Church News (Page 78)

By Not Known We want to be the best. That’s common for nations, organisations, individuals and even for churches. We boast of our triumphs and define the contest so narrowly that we can all be the best at something. Tiny triumphs indeed! Let’s face it, most of us are not the best at anything much. We usually fit somewhere near the middle of a bell curve for…

By Not Known Most of us love to have a lasting and sustained relationship with God through Jesus. For some, keeping spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Bible-reading is quite in line with their almost regimental outlook to life. For others, serving where the needs could often keep them busily in touch with the church. Yet, there are others who struggle with both ends…

By Not Known Many would remember the rock opera by Tim Rice and Andrew Llyod Webber, Jesus Christ Superstar. It shook the Christian world with the song that implied Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ lover. Then when Da Vinci Code came out, it stirred up once again the controversy that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus. Of course, Dan Brown blurred the line between fact…

By Not Known People have a way of forming a religion centred on an object, whether be it a supreme person, a deity-like animal, or an inanimate thing of mythical origin. The Bible warns against such worship of created beings rather than the Creator alone (Ex 20:3-4; Rom 1:25). Unfortunately,…

By Not Known The last rays of sunlight left the evening sky and the lights of the city begin to shine brightly against the dark sky. I did not turn on the light in my SGH room. These were precious moments for me after the last visitors were ushered out. I savoured every moment of this quietness. I was alive and mending form an open-heart surgery. It was time to read, to…

By Not Known Most of us want to be happy and we want happiness for those whom we love. There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of happiness. But there is everything wrong with looking for happiness in the wrong place. Many seek happiness through having ‘things’ such as possessions, wealth, degrees, titles, career, relationships, good experiences and such like.…

By Not Known Many people live with a sense of a bad past. We may have a sense of a bad childhood with overly strict, uncaring, foolish or abusive parents. Or perhaps there were experiences at school or with friends, strangers or neighbours that leave us scared. Maybe our sense of a bad past is bound up with foolish choices or sinful actions on our part: we chose the wrong…

By Not Known Who are you? Consider these views: I think therefore I am. (Descartes) I am but a monkey shaved. (WS Gilbert – adapted) I am the master of my fate and the captain of my soul. (WE Henly) I am who I am. (Popeye the sailor man) I think I am IM therefore I am Some views diminish humanity into a quivering mist of uncertainty, indistinguishable from other…

By Not Known We sometimes make a virtue of being passionless. Thus we respond to suffering with a (non-Christian) stoical ‘stiff upper lip’ instead of a tear. And permit ourselves just a passing smile at joy. This is not the heart of Jesus or of his Father. The Gospels show the passion of Jesus in abundance. Consider these examples: Compassion for crowds…

By Not Known We are rightly careful to exercise good stewardship and accountability with the church’s finances. Thus we have prudent policies to handle all monies, submit the books to external audit and publish financial reports for all to see. This is good. But what of our stewardship and…