2010 Reflections #dumc

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, Boxing Day

HOLY – humility, obedience, love and yield. Pastor Moy How’s life motto.

“Life is lived forward but can only be understood backward.” ~Søren Kierkegaard.

In life we always live forward. Some people live in anger and bitterness because of the past. These people are living the past, not in the present and certainly no in the future. They are bound and useless for God.

2010 has been a good year for the Dream Centre and it can be even better in 2011 because of God. We as God’s people will end up willing. That’s what the book of Revelation is all about. We may not understand the book. It can be summarized in two words – we win.

Joy in what your are doing

As I listened to the beautiful violin performance by Joanne Yeoh - Violinitst Extraordinaire, I saw the joy on her face. Her smile and the occasions she had her eyes closed revealed how much she loved what she was doing.

I have always told people that I am doing what I love to do - preaching, leading worship, leading cell groups, teaching young people, studying Bible, working, helping people.

This morning, I wondered if I have lost the joy.  If so, what are the reasons? What has changed? Is it the circumstances? Is it me? Is it both?

As I listed to the songs and looked at Joanne's face projected on the large screen, I am inspired to imagine things can go back to what it was. In fact, it can be even better. I still love helping people. I still love my job. Now, if I am willing to let God work in the other areas of my life ...

The Day that Changed the World #dumc

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, Christmas Day

Luk 1:25-38 "Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." (26) In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. (28) And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" (29) But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. (30) And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (31) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. (32) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, (33) and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." (34) And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (35) And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. (36) And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. (37) For nothing will be impossible with God." (38) And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

On the Tuesday morning of 6 Jun 1944, the Allied forces landed on Normandy and thus began the defeat of the Nazis. It was often known as D-Day. It changed the course history. There is another Tuesday with great historical impact, that is 11 Sep 2001. America was attacked.

There was another day that shook the world and changed the history of mankind forever.

Announced prophetically (Is 7:14, Micah 5:2)

Notebook acting up. There will not be full notes.

Announced in privacy (Luke 1:34, 35, 37)

Proclaimed in glory (Luke 2:8-12)

God intended favour and peace for us. It is up to receive it.

In this season to be jolly ...

... I am missing the ass-kicking days.

I guess it's only natural for a man to get emo when he is spending Christmas alone on an annual basis. Not putting any blame to anyone though.

I have attended and helped out in many wake services. I sometimes ponder what will people say about me. What kind of legacy will I leave behind?

The Coming that Disturbed the World #dumc

Pastor Phua Seng Tiong, 19/12/2010


Christmas is one of the most misunderstood / misrepresented seasons. People celebrate without knowing the
real reason. (Jesse and I found out that christmas / noel refers to the period between Dec 24 to Jan 06).
We read about the wikileak. We want to leak the good news.

Parenting II–Parents as Spiritual Coaches

Rev Nicholas Choo, 12/12/2010
Deu 6:1-9  "Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,  (2)  that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.  (3)  Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.  (4)  "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  (5)  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  (6)  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  (7)  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  (8)  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  (9)  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

You can make a difference for that one (DUMC)

Mr. Foo Lai Wei, 04/12/2010
Note: I have the utmost respect for Pastor John Piper. I respect him very much as a pastor and a teacher of the Word. I have read many things about the Alpha course, not all of them favourable. I have spoken to someone who has taken the course. I am inclined very much to take Pastor John Piper’s stand on the Alpha course. I will just be taking notes.

TLS6–the Transformational Leadership of Daniel (DUMC)

Pastor Tan Moy How, 27/11/2010

Dan 5:12-17;22-30  because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."  (13)  Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, "You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah.  (14)  I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.  (15)  Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.  (16)  But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."  (17)  Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.  …  (22)  And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,  (23)  but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.  (24)  "Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.  (25)  And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.  (26)  This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;  (27)  TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;  (28)  PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."  (29)  Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.  (30)  That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.


The transformational leadership of great men and woman in the Bible xx nations, xx people, xx communities
and saves lives. (I didn’t get this.)

TLS5–the Transformational Leadership of Esther (DUMC)

Pastor Michael Ngui, 20/11/2010

Life is a continuous process to expect the unexpected. (I might have misquoted this.)

Pastor Michael listed some instances in life to illustrate that life is full of surprises. Some of us plan our lives so well and some of use just live for the moment. Either way, we do have things in life that is unexpected.

Some of us fly by the seats of our pants (meaning, decide a course of action as you go along, using your own initiative and perceptions rather than a pre-determined plan or mechanical aids.)

1Co 10:13  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.


God is faithful. We often find a way of escape if we don’t give up and depend on his.

It’s a mad Madworld

17/11/2010 (Wed)
2 characters, 8 scenes, 1 MadWorld.

I have the privilege to attend the bloggers’ preview of MadWorld, a joint Christmas production by DUMC and SIB.

During the briefing before the run, Ronny Shim the producer,  explained that MadWorld is one word because the subject is not the world (as in the world being mad) but the people in the world.
The cast can dance. I got goose bumps watching a dance sequence before the preview proper. They can sing too.

MadWorld tells the stories of Adam, the victim and Lucas, the one who had it all. While their lives are worlds apart, they both seek the answer to the same question – “what is the value of their souls?” Does the value of our souls correspond to our possessions?

Two vast different views are represented by Pearly and Sinister respectively.

I had to ask Jesse the name of one song. It was Sexy Back.

What is Christmas really? Is there more to the celebration and party? While we are have a good time. Do we care about the suffering of the others?

So many are caught up in their own existence. We don’t even know that we are suffering.

I chose to focus on the stage performance. I didn’t look at the media on the monitors. With the media I will get the complete picture. The show is 80% non-verbal.

From what I see, this is shaping up to be a good show – heart pumping music, beautiful singing, powerful dancing, good choreography and an important question. Come to the MadWorld.

Show times at the DUMC Dream Centre (map here). No tickets required. Come one, come all.

• Dec 3 – 8:00 pm
• Dec 5 – 3:30 pm and 8:00 pm (2 shows on Sunday!)

There are four shows in SIBKL (map here). Tickets required.

• Christmas Eve, Friday – 8.00pm
• Christmas Day – 7.30pm
• Boxing Day – 10.00am and 7.30pm (2 shows on Sunday too)

TLS 4 - The transformational Leadership of David

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 13/11/2010
1Sa 17:1-11 ,45:51 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.  (2)  And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines.  (3)  And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.  (4)  And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.  (5)  He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.  (6)  And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.  (7)  The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him.  (8)  He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.  (9)  If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."  (10)  And the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together."  (11)  When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. …(45) Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  (46)  This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,  (47)  and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."  (48)  When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.  (49)  And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.  (50)  So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.  (51)  Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
Everyone one of us is a leader. Leadership is simply influence.  Everyone has influence, either positive (a good leader) or negative (a bad leader.) Christians ought to be good leaders as Jesus calls us the salt (cleanses)  and light (dispels darkness) of the world. Every Christian is called to be a good leader. We need to evaluate what difference we have made in the place God put us.
The Bible is the best book on leadership we can get. The Bible has remained the best sellers because it continues to remain relevant.

TLS III–Transformational Leadership of Joseph

hRev. Dr. Ong Hwai Teik, 07/11/2010

Gen 45:1-15  Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, "Make everyone go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.  (2)  And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.  (3)  And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.  (4)  So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  (5)  And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.  (6)  For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.  (7)  And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.  (8)  So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.  (9)  Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry.  (10)  You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.  (11)  There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.'  (12)  And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.  (13)  You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here."  (14)  Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.  (15)  And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

The roadmap for the Methodist churches for the next 20 years involves 4 elements: Evangelism, discipleship, society (relationship), missions. Spreading spiritual holiness in the land is the call.

TLS II–Transformational Leadership of Joshua

Pastor Datuk Kee Sue Sing, 31/10/2010

Jos 24:1-15,31  Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God.  (2)  And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.  (3)  Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac.  (4)  And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.  (5)  And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.  (6)  "'Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.  (7)  And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time.  (8)  Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.  (9)  Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,  (10)  but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand.  (11)  And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand.  (12)  And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.  (13)  I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'  (14)  "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  (15)  And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." …  (31)  Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.

An armada of 5000 + vessels were heading towards its destination. It was one of the largest such operations in history. They were awaiting orders from their leaders. Bad weathers made landing impossible. The commanding officers and his people pondered over the meteorological department. The fate of the soldiers rest on his decision. He decided to go. General Dwight Eisenhower had just ordered the invasion and Normandy which began one of the bloodiest wars in history of mankind.

The words of a leader have great significance.

Longing for Intimacy

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 24/10/2010
This is the 3rd installment in the Revival Series (TRS). Next week, we will be back to the Transformation Leadership Series and we will examine the life of Joshua.
Psa 84:1-12  To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!  (2)  My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.  (3)  Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.  (4)  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah  (5)  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  (6)  As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.  (7)  They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.  (8)  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah  (9)  Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!  (10)  For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  (11)  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  (12)  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
We must continue to long and yearn for revival.

When Revival Comes

,serPastor Daniel Ho, 16/10/2010
This is the 2nd installment of The Revival Series.
Psa 85:1-13  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.  (2)  You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah  (3)  You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.  (4)  Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!  (5)  Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?  (6)  Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?  (7)  Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.  (8)  Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.  (9)  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  (10)  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  (11)  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.  (12)  Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  (13)  Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.

God is breaking forth in increasing manner towards a full blown revival. We ain’t seen nothing yet. Revival is a season in the life of the church. God wants to break forth not just within the church but also outside the church. Pastor Daniel defines revival as God showing his presence in an unusual manner. God wants to bless Malaysia but it has to comes through the church. The hope of the nation is found in the Church of Jesus Christ.
Coming to church is not a duty or an obligation. It is something we look forward to.
Psalms 85 gives us a glimpse of the prayer of one who desires a re invigoration and restorations.

Seven Marks of a Revival

Pastor Daniel Ho, 10/10/2010

Pastor Matthew told us the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations to eradicate poverty by 2015. He told us about the Micah Challenge which is set up to hold governments accountable to the goal to halve poverty by 2015. We have five years left, how are we doing? He then led us in prayers concluding with the Micah 2010 declaration prayer. Wait a minute. Extreme poverty is a sin? And we are repenting from this ‘sin’?
 
This is the first of the Revival Series (TRS).

No sermon notes today

Pastor Philip Lyn talked about what people called the Toronto Blessing. I have no notes for you. Go Google it and don't just look for the 'testimonies.' Look for the 'deceptions', 'unmasked', etc. to get a balanced view.

Enough said.

Outpouring IV – Prayer and Power

Mrs Nancy Lyn, 02/10/2010
This is the fourth of five plenary sessions of the Prayer Conference 2010.
In Malachi 1 and 2, we read that when the Lord confronted the people with their sins, the people responded by asking in what way  / how. The same goes when God brought up his love for them, the people offering defined food, etc. They were oblivious to what they had done wrong.
Often when we head a sermon, we think to ourselves he / she is not talking about us. We don’t share the Lord’s perspectives.
The burden of the Word of the Lord for this conference, as sister Nancy shared.

We love the Lord but have not removed the high places or idols in our lives.

1Ki 3:3  Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
From this verse, we see that one can love the Lord and yet still sins and eventually falls away.
Many young people look up to ministers and pastors. When these people fall, they got the wrong idea it is ok for them do the same thing, We are not to see things that way.
“Others may, I can't’”, ~ A.W. Tozer.

Transformational Leadership of Moses

Pastor Chris Kam, 25/09/2010
This is the first in the Transformational Leadership Series. We will examine Joshua, Joseph, Ruth and others.
28/09/2010 is the day the churches in Zimbabwe will gather to pray for their nation. Do join them in prayers on that day. More details here and here.

Worship God 2010 Plenary 7 - Grow up!

Pastor Glenn Packiam, 19/09/2010
Eph 4:1  I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called
Eph 5:1-2  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  (2)  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
The key to a good marriage is understanding our strengths and weaknesses.
Sometimes we know where we want to go but we don’t know how to get there.

Worship God 2010 Plenary 5

Pastor Chris Kam, 18/09/2010
You live the 1st half of your life learning how to live the 2nd half better. Pastor Chris believes life really starts at 50. This is the time we have a lifelong experiences before us. With all the mistakes we have learned from, we have a lot of wisdom to live our lives. And we have a bigger clout / influence. Pastor Chris wants his 3 sons to do better and far more than he can.
Pastor Chris started leading worship at the age of 17 as a 1-year old Christian. He grew up with the Beatles and Cliff Richard and the gramophone. He grew up with songs like Yesterday.
He remember old songs and also round singing. He let us into a round (pun not intended) of round singing. It was beautiful.
There are a few concerns in the worship ministry.

Worship God 2010 Plenary Session 4

This is a Q&A session with a panel formed by Pastor Chris Kam, Stephanie Ong, Greg g Hampton and Glenn Packiam.
Each member of the panel gave an interesting self introduction.

Greg had a calling to lead worship. Glenn pointed out that sometimes a calling is different from a job. Sometimes they merge, sometimes they don’t. The point is to say yes to God and tell him he can do anything with us. The Lord just want to know if we would say yes to what he put in front of us.

Pastor Chris is by training an engineer. When we are young we have the ideals of what we want to do for God. But really, it is more about what God is doing in our lives. He encouraged us to live in a way that we can answer when God calls. The call of God can be gradual. It is not something difficult. It is also not about whether to go full time or not, it is about obeying him. He took a 70% pay cut with zero savings every month but it was easy because he has been living a life without incurring unnecessary debts.

Stephanie always wanted to be a mother. She believes with 4 kids, she learns to to ‘mother’ the now 90+ strong music and worship ministry team. She appreciates her core team. To be a good leader, she observed one needs to also be a good manager and a shepherd. She feels like she needs to raise up the next generation to pass on the baton. She thinks that what happens on stage is only 10%, the other 90% is God molding us. It is impossible to remain the same when we are confronted by the Holy One.

Worship God 2010 Worship Evening #2

Pastor Glenn Packiam, 17/09/2010

We can outsource almost everything to someone else. In the church, it can happen to. We depend on pastors and other leaders to take care of our spiritual lives. We rely on them to remind us of spiritual stuffs.
It has reached a stage where many people live by what other people say about Jesus.
Following Jesus requires sacrifice, not just his, ours! Following Jesus requires attention. Paul made this statement time and again – to make every effort.

Worship God 2010 Plenary Session 3

Sidney Mohede, 17/09/2010
Q. How do we address a congregation which just want hymns?
A. For the hymns to last through the ages, there is power in them. There are many beautiful hymns. We need to strike a balance. Our God is bigger than any genres, styles, etc. If we just listen to Hillsongs United and Planetshakers, we are missing something!
To quote Bull Cosby, “I don’t know the key to success, but I know one of the key to failure is to try to please everybody.”

Worship God 2010 Plenary Session 2

Sidney Mohede, 17/09/2010

Sidney told us he is an expert in answering easy questions.
2010 marks 20 years of leading worship for Sidney. He started at the age of 17. He described it as a fish being put into water.
He is a pastor in a Jakarta church. He grew up in California. He received the Lord in 1990 and went back to Indonesia. He apologized that he thought Indonesia is the best country in the world. :)
I got a nice picture of him here.

Worship God 2010 Plenary Session 1

Pastor Glenn Packiam, Malaysian Day 2010

It’s very easy to put a gap / distance between the people on stage and ourselves. It’s easy to keep a distance with pastors, full time clergymen, etc. There is a line we cross to really take actions to learn about God instead of just taking in whatever other people have learned about God. We need to stop and examine what we hear.
Some said Jesus wanted to be first in our lives. There is a problem with this. How do we put this into practice in our lives? Does it have to do with time? Give him the most time? Since we sleep a lot of hours, does that mean sleeping is idolatry?  Or does it have to do with priorities? If we brush our teeth early in the morning, does that mean we put our health ahead of God?

MPF I - Fire from Inside Out II

Pastor Daniel Ho, 11/09/2010
This is the second part of a two-part sermon in the Making Prayer Foundational (MPF) Series.
Dear reader, may the peace of God be with you.
Pastor Daniel reminded we are living in the most exciting and strategic times here in Malaysia. There are so many challenges that threatens to tear the nation apart. Malaysia is a great country. We want to believe as people of God that Malaysia can be a great nation. Faced with all these challenges, we have all the more reason to stay on. Unless we are called to leave, we should stay. When there is nothing worth dying for, there is nothing worth living for. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is worth dying for. It is so important for us to recognize the call of God to the churches in Malaysia to be watchmen.

MPF I - Fire from Inside Out I

Pastor Daniel Ho, 04/09/2010
This is the first of a two-part series which is also the first installment of the Making Prayer Foundational (MPF) Series.
One of the first thing we throw out of the window when we are busy is prayer. It is also the one thing that causes fire to burn, to shake a place is a visitation of the Holy Spirit. Prayer invites God to work in our individual life and the church.
Scriptures in this article are taken from the Message.

Faith in Time of Political Crisis

Dr Ng Kam Weng, 28/08/2010
 2Ch 29:1-11  Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old and was king in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.  (2)  In GOD's opinion he was a good king; he kept to the standards of his ancestor David.  (3)  In the first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah, having first repaired the doors of The Temple of GOD, threw them open to the public.  (4)  He assembled the priests and Levites in the court on the east side 

TEJM 9 – Peter Before & After

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 21/08/2010
Mar 14:27-31  Jesus told them, "You're all going to feel that your world is falling apart and that it's my fault. There's a Scripture that says, I will strike the shepherd; The sheep will go helter-skelter.  (28)  "But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee."  (29)  Peter blurted out, "Even if everyone else is ashamed of you when things fall to pieces, I won't be."  (30)  Jesus said, "Don't be so sure. Today, this very night in fact, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."  (31)  He blustered in protest, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you." All the others said the same thing.

The Heart of Worship?

Have you ever seen a worship leader / backup vocalist at a lost because he / she did not have the lyrics? With the advent of technology, it has become easier and more convenient to lead worship. You can have the lyrics / song sheets printed and placed on a stand. You can also have them displayed on a monitor. Or a full blown projector screen.
It has become as easy as a news anchor reading from a teleprompter. But what happens when the teleprompter you depend on is not working? Or when it’s showing you something different? What if your song sheets get blown down the stage?

TEJM 8 - Mary & Her Amointing Oil

Pastor Phua Seng Tiong, 14/08/2010

Pastor Phua was a principal in a school in Jinjang. His story inspired the recent 180 musical.

Mar 14:1-9  It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,  (2)  for they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people."  (3)  And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.  (4)  There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that?  (5)  For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.  (6)  But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.  (7)  For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.  (8)  She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.  (9)  And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

TEJM 7 – The Widow and Her Offering

Pastor Dr Daniel Ho, 07/08/2010
Money is a hot topic. We find Jesus discussed this a lot. The way / approach we handle money is a reflection of who we are. Jesus said where our treasure is, there lies our heart.
If we place money at our higher place, we will be consumed by the desire for more money and we may be tempted to compromise.

The Rich Young Man

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 01/08/2010
A video clip on MF Humanitarian Missions was shown.  They have a blog, they are on Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. It’s very encouraging to see people giving their life, time, money, etc. to touch lives and change lives.
MF will go to 10 Asian countries in different teams. The Ministry of Health supplied all the medical supplies they need, in fact, they provided three times as much as they need. And they KNOW where Dream Centre is.
Christmas is happening early in DUMC in August on 19/20 Aug 2010. We will organize a charity concert. 8TV will be recording the concert. Joining Aubrey Suwito will be his brother, Juwita and Jaclyn Victor.
This is the 6th installment in the Transforming Encounters with Jesus in Mark’s Gospel series. The text it taken from Mark 19:17-31.
When we encounter Jesus Christ, incredible things happen.

TEJM V – The Sick Woman

Pastor Chris Kam, 25/07/2010

This is the fifth installment in the Transformation Encounters with Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.

We commonly link healing with physical healing. But we need healing in every aspect of of our life – emotionally, mentally, spiritually, etc.

Pastor Chris experienced a healing when he was 23 or 24 in Australia. He heard that he could lay hand on himself and asked for the Holy Spirit to heal him. He prayed and was healed of his nose block and he didn’t need a nasal spay anymore.

We can expect something will happen when we play. That gives us hope. It encourages us.

The text is taken from Mark 5:24-34. It tells of a ‘touch and go’ healing.

The 10th commandment

P. Diddy, just kidding. Pastor Dr, Daniel Ho, 18/07/2010
We have covered the 9 commandments. The 10 commandments are God’s paradigm for transformation of society.

1. You shall have no other Gods
2. You shall not make yourself any graven image
3. You shall not misuse God’s name
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy
5. Honour your father and mother
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not bear false testimony

Exo 20:17  "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

Commandment #9

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 11/07/2010
A quote by Andrew Murray is shared. “"Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and its success. Prayer opens the way for God Himself to do His work in us and through us. Let our chief work as God's messengers be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us."
Exo 20:16  "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
The 3D Visual Effect Editor of Avatar, Craig Tanner and his wife, Gina are with us today.

Why do people lie or bear false testimony?

1. Because truth hurts.
Nixon won the re-election by a landslide. But he was discovered to have broken into the Democratic parties’ place in the Watergate Hotel to get their secrets. He was facing impeachment. He wanted to exercise his executive power and he was challenged in the supreme court. He stepped down. When he passed away in April 1994, he was known as a president whole lied to the whole nation.

The Challenge of World Missions II – A Holistic Approach

Dale Rhoton,  04/07/2010
Dale Rhoton is the co-founder of Operation Mobilization together with George Verver.
The text is Matthew 10:7-8
Mat 10:7-8  And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'  (8)  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

(I caught up with Pastor Matthew Foo after the service and got what he shared about F.A.I.T.H.F.U.L.)
As shared by Pastor Matthew, faithful = faithfulness always increases the heart for undying (or was it unending) loyalty.

Commandment #8

Pastor Daniel Ho,  27/06/2010
Pastor Mike guided us to read Ex 20:1-15.
This is the 8th in the Paradigm of Society Series.

Why do people steal?

Father’s Day Special

Pastor Chris Kam, 20/06/2010
Ian Kam (Pastor Chris’ eldest son) is on stage. He is 20. Teens today have mobile phones, and not ordinary phones. Pastor Chris did not give him (Ian) a phone. He got a walkie talkie for communicating with his dad after tuition.
Pastor Chris is a hero to Ian. When Ian was 5 he had a list of heroes. Pastor Chris was no. 2. The Father in heaven was no. 1. Even since he was 3, Pastor Chris would bring him to a restaurant on every Monday. Ian got to know his dad better and wanted to grow up to be like him.
His dad was also his friend. They were really close. They talk about anything. He enjoys being with his dad. He has an accident a few months after he got his license. A week prior to the accident, his dad warned him about the perils on the road. When he reached home, his dad told him he told him so and laughed. He told Ian to move on. That gave Ian peace.

Challenges Facing the Church in Malaysia

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 13/06/2010
Pastor Daniel has many challenges. One of them is acrophobia (fear of heights.) This is the same with Matthew,  his son. When they were in a theme park, they challenged this fear by taking different rides. Now, he is ready to face his fear of height.
We must overcome challenges we face in life. There is no better time to live in Malaysian than right now. Challenging times are the most exciting times. We see the obstacles and overcome them.
There are five challenges we face as a church in Malaysia.

Transformation of Society – The Guatemala Story

Dr. Jorge Lopez, 11/06/2010
What are the characteristics of a great church?
A Guatemalan Baptist pastor died and went to heaven. Peter told him he has to know the Bible if he wanted to go in. Peter asked him how many testaments are there. The pastor answered two and got in. Another pastor came in. He was asked how many gospels are they. He answered 4 and went in. A Catholic priest came and he was asked whether he knew about the feeding of the 5000. He said yes. He was asked to name them.
Sometimes we don’t want to help people.

Developing Young Leaders (Multi-generational Strategy)

Dr. Jorge Lopez, 11/06/2010
We often talk about being called but we seldom talk about being sent.
Joh 20:21  Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."
This message seems to be very relevant to me.

Evangelism – Malaysian Style (Skyline SIB, KK)

Pastor Dr. Philip Lyn, 12/06/2010
Evangelism 101 in Skyline SIB – settings: personal, cell, corporate.
Based on the parables of the sowing of the seeds. (Mk 4)
Four ways they sow:

1. Sow simply
2. Sow faithfully
3. Sow sacrificially
4. Sow together

Evangelism – Malaysian Style (SIBKL)

Pastor Dr. Chew Wing Chee, 12/06/2010
“I used to do delivery now I do deliverance.”
SIB stands for Sidang Injil Borneo, i.e. the Borneo Evangelical Church. It originated from East Malaysia.
There are 88 churches in attendance today. Some are from smaller churches. But it’s not about numbers. We don’t focus on the numbers. Catch the spirit. Growth will come. Rick Warren was told by his father on his dead bed to “go and save one more.”

Evangelism – Malaysian Style (DUMC)

Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 12/06/2010
The cell church structure is the best structure for the local church to grow. However, the structure is only to assist us to grow. The people brings life to the church.

A. What is evangelism?

It is sharing  the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and trusting for the results.
We must have faith that whenever we share something will happen.

Developing and Nurturing Leaders

Dr. Jorge Lopez, 11/06/2010 1146
Graham Greene wrote in the Power and the Glory that “There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”
Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens stress the pervasiveness of individual security in a world where the pillars of modernity are crumbling, creating a new dynamic of transnational cooperation mobilized around shared perceptions of “manufactured” risk.
What do we learn from Jesus’ style of leadership?

The Essential and Non-negotiable Ingredients

Dr. Jorge Lopez, 11/06/2010 0925

Characteristics of a Growing Church

Spontaneous Praise and Worship. Most of the time we worship from our understanding. We need to learn to worship out of gratitude of the Lord.
Constant prayer is another important thing, individually and corporately. When we pray, we let God know what we need. God of course can read our thoughts and our feelings. There is something powerful when we pray. Miracles take place when we pray. There is power in asking. God will supply all our needs. God hears us. Pray while driving, when we are waiting for a dentist appointment, pray constantly. People ask Dr. Jorge what is the one thing that makes his church growth. He answered the one thing is God. We can be very professional. But the Holy Spirit makes it grow.

The Relational Life of the Church

Cell Group with a Difference
Pastor Chris Kam, 10/06/2010 1145
Three Dynamic Keys to a Successful Cells
Ministry without people is fun – that’s an oxymoron.
What is the biggest challenge in people ministry? Why do people come to your church / cell group?
Why do people do things?
Duress, Compulsion, Coercion (Involuntarily) Duty,  Obligation, Expectation, Desire, Fulfillment (Voluntarily.)
In a cell group, do they come because they have desire of find fulfillment or is it because of obligation?

The Story and Strategy of the Cell Church for Fraternidad Cristiana

Dr. Jorge Lopez, Senior Pastor of Fraternidad Cristiana de Guatemala, 10/06/2010 0944
Dr. Jorge showed a video of how God moves in Guatemala through the Fraternidad Cristiana de Guatemala (the Guatemala Christian Fellowship church). How wonderful it is to have brothers come together to pray and worship! How wonderful if the head of the state is among them!
The will of God is for us to grow. Where there is life, there is growth.

Abraham’s Faith (5)

Pastor Dr. Ling, 06/06/2010, 1040
The text is taken from Gen 15.
Gen 15:1-6  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great."  (2)  But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"  (3)  And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir."  (4)  And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir."  (5)  And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."  (6)  And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Blessings in Christ

Pastor Cheah Seuk Poh, 30/05/2010 1045
Note on the worship. It’s very normal. That must have been the most mellow My Life Is In You I have ever seen / heard. If not for the backup vocalist hopping in her high heels …
A video clip is shown of a worship session without the PA system. It’s a recruitment drive by the drew crew.
Pastor Cheah emphasized that the church needs many different people in the team, some on stage, some off the stage and some backstage. A team of 9 is going to a fishing village Kuala Kurau for a short mission.
The text is taken from Ephesian 1:14.

Abraham’s Faith (4)

Pastor Dr Ling, 23/05/2010
This is the 4th in the series.
Jas 2:17  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Our faith cannot be disconnected from our life.

God gives us victory

God put the enemies in our hands. Abram recognized this. God helped him to win an amazing battle.
When Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land, they first arrived at the city of Jericho. They conquered this city by marching around it. However, when they came to Ai, they lost. This is because they did not have faith.
We pay the price with our efforts but the results are from God.
That we can serve and minister to others is due to God’s help. We should be humble.

Abraham’s Faith (3)

Pastor Dr. Ling, 16/05/2010 1050
The text is taken from Gen 14:13-24.
Gen 14:13-24  Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram.  (14)  When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.  (15)  And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus.  (16)  Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Go share the Gospel!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (Jn 8:36)
Brother Tony Anthony, 09/05/2010 (Sun)
The text is taken from John 8:31-36.

Joh 8:31-36  So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  (32)  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  (33)  They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"  (34)  Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  (35)  The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.  (36)  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

(Wow! We are treated with 2 song presentations from the Canticle Singers! Joy! This Little Light of Mine and Joyful, Joyful, Lord We Adore Thee.)

Pastor Daniel shared about the passion, prayer, pursuit and purpose of the Christians in Moscow. Tuition fees for 6 years medicine study in Moscow is RM180k. And the medical science there is top notch. The Moscow Medicine Academy and Moscow State University are both focused on medicine. There are more than 1,000 Malaysian students there, half Malay, sponsored by the government. More than 200 of the remaining 500 non-Malays are Christians. This year, more than 250 are going to medical mission trips in 11 nations.
Tony Anthony was the world martial arts champion for three consecutive years. He became the bodyguard for rich and powerful people. God saved him and he is now staying in UK with his family.
(An introductory video clip of Brother Tony Anthony was played but Dew Crew didn’t bother to transmit to the LCD TV outside. We could only hear the song. Oh Well.)
(Pastor Daniel prayed for the mothers in conjunction of Mother’s Day.)

The Demoniac and the ‘Maniac’

Pastor Michael Ngui, 02/05/2010
Gerasenes is Gergesenes in KJV or Gadarenes in ESV.
War is happing the whole time through espionage and propaganda. Mark 5:1-20 is but a skirmish and a flash point in the between God and the enemies.
Paul reminded us in Eph 6 that we are constantly at war.
Today’s topic is the fourth installment in the Transforming Encounters with Jesus in Mark’s Gospel. The text is Mark 5:1-20.

When Jesus performed miracles, there were some who claimed he did so with the power of the devil. Jesus warned against the unpardonable sin.

Facebook bans to be lifted?

Facebook usage in the office has always been a point of contention. Employers want to tap into the next frontier to expand their business but is wary of the impact on productivity and also confidentiality of data. Employees on the other hand think they should be entitled to have their social lives in the workplace.

A light bulb lighted in my mind this morning to write the following fictional internal news for a company.

Names are purely fictional and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

From Witchdoctor to Apostle of Christ

Rev Dr Paul Ai, 11/04/2010
Scripture reading: Act 26;12-18

Rev Dr Paul Ai’s grandfather was a medical doctor and his father was a mayor of a city. They wanted him to be a person who doesn’t love the world as they are. They send him to be a Buddhist monk. He sought power from witch doctors. He later encounter Christ. His wife, Ruth was a school teacher. When she was given directions to only teach evolution”, she stopped teaching. Paul has been in prison many times. Together, they were stopped from preaching the Gospel in Vietnam and they received political asylum from US.

“Fasting and prayer has a powerful effect in the spiritual realm that most Christians don’t realize. If Christians realize this they will not treat them so lightly.”  From Witchdoctor to Apostle of Christ, Rev Dr. Paul Ai.

Present Joy and Future Hope

Senior Pastor Dr Daniel Ho, 04/04/2010
An English preacher went to US to preach. He said everyone has a but. It’s very easy to see other people’s buts. It’s very hard for us to see our own buts.


A 12-year old boy was walking along with a bird cage, whistling. A man saw him and asked him what he had. The boy said he had birds, a sparrows. He said he was going to tease the two birds. After that if they survived, he’d give them to his cat. If they survived even that, he’d cook them. The man offered to purchased them for USD100. The boy said it was too much. The man paid anyway because he was concerned for the birds. He got the birds along with the cage and let them go.

The text is Lk 24:13-35.

Was God a volcano?

Jesse told me about this video on YouTube. We always share good stuff we found. But he hasn’t checked out the Accounting 101 I told him in YouTube EDU. FYI, his Accounting Principles class in school clashes with his Biology class. He has to study Accounting on his own. I am trying to help him.

If you are wondering what YouTube EDU is, it’s a project to put up lessons for learning. In 1 year, there are already 300 universities involved. Kudos to YouTube and of course Google.

Back to the video in question, a person by the name of Thunderf00t quoted some texts from the Bible which he took as evidences that the god that Moses encountered was really a volcano.

However, this is not a new idea. Sigmund Freud put up this idea in his book earlier.

Take it for what’s it worth but we as Christians are bound to meet people showing us ‘proofs’ that our belief is wrong. We really need to have a strong foundation in the Word.

The Disciples and the Storm

Transforming Encounters with Jesus in Mark’s Gospel
Pastor Chris Kam, 28/03/2010
Pastor Chris shared a hymn which he thought encompasses the Gospel very well.
Living he loved me, dying He saved me
Buried he carried my sins faraway
Rising he justified freely forever
One day he’s coming O glorious day
Full lyrics here.

Commandment No. 3

Paradigm for the Transformation of Society
Senior Pastor Dr. Daniel Ho, 21/03/2010
(Note: Dinner will be served in the cafeteria on Saturday evenings.)
400 answered the altar call during the National Children and Workers’ Conference.

Exo 20:7  "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Ecc 12:13-14  The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  (14)  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Witnessing in the Context of Suffering II

Rev Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, 14/03/2010
The ministry of Barnabas Fund is based on Gal 6:10. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Transforming Encounters with Jesus in Mark 2 – the Paralytic

Pastor Datuk Kee Sue Sing

Mar 2:2-12 A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. (3) They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. (4) When they weren't able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. (5) Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, "Son, I forgive your sins." (6) Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, (7) "He can't talk that way! That's blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins." (8) Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, "Why are you so skeptical? (9) Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, 'I forgive your sins,' or say, 'Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking'? (10) Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . ." (he looked now at the paraplegic), (11) "Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home." (12) And the man did it--got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous--and then praised God, saying, "We've never seen anything like this!"

Introduction

What are you willing to do for USD 10 million?

No other gods

Paradigm for Transformation of Society
Commandment No. 1  - No other gods
Senior Pastor Dr Daniel Ho

LA is built on the St. Anders fork. It is built on an area prone to earthquakes. On 17 Jan 1994, an earthquake of 6.7 on the Richter scale shook LA for 20 seconds. 72 died and USD 20 million was spent to fix the damages. Why would the Americans build tall buildings in an earthquake zone? The tall buildings go deep into the foundations. That’s why LA is still standing. When the foundation is strong and solid, the city is able to withstand the stress and pressures.

What foundations do we build our lives on? What about our community and our nation? When a community and a nation is built on the wrong foundations it is headed for doom. Communism is built on a foundation based on human ability without God. It cannot stand the test of time. The communist leaders know it (the idealism) cannot stand on its own.

The First Disciples

Pastor Tan Moy How

14/02/2010 1050

Pastor Moy How shared about CFO.

The Call of DUMC – Transformation of Society

The Call of DUMC - Transformation of Society

Senior Pastor Dr Daniel Ho

07/02/2010 1102

 
William Wilberforce with his friends fought to eliminate slavery in the Great Britain. John Wesley wrote to Wilberforce a few days before he passed away to encourage him in his efforts.

 
Here's the content of the letter:



Dear Sir:

 
Unless the divine power has raised you us to be as Athanasius contra mundum, [2] I see not howyou can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be fore you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it.

Evangelism in the Local Church

Evangelism in the Local Church

Pastor Daniel Ho, DUMC, 31/01/2010

Mat 28:18-20  And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (19)  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

We are in the greatest rescue mission on earth. We long to see the realization of the Lord’s Prayer. We are to draw men, women and children to the faith of God.

What is evangelism?

Doing greater work

Doing Greater Things

Rev Irwin Rutherford, 24/01/2010

John 14 is the great statement to us that we can do greater works. Transformation of society is part of the greater works we can do. Jesus impressed us by his humanity. He emphasized his humanity, He understood the pressure and struggles a man faces. He also demonstrated His divinity that by His name we could do greater things. He pointed out the tension of the Kingdom of God that we experience – the now and to come.

Paul said to live is Christ to die is to gain. It’s the tension of hoping the Kingdom to come now, especially when we are in adverse situations. We want to get out of our situation to a better place. We face so much difficulty in the here and now that we want to be in the room of the Father now.

There are four principles of doing greater works. John 21 gave testimony of the great work Jesus did in three years. How could we do greater works?

I am a bit honest

I saw this quote from my iGoogle and tweeted it.

"Confusion is always the most honest response." ~ Marty Indik

I thought I was seldom confused. In my mind I always tackle things with surgical precision. I analyze things quickly and thoroughly.

This morning was a hectic one. Requests for help came one after another (and sometimes together.)

I got things done before lunch. I don't like to leave anything hanging.

Around 5 p.m. the pattern remained. I was on Skype with a colleague in Bangkok and another in Singapore. I was planning some meetings with my boss via Skype too. Then I decided to delegate something to my colleague (I seldom do that but I think it's time he picked it up) while answering a Gtalk call from a sister from the church.

Just when the sister mentioned the name of another sister from the Chinese church, I asked her whether the prayer meeting tonight was a combined one, since it involved a sister from the Chinese church. My reply was 'no, the other 3 are non Christians.' Huh? Oops. I have posed the question in my Skype conversation with my boss. Hmm ... I do get confused (and therefore honest) sometimes.

Need more practice with Octopusology.

Rise Ye Up, Ye Soldiers of God

Rise up, God’s soldiers

Ps Dr Ling, 03/01/2010 1045

Pro 29:18  Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

When a person has a vision his attitude is different. He acts differently and he view things differently. He has hopes. God has hopes in us. When we become children of God, He has expectations.