Friday, October 30, 2009

Nerf Thy Neighbour As Yourself!

Oh, just to add: I'll be having a nerfwar with Matthew and Jeremy tomorrow at Matthew's place. Matthew's one of the P6 boys in my CG. Weizhu's coming along, and Matthew's dad too. Hope more bros can join us!

But that's not the only thing I want to say. I was very heartened by Matthew's parents' generosity. Matthew's dad helped to book a function room for us to play with our Nerf guns... and Matthew's mum, Marianne, will be baking pizzas for us! Wow. Thank God for Matthew's parents.

So yes, WZ and I are excited, because this is more than a fun game. It's an opportunity to do cross-generational ministry. :) LOL. In a way, I guess I feel like we're taking the "non-official" route of attempting a ministry. Not going the "official" way... but of course I've kept Hong Teck, Soo Feng and the parents in the loop for accountability. :)

Personally, I've found that starting up a ministry is something like starting up a new business. :) You start up a ministry, in response to a perceived need, just like how you start up a business in response to a perceived demand. I'm not saying that ministry = business, for ministry isn't really in the sense of making a profit, but rather, meeting a need (correct me if I'm wrong!). But yeah, sometimes when you try to start up a ministry, there are times you'll not succeed for various reasons:

i. the need is not there.
ii. God says, for whatever reasons, "not now", or "not here".
iii. not enough co-workers / lack of knowledge / skills / finances
iv. discouragement / spiritual warfare / etc
v. there is indeed a need, but the size of the need may be too small to be feasible for a ministry at this moment in time...

But yes, just give it a try, if you feel that God is calling you to go out and minister to a particular group of people. Why not? Just pray, ask God for His assurance and guidance, and then go in the strength you have. Is He not sending you?

And I think one of the greatest joys and thrills of serving in ministry is the feeling of God's pleasure, that you are doing what He wants you to do, and really sensing His anointing come upon you powerfully, as you do the things He wants you to do! :D And it's so awesome to behold, because you see yourself doing the very thing you know is impossible for you... this really is seeing the Holy Spirit working in you and through you! Hallelujah! Jesus is real, He is powerful, He is alive and He loves to use el cheapo jars of clay like you and me! :)

This is really ministry, not by human strength or ability, but by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit! It is so thrilling to see the invisible God visibly working before your very eyes, like how the invisible wind make the trees tremble visibly.


Anyway, I just want to take this moment to thank God so much for Hong Teck. Learnt so much from watching his life. He's a really great minister of Christ. And I really appreciate how, when I approached him with my ideas, he encouraged me to go ahead and give it a try, instead of critiquing its feasibility excessively! And that he trusts us with the freedom to try things out... even when we make mistakes along the way. And when we make mistakes, he will quickly step in to correct, gently guide and suggest how we can improve. Hong Teck really sets an example for us when it comes to modelling servant leadership. :) He not only leads people... he helps the people under him discover their God-given strengths and callings... and helps them become leaders too! :) Thank God for you, Hong Teck! Really. =D You really set a great, great example for us all both in doing and in being His. :D

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