Friday, January 30, 2004

Marge, just about everything's a sin. [holds up a Bible] Y'ever sat down and read this thing? Technically we're not supposed to go to the bathroom.

- Reverend Lovejoy, The Simpsons

I have to change one of my books. I listed soulTsunami by Sweet as one of my 10 books... but I went to the Mitchell's winter sale and found another postmodern book that I just had to grab. The new book is entitled Adventures in missing the point by Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo. Basically, the two authors have come together to write a collection of essays about three main themes: God, World, and Soul. Topics discussed range from salvation, theology to leadership, environmentalism - and ultimately rounding off the book is a look at truth, doubt, being postmodern, etc. The reason why I found this book to be unique is because both authors have fairly different viewpoints about these issues. Although they both agree that perhaps christians in general have 'missed the point' about these issues, both Tony and Brian do not necessarily agree on all issues. The basic layout would consist of a chapter per issue - with either writer expressing what he views the general christian world has come to believe as truth and perhaps have missed the point about certain beliefs. Every chapter will follow by a brief interjection by the other author as he will present a case for or against the issue at hand. Here's a section from the chapter about the Bible I love the Bible, and I want those I serve to learn to love the Bible, too. But sometimes I feel like a guy trying to hook up a budyy with a girl I know - you know, do a little matchmaking - but the introduction isn't going so well. It's not because the two are incompatible, but how I set them up. I told my buddy that this girl was gorgeous, brilliant, outgoing, warm, accepting, personable, charming. "Perfect for you," I gushed. Then they met. It's not that I stretched the truth about the girl - she's everything I said - but the truth is, she can be a bit shy at times. She doesn't just go around spilling her heart out to everyone. You have to know the right kinds of questions to ask her; until then, sometimes she can seem a little aloof. And although she is beautiful by anyone's standards, she dresses a little oddly by American standards, being from a Middle Eastern country and all. And I never mentioned her accent, and my buddy found her hard to understand, which made their date awkward and uncomfortable. I think they still have a chance, but next time I matchmake, I need to be more realistic. That's how it is introducing the Bible in these strange and changing times. As we move from a world of high modernity to a transitional world, half in and half out of modernity and half into a new postmodern world that nobody quite knows how to describe - well, let's just say that introducing the Bible can be rocky. Here is what I believe to be at the root of this rocky relationship between us and the Bible. WHAT THE BIBLE REALLY IS The Bible is an inspired gift from God - a unique collection of literary artifacts that together support the telling of an amazing and essential story. The artifacts include poetry, letters, short hitories, and other genres that we don't have labels for. Even a familiar category like history needs to be used carefully, because we must avoid imposing modern biases and tastes on these ancient documents: they need to be taken and appreciated on their own terms. The stories these artifacts support cover the amazing career of the descendents of a Middle Eastern nomad named Abraham. It traces their beginnings, growtn, settlement, and resettlement through various social structures and economies, through many political arrangements, through good times and bad. This collection is uniquely profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training, and equipping people so they can do good works for God. I'll try to post the rest of this chapter another day. In the meantime, I'm reading another book - Singles at the Crossroads. I don't think I'll be posting a review of this book anytime soon. But if you really know me - you would know that I always love to talk about these issues, so come find me and we'll talk =P. Tune in again for batman comics reviews.


Yu-Ling posted at 1/30/2004 04:28:00 PM

Thursday, January 22, 2004

To read makes our speaking English good.

- Xander, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Those who know me fairly well will understand how I can relate to this quote - especially when it's after 1-2 am and I revert to my Ghetto-Scarlem vernacular. Seriously, it's weird how all the dirty accents start sneaking into the way you talk. =P So the word is out: the 10 book challenge is back! Because I'm in school, I think I might be overestimating my free time a little bit. However, I think I can manage to accomplish this task if I read 'smaller' books that will directly help me with my current circumstances. The following are a list of books that I will (hopefully... definitely) read by END OF APRIL. These are not listed by order (since I usually read multiple books at the same time). Transforming Bible Study by Bob Grahmann I have been downloading tons of BS material off intervarsity's website for the last few years. They have so many articles that have direct application involving the design/planning/implementation process of bible studies. Amazingly, when I looked more closely - most articles are written by one guy: Bob Grahmann. Now, Bob has gathered all his articles and additional material and put them into one book. It's a great read - awesome application - and better yet, we've already begun to act upon his suggestions in our CCF Bible Studies. I finished reading this book so 9 more! How to read the bible for all its worth by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart This is the book that most people will suggest as a introduction to biblical interpretation. It is by no means an exhaustive look at interpretation, but it's a great read and can help people apply the teachings of rudimentary good interpretation. New Testament Exegesis by Gordon Fee So we've come to this... looking at hermeneutics at KWCAC sunday school. It's awesome that we have a chance to do this and I'm glad so many people are coming out to sunday school. PT is using this book as the main teaching tool so hopefully I can step through the book while going through his crash course on exegesis. Singles at the Crossroads by Albert Hsu One of the books that I purchased at Urbana. It has an interesting premiss: that the majority view about 'the gift of singleness' is incorrect. He attempts to debunk this myth, and will work through issues of discerning God's will as a single. Also, there are application sections that addresses why searching for 'the right one' may be misguided; grappling with loneliness, community, dating, sex; and even includes an interview with John Stott. Again, if you know me - I always find relational issues quite fascinating. Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas I'm in the third chapter of this book and I love it. I'll just quote from the back cover. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's spiritual walk" - after all, it's his not yours. Better to discover the path God designed you to take - a path marked by growth and fulfillment, based on your unique temperament. Thomas strips away the frustration of a one-size-fits-all spirituality and guides you toward a path of worship that frees you to be you. If your devotional times have hit a snag, perhaps it is because you're trying to follow someone else's path. This book unfolds nine distinct spiritual temperaments - their traits, strengths, and pitfalls. In one or more, you will see yourself and the ways you most naturally express your relationship with Jesus Christ. Whatever temperament or blend of temperaments best describes you, rest assured it's not by accident. It's by the design of a Creator who knew what he was doing when he made you according to his own unique specifications. Beyond Belief to Convictions by Josh McDowell Again - an interesting book with an interesting premiss. Josh suggests that 'kids' nowadays succumb to cultural pressures, have distorted beliefs - and this danger is evident even in our christian kids. He offers the tools to correct our young people's distorted beliefs and lead them to deepened convictions about God and his Word. He bases this method on his classic 'relational apologetic' - which will hopefully encourage the youth to have rock-solid reasons to believe and a biblical blueprint for living out those beliefs in relationship with others. Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend I always wanted to read this book ? especially since it has always been a struggle of mind to discern the boundaries in my relationships with God and other people. Here?s the back cover: Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. Boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us, how, and when. Mental boundaries give us freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions. Emotional boundaries help us deal with our own emotions and disengage us from the harmful, manipulative emotions of others. Spiritual boundaries help us distinguish God?s will from our own and give us renewed awe for our Creator. Walking the small group tightrope by Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson I think I?m getting better a managing small groups? and a little better and managing small group leaders. Now this book will help me address the element of balance as a group leader. I need to address both truth and life; kindness and confrontation; care and discipleship; task and people; friendship and accountability; openness and intimacy. It?s amazing how much you can improve your efforts as long as you can articulate the difficulties. Evangelism outside the box by Rick Richardson This term, I want to be intentional about my personal role in evangelism. Yet, I always believed that old way of providing a logical discourse about the resurrection of Jesus Christ will not work in this day and age. Maybe that?s why I resort to just being the ?friend of sinners?. Man, am I conceited. Now that I have gotten off my high horse, I?m willing to be intentional in reaching my friends ? but it does require new ways of telling people the wonderful old story. Hopefully this book may help with that. soulTsunami by Leonard Sweet I mentioned in a previous blog that I?m very much a postmodernist. Even unintentionally, I think my theology very much leans in that direction. Although there are both good and bad traits in this postmodern mentality ? I believe that I can meet more people through this line of thinking (c?mon, the western culture is pretty much here already) and by the grace of God, show them a wonderful new life through Christ. I love Brian McLaren (a postmodern Christian writer/pastor) and I have only begun to look at Leonard Sweet ? another big postmodern writer. Perhaps by reading this book, I can be as shrewd as serpents in order to help people understand this wonderful gift in Christ. So those are my 10 books ? not very hardcore but enough to help me through the term. Along with these books, I am trying to be disciplined at reading/studying the Word daily and going through my Experiencing God workbook. It isn?t too bad, there?s definitely enough time to do all of this. Just make sure you challenge me to retain everything that I learned? that?s something else I have to work on. Oh well ? the challenge has begun. =) Tune in again for more quotes from the wall at Kershaw 45.


Yu-Ling posted at 1/22/2004 05:23:00 PM

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

- Buddha

[Disclaimer] This blog is full of random-non-sequential thoughts. Finally after two weeks - I have internet in Waterloo. Thankfully, the last few weeks without net have been fairly productive. I've managed to get on top of most things - and I realize that I can live my life by just keeping ahead of the game. I think most of us are like that - just wanted to keep a little ahead of life in order to enjoy the little benefits that we may have. I can visualize my 23 years of living as a repetitive cycle of living then burnout then catch-up. I do all this for another 50-60 years and I can then claim that I lived a fulfilling life... because I have stayed ahead of the game. For better or worse, I am a conceptual-postmodern-pessimist. I have been trained to think linearly, brought up in a conservative tradition, and taught to desire the optimistic things in life. I find it bizarre when people are just stuck to a certain paradigm - whether in their thinking, their sayings, or even their living. I find it amazing that tradition of family, society, and philosophy can often impede the average day's work. I find myself always wanting to be the optimist (and sometimes I achieve said state of mind) but I usually wander towards the 'worst-case scenario' viewpoint. When I can clearly articulate my identity, my goals, the 5 W's and the H in my reasoning - I think I'm on the road to developing a wonderful new habit. Hearing good news about friends is always wonderful - Ken&Ann: God Bless Have to work on public speaking - it takes up SO MUCH energy :P Started the Experiencing God cell group last week. Started doing the course material yesterday. I always thought I was more carefree than the average person - guess that personal viewpoint changed when I prayed and meditated on the life lesson of the day: Jesus is my way. I don't need a complete road map to stay in the center of God's will. Who would've thunk it? I'm really an emotional worrier at heart. At least I can articulate these inner problems now. I can even come up with some decent self-psychoanalysis. I pray that I can have the faith like Abraham and follow by faith and not by sight. This will be a daily prayer: that I may draw closer to Him day by day. Tune in again for more life stories from days gone by.


Yu-Ling posted at 1/21/2004 06:02:00 PM

Wednesday, January 07, 2004

Some men see things as they are and ask why? I dream of things that never were and ask, why not?

- Robert F. Kennedy

It’s great to be back in Waterloo. I had a nice, long Christmas break due to exams finishing early this term. Back in Toronto, my time was spent meeting with people, reading, and generally resting. It was wonderful seeing old friends from high school (albeit, only for a few hours on Christmas eve’s eve), and even catching up with the same old people back from Australia and Japan was great. It’s interesting to see how some things may never change (like your friendships), yet some things continue to change (like your character or your values). Between the days of December 26 – January 1, I was blessed to able to attend a missions conference called Urbana. This conference has been instrumental in the lives of many people – helping them connect with various agencies across the world, leading people to choosing their next step in life, but ultimately in helping every student serve the world and serve the Lord. I entered the conference with a selfish reason – I wanted God to divinely intervene and tell me where and how I may serve Him in the near future. Since graduation is looming over my shoulder, I was very adamant in receiving an answer of some sort. Over the last year and a half, I streamlined the possibilities of my future (vocationally) down to four different paths. Either I a) work in the financial/business world b) work abroad for several years c) go back to school, studying something I actually enjoy d) serve in some form of ministry I guess I was really banking on God to use Urbana to reveal whether option d) would be a realistic choice in my immediate future. Long story short (ask me to tell you the long version in person), I have weighed the options; I have looked at my passions; I have discovered what gives me real joy; I have articulated my true fears; I have discerned a lot about myself; I have recognized a little more about God’s works in my life – and ultimately, I will actively pursue vocational work in student ministry for the near future. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

- 2 Chronicles 15:2

It’s been an awesome journey so far, let’s see where the next few years will lead me. Playing hide and seek with God can be one of the most frustrating experiences – but when you find Him – it brings reason to your entire being. Tune in again for more live antics with ‘em Texans.


Yu-Ling posted at 1/07/2004 07:19:00 PM