Pastoral Messages (Page 2)
How may I invest in the growth of other believers?
Discipleship is our journey of following Jesus as our Lord. Discipling is part of this process. It’s helping others to do so, so that they become more like Christ. It’s investing in the spiritual well-being of others by participating in the work God has begun in them through Christ that will…
Can I be a disciple-maker if I’m not gifted in teaching?
Before Jesus’ ascension, he gave the Church the Great Commission. Since then, generations after generations of Jesus’ disciples have poured their lives into discipling others. We, the current generation, are likewise called to disciple men and women; it is the priority around which our lives should…
Importance of Prayer in Mission and Evangelism
Trained in the Law under the tutelage of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), the apostle Paul’s credibility in theology was unquestionable. Despite being highly trained in theology, he recognised the importance of prayer support in his sharing of the gospel. In so doing, he would have the wisdom and courage in…
An Honour and a Privilege
Biblical stewardship is as old as Creation itself. At the very onset, God made mankind in His image, in His likeness, so that mankind ‘may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’ (Gen 1:26). Even after Adam and Eve’s sin and rebellion, this mandate of…
How can I be thankful to God for all things?
You may remember how your parents trained you to say “thank you” whenever you received a gift as a child. That’s because while gratitude is a choice, it also requires cultivation. In our fallen world, without cultivating a heart of gratitude, life can easily overwhelm or weary us with its tiring chores, difficult challenges, and unforeseen setbacks. Given our…
O I Need Thee
In today’s world, we like to think that each of us are independent, self-determined, reliant only on ourselves, in charge of our own destinies. We tell children, “you can be whatever you want to be!” and we emphasise that it’s all up to their own effort and hard work. We also truly believe that for ourselves. But is that really the truth? Is everything solely up to us…
Growing in Spiritual Maturity
Most of us have heard such a statement, “They’re just children, so they’re easily swayed.” This is because a child’s thinking is shallow, as it is still developing and has yet to be developed sufficiently. Therefore, the child cannot make a wise judgement or decision. An adult, unlike a child, has a broader and deeper understanding so the adult is…
Can I be a Christian yet not be Jesus’ disciple?
There is no dichotomy between being a Christian and being Jesus’ disciple. In fact, the word “Christian” only appears three times in the whole Bible. Every time, it was in reference to those who follow Jesus and his teachings. Acts 11:26 records the first reference where the two terms were equated.…
How to Respond…
As a pastor, I have comforted, counselled and consoled people who have experienced suffering. Some examples… a family that has lost a loved one; a person undergoing tremendous relationship difficulties; and a person experiencing excruciating pain because of a deadly, searing and critical illness… Many a time, I would ask God, “Father, what is the purpose of suffering?…
God vs Suffering
There’s a common denominator that cuts across all peoples, social classes, and ages – and that commonality is suffering. All of us suffer though to different degrees, and none of us want to suffer. We want to know why God would let us go through what doesn’t seem good to us. Isn’t He supposed to want only good for us (Matt 7:11, Rom 8:28, Jas 1:7)? And in trying to…