Gospel to the Unreached in LCA 5

As I usher in 2015, I am thankful to God for what He has done. Last December was an eventful month. Though the weather was rainy and stormy, I experienced bountiful grace in my area of service to Him!    

My list of acquaintances has increased since my visit to Tampin last March. They are strangers whom I met in public places. They were willing to give me their contact number after short chat with them. Once in a while, I follow them up by calling their house phone or hand phone.

Pang Kim, aged 65, is a small holder in Tampin. He is humble and delighted to receive my personal call to him. He is a Taoist but open to Christianity. All of his children stay in Tampin and take good care of him. He is blessed with a helpful wife and few obedient children. Pray that one day he will receive the greatest blessing – the Salvation!

My mission trips to Gemas has been blessed by the Lord tremendously. During my last visit, I was invited to an official opening of a cafe. It is Nanyang Kopitiam and being the largest cafe in Gemas. This coffee outlet is owned by Mr Yeow Keng Tiam, a successful businessman and community leader there. I was given the honour of presenting few oldies to the guests that night with my accordion. Mr Lu Ting Yu and his coworkers who joined in the official opening were given free supper by Mr Yeow.

As for the ministry in St Chad’s, I was conducting pre-Christmas communion service on December 21. Though the turnout was 10 people due to stormy weather, the service was filled with joy and warmth. Refreshments were served for Christmas celebration and farewell for Mr Chua Swee Aik’s family. Chua family moved to Johor Bahru immediately after the service and gathering that morning.    

Having good time of coffee with Mr Lu Ting Yu and Gemas friends

Gospel to the Unreached in LCA 4

Thanks be to God! After serving in southern region of Negeri Sembilan for few months, I experienced His gracious hand in reaching out to the local community.

I was blessed by Christ Church Melaka by her offering items given by parishioners during Harvest Thanksgiving service. All these gifts of love came at the right time. I distributed all to four needy families in the district of Tampin. All of them were overjoyed to meet us and touched by the love of God!     

Through the ministry of serving the needy, I could sense God is pulling down the wall of rejection in people’s heart. Of all families I visited, I discovered one Chinese family which needs my further care and concern. This family of 6 members stays in Hutan Percha about 18km from Tampin town. Mr Heng Chong Ming is the sole breadwinner. He takes cares of a sick mother and family members who depend on his unstable income.  

Besides Tampin, I made frequent visits to Gemas. The residents there are friendlier and received us with open arms. They began to address me “Pastor Gan”, a gesture of acceptance into their community. During my visits there, main focus is on Mr Loo Ting Yu, the renowned Chinese education defender, encouraging him to grow deeper in Christian faith. He told me he read a few Chinese bibles and one of which was presented by Mr Huang Lung Yue (黄润岳), one of the Chinese Education Movement activists.

                       

As regard to the ministry in St Chad’s of Kampong Geddes, one family of the church is going to move out the end of December. Church members and I will miss Chua’s family very much. Since I was pastoring there about 10 years ago, this family was helpful in my ministry there. As Mr Chua was getting old and sick, his children who work in Singapore invited him and wife to stay in a new house they purchased in Bandar Jaya Putra.

Their new home was prayed and blessed by me on November 24. House blessing, Bible study and prayer meeting were conducted to inaugurate their new mileage in family life. May God keep them safely in His gracious hand! They may continue to walk with Him and remain strong in Christian faith.

Gospel to the Unreached in LCA 3

Time really flies… without my realization, I have been serving in LCA for more than 8 months. Thanks for the prayers of Diocesan Bishop and the support I have from Christ Church Melaka especially Bishop Jason and Rev Jun Jer. Through their blessings and spiritual coverings, God sustained me in the progress of my ministry in LCA.

Apostle Paul says, for I am not ashamed of this Good news about Christ, it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). This proclamation has been my encouragement and motivation force for outreach work. I believe this powerful Gospel would be spread far and wide. However, preliminary work needs to be done.

As God sees relationship as His top priority, my ministry began with connecting myself to the people in the community. Under God’s guidance, I connected myself to Tampin, Gemencheh and Gemas community in many ways. Social network is one of the means I used to relate myself to the people. I joined the Tampin community through Facebook which provides me a platform to interact with the community.

A joyous moment with Mr Low and his wife at their home.

Besides that, I make effort to visit patients whom I met in General Hospital. This is done with good will, not only I could follow up their conditions but also show concern to them particularly the old and the sick. Under God’s guidance, I visited Mr Low Bock Teck, 65 years old, who is an asthma patient undergoing medical treatment in Tampin General Hospital. From his initial suspicious attitude towards me, now he has changed himself to sharing life experience with me. Praise the Lord!

Pray that I could connect myself to more people in Tampin, through this gesture of love I would connect them to Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, God did His wonderful work in Gemas too. I was given an opportunity to visit Mr Lu Ting Yi.（陆庭谕）. He is respected by Malaysian Chinese for safeguarding Chinese Education in the 60’s. There are three main Defenders or Heroes of Chinese Education, namely Lin Lian Yu（林连玉）, Sheng Mu Yu （沈慕羽）and him. Mr Lu is the only surviving leader and enjoying his green old age at 85.

I visited Mr Lu Ting Yu in Gemas Baru, Johor.

Mr Lu is open to gospel and welcomes my visit. From now on, I would make frequent trips to Gemas. My focus is to strengthen Lu in his faith. I know that if he were to commit to Christ wholeheartedly, his testimony would bring impact to the Chinese community in Malaysia. He is only free and available at night, so pray for my journey mercy when I make night travelling. At present, Lu’s close friends help him to publish his biography and history and do personal recordings before his death. I am invited by them to take part in some of this meaningful ministry.   

Gospel to the Unreached in LCA 2.

Thank God for His guidance and leading in several areas of my ministry. Although I encountered some cold responses from the people whom I met, the Lord encouraged me tremendously through some progress accomplished by Him.

Tampin is an area where God has done wondrous work. I have been praying for this district so that people here would turn their hearts to the living God. Under His guidance, I made visits to patients in Tampin General Hospital with my wife Shally. Many patients there were impressed by our visits. They were happy to engage in conversation with us.  

Through the visits, we came to know the needs of Tampin people. There was a boy just 8 years old, who was ill-treated and abused by his own mother, admitted to hospital while waiting for interrogation by Welfare Department.  He was a smart boy studying in Chinese Primary School. We offered to give him free tuition if his parents allow us to do so. Pray that God will bless his family and give us opportunity to serve the needy.  

Apart from Tampin, God also opened way for me in Gemas and Gemencheh gradually.  I succeeded in meeting up with my ex-colleague, Mr Ng Kim Bong, a retired Nanyang Siang Pau reporter who stayed in Gemas Baru.  He was excited to see me since I left press office for full time ministry 12 years ago. He is open to Christianity and attended church service before. I was welcomed into his home and Ng promised to help me identify the poor and needy residents in Gemas for my ministry there.

In Gemencheh, God led me to come into contact with Mr Fong Yong Wei, a Christian who served as a volunteer in Gospel Hall Jasin. My meeting with him was a joyous and   encouraging occasion. He engaged in the youth ministry through basketball game with the teenagers and youths in Gemencheh. I shared with him my plans of serving the elderly community there to which he agreed to give me a helping hand.

Lastly, the Sunday service in St Chad’s saw the attendance of few new faces. Mostly are elderly Chinese residents who encountered problems in life and came to church to be prayed for. I am thankful to God for enabling me to serve the needy people there. Pray that St Chad’ will be a beacon to Kg Geddes community, more and more people will be attracted to God’s House for eternal Gospel and salvation of their soul.    

Gospel to the Unreached in LCA

Thanks be to God! He is ever merciful and gracious, especially to the people who have not known Him. After few months of my ministry in Tampin, I discovered this superstitious town needs Gospel of Christ. It takes efforts and much work in scattering seeds. The process needs my patience and perseverance.

At present, I focus Tampin Hospital as my main area of ministry. This is the place where people need comfort and encouragement. Most patients approached by me are willing to respond and talk to me. From the conversations I introduced to them my identity and  ministry of Anglican Church. So far, I have gathered their names in my visiting lists.

Recently, social security has not been good. Burglary and break-ins in residential areas were common occurrence nowadays. Last month, three break-ins took place within less than two hours. An old couple was not spared in this incident.  Residents were infuriated and requested the authorities to beef up security measures.

Weeks ago, I visited an old patient at his home in Taman Indah. He was Low Hock Seng. Unfortunately, his house was ransacked by burglar.  He did not report to police for the loss of wallet and hand-phone though saddened by this incident. After in-depth study of Low’s background, I found out he lives from hand to mouth, life is a struggle for him. I committed him to the Lord so that some kind of help may come to him. 

Later, two parishioners were touched by my ministry and they contributed RM150.00 to this old man. I handed over this gift of love on their behalf during my last visit to Low’s family. This is a gesture of Christ love towards the needy and marginalized in Tampin. When I took the first step in to serve the poor and needy there, God’s spirit will move among the unreached. One day people will come to know Him through this ministry.

Not only Tampin is progressing, I also witnessed St Chad’s positive developmet. Its congregation is increasing and friends are coming in to join the service. The Sunday service is conducted trilingually.  Sermon is preached in English and Mandarin by me, and followed by Tamil interpreted by Esther Maniam who is the Lay reader there. Pray that God will bless this church and more souls will be won for His Kingdom.  

St Chad’s kindergarten will undergo transformation next year. Thanks to the efforts made by Ven. Charles Fraser. Under his supervision, Esther has charted out plans to take in Chinese students. Miss Ong who is an experienced teacher has agreed to teach in the Chinese class. She used to teach in a kindergarten in Bahau. For  reason of her health condition, she decided to move back to her home in Kg Geddes. Your prayer is much appreciated for the future development of St Chad’s.

淡邊開展宣教事工

淡邊鎮深具發展潛能。

在永平圣士提反堂事奉近8年後，西马教区拿督黄满兴主教於今年3月份，委派我到森美兰州进行植堂工作，焦点地区是淡边（Tampin）、利民济（Gemencheh）和金马士（Gemas）。据黄主教向我透露，森美兰州南部是教区较少堂会的领域，因此在这些地方开荒拓土，是提升教区（Diocese）为教省（Province）计划的一部分。

我感谢黄主教对我的委派。在开始阶段，我花了一些时间踏足这些地区，实地考察人口结构、地理环境、社会概况和宗教背景等，再呈报告给黄主教参考。迩後，经过一番祷告和思索後，他决定让我投入森南区的宣教工作。虽然一切从零做起，但是有上帝的引导和黄主教的祝福，时候到了必看见祂的荣耀作为。

自从我2005年加入西马教区（Diocese of West Malaysia）以来，心里积压了无可言喻的重荷，把宣教视为教会信徒必须履行的使命。也正因此，当我在永平圣士提反堂牧会的时候，鼓励教会领袖和信徒积极参与宣教工作，强调一切活动都要以此为核心。在基督大使命感召之下，我看到教会信徒在质与量方面，这段时日经历了长足的增长，感谢教会领袖的搭配，荣耀归给上帝！

今次，我从柔佛州调派来森美兰州，事奉环境大为转变。在永平的时候，那里设备完善，并且人才济济，协助我完成宣教活动，全不费吹灰之力。可是，这回我来到森州南部，面对人生地不熟的窘境，需一步一脚印地默默耕耘，的确是一项信心的考验。记得有一回，当我跟一位同工分享宣教历程时，他对我投以诧异目光，似乎暗示我：难为也！

在茫无头绪的日子，上帝让我经历祂奇妙的引领，祂感动淡边中国报记者罗风，在一次面晤的场合中，主动为我写一则新闻，介绍我在森南区的事工计划。除了感谢上帝之外，我也要感激他“拨笔相助”；新闻不只刊登在中国报，同时也出现在星洲日报。

與中國報記者羅風先生（右）茶敘。

时至今日，我深切体会到在崭新禾场展开事工，不再是个人的工作，它关乎到整个社区，也涉及教会的整体见证，以及上帝国度的具体展现。冀望各位教牧同工为我祷告，好让宣教与关怀事工能够造福社区，福音传遍，荣神益人！

范榮真《上帝宣教之民》讀後感

《上帝宣教之民》封面

当我读完范荣真《上帝宣教之民》这本著作，它帮助我对教会宣教观有深一层的认知与理解，不仅激发我在理性层面的思考，也为我提供落实宣教的应用策略，可谓理论和实践两者兼顾，反映出作者的用心和认真态度。虽然我首次翻阅此书，从字里行间可感受到范氏热血沸腾，在书中为读者厘清何谓教会的入世使命，引述圣经中所记载的宣教原则，为现今教会提出一个可行的宣教策略。

作者著述此书时，手头资料异常丰富，以《圣经》原则和例证为主，历代教会史和传统为副，站在“检讨过去，瞻望未来”的岗位上，为地方教会勾勒远大的宣教愿景。范氏的思维既深且广，甚至还说一句令我诧异的话，他扬言“语意学”的研究，在丰富人们对教会本质的理解，其贡献微乎其微。众所周知，语意学在神学研究扮演要角，为神学词语作出鉴定。然而，从范氏的研究经验中，告诉我们语意学在某种情况下，的确有不足之嫌，尤其是定义“教会本质”此词汇。

我个人认为，范氏对其著作的研究进路，并不是我可以采取的，除非我像他做足准备工夫。范氏对圣经原则持坚定立场，是宣教学者必须抓牢的基准，如此才能建构出合乎主道的论据。此外，范氏非在学术象牙塔内做学问，他既有丰富的二十年神学工作，更有置身墨西哥宣教的实战经验，此书非纸上谈兵或天马行空之作，的确是方法论与实践的结晶。葛拉瑟院长评论说，它需仔细阅读，审慎推敲研究，切勿因传统束缚、既定的兴趣、过份谨慎或惰性，而无法掌握宏大主题。

此书不算厚，可是作者功力深厚，论点步步进逼，令读者无法招架。针对教会的本质，范氏见解让我眼前一亮，如今仍在琢磨这句话。根据他的见解，教会本质经常不断地变化、改进、革新和成长，没有任何两天是一样。在我刻板观念中，教会本质和主的道一样，从前一样，现在一样，以后也一样，永不改变！怎能说它变化无止境？别说平信徒难以接受，连我服侍多年的牧者，要消化此话也颇感困难。然而，当我冷静下来作深层思考后，发现作者直指属世教会的本质，非指未来荣耀的天上教会，这两者无论在形体和本质上，根本不能相提并论。

有了这个基本概念，我就明白范氏所说教会本质的有机性，由于教会是一个有机的群体（Organic Body），它好像人体中的细胞一样，每分每秒都在新陈代谢，没有一分钟是一样的，这个说法毫无夸张。问题是，教会本质的变化向着何方？这才是我关心的前提。作者书中厘清，当教会成长时，它是朝向基督前进，惟有祂是万有之君王，也是教会之元首。确然，教会跟世上任何组织不同，它拥有属天的目标和终点，总有一天会脱胎换骨，转化成基督那完美无瑕的样式。

放眼今日教会，在世状况欠奉，大家心照不宣。范氏不讳言，教会非肉眼所见样子，它圣洁但也犯罪，合一但也分裂，普世但也独特……，这一切足让我灰心丧志，垂头丧气，不明白教会为何如此？事实上，圣经早有明言：上帝乐意使用软弱者，为祂成就伟大计划，叫地上有智慧、有权势者见羞愧，彰显出祂的恩典与主权！当然，教会信徒绝不能耽溺于祂恩典中，忽视自己当尽的本分和使命，反而更要战战竞竞跟上帝搭配，经历灵命上的更新与转化，让教会本质可以早日趋向完全。如此一来，我们才可以完成基督大使命，促成上帝的国度降临世上。

有关教会本质系于宣教，范氏论点掷地有声，引发基督教圈子省思；而他对教会服事社区的洞见，令人有语惊四座之叹。他在书中指出，教会藉由它在地上的事工找到自己的本质。这句话含鞭策意味，一般信徒读了会反弹。除了耶稣基督，还有谁可赋予教会当有本质？难道地上事工可定夺教会本质？乍读之下，我还以为作者本末倒置，正如英谚有云：“把马车误置马前”，令人啼笑皆非。当我作深层思考後，发觉基督用“非以役人，乃役于人”原则（可10：45）服侍人群，突显服事社区的赤诚之心，教会若不效法基督服事社区，有一天它不仅找不到本质，甚至还会从社区遗失本质；眼下欧洲和英国有些教会关闭，即是最佳佐证。

最後，我想在此评论范氏某些见解，虽说他不属于任何派别，论述丰富而平衡，惟他提出“一些人会成为先知”这个观点，我对此有所保留。他引述以弗所书第四章，形容先知是建立教会其中一个职份，有关先知的职事全本书只出现一次。按我个人立场，先知职份在当今教会不复存在，因为圣经的启示已经完成。不过，我同意先知性的信息传讲，当传道人站在教会讲台证道时，扮演着历代先知的角色，用上帝的道训诫祂的百姓。作者虽没有清楚交待，他正好扮演先知的重要角色，呼吁上帝的子民回到讨神喜悦的道路，在这世代依靠圣灵大能为主发光，参与教会的宣教和关怀事工，并在周遭的文化环境中活出信仰来。