044/11/2021(P)MCI0129-6868ISSN Vol 124 No 8 AUGUST 2022 The army I serve: From soldier to pastor MP Lim Biow Chuan "I wear my faith on my sleeve" Roe v. Wade: What does the Lord require of us? Faith Politics and
Have something to say or share? Email us at communications@methodist.org.sg Design & Production by Londonbob Design Printed by Adred Creation Print Pte Ltd The official monthly publication of The Methodist Church in Singapore. Published material does not necessarily reflect the official view of The Methodist Church. All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version unless otherwise stated. 70 Barker Road #06-04 Singapore 309936 6478-4793 | 6478-4763 message.methodist.org.sg www.methodist.org.sg org.sgcommunications@methodist. fb.com/Methodist.SG @methodistsg@methodist.sg Editorial Board Adviser and Publisher Dr Anthony Goh Chairperson Council on Communications Communications Manager Lynn Tan Managing Editor Alvin Tay Editor Lianne Ong Sub-editors Lucy JaniceChengKhooTanChiuAi Proofreaders Kenneth ChristabelLeeTan / Bishop’s Message / / News / 3 TRAC WSCS Breakthrough in the VUCA World 5 WFCMC 8th Missions Conference 8 TRAC Young Methodist Leaders Conference 12 PLMC Conference / Feature / 14 Lim Biow Chuan—I wear my faith on my sleeve 16 Rev Lai Kai Ming—The army I serve 18 Roe v. Wade—What does the Lord require of us? / Opinion / 22 Soundings: Christians and the State / People / 24 Donald Leow—Missions by media 33 Terence Chua—Our Wesleyan heritage / Outreach / 27 Counselling isn’t only for crises 28 Politics and Christian Missions / Worship / 30 A patriotic Christian? / Relationships / 32 You and Your Family: Legacy of wrath Contents Cover photo by Wesley Loh (Memphis West Pictures) Special thanks to Fairfield Methodist Secondary School
Yes, and let us praise God for politicians who seek to do good for many, whilst ever under the threat of being thrown to the lions!
1 Kings 18:3-4 NIV
Bishop’s Message
Bishop Dr Gordon Wong was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2020. He served as President of the Trinity Annual Conference from 2013–2020.
Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD. While Jezebel was killing off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
The same Daniel who was thrown in the lion’s den? Yes, life in politics can be pretty dangerous! So, who was Obadiah then? You can read Obadiah’s story in 1 Kings 18. He served under the terrible administration of Israel’s king Ahab and his ruthless wife Jezebel.
How could a devout believer in God serve under such a terrible political administration?
Have you heard of Obadiah? Obadiah? Who was he? He was King Ahab’s office administrator. Like the President’s Chief of Staff, or Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office. You mean he was directly involved in politics and government? Indeed he was. And the Bible says he was “a devout believer in the LORD”. But I thought devout believers are never involved in politics. You thought wrongly. The Bible highlights several devout and courageous believers who were very influential in politics. Like Joseph! That's right, the Joseph in Genesis who became Prime Minister in Egypt, and steered the country through a seven-year economic crisis. Don't forget Daniel, Babylon’s prime minister in the days of King Nebuchadnezzar.
In politics, be the salt of the earth
Sort of like, God’s secret agent for good? You could say that! Or we could say what Jesus said: he worked like the salt of the earth. Salt is invisible when rubbed into the meat, but it preserves what is good and protects against decay.
Praise God for salt!
It must have been tough for him. But the Bible says that because of his position, Obadiah was able to save the lives of many by warning the prophets about the plans which Ahab and Jezebel had devised to arrest and silence them.
byIllustration LowCaitlin August 2022 Methodist Message 1
2 Methodist Message August 2022 Coming up
Mrs Grace Lim never expected a fish head meal to cause a near-death experience when a tear in her oesophagus required two operations and prolonged hospitalisation. This incident led her to realise that God had preserved her for a purpose and to seek his plan for her life. The Covid-19 pandemic also turned her jet-setting lifestyle into a Zoom world, where she has connected with hundreds of people across more than 40 countries through the Freedom in Christ ministry. God has also used her passion for disciple-making to touch many. U C A World
Mrs Janette Chong’s talk on “Raising an unexpected gift” roused laughter and sympathy as she shared experiences of coping with one child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and another with Asperger's Syndrome. Through it all, God has taught her to trust him more fully and transformed her to being more patient and even-tempered. She concluded that God sometimes places “Goliaths” in our lives for us to find the “Davids” within us.
VUCA 2022 kicked off with a welcome by Rev Benjamin Lee, Pastor-in-Charge of TPMC, and an opening prayer by TRAC WSCS President, Ms Neo Lay Tin. To prepare hearts for God’s Word, Crystal, Amanda and Kaeyan of Paya Lebar Methodist Church led us in a time of worship. Dr Cheah Fung Fong, TRAC Vice-President, was the first speaker. Her message, entitled “Behold, I will do a new thing,” was based on Isaiah 43:14-21. She emphasised that in seeking breakthroughs, we need first to remember who God is: our Redeemer, the Holy One, our Creator and King. He is sovereign and in control of this VUCA world.
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Secondly, we are to release the past—be they trophies and successes in days gone by, or the hurts, unforgiveness and bitterness we harbour. Thirdly, we are to receive God’s grace in the ordinary activities of daily life.
Breakthrough in the volatility uncertainty complexity ambiguity
V iruses, wars, runaway inflation and natural disasters are part of our daily diet of news. Add our complex human relationships and financial and health challenges, and we get a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world. How do we break through such chaos? This was the theme of this year’s Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Women's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) conference: “Breakthrough in the VUCA World”. After three years since the last on-site VUCA conference, great excitement and joy filled the worship hall of Toa Payoh Methodist Church (TPMC) when nearly 300 ladies gathered on 25 June. Nearly every TRAC church was represented, joined by sisters from other Annual Conferences and nonMethodist churches.
With eyes of faith, expect the unexpected from our God who is preparing a “new thing” for each of us. Lastly, recognise God’s purpose for our VUCA experiences. Each breakthrough is for his praise and glory. Thus, have faith that God works in ways we cannot see or expect.
MsspeakersConferenceandTRACWSCSPresident,NeoLayTin(secondfromright)
downbeforeexercisesSomethesettlingforthenexttalk August 2022 Methodist Message 3 News By Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) Women's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) / Photos courtesy of TRAC WSCS
Breakthrough in the VUCA World
Many ladies responded to the call and gathered to be ministered to.
After a short break, Dr Victoria Lim led the ladies in breathing and relaxation exercises. Refreshed, we were ready to listen to an extraordinary testimony by Ms Hannah Chun. Imprisoned for drug offences, she had her first child behind bars. The pain and shame spiralled into a vicious cycle of more drugs and cover-ups. Eventually, God spoke to her through John 3:17. Like the prodigal son, she felt she came from a pigsty. Yet, our Heavenly Father welcomed her with open arms. It was not an overnight recovery. By God’s wants, communing and identifying with him teaches us to listen and obey. And as we declare his Word, we align to his will. As the conference drew to a close, the altar was opened for ministry.
More than four hours had flown by. Challenged, encouraged and hopeful, the ladies departed to seek breakthroughs in their VUCA world.
Living
Kum Cheong and CAC
E very Missions Conference, participants from Chinese Methodist Churches from around the world gather physically at the host country for a lively and vibrant meeting. This was what happened in Hong Kong in 2017 and should have happened in Singapore this year.
However, as effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to be felt, the 8th Missions Conference (8MC) became the first World Federation of Chinese Methodist Churches (WFCMC) Missions Conference to be held online. As many brothers and sisters in Christ were unable to travel to Singapore, they joined us online. There were 1,200 registered participants, and many non-registered participants who joined segments of the 8MC that were open to the public. While most of the conference programme was held online, the Opening and Closing Services and the keynote addresses took place a missional legacy Federation of the Chinese Methodist Churches Missions Conference | 9-13 June 2022 (top) Praise & led by worship team from Kong
8th
World
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andPresidentSermon(bottom)HongKongbyLamChun(right)interpretedbyRevTimothyAng(left)(right)OverseasConferenceBishops,Presidentsandrepresentatives August 2022 Methodist Message 5 News By the Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) Communications Team / Photos courtesy of Joshua Khoo,
CAC President Rev Dr Gregory Goh, District Superintendents and guests gathered at TPCMC or the nearby eateries to enjoy delicious meals and fellowship before tuning in to the online conference together. President Lam Chun from The Methodist Church, Hong Kong, kicked off the conference with a message on “Passing On & Receiving 8th Missions Conference (top) Rev Khoo Cheng Hoot stepping down from his 25-year role as the WFCMC General Secretary and “passing the baton” to Rev Dr Su Chii 9thAnnouncement(bottom)AnnfortheMissionConferenceHostRegionandHandoverofMissionsConferenceFlag
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on-site, with the help of Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church (QCMC) and Toa Payoh Chinese Methodist Church (TPCMC), allowing participants in Singapore to enjoy in-person Wefellowship.wereencouraged
by Conference Bishops, Presidents and representatives from overseas, who travelled to Singapore to participate in the 8MC, despite the risks and inconveniences posed by the pandemic.
The Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) in Singapore welcomed our overseas guests with local food during their short stay here.
the Baton”. He noted that the legacy of faith is not a one-off event and that it ought to be developed into a culture of the church. As we pass on or receive the batons of ministry, we should also impart the conviction of succession, ensuring that the baton continues to be passed on and received. Towards the end of his sermon, President Lam Chun highlighted that God has a different plan for each of us where no two people walk identical paths. Those who receive the baton are not to blindly follow and imitate, but rather to internalise the spirit of the experienced and to seek renewal and the Lord’s guidance for the path ahead. Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon delivered three keynote talks at the conference. He shared the importance of being one with Christ and one with each other before we can be one in ministry to all the world. He began by reminding us that we—the branch—need to be fully dependent on God—the true vine, for apart from him, we could achieve nothing of lasting significance. BE Dr Solomon asserted that it is precisely in the God-given diversity of gifts that the Christian community is called to replicate the unity of the Trinity. He reiterated in his final keynote talk that only with one heart and one mind can we attain missional unity. At the Closing Service, Rev Dr Goh spoke about “Methodist Missional Life of Holiness”. He said that while the Methodist Church involves itself in a lot of social concerns such as running schools, hospitals and other social services, the Methodist mission is not about social concerns and the value of social actions per se. Behind these activities and at the heart of the Methodist mission lies a deep love for God, as well as the personal and collective striving towards sanctification. He emphasised that the Christian life is a missional life where one life should and will impact another through the pursuit of holy living.
Plenty of time and heart went into the preparation and running of the 8MC and we thank God for his faithful and sovereign guidance through it all. We give thanks also for the speakers, pastors, church staff and volunteers who contributed to the event.
(left) Conference participants at Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church (top) Council members at Toa Payoh Chinese Methodist Church, with overseas members joining over Zoom
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Echoing what President Lam Chun expressed at the Opening Service, we pray and hope that this conference has benefited everyone who participated and that their experience will have an impact on their ministries. You can watch parts of the conference at http://tiny.cc/8mcyoutube
These greetings filled the atrium of Wesley Methodist Church as youth leaders from Methodist churches arrived to attend the 21st Young Methodist Leaders Conference (YMLC), the first in-person YMLC since the pandemic.
The purpose of this was to challenge and inspire our delegates to consider the future of the church and their roles, and also to remember our Wesleyan heritage.
For Glennis Ooi from Christalite Methodist Chapel, it was for a time of connection, renewal, and being refreshed in the Lord. She recounted, “Before YMLC started, I was struggling with my faith and almost lost my faith. I told God that if Christianity is for me, speak to me at YMLC. Long story short, he worked in so many different ways to show me that even if I’m undeserving of God’s love, I’ll find my way back to him. God works in many ways and will never forsake us.”
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21st
However, personal renewal was only a small part of the YMLC. Since its inception, YMLC has sought to raise the next generation of leaders in the Methodist Church. With that in mind, the theme for this year’s YMLC, “Re:Inspired: Imagining God’s Methodist Vineyard for the Future” invited delegates to consider the question, “What should our Methodist Church look like in the future?”
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The first plenary kicked off with a look at “Traditioning into the Future”. Rev Dr Bernard Chao discussed how the early Methodist
Worshipping together in-person for the first time in two years YMLC delegates engaging current TRAC leaders in the forum
By Rev Allan Lee, Young Methodist Leaders Conference (YMLC) Committee Photos courtesy of YMLC 2022 Media Team photographers, Matthias Ho, Hazel Heng, Joash Lee, Shimone Kow, and Rachael Koh Young Methodist Leaders Conference
“Welcome to YMLC! Have you been prayed for?”
What should the Methodist Church look like in the future?
This resonated with Bryan Ho of Cairnhill Methodist Church, who shared that one of his greatest takeaways from YMLC was that “The Methodist Church was not built upon the work of any one man, but by the Holy Spirit. Even the greatest work of man could not match up against the smallest work of our Almighty God—this we have seen in the undying passion of our Young Leaders for Christ over the last 22 years through the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
The greatest highlight was undoubtedly August 2022 Methodist
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In response, it seemed as if nary a hand remained unraised. Going on to address some of the limitations with the Methodist system, he made it clear that “Despite our limitations and weakness as a Church, we can still grow and that is proof that God has not left The Methodist Church in Singapore.”
The forum between current and future leaders of TRAC was moderated by Rev Dr Bernard Chao (far left). On the panel were (from left to right) TRAC Vice-President Dr Cheah Fung Fong; TRAC President, Rev Stanley Chua; TRAC Lay Leader, Mr Henry Tan; and District Superintendent for District 4, Rev Dr Edwin Wong Mentors praying with delegates who responded to God’s call
movement began as a “future-facing tradition that started with and grew with innovation”. In particular, he noted innovations in five areas: spirituality, social concern and social justice, liturgy and worship, evangelism and missions, as well as organisational leadership. Having seen what God had done in the past, the second plenary focused on the question, “What is God doing in our Methodist churches?” Taking the bull by its horns, TRAC President Rev Stanley Chua began by asking delegates a bold question: “How many of you have ever thought about leaving the Methodist Church?”
ACS (International) • Students with perfect score of 45 points in IBDP • 23 “Top in the World” awards in IGCSE examinations over each of the past twelve years • Students accepted to Oxford and Cambridge universities for the past eight years • Admissions to top universities in the UK, the US, Australia and Singapore • PSLE and GCE ‘O’ Level students obtaining outstanding value added examination results for the IBDP and improved pathways to good universities • Successes at national level in Athletics, Touch Rugby, Debating, Orchestra, Volleyball, Taekwondo, Ice Hockey, Fencing, Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Wushu • Exceptional examination results, strong value added achievement and an all round holistic education • 50:50 mix of local and international teachers who uphold the dual Methodist ethos and ACS heritage • Small class sizes with overall student teacher ratio of 8.7 : 1 • 40 different CCAs 16 Sporting, 12 Visual and Performing Arts, 12 Special Interest Groups • Over 200 formal student leadership positions • Scholarships for four Singaporeans to undertake the IBDP ACS (International) Singapore is a distinctive international secondary school open to all Singaporeans & other nationalities, offering an all round English based education for students aged 12 to 18 years leading to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Senior Leadership Team Mr Gavin Kinch Principal Mrs Tan Siew Hoon Vice Principal Dr Kristopher Achter Vice Principal Mr Christopher Hayward Vice Principal Building Through Belief, this school of choice provides Achievements include For more information, please contact Joseph Ng or Serene Lim at +65 6472 1477 or admissions@acsinternational.edu.sg
Superintendent Rev Dr Edwin Wong engaged delegates in a time of dialogue. Lynette Quah from Paya Lebar Methodist Church shared, “I appreciated the invitation to craft the future of our Methodist Church together and even challenging traditions that may not have worked well. It was heartening to see the young people as well as the older people come together, united by a love for our Church and a desire for the Methodist Church to grow.”
“Perhaps this could be said to be an ‘innovation’ by the Methodist church today,” he said.
TRAC Young Methodist Leaders Conference The team of YMLC Mentors, all of ChairpersonPastors,arewhomTRACledbyRevWendyTay(standing,6thfromleft),forYMLC2022 August 2022 Methodist Message 11 Check out the YMLC Instagram account @ymlctracsg for more snippets and pictures from the conference.
As YMLC concluded, we left not only having been fed by the Lord, but also with a renewed sense that having seen God’s hand at work in our history, we know that it is he who had kept and sustained us. We could go forth assured that God was not done with the Methodist Church yet. The question is, will we continue to carry the Wesleyan flame and heart of Methodism in this generation?
the forum between the young leaders and current TRAC leaders. A panel comprising Rev Chua, Vice-President Dr Cheah Fung Fong, Lay Leader Mr Henry Tan, and District 4
There was also a time for delegates to Re:Align, as Rev Reuben Ng challenged the conference to be obedient to God’s call on their lives and serve him regardless of the circumstances each faced. This was followed by a time of commitment and prayer. The mentors—all TRAC pastors—had set aside three days of their time to journey with our young leaders during the conference. As Pastor Joseph Chean remarked, he had never seen any other church or denomination send their pastors to serve as mentors for young leaders.
The final day gave delegates an opportunity to connect with delegates from the inaugural YMLC. This took the form of a recording featuring Rev Dr Isaac Lim, who had first mooted the idea of bringing together young leaders as the next generation of leaders in the Methodist Church, and a panel of YMLC alumni.
It was somewhat poignant that delegates of the 1st YMLC prayed for delegates of the 21st YMLC, painting a picture of one generation of leaders passing on the torch to another and inviting our young leaders to be co-workers in God’s Church.
12 Methodist Message August 2022 By Paya Lebar Methodist Church Communications Team / Photos courtesy of Paya Lebar Methodist Church
F rom 16 to 19 June 2022, the inaugural PLMC Conference saw more than 1,000 attendees at the English, Mandarin and Children’s Tracks. The Conference was one of the major events in celebration of the 90th Anniversary of Paya Lebar Methodist Church (PLMC). With the theme of “Tapestry - Generations Unbroken”, it featured many prominent and gifted speakers to meet the diverse needs of the attendees. In the spirit of the Conference’s theme and the call for fellowship and communion, the programme included an array of decentralised bonding activities for everyone. The co-chairs of the Organising Committee, Jonathan Lim and Angela Lim, shared about the conference theme and a deliberate move to involve young people in the committee. “At PLMC’s 90th Anniversary, we wanted to honour the different generations in our church. God is the master weaver, and the church is his loom. He weaves his tapestry by uniting believers together in our love for him and his people,” Jonathan said. Conference organisers “It is our desire that the Conference will be a platform to raise the next generation in our church. These young people are precious gems and we want them to be more engaged in church and establish their roots with the rest of the church family, for church to be relevant to them,” Angela said. Some of the participants were asked what spoke to them most and what their takeaways were. Here are some of their responses: (top) Rev Edmund Chan, English Track speakerChildren'sNicholas(bottom)keynoteChineseChern(left)speakerkeynoteRevDrHockChye,TrackspeakerRevChoo,Track
Rianna Charisse Cardano
It is my hope and prayer that all who attended the conference and have been called to surrender will find encouragement in knowing that they are not the only ones struggling, and to reach out to trusted brothers and sisters who can pray alongside them.” Su Mei Lenden “From the Conference, I was assured that I am not too young to help in church.” Christian Chua “The topics were relevant and I’m glad the church was able to address sensitive topics through a truthful and loving discussion. The sessions deepened my understanding of God’s design and helped me embrace his love for us as his creation. With the many reminders I got from the conference, there is a greater need for obedience, too!
Sally Seow “Dr Tam and Isaac Ongwere inspiring.They helped me not tomeasure everything accordingto benchmarks likeefficiency and effectiveness alone.They reminded me to be willing tohelpachievesomeonetheirdreams.”
andactivitiesbondingwerecreativeengagingforall -theyoung and the young-at-heart.This Conference organised bythe young leaders was very refreshingand relevant to the theme.”
“For me, a central theme was one of surrender —Surrender my dreams, desires and fears. Surrender my children. I constantly struggle with the question of whether I am surrendering or giving up.
God wants our availability over our ability.”
Lim constituentswithmeetinghis
Lim leading worship during Good Friday service this year
MP Lim Biow Chuan shares what it's like to be a Christian in the public eye
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The youngest child in a Taoist family, he attended a reading programme as a child in a neighbourhood Baptist centre. “The seeds were planted then but I remained a Taoist until I was in university,” Lim says. It was his friends in the Law faculty and Raffles Hall at the National University of Singapore who were instrumental in leading him to Christianity. They frequently invited him to attend the Varsity Christian Fellowship or to go to church. Lim became a Christian in 1986 during his third year as an undergraduate. “I became a Christian because I needed God’s help. At that time, I was struggling with my studies, wondering whether I could make it through University or not. But many Christians showed me kindness and care—I guess God put me in the right place at the right time,” he says. He attended St. John’s-St. Margaret’s Church with his friends as it was just around the corner from Raffles Hall.
Photos courtesy of Lim Biow Chuan and Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church “I wear my faith on my sleeve”
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Lianne Ong is the Editor of Methodist Message.
A s Singaporeans, we have certain principles ingrained in us from our schooldays, thanks to National Education—“No one owes us a living”, “We must uphold meritocracy and incorruptibility” and “We must preserve racial and religious harmony”. Our multiethnic, multi-religious social fabric has been so carefully built and the peace we enjoy should never be taken for granted, we are often reminded. Mutual respect for other religions is codified into law and the government, and regularly enforced. Has this made Christians in our political arena err on the side of caution and be less open about their faith? When thinking of Christians in Singapore politics, some names often come up—Speaker of Parliament, Tan Chuan Jin, who often shares about his faith in his social media posts and Mayor for Central Singapore District and MP for Jalan Besar GRC, Denise Phua, who is well-known as a disability advocate. Another parliamentarian who readily declares his Christian faith is Mr Lim Biow Chuan, 59, MP for Mountbatten SMC, who has served in various leadership roles in Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church (AMKMC) since the early 1990s. “I wear my faith on my sleeve,” he says matter-of-factly. A quick Google search will unearth incidents where he stuck his neck out in sharing his views as a Christian. The path to Christianity
Hence, he falls back on these basic Christian tenets: “Love God and love others as yourself. Do so by showing love, care and concern for all through your actions.” Lim sets out to look after the vulnerable in the constituency and by assisting residents who need his help during Meet-the-People sessions.
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The young lawyer caught the eye of the MP of his constituency, Dr Lee Boon Yang, who suggested that he serve the community with his legal skills. He was appointed to the Town Council and the Community Welfare Committee in 1989. Thus began Lim’s journey as a grassroots volunteer. Busy with building his legal career and grassroots activities, he started serving in church leadership only in 1993. His wife, Mdm Woon Cheng Yee, was then serving as the treasurer and he joined her in the LCEC. Entry into the political arena In 2005, he became AMKMC’s lay leader. Just as he was settling into the role, Lim was asked to stand for the 2006 General Elections. “The People’s Action Party (PAP) leadership was looking for someone who had served in the grassroots for many years, and I fit the bill.”
Lim also makes it a point to attend functions organised by other religious groups, such as Taoist or Buddhist groups, an act that is always appreciated by the organisers as they know that Lim is a Christian. Does he face awkward situations during these social events? Lim says he always explains to organisers before the event that he is unable to hold joss sticks as a Christian. However, he partakes in meals with them and extends greetings to the devotees. Each time, the organisers have always respected his wishes and simply appreciate the fact that he does not disdain their practices. “People respect you if you respect them,” he says. Today, Lim serves as the chairperson of AMKMC’s governance committee and the joint management committee. His weekends are filled with either church or constituency events, so balancing and prioritising his time is key. Living life in the public eye can be tiring, but he is grateful to have the support of his wife and two daughters, Samantha and Rebecca. Church time is also family bonding time. To Christians in the marketplace, he has these words of encouragement: “We all have influence in our place of work and in the community space. If we behave in a way that shows our Christian discipleship and our faith, then others will say, “Wow, your religion makes you someone that I hold in high regard. I want to know more about your faith.” Always pray and ask yourself: Is this what God wants? If yes, then do it to the best of your ability.”
After graduation, he attended the 7.30 a.m. service at Wesley Methodist Church, which was near his home at Rochor Centre, and eventually joined its Young Adult Fellowship. After a few years, Lim and his then fiancée decided to start afresh at another church. They married and settled in AMKMC and have been there ever since.
Initially, Lim was torn about entering politics. Would he be able to fulfill both roles? He consulted AMKMC's then Pastorin-Charge (PIC), Rev Stanley Chua (now TRAC President). “I wanted to be sure that Rev Chua had the support he needed as a PIC from the lay leader, not one who was too busy with work.”
They concluded that if Lim were to step down from church leadership to run for elections, it would send the wrong signal. “It would be saying politics comes before God, and God shouldn’t take second place,” Lim recalled. “At the end of the day, I felt that if God had called me to both roles, and I was going into them with a willing heart to serve, then God would provide and lead. I just had to follow.” With Rev Chua’s encouragement, he stood for election in the Marine Parade GRC. The PAP won in an uncontested walkover and Lim became a Member of Parliament. As a Christian thrust into a public role, has he had to walk on eggshells when interacting with the public? “Being in the public eye, there’s less privacy but it comes with the territory. Whether you’re a church leader or a politician, it’s the same—people do observe you and you have to live up to certain standards.”
The army I serve Rev Lai Kai Ming
In my next appointment as an instructor in Officer Cadet School, I was firmly taught that even if only one man out of a hundred managed to stay awake during my instruction (due to lack of sleep) I must still give of my very best to him. It was during this period that God gave me the spiritual gift of teaching so that I could communicate effectively with my trainees. I had never been a public speaker (even in private, I’m known to be quiet!) and this was the tentative beginnings of my preaching vocation. Perhaps the most important lesson that God used the military to teach me was that of humility. Three incidents come to mind. The first was when a lance corporal wrote me (then a captain) a letter telling me how bad my men-management skills were. The next lesson came in the form of a verbal rebuke by a fellow Christian who was my sergeant in the scouts (recce) platoon. In short, he chided me for a disregard of safety regulations in my zeal to impress my superiors. The third humble pie was served to me one afternoon when I was a staff officer in the Ministry of Defence, about a year before my bond ended. A female colleague who had taken issue with my work ethic, which to her lacked compassion for others, said to me, “Are you sure you want to become a pastor? I’m not really sure you would make a good one.” Till today, I hold these and numerous other experiences close to my heart—grateful that God had used many to tame this proud war horse.
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Rev Lai Kai Ming is a pastor at Barker Road Methodist Church. Prior to the pastoral ministry, he served as an infantry officer in the Singapore Armed Forces from 1991 to 2000. / Photos courtesy of Rev Lai Kai Ming
Onward,Christian Soldier
I did not expect to receive an overseas education, much less to serve full-time in the Singapore Armed Forces. But both were gifted to me not long after I entered National Service in 1988. With a government scholarship, my future seemed determined. Yet God had other plans. First, I became a Christian and was baptised within three months of my arrival in London. Second, I received “the call” six months later while watching the late John Stott preach at St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Trafalgar Square). Me, a pastor? But how, Lord? I had another two years of studies, and then an eight-year bond which I could not afford to break—be it financially or morally. “Wait” was the reply. And so I waited. I returned to Singapore in 1991 with a view of becoming a pastor one day. Meanwhile, I would serve the Lord while I served my nation. Little did I know that God was using my years in army fatigues to prepare me for my decades in priestly robes. As a platoon commander, I learnt that the powers given to me were a solemn responsibility, not a weapon of ego. Once, a recruit almost lost his life because, as I realised later, I cared more about my performance than the welfare of my soldiers.
And so here I am. I left the SAF in 2000 and entered the pastoral ministry three years later. Although I was never involved in any physical war, my decade in the military has readied me for wars that matter for eternity. If you are a parent of a son, having read my testimony this far, you might be asking, “Must military service be the mandatory way for my son to serve the nation?” Or if you are a young man awaiting enlistment, you might be wondering if it is right for a Christian to participate in military service––which could, in unfortunate circumstances, require the killing of human life. Our Methodist Social Principles contain the following statements with regard to “The Christian and military service”:
1. We believe that, in general, war goes against the teachings and example of Christ and that the influence of the Church should be on the side of every effort seeking to remove the seeds of war. In the event of widespread threats to peace and justice, war may be supported as a last resort.
August 2022 Methodist Message 17
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In the New Testament, neither Jesus nor Paul, or any other biblical writer, disparaged military service. Instead, Jesus praised a Roman centurion for his faith (Matthew 8:10) while Peter baptised the household of another (Acts 10). Not only was the “soldier” not frowned upon, he was often used as a metaphor to describe the Christian and his journey of faith. For instance, Paul describes Epaphroditus as a “fellow soldier” (Philippians 2:25). In Ephesians 6, Paul called upon believers to put on the “whole [military] armour of God”! Jesus himself, hours before his arrest, instructed his disciples to sell their cloaks and buy swords if they did not have one (Luke 22:36). Why? Because we live in a fallen world, and selfdefence and God’s divine protection are not mutually exclusive. Dear parent, as far as God’s Word is concerned, your son is fulfilling an honourable duty by doing National Service (NS). Dear soon-tobe-enlisted brother, see your call to NS not as something regretful, but as an opportunity to serve God with dignity and distinction. God has called us to be His witnesses. Why not let the military camp be the ordained place to shine His marvellous light and love (1 Peter 2:9)? In light of the current Russia-Ukraine war, let us be reminded that military service is ultimately an act of sacrifice for the people and the country we care about. Rev Lai when he was
2. The Methodist Church teaches respect for civil authority that is properly constituted. It encourages both love of country and of all people. It believes that the security and defence of the country is the responsibility of every able-bodied citizen. These principles are consistent with what the Bible teaches about military service and citizen responsibility. An early example of military service amongst God’s people was when Abraham’s nephew Lot was taken hostage by the king of Elam (Genesis 14). We read that Abraham speedily summoned 318 “trained men” to pursue the Elamites, thereby rescuing Lot and his household.
Throughout the Bible, the ethics of military service is not questioned. It was assumed that every nation, even Israel, needed to defend herself from enemies and oppressors.
Most battles in the Old Testament resulted in deaths (e.g. 2 Samuel 18:6–7). On rare occasions, we read of “just war” practices that pre-dated the Geneva Convention (2 Chronicles 28:8–15, referencing Bishop Dr Gordon Wong’s recent AldersgateSG sermon).
18 Methodist Message August 2022 Feature Rev Dr Nathanael Goh is the Associate Pastor at Sengkang Methodist Church.
O n 24 June 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States of America reversed the decision in Roe v. Wade . At the risk of oversimplifying a complex legal discussion, the case of Roe v. Wade affirmed in 1973 that the fundamental “right to privacy” enshrined in the United States Constitution included a right to abortion. This landmark ruling has now been overturned by a 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court judges. In short, they ruled that abortion is not a constitutional right falling within the “right to privacy”. 1 In anticipation of the 2022 decision overturning Roe , 13 US states had passed so-called “trigger laws” that would severely narrow the circumstances under which one could opt for a legal abortion. After the 2022 decision, other states have sought to legislate bans on abortion, triggering legal battles as supporters of the right to abortion sought injunctions to block these laws. 2 does the Lord require of
us?
What
6 Act justly: Loving the unborn Underlying the MSP’s response to abortion is the theological belief that “life begins at conception”. Therefore, “we… do not subscribe to abortion except on medical grounds.”
I briefly outline in this article how we may respond to the decision to overturn Roe , through postures derived from our Methodist Social Principles (MSP), organised through the lens of the famous verse in Micah 6:8-9 (NIV): “ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God .”
Discussion of the question whether a human being is already present confuses the simple fact that, in any case, God wills to create a human being and that the life of this developing human being has been deliberately taken. And this is nothing but murder.”
7 The German pastor-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “To kill the fruit in the mother’s womb is to injure the right to life that God has bestowed on the developing life.
4 According to Christianity Today , evangelicals have been “most opposed to abortion”. 5 Whether justified or not, Christians are seen as the main drivers of the anti-abortion movement.
August 2022 Methodist Message 19
8 Yet, Bonhoeffer goes on to acknowledge some compelling reasons why one might be forced into undergoing an abortion. At one point he even says that when abortion is a deed of despair, “guilt falls often more on the community than on the individual”. 9 Still, even though complex situations may surround the act of abortion, compelling us to offer a nuanced pastoral response, the moral ground seems unassailable: the most basic of all God-given rights is the right to life. Since life begins at conception, all abortions—even those performed on the most compassionate grounds—terminate life. The MSP affirms the Christian doctrine that all life is sacred. 10 The overturning of Roe thus deserves our praise, if for nothing else than to help lessen the number of sacred lives that would otherwise be lost to elective abortions.
11
Love mercy: Loving those who struggle The MSP wisely calls Christians to prayerful inquiry in situations where abortion might be contemplated, and to seek appropriate counsel. 12 Here is a salient reminder that abortion, even if it amounts to as grave a sin as murder, is not unforgivable. It is the responsibility of the Church to foster an environment where people struggling with abortion might have a genuine encounter with the reconciliation and forgiveness bought for us at the great cost of Christ’s own life. Christ, the Lamb of God who was slain, has proved decisively that legally sanctioned acts of deliberate killing do not have the last word in God’s kingdom. In the numerous motivations for abortion, I agree with Bonhoeffer that the guilt often lies with the community as much as with the individual. That there are people for whom abortion feels like the only way out, is cause for society’s repentance. We must not lose sight of the humanity of those who have opted or might opt for abortions. Both the mother and the unborn child have dignity and sanctity before the
Although this is ostensibly a matter of American law and bioethics, it has nonetheless resulted in widespread global condemnation on one hand, 3 and celebration at the reversal of what was deemed to be an unjust ruling on the other.
Roe v. Wade: What does the Lord require of us? 20 Methodist Message August 2022 face of God and pregnancy binds them both in inextricable bonds. We need to heed the words of O. Carter Snead, who rightly describes the pregnant woman as a “vulnerable, dependent member of the community, who is entitled to the protections and support of the network of uncalculated giving and graceful receiving that must exist for any human being to survive and flourish”.13 Since we hold that every woman who is pregnant should bear responsibility for what is sometimes an unchosen obligation, then she too, by virtue of her pregnancy, is an unchosen obligation that binds the body of Christ to respond to her vulnerability and need. These unchosen obligations do not end with childbirth. The networks of uncalculated giving and graceful receiving are vital throughout the human life span.14 Walk humbly: Loving before we speak One more disposition is necessary in any Christian response to Roe . The MSP calls on churches to provide safe counselling spaces to guide and offer support for anyone who “has had or may be contemplating abortion”. 15 The MSP is not calling on us to baptise abortion, whether in individual cases or in the realm of public policy. Rather, we are reminded that even when we oppose abortion on moral and theological grounds, we are still called to love our neighbours. This should guide us to genuinely love people enough to suspend our instinctive rush to judgement. We must understand that talk of restricting or banning abortion will genuinely feel like a loss. The surety of our moral position should not result in hardness of hearts for the many caught in the web of complex personal, social, legislative and political issues surrounding abortion. In his reasoned commentary on the overturning of Roe , O. Carter Snead observes: “ Roe and its progeny have wounded the nation in a way that is even more relevant now; Roe eliminated the need for us to talk to one another in the political sphere in a way that has real and concrete meaning for the laws and policies that bind us… We need to re-learn how to talk about abortion as a precondition of self-governance.” 16
wade-abortion-rights-decision-2769261world/us-supreme-court-overturns-roe-https://www.channelnewsasia.com/ruling”2“Abortion:WhatdoesoverturnofRoevWademean?”https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-618047773See,forexample,“WorldleadersreacttotheU.S.SupremeCourt'sdecisiontooverturnRoev.Wade”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-abortion-rights-international-response/4“GoodbyeRoev.Wade:Pro-LifeEvangelicalsCelebratetheRulingThey’veWaitedFor”https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/june/roe-v-wade-overturn-abortion-supreme-court-ruling-pro-life.html5Ibid.6NewInternationalVersion,2011.7MethodistSocialPrinciples,“TheSphereoftheFamily”,§4b.8DietrichBonhoeffer,Ethics,ed.IlseTödtetal.,trans.ReinhardKrauss,CharlesC.West,andDouglasW.Stott(Minneapolis,MN:FortressPress,2005),206.9Ibid.10MethodistSocialPrinciples,“TheSphereofSocialWell-Being”,§4c.11 “birth control” Methodist Social Principles, “Family”, Carter Snead, What it Means to be Human (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press: 2020), 180. 14 Ibid., 180-182. 15 Methodist Social Principles, “Family”, 16§4c.“Opinion: Roe was very bad for America. The court gives us a chance to reset” Eerdmans,Tosnead/index.htmldecision-roe-was-very-bad-for-america-com/2022/06/24/opinions/court-https://edition.cnn.17NigelBiggar,BehavingInPublic:HowDoChristianEthics(GrandRapids,MI:2011),112.Emphasisadded.
Conclusion In responding to the latest developments on Roe v. Wade , these three postures—doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly—are exemplified in the advice articulated by our MSP. It is my prayer that Methodists in Singapore will embody these virtues bestowed on us by divine grace—a grace that has come to bring light, not heat, to a polarised world.
13§4b.O.
is painfully accurate – it is not a form of contraception, but rather “controls” birth by ending its possibility. 12
To engage in conversations about morality, laws and policy requires both moral confidence and an intentional humility on our part. To walk humbly with our God is also to walk humbly with those whom God loves. This posture of humility applies both to our response to all whose personal histories are intertwined with abortion, as well as to the broader Christian response to Roe . The reflections of Nigel Biggar on how Christian ethics should be applied in public are salutary: “To look before one thinks and speaks is simply an expression of love. To speak in love is to speak with the intention of benefiting, and we cannot expect to benefit what we have not taken the trouble to understand. And in order to understand particular human beings in their concrete predicaments, it is not enough to hoist one's prejudices over them. An ethicist who is Christian should want to follow his Lord and Master in loving the world. And if he would love the world, he will play pastor before he plays prophet. For the only people a prophet has the right to prophesy against are those he has first cared to make his own .” 17 The moral ground is clear even though our understanding and experience of the ramifications of this watershed moment in American history will vary. Opposing abortion on moral grounds is not hoisting prejudices. However, as Biggar points out, we should first be a pastor to those struggling with abortion and the reversal of Roe, before we play the role of prophet. Our response should be born out of loving conviction.
August 2022 Methodist Message 21 1 “US Supreme Court overturns landmark Roe v Wade abortion
It is also fitting to point out that to call abortion
The fact that the State is fallen, sinful and imperfect implies that Romans 13 can never be read as an injunction for Christians to submit themselves unquestioningly to it. For the just State of Romans 13 could become the demonic State of Revelation 13.
Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor at the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity.
22 Methodist Message August 2022 Soundings
I n his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul carefully instructs his readers on how Christians should regard the State when he writes: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1). “Therefore,” the apostle adds, “whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement” (Romans 13:2). That this injunction is meant for every Christian is clear from the context. As the New Testament scholar C.E.B. Cranfield explains: “In its context ‘every person’ is ‘every Christian (in Rome)’. The phrase is emphatic. No Christian is to imagine himself exempt from the obligation indicated.” 1 This passage is the locus classicus of the New Testament’s teaching on the nature of the secular governing authority, the basis for a Christian theology of the State. According to Paul, the State was instituted by God to serve a specific function, which is to reward the good and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:3-4). This has led the Magisterial Reformers of the 16th century such as Martin Luther and John Calvin to develop their understanding of the State in light of the primordial fall of man. The State, the Reformers argue, exists as a sign of the fact of Original Sin. Put differently, it is because human beings are sinners—fallen and sinful creatures—that society needs a State in this form to maintain some semblance of civility and order. It is on the basis of this fundamental insight of the Reformers concerning the State that theologian Emil Brunner could write that: … the Christian recognises the State, which exists whether he will or no, and whose peace and authority he “inherits” as a gift of God, as a divinely salutary means of discipline; to adjust oneself to the State and to accept it is both an act of discipline and an act of repentance.2 This, however, does not suggest that the State itself is somehow exempt from Original Sin or immune from its dire effects.
The State becomes demonic when it blasphemes God by demanding Caesar is to be worshipped, and when it makes war
Christians and the State
Theologian Helmut Thielicke clarifies that “the State, when it restrains evil, is not aiming at sin itself—in whose representation it has a share—but simply contesting the excesses of selfishness. It resists the selfishness which is inimical to order.”
3
The State, like the rest of creation, is fallen. That God has brought it into existence and given it a specific role does not imply that it possesses some intrinsic quality that allows it to surmount her fallen condition. Rather, it signals God’s unmerited grace.
The submissive obedience of Christians to the State therefore can never be absolute—it must always be a conditional and qualified submission. This is clearly articulated in the Augsburg Confession: Christians, therefore, must necessarily obey their magistrates and laws, save only when they command any sin; for then they must rather obey God than men (Acts 5:29) [Emphasis added]. 4 Cranfield similarly notes that there must be exceptions to Paul’s injunction in Romans 13:1 when he writes that “Paul is enjoining no uncritical obedience to whatever command the civil authority may decide to give…” Christians are required to obey civil authorities “so far as such obedience does not conflict with God’s laws…” 5 Christians are to obey civil authority only insofar as it does not require them to disobey God. Thus, if the State commands what God forbids, or forbids what God commands, then Christians no longer have a duty to obey the State. At the end of the famous story about paying taxes to Caesar (Mark 12:13-17), Jesus made this remarkable statement in reply to the Pharisees, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”.
1 C.E.B. Cranfield, Romans: A Shorter Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1985), 320.
2 Emil Brunner, Divine Imperative: A Study in Christian Ethics (Louisville, KY: Westminster Press, 1947), 446.
3 Helmut Thielicke, Theological Ethics. Volume II (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1969), 252. 4 Quoted in Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1966), Vol III, 16, 17.
Jesus’ injunction clearly encourages Christians to be loyal to the State, but at the same time it sets limits to that loyalty. Simply put, while the Christian may give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, he must never give to Caesar what belongs to God! This command therefore rejects any attempt to absolutise the State or any earthly power and authority. For to do so is to treat the State as divine— it is to allow it to usurp the place of God. Put differently, to do so is to commit the treacherous sin of idolatry.
August 2022 Methodist Message 23 with the people of God. History has indeed produced many examples of such anti-God States that have abused the authority that God has given to them.
5 Cranfield, Romans, 321.
Missions by media Once Upon a Time with Donald Leow People When it comes to missions, we usually think of church volunteers going abroad on short-term mission trips and full-time missionaries living among the natives. Donald Leow, a movie-maker, however, calls himself a “media Growingmissionary”.upinSingapore, he discovered his passion for films while volunteering at Great Joy Media Center (GJMC) in the 1980s as a teenager. GJMC screened movies in churches on weekends as a form of evangelism. Often, a church leader would speak after the movie and Donald was struck by the responsiveness of the audience. “I saw the impact of what a movie could do,” he recalls.
Fuelled by what he saw, Donald embarked on film production work. With GJMC, Donald was involved in the production of Blessed Family—a six-episode television programme about Singaporean families. In 2003, Donald filmed his first production with Good News Productions International (GNPI), The Source of Love, a Hong Kong-based feature film starring actress Deborah Sim. Unfortunately, GNPI closed in 2007. But all was not lost. “It’s been said that when God closes the door, he opens a window,” Donald says. “In my case, it was never a window—that would mean having to climb! It was always a wideopen door!” This door was an invitation to fill a Senior Producer position in a production company in the United States—the filmmaking capital of the world—and so Donald and his family moved to the USA. In 2012, Donald started his own production company, StoneTable Films, together with a business partner. Films about everyday experiences In the last decade, Donald has produced four films. His latest film, released on 24 June, Once Upon a Time in Mongolia is a romantic comedy that tells a story of love in recognisable forms—parental, romantic, and divine. Prior to this, Donald produced Badge of Faith (2017), Touched by Grace (2014) and For the Glory (2012). Badge of Faith tells of the inspiring true story of police officer Bryan Lawrence, in an era of anti-police sentiments in the USA, and Touched by Grace casts Amber House, who has Down Syndrome, in a story about bullying. Although the themes of his films vary, they have something in common. “All my movies feature everyday conversations with common people addressing a common issue,” he says.
24 Methodist Message August 2022
Mention Christian faith-based movies and inspirational films like War Room, Courageous and Fireproof come to mind. Donald’s stories are different. Terence Chua worships at Living Hope Methodist Church and is studying at Trinity Theological College. / Photos courtesy of Donald Leow Filming an outdoor church service scene Donald Leow
“Someone still needs to drive it.”
August 2022 Methodist Message 25
Now that they are trained, these Mongolian Christians are better poised to be financially independent and are equipped to produce more work—both Christian and secular content. “If the team can make a living from production and, on top of that, serve God, why not?” Donald says. “If any organisation, including those from the West, needs filmmakers in Mongolia today, this team is the one they go to!” Where needed, Donald adapts to the cultural context of his locale in his media missions. While filming a scene for Once Upon a Time in Mongolia, he conceptualised an outdoor service to showcase Mongolia’s beautiful landscape. This was a foreign concept to the Mongolians but he strove for it anyway. Yet, in filming another scene, he honoured the Mongolian practice of designating specific areas in the gers, which are traditional tents commonly found in Mongolia, for different genders. With his mission firmly in mind, Donald hopes that they bring about opportunities for interaction between people. “I don’t think of a movie as an end in itself. I think of it as a vehicle for evangelism.”
Once Upon a Time in Mongolia After her mom dies, Mya finds an old photograph that sends her to Mongolia in search of her long-lost father. Along the way, she saves a young widower’s daughter, and in gratitude, he (Bataa) agrees to help her in the quest. Their journey through the gorgeous countryside brings them through horse racing, archery and wrestling contests, debates about God, dead end leads and ultimately falling in love. There is one problem, however. Bataa has already been pledged to another woman in an arranged marriage. Will Mya find her father? Will Bataa go through with arranged marriage? Can they live happily ever after? All these questions are answered in this romcom located this side of the Great Wall of China. Where you can catch the movie Private screenings are available till the end of 2022. Contact EagleWings Cinematics hotline at 9848 7777 to book entire hall(s) 10 days in advance of event.
Donald's films can be likened to “short-term” mission work. Targeted at the unreached, Donald intends his films to be a lighthearted avenue for Christians to reach out to their non-believing friends, hoping they can spark faith-based conversations.
Missions in the filmmaking process Behind this heart for missions is a conviction, to paraphrase Blaise Pascal, that there is a God-shaped void in every man’s heart that only God can fill. Donald hopes to awaken that longing with his movies.
Cast and crew of 'Once Upon A Time in Mongolia'
“I want Christians to be able to bring their non-Christian friends to watch my movies and not be embarrassed about it,” says Donald. “It was partly for this reason that Once Upon a Time in Mongolia was produced as a romantic comedy.”
“I don’t sense that my calling is to tell stories to believers specifically,” he shares. “Rather, I want to tell stories that impact non-believers.”
The “long-term” aspects of Donald’s mission occur behind-thescenes through his efforts to train others in media production. “Today, there is a team in Mongolia equipped with professional gear to do media production,” Donald says. “They are producing excellent material. I am so proud of them.”
August 2022 Methodist Message 27 By the Methodist Welfare Services Communications Team / Photo courtesy of Methodist Welfare Services
S uzanne* and Mark* have been arguing over how he meets his buddies for drinks after work. From her perspective, he is prioritising his friends over her. Suzanne is frustrated about how little they communicate, and suggests that they go for counselling but Mark refuses. Feeling hopeless, she is seriously considering divorce.
Stories like Suzanne and Mark’s may seem familiar. Individuals often consider counselling only as a last resort, after they have failed to resolve problems on their own or when problems affect their work or relationships. Covid-19 has forced families to be together for long hours, exacerbating seething tensions.
The past two years have also seen rising numbers of divorce applications and reports of family violence. Incidentally, more people in Singapore have also sought counselling. Should we only seek help when we are close to breaking point? Social stigma of getting therapy
The reluctance to seek help early might have something to do with the social stigma long associated with counselling, that seeking therapy is a sign of weakness. But if we thought about our physical health in the same way, is it a sign of weakness to see a doctor when we are unwell? Or should we consider medical treatment only at the brink of Perhapscollapse?itis time to look at counselling as a form of preventive or supportive care too, rather than purely remedial. If conducted before problems fester, counselling can build up mental resilience and possibly avert interpersonal crises.
Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) recently introduced the Strengthening Families Programme@Family Service Centre (FAM@ FSC) initiative. An initiative of the Ministry of Social and Family Development, trained counsellors, family therapists and social workers at MWS FAM@FSC provide services and support to couples and families with early risks and stressors.
Know someone who may benefit from this? Find out more by visiting mws.sg/centre-location/famfsc/
Timely preventive counselling can help Preventive counselling should take place when we are aware that there is a problem but find that it is still manageable enough to discuss and work through amicably. One sign could be how often the same argument comes up or how easily we lose our temper. Children and adolescents also show signs that they are not coping well when they verbalise stress or fears, frequently cry over high-stakes events such as national exams, have regular nightmares, or lose sleep or appetite.
*Names used in this commentary are pseudonyms. This article is adapted from a commentary penned by Yeow Ming Zhen, Head of Strengthening Families Programme@Family Service Centre at Methodist Welfare Services, and first published in ChannelNewsAsia.com
It helps prevent them
Counsellingisn’tonlyforcrises
Help is at hand Families remain the closest support system for many in Singapore. Preventive counselling and therapy can strengthen families to weather another crisis like Covid-19 in the future.
In his article, Alawode defines politics as the acquisition of power, control and manipulation in any society, group, organisation and leadership. Politics (Greek: Πολιτικά , politiká, 'affairs of the cities') is the set of activities that is associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. 3 For Harold Lasswell, politics is about “ who gets what, when, and how”.4 And David Easton calls it “the authoritative allocation of values for a society”. 5 Aristotle’s rather kindly view was that “to be political… meant that everything was decided through words and persuasion and not through violence”.6 The word “politics” may be used positively or descriptively as “the art or science of governing”, but unfortunately it often carries a negative connotation. A variety of behaviours are employed in politics, including promoting one's own views and interests, negotiating with others, making laws and policies, and exercising influence or force directly or indirectly. People often form parties, formal or otherwise, to represent their views and interests. Whether it is intentionally done or not, “social manipulation to secure and maintain influential positions” is also political behaviour. On the other hand, Christian missions are organised efforts to spread the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ to the unreached. They involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to evangelise and plant churches while also providing for other needs of the society being reached such as education, medical or other social services. The goal is to fulfil the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:1920 and is well summed up by the apostle Paul in Colossians 1:28 (NIV): “ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. ” For the love of Christ compels us. Paul even uses a political metaphor to describe our engagement as Christ’s representatives in the Prof Dennis Lee serves as Area Director in Methodist Missions Society. He is a Visiting Professor with Copenhagen Business School, a Fellow with Singapore University of Social Sciences, and an alumnus of Regent College (MTS '88 & MDiv '89). He worships at Kum Yan Methodist Church.
O n 2 April 2020, Akinyemi O. Alawode published an article “Politics in Christian Missions” 1 in which he states that Christian missions and politics each have different goals, and asserts that “there has always been a conflict between politics and Christian missions where politics seeks to play a controlling role…”, 2 resulting in hurt to the mandate of Christian missions. He further asserts that politics does no good to the work of missions and recommends steps to be taken to avoid politics in Christian missions. This may not be an uncommon view. But can politics and Christian missions ever be kept separate? If not, what should Christian leaders do? And how should mission organisations, missionaries, and church members behave in the face of politics?
28 Methodist Message August 2022
Politics and missions are inseparable, given that politics is the way that people living in groups make decisions. It is about the making of agreements between people in order to be able to co-exist in tribes, communities, cities, or countries. In everyday life, the term ‘politics’ refers to the ways that peoples in countries are governed, and to the ways that governments make rules and laws. So as long as there are human institutions— whether externally in the form of governments of countries (with their laws, regulations, and policies) or internally within organisations, churches, mission agencies (with their constitutions, regulations, and policies)—we will unavoidably engage with politics. What should Christian leaders do? Very often, when (external) government or (internal) organisation policies impede or appear to impede mission mandates or practices, leaders and policy decision makers adopt the mindset that policies must prevail, and practitioners should comply.
August 2022 Methodist Message 29
How should mission organisations, missionaries and church members respond? The corollary is, when (mission) practitioners encounter laws, constitutions, policies, or regulatory requirements that seem to impede mission mandates or practices, their tendency is also to focus on hierarchical decisions and view them negatively. Instead, what does Scripture teach us? Paul exhorts the church in Corinth to be subject to the governing authorities… “for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgement… for the authorities are ministers of God” (Rom 13:1, 2 & 6). Furthermore, he wrote to Titus to remind the church “to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Tit 3:1-2). These may be hard instructions to obey, especially in democratic societies that place a premium on individual rights and freedom. But they are the Word of God. May God grant us the courage to change the things we can, serenity to accept the things we cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference.7
ministry of reconciliation—we are, he says, “ambassadors for Christ”(Greek: ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ οὖν πρεσβεύομεν ) (2 Cor 5:14,18 & 20). Politics and missions are inseparable
The biblical imperative is found in Micah 6:8— God has shown humanity what is good! What does the Lord require? To practise being fair, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with him.
The emphasis is therefore on the hierarchy of decision making. For Christian leaders in decision making however, what should the biblical emphasis be?
There need not be a dichotomy between being a faithful Christian and being a loyal countryman. As the song demonstrates, our faith in Christ informs our patriotism to be good countrymen, where we are required “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6:8 NIV).
We have heard it preached that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:1011). However, perhaps not many of us have imagined what it may look or sound like if that were to happen here in our land. With the simple line, “let every street and heartland”, it is a very sobering reminder that the name of Christ must be echoed beyond the four walls of our polished churches. Where is Christ’s name in the coffeeshops, the wet markets, and the void decks? This is where the refrain pulls it all together, galvanising Christians to be faithful witnesses, blessed to be a blessing unto others near and far.
1 “This World Is Not My Home” (A.P. Carter, 1931) and “Heaven” (Chris Tomlin, 2010) are good examples of casting the eyes of the believer to the eschaton, but in my analysis, also promotes dissatisfaction with where we currently are.
Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon and composer Jusuf Kamadjaja demonstrate through their song “From Many Shores” that there is a Christian approach towards a Singaporean patriotism. The song addresses different aspects of national identity—history, community-building, vocational aspiration— under the sovereignty and grace of God. It recognises that God is the ultimate source of all things we get to enjoy, even the land which we call our home. We thus praise God who has mercifully nourished, protected and blessed our nation. Noteworthily, stanzas 2 and 3 turn our attention towards our earthly neighbours with whom we share the land. As the apostle Paul instructs, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Far from ignoring or being indifferent about the political landscape, Paul reminds us to be active intercessors, keeping our leaders in prayer regardless of religious background so that they may be instruments of justice and righteousness, which pleases God. Stanza 4 looks to the future, but unlike other songs, we are not whisked straight to heaven.
I have sometimes found patriotism and my Christian faith incompatible. Songs, both new and old, about eschatological hope provide rich imagery of our destiny when we are finally with the Lord, but also, sometimes inadvertently, promote dissatisfaction with our current state of affairs.1 Indeed, no earthly government will surpass the majesty and perfection of the Son of God (Isaiah 9:6). But alas, while we are still part of this earthly home, how do we balance such tension?
A patriotic Christian?
30 Methodist Message August 2022 Worship
Justin Chan is a Programme Executive at Methodist School of Music, Worship & Church Music Department. As a reformed rock musician, he believes hymns and heavy metal can co-exist for the glory of God.
3 We pray for all our children, our leaders, workers too That we would all be open, to trust Your word as true Let righteousness and justice, Your mercy and Your love Be found in home and office, as we each other serve
August
They toiled and built our nation, as You blessed them with grace O God of our salvation, we seek Your holy face
1 From many shores you gathered, our fathers, mothers all And gave as home this island, so precious though so small
Our nation Lord come renew, come heal and bless our land Let every street and heartland, echo the name of Christ To every heart and home extend, Your love Your grace Your light
August 2022 Methodist Message 31
Let all Your people flourish, as we live in Your light
4 We know our strength is in You, our future in Your hands
Chorus: Bless Singapore our home with peace, and make us a blessing, to the nations near and far, we worship You our King, may everyone know who You are!
© 2004 Robert Solomon & Jusuf Kamadjaja (12 2004)
From Many Shores
2 We’re many tongues and colours, teach us to live as one Bless all our dreams and labours, in all Your will be done Help us to honour, cherish, all that is good and right
These men are perpetuating a pattern of behaviour learned from their fathers. Their fathers may well have gone through the same negative experiences. The fathers’ legacy of wrath was probably not intentional—they may in fact have thought they were doing the right thing to prepare their children for life in a tough world. The examples of these three show that it is so easy to live our lives on wrong ideas.
If your growing-up experiences mirror those of these men, the good news is that you can break free from the negative legacy. Get help, work with a counsellor and pray with your pastor. We can be set free from destructive patterns of the past. Stay tuned for next month’s article when I shall cover some ideas on how to break free.
Legacy of wrath
Looking at this rather small sample of three, what are some things we can learn? For one, they had witnessed their fathers use violence against their mothers and themselves. One saw knives and a chopper being drawn. The others saw hitting, slapping and objects being thrown at home. Accompanying the violent behaviours was verbal and psychological abuse—put-downs and insults which made others feel small and insignificant in their presence. All reported that their fathers were domineering and ruled the home with an iron fist. Their fathers justified their control by their position as the head of the household and their making all the major decisions as being in the family’s best interests. Growing up as male children in their households also accorded them some privileges and little responsibility. While their sisters were expected to help cook and clean, the boys got to study or play. A sense of entitlement carried into their adult lives. To try to explain my clients’ propensity to use violence as something that they internalised from observing their fathers’ behaviour would be an oversimplification. After all, they were raised in homes where Christian values and teaching were emphasised. They all attended Sunday school and later, Bible seminaries in preparation for full-time ministry. I found that they held the notion that what they had experienced was correct and not to be questioned. On becoming heads of their own households, they felt their role was to lead and the family’s to obey and follow. Deviation and disobedience had to be corrected. Using physical punishment for correction was acceptable and justified. One other similarity caught my attention. All three are intelligent, talented individuals with high expectations of themselves. Their exacting standards are also applied to their family members, with “failure” to match up looked upon as their personal failures. These demands on self and family only exacerbate stress and make for a toxic environment. In such a tinderbox of emotions, it does not take much to spark a raging fire of anger and abuse.
T he similarities among three clients struck me recently. All three are men. All three are capable high achievers with respectable jobs. And all three have issues with managing their Sadly,anger.these issues have seen them lash out and hurt family members. Although one has shown flashes of his impatience to colleagues, their displays of anger have mainly been directed at their families. All three men recognise that their angry and violent behaviour is wrong and have struggled to control it for years.
32 Methodist Message August 2022 You and Your Family Benny Bong has been a family and marital therapist for more than 30 years, and is a certified work-life consultant. He was the first recipient of the AWARE Hero Award, received in 2011, and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.
OurheritageWesleyan
Terence Chua worships at Living Hope Methodist Church and is studying at Trinity Theological College. courtesy of Terence Chua
Being a Methodist means being inspired by a founder who believed tradition was to be respected but not slavishly followed, who embraced innovation but did not do so mindlessly, and who freely pursued Christian perfection without being burdened by any expectation of achieving perfection in this life. It means being a part of a tradition that believes in equipping the lay, seeks authenticity and sincerity in communities and relationships, and passionately desires to extend God’s goodness to all of society. Following Charles’ hymns, John’s sermons, and Aldersgate, it’s been said that Christian faith can be both supernaturally strange and personally warm, that God though far can also be experientially near, that joy can be holy and holiness can be joyful—I’ve found all this to be true. It’s comforting knowing that I am always within God’s sovereign grace, whether before or after believing in Christ, that everyone I know and love—believing or not—fall within this sovereign grace, and that God’s sovereignty and our personal freedom are both real. That holiness may simply be a principle within, a simple pain to feel sin near. And that a faithful life can be good enough even if we still make mistakes. Amazed by God’s love and awakened to the fact that my heart is free, what remains is to simply rise, go forth, and follow Him.
by Kopikaki team
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Organised by Mums For Life ME, A MISSIONARY? 27 August 2022 (Saturday), 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. via RegisterZoomat
https://fathers.com.sg/programs/calm-over-chaos-series/ $10 per workshop / $30 for the complete series
https://tinyurl.com/MeAMissionary
Organised by Trinity Theological College THE GARDEN OF EDEN: CHRIST’S CREATION, OUR CARE 9-10 September 2022 Katong Presbyterian Church Visit https://creationcare.sg/conference/ to buy tickets $15 per person / Concessionary rate of $5 per person for students and NSFs
CALM OVER CHAOS SERIES 17, 19, 24, 26 August 2022, 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. via RegisterZoomat
Organised by Methodist Missions Society TRINITY THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE OPEN HOUSE 2022 31 August 2022 (Wednesday), 8.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Trinity Theological College, 490 Upper Bukit Timah Rd Register at ttc.edu.sg/english/OpenHouse2022
Considering a theological education? Come join us for lectures, and worship at our chapel. You can also dine with our community, tour our campus, and interact with our faculty and students.
The Calm over Chaos Series touches on the emotional aspect of motherhood, in particular the area of mum guilt and stress. While we may not always be able to control our circumstances or even what we feel, we can learn how to better cope with them. By understanding and managing our emotions first, we can then model healthy ways to ride the emotional waves from day to day and guide our families through theirs.
In the past decade, there has been a global shift towards environmental sustainability, nature conservation, and a rising generation of young people who wish to live in a more sustainable world. How should Christians respond in such a time? Should, and if so, how can the Church address and lead in the push for sustainable development in a devastated world? Does caring for creation have anything to do with the gospel? This conference will serve as a gathering place for Christians to explore and be equipped with a biblical understanding of Creation Care as well as to be inspired and empowered to express this in their churches and in society.
Organised by Creation Care SG
Free Me, a missionary? What qualities do missionaries need? What are the ministries they do? How do I prepare myself and my family spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially to go on to the cross-cultural field? Explore these questions via ZOOM so that you can be better empowered to be a missionary or to send others to cross-cultural fields. Sign up now! Hear some leaders share their experiences in serving cross-culturally including financial considerations, family matters, and the fundamentals of preparation like connecting with one's home church and training.
