Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.
Leo Buscaglia
[@more@]
It is interesting that the first funeral service I attended was of someone I barely knew. Charles Hamilton, also known as Chuck Hamilton, bass singer of the Oratorio Society of New York had passed away at the age of 71.
The service was held at the Riverside Church. Great hall.
We, the few volunteers from OSNY sang Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, I had my whole part memorized.
The Reverend Robert Coleman gave a remarkable quote I cannot forget at the end during the benediction:
Live on your days remembering these:
Work like you don't need money,
Love like you have never been hurt,
Sing like no one is listening,
Dance like no one is watching,
Live like you are in heaven.
[@more@]
A person who loves to change his standpoints to satisfy surrounding people cannot be blessed by God.[@more@]
Many Christians assumed that a non-believer would convert when encouraged to serve God together with Christians in matters of the church. Calling those who object to this "method" stubborn.
I'd say they are contradicting themselves:
First of all, a person is saved because of God's word, not because he was "conned" to be. We are not his savior. Nor his salvation proves our innocence by this crooked means. Unless of course, we are so incapable of welcoming him to our sermons nor preach to him that trickery is the only way.
Not letting someone to co-work with us in servitude to our Lord does not mean not welcoming him to our church.
If they presume that they are not stubborn but kind and open-hearted to allow non-believers to serve in the church, then why do they not allow their daughters or themselves to be married to just any Christians in the church or better yet, non-believers, rather than selectively choosing their spouses? After all, shouldn't we be kind and open to all, treating everyone equal?
[@more@]
In my Oratorio Society of New York, more than a few singers have passed away since my participation with the choir. Statistic-wise, there are fewer singers under 30 unless perhaps they are music majors. Not to mention church choirs deserting quality music pieces for pop songs with emotional manipulation.
Churches nowadays love the size of members and therefore tolerated pop culture. One would have imagined Chinese churches knew better because of the Chinese disciplinary background; but unfortunately, the reason they immigrated to this country is far stronger than Soli Deo Gloria.
There is a saying in Chinese "Blinding from the heavens to cross the sea", the closest English idiom I know is "to bury one's head in the sand". Such is the attitude of churches today. Finding excuses to justify their evil acts. Mal 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Is it because of mere satisfaction that I persistently cry out against America in my journal? Nay. Is it I see the lacking of TRUE preachers, that I have such urge of criticism? I can affirm one thing, some pastors have become so corrupted they cannot think to bless other churches HONESTLY. The key word being: Honestly. Hence, they rather keep their congregation members from leaving despite the cause. I must stress, missing a person and telling someone not to leave just because you don't want your church to become smaller are two very very very distinct matters. One is not a sin, but the latter one is.
A church should have such quality that people would choose to come over football games, pop concerts, etc. Such quality is not a mixture of these entertainment activities. This quality should be pointing in the direction of God's Throne. If the elders do not promote eternal qualities that seems dull to the fallen mankind, what then is the value of their cries? their tears?
[@more@]
Seems that for now, my only source of Rev. Stephen Tong's lecture series in Singapore is the summarized version through Mej's website: http://stephentongsermons.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html[@more@]
As do Rev. Stephen Tong after consulting him, I believe it is the good will of the Holy Spirit for our church that Rev. David Chen's continuation at CCGCLI was rejected by church vote. Rev. David Chen has once too often told me if I leave, he'll leave too. Be it joking or not, he's not taking his position as a pastor seriously, toying with the work of the Holy Spirit is no laughing matter.
I shall leave CCGCLI by the end of March. It is by John's request. Since Paul told Timothy to count the elders that rule well worthy of double honor, I agreed John's term: my extension of serving through the end of March. Although our church has no elder structure, I have my own interpretation of the function of each observed individual.
I have stopped considering whether or not to continue attending CCGCLI on occasions after March because I believe there is a lesson to be taught here. John's dependence on majority, democracy and mutual support instead of theocratic doctrine has caused him to believe that pastoral position can be simply discharged by any majority body.
I view this a serious offense against God. However, I do not see that I have the authority to rebuke him except advising him on several occasions.
If they found no replacement in my absence, it is better to close down the activity than to force others to serve. A church that doesn't preach is a dead church. My preaching ministry cannot work here because of location and time, hence the focus in the city. If John cannot understand this, he'll have to learn.
A church doesn't need someone like me; on the contrary, someone like me needs a church.
[@more@]
Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:21 保守自己常在神的愛中，仰望我們主耶穌基督的憐憫，直到永生。
As Job did, so must I be watchful, keeping myself in God's love, and forever in my Lord Jesus Christ's mercy.
[@more@]
If Rev. David Chen do not watch himself, then he's in danger of the woe mentioned in Jude 1:12-13.
Jud 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Jud 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
He loves to give flattery comments, allowing himself to be restricted by words and terminologies, having theological knowledge but no firm theological standpoint, having a tendency of leaning towards anthropocentric theology and prosperity theology, not treating repentance seriously.
It is also because of this, I must be watchful of myself. I see it as both reproach and blessing to me from God. Hence, I categorized this entry as "Reflection".
[@more@]
I have seen in many occasions where Chinese pastors, Taiwanese-Americans in particular, throw away the authority given them. When crucial moments arrived, they do not fervently shine Christ's authority. Instead, they allow a strong footstool for Satan.[@more@]
