Thoughts from Pastoral Exploration

Attending Pastoral Epistles class was an enriching and insightful module as pastoral care is very much in my heart of ministry. Studying the three epistles and attending the lessons have given me understanding and guidance in approaching and handling leadership and Christian behavior in response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul has indeed laid out clearly the essence and theological basis of our Christian behaviour and leadership selection through these letters. Doing one of the spiritual exercise that on 1 Tim 1:3-7, recalling the people that have influenced me spiritually, brought about much thanks giving in my heart for God’s gracious hand in leading these wonderful people into my life and spiritual journey! I am so grateful to them for all the time, love, grace, patience and perseverance in making an impact in my life, believing in the intended plan that God has in using such a broken vessel as I am! The many areas of influence includes my salvation, understanding the heart of God for evangelism, the perseverance and Christ-centred discipleship, the wonder and faith for mission, the increasing longing for God and His Word, the wisdom, the critical thinking and strategic planning for ministry, etc. During the reflection, which I did not include in my SE submission, is how it also brought about much reminder of humility to be used by God for His purpose.

With the team being a small group of four, including an audit student as part of the team, the workload for the group project seems a little daunting as we went on to prepare for the report and presentation. Thank God for Cecilia who constantly gives many suggestions in doing and improving the project work, not to mention her many goodies that she brought to bless the class with! Her initiative to add ideas to the presentation and reminders for various areas of the report helped our team to keep to our schedule datelines. Thank God also for Angelina who though an audit student, helped with part of the report although she could not join us for the later part of the module. Thank God for Gary as well, the usual reliable team member that is willing to step in whenever the need arises in adding to the report and also the ideas for presentation. It was a tough schedule to take this module as it was in the middle of many work projects going on at the same time, even during the public holiday. Thank God for you Group 2! Indeed, team work is so essential in getting work done, not just for school work but so much more so for God’s work!

In one of the lesson when brother Casey was sharing about saying grace during meal times, the content of the saying of grace was raised for us to reflect. Some say ‘bless the food’, some went on to pray a lot of other things, but the main thing regarding saying grace is the thanks giving for the food that God has provided, and if we expand on that, to thank God for all that He has given us which can include health, finance, time, talent, the people that God has bless us with like our parents, family, friends, brothers and sisters in church, colleagues, etc. Essentially, it is about thanking God and not just about making prayers of request, not even about blessing the food for blessing of food has the association to Chinese tradition or even religious practice of ‘offering’ the food to gods before they can be eaten, or that when the food is blessed, the partakers will also be blessed. Indeed, a thanks giving heart should and must be very much part of a believer’s heart for we are people who have been greatly blessed! We have been blessed with the salvation by the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Pastoral Epistles is my last module for my MTS programme. It was great to see many familiar faces and two new faces, Alvin and Angelina. Many of the classmates are people whom I had taken modules with and some even worked with in group projects. Some have become closer friends, people whom I interact with even after the modules ended. It was great to know these fellow serving brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when I hear about God’s miraculous works, provision, deliverance in their lives and the people around them! In deed it has been a blessed journey studying in AGBC. I pray that the friendships started and built during this period would continue on to be a channel of encouragement and godly fellowship that would spur one another in finishing the race of following Jesus and fulfilling His call in our lives! Keep in touch my brothers and sisters in Christ! God bless you much!

 

Thoughts from Corinthians Adventures

I was looking forward to attend this module even as I was doing the pre-course work. While reading through 1 Corinthians and doing the reading-reflection log, I begin to appreciate the importance for understanding the historical background and literary context when studying the Bible. There were a few challenging passages in 1 Corinthians that I need to refer to resources in order to make some sense from them. One of them includes the passage 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 on head covering in worship. After much searching for the context, there doesn’t seemed to be a definitive understanding of whether the covering refers to hair or an external head covering. The initial feeling was of a bit of frustration, however, after some reflection, some principles seem to emerge from the readings:

Traditions practiced in Church which does not violate God’s Word and holds good sensible values in the cultural context of the community is not necessarily wrong. However, it should not go against God’s creation order and should make sense and relevance to the church. However, such traditions should not be held as authoritative practice as those clearly taught from the Bible.

While we discuss the application of the passage in class, some of us raised the issues such as the use of drums in worship service, the use of technology such as lighting, sound and video system in service, etc. These seem to be issues that fall into this category of practice. However, if the focus of the service becomes issues related to these areas, e.g. whether the drummer played well enough, made mistakes, or the lighting/sound/video is too dark/soft/entertaining enough, etc., it may become the ‘idol’ and wrong focus instead on God presence and the worship of His people to Him.

Doing group work during the 2 weeks can be both a challenging as well as a rewarding experience. Some project work were not so nice and some were pretty fun and fruitful. The group assignment in the Corinthian class has been pretty fun and fruitful.  Teammates were helpful to add to one another actively and willing to work late nights to complete the work. I also get to know the team mates better as we worked and shared more about our lives. Sarah, one of the students who was doing audit, even volunteered to be involved in our team presentation and she did a such a great job that people believed in her sharing although she was playing the role of a missionary! I have been so blessed by the team! Thank God for all of you!

The lesson on 1 Corinthians chapter 14 regarding speaking in tongues by brother Casey has shed some light regarding my view of the subject. Paul did not forbid the speaking in tongues in the Corinthian church but was addressing how it has been used. He was encouraging the Corinthian church to ask for the interpretation of the tongues when it is a message from God for the church spoken in tongues. When brother Casey spoke of the balance between allowing the using of tongues and the need for orderliness in the usage, he shared that some people who may swing to one end of being rigid and instil so much restrictions and rules in practising this gift that people becomes so fearful to use so much so that they restrain and stop speaking. People may be so fearful that faith is dampened to exercise that gift.  However, the freedom to use the gift should not swing to the other end where praying in tongues is done throughout the prayer time alone by everyone on top of their voices, creating a confusing and chaotic time. However, each person’s tolerance could be quite subjective and this needs to be seen in light of the practice of the church. However, all gifts should be practiced on the basis of love.

One of the reminder I got from watching the presentations by the various groups of people in class is the impact of creativity in communication, especially in the use of visual, audio and kinaesthetic elements. Team A’s creativity in using the well-edited video with all the people acting in different roles and even trying to imitate the accent of an African, and tying the African traditional head dress, etc. really open the hearts of the audience before the message of the Uganda project fund raising was shared. Team C’s effort in incorporating the ‘game show’ concept and ‘live reports’, involving the crowd to participate reveals the thoughts put in to make the presentation more engaging. These little details show the deliberateness of the teams to want to communicate the message well through the presentation and I believe they did achieve its purpose in helping the people to receive the message of giving more impactful. As I learn God’s Word, I pray that I will also learn to be creative in communicating His Word to make the learning fun and impactful.

Learnings from Romans Class

One of the interesting things that I learned from the Romans class is the understanding of the meaning of a word that Paul used in this letter, peace (v6). Conventionally, the peace that Christians talked about regarding the peace mentioned in the Bible, refers to the state of tranquility and serenity, without tension, stress, and a sense of harmony within one’s mind or heart. This understanding has much to do with our interpretation of what Paul meant when he wish the audience of his letter in Romans chapter 1. Traditionally, it was understood that Paul meant the peace that refers to the Greco-Roman idea of peace, which is the absence of war or ‘a state of national tranquility’.[1] The concept of peace by the people at that time has much to do with the Roman Empire being constantly at war, trying to conquer more land. However, Paul being a Jew, could have meant it as the Jewish understanding of the concept of peace, which is Salom [שָׁל] ‘the wholeness of body; right relationship or harmony between two parties or people…; prosperity, success, or fulfillment…’.[2] This was pointed out and explained by Brother Casey during the class and it has changed quite a bit of my understanding of the word ‘peace’. The expansion of the meaning gives it much more richness to the word. The next time when I greet people or write cards for others, the peace that I wish them would have meant deeper than the typical understanding of the word ‘peace’. That would also be my prayer for them as well.

     The other thing that I was reminded of when doing the group work on the passage of Rom 12:9-13 is that genuine love also means hating evil and holding to what is good. The co-relation of love and hating evil seems contrasting in the beginning. However, hating evil, which is defined by things not in the will of God, can be neglected when our understanding of love is only association to feeling good. This reminded me about God’s love for me, though sacrificial and so filled with grace, does not mean that He allows me to have my ways and gives me all that I want, without considering what is the best and right for me. Love is not genuine if it leads someone to escape from doing good or to commit evil. Human nature has a tendency to sin and human motives are questionable (Jer 17:9). This is a challenge for me to apply in my life when it comes to discipleship. There are times when we need to exercise discipline and correction so that the message of disapproval for certain unbiblical, actions/behaviours/attitudes which have been willfully repeated by the disciple, can be communicated with urgency or importance. This could cause tensions in the relationship or may have been misunderstood by others or the disciple. However, there is a need to hold to what is right and make a stand against what is not right as we learn to love one another genuinely. James R. Edwards states that Agape love is one that, irrespective of cost to self, compels itself to the good of the other.[3] 

     Something I learned from the readings on Romans, especially from Douglas Moo’s book, The Epistles to the Romans, New International Commentary on the New Testament, on chapter 8 is the prominence of the work of the Holy Spirit.[4] Out of the 21 occurrences of the word pneuma in Rom 8, all except only two (vv15a and 16b) refers to the Holy Spirit. Here the focus is on what the Spirit does, His ministry on behalf of Christians. Moo states that Paul’s mention of the struggle of the spirit and flesh is not between man’s flesh and man’s spirit but between the human flesh with God’s Spirit and Paul elaborates this in areas of the mind, behavior, etc. Paul is saying that the Spirit now governs our life in our thinking right on to the point of our behavior, being the dominating power in the life of the believer. In what the law could not do, to conquer the flesh, our weakness, our sinful inclination, God’s Spirit does do. This concept brought to remind myself of the essential need to walk in step with the Spirit, to cooperate with, respond to, and yield to the Spirit daily in my life. This requires us to learn to remain in God’s love through dying to ourselves, daily in our lives. The necessity of devotional time and the practice of the presence of God, the consciousness of God, would enhance and help us to listen to the Spirit more readily, and respond more promptly. This has been the challenge for myself that I pray I would grow in my journey with Jesus.

     The fellowship experienced in the midst of lessons, assignments and group work is also a refreshing incentive in attending this module. Through the interaction with my group mates in the Romans class, I’ve experienced a team that is readily and actively adding to one another. This is something that I pray for in the team I served with in church as I reflect on this. I have been blessed by them as each has different strengths that took initiative to cover one another. Really thank God for them as the course started during the week where much time was required to be committed to my work and I was experiencing an increase in need for proper, adequate sleep. I was also glad to see many ‘former’ classmates and although the time to catch up was pretty tight, a few who were open to share took the initiatives to update share their experiences. I’ve been blessed much even though I was not able to provide much ‘advice’ to their sharing and we had to end a few conversations a little abruptly as we needed to start the class. The prayer time at the beginning of the class to keep one another covered in prayers also encourages me. The practice reminded me to keep praying for the people around me and just pray in faith and trust in the God’s love to work all things according to His purposes (Rom 8:28).

---

[1]http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/eirene.html.

 

[2]http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/peace.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalom.

 

[3]James R. Edwards, Romans: New International Biblical Commentary, (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1992), 292.

 

[4]Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996), 467-547.

Reflection on Education in Christian Community 2

Reflection on Education in Christian Community 2

The course is coming to an end soon. It has been a good learning time. Here are a few learning points for me.

Firstly is the purpose for education. Many consider the purpose of education being the transfer of information and knowledge from the teacher (who knows more) to the students. The more content transferred, the better the learning is. We must understand that no amount of knowledge transfer will guarantee the transformation of a person, the increase of love for God, the deepening of commitment to Christ, a bigger heart for people in the Christian community and beyond. The purpose of Education in Christian Community is to see a growing commitment to God and His people, through a continuous process of change to be more Christ-like and to grow in influence and impact in the society. The importance of ‘Being’ over ‘Knowing’ is what Education in Christian Community need to strive towards. The challenge in many church education is the element of continuity as many programmes, though having great purpose and objectives, seems to hit the wall when they end. Some could not see how the momentum or the learning of a particular topic or theme could continue beyond the period of the programme. Sometimes even though some short term results could be produced through the programme, these could not be sustained or even maintained as there is a lack of continuity in the overall education process. A absence of a long term vision is usually the cause of the lack of continuity of Education in Christian Community.

The other area of learning is the context of Education in Christian Community. Many expect the “schooling” approach and therefore the classroom (formal) setting when we think about Education. If we expand the scope of education, the context of education can be as broad as anywhere and anytime. Basically, there could be three categories of context, namely, Formal, Informal and Non-formal. Formal context refers to intentional, structured and controlled, while informal settings are unintentional and unstructured, whereas non-formal circumstances are intentional but yet structured.

In fact Jesus has set the example for all of us through the many occasions of education in the Gospels. He taught in formal settings like synagogues in Mark 12:28-34, to his gathered disciples in Mark 1:16-20; 3:13-19, and deliberate with the scribes in Mark 11:27-33 and 12:13-27. Jesus also taught out of doors at the seashore in Mark 2:13 and 6:23-44, on the mountain in Matthew 5, while travelling in Matthew 21:18-22, etc. From the example of Jesus, we can see that the context in education should be wide and not limited to the church or ‘classroom’ context. It can also happen in workplace, homes, while travelling, overseas, etc.

The scope of participants of the education in Christian community is the other area where I got reminded on the various learning styles of people. Much research has gone into this area of studies and there are many models developed by scholars in this field. Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences describes the various intelligences that people may have and eight multiple intelligences consist of verbal-linguistic, math-logical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. David Kolb’s learning styles model presents the four types as Reflective Observation, Concrete Experience, Abstract Conceptualization and Active Experimentation. We need to consider these factors when designing lessons and programmes in order for education to be more effective. With this knowledge, it also increases the competency expectation of Christian educators because many corporate training has already in-cooperated such practices. Therefore there is a need for Christian to continue to keep up to the trends and progress in education, be trained and build up our competencies.

Nevertheless, Even after using these available learning styles models and educationally sound mix of methods when conducting lessons, it will not warrant that every student will come to know and love Jesus more and to serve Him. Marlene Lefever says that “Only when individual students, led by the Holy Spirit, can make that decision.”[1] Marlene quotes Dallas Willard from The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God, ”We do not aim to just control behavior, but to change the inner castle of the soul, that God mat be worshipped ‘in spirit and in truth’ and right behavior cease to be a performance.”

---

[1] Marlene LeFever, “Learning Styles” in Christian Education: Foundations for the Twenty-first Century (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Company, 2001), 137.

Reflection on Education in Christian Community 1

I’m currently attending the module Education in Christian Community (ECC). After the first few lessons, there are some interesting ideas that I’ve learned through the sessions, including the interaction/discussions in the class.

Firstly, it is the chart on Inter-related Terms in education. The five terms mentioned are Training, Schooling, Instruction, Education and Formation. These are common terms that we come across when we deal with the area of education but each of them emphasizes on some aspects that may differ to or overlap on one another. Training focuses on skills development and getting better in certain aspects of training. Schooling, on the other hand, focuses on gaining knowledge, more associated with the concept of formal learning, classroom setting. Instruction also focuses on knowledge gaining with a little on the ‘how to’ knowledge. Education and Formation both are supposed to be focusing on the ‘being’ or character development , values and understanding formation, and in Christian context, the spiritual aspects of growth as well. To do ECC with all of these aspects so as to achieve a holistic and balanced approach, requires very deliberate planning and practices.

The other interesting concept is the change in the focus and even concept of education from the definition that was defined by Rev Casey at the beginning of the course. The Latin word “educere” actually means “to lead forth” or “to draw out”. The Latin word “educare” means “to bring up, rear, train”. There seems to be a change from the initial meaning of “educere” into “educare” in Education that we are familiar with. From the “drawing out” the potential of individuals and developing them according to their individual talents, gifts and desire, our education system seems to be more inline with the concept of “to bring up, rear, train” towards a certain mould, need, objective, goal of people or society.  This also seemed to be the way that Christian Education seems to be like and it gives the impression of making the same kind of people through the process of ‘brain washing’ or like items being produced through production lines in factories. It is a challenge to have an effective working ECC strategy model that can help to develop every individual to achieve what God desires for them specifically, perhaps it is even impossible to have. But it is possible to start on the right foot (at least take the right steps toward) if the objective of education is to help individuals to develop to his/her fullest potential in Christ together with his/her growth in his/her likeness in Christ, perhaps more consolidated attention and effort can be put into developing such strategies in more churches.

In the session by Rev Casey, he also highlighted the need and necessity of education in the context of a community.  He shared that the scope or extent of education is not just within the local church community. When Christians gather, like in the same workplace, education in the context of influencing the community in the office, whether towards building up fellow Christians or in helping pre-believers coming to know Jesus, should also be a natural extension of education in Christian Community. As much as this should be the ideal, there are many sensitive and relational issues when such groups are being formed. This could be doctrinal or ministry philosophical differences, not to mention personality and worldview differences (though all Christians are supposed to have some fundamental alignment in some areas of worldview). Even within the context of local church community, it can already be quite challenging to build a Christ-centred community.  All of us are different and we are all imperfect with different kinds of background and experiences that we carry with us. The desired community that God desires can only be possible by His grace to us and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Only when we walk with the Lord closely, take ownership of our relationship with God, and empowered by His Spirit will we be changed to be more like Jesus as He uses these experiences of rubbing of one another in the church community to build each and every one of us up in Christ.

To develop and implement effective ECC strategies, it depends not only on 1 person or a committee. It requires the entire leadership team to embrace this desire and be aligned to the outcome of developing people to their fullest potential in Christ and be like Christ, a deliberate effort to work together as a community to work out a model/system and strategies to fulfill effectively, the purpose of the church to reach the unreached as a true community of Christ followers.

Reflections on NT Adventure

Reflection on NT Adventures

Attending New Testament Foundation class has been an interesting, challenging as well as fun experience. It has been interesting because of the new understanding and discoveries of the Word of God and the various aspects of the world in the New Testament time. It is challenging because of the numerous things that can be learned and responding to the prompting by the Holy Spirit along the course. It was fun because of the instructors and the fellow course mates that made the learning experience more than an intellectual exercise.

Some of the interesting ideas/concepts/practices that I have picked up through the class interaction, presentation, lectures, reading and research are shared below.

1.       The ‘righteousness’ in Matthew 6:33, refers to doing the will of God.

The ‘righteousness’ of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew refers to Jesus’ submission and obedience to fulfilling the will of God (Matthew 3:1-17). Jesus in Matthew is communicated as the Messiah who fulfills all righteousness. The righteousness that Matthew mentioned in his gospel is very different from the righteousness that is mentioned by Paul (e.g. Romans). 

Jesus humble birth depicted in Matthew chapter 1 and 2 is in contrast to the expected idea of the Messiah by the Jews. The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in chapter 3 gives an even greater distinctive and radical contrast for how can the messiah be baptized by someone lesser than himself? Although Jesus did not need John’s baptism (John’s baptism is the baptism of repentance. Why would Jesus, a sinless man, need to received this baptism?) He still went through it, submitted to it, because He wanted to fulfill the will/plan of God (3:14-15). According to IVP NT Commentaries, in a Mediterranean culture where society stressed honour and shame, Jesus relinquished His  rightful honour to embrace others’ shame. But immediately, God publicly honours the obedience of Jesus (3:16-17). From here, it can be understood that the ‘righteousness’ that Matthew communicates in his gospel refers to doing what is pleasing to the Father.

In Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.”  the ‘righteousness’  here refers to doing the will of God, doing what pleases our Father in heaven.

2.       The reason Jesus drove out the people who were buying and selling in the temple (Matt 21:12) is because the people were using the only available area where the gentiles could stand and listen to the preaching and teaching in the temple, thereby depriving the gentiles the opportunity of hearing the WOG. The reason is not about forbidding the people to practice selling and buying.

Rev Casey mentioned this in one of the classes and this understanding is something that I have not heard before. He explained that the reason why Jesus drove the people out were not because he forbade the people to trade in the temple.  It is because the area/space (see picture below) that the people who were selling and buying is now no longer available for gentiles (No. 12 Courts of Gentiles) who are not allowed into the temple, to stand outside and listen to the teaching of the Scripture.

Picture from http://jerusalem-4thtemple.org/plan-maps_2_2.html

Rev Casey reasoned that if Jesus’ intent was to address that the people should not sell and buy in the temple, then it would mean that the church would have violated the principle by selling things in church, including for those sales done to raise funds for church building, etc.

According to New International Commentary on the Gospel of John by R. T. France, he reasoned that it is where the trade is being carried out rather than how that is the focus of Jesus’ displeasure.

I gather from here that the place of worship, in current context, should then be designed in such a way as to maximize the space to allow as many people as possible to join in to listen to the preaching of God’s Word. As followers of Christ, we should also learn to live our lives according to the Word of God in order to be a witness to the people who have yet to know Jesus. For we are the living temple of the Holy Spirit, we should learn to ‘preach the Good News’ with our lives.

3.       Jesus was the one that fed the five thousand in the gospel of John instead of the disciples depicted in the Synoptic Gospels?

In one of the classes where Sis Davina shared on the Gospel of John, she mentioned about the difference in John’s account on Jesus feeding the five thousand as compared to the other Synoptic Gospels. From John 6:11, it does seem that the Jesus fed the people directly instead of instructing the disciples to feed the crowd as indicated in the other three gospels.

¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:11 (NIV2010)

Taking a closer look at the Gospel of John, and from the lesson as well as the text book, The Writings of The New Testament by Luke Timothy Johnson, it is understood that the gospel of John is written pretty differently compared to the other three. Luke Timothy Johnson states that the book of John is an ecclesiastical Gospel and communicates much of John’s eschatology, and that John’s presentation of Jesus is more symbolic than literal. According to Leon Morris (NICNT: The Gospel According to John, 305), John’s communication in verse 11 regarding Jesus’ disciples being the medium of this act of distribution was not as explicit as the Synoptists. Therefore when we read the book of John we need to read it carefully with different ‘glasses’ in order to understand the meaning in a proper manner.

This ‘incident’ of discovering the differences (revealed my ignorance and) stirs much of my curiosity to study the Word more carefully and diligently. The Christology and the many other theological aspects revealed in the book of John (and the throughout the New Testament) are the many treasures that has yet to be ‘discovered’ by myself. The journey in discovering the God of the Bible is indeed exciting and enriching!

4.       The position of Armenian Theology and Calvinistic Theology regarding predestination is a categorical confusion.

As Ps Jadene went through the lesson on the book of Romans, she briefly shared about the Armenian Theology and Calvinistic Theology on predestination when people read Romans 8:29.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose.

²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Rom 8:28, 29 (NIV2010)

If we look at verse 29 and try to understand what Paul was saying, it can be understood that the purpose of the ‘predestined’ people is to ‘conformed to the image of’ Christ. This group of people that God has called is referring to the people who have received Jesus into their lives. Paul was referring to the followers of Christ. The emphasis here is that all those who are follower of Christ, are called to conform to the image of Christ. It is not a call into salvation.

Nonetheless, the idea of a God that just selects those He wants to save seems to be in contradictory to the loving image of God. The choice given to all by God to choose to believe will also contradict to the concept of predestination. The concept does not fit into the overall theological understanding of God’s character.

Therefore, I agree with the reasoning by Ps Jadene. I believe that God has given all the will to choose whether to belief and follow Him in responding to the love he shows through our Lord Jesus Christ that He revealed in the Bible and history. I like the diagram that Ps Jadene shared regarding the response of man to God’s love. Whatever we do, it should be a response to the love God has given to us by choosing to yield and surrender to Him, and to die to our self.

5.       True fellowship can only be experienced when Christ is the centre of the community.

This is the theme that Ps Jadene mentioned when covering the book of Philemon.  Nowadays, church is very much programme oriented. Even those that may have cell groups may also see cell groups as an event on weekdays for Christians to gather, an additional event to attend besides the weekend service. The question is how connected in Christ will we truly be if the programme and events are removed?

Church consists of forgiven sinners who are imperfect and still considered as work-in-progress. Rubbing of one another would be common if we truly interact and share lives together. The challenge is to have true fellowship in the midst of all the brushing. Our ability to forgive and to love will be tested. Our genuineness in caring for one another in the community will be tested.

If indeed Christ is the cornerstone in our lives and in our church, true fellowship will be experienced. If the supremacy of Christ is in a transformed community, we will experience what the Acts church in Acts chapter 2:43-47 experienced. If we desire that to happen, how willing are we to do our part in making it happen?