end of the united kingdom of Israel. Ten tribes seceded and formed the northern kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam while only two other tribes, Judah and Benjamin, remained under the kingship of Rehoboam. Who we listen to for advice and counsel is critical in our life, leadership and journey of faith.
The call of God’s people has always been a call to servanthood. Even a king like Rehoboam is called to servanthood. In fact, the king should be the greatest of all servants! Had he or any other king of Israel served their people well it would be unimaginable as to what would have gloriously happened to the nation of Israel. Israel had been short-changed because the leaders did not understand about servanthood. The posture and practice of servanthood is supremely exemplified in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ where He says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus came as a servant, in fact, the humble and perfect Servant. He served the poor, needy and marginalised of society and gave them all a hope and a future. He served blind Bartimaeus, for example, when “many rebuked him and told him to be quiet” (cf. Mark 10:48). Nobody had time or attention for him, least of all cared. But Jesus stopped, called him, healed him and offered him hope and a future. No wonder, he went on to follow Jesus readily. Jesus served the Samaritan woman at the well by giving her dignity and value and offering her salvation (John 4:28, 29, 42). A woman who had been abused and taken advantage of by five men had a total life transformation. Jesus served the outcast Zacchaeus by saying He will come to stay in his house and Zacchaeus became a new man altogether after that (Luke 19:5-9). And Jesus served the widow of Nain by raising her only son from the dead and giving him
back to her (Luke 7:11-15). What unspeakable joy for the widow! The Church of Jesus Christ today, the body of Christ, should emulate her Master in this as well. We become the hands and feet of Jesus as we reach out to serve and touch the world for Jesus. The Early Church reached out to serve the poor and needy so that no one had any need (Acts 2:45). “See how the Church loved one another and served one another” was the common refrain that was heard by everyone around. The Church served the people in sickness, in prison and in all kinds of needs. Through these the Church touched many hearts and lives and she grew rapidly (cf. Acts 2:44, 45, 47). May the Church today be like this again. This is to be best exemplified by the pastors and leaders of the Church. When these serve in this manner then members will have no difficulties serving likewise. The church, any church, would not have difficulties getting volunteers in any ministry as a result. Likewise, when we reach out to serve the community people in the community will respond positively to our actions as well as to our message. In Scripture, the word “leader” seldom appear. But the word “servant” or “servants” appears countless times in both the Old and New Testaments. It is both a call to servanthood as well as to adopt an attitude and a posture of a servant. When the church models this after the Master Servant Jesus Christ it becomes a powerful magnet and transforming agent in the world.
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Missions Seminar :
Here, There and Beyond
by Joyce Lau
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entmakers are defined as Christians who work in cross-cultural situations, and are recognised by the local people not as “religious professionals”. They enter their community as skilled workers but in terms of calling, motivation and training, are “missionaries” in every way. They support themselves abroad through a business or their profession, and make Jesus Christ known on the job and outside of their work. They are in full-time ministry even when they have full-time jobs, because they integrate work and witnessing. An example was Apostle Paul in Acts 18:1-3 and 20:33-35. That was the main speaker’s, Dr Fidel Monzon, focus at the missions seminar organised by CrossFields on 2 April 2016. Dr Fidel and his wife, Dr Melody, served as missionaries in Cambodia, Cairo and the US. His vision is to intentionally fulfil the Great Commission by integrating work and witness and his mission is to mobilise churches to educate, equip and empower overseas Filipino workers for cross-cultural ministry. Like many missionaries he could not deny God’s calling to the mission field. This seminar emphasised on professionals who are working overseas and
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mobilising those who have the heart for missions to consider tent-making specially in restricted areas within the 10/40 Window nations (win1040.com). There is a need for creative approaches to enter and access these areas for the gospel. There are about 7.29 billion people or 16,475 people groups in the world. Of these, 3.08 billion (42.2%) people or 6,664 (40.4%) groups are considered unreached. These statistics show an urgent need for tentmakers. Traditional missionaries will never be able to complete the Great Commission by themselves. They cannot get visas to go into many of the countries that contain the world’s unreached people groups. If every country is to be evangelised, it will have to be accomplished by lay people who use their vocations as entry platforms to reach these people. Effective tentmakers are those who abide in Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit and are aware of spiritual warfare. Tent-making presents to us an opportunity to serve in missions within our vocations and professional callings. With globalisation, connectivity and ease of travel we can have greater access to many restricted nations especially with our Malaysian passports.
Standley Low, one of the seminar participants, who has just returned from a Mission Intensive Training (MIT) trip to Myanmar shared, “This seminar was really an eye-opener and blessing from God. I now have an option to consider tent-making as a means to fulfil my calling into the mission field. When posed with the question of why I need to go overseas to serve God, my reply is because I want to obey God’s call upon my life to reach out beyond my comfort zone. Matthew 24:14 reminds us: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Another important point I picked up from the seminar is that God may call us into different roles such as a ‘goer’, a ‘sender’, a ‘mobiliser’ or a ‘welcomer’. As a tentmaker, we have the flexibility to play various roles and it also enables us to gain access to restricted nations where missionaries are not allowed to enter. If you would like to be part of a Missions Team, contact Pr Kelvin Yong +6012 3808 263 or email kelvin.yong@dumc.my.
See a void, fill it. See a need, meet it. See a hurt, heal it. by Fong Siew Keng
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imple words, yet they really struck a chord in me after one of Pastor Chris’ sermons this year. In that sermon, Pastor Chris had recounted that if each one of us does little random acts of kindness with no expectation that they would be reciprocated, we would certainly see a change of atmosphere in the Klang Valley. While there are countless things that we can do, Pastor Chris reminds us that the most important thing is to listen to the Holy Spirit for guidance. When we do these little acts of kindness as guided by the Holy Spirit, we begin to be more sensitive to the needs of people around us. Before he ended his sermon, Pastor Chris challenged us to ask the Holy Spirit if there is someone that we can do something for. He promised that God will lead us to places that we least expect! That was literally what happened that very evening. My family was having our usual conversation over dinner with Anastasia, our helper who actively serves with the Bahasa Ministry, when she related to us the predicament of ninety seven students from East Malaysia who were in need of some mattresses. My heart quickened and I knew that I had to pursue this so I suggested for her to speak to Pastor Eddy to see how we might be a blessing. After some exchanges with Pastor Eddy, and with more clarity on the whole situation, I informed Pastor Eddy I was committed to address this need. Right after I said that, it dawned on me that I had committed to something without having a full plan. For starters, I did not know where the funding for these mattresses would come from! Nonetheless, the Holy Spirit gave me a calm reassurance deep in my heart that He will provide and that I just needed to obey and to act in faith.
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As working adults are generally very keen to help in any way that they can, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for my friends to contribute, whether big or small, without having to commit too much time or effort. Utilising the concept of crowdfunding and tapping into the powers technology and social media, a simple message was composed via Whatsapp and was sent to a few friends from DUMC and other churches. Through the workings of His hands, our message was circulated exponentially and we managed to raise the exact amount we needed. We proceeded to purchase the mattresses which we subsequently delivered to the students, all within the span of four short weeks! I was truly amazed how quickly things were mobilised when we obey God’s will. On Holy Saturday, together with some of the friends who had helped mobilise this effort, we had the opportunity to meet these students. We were also introduced to the director of the academy and he explained his vision for the school. It was wonderful to hear how parents were so overjoyed when they realised their children are excelling in unimaginable ways. They cried tears of joy when they saw their child turn from being unmotivated, aimless and restless to becoming determined young men and women getting an education, some even going on to becoming the breadwinner of the family. Personally, I was also reminded that we have to change our mind-sets of success - that it is not confined to achieving a white collar professional status. Everyone is made unique and for different specific calling. It's about how we can encourage and help people around us become aware of their self-worth and gifting. And where possible, we are to help provide the opportunity for them to harness and develop their skills,
talents and allow them to use them to the best of their ability. We also took the opportunity to share with the students about the importance of good stewardship for example like the money we had collected, we need to make sure that we are good stewards of the monies entrusted to us. We had to source from various suppliers for the mattresses to get the best value for the money. Likewise, these mattresses given to them should be used with care and kept in good condition so they can bless the next group of students after them. We ended the day with a prayer of blessing over the students. I am truly appreciative and am touched by the church members who generously contributed toward this cause and made this endeavour a success. One interesting observation we made was that those who had contributed were exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to help. This suggests that there are many willing individuals that can make an impact in the community! But that’s not all…It’s certainly not a coincidence that this took place. The Holy Spirit planted a seed into one of the young adults who was also involved in this, to look at providing financial literacy to the students at the academy. Amazingly, Pastor Margaret was specifically looking for volunteers to help facilitate the financial literacy programme for them! Isn’t God just amazing? We just need to be willing and obedient when the Holy Spirit prompts us. I am truly encouraged to have learned to act when prompted and be blessed witnessing the wonderful works that was carried out. So to Pastor Chris, I am proud to say - Praise God, your challenge was accepted!
COMMUNITY EXCEL SERVICE S
Tender-hearted towards the poor by Debbie YM Loh
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he CES Weekend held on 16 and 17 April 2016 revealed to us one thing — that people care deeply about the underserved. We, at Community Excel Services, were very heartened to have numerous gifts deposited at our Sharing Corner, evidencing the tender hearts of our fellow DUMC family members. Not only that, our exclusive online 30-Day Challenge received close to 400 downloads and we received numerous enquiries on CES ministries, many availing themselves to serve. The Sharing Corner “Come not just to give away your pre-loved items, come to share your life with others who have less.” Pastor Margaret Loy, Honouring the Poor and Destitute (sermon) The Sharing Corner which started on 16 April 2016 and ended on 15 May 2016 provided an avenue to share our resources with the various DUMC ministries that minister to those in need and sharing our material blessings with those who have less. This short term project also encourages us to reduce our consumerism-centric lifestyle that is harmful to our earth by sharing what we have with one another and thus, reducing our overall carbon footprint. Over a span of four weekends, DUMC members rose to the occasion and filled four shopping trolleys with educational publications and children’s storybooks, five trolleys of men’s clothing, three trolleys of plush toys and four trolleys of educational games. Generous church members also filled up the Jumble Station three times over during this period! These items would be entrusted to our ministry leaders who would share them in person with those in need. It is our prayer that through these gifts, the lives of the communities around us would be enriched and would act as a catalyst to build stronger community bonds as well as enlarge the world for the children through education. Most importantly, we pray that this would draw two sections of society together—those who have more and those who have less, in a way that can, in any small way, endear us to each other.
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The 30-Day Challenge We created the 30-Day Challenge to ease people into thinking and learning about the world at the margins. It is a 30-day journey that can be embarked upon at any time of the year, for the purpose of bridging the divide with the poor through prayer, learning, living simply and taking small action steps. Via our Facebook page, we engaged with hundreds and thousands of individual hearts through our daily postings to remind us daily of the plight of the poor and how we can live simply and prayerfully alongside them. Relief, Betterment and Development After more than 15 years of working with the various marginalised communities within Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, we echo the insights of Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. In their book, “When Helping Hurts”, they discussed the importance of “doing betterment and relief using a developmental approach”. Indeed, as an organisation committed to nation building through people building, we seek to operate with a long term developmental approach with an end in mind, working with people for reconciliation with God, self, others and the rest of creation. An inescapable component is the need to strike genuine relationships
with and among the clients in order to journey and walk with them. Our work is also underpinned by the concept of integral or holistic mission, where the proclamation of the Gospel is both in word and deed. One can only imagine the adventure that lies ahead with those who would choose to walk with the poor, proclaiming the Gospel at the margins. Indeed, we invite our DUMC family to join us in journeying with the poor. “Let us not stay at a distance in how we engage those who have less, but move closer to journey and walk with them as friends.” Pastor Margaret Loy, Honouring the Poor (sermon) For more information enquire at the church information counter or visit www.ces.org.my, www.facebook.com/CESMalaysia or email general@ces.org.my Debbie YM Loh is the Advocacy and Communications Executive of Community Excel Services, CES at DUMC.
Update on recent collections If you have shared your items to the Sharing Corner, here are some of the places they might have gone to! Join us to pray that these items will build bridges in community, meet needs and spur learning. Most of all, that this effort will build a sense of togetherness as we share our possessions with each other. Men’s clothing for CES’ Street Ministry Toys and household items to families under our CES’ Urban Community Development Children’s educational and story books Excel Tuition Club mini-libraries Primary and secondary textbooks and workbooks to our Tamil language congregation Games to cell groups in the BM language congregation Toys and children’s books to a Myanmar refugee child education centre Toys and children’s books to Jubilee Ministry, a ministry to the Orang Asli Household items to Missions Department for mission trips Women’s clothing, trinkets, items in saleable / new condition to Jumble Station
COMMUNITY EXCEL SERVICE S
Preparing children for the world through English by Yuen Ting Ai and Debbie YM Loh
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t is always daunting for a child to speak in an unfamiliar, non-native language. While teaching English is what we do, building confidence in using the language is part and parcel of our work. Enabling students to read and access information in English opens up their world to unending possibilities, giving them new insights of society. Today we are proud of many of our former students who are leading enriched lives, including one who is pursuing a medical degree, and others who are serving in DUMC ministries! We intentionally build these skills and perspectives through an English-only classroom setting. Over time, as our teachers patiently and positively encouraged the children to speak the language to each other, they opened up and became more comfortable and confident in doing so. We recognise that English is an important medium of communication especially in the working world, and more so in an increasingly globalised setting. We believe that starting the children off early in the language is an important building block for other things later on in life. At Excel Tuition Club (ETC), we follow the Singaporean syllabus for English, which we believe is universally sound and best suits the purpose of the diverse composition of our students. We hope to impact more children’s lives as we strive to provide an encouraging environment to learn. Currently, our tutors teach just over 100 students combined in the three centres in Kota Damansara, USJ 1 and the Dream Centre. These centres serve the surrounding community and students reflect the general population of the local demographics. Our centres in Kota Damansara and USJ 1 serve children from lower income families, who are least exposed to the English language in everyday living. So, to help them to catch up, we use a study level that
suits their proficiency, working with them from where they are at. At Dream Centre, the children are mostly Chinese-educated, coming from middle income families, who need to build their confidence in using the English language as a medium of communication. These children fare better academically so they just need that extra push and guidance, thus the Singaporean syllabus attracts them. Throughout the process, our teachers are intentional in guiding their students towards character development such as kindness, politeness, cleanliness and learning how to resolve conflict without fighting with one another. What children and their parents love about ETC One of the things our children love about ETC is how we give them small rewards for attendance and effort put into their work. Indeed, our coupon system is a favourite among our students, where after accumulating coupons through attendance, good work done and good behaviour, students get to exchange their coupons for gifts at the Gift Shop which we hold three times a year. Through this exercise, our students get to enjoy the result of their hard work. We believe this brings about the joy of learning and can unlock the motivation in a child to excel. Of course, the good relationships established with teachers also keep our students motivated in learning and the care they experience plays a key role in how well they do in class. Throughout the year, we organise parties and outings for students to have new learning experiences while socialising with their teachers and classmates—these too have become a highlight for the children. Our current dilemma The need for English lessons way exceeds the number of volunteers we have. Our
largest centre in USJ 1 currently has a long waiting list which would be reduced if we had more teachers join our team. There are around sixty-five students distributed over four levels. Each level has one to two teachers who shoulder the classes every week. Ideally, if we are able to boost the number of teachers to more than twelve, they will be able to serve on a rotational basis so as not to spread their time too thinly. For Kota Damansara, we have about four teachers serving twenty children. If we could increase this to another two or more teachers, not only would we be able to provide more attention to the students, we would be able to provide English tuition to more children. The Children Need You Help us to put a smile on the little faces and touch a life by considering to teach English at Excel Tuition Club, particularly at the centres that are currently under- served. Not only would you be sharing your language skills and knowledge with the students, your presence and loving care would impact and influence them to become the person that God has intended them to be. In fact, your presence would be the love of God Himself, sent to lead and nurture these precious lives. For more information contact tingai.yuen@ces.org.my, Yuen Ting Ai, the Head of Ministry of Excel Tuition Club or visit www.ces.org.my.
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COMMUNITY EXCEL SERVICE S
What is Homelessness to you? by Jerry Teo and Debbie YM Loh
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eople often think that a state of homelessness is about not having a physical shelter to stay. To a certain extent, that is true, but the heart of the matter lies beyond what is obvious. Homelessness is a situation where a person lacks a family to return to, or a community to belong. That is the crux of the experience of homelessness - the isolation and vulnerability of being without a loving and accepting home. It may not be immediately apparent to us, but a loving and accepting home shields us from the impact of misfortunes and tragedies, even if they were self-inflicted. Having a close-knit community of family, relatives and close friends allows us to be able to find the relational and practical support we need to solve daily problems, even to overcome our own shortcomings. For those who are in a situation of homelessness, these resources are unavailable to them for many reasons. Some of our street friends have faced devastating tragedies, misfortune and failure in their lives, facing repeated rejections until the final point where they are spurned even by their own loved ones. They also face material poverty. Today, our friends face constant uncertainty in their lives, not knowing where they will sleep or when their next meal would come. This experience is particularly difficult for those diagnosed with mental health challenges, where even their own family members do not know how to support or communicate with them. They often get associated with the wrong company before ending up on the streets. They often require medication and stable routines therefore it is more challenging for us to assist them when we are unsure of when we get to see them.
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Nourishing with love Food security is certainly an issue for any person in a situation of homelessness, and this is understood by many charity organisations that organise food distribution programmes. Thus food provisions have been given generously whether in an organised or spontaneous way, to the point of abundance. People are very willing and compassionate to provide in this area. Sometimes the focus is so much on food provision that we lose sight of the “beneficiaries” themselves – we lose the human touch in the process when we become determined only to “feed” the hungry. At Street Ministry we want to shift mindsets from “feeding” to “sharing food” as an approach that gives dignity to the person. People need others to care for them as a person of equal dignity. If we truly desire to make a meaningful difference, instead of giving out food to fifty to hundred people without knowing any of them, we would rather a volunteer give to two to three people and spend time having a meal with them – being present with them as a friend, beyond just providing food for them. Based on our experience, those who have someone who would come to see and encourage them generally stay off the streets longer. Having someone to visit them as a friend, even as family, does wonders for them more than a hearty meal can do. Having strangers come, pass them food, and leave without interaction only serves to further heighten their sense of isolation and estrangement. Volunteering as being present Volunteering with Street Ministry or other NGOs is a good way to reach them, and consistency in spending time with them really makes a difference. We do not encourage volunteers to serve food and keep at arms-length, but to sit with them as an equal and partake a meal together.
As people serving those who are in a homelessness situation, we need to break our own ‘saviour’ mentality by being friends. As friends we do not think that we are greater than the other. As a friend, it is a mutual relationship with one another, both standing as equals. It doesn’t mean that we need to provide anything for the other person. They simply need a friend more than just someone to come and save them. When we are on an equal mentality standing, I realise not only do I need to learn to accept them, they also need to learn how to accept me. We always tell volunteers to be approachable and ready to talk about anything in life. That is what friends do with each other. Jesus as the example Jesus’ life on earth provides the Street Ministry with a clear model for our philosophy. Jesus made the radical move to approach those who were rejected by society. For example, Jesus was willing to stretch out his hand to touch the lepers when the society scorned and avoided them. He was also willing to spend time with those whom society branded as sinners. Jesus also made sharing meals with people a regular rhythm of his ministry, including those that society had rejected. You can also consider doing the same! For more information and to volunteer contact jerry.teo@ces.org.my, Jerry Teo, the Head of Street Ministry or visit www.ces.org.my.
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1
by Stella Lau, Floodgates
Gently the wind guides and pushes, surely the sail maneuvers and charts his path.
A
mentor, like the wind, while providing direction and empowerment for a successful journey, cautions the boat of various weather ahead in order that he may be better prepared. A mentee, like the sail, while beginning the journey on the wind’s guide, upon maturity shall learn to chart the path and vision of his own journey in response to the Lord’s plan for him.
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Jared Raymond
I Want to Know Jared came from a quiet, small town along the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Shortly before his birth, his father, Pastor Raymond, gave up his career as a teacher and answered God’s call into full time ministry. Soon after Jared’s birth, Pastor Raymond uprooted his family of four and moved to a friendly town called Kota Bharu where he became the head of a local church, seeing to the needs of God’s Kingdom there. Born and raised in a family considered as a model to the local community, especially amongst the Lord’s people, Jared’s life was tested greatly at a tender age when his parents announced their separation and were divorced soon after. Jared’s mother has since remarried. It was a difficult phase of transition for young Jared and his brother - and even more so for their heartbroken father. “I want to know why things happen the way they do and if I am loved.”
I’m Glad I Know
I’ll Walk With You
Pastor Raymond may have been a man of sound theological qualification with a respectable depth of understanding in the Word of God, yet his most inspiring trait is the way he lives his life. Though heartbroken by the outcome of his marriage, Pastor Raymond turned to God for comfort and strength. He allowed himself to grieve in His presence and surrendered all sorrow unto Him, relying on the Might of God to build him up in his time of weakness. He never stopped believing in God’s goodness and often relayed to Jared, the reliability of God’s faithfulness.
After completing STPM in Kota Bharu, Jared furthered his education at Universiti Malaya, enrolling himself in the TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) course. At the same time, he started attending DUMC and served in CES teaching English to the urban poor children.
Jared remained in Kota Bharu with his father after the divorce, completed both his primary and secondary education there. He continued to serve actively in the church where his father pastors and spent his teen years closely involved in both his father’s life at home and at work. He witnessed through his father’s life, first hand evidence of how a house built on a solid rock would not collapse in times of seeming calamities. Through the life of a man closest to him, Jared learnt that life is more than what the world defines and man’s purpose on Earth is beyond himself. In addition, with an innate love for the evolution of the English language and interest in the history and culture of mankind, he began to see life from a different perspective. Jared realized that when man falls prey to being absorbed in himself or when a society crumbles, God, who has always intended mankind for community, restores. “I’m glad I know that God is always in control regardless and He loves each of us personally.”
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He has been working for almost a year now, teaching young teens in an international school. He incorporates into his English lessons how the English language evolved in relation to the culture and customs of society at its time. He teaches classic literature by relating its core with the norms we see or experience today. It is Jared’s dream to invest in the generation which society has sweepingly defined as gadget savvy with little human touch, fast paced with little appreciation for history or culture and adamant of self-rights with little recognition for the value of religion or custom. He imparts in the lives he touches that even with the ever-changing world, there are essential values that last through the ages. He testifies with his life the faithfulness of God through tough times. “I’ll walk with you that you may discern the essentials from what the current age advertises.”
Lionel Yap
I Wish I Knew When Sabah announced the shift of language medium used in schools from English to Bahasa Melayu in the 1970s, Lionel’s parents were concerned about the quality of education he would receive. They sent him to a boarding school in Singapore and from the age of nine, Lionel learnt to be independent throughout his academic years. On an occasion when he was ten, Lionel accepted Christ. It wasn’t much of an experience to reminisce on as things were pretty much the same in subsequent years. Life was routine, time was compartmentalised and utilised fruitfully as per the school’s design and intent. Discipline was highly prized in the school and Lionel was soon appointed a school prefect. As it was part of the school’s requirement to be involved in extra-curricular activities, Lionel chose to join the Christian Fellowship, attracted mainly by the lesser commitment required. One day on his way to the Christian Fellowship meeting, as he entered the chapel, Lionel was hit hard by his evident lack of enthusiasm compared to the others gathered in the chapel. Being in the midst of his fellow schoolmates so fired to live for God, he questioned his own presence in the Fellowship. Needing to clear his thoughts, he left the Fellowship that day before it ended. “I wish I knew the God that they knew so intimately and served so passionately.”
I’m Glad I Know
I’ll Walk With You
Leaving the chapel that day, Lionel roamed aimlessly and ended up on the school field. It was empty and the wide space gave him a resounding echo of the thoughts in his head. He sat on the steps of the spectators’ seats and probed his thoughts whether he really believed in God. Feeling a little frustrated that rationale failed to conclude, he pleaded with God to prove His existence. Almost immediately, God responded to the desire in his heart and thus the journey began.
Having benefitted from leaders who sowed into his life, Lionel understood the importance and value of mentoring. He spent a good 10 years leading a Mentoring and Accountability Group (MAG) with a few younger men where he shared his life with them while walking with them in their journey into adulthood.
After Year 11 in Singapore, Lionel furthered his higher education in Australia. Staying in a migrant’s hostel, life provided him with a different social experience from that of a boarding school. At the same time, he became actively involved in the OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship). Close interaction and coordination with people of different origins, culture and beliefs enabled him to glean from various leaders, enlarging his capacity to work and operate under different leadership for common goals. Lionel’s life was enriched as he grew in maturity. Later, he was entrusted to lead and develop the youth through multiple international OCF functions. Back in Malaysia, Lionel found a job in the Klang Valley and eventually committed himself to DUMC after visiting several other churches. God continued to shape him and manifested in many ways that His grace is enough and His plans are always better. It was a trying time when his relationship of 8 years ended, yet through time he learnt to surrender his sorrow to God and to trust in His goodness. While Lionel hopped from job to job before starting his own business, he learnt to live by faith that God always provides. When there were disagreements amongst the co-leaders in styles of leadership, he learnt to focus on living and serving the Lord. Thus, when a prominent leader in the church renounced his faith unexpectedly, though shaken, Lionel had learnt to invest his faith in Christ, not Christians. “I’m glad I know that faith is the fruit of a relationship with God and His blessings fall upon those who respond to Him.”
A simple yet crucial truth that Lionel has always imparted to his mentees is simply, “decide, you’re either of the line of Seth or the line of Cain. Taking on an identity from the line of Cain is one who measures blessings in term of the world’s perspective, being angry with God when things don’t go his way and are successful only in the eyes of the world. Yet when one identifies with the line of Seth, one will experience and recognise God’s blessings under all circumstances, living a truly victorious life in the eyes of God.” When Lionel was asked what his greatest return is in all these years of mentoring, this is what he said, “in a classroom, it is the teacher that learns the most”. “I’ll walk with you so you may experience the fullness of God’s blessings, to discern God’s calling from the devil’s whisper.” Learning from mentors before them and duplicating unto the generation after had impacted the lives of both Jared and Lionel despite being in different stages of life. They know and acknowledge that the key to continuous growth is through mentoring and being mentored. Therefore, how would you answer the #twenty35 question to us all?
“Who is mentoring me, and who am I mentoring?”
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Getting to know… Alice Hoo. They say, “Love is a choice, and so is Stepping Up!” In line with DUMC’s 2016 objective to STEP Up, this article is about stepping up in the workplace. Let’s get to know Alice Hoo, who is in Resource and Support in DUMC, in this short and candid interview. by May Ng, Floodgates
When did you find Jesus?
I found Jesus when I was 29 years old. In that year, I was suffering from depression and going through demonic oppression. I was lost, and when I was at the point of thinking to end my life, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to read the Bible given to me by my aunt. The verses in Psalm 91 spoke to me and gave me the courage to live on and give my life to Jesus for there is always hope in God.
What would you say is your passion in ministry? Do share if there is a bible verse, life motto or quote that you live by.
I hope to see the next generation rise up, and be well-equipped to be the leaders that could impact our nation for Jesus. Especially in the area of empowering and encouraging young women to know and love God and to be assured of their identity in Christ. It is my desire for people to know in their hearts that God does give us hope and a bright future in Him. My favorite bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
What made you leave the rat race as a trainer in chidren’s education to join DUMC staff?
I had received a Word from the Lord to serve Him full-time several years ago. Finally, this year, I felt that the Lord is asking me to give
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my time to serve Him full-time and wholeheartedly during this season of my life. I still remember very clearly, one particular morning when I asked God for His provision when I have decided to serve Him full-time, the Lord was gracious and He gave me this verse in Matthew 6:25-26 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them”.
How did your family respond to your decision?
I am thankful to our Lord that my parents respected my decision and they were supportive. The Lord has given me wisdom to learn to prioritize my time for family, work and ministry.
How does your previous professional experience contribute to your current role?
I was a life coach and trainer in the areas of people development emotional management and organizational communication. I believe the experience gained and skills acquired are useful in training and influencing new leaders especially in character-building and to be an effective team player for God’s kingdom and glory.
How do you resonate with DUMC 2016 mission statement to STEP UP?
Be prompted by the Holy Spirit to be sensitive to what Jesus is doing in the lives of people, trust Him and have faith to step up to His challenge, whatever that may be.
How has God shown Himself strong to you when you stepped up and let Him step in?
Praise God that in His providence, I have not lacked any good thing since I started serving Him. No matter what we plan or do in the ministry, the Holy Spirit is the source in empowering and strengthening us to serve Him. It is not by our might or strength; we serve Him in His strength. No matter what we plan or do, we will soon realise and learn to always put God in the centre and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way, so that His perfect and pleasing will can be completely accomplished unto His church.
Any advice for our readers?
I would like use the quote from Antoine De Saint-Exupery to encourage everyone: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea”.
Getting to know… Adrian Tan, Head of Connectors, DUMC’s First Touch Ministry.
by Michelle Wong, Floodgates
Getting connected…
Business savvy, confident and yet down-to-earth Managing Director of multiple corporate companies, Adrian Tan is also serving faithfully as Head of Connectors, DUMC’s First Touch Ministry, since the start of 2016. It all began from a simple gesture of ushering a new visitor to the visitor’s lounge that tugged his heart to get involved in this ministry as he witnessed the warm hospitality provided. With God, such an experience is never a coincidence. Relaying the ministry objectives with the 3Cs; Connecting people to God. Connecting people to Church. Connecting people to Cell Groups. Adrian highlights that the key word is to “connect”.
Getting reminded…
Years back, Adrian had a personal encounter with the Lord and was reminded that he too is part of the royal priesthood of God and God’s plan is always to prosper us. He holds dear to this verse personally. “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’ ” Jeremiah 29:11. He shares further on his faith at work.
Could you share with us how you have leaned on the Lord in running your companies especially when faith is put to the test? There is no separation between secular to ministry work. We should bring Christ wherever we go. Whenever, I am faced with a problem I would just pray and
commit it to God. He always answers. I remember an early incident at my factory when my workers told me of sightings of a woman and child running around in the factory at night. As a result, workers were too afraid to do the night shifts. I knew this was spiritual warfare and looked to the Lord in prayer. I anointed the factory with oil and declared the Lord’s presence. Since then, there were no more reports of any further sightings. To God Be The Glory, business has been good and I know He is the reason for everything I do.
You have businesses in and outside Malaysia. What makes you want to settle in Malaysia, in a local church and serve the Lord here?
Some years ago, the thought of emigrating did cross my mind. However, after seeking the Lord, I did not receive His Word to move. Furthermore, Pastor Daniel’s continuous call to Malaysians to stay and pray for our nation prompted me to respond by staying in Malaysia.
What challenged your whole family to serve the Lord together?
It has always been our belief that we must be involved in serving in God’s Kingdom. For this is our act of worship to the Living God (Romans 12:3-8). When our youngest son was born, I read an article about Robert Schuller, a
father dedicating his son to full time ministry. As a result, my wife and I decided to follow in his steps. However, to our surprise, God had other plans. Instead, He chose my daughter to serve. Currently, she is a full time staff at DUMC. Serving in Connectors today, as a royal priesthood, it is about relying on the Holy Spirit to lead us as some visitors who visit come with emotional disparity or brokenness and may need salvation prayer, getting connected to the church community and getting connected to a cell group. First impression can be the deciding factor; either we make it or break it. The Connectors play a pivotal role in welcoming people who come to DUMC for the first time or who may be ready to “connect”.
Getting involved?
We are always on the lookout for people who would like to join our team. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few! Who are qualified? You just need: To have a heart for people To be Christian and committed to a DUMC cell group To be able to serve at least once a month To be a great listener To be between 15 to 75 For more information contact +6012 398 5251 Adrian Tan, Head of Connectors or email connectors@dumc.my
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Our Stories… “The heart and soul of the Christian life is learning to hear God’s voice and then developing the courage to do what He asks us to do”.
by Dr Dalvinder Singh
I
t seemed just like another one of my frequent visits back to Kuala Lumpur when I arrived at KLIA 2 from Kuching on 13 of May. As usual, I walked out of the arrivals and dashed quickly towards the exit, when suddenly, I heard a voice telling me to look to my right. I didn’t think about it much and continued walking out when again, I heard the same voice telling me to look to my right - I knew then that the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. When I stopped, I looked attentively to my right and heard a child screaming in agony. Reluctantly, I walked closer and saw a man holding a young child in his arms, a boy of about two-years, and as my eyes looked further down, to my horror, I realised the reason of the little boy’s cries; his arm was stuck in the side of the escalator up to his forearm. Being trained as a medical doctor, I knew I had to something to help. I asked God, “What can I do?” but at the same time all these thoughts ran through my mind - I have no idea how to remove the child’s arm. I do not have any tools or first aid items with me. What if I ended up causing more harm? I could end up being sued and found liable for aggravating the injuries. All of a sudden, I felt a sense of peace come upon me, and heard the same voice whispering to me, “Dalvin, you go and help.”
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I just obeyed and went straight to the boy and his father. I inspected the arm, and noticed the crushed hand with profuse bleeding, and the limb was starting to turn blue. I tried to pull the little boy’s arm out of the gap several times, but the hand was so tightly fixed that it wouldn’t budge. Just when it seemed like an impossible situation, my eyes were directed to a couple of maintenance workers not far from us, carrying steel rods and a hammer. I called out to them to bring over their tools, and together we hammered the metal rods into the side of the escalator to create a small gap to free the boy’s arm. The boy’s hand was severely mangled with several tendons and bones exposed along with multiple bleeding vessels. I thought, “God, I’ll need to pack the wound to stop the bleeding, and splint the hand, but I have nothing with me now.” And once again, that same still, small voice whispered, “Look ahead, I have prepared everything that you need.” Sure enough, as I looked ahead, just ten feet away from me, I saw a nurse holding a large gauze and bandages - exactly what I needed. I asked her to come over and I took the items, packed the hand, splint the wound, and bandaged the boy’s hand.
Everything happened so fast. The boy was quickly whisked off to the airport clinic, where the ambulance then rushed him to a nearby hospital. Today, I am happy to report that the little boy, Chee Heng, has been discharged from the hospital, after undergoing a successful series of surgeries to repair the torn tendons, broken bones and skin graft to replace lost tissue. He is recovering well, and the doctor said he should regain full use of his hand soon. They also believed that permanent damage was avoided due to the quick extraction of the limb and early intervention. I knew that God was in control of the entire situation and it wasn’t by chance or accident that He led me to be at the right place, at the right time. The Holy Spirit was guiding me every step of the way. The Word of God in Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it”. I have come to realise, that the heart and soul of the Christian life, is learning to hear God’s voice, and then developing the courage to do what He asks us to do. In this case, that obedience has made all the difference. All glory to Jesus.
Lew Tau Fei Sometime in September 2012 as I ended one of my classes, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to close my lecture with this message, “Design is a way to glorify God, who is the giver of creativity and talents.” As I was in a rush that day, I quickly scuffled out of the lecture call but was pursued by one of my students, Zack, who wanted to know more about what I said. In my haste, said to him that only Jesus can transform us through our design and invited him to my Christian Fellowship meeting the next week if he would like to know more. I had not expect that Zack would accept my invitation so to my surprise, Zack came to our Christian Fellowship meeting along with his twin brother. Not long after, they accepted Christ during our Alpha campus! At the end of that semester, Zack wrote me this letter heart-warming letter which I would like to share with you: Dear Mr Tau Fei, I am writing this because I am sincerely grateful for all that you’ve taught and guided not only me but everyone whom you’ve met. I will always remember that awkward encounter and you never stopped emanating that passion and wise words to me after our first lesson. Honestly, I was really lost and scared of who I can be or what I can achieve. At home, I am a confused person. Your work through God’s grace has allowed me to look at things differently now. Thank you Sir, for inspiring me and countless students in this college. I hope you’ll continue to do so with God’s grace. Now, you are my new role model and I’ll continue to strive my best to uphold my passion, attitude and God. I would like to be a person like you who inspires others and helps them. Once again, I’ll write this out so that I will not forget, “Design is a way to glorify God, who is the giver of creativity and talents.” - Your inspired student, Zack.
Chia Shui Yee One weekend at our Celebration, I was experiencing a very bad mouth ulcer on the back of my tongue. The ulcer had been there for a week and had been causing me terrible pain and discomfort. Usually, I
would normally apply a topical Chinese medicinal powder to the ulcer to ease the pain but this treatment would require a few days to take effect. So this weekend, I decided against using this medicinal powder and instead decided to trust in the Lord for His divine healing. To add salt to the wound, my stomach began to act up as well.
Our Stories…
As I walked into church with an upset stomach. Throughout the worship, I could not focus as both my mouth ulcer and upset stomach were frustratingly painful and were progressively becoming more and more uncomfortable. After worship, we proceeded with the communion. At this juncture I was at my wits end. I gave it up to the Lord and committed the healing of both my mouth ulcer and upset stomach into His hands. As I partook of the elements, I did so in faith and believing that God would heal me. Soon afterwards, I had a prompting in my heart and knew it was the Holy Spirit - the Holy Spirit reminded me of the pain from both my mouth ulcer and upset stomach, and to my delight, were no longer causing me any discomfort. I was healed! All glory to Jesus!
Melinda Yeoh It was a crazy awesome Spirit-led Leaders' Meeting a couple of weeks ago – instead of breaking off into the second tier meeting as we usually do, we were led through an intense prayer that evening. Two awesome things happened that evening that I would like to share: First - Vision At the meeting, I was prayed for by Sister Alice of the CES Ministry. Sister Alice does not know me well at all and I had not provided her with any specific prayer request nor shared with her any of the struggles that I was facing. But as we prayed, she left me speechless and in complete awe - throughout her prayer, she spoke of every single item of burden that was in my heart: my direction in life, vision and natural gifts which I have been struggling with in my heart.
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Our Stories…
Sister Alice also shared with me after the vision she saw of me, she shared that she saw many young people and campus students who were somehow connected to me through my influence over them. This was a first for me and it seemed too far fetch as I never knew I had the heart for campus students’ ministry! In her words, she said: “I saw a big LED screen or something like a projector screen and many college students were thrilled by the gospel message on the screen. I believe the Lord will give you the insights for reaching out to the young people, especially those in campus. Using social media and especially videos to reach out to them in creative ways.”
Second - Healing My legs had always been of unequal length. At this meeting, I finally decided to commit this into God’s hands and prayed fervently over them. Lo and behold, after the prayer, I stretched out my legs and found that they were both now of same length! Praise the Lord! I am in complete awe of God and the Holy Spirit!
Michelle Lau It started out just as an idea – to go into and serve full-time as a church worker. At that time, while already having a full-time job at a multinational company, I was also hugely involved in ministry. I was so committed in both avenues that a number of people even commented that it seemed that I was holding two full-time jobs. Those comments really got me thinking - how could I have the capacity to juggle so much? While I have seen people doing the same, I noticed that they are often very tired. So I started questioning if God had given me this capacity for a reason? Suddenly the thought flashed through my mind and I came to ask God if He was preparing me to serve Him full-time in church. In going into full-time ministry, I knew that the biggest obstacle would be my parents buying-in into the idea. So before I even spoke to anybody about it, I decided to seek my mother’s opinion and counsel.
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“What if I worked full-time in church?” I asked my mom casually. Her exact reply to me was, “No way in hell!” I hit a brick wall and thought perhaps I had heard God wrongly. But notwithstanding that set back, the thought of pursuing full-time ministry had lingered on. I continued to pray about it. While I do have my parents’ blessing to become a Christian, it was evident that they would not allow me to work full-time for the church. I committed the matter to God and trusted Him in faith that if full-time is really what He wants me to pursue, then He would handle my parents. As I was always involved in operations (in my previous job at a multinational company and for the NextGen ministry), Terry from NextGen connected me to Pastor Bernard and enquired if I could learn from him, to see how the church events are being planned. That’s when doors slowly opened for me to volunteer and become more involved in church events, such as the Watchnight service and shadowing Pastor Bernard in the project operations of FORWARD2015 combined celebrations. Then one day, out of the blue, my mom casually asks me “Michelle, why are you so involved in your church?” I replied simply, “Because I enjoy doing it. I like to serve, I’m happy to serve.” She then asked the question that changed everything for me, “then why don’t you work for the church?” I was surprised and told her that I thought she would not allow it - to which she further asked if the church had vacancies and that I should check them out. What a breakthrough! Praise the Lord! With that breakthrough, I have been serving full-time in church since May 2015. It has been an exciting journey thus far and I have been blessed with the opportunity to interact with peoples of various ages and background. The best part is my mom giving me her blessings and have been supportive of my new occupation. To ensure that I do not neglect my filial duties, I have intentionally set aside time on Mondays to spend time with her. What a great God of miracles we serve!
Shaun Kam To be completely honest, I never truly believed in the miracles or the power of the Holy Spirit... Possibly because I have never actually witnessed nor experienced it myself. It all sounded like a storyline out of some Marvel comic book where the plot entails some seemingly normal people doing extraordinary heroic stuff like healing the blind, curing the lame and stuff like that. In 2013, I just started believing in God again, I felt God has been faithful and done much for me. Since then, I started obeying His will for me and in 2015, God gave me the chance to lead a group of 15 year olds. This was what God had been telling me all along. Ever since I was a child, my parents had told me that I was a natural leader and that God had big plans for me some day. They were prophesying my future but I never truly bought into it as I thought they were just being parents - and all parents have the utmost high regard and ambitions for their kids. But when I was asked to lead a Cell Group by Pastor Alex, it hit me and I drew back to what my parents had been saying to me all these years. And I realised then, perhaps it wasn't all that crazy after all and there may be truth in what they have been saying. The tipping point same on 31st October 2015. I was dealing with some minor problems in my life then - I had reached the crossroads in my life and was trying to figure out which direction I should be taking. The mother of a speaker who was speaking in Crave suddenly came up to me and asked “Hi, are you Shaun?”. I had never met this woman before and I was curious as to how she came to know me. Instinctively, I thought it was because I was Pastor Chris Kam's son as that was normally how people would refer to me when they recognised me in public. She then continued to say to me, “Whatever problems you were facing on Tuesday, God told me that everything will be okay. Whatever problems you are facing, put God in the centre of it all and all your problems will go away. I know right now you are leading a CG but God has told me that you will be leading something bigger in the future."
I was dumbfounded beyond words as this was a random stranger prophesying my future. She gave me a hug after that and I managed to ask, “Excuse me, how did you know I was Shaun?” She said, “God told me to talk to the boy wearing a black t-shirt with a blue spiral orb in the middle.” I looked down and to my amazement, I was wearing a t-shirt that Tony Stark, (aka Ironman) wore. I knew then, that the Holy Spirit was real and that He was always with me, regardless of what t-shirt I wore.
Our Stories…
Unknown Writer Some weeks ago Pastor Chris had preached about the Holy Spirit and in particular, the gift of tongues and added that we should not be afraid to ask for this gift. I have always wanted to compose a song to worship the Lord and since that sermon few weeks back, I had begun to ask for the Holy Spirit to guide me as I compose this song for the Lord. The first song that I wrote started with “we are small…” I don't know why but the lyrics just came to me, such an intro was very unlike me and it seemed as if they were inspired by the Holy Spirit rather than something of my composition. As this intro did not sit well with me, I asked the Holy Spirit for His clarification and His conviction that this was His will for how the song should start. I have been praying about this for week and today, to my amazement, Pastor Chris spoke those exact words from the pulpit. “We are small…” Pastor Chris emphasised again and again and equated this principle with the “five small loaves of bread and two small fishe” that fed the thousands. I was shocked, this was the conviction I needed and the Holy Spirit assured me that God had spoken to me through Pastor Chris’s message that weekend. Since then, I have composed five songs, all glorifying the Lord and His wondrous works within us through the Holy Spirit. For testimony contribution http://dumc.my/contact-us/shareyour story/
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A
By Pastor Gilbert Tan
t the start of this year, Pr. Chris Kam shared over the FORWARD Series, the topic of #twenty35 and how it involves us as a church. While the term #twenty35 covers an age demographic, the gist of the focus is a discipleship strategy, and a question for us to ask ourselves, “Who is discipling us and who are we discipling? In his sermon, Pr Chris likens the older generation as Fathers and Mothers, to pour into the lives of the young. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in 1 Corinthians 4:15-17 to be fathers, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” The older generations are also “Gold Mines”, resource rich in life experiences and wisdom. Being in a church of multi generations like DUMC, I have been blessed tremendously by all the uncles and aunties through their life journeys. How did the focus on the young adults become a discipleship strategy? The need for young adults, from the ages of twenty to thirty-five was birthed from the concerns and frustrations of both the pastors and young adults in DUMC. As DUMC grew over the years, the percentage of young adults in DUMC declined. The drop in numbers did not happen overnight. It was a gradual process. Through informal conversations at cell groups and at weekend celebrations, there were some common observations as to why these young men and women were feeling frustrated and leaving church. A group of about 11 young adults met up informally with Yukiko and I over Japanese Curry Rice at our place to share about their hopes and dreams for Young Adults in DUMC. This group eventually became the core team for the #twenty35 initiative. After several discussions and not wanting to speculate but to confirm suspicions of why the young adults at DUMC are frustrated, a survey was conducted in April of 2015. A total of 567 young adults between the ages of 18 to 35 responded to the online survey and below are some of the findings.
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The survey results gave the core team greater insights to the thoughts and emotions of the Young Adults in DUMC. The immediate realization that the areas of improvement cannot simply be achieved by starting a Young Adult ministry, rather it required the church as a whole to work in tandem to embrace the generations. For the Young Adults to thrive in DUMC, it is not just the job of a Young Adult Pastor to lead the way. Neither is it for NextGen and Children’s Church to lead their respective age groups, the Youth and the Children. While Pastor Alex and Pastor Jonathan oversee both ministries respectively, it is not merely their responsibilities to see the children and youth of DUMC grow. Each pastor, head of ministry,
leader and church member plays a significant part in leading our children and youth as Senior Pastor Chris often reminded us, “It takes a village to raise a child”. What started as a concern for the Young Adults became a concern for bridging the generational gap and now an intergenerational discipleship value of the church. Towards the end of 2015, there was greater intentionality of the older generation being involved in the younger generation. Together with MenAlive!, Women to Women and Faith@Work, a pilot discipleship strategy was put into practice. Mentoring groups were formed where an older man would mentor and disciple three to five men over a period of 10 weeks. This was also true for the women. The feedback of the mentors and mentees was overwhelmingly positive. Both mentors and mentees were blessed and encouraged by each other. They were doing life on life, sharing their struggles, faith and encounters with God in their everyday life.
There is also greater integration in the cell groups. A cell group leader informed me that his CG members wanted to stop meeting together and assimilate into young adult CGs. Each member then proceeded to find a CG on their own to call their own. Older couples in DUMC are also making their homes available for young adult CGs to meet and by default they too become part of the CG. In such cases there are lots of unconscious mentoring and role modeling taking place. For instance, in my CG, there is a young lady who is a fresh graduate getting advice and support from a lady in her late twenties regarding work and she in turn who is newly married gleaned from the host, who is a mother of four children. The ministries in Church began to be more intentional in empowering the younger ones to be more involved. One example was the Christmas Rescue Production last year during Christmas. This production was the first for many by the youths and young
adults. Together with the guidance of some veterans from previous DUMC productions, these young men and women rose to the occasion. A few of the cast members from the production were greatly impacted and they decided to step up to lead this year’s Christmas Production. We have some of the very best youth and young adults in DUMC. Likewise we have some of the very best uncles and aunties in DUMC too. I too, am an uncle now. There is no escaping that “title” for me. My heart is very much for the youths and young adults and this is true for many of us as well. God is turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to the fathers in DUMC, Malachi 4:6. The #twenty35 journey has only just begun. There are still lots to be done and we can do it together.
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NextGen in SNAPP
by Esther Lee
O
n the 13th of February, NextGen invited Focus on the Family Malaysia to run a half-day programme called SNAPP (Sticky Notes and Push Pins), for our campus-aged youths. SNAPP is a workshop designed to help young people understand love, dating, in the context of the Christian faith. The aim of this program is to equip young people to make informed decisions about their relationships and to cultivate healthy relationships with the opposite gender. Some of the topics covered include discovering personal values and dreams for relationships, marriage and family, establishing physical and emotional boundaries in dating relationships, gender roles and expectations, and what makes a right life partner. As all healthy relationships require solid and clearly-defined relational boundaries, this topic is one of importance. Even in parent-child relationships, boundaries are necessary to facilitate healthy interactions and sets the pattern for the child’s future romantic relationships. Just as a river bank functions to keep the river waters within its designated space so as to bring life to the surrounding greeneries and civilization, a river without its bank will overflow and flood the area, bringing disaster and destroying life in its path. Setting boundaries in relationships is more than drawing a line in how far you would allow yourself to be physically or emotionally intimate with another person. A good point that was made by one of the facilitators is that we can always rationalize ‘the line’ to go as far as we can justify it. The
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point is to value the other person and to want what is best for him or her. Throughout the session, the facilitators also sought to bust clichés that are often promoted by popular culture, such as finding ‘the one’ for you and ‘following your heart’ in making relationship choices. On looking for ‘the one’, popular culture teaches us that each person has a ‘soul mate’ who is destined to fulfill all we ever wanted or are looking for in a partner and our marriage with this person will be happy and long-lasting. However, the Christian worldview of marriage is far from this consumeristic idea of finding the ‘perfect one’ for me and being occupied with how the other person is making me happy in my relationship. The Bible teaches that marriage is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end, and that end is to be holy, not happy. It promotes a very different idea of serving and loving one another “as Christ loved the Church” (Ephesians 5:25) and } “as the Church submits to Christ” (Ephesians 5:24). Compatibility is the ability to exist together in harmony, and it is something a couple works on together, not a state that they naturally start with. At the end of the workshop, we had a question-and-answer session during which the importance of having mentors for our relationships was emphasized upon. As young people who lack the experience that older people possess, we have much to glean and learn from the mistakes, heartaches, and successes of those who have gone before us. We also benefit much
from keeping ourselves and our relationships accountable to people who are able to help us think more clearly and objectively about the decisions we make. The session ended on the point of suffering well with the person we choose to spend the rest of our lives with. In this life, we are bound to experience the effects of a world broken by sin, and when times of pain and suffering come, will we be willing to stay and fight for our marriages and families, ‘for better or for worse’? The underlying thread throughout the workshop is the truth that in Christ, we are complete and whole as individuals. This was a personal lesson that I took home with me. I was reminded that I do not need to wait for something or someone to make my life full. As two broken jars cannot possibly fill one another, two sinners who look to each other for fulfilment will only find themselves filled with more hurt and resentment when they inevitably fail to meet that need in each other. I have come to realize that whether or not anything is added to or taken from my life right now, I am already whole, complete, satisfied, and fulfilled, in Christ. This means that I am able to hold all my desires and dreams with open palms instead of grasping on to them so tightly. To realize this is tremendously liberating, and it keeps me from making idols out of people or things. If you are aged between 18 and 25 come join us at the next NextGen event!
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APRIL - JUNE 2016