Introduction and Biblical Basis.
Expository Preaching  is indispensable to Christianity. Why is it relevant to us today? It is relevant and indispensable for three reasons.

FIRSTLY, God is the supreme communicator. Indeed, he is communication.  This is part of what the doctrine of the Trinity means. Apart from his internal relations within the Godhead, he communicates with Mankind.  And down the ages, he has used men and women to be his messengers.  He did it through the prophets of Israel namely Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Malachi etc.  In the New Testament, He did it through the apostles.  Paul encouraged  his young associate Timothy “to preach the word” (II Timothy 4:2).  Preach means to cry out, herald or exhort.   Preaching should stir a man that he pours out the message with passion and fervour.  A power comes from the word preached that will affect the lives of listeners.

SECONDLY, preaching is Our Lord Jesus’ commandment to us. (Mark 6:6-12).  He sent out the twelve and the seventy to preach.  The Great Commission that our Lord Jesus Christ has given to his disciples is to teach the whole nation to obey God’s command.

THIRDLY, 2 Corinthians 4:4-5. shows that by the inspiration of God’s spirit on preachers, many whom have been blinded by the worldly forces will be able to see the Glory of God through the face of Christ.
 

Definition.
Expository preaching is preaching that derives its content from the Scripture directly, seeking to discover its divinely intended meaning, to observe its effect upon those who first received it, and to apply it to those who seek its guidance in the present.  It consists of deep insight into and understanding of the thoughts of God, powerfully presented in direct personal application to contemporary needs and problems.  It is definitely not a dreary, rambling, shallow verse-by-verse commentary, as many imagine.  Nor is it a dry-as-dust presentation of academic biblical truth, but a vigorous, captivating analysis of reality, flowing from the mind of Christ by means of the Spirit and the preacher into the daily lives and circumstances of twentieth century people. (Ray C. Stedman 1996)
 

Historical Background.
During the early Christian Church, the great reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin exalted the preaching the word of God .  John Calvin, in his Institutes emphasised that the first and major mark of a true church was the faithful preaching of the word.

In the Puritan and Evangelical age of the 16th and 17th century, great men like John Wesley and John Whitfield were certainly powerful preachers.  Their preaching ministry knew no boundaries.  Across the Atlantic ocean from the heart of Britain to America, their zealous, passionate and eloquent preaching held their audience to their seats and their standing postures.  They would beg the listeners to be reconciled with God through the illumination of the authority of Scriptures.  In the 19th century, great legendary preachers like C.H.Spurgeon and D.L.Moody were men of God supremely called by our Lord to preach the word who is metaphored as a two edge sword piercing the hearts of thousands  bringing down their knees in conviction that Jesus is Lord.

In the early twentieth century, the ministry of expository preaching was euphoric with the emergence of expositors like Dr. John Stott , Dr Martin Llyod- Jones and Dr Don Carson.  Their expositions of  the biblical truth has convicted many to study the word of God seriously.
 
 

Nature and Characteristics of Expository Preaching.

FIRSTLY, the essence of exposition is explanation.  The preacher must adequately explain the passage to the congregation so that the explaination leads them to a true and practical application of the passage.

SECOND, an expository message deals with ONE BASIC passage of the scripture.  References to other scriptures that are relevant and supportive of this passage are brought into teaching, but there are subordinate to our main passage.

THIRD, an expository message has HERMENEUTICAL INTERGRITY.  In other words, it reproduces the significant elements of a passage in the same balance, and in the same intention as that of the original author.

FOURTHLY, the expository message must have movement and direction.
 

Finally, an expositor must have  FOUR  OBJECTIVES  in the delivery of the message.

(a) Firstly, accuracy- “Is what I am saying accurate with the scriptures?”.

(b) Secondly, he must wrestle with authenticity - “How does God want to change me personally?”

(c) Thirdly, the good expositors thinks about clarity – “Can a guy come off the street, sits down, and understand most, if not all of what I’m saying?”

(d) Fourthly, the expositor thinks of practicality – Dull expository preaching usually lacks creative application and evokes two complaints.  Some will say “it sounds like the same old thing.” Another complain may be “It’s true enough, but so what? What difference does it make?
 
 
 

CHALLENGES  AND  APPLICATIONS :
1.  Consider the following shortlist of important “Expository” characteristics / principles  :

 Accurate explanation
 Movement and direction
 How does God want to change me personally ?

Comments :  Some small groups major only in Biblical ‘exegesis’ (commentary); some major only in accurate explanations of the Bible.
Does your group spend as much time considering / discussing / sharing how God wants to change each individual personally, as in presenting an accurate explanation  ?
Or would such personal applications be considered ‘personal’ and left to be considered at home at everyone’s convenience ?

3.  PERSONAL  APPLICATION :  Who can / should do “Expository Preaching” ?

Are they restricted to Priests ?  Pastors ?  Gifted Bible Study Leaders ?
Do you think it is possible for an ordinary Christian who has heard an ‘expositoried’ preaching  to cry out to, herald or exhort  others (definition of preaching from 2nd para) in response to what he/ she heard ?

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5th April 1998
"CHRISTIANITY  VS  FUNG  SHUI (GEOMANCY) "
Bishop  Yong Chen  Fah

INTRODUCTION
The Chinese culture is 5000 years old.  It is an intricately mixed system of culture, philosophies, religion, etc.  It will be sad and unfair if we generalise and say that it is entirely unBiblical and throw everything away.  We need to evaluate our culture case by case, adapt and use what we can and reject those which are unBiblical.

We have to be reminded that we are often prejudiced by our educational upbringing.  Those of us from brought up from Chinese schools are often very pro-Chinese culture and on average anti-western (including Christianity which is viewed as western religion).  Those of us from western-style schools would on the other hand be likely to easily dismiss anything mystical or superstitious elements very often found in cultural stuff but more likely to accept western ideas.

In evaluating fung shui, let us treat our culture with respect and yet be Biblical.
 

WHAT  IS  FUNG  SHUI ?

Fung = wind / Shui = water

The Chinese look upon nature not as a dead inanimate fabric but as a living breathing organism.  They see a golden chain of spiritual life running every form of existence and binding together, as in one living body, everything that subsists on heaven or on earth below ... the whole system of 'fung shui' is based upon this emotional concept of nature.

Fung Shui is based upon the ancient classics but it was formulated and systematized by Wang Chi and other Sung Dynasty scholars (1126-1278 AD).  According to these scholars, there was believed to be one abstract principle in the beginning which was the first cause of all existence.  When it first moved, its breath produced the great male principle (yang) and when it rested it produced the female principle (yin).  The energy vitalizing these two principles is ch'i.  in simple terms, fung shui speaks of "yang dwelling fung shui" and "yin dwelling fung shui".
 

THE  YANG  DWELLING  FUNG  SHUI
According to living people's dwelling fung shui, it is the location that affects people.  According to Chung Yuen Scholar's writing, "Fung Shui and Location",
 

"the best location shall breed great heroes"
 

The Yang dwelling fung shui deals with the following aspects :

• inside arrangements of building, eg doors, rooms, kitchens, etc
• outside arrangements of building, eg surrounding scenery with mountains, water and wind
• house dweller's life, ie those who dwell in the house, their birth date and time must be in harmony with the inward and outward arrangements of the house.
• dwelling place's luck
• selecting lucky day and time for doing various significant things, eg house renovation, house warming, opening ceremonies, marriages, etc.

"The home of the righteous shall stand" (Proverbs 12:7).

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  Then you will make your way prosperous and have good success."  (Joshua 1:8, 9)
 

If one wishes to select or buy a house, there are some logical and scientific physical principles which we can use and apply (which is only faintly connected to fung shui philosophy), ie

• adequate sunlight
• good ventilation
• convenient traffic flow
• quiet surrounding
• solid house / building
• good drainage
• good neighbourhood

It is to offset the long-term effects of bad fung shui that good grave sites are chosen.  Of course, it takes an expert to pick the site and even to pick the day on which excavation can begin.  To disturb the earth in any way, either by building on it or by digging into it is to run serious risk of being affected by bad fung shui.  The task of the fung shui expert is to ensure that such action does not bring about misfortune.

Why cant Christians believe in yin dwelling fung shui ?

1.  Different people / tribes bury their deads differently.  However we bury our deads cannot influence the eternal fate of our ancestors or descendants.
2. The dead lose their consciousness and their spirit or souls do not live in the grave.  They either go to hell or to paradise.
3. If yin dwelling fung shui is true or scientific, then why are not the descendants of the teachers of fung shui become emperors, or presidents or ministers of the countries ?

BHAT GWA  OR  REFLECTING  MIRRORS
The many theories of fung shui are not necessarily understood by most people.  The general use of Bhat Gwa mirrors all over Hong Kong and South East Asi is a good example of this.  These little hexagonal mirrors can be seen everywhere: in windows, opposite doors, in shops, temples and scattered somewhat randomly around most homes.  These mirrors are supposed to reflect bad fung shui back to where it came from.

One well-known example of the use of such mirrors is to be found as the result of the purported bad fung shui of the American Consulate in Hong Kong.  For the last few years, since the major terrorist scares in the world, the building has had special mirror glass in its windows.  The reflections cast back by these windows face directly into the Hong Kong Government's legal department and all the way along the legal department windows these Bhat Gwa mirrors can be seen, directing the bad fung shui reflection from the consulate.  This is a result of the arbitrary decision of clerks in the legal department.

As Christians, we should not be unduly worried by how to 'reflect' back or be protected from bad luck or bad fung shui, for the Bible says :

"If you make the Most High your dwelling, then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come hear your tent (house). For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."  Psalms 91: 9-11

"Because he loves Me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name ... With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation."  Psalms 91: 14, 16

"But he who listens to Me shall live securely, and shall be at ease from the dread of evil"  Proverbs 1:33

 

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ... and the Spirit of God (Ruwach / Wind) was hovering over the waters."  Genesis 1:1

Bishop Chen Fah has great passion for his Chinese background in relation to the Christian faith which he believes in.  In 1980, he undertook a Refresher course in Ridley Hall, Cambridge University to study St John's Gospel in relation to Chinese philosophical thinking.  In 1992, he did a research paper on Christian spirituality and Confucianism at Tyndall House in England.  His vast research and association with the Chinese culture qualifies him to address the issue of Feng Shui in the Christian context.

 
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