Church News (Page 70)

By Not Known For those of us who celebrate the Lunar New Year, another season of lavish trading of well-wishes has begun. Greetings like “Gong Xi Fa Cai” [blessing of fortune] and “Nian Nian You Yu” [blessing of abundance] are almost customary, although most people know by experience that reality is more often a far cry from what they have…

By Not Known In the recent census here, it was noted that many younger people have professed to have no religion.  They are categorically people who may be atheists.  It may simply mean that they do not believe in any deity; or that moral living is not based on any particular book or system of belief.  However, if we examine the term religion, it is proper…

By Not Known The one-time world champion boxer Muhammad Ali (1942- ) was not the only person in history to declare himself to be “the greatest”.  Neither was he the first nor will he be the last to display such crass human megalomania.  Even drunken with such swell-headedness, many of us would be careful to hide ourselves behind some form of…

By Not Known We do not like to live on ‘Empty’. The feeling of emptiness materially and physically, often leaves us anxious, confused, cynical and insecure. Hence, we do our utmost to live life so that emptiness will not happen to us.  How about our spiritual life? When we are spiritually ‘Empty’ we lack compassion for those who are hurting,…

By Not Known The first week into the New Year saw many of us scrambling with our schedules and workloads.  Already, some are saying, “I am overwhelmed!” Others used the most often-used phrase, “I have no time.” Busy? Definitely. No time? Not really. Yes, we live in a pressure-cooker society, but whose society is…

By Not Known Somebody once commented, “There’s no difference between a mega church gathering and a multimillion-dollar pop concert… it’s all about popularity draw…” Whether it is an ignorant opinion or an undeniable perception, this statement raises several crucial questions, one of which is – of what does a church consist? The…

By Not Known Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you – unless of course you fail the test. (2 Cor 13:5) Some in our congregation have the habit of a personal AGM to examine themselves before God. Here are some questions that can be used …. Do I trust the mercies of God in Christ…

By Not Known When it comes to God’s ‘big’ people there is none bigger than Jesus. And that is why the Bible is centred on him and why the western calendar measures time based on his life. Jesus is… … the son of Adam who alone displayed true humanity and thus was enabled to break the first Adam’s deathly hold and make those who believe…

By Not Known There are some people whose names keep getting mentioned in the press. They make the headlines and major events cannot be understood without them. They are key to their era or nation. The Old Testament figure of David is one of these. His rise from shepherd to king fascinates us. Likewise with the rise of his kingdom whose true dimensions are best seen in his…

By Not Known Every story line has a cast of characters. Many of them play important but smaller parts – they add ‘colour’ and detail and are a necessary part of the plot. There are also the larger characters whose actions ‘turn the hinge’. This is equally true in the story that we call the ‘history of redemption’. This is…