Discipleship Journey 2018 - Part 2

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. Radical Discipleship is all about Christ, Character and Calling, this is the central message of Radical Discipleship. Yes indeed, they are the 3 C of Radical Discipleship.
2. Yes, I would love to have this Big Three C as my journey compass, with Christ in my vessel, with the Holy Spirit as compass to steer ny vessel, I can build up my characters and fulfill my calling by the Lord.

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. The 4 Cs - Consumerism, Carnality, Compulsiveness and Conformity are inherent within my carnal man and the arguing with my spiritual inner man all the time. It is so easy to give in and follow the ways of the world. They challenge every step of our dicsipleship calling and discipline.
2. In order to counter the 4 Cs, we need to cultivate Surrender, Personal Discipline and Empowerment of the Spirit, so that authentic discipleship can occur. To me, the hardest one will be Personal Discipline follows by Surrender. Cultivating spiritual discipline is not something that will happen without works and discipline. 

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. Jesus discipled his disciples from fishermen to become a committed and radical disciples. He cause them to transform with His own life. They observed and saw how he operated and they became like Him.
2. My personal encountering experiences with the Lord are many but they could be rather spontaneous at times. Although not consistent, I still have a desire to encounter Him more in my life and being to be transformed.

Discipleship Journey 2018 - Part 1

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. Things and events usually capture my full attention, people may capture my full affection. But it is not always in this sequence. Sometimes, things are more important than people and people got ignored by me or used by me to perfect an event or things to do done. 
2. Am I growing as a disciple of Christ? Yes albeit slowly and at times stagnant and a bit retarded. Events and people in life caused me many bruises and I get offended and that is when my growth halts and zero growth. Reading is on-going. In all things, have a kingdom-mentality, we serve a risen saviour who wants to see all men be saved.

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. Holiness and humility are like the pair of hands, they are siblings connected at the heart. Without holiness, it is impossible to please God. But yet, as marks of true disciples, how do holiness and humility look like? It is how we treat our neighbours through our daily living, our staff, people lower than us, people who serve us, are we forgiving, fore-bearing, encouraging, building up other people who are around us?  This is where actions speak louder than words. The "walk the talk" part of our life.
2. What influences me to cultivate the appetite for holiness and humility? Being with Christian brothers and sisters who are like-minded and practise holiness and humility. Reading and meditating on the Word of God to understand the calling of God upon my life. 

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. This sounds like a mathematical theological question to me. So in Discipleship journey equation, this is how to write this equation down: Why + What => How or rather Why => What + How. The Why definies the What and determines the How. So it all starts with understanding WHY.
2. I love these 5 Defining Questions so much that I actually make use them in my preparation of paper, presentations, talks, sermons and even thesis arguments. Yes, they are that good!

• Why is it so important?
• If it's so important, why is it so neglected?
• What is it all about?
• What makes it so difficult?
• How can it be best accomplished?

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. The depth of spiritual life ensures sustainability and anchors multiplication. This is especially so in the life of a church within a community. On a personal note, spiritual maturity is what we want to pursue but whether we accomplish maturity or multiplication, that still depends on a few other things, such as calling and resources. 
2.  Radical discipleship is very important for the church to sustain and grow continuously. It will become part of the ecology of the church community.

Chewing and Thinking:-

1. My personal conviction about discipleship is that with proper and prayerful execution, it will bring about a healthy and sustainable ecology for the church community and generations will be taken care of. Corporately, discipleship will very much depend on the leadership's commitment and skills of executions.
2. On my personal preference, I am a strong executor / doer but I love to be with people and see how people are transformed through our programmes. So, it is a mix. 

IDMC 2017 Miri Keepsakes

Devotion during IDMC - Mary & Martha

That One Thing

Devotion by Rev Edmund Chan

18 Feb 2017

During IDMC 2017 Miri (Plenary 3) 

Luke 10:38-42 

What is that One thing Jesus told Martha?

Luke 10:38-42The Message (MSG)
Mary and Martha

38-40 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”
41-42 The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

Context and Contrast

Context :-

Martha and Mary were Jewish Sisters, brought up to understand Jewish Hospitality. Both love Jesus and welcomed Him and the people into their home. They have been taught how to cook and carry out hospitality.


In summary, two sisters,

• Both love Jesus
• Both love hosting 
• Both love hospitality
• Both generous

But here were some Contrast:-

#1 Living Room Vs Kitchen

#2 Spiritual Vs Materialistic

#3 Many things Vs One Thing

#4 Working away Vs Sitting at the feet of Jesus

Within the context, the contrast Jesus referred to that one thing. One Bible Commentary even suggested that One thing was referring to One Dish! That having One Dish would be enough for the gathering. So, what is that one thing Vs the many things? The "many things" were mentioned by Jesus in the earlier sentence: "Martha, you are worried and bothered about many things." Verse 42 The one thing - Inner Calm, Inner Peace that Mary had.  

Here was the likely scenario for that day, both sisters started quite happily in the kitchen cooking. After Mary has done some cooking, she decided to check out on Jesus and the crowd. So Mary left for the living room and she decided to stay and join in. Whatever Jesus was teaching, it got Mary's attention. Mary had forgotten about the kitchen workloads. 

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Martha has noticed that Mary has disappeared, she asked the maids where Mary was. The maids reported back to Martha that Mary has gone into the living room and sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha continued cooking and then felt unhappy that Mary did not return. 

If it was true that Martha just wanted Mary back into the kitchen because there was a lot workload there, then she personally or she could send a maid to go over to Mary and whispered for her to come back and help. But, that was not what Martha wanted, instead, Martha went into the Living Room and interrupted Jesus's teaching and questioned the Lord, 

“Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”

Martha was clearly seeking to be vindicated. In Bahasa Malaysia, there is a term for this "minta puji / minta kasihan". She wanted vindication, right there at the living room before the crowd from Jesus! This is the main reason why she was wrong! 

We could imagine the silence in the room, what would Jesus say? Jesus replied with great compassion towards Martha, 

“Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

Therefore, that One Thing Jesus referred to was the inner peace and not just worried about too many things.

Lets use sanctified imagination:-

That we reverse the story. What if Martha was rested while busy in the kitchen preparing for food and Mary was the one filled with unrested-ness thinking why Martha was not at the foot of Jesus learning like herself until she interrupted Jesus to question him, "Master, don't you see that my sister is busy away in the kitchen and missing your teaching, why don't you ask Martha to come and sit here with me to learn from you?". Then Jesus would have replied to Mary, "Mary, dear Mary, you are worried and bothered by many things but only one thing is necessary and Martha has chosen it - and it won't be taken from her."

In conclusion, many things refer to whatever that can cause bothered and unrested inner self; one thing refers to rested-ness and inner calm. Outward activities we do Vs Inner heart.  The heart and space within is the one thing referred by Jesus. Be rested in the heart like Mary.

Personal Reflection :-

I got super excited when Rev Edmund Chan decided to share on this during the devotion on Plenary 3 of IDMC 2017, for so long, I have been hearing Christians teaching one another:-

Don't be like Martha, be like Mary because Mary chose that one thing and Mary was worried over many things. 

Don't be like Martha, cooking and sweating away in kitchen, missing Jesus' teachings and be like Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning so much from Jesus. 

Be like Mary because our life is short and we should treasure special time with Him and not spend time cooking in the kitchen. 

What I have been hearing was telling me that 

1) Working and cooking in the kitchen is ungodly. Being at the feet of Jesus is godly as Jesus praised Mary and said that in future, people would remember what Mary has chosen over the bad choice of Martha of toiling in the ktichen.

2) Its is not good to worry about many things and let things to make us worry. We just need that one thing like Mary and we should be fine. 

But, I have been objecting from within :-

1) If Martha did not work in the kitchen, what would they all eat? 

2) Someone obviously made the sacrifice so that all could benefit? But why was Jesus so harsh on Martha?

3) What about the Theology of work? Is work not holy or a form of worship towards God?

Through this devotion sharing by Rev Edmund Chan, I found the answers and agree that Martha has been wrong about missing that one thing and allowed the many things to make her worried. 






Note :- Pictures here are all from the internet.

IDMC 2017 Miri - Plenary3 : Determine The End-Product

Plenary 3 : Determine The End-Product

" So as to Reproduce Disciples of a A Certain Kind"

Rev Edmund Chan

18 February 2017

Miri Meritz Hotel

The crisis of disciplemaking today is the crisis of product. The compelling question is : "What kind of disciples does God call us to reproduce?"

We must get back to basics. First, we must distinguish between conventional church values and an intentional discipleship church values.

Conventional Values Vs Disciplemaking Values

Discipling the Inner Life:

Red Bar Vs Blue Bar People

Red Bar people are showy type and worldly.

Blue Bar people are Godly and deep.\

Rested-ness and Calmness is needed in discipling disciples of a certain kind. Church is the hope of the watching world.

IDMC 2017 Miri - Plenary 2: Understand the Biblical Strategy

Plenary 2 : Understand the Biblical Strategy 

Thru' Authentic Biblical Discipleship and Intentional Disciplemaking

Pastor Ann Chan

18 February 2017

IDMS 2017 Miri

Miri Meritz Hotel

Someone has wisely said, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing".

We tend to major on the minors. When we come to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Christians have often mistaken the minor for the major and have missed the biblical strategy.

Seven Misconceptions of The Great Commission

1. Missing the Main Focus, Not We but Christ.

2. Missing Main Essence, Not "Message to broadcast" but "Life to live". 

    Teaching them ALL THINGS !

3. Missing the Main Agent, Not "Some Missionaries" but "All members"!

4. Missing the Main Product, Not "Make converts" but "Make Disciples".

5. Missing the Main Emphasis, Not the "Manner" but the "Mission".

6. Missing the Main Yardstick, Not "Numbers" but "Obedience".

7. Missing the Main Concern, Not "Disciple" but "Disciple the Nations".

It is not just to make Believers but to make Disciples.

Four Convictions from Matthew 28:18-20

1. The Source of the Great Commission : "All Authority"

We have the Power of Attorney to act on His behalf. From powerless to powerful. We can build or tear down. 2 Peter 1:3

2. The Scope of the Great Commission : "All Nations"

All nations, All races, All tongues. We are often conscious of me, mine and ours only. Indulge of self-love and Selfie.

3. The Strategy of the Great Commission : "All Things"

All things pertaining to God and life. 1 Samuel 7:3

Come close to God. We need to come clean to God.

4. The Season of the Great Commission : "Always"

Emmanuel - God with us. 

Anytime, Anywhere, Everywhere

In season and out of season , share Christ and gospel.

Eight Marks of A Disciplemaking Church

1. Purpose-Driven

2, Responsible Evangelism

3. Intentional Growth Strategies

4. Leadership Commitment

5. Vision-Casting

6. Vision-Concretising

7. Small-Group Infrastruture

8. Spiritual Multiplication

What An Intentional Disciplemaking Church Looks Like

The desire to be directed. The determination to be true. 

Christianity started as Passion in Israel, became a religion in Rome, formulated as an institution in Empire, developed into enterprise in America. 

Tragedy of life is not dying young but growing old and have not lived and nothing to show or pass down. 

Judges 2:1-10 Four generations mentioned :-

Generation 1 :- Moses served God

Generation 2 :- Joshua walked with God

Generation 3 :- Elders Served God

Generation 4 :- Young generation who did not know God

The elders failed to disciple the younger generations.

Devotion during IDMC 2017 - Psalms 71:17-18

Devotion during IDMC Miri 2017

Rev Ann Chan

18 Feb 2017
Miri Meritz Hotel

Psalms 71:17-18

17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. 18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. 

Four things to learn from David :- 

1) Don't stray from God

3 things we do when we encountered problem

• Fight
• flee
• Freeze

2) Dont give up or opt out

Don't leave God and don't forget to give Him praise

Praise can change things and most of all, praise vhNges us.

3) Be empowered by God

V18 do not favor sake me

When times are tough, appeal to God, ask Him for new vision, new peace.

JI Packer - I am losing sight but I am now seeing Jesus.

4) Focus on your life purpose .

Until I proclaim your might to the next generation.

Our life is beyond this generation, this is our goal in life, passing on our legacy beyond our life. The most important thing we leave behind is not wealth, it is the spiritual legacy to the future generations.

IDMC 2017 Miri - Plenary4 : Accomplish The Mission

Plenary 4 : Accomplish The Mission
"and to multiply them to win the world for Christ!"

Rev Edmund Chan

18 February 2017

Miri Meritz Hotel

Determining the mission 

What the church is not :

• A Social Club
• A Hospital
• An Army Boot Camp
• A School

What the church is :

• A Cause
• A Community
• A Corporation - well organised

What the Church is called to BE and to DO :

• To be Worshippers
• To be Witnesses - live out gospel
• To make disciples

5 Steps Towards Building an IDMC - 

church built around a personality would not last.

It takes deep convictions, clear strategy and concrete vehicles.

1. Establish Biblical Foundations - Read the Instructions carefully and thoroughly. Growth takes time!
2. Champion Disciplemaking Vision
3. Launch Prototype - Think Big, Start Small, Build Deep. Start with a few leaders.
4. Concretize Vehicles - Discipleship Training Programmes
5. Establish the Infrastructure - Testimonies sharing. People must be motivated, must be driven by God. We cannot push people into it.

IDMC 2017 Take Away - Personal Reflection

Wh

What have I learned in this IDMC 2017 ?

What are my takeaways from this conference? Was it the bag, the pen, the conference book or the nametag?

I have learned a lot from the past IDMC conferences. I have different take-away lessons for each of them. It does not necessary make me a disciple maker, it caused me to re-align myself to God's mission and vision, it made me realised my true destiny and it helped me to re-postured myself before the Lord. 

On the last day of IDMC 2017 at Miri, we were asked to pen down what is our take-away from this conference. I wrote the following prayer in a breath. I wrote down the first line and had no idea what to write for the next line. It was like the Holy Spirit downloaded to me what to write. As I penned the thoughts down, towards the end I was thinking to write about my home-coming to heaven and enjoying eternal life but instead, I was moved to tears. I wept as I wrote the last few lines. 

This prayer is like my heart-beat prayer to God. I realised that after half a century, I have many flaws, I have failed time and time again. Would I  be able to make a difference? Would I be able to rise up tall? 

What I have in this one life, 

the little time that I spend on earth, 

loving the few people God brings to me, 

solving problems related to my living on this land, 

leaving a mark, a legacy for the next generation, 

a testimony of His glory, 

how God could use one life 

to bring about transformations 

that have eternal and Kingdom values.

Devotion during IDMC - Foundation of your life

Foundation of your life

Rev Edmund Chan

17 Feb 2017

Miri Meritz Hotel

2017 Miri IDMC Devotion during Opening Session

Foundation of your life

Matthew 7:24-27

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

To Jesus, The most important thing is our foundation, In fact, there is nothing more important than the foundation.

This is a parable of Contrasts - to appreciate Contrasts, first note the similarities :-

Similarities :-

1. Similar men - both are equally good, clever and resourceful
2. Similar desire to have a house - it was not one wanted a temporary shelter or half-hearted
3. Similar focus to have a house - both were very sure and very focus
4. Similar design of the house - from the outside, the houses looked the same
5. Similar skills - both are capable
6. Similar Knowledge - they both know how to build a house
7. Similar resources to build the house - it was not one has less finances 

Up till this point, we realise that the "foolish" man is actually not "foolish". He has the resources to do things and has the same desire and same focus as the first man. 

Contrasts :-

1. One decided to invest in the foundation in terms of time and money. He built carefully from the bottom up.
2. One decided to spend litte money and little time in building the foundation. He wanted to build the house really fast and took little care about the foundation.

Faster to build on sand and cheaper to build on sand and from ground level up, it looks the same. 

Watch your foundation.

As we know it, there were two totally different Results :-

Major Implications - 3 Critical Paradign Shifts :-

1) From Beautifying the Facade to Building the Foundation

"a wise man and a foolish man" V 24, 26

Rev Edmund Chan told the story of the Great Tree of Singapore planted by the Senior Founding Premier The Late Lee Kuan Yew that was featured by the newspaper front page, asking the people to be like "The Tree planted by Lee Kuan Yew". A young tree expert took notice of the photo and realised that it was actually dying. He went to the site and investigated and found out that was true, they put cement to surround the tree as "support" but it has caused the root unable to spread out and it was dying from the inside. Outwardly, it was a gorgeous green living tree. 

We all could look like that tree :- from ground level up, we look good and great, we are doing many good things, But from ground level down, it is dying from mal-nutrition. Take care of our root and foundation! 

2)  From Knowing the Word to Doing the Word

Those who hears these words of Mine and put them into practice. V 24

Knowing, loving, serving and becoming more and more like Jesus. Become a disciple of Jesus and share with others. This it the key thing to do. 

3) From Seeking a Storm-free life to having a Storm-proof life

"it did not fall beacuse it has its foundation on the rock" V 25

Learn ther truth and apply the truth - transformed and pass on the substances. Speak with substance or vacuuum ?

We cannot do God's Word without first reading God's Word. But after reading it we must be committed to doing it.

Conclusion : What is the Foundation of your life ? Upon what are you building ?
Bible is the foundation of our life. Word of God is the foundation. To witness the faithfulness of God and pass it on.

Steps in Mentoring :-

1. Discover the truth
2. Do / walk the truth - Apply the truth
3. Reap the benefits
4. Pass it on - reproduce our kind

Sad facts :-
60% of Christians do not evangelise
70% of Christians do not have devotions.

The Lord is saying : I care for your foundation in life and want you to be firm and sure so that I can use you in the kingdom of God. Kingdom mentality for this earthly living. Work on the Foundation.

My reflection :-
We have heard it before in Sunday Schools, this is the parable of the Two Builders - one wise and one foolish. We sang the actions song and still sing it today. I always thought how foolish was the builder who built on the sand. He has no wisdom and he probably lacks finance or doing it half-heartedly. But it is about two similar men having similar desire to build similar house with similar resources and one failed because he did not pay attention, he did not spend time and finance on building the foundation. We can build on the sand or rock, the foundation is the most important.

Interestingly, on the 19 February 2017, Pastor Renny shared on the same passage during our Sunday Sermon on Rock or Sand. 

IDMC Marketplace Workshop

IDMC Marketplace Workshop

IDMC 2017 @ Miri

Ps Sebastian Quack

17 Feb 17

He shared about the Rat Race that we are in.