Community Service and Revival

As I sat down for the post-Christmas celebrations with the migrant worker service at Fairfield today, I was informed about a wonderful news. Maybe I'm a little slow to receive this, and some of you might already know about it, but good news it is! China is currently experiencing a spiritual revival!

Sure, I was told about the Christian community growing, but I never knew that a spiritual revival was occurring. It was fantastic news to me! So many people in China are receiving Christ everyday, despite the authorities desperately clamping down on missionaries and church leaders. In some provinces, there are so many Christians that churches are erected in public and authorities can do nothing about it! Well, I should rephrase that sentence a little: Federal authorities are more than happy to welcome the burgeoning Christian community because of the social aid that it provides for the people. Of course, the national government doesn't like it because it goes against certain anti-religion laws set forth by the Maoist state instruments, and also it's potential for grouping unhappy, unemployed Chinese workers against the capitalist-transforming state, but on the ground little is (or can actually be) done to prevent the massive growth.

What we Singaporeans can learn from this is simply the issue of social justice. Although I'm from Campus Crusade and am a pretty outspoken Christian, I never really believed in the effectiveness of street evangelism. I mean, it's a good program to get Christians involved in church activities and exposing them to the lack of courage in most of us towards sharing the gospel with a total stranger. Instead, I believe in the effectiveness of community service. Christianity, in my opinion, grew not as a bunch of fervent people pulling people off the street and pressing the gospel in their faces, but through simple acts of kindness. Face-to-face evangelism might save a life at that point of time, but a lifetime of loving kindness and acts of goodness saves a lot more. Even Jesus taught about His Heavenly Father only after healing people of their sicknesses and raising their dead. After all, He wasn't a naturally charismatic guy like many of us think Him to be. But His love was the foundation of His irresistible charm. He attracted people simply by His love.

Therefore, Christian revivals all around the world must begin from acts of service to the community. During the Acts of the Apostles in the Middle East, during the Methodist uprising in Ireland, during the Graham Crusades in USA and during the Christian revival in South Korea. All of them arose because there were people committed to loving their community. People within their proximity, the very people they might not know, but who need love anyway. Some sociologists have speculated that religious revival happens largely during times of economic depression and immense poverty. Well, that's not completely true. After all, witch-hunts have also occurred in times of immense poverty and famine in Europe. It can go the opposite direction. However, in my opinion, it may seem to be the case because times of depression and immense poverty gives people the opportunity to not just share, but to give of the little they have to those around them who need resources. And the God whom they worship, and who provides for their every single need, is also faithful in His promise that those who give shall surely receive even more.

I like to think I'm correct in this, despite not having done any historical research at all. As romantic and ideal this may seem, it could just be the clue to another of history's sociological mysteries, and the key to Christian revival and the hastening of the return of the Lord.






Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. -Peter (2 Peter 3:11-12)

Materialism and Superficiality

Met up with the Cat High boys tonight, and had plenty of conversations about work in the future, dreams and ambitions, destinations for grad trips and of course, women.

Remembering the peeps that once played basketball with silver-button-studded uniforms and a ton of "act-beng-not-beng" vulgarities, not to mention a hell lot of laughter, failed "patterns" and air balls, was a nice feeling.

Among them was a very old and close friend I haven't met since we got our O Level results, and the reunion was awesome. But I found that he had transformed into a Player, and it was a little... shocking. A pretty successful one, I must add. At least 40% of the conversations were dominated by him as most of us just listened spell-bound to the escapades and tips that sounded almost like a foreign language coming from someone like himself.

My disdain for Players doesn't lead me to cut them short or condemn them; rather, I enjoy listening to them. After all, it makes for very interesting conversation fodder in a group full of single guys. It's just... heartbreaking after a while.

I only remember going home feeling a little disillusioned. Sometimes I wonder all over again why we Casanovas work so hard to increase our social capital by cultivating soft skills, entertainment abilities, charm and sensitivity, when most women (as testified by my friend) judge a man by the brand of watch he wears, the type of shoes he has, the kind of salary he commands, the class of car he drives. Most of these things are factors that a woman can discover by the end of the night, or for the more observant ones, in less than 3 minutes.

Classifying women into categories based on looks and treating the entire chase as a game is always morally shocking, but some hard questioning to one's moral conscience also tells us that it's simply taking a position, albeit more extreme one. After all, we can get disgusted with women whose superficiality and "shallow thinking" seems to suddenly set the entire world sliding down towards a moral abyss, but don't we guys have a huge portion of our gender group also judging women by their cup sizes, complexion and waistlines?

As much as these attributes are impossible for most women to attain, likewise money and status are not really open to every guy in society to grab. Worse still, for the odd person like myself who has little desire for wealth, yet is constantly exposed to the seeming reality of "no money, no honey".



It's always times like this when I will say, "Lord, give me more faith!" And my anxiety relaxes, in the belief that He will surely provide something better as promised.




But knowingly, it's also an excuse to avoid considering all other women as long as I believe them to be inferior to those I have had been with.






How appalling to find that my mind can twist even spiritual concepts just for convenience.





You can't drive straight on a twisting lane. -Russian Proverb

I sympathize with materialistic women because deep in my heart lurks what I suspect to be a superficial man. -Valentino Casanova

Exam Results!

GEK1047 Organizational Power and Culture A
SC4201 Contemporary Social Theory A+
SC4208 Religion, Deviance and Identity A
SC4215D Welfare and Social Justice A-
Current Cap: 4.26


Praise God! Maybe I might get into the Dean's List this semester. Maybe. +)


I'm so happy. A tad disappointed for Welfare and Social Justice, but oh well. Everything's good. The sky looks exceptionally beautiful today.



I'm going to write a song to my Lord! Lalala~





Tis so much joy! Tis so much joy! If I should fail, what poverty! And yet, as poor as I have ventured all upon a throw; Have gained! Yes! Hesitated so this side the victory! -Emily Dickinson

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. -David (Psalm 145:7)

Where Is Home When You're Gone?

Home - Michael Buble

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

It's strange how you can be surrounded by friends and family, but still feel lonely and want to go home. To someone, somebody.


But where's home when that somebody holds another in her arms?





I miss you saving me. -Valentino Casanova

A Movement Against Loneliness

The most painful way to die is to die alone.

Maybe Durkheim and Simmel were correct, albeit indirectly.



Loneliness, I believe, is the root cause of all social and psychological ills in modern society. We spend our entire lives writing songs about it, trying hard to avoid being plagued by it, admire people who somehow don't seem to be bothered about it.



An effective social movement, therefore, must target this strand of disorder, without trying too hard. A musical band must create awareness through references to this pain without sinking into the mire of despondency. A motivational author or speech writer must throw forth eloquent phrases depicting the emptiness circling a crying need within. An artist must paint depression with a glimmer of hope amidst the crushing silence.




People must know that they matter, that they fill an essential role in the grand plans of an invisible will tunneling towards to an apocalyptic end.






That, they were purposefully created for a reason grander than their imaginations could ever project.







Music was invented to confirm human loneliness. -Lawrence Durrell

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. -David (Psalm 25:16)

Play It Again, Sam

There are 3 musical instruments that I once told myself that I had to master by the end of my life.

The keyboard, the guitar and the saxophone.

With God's grace I was born into a family with a solid interest in music and a great sense of rhythm, so I was sent to learn the piano at the age of 4 in Yamaha and barely scrapped through Grade 8 theory and practical just before my O levels. 12 years of nearly daily practice. But sadly, learning classical music destroyed completely any interest in the keyboard. To know that I could read notes and play sheet music almost perfectly (with a ton of practice day and night of course) yet could not produce the type of music I wanted was a devastating blow. I even grew to hate the piano and the rigors, rules of "music" as they called it. By Secondary 2 I had reach the peak of desperation for an outlet to produce my own music, and I turned to the guitar.

Learning the guitar was fairly easy to me given my background in music theory and the amount of exposure I got as a guitarist in the worship team in church. It was a breath of fresh air as I suddenly could sing and play music together; almost any pop song was in reach as I belted out my own favorite songs during my free time.

The saxophone, the sexiest melodic instrument in my opinion (specifically the alto and soprano sax, not the tenor, sorry Ilango lol) is still waiting for me to earn my first few months of salary to buy a second-hand one through E-bay. That can wait, given that I was 2/3 through my wish by the age of 15 and I'm still below 25.

However, recently my dad has decided to make good his promise to sell off that rusting, out-of-tune piano in the house. He did say that he might get a digital keyboard to replace it, one of the things on Andrew's wishlist for sure, but to be honest I'm going to miss the old, upright piano. After all, I spent the most time with it by far, though I haven't really touched it since I finished Grade 8.

The nostalgia, combined with the huge amount of free time (and very little money to go out and spend) has pushed me back to the keyboard this holiday. For one, I've realized that I'm not a real musician, at least on the piano, just a player. Given that the piano is still the hot favorite among Singaporean parents for their kids to develop an interest in music, this country is filled with plenty of piano players in the country, but no real musicians. A pity, if you ask me. The ability to improvise, play by ear, comping and singing at the same time via keyboard, is still seen as a magical gift even among members of church worship bands.

Well, now that I'm free, maybe it's time to experiment a little bit more with improvising on the keyboard. Maybe jump into deep waters by playing as a keyboardist for youth service, given that my church is seriously short of keyboardists anyway, and Andrew is getting really tired. Even if he wasn't, he'll be going to Australia to study soon, so someone will have to replace him anyway, even if inadequately.


Back to the keyboards I guess. Time to resurrect the musician and put to rest once and for all the dull, rigid piano player within. Blues, Jazz, Gospel and Salsa piano, here I come!





A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. -Abraham H. Maslow

Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I will sing to the Lord, I will sing; I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel. -Deborah (Judges 5:3)

The Tyranny of Sin

Sin is sin.

I'm amazed sometimes at the kind of sin that I can commit. No, it wasn't unconsciously done. Neither can blame be put upon my past, or responsibility be taken by another. When one allows the Holy Spirit to enter into one's life, he or she undergoes an entirely new birth, one in which life begins afresh. Sin is made clear, evil is exposed and suddenly one becomes strangely aware of things that one used to do that is evil and unpleasing.

It doesn't mean that people stop sinning. Yes, it should be mean that we sin less, but it doesn't mean that we become sinless. Love is constructed in a way that God gives us freedom to choose obedience over sin, and we become clearly aware of the choices in front of us. Sin therefore is a choice, and when Christians sin, we clearly made a choice to do so. From my experiences, it often means refusing to heed the voice of God, giving in to sin and our own lust and desires. We cannot compare to other non-Christians because although they may be strongly aware of certain moral laws brought to light by other religions, laws or moral teaching, no other group of people have so clear a voice to follow, so bright a light that shines on their deeds, so resounding a word that dictates what is and what is not sin.

Christians have no excuse for sinning. It's clear from 1 Cor 10:13 that with the Holy Spirit by our side, no temptation can befall us for which we can safely say that we were unconsciously forced to do it, by instinct or habit. Jas 1:13 also tells us that God doesn't tempt us, so that sin is something that we put ourselves into by not fleeing it, and/or something that God purposely puts in our path to teach us something. Trials, hard times yes. Temptations, no. Remember that the former verse also says that there is ALWAYS a way out of it, it's whether we choose to take it or not.

But the tyranny of sin often comes when we commit sins that we least expect ourselves to fall for. No, it doesn't happen too often to me, but it happens. We say things like "Nah, I'll never fall for that" or "That can't possibly happen to me" but when it does, it leaves us speechless.

When things like that happen, it serves to remind me that I have no control over sin. As much as I believe in practicing and training oneself to resist sin (which is Biblical), I must never underestimate its power and control over the human nature which still remains within. Sin is a lifelong struggle, and often when one thinks that he or she has finally mastered it, another fall is often not too far away. Humbly, one is directed to come back to the feet of Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and continue on the race of life.

It's sad when I see myself becoming almost like a Pharisee, the very people Jesus despised and warned us not to be like. Though I try hard to be a good Christian, such efforts often plant shady thoughts of pride, even though one doesn't necessarily show it. Then, a big fall serves as a timely reminder that like Paul, I'm the worst of sinners by far. As we grow, we stop sinning in the small things, but we get crushed by the big ones. In that sense, I sympathize with big time preachers who get caught in extra-marital affairs or scandalous involvements with money. As much as they don't do the "common" sins like lying, cursing, getting angry etc., they often seem to get involved in the "big", "uncommon" sins. No, I'm not saying this as to excuse them from it, I see it more as a reminder to the layman Christian that everyone is fallible to sin, even the greatest preacher and the so-called "holier Christian".

I must remember to never say that I'm a better Christian, or at least think so for that matter. After all, if sin could be placed on a scale of "small" to "large", with those committed more often as being smaller e.g. exaggeration, and those committed less often as larger e.g. murder, then I must admit that I am far worse than the average Christian or (non-Christian for that matter!) I just hope that like Paul, I will one day be brave enough to allow them to be testimonies to the unlimited patience that Jesus has for a crappy fellow like me. And to think that I'm in-charge of ministries in my church too! All too often I feel like resigning due to unworthiness given the amount of grace He has to pour upon someone such as myself.

Before I close this post, I just felt the need to post the current psalm that best describes the struggle and guilt within me that acts as a reminder to my weakness and my dependence upon His strength and grace to carry me through this difficult journey that I must take.

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. -Paul (1 Tim 1:15-16)