Which well do you draw water from?

This post is meant as a follow up to this one.

I've come to an age where statistically, 80% of my peers will lose their excitement in attending church services & serving God, resulting in a few eventually walking out of the church & even the faith. Those that remain will spend a lot of their time in church with 2 things - talking about those who left; and wondering why they stayed.

Did the church change? Or did we?

I believe one of the key contributing factors of this sad situation is misplaced expectations. Perhaps for far too long we have placed our expectations of Jesus upon the church. How did that happen? How did we replace Jesus, our covenant keeping God, with the earthly, imperfect church? Unconsciously & unintentionally, we, with 2nd-hand faiths, allowed ourselves to rely & depend upon the church to feed our spirituality. And due to that dependency, our personal relationship with Jesus Christ became an exact duplication of the spiritual atmosphere of the church.

The corporation worship affects our personal worship lives;

Prayer meeting affects our prayer lives;

Church events generates our spiritual highs & lows;

The pastors' sermons become our only source of food & water;

Church members' responses & actions determine how joyful it was to serve God that Sunday;

Church cliques are our great basis for sense of belonging & self-esteem, self worth;

I've been there - for a very long time, I might add. Nowadays I still have such struggles. Should it be that way? Hell no!!

You want to experience Jesus? Get your sources right. Which well do you draw water from? Don't you know He has given you a fountain?

"Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
but whoever drinks of the water I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
- John 4:13 - 14.

None But Jesus

This post is specially for those who don't feel happy being in church anymore. I see you, & I feel you. You're not alone in this. There are people saying healing & joy has come, but you're not feeling it; you're not believing it. I'm with you. I hope this post will encourage you & bless you.

It took us a while to decide if we're going to church camp or not. It wasn't a small decision for us - my wife & I had nights where we would just be crying on our bed as we talked about it. The past year had been a wild journey for us. The only reason we survived through it was because we hung on to the knowledge that in all of the storm, God is with us. And indeed He was.

You see, I used to be associated as the pastors' son. I hated every generalization that came with it, but at the same time I was proud to be the pastors' son. When my mom preached about Sons vs Servants, I immediately (wrongly) took on the identity as a son in the house - I became the son of the church. And when my father resigned from the church, I thought I had nothing left but to be a rebel.

But God has pulled me out of that now. He's taken me on a journey, teaching me about our adoption as children of God. I'm not a son of the church. I am a child of God. You see (again), if we base our identity in anything other than our position in God, we will crumble. If our source of life, joy, strength & hope is anything other than Jesus Himself, we will run dry.

If you let me, I could think of so many reasons to walk out of the church & just plant myself somewhere else. No church is perfect, but at least it'll be a new start - I'll be appreciated, I might get paid for my service, and it'll be years before anyone realizes what an idiot I am!! So why are we still in FCC, serving in the youth ministry & music team? Well, there's only 1 reason really - God hasn't said anything yet. And until He does, I must be faithful with the gifts & the responsibilities entrusted to me. As long as I'm still here, I will love the local church & the people in it. It's not because there's a new pastor or a new church board, or that the youth ministry is growing - it's simply listening & obeying to voice of the One whom I belong to.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this - FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS. Do not depend on anyone or anything else. Desire to know His love for you & respond accordingly, & everything else will be an overflow out of that relationship.

On Songleading....

Have you heard the phrase 'If you've never been there before, how can you lead people there?'? Well lately God (or maybe it was just me) dropped a thought in my head about that - "Why not just lead them to Jesus?"

By assuming that only the songleader can lead the congregation into a certain familiar 'place' of God's presence, we are in danger of missing out on the Spirit's leading. Perhaps in that corporate time of worship, Jesus wants to take the church to a 'place' that no one - no songleader, no pastor, no prophet, no intercessor - has ever been before. Wouldn't that be so much more awesome?

If I do ever song lead in church again, I'll assume the awesome, significant, totally cool role of AN USHER, leading the congregation towards The Son. I'm sure He's the best tour guide into The Father's House......

Community

Last Saturday I had an interesting & refreshing encounter. I forgot when was the last time I invited some of the youths to stay over at my place. We watched a bit of football, played Boggle, & then settled down in my room (which amazingly can still host 4 people!!). Very intentionally, I kicked off the conversation, trying to make the most of the night. But I found out that they were much more eager to use that time to be involved in a meaningful conversation. And boy, I really admire the openness, transparency, & honesty of those young men. I've never been as opened as they were with my youth leader or in a group. And I don't think it's because I've presented myself as an approachable guy (I try to though). I believe it's a work that God is doing in our young people in FCC. Among many things, we talked about girls, salvation for friends, disappointments, frustrations, hope, heaven, death, dreams & ambitions...

Oh, last Friday's cell meeting was quite cool as well. We celebrated April birthdays with Anna, Chi Wing & Michelle (who wasn't there). Everyone had to think of a question to ask both Anna & Chi Wing, & boy the questions were really interesting & smart. In that time of Q&A, we've really got to know the birthday boy & girl in greater measure - and I felt that it was a really beautiful time.

I really treasure that few hours we connected on a deeper level. I believe God showed us a glimpse of true communion in the fellowship of the body of Christ. & I love this community God has created me in.

How was worship?!

"How was worship today?"

Worship is not meant for us. It's meant for God. Hello?? Wake up!! It doesn't matter what we think of the musicians & singers' performance or skill; what matters is that we worship God in spirit & in truth. If you're talking about the music or the songleader's leading, be more specific. Be careful that you don't limit WORSHIP to music & song.

In spirit & in truth - that means worship is not the singing session of Sunday service, nor is it the slow songs. It's pouring devotion unto God, in all areas of our lives - work, serving, giving, playing, etc.

Rooftop BBQ: YATTA!!

Thank you everyone for coming to our first ever ROOFTOP BBQ!! Your presence has enliven the atmosphere & I'm looking forward to more good times with all 53 of you!! And in case you're wondering - YES, the fireworks was most certainly part of our plan (not)!!

Now imagine all 54 of us coming together every week...

Rooftop BBQ

This is history in the making. You won't want to miss it.

Thursday: New Drum Set

15 years and more, our church drum set has surpassed the services of Andy & Gabriel. On Thursday, Caleb, our current drummer, was taken out for a real treat - to buy a brand new drumset.

I think the new drum set would set off a big buzz in our church, even though this is only 1 step out of a series of events that is & will be taking place. The new drum set would be the most shiny piece of equipment up on stage, which now has a new arrangement to create the optimum sound. And these are only the things that people see when they step into the church. There are still many more movements in the backgrounds.

Personally it's helping me to take myself more seriously: the vision I have for the youth, the goals that we set together. I mean, things are being done to ensure that we have the space & capacity to run with these dreams that God has given, so I've got to prepare myself for the marathon ahead. I believe the beginning stages would require a lot of getting-out-of-the-box initiatives, but once we gain momentum, we're really gonna enjoy this run - especially when we run together. And oh, we might get a new drummer too... How about that?

Wednesday: HELP's Food Buster

Rachel and Alexa: Presidents of Food Busters

It's basically a very simple idea: Gather the college's food lovers, form a club that hunts weekly for the best food available in the Klang Valley & beyond.

I think youth ministries should start clubs as such in their neighbourhood. Something as neutral, harmless, fun, interactive as football, food, & music can bridge gaps & break walls. I wonder what would gather the youth of Jalan Ipoh... Hmm, I can't wait to find out.

Church Camp Camera Crew

Another big event has gone by, signifying of yet another set of videos for me to work on. It's going to be challenging, but it's great to know that I had 2 excellent cameraman capturing the moments - Brian & Rachel.

I also want to say a big thank you to all those who helped with the interviews & silly what-nots in between the services: Daniel, Joseph, Jason, May & the rest of the youth who bring so much more onto the screen. Creativity comes so naturally for you guys

Bring It To Them

In the past years, God has allowed me to cross paths with a group of people whom I have developed a burden for. I've got to know each one individually, at different times, and somehow their hearts were open to me. I've been fortunate enough to hear their story & at least attempt to speak life into their circumstances. These people know Jesus & have once upon a time been a part of a local church, but not anymore - a loved one's disapproval, a change of address, a broken heart, misunderstanding towards God & the church... You might have heard of one of those stories before.

I've shared this burden with my lovely cell group time & time again. I told them that if God wills it, I want to start a cell group with this group of people. But I'm constantly reminding myself that the main motivation must not be that they return to the church, but that I, a living stone of the local church, represent God & His body to reach out to them - to love them, to invest into their lives, to restore their relationship with God, to bring them the hope of the knowledge of an ever-loving, ever-forgiving Father.

Truthfully, I have no clue how to do this. It feels as if I'm starting a NEW CHURCH. I don't know if I have the courage of the earlier generation (in Malaysia) - they put everything on the line, & started with a weekly attendance of 1, 2, 3, under a mango tree.

Pray for me. Pray also for the people God has placed in my heart. Thank you.

Home

So many things left unblogged, but right now I'm just looking forward to participating in music practice, youth service, & the PK Gathering tonight...

I'M HOME!!

Thank you, Philippines!! It was a blast.

more pictures to come.... =)

Recap: Youth Service Number 8

Diligence...

Passion...

Focus...

A smile on our faces...

And we'll be ready to go - UPWARDS

FLY

See you for number 9.

Recap: Youth Service Number 7

I sensed something different about youth service right from the prayer meeting onwards. Something good was going on. And it was only going to get better.

I've said it before. The growth and progress of TOUCH is very much dependant on the growth of individuals. And this day everyone chipped in.

Singing led by Ben...

Lemuel used Acts 2:42-47 to interact with us.

The group discussion...

I saw much growth in many people that day. And after the 7th youth service ever, I believe TOUCH is ready for a next step. Something good is going on. And it's going to get better.

Come, fill this place.

Youth Service Number 7

Yes my friends. We are gathering again. One generation, one church, one service, one and a half hours. Oh, and we have prayer meeting at 5pm. Samuel & Daniel will lead us to pray. And for the first time ever, Lemuel Yee will be preaching. He's a BCM student, so you better make sure you bring your bibles to service. =)

If you have never attended our youth services since April, I urge you to come. I assure you that if you open your heart & eyes, God will plant something in you that would help you in your journey. If you need transport to come, please call your cell leader & arrange lah.

Your cell leader will help you solve your problem with much calmness.

So there's no excuse. Stop sitting on your bums and get moving!!

And stop sitting on someone else's bum too

ExG 4

There wasn't as many contributions as we first began this movement of gathering like-minded youths explore their gifts & talents, but it was a great night. The only thing unfortunate about the entire event was that there weren't any still-picture cameraman present that night.

Groundbreaking is how I'll describe the night. We first saw Rabeekah coming out of her shell to be co-MC with Daniel; Deanna & Benjamin, working together for the first time, showcased their violins; the girls (teenagers & 20-somethings) did a hip-hop dance, which was interesting; Joseph & Esther co-wrote & sang a duet, which was totally awesome; Justin & Daniel read their cool poems; and Ken Chung surprised us all with an art piece.

Then there were those of us who decided to stick to what we know - Jean used cartoon characters to present a message; Su Mei, although not present on the night, gave a touching poem as encouragement to all; Rachael helped out with the food (burgers were great!!); and I stuck to do yet another video.

I remember the time when I did the whole spinning thing in church (you'll have to have seen the video to know what I'm talking about), people were looking at me weird & someone even said it was lame. But it turned out pretty nice in the video & people acknowledged that. Goes to show that when you're working based on your vision of a full picture, there's bound to be criticism by those those who have not seen... Press on, persevere, do it - in His time, everything turns out beautiful.

I'm sorry if I've not mentioned your ExG 4 in this post - I only wrote down whatever I can recall from my memory. I'm sure the ExG 4 video I'll come up with will justify all your contributions. I'm so proud of everyone involved. & I'm sure the next one will be even more amazing.

A big shout out must be given to Joseph Teng, the owner of ExG, who absolutely took ownership of the event & led extremely well.

Sold Out (HUGE 2006) Vlogs

Thanks to Google Video Uploader, I could upload my videos with ease, even with lousy connection.

I was given the privilege to do a documentary for Youth Alive Malaysia on HUGE camp 2006. Apart from that, my team and I had to come up with a video, for EVERY SESSION, of highlights of the day, interviews & announcements. Though tiring & stressful (sleeping at 4am, editting videos while everyone was relaxing), it was a lot of fun. Got to know a lot of people that I would otherwise not know if I don't have a video camera, expanded my horizons & enhanced my skills.

The greatest lesson I learn from all of that is that NOTHING BEATS THESE EYES WE HAVE. No matter how high quality your camera is, the best medium of sight is your very own eyes.

SOLD OUT Vlog #1
SOLD OUT Vlog #2
SOLD OUT Vlog #3
SOLD OUT Vlog #4
SOLD OUT Vlog #5

You should be aware that these videos are custom-made for big crowds. So if you're watching alone & ain't laughing out loud, these videos might seem boring to you =)

I must thank Youth Alive Malaysia for providing me with this opportunity. I hope I can return that trust with a very good documentary. Not forgetting Jason, Caleb, & Joseph, who helped out with the videos. It was fun, I hope we can do it again.

Announcing ExG 4

Jezreel's creation of our very own pulpit was timely indeed. I think I represent everyone when I say that it's a very inspiring sight. Sure, it's not the grandest thing ever. But consider what it is made of - bamboo sticks & bounded up together only with string - it's a testimony that with whatever resources we have, we can make beautiful things.

The blueprint...

The end result...

And that will be our testimony of our Creator, who can turn ordinary things into something beautiful, as what He did with us.

Event: Experimental Grounds 4 (video here)
Date: 1 June 2007.
Time: 10pm.
Location: FCC.

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."

"Let all that is within me, bless His holy name."

Why People Leave?

People leave for opportunity to serve elsewhere.

How do you feel when someone leaves your church for another because they are able to serve there - a place where they are needed, a place where they feel appreciated. How does it make you feel?

Let's face it: Most of the time, the church (maybe just my church) over-rely on certain individuals. It's the safe route, a comfortable arrangement. They know the job, and they do a fairly good job on a consistent basis. And unless and until someone bursts out in tears & begin to prophesy, you won't be seeing a new person in charge of a prayer meeting session anytime soon. We need people to stand out, perform someone amazing or heroic before we take notice of them. And most people don't stand out.

Maybe that is why we find that a great percentage of individuals in church don't serve in any ministry whatsoever - we don't take time to know a person, to find that gem, to spot the potential in the people that faithfully come every Sunday. Sure, the problem is partly due to people not knowing their gifts, people not knowing how to ask, how to offer to help... People perish due to lack of knowledge, so it is the responsibility of teachers, pastors, and leaders to EDUCATE - we need to educate the church about knowing their role in the body of Christ. Then we need to teach & emphasize that no ministry is greater than another.

Expressed appreciation is another element that is missing in many Christians' lives. Those who serve are already feeling under-appreciated, under-valued, underminded - what about those who don't serve anyhow? You see them every Sunday sitting at that familiar spot without fail. What does it take for them to be appreciated around here? Can't people be loved, cherished, and valued for just being themselves? It's not entirely right, but isn't one of the greatest motivating factors to serve in church is because people want to be appreciated?