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Enjoy... But remember
"Don't give in to winning the argument
and losing one of your eternal crowns..."
God bless you...
Enjoy... But remember
"Don't give in to winning the argument
and losing one of your eternal crowns..."
God bless you...
hello Wah shing 
My Cell Group Experience (Wahshing)
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Hello Wah Shing, I thank you for sharing and I hope you don't mind if I shared too. I guess I know where you are coming from, having been involved in the FCBC cell group before. I used to ask almost the same kind of questions you are now asking even as I was actively participating in the cell group activities. Indeed there were occasions when I was upset enough with the whole thing that I seriously wondered if I should just leave the church for another. Well, today I am no longer in S'pore, and hence whether to stay or to leave the church is no longer an issue to me.
In any event, I think it is a healthy sign that we are asking questions and evaluating the situation. The fact of the matter is, as SK notes, every church has its shortcomings and every one of them has its own vision and strategy, its unique set of errors and virtues, strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps it will be helpful if you could try to find an appropriate response to what you see around you (assuming you are not praying for another church - and there are certainly many good things about FCBC I can think of), and I don't mean just praying and leaving it to God. What I mean is, you have managed to identify some of the shortcomings of the church and I think this is significant in itself in our Christian walk. The question is, what is one to do in response to the imperfections that he/she sees in the local church (besides praying for God's hand to be in it, of course) ? Is there something to learn from the situation other than the vague general idea that no church is perfect ? For example, there was a time when I invited about half a dozen of my very, very close non-Christian friends to TGIF, believing that they would be blessed, but only to see them treated as nothing but "objects" of our evangelistic efforts (and one of them was a Muslim). Well, I learned not to submit myself completely to every single instruction of my cell leader, and even if he "commanded" me, I would refrain from inviting my non-Christian friends to an event of the church if I think the event would not be appropriate for them. A pretty trivial lesson - but apparently a lesson I didn't even know about. The point is, Wah Shing, I think we should take every opportunity and try learn from our situation. I know cell multiplication can be a pain sometimes, especially if the people closest to you and with whom you are most comfortable have been assigned to a different cell. But I have always thought that splitting up people who are comfortable with one another prevents them from getting so comfortable with each other in the cell that they forgot the mission of the cell, i.e., to reach out to the non-Christians. I don't know if this is done deliberately - I therefore cannot comment. The need to study theology and the Bible in the manner that is often discouraged by LK is another issue that often disturbed me. Every time LK preached about the futility of traditional theological education I wished I could just slid down the pew and hide myself from members of my cell group who sat around me. Why ? I was a full time student at a traditional seminary then. But I have come to realize now that while Bible study or theology is indeed important, LK was probably concerned that church members should not be so involved in the theological discussions and debates that they become distracted from the primary focus of the church - and that is, reaching out to the people outside the church with a very simple message of salvation. I agree with Royston that some churches are "head" churches, others are "hearts", and one needs the other to be complete. I recall LK sharing at the Cell Group conference some years ago, and if I may summarize his concept in my own words: He, as the SP and having been theologically trained, will play the role of "head" in the church, and his deputies lower down in the hierachy will play the role of "heart". And given that LK's sermons were indeed very theological, logical and Christ centered (at any rate, until I left S'pore), I thought that was a rather good marriage of the "head" and "heart" within the church (of course, lately LK hardly preaches and FCBC does have a heavy dose of animistic theology from Wagner, and health and wealth gospel from other preachers). Do let know how you plan to respond in your situation. Regards SL
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Messages
Outline:
insightful by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 20
Hello Royston by SL, 2001, Aug 21
Take your time by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 21
To Royston: by SL, 2001, Aug 22
same old story ? by Wahshing, 2001, Aug 22
Interesting points raised by both of you by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 23
my reply - not much tho' by SL, 2001, Aug 23
one more thing..... by SL, 2001, Aug 23
Politcally correctness vs Biblical/Scriptural correctness by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 24 
prophesy by SL, 2001, Aug 23
remembering the good... by Wahshing, 2001, Aug 23
Was TCS the first to move into community action? by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 24
Foor for Thought.. by Wahshing, 2001, Aug 24
Hi Wah Shing by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 25
Royston: about community services by SL, 2001, Aug 24
Community Work by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 24
Untitled by SL, 2001, Aug 25
Agreed by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 31
Royston, some queries............. by Emmanuel, 2001, Sep 21
Hello Wah Shing by SL, 2001, Aug 24
Bank by Royston Ong, 2001, Aug 24
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