Human beings lament on our current state of being so much that often we ended up in questioning the existence of the Almighty Creator. If there is a God, why would He allow such seemingly "bad" things to happen to us? We tried to justify ourselves like Job, who simply refused to accept his friends' verdicts. I did no wrong to deserve all these. And what about Tom? He is a better guy than me. What such predicament for him? It is simply unfair. Why would God, if He ever exists, allow such calamities to happen? Doesn't He love the world as the Bible states? What has gone wrong?
This is the topic of Pain and Suffering which many people ask, regardless of their religious beliefs. Some people advocate complete escape from pain and suffering, others resort to preventive measures, yet a majority of us choose to ignore this complex issue altogether and resign reluctantly to fate.
What do the teachings of the major world religion taught us? All acknowledges that pain and suffering are ever so real and present in our midst. No one is spared. As mentioned above, some teach on how to avoid them (more so in future), some how to minimize them (a peace of mind), but none except Christianity explains the root cause of pain and suffering.
The Bible teaches that human beings and the world have been agonizing from the very beginning of time since our first ancestors sinned ("We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." ~ Rom 8:22). And everyone is anticipating redemption from such a fallen state ("Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." ~ Rom 8:23).
Indeed, God has provided an effective redemption for all of us. It is through His Son, Jesus Christ, who died and rose on the cross for our sins. Through God's saving grace, our relationship with our Creator has been restored. It is precisely the undaunting faith in this gospel message that instills hope for the future glory and joy when we finally arrive in heaven's gate.
Yet, that does not solve the current problem of pain and suffering. There is another form of grace mentioned in the Bible. It is the prevailing grace of God ("For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. ~ Rom 1:20"). Such prevailing grace of God are eloquently discussed in chapters 38 and 39 from the Book of Job. To those who questioned God, He has this to say: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?" (~Job 38:4). To those who think they are wise, God probes: "Who endowed the heart with wisdom?" (~ Job 38:36). To pseudo-Nature lovers, God interrogates: "Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?"
The climax of God's prevailing grace would be summed up in these two key verses, "He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished" (Rom 3:25b), explaining that God has left sins committed in the past to go unpunished "so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus" (Rom 8:26b). This is a valid response to those who think that God is unfair to those before Jesus' time. For all who acknowledged their wrongdoings, repented of their sins, and believed in the coming Messiah (or Savior) from the Almighty God will be saved.
O How sweet the prevailing grace
That paves the way for the saving grace
Someone once asked me to define hell. How could I since I have never been there before? But the Bible states that it is definitely an undesirable place of eternal torments and sufferings. And those people continued to question why does a loving God wants to create such a horrible place? True enough, it did occur to me that eternal damnation is not really biblical because Jesus had taught His disciples to forgive their enemies, and to Apostle Peter's question on how many times, He replied seventy-seven times! That form of forgiveness requires a lot of help and trust in God.
Now that I have a better grasp on the prevailing grace of God, the issue on hell can be better read in this light. Hell, in its definition, is a place without any form of God's grace. Yes, the absence of saving grace and prevailing grace. Technically, it is not a place created by God, it is a self-made exile prison where all the rebels chose to be at when they rejected God's grace which was avail and given freely to them. In such a self-centered environment, there can be neither happiness nor joy within the imprisoned cell. And there is no sentence of duration of stay, because these people had renounced their creation rights to live in such a detached place. The Bible further teaches that it is the grace of God that enables people to come to repentance. Without it, human beings are hopelessly lost and incapable of knowing our divine Creator. That is the vicious cycle revolving in the place called hell.
Therefore, the prevailing grace of God in the world has enabled us to know our Creator. It has also sustained the ecological system and made life possible. It has created justice and law in our midst to protect inhabitants. It has remedied and unwound the mistakes that human beings have committed. It has instilled hope and love for the continuation of our offsprings. It is the utmost precious gift from God to His creation.
So now, back to the problem of pain and suffering. With this understanding of the prevailing grace of God, we can perhaps use another theological len to view the issue. Imagine a world without prevailing grace, it would be like a little child without his parents or guardians. It would be like a sick person or wounded chap without any medical assistance. And what is the end-result? They will suffer and pass away tragically. But not so in our world. God's prevailing grace has actually allowed human beings to experience lesser pain and suffering. The fact remained that the actual creation of pain and suffering is by human beings ourselves. If only everyone in this world can make right godly decisions, then the problem of pain and suffering will be minimized or even cease to be in existence. But no, that would not happened at all because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23). There will be some people out there trying to create havocs in this world. They are governed by their own greed, pride, self-centeredness, jealousy, and all sorts of other vices. They renounce the presence of final divine judgment and ignore the One who judge. That is the root cause of pain and suffering. People making selfish decisions and hence bad actions that deprive some people of good. Some pain and suffering can even be traced back to a few generations back or more.
Therefore, we need God to come and intervene in our life. We need His saving grace to set things back to normal again. We have heard too many surface explanations which states that God allow such things to happen. However, we must also be reminded that God will not sit back and do nothing. His prevailing grace will prompt remedy actions to be effected swiftly in order to minimize our pain and suffering. A clear example would be the termination of the Tower of Babel. If God did not stop that massive building project, i am quite certain that all human beings would ultimately denied the grace of God and chose to go to hell instead. This is yet another prevailing grace of God.
"Heavenly Father, thank You for Your prevailing and saving grace."
Monday, September 8, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Movie Review on "Amazing Grace"
The first half of this year was extremely busy for me. I was pre-occupied with many things, and now that i looked back, it was truly God's grace that brought me through everything. My only Christian works during this period were the two term papers, which i had submitted for my church history module.
What i have below is a movie review for "Amazing Grace". This movie had inspired me in many ways and will continue to remind me of my true calling in Christ. In fact, i firmly believe this is what God wants His people to do in this world:
Praise the Lord!
What i have below is a movie review for "Amazing Grace". This movie had inspired me in many ways and will continue to remind me of my true calling in Christ. In fact, i firmly believe this is what God wants His people to do in this world:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me
to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me
to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
(Luke 4:18-19, Isaiah 61:1,2)
Praise the Lord!
...
“When people speak of great men, they think about man like Napoleon, man of violence, rarely do they think of peaceful man. The contrast of reception they will receive when they return home from their battle. Napoleon will arrive in prom and in power. A man who has achieved the very summit of their earthly ambitions. And his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, returned to his family, laid his head on his pillow, and remembered that the slave trade is no more.” Introduction
The title of this movie is adapted from the familiar Christian hymn "Amazing Grace", which was composed by John Newton (1725-1807), a penitent priest who was haunted by his past as a slave-ship captain. It was with this old hymn and many other Newton's sermons that captivated the heart of a young man named William Wilberforce (1759-1833). This animated biography chronicles Wilberforce's extraordinary role as a human rights activist, cultural reformer, and politician. Along with other slave trade abolition activists, he took up their cause and became a champion for the abolition of the slave trade. After a long twenty years fight, the British slave trade was finally abolished in 1807.
This movie review is structured in such a way to discuss the life of Wilberforce as portrayed in the show, as well as his hidden life, which was excluded from the movie. The visible portions of Wilberforce’s life include his calling, career, challenge and comeback towards the relentless fight for slave abolition. The hidden parts, on the other hand, touch on issues like his understanding of Christianity and undertaking of social reforms in England.
The Life of Wilberforce
Wilberforce grew up in a well-to-do merchant in the port city of Hull. Since childhood, he had a sickly constitution, suffering from both severe myopia and ulcerative colitis, for which opium was used for decades to ease the pain. Nonetheless, young Wilberforce grew up to possess a good temperament, an extraordinary charisma, an enchanting singing voice and a vigorous mind, as vividly illustrated in the movie.
His Calling
Young Wilberforce studied and grew up with the potential of becoming both a great politician and a strong social reformer. His close friend William Pitt recognized his natural talents and invited him to render his service to the nation together. At almost the same time, however, he also received a certain kind of divine calling to serve God as priest. Torn between politics and the church, he sought the opinion of Newton, who advised him to pursue both in the political arena. Henceforth, the calling of Wilberforce was better articulated in his famous proclamation: “God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.”
His Career
In 1784, Wilberforce, then aged 21, was elected to the British House of Commons with a seat from Yorkshire. He remained steadfast to his calling of fighting for the slave trade abolition and social reformation in his country. Several years later, his close friend William Pitt became prime minister, and together they tried to introduce a bill banning slavery before the English legislature. Aided by a small band of radical thinkers, he annually presented a bill for abolition to the Parliament. The impact of his noble ambition could be best seen in the last letter of John Wesley, which was written to encourage Wilberforce to continue his good fight against the slave trade.
His Challenge
Naturally, such a major political agenda would be met with plenty of resistance, especially from those profiteers of the slave trade. But Wilberforce confronted those hurdles with relentless hard work and endless determination. In parliament, their opponents pro-slavery Lord Tarleton and the Duke of Clarence initiated a hard-fought opposition to the legislation. They argued that if the slave trade was abolished, it would be devastating to the wealth of the people. When the war with France generated patriotism in the people that makes opposition to slavery seemed seditious, Wilberforce became disillusioned.
In 1797, Wilberforce left politics due to poor health and a battered spirit. During his recuperation, he became acquainted with Barbara Spooner, a beautiful woman with progressive views. Spooner became deeply infatuated with Wilberforce, and she encouraged him not to give up on his noble goals. With her support, he gained new determination to pursue his dream of abolition and launched a second campaign to persuade England's lawmakers to end the slave trade.
His Comeback
Along with the support of his closest friend, Prime Minister William Pitt and a dedicated group of anti-slavery activists, Wilberforce waged the first modern political campaign, using boycotts, mass meetings, badges, slogans and petitions, of which 3,000 signatories were garnered.. Segmenting the abolition plan in stages, they first targeted the slave trade, in part by communicating its vices to the innocent populace. Their key strategy was to win by the will of the people. Eventually, Wilberforce and his team persuaded those in power to end the inhumane slave trade in 1807, and later secured the Slave Abolition Act in 1833, granting true freedom to the African natives.
The Hidden Life of Wilberforce
Interesting as they might sound, those were not the entire life of Wilberforce. Many other aspects of his life were missing or hidden from the movie. Henceforth, two aspects of his hidden life would be presented to rediscover and reexamine the kind of person Wilberforce was.
His Understanding of Christianity
Along with most wealthy families, Wilberforce's parents practiced Anglicanism, whose Church dogma would not interfere with their social practices. But young William, due to some family unrest, had gone to stay with his uncle for 2 years, where he began to observe and embrace a more active faith in Methodism instead. Upon his return to Hull, Wilberforce’s family was eager to dispose his newfound "enthusiasm". A few years later, however, he experienced a personal conversion which he called "the great change", which had an immense impact on his spiritual life formation. As a matter of fact, he also became the de facto leader of the new ‘Evangelical Party’, of which Newton was also associated with. Being fervent in his study of God's Word, Wilberforce began to anchor his life on solid Christian doctrines.
In one of his books entitled “Real Christianity: Discerning Truth and False Faith” , Wilberforce exposed the depressing generalization of Christianity by both Christians and non-Christians alike, leading to a terrible disparity between Christian’s faith and deed. He mentioned that many people over-simplified the teachings of the Gospel because they did not read deep enough into the Word of God. Such generalization was likened to killing the prophets mentioned in the Bible because their central messages had gone to deaf ears.
In his another book entitled “A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians” , Wilberforce argued for a more practical approach towards Christianity by all professed Christians. Some key issues liked moral standards to be in line with the biblical teachings, striving hard on secular and spiritual aspects of life, clearer understanding on the Word of God, and difference between nominal and real Christians were discussed. The following statement could help summed up his content: “… his desiring to please God in all his thoughts, and words, and actions; to take the revealed word to be the rule of his belief and practice; to ‘let his light shine before men’; and in all things to adorn the doctrine which he professes.”
As can be seen, Wilberforce continued to base his personal and public life on his deep Christian commitment, which filled him with the motivation and perseverance to advance social justice in the face of enormous obstacles. This was well-captured by historian G.M. Trevelyan when he made the following remarks about Wilberforce: “With his talents and position he would probably have been Pitt's successor as Prime Minister if he had preferred party to mankind.”
His Undertaking of Social Reforms
Besides being remembered as the liberator of African slaves, Wilberforce was also a dynamic social reformer. He engaged himself in numerous organizations, no fewer than 69, that were dedicated to improve the conditions of poor and oppressed people in and outside Britain. Amidst his busy schedule, he helped to establish schools for poor children, reform prisons, limit capital punishment, outlaw bull-baiting, reform child labor practices, assist orphans and widows, counteract widespread prostitution and much more. Such great achievements slowly began to attract many other fellow evangelicals to come forward and engage themselves in a high level of public and political discourse. People were more conscious of the society well-being as a whole, rather than their own individualism. All these and more were triggered by the tireless hands of Wilberforce and his team.
Conclusion
Metaxas observed that: “Before Wilberforce, few thought slavery was wrong. After Wilberforce, most societies in the world came to see it as a great moral wrong.” Wilberforce was, without a doubt, the father of our modern conception of social conscience. Convictions about social justice and responsibility that buttress the work of countless churches, religious organizations and nonprofit agencies find their roots in Wilberforce and the moral revolution that he led. Yet, on the other hand, Pollock reminded us that “Wilberforce proved that a man can change his times, but that he cannot do it alone.” Indeed, good social reforms need to take plenty of time and concerted team effort in order to be successful. But we do not lose heart. Let the amazing grace, that is, the life of Wilberforce continues to motivate us in all our visible or hidden aspects, so that we can pursue the greater calling placed in our life.
References
Brown, Ford K. Fathers of the Victorians: The Age of Wilberforce. Cambridge, England: The University Press, 1961.
Metaxas, Eric. Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.
Guinness, Os. Character Counts: Leadership Qualities in Washington, Wilberforce, Lincloln, Solzhenitsyn. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 1999.
Hill, Jonathan. The New Lion Handbook: The History of Christianity. Oxford: Lion Hudson 2007.
Hindmarsh, D. Bruce. John Newton and the English Evangelical Tradition: Between the Conversion of Wesley and Wilberforce. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans, 2000.
Wesley, John. “Wesley to Wilberforce,” In Christian History, Issue 2, 1983.
Wilberforce, Robert Isaac and Wilberforce Samuel. The Life of William Wilberforce. Vol. 1 London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1860.
Wilberforce, William. Real Christianity: Discerning Truth and False Faith. Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 2003.
Wilberforce, William. A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians. London: SCM Press, 1958.
(End)
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Parable of the Librarians
Some people mentioned to me that it is better to share the gospel in a narrative style. Through stories and illustrations, the content of the gospel becomes animated and is much easier to understand. Even my dad once commented that biblical stories were things of the past and had no relevance to our life now. That statement could be a true reflection on how pre-believers are viewing the Bible text.
The following narrative parable is one of my first few attempts to illustrate the gospel in a more contemporary way. I understand that more works need to be done in order to perfect the narration, but it should suffice for now to prove my earlier point.
Enjoy!
---
There was once a great Architect who built a very magnificent world-renowned library. In this grand architectural masterpiece were many librarians who were tasked to manage the various sections of the huge knowledge depository, each according to their abilities and potential. These staffs had been given total autonomy in whatever they do.
Soon after, many librarians began to take things to their own hands. They had completely forgotten about the detailed and careful instructions given during the induction programme. Each one of them started to do things as they please, oblivious of the consequences of their course of actions. It followed naturally that they also began to separate from one another and formed visible boundaries with the selfish ambition to claim territories in this enormous library. As a result, many sections were left sub-optimized, either having too many duplicates or found to be heavily lacking. They were so messed up that they began to hide their face from the Architect.
But one interesting observation was that a collection of architectural books were found available in every single section. Yet, a closer examination informed that many of these books were hand-scribbled and none was from the authentic source. In their power struggles, they seemed to have copied and modified the text from a primary source, which was nowhere to be found in this disillusion state of the library.
Occasionally, some parts of the library would encounter territorial fights, whereby librarians themselves tried to assert their influences on one another so as to gain more territories. They had failed to realize that their employment contract only promised them a fixed amount of salary, regardless of their achievement in this library. In fact, there was even a severe penalty in place if they are unable to fulfill their current job responsibilities. It was no wonder that the air-cons in the library were getting weaker and weaker because of the lack of proper maintenance.
One fine day, the Architect did secretly return to teach one particular librarian on the proper way to managing a library. That librarian then began to gather a group of oppressed librarians, ill-treated by other more influential librarians. With the help of the Architect , they were transferred to a well-situated section in the library so that they can help supervise and manage the prime spot. Since then, they held very dearly to the teachings of the Architect, differentiating themselves to be a special and distinct group of librarians in the library.
The daily routines of all librarians were to try to manage and sort out the different types of books in their assigned sections. Various types of books had to be returned to their proper place in the library. It was no easy task because some shelves were extremely messy and some books were tagged wrongly. Many librarians, therefore, had to rush and ration their limited time. Some chose to organize books in the more critical sections first. Others adopted a more random approach. Yet, there were many who chose to remain idle, simply because of the overwhelming work to be done.
Strangely, whenever they came to a familiar section called 'Architect', they would walk past it without even taking a glance. To them, it seemed to be an obsolete shelf, not worthy of their serious attention. They would rather frequent other popular shelves such as wealth, health, sealth (power and politics) and stealth (detachment from this world).
Days went by, followed by months and years. A deep sense of emptiness began to fill the hearts of many librarians in the library. Many were asking the purpose of their existence in the library. There were stories of great librarians who managed to seize premium sections in the library, but immediately after their dismissal, were quickly handed over to the charge of other librarians. It was utterly meaningless. In all their pursues, nothing was ever gained. There were also folktales of insignificant librarians who only took charge of 1-2 small shelves, yet they were pretty much contented and retired without any regret. What an irony! Many began to ask, "What on earth was the true purpose for this library institution?"
Then came the era where many librarians turned to notice the now dusty shelf of 'Architect'. By comparing writings from the various manuscripts, they came to the understanding of the need to locate the one true source describing the authentic 'Architect'. Through a series of careful research, they began to realize that they had all went astray and departed from the original duties for a librarian in the library.
Just then, the Son of Architect appeared in the prime section and showed the special group of librarians the correct way and mindset to manage the library.
"You do not need to scramble for fast and easy solutions in these piles of books," said the Son of Architect in a gentle tone, "You just need to ask and i will show you how."
Some accepted his advises and followed his ways. Others, they became jealous and began to plot to chase the Son out of their vicinity, or even better, out of the library completely. Their plot eventually succeeded and the Son was mercilessly thrown out of the library. Yet, the words of the Son of Architect remained in the heart and mind of some librarians who wanted to reform the library according to what the Son had taught them. With the help of library automation, which was promised to them by the Son of Architect, this group of obedient librarians were able to do things more efficiently and effectively in the library, often far exceeding what they ever could imagine. They even have the luxury of time to assist other librarians with their tasks, henceforth lessening their burden in the library. Wherever they go, these group of librarians will try to teach the words from the Son of Architect to others and empower them with the proper use of the library automation.
The words from the Son of Architect also taught them that the sole purpose of them being in the library was so that they could become co-heirs of this grand library. It was the Architect's intention all along to groom many co-heirs to this magnificent library that he had built. And it would be these co-heirs who would share in the future glory and honor associated with the library. Those unworthy librarians would be asked to leave the library when their tenant expired.
Librarians, who had heard the words from the Son of Architect and believed, began to see great transformation in their lives. Following the right and proper guidance and advices from the Son of Architect, they were able to restore several sections of the library back to their original state through the help of library automation. The revamped library was now much orderly and vibrant than the previous messy and chaotic states. Such a renewed scene has attracted many others to follow suit. They began to close down the obsolete 'Architect' shelf and engage in an extreme makeover of their respective sections. Slowly, the library was being restored back to its former glorious state, though many works were still left undone.
In one accord, those joyful librarians began to sing, "All credits to the Son of Architect, who was and is and always will be our counselor, model and inspiration in the library."
---
I have located the Son of Architect in the library of life. Have you?
The following narrative parable is one of my first few attempts to illustrate the gospel in a more contemporary way. I understand that more works need to be done in order to perfect the narration, but it should suffice for now to prove my earlier point.
Enjoy!
---
There was once a great Architect who built a very magnificent world-renowned library. In this grand architectural masterpiece were many librarians who were tasked to manage the various sections of the huge knowledge depository, each according to their abilities and potential. These staffs had been given total autonomy in whatever they do.
Soon after, many librarians began to take things to their own hands. They had completely forgotten about the detailed and careful instructions given during the induction programme. Each one of them started to do things as they please, oblivious of the consequences of their course of actions. It followed naturally that they also began to separate from one another and formed visible boundaries with the selfish ambition to claim territories in this enormous library. As a result, many sections were left sub-optimized, either having too many duplicates or found to be heavily lacking. They were so messed up that they began to hide their face from the Architect.
But one interesting observation was that a collection of architectural books were found available in every single section. Yet, a closer examination informed that many of these books were hand-scribbled and none was from the authentic source. In their power struggles, they seemed to have copied and modified the text from a primary source, which was nowhere to be found in this disillusion state of the library.
Occasionally, some parts of the library would encounter territorial fights, whereby librarians themselves tried to assert their influences on one another so as to gain more territories. They had failed to realize that their employment contract only promised them a fixed amount of salary, regardless of their achievement in this library. In fact, there was even a severe penalty in place if they are unable to fulfill their current job responsibilities. It was no wonder that the air-cons in the library were getting weaker and weaker because of the lack of proper maintenance.
One fine day, the Architect did secretly return to teach one particular librarian on the proper way to managing a library. That librarian then began to gather a group of oppressed librarians, ill-treated by other more influential librarians. With the help of the Architect , they were transferred to a well-situated section in the library so that they can help supervise and manage the prime spot. Since then, they held very dearly to the teachings of the Architect, differentiating themselves to be a special and distinct group of librarians in the library.
The daily routines of all librarians were to try to manage and sort out the different types of books in their assigned sections. Various types of books had to be returned to their proper place in the library. It was no easy task because some shelves were extremely messy and some books were tagged wrongly. Many librarians, therefore, had to rush and ration their limited time. Some chose to organize books in the more critical sections first. Others adopted a more random approach. Yet, there were many who chose to remain idle, simply because of the overwhelming work to be done.
Strangely, whenever they came to a familiar section called 'Architect', they would walk past it without even taking a glance. To them, it seemed to be an obsolete shelf, not worthy of their serious attention. They would rather frequent other popular shelves such as wealth, health, sealth (power and politics) and stealth (detachment from this world).
Days went by, followed by months and years. A deep sense of emptiness began to fill the hearts of many librarians in the library. Many were asking the purpose of their existence in the library. There were stories of great librarians who managed to seize premium sections in the library, but immediately after their dismissal, were quickly handed over to the charge of other librarians. It was utterly meaningless. In all their pursues, nothing was ever gained. There were also folktales of insignificant librarians who only took charge of 1-2 small shelves, yet they were pretty much contented and retired without any regret. What an irony! Many began to ask, "What on earth was the true purpose for this library institution?"
Then came the era where many librarians turned to notice the now dusty shelf of 'Architect'. By comparing writings from the various manuscripts, they came to the understanding of the need to locate the one true source describing the authentic 'Architect'. Through a series of careful research, they began to realize that they had all went astray and departed from the original duties for a librarian in the library.
Just then, the Son of Architect appeared in the prime section and showed the special group of librarians the correct way and mindset to manage the library.
"You do not need to scramble for fast and easy solutions in these piles of books," said the Son of Architect in a gentle tone, "You just need to ask and i will show you how."
Some accepted his advises and followed his ways. Others, they became jealous and began to plot to chase the Son out of their vicinity, or even better, out of the library completely. Their plot eventually succeeded and the Son was mercilessly thrown out of the library. Yet, the words of the Son of Architect remained in the heart and mind of some librarians who wanted to reform the library according to what the Son had taught them. With the help of library automation, which was promised to them by the Son of Architect, this group of obedient librarians were able to do things more efficiently and effectively in the library, often far exceeding what they ever could imagine. They even have the luxury of time to assist other librarians with their tasks, henceforth lessening their burden in the library. Wherever they go, these group of librarians will try to teach the words from the Son of Architect to others and empower them with the proper use of the library automation.
The words from the Son of Architect also taught them that the sole purpose of them being in the library was so that they could become co-heirs of this grand library. It was the Architect's intention all along to groom many co-heirs to this magnificent library that he had built. And it would be these co-heirs who would share in the future glory and honor associated with the library. Those unworthy librarians would be asked to leave the library when their tenant expired.
Librarians, who had heard the words from the Son of Architect and believed, began to see great transformation in their lives. Following the right and proper guidance and advices from the Son of Architect, they were able to restore several sections of the library back to their original state through the help of library automation. The revamped library was now much orderly and vibrant than the previous messy and chaotic states. Such a renewed scene has attracted many others to follow suit. They began to close down the obsolete 'Architect' shelf and engage in an extreme makeover of their respective sections. Slowly, the library was being restored back to its former glorious state, though many works were still left undone.
In one accord, those joyful librarians began to sing, "All credits to the Son of Architect, who was and is and always will be our counselor, model and inspiration in the library."
---
I have located the Son of Architect in the library of life. Have you?
Monday, January 21, 2008
A Proposed Evergreen Framework for the Great Commission
Lately, i have been too involved in my family affairs, so much so that i need to take a break from writing. It was a period of great trials, yet of great rejoicing too. But the output of this episode are anxiety, frustration, helplessness, confusion and despair as i drift along with the unpredictable current. Fortunately, the winds of hope, anticipation, joy, encouragement, support and peace are still blowing within me, enabling me to sail my entire family safely towards the shore. We have not reached our final destination yet, but we are hopeful that everything will be on track to mark a marvelous voyage experience. Do pray for us as we continue to experience divine intervention in our family. Thank you.
---
Simplicity is beaut.
People often lose sight of the core issues at hand when they dwell too much in the complex particularities of their tasks. For example, corporations tend to spend millions of dollars to engage consultants to resolve the huge chunks of inter-twined cobwebs found in their normal operations. In promoting specialization, they somewhat miss the bigger picture, that is, their core business visions.
Every organization, therefore, has an impetus need to derive a good framework with which all current and future operations can adhere and conform. Such a system, when well executed, would prevent the accumulation of legacy dust and give rise to new innovation frontiers.
At this juncture, i want to propose a feasible evergreen framework that would include a cyclic equation consisting of two key elements - persistence and consistency. In essence, it is a synergy of active and passive mode of operations, designed to produce remarkable and sustenance results in the long run.
Persistence has to do with pursuing actively things that correspond to your values and goals. In utilizing appropriate methods and techniques, you are determined to achieve the desired outcomes no matter the cost. Some failures during this long process are acceptable to gain valuable insights for improvement feedbacks on your current approaches. Creativity is the norm for such an experimental setup. Ultimately, when the desired state is attained, there would be a rich collection of lessons learned for future reference.
Consistency is a passive mode of verification that all proven solutions are still as effective as before, even when the problems at hand may have mutated. In today's fast changing global climate, solutions of yesterday may cease to be antidotes for tomorrow. It is, therefore, very important for people or organization to ascertain constantly whether the current processes are still relevant or whether they have to be replaced by new and better alternatives.
I believe such a dynamic combination of persistence and consistency will almost ensure that a system continues to evolve and adapt, producing effective outcomes in her stated visions and goals.
The Bible tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb 13:8)
Yet the same Jesus also mentioned to His disciples that, "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. (Luke 5:37-38)
Unmistakably, Jesus never change. He need not, because He is the perfect Son of God. But we need to change because we have not attained perfection yet. This is the process of sanctification. Furthermore, the world we are living is also undergoing a face lift. With new issues like terrorism and global warming ascending to the top of our human agenda, we better be ready for an extreme makeover. What is effective for us in the past may not hold true in the distant future.
Therefore, the Church can consider to adopt the above-mentioned evergreen framework in fulfilling the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ. For over two thousands year, plenty of mission and evangelical tactics and strategies have been devised and implemented to advance the gospel. Yet, in recent Centuries, the conversion rate of Christians have gone down to a slump, as compared to earlier periods. Why is this so? Can we identify the root problem of this decline? Can we say that God is no longer interested in this BIG salvation task? No, of course not!
What have changed (or for that matter, lack of change) are actually ourselves, Christians, or on a macro term, the Church. Internally, our humans' weaknesses have allowed bureaucracy and traditions to hinder the advancement of the gospel. Externally, globalization has introduced new hurdles like consumerism, elitism, new age movement, post-modernism, financial-freedom-craze, information (overload) economy, and so on so forth. The Church just are not moving fast enough to adapt to the new economy.
Indeed, we can do with a persistence pursue of effective channels and methods of advancing the Gospel. With an attitude of experimentation, Christians should be courageous enough to explore new means of reaching to new people, new methods of preaching to the unsaved and new mediums of building the Church. We should ask ourselves. Must it always be the western Christianity's doctrines and liturgies? Why can't we appropriate the Word of God in the context of the places we evangelize? Look at what the western Europe has become in terms of their spirituality, when in fact, they were the champions of Christian evangelism for the past ten Centuries. By following their footsteps, are we also destined for spiritual decline in the distant future? When theology cannot meet the modern challenges, should we drop our faith to pursue the worldly attractions? Of course not! We should all the more persevere and rethink about our Christian theology.
"We may know in part now but there will be a time when God's people will understand in full."
Christian theology should not cease, but through an active process of reflecting and contemplating, be able to picture God better in all His magnificent glory and majesty.
Yet, this active process of pursue should not exceed the pace of our modernization. We need to have a consistency plan on how to implement and document the most effective evangelical solutions of our times. Through a process of sharing and collaboration, churches can come together and advance the Gospel in one accord. No longer will there be any meaningless denominational disputes or rivalries, because we have learnt to appreciate the true one body of Christ. Mega-churches, with all their rich resources, should assist the smaller ones to grow in faith and in spiritual gifts. Traditional churches, with their renowned doctrines and heritages, should share with the newer ones in order to appreciate the invaluable Christian inheritance past down from generations to generations. Through continuous process of check-and-balance, churches can mold one another to eliminate their blind areas and create new Gospel territories. Instead of the individualistic pursue, Church can now have a communal type of synergy, which is fueled by the same Holy Spirit, to enable Christians to make Jesus' disciples from their hometown all the way to the ends of the earth.
I believe that this proposed evergreen framework, when well-executed, can continue to spiral itself to greater height, reaching an unseen climax in the history of Christianity. This i pray and dream for Christ.
To God be the highest glory forever and ever! Amen.
---
Simplicity is beaut.
People often lose sight of the core issues at hand when they dwell too much in the complex particularities of their tasks. For example, corporations tend to spend millions of dollars to engage consultants to resolve the huge chunks of inter-twined cobwebs found in their normal operations. In promoting specialization, they somewhat miss the bigger picture, that is, their core business visions.
Every organization, therefore, has an impetus need to derive a good framework with which all current and future operations can adhere and conform. Such a system, when well executed, would prevent the accumulation of legacy dust and give rise to new innovation frontiers.
At this juncture, i want to propose a feasible evergreen framework that would include a cyclic equation consisting of two key elements - persistence and consistency. In essence, it is a synergy of active and passive mode of operations, designed to produce remarkable and sustenance results in the long run.
Persistence has to do with pursuing actively things that correspond to your values and goals. In utilizing appropriate methods and techniques, you are determined to achieve the desired outcomes no matter the cost. Some failures during this long process are acceptable to gain valuable insights for improvement feedbacks on your current approaches. Creativity is the norm for such an experimental setup. Ultimately, when the desired state is attained, there would be a rich collection of lessons learned for future reference.
Consistency is a passive mode of verification that all proven solutions are still as effective as before, even when the problems at hand may have mutated. In today's fast changing global climate, solutions of yesterday may cease to be antidotes for tomorrow. It is, therefore, very important for people or organization to ascertain constantly whether the current processes are still relevant or whether they have to be replaced by new and better alternatives.
I believe such a dynamic combination of persistence and consistency will almost ensure that a system continues to evolve and adapt, producing effective outcomes in her stated visions and goals.
The Bible tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb 13:8)
Yet the same Jesus also mentioned to His disciples that, "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. (Luke 5:37-38)
Unmistakably, Jesus never change. He need not, because He is the perfect Son of God. But we need to change because we have not attained perfection yet. This is the process of sanctification. Furthermore, the world we are living is also undergoing a face lift. With new issues like terrorism and global warming ascending to the top of our human agenda, we better be ready for an extreme makeover. What is effective for us in the past may not hold true in the distant future.
Therefore, the Church can consider to adopt the above-mentioned evergreen framework in fulfilling the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ. For over two thousands year, plenty of mission and evangelical tactics and strategies have been devised and implemented to advance the gospel. Yet, in recent Centuries, the conversion rate of Christians have gone down to a slump, as compared to earlier periods. Why is this so? Can we identify the root problem of this decline? Can we say that God is no longer interested in this BIG salvation task? No, of course not!
What have changed (or for that matter, lack of change) are actually ourselves, Christians, or on a macro term, the Church. Internally, our humans' weaknesses have allowed bureaucracy and traditions to hinder the advancement of the gospel. Externally, globalization has introduced new hurdles like consumerism, elitism, new age movement, post-modernism, financial-freedom-craze, information (overload) economy, and so on so forth. The Church just are not moving fast enough to adapt to the new economy.
Indeed, we can do with a persistence pursue of effective channels and methods of advancing the Gospel. With an attitude of experimentation, Christians should be courageous enough to explore new means of reaching to new people, new methods of preaching to the unsaved and new mediums of building the Church. We should ask ourselves. Must it always be the western Christianity's doctrines and liturgies? Why can't we appropriate the Word of God in the context of the places we evangelize? Look at what the western Europe has become in terms of their spirituality, when in fact, they were the champions of Christian evangelism for the past ten Centuries. By following their footsteps, are we also destined for spiritual decline in the distant future? When theology cannot meet the modern challenges, should we drop our faith to pursue the worldly attractions? Of course not! We should all the more persevere and rethink about our Christian theology.
"We may know in part now but there will be a time when God's people will understand in full."
Christian theology should not cease, but through an active process of reflecting and contemplating, be able to picture God better in all His magnificent glory and majesty.
Yet, this active process of pursue should not exceed the pace of our modernization. We need to have a consistency plan on how to implement and document the most effective evangelical solutions of our times. Through a process of sharing and collaboration, churches can come together and advance the Gospel in one accord. No longer will there be any meaningless denominational disputes or rivalries, because we have learnt to appreciate the true one body of Christ. Mega-churches, with all their rich resources, should assist the smaller ones to grow in faith and in spiritual gifts. Traditional churches, with their renowned doctrines and heritages, should share with the newer ones in order to appreciate the invaluable Christian inheritance past down from generations to generations. Through continuous process of check-and-balance, churches can mold one another to eliminate their blind areas and create new Gospel territories. Instead of the individualistic pursue, Church can now have a communal type of synergy, which is fueled by the same Holy Spirit, to enable Christians to make Jesus' disciples from their hometown all the way to the ends of the earth.
I believe that this proposed evergreen framework, when well-executed, can continue to spiral itself to greater height, reaching an unseen climax in the history of Christianity. This i pray and dream for Christ.
To God be the highest glory forever and ever! Amen.
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