Epistle to Hamers (12)

Dear Frank and Lora,

It has been about 1 week in this town called Sibu. Nothing much is going on. Done with the orientation in hospital, going to start working in emergency department this coming week.

Calvin invited me to join a small group on December 4th, Friday evening, consisted of rough 8 people, mainly doctors and some medical-related people. But sadly to say that this small group is under this City Harvest Church in Sibu. City Harvest Church (CHC) is a charismatic church, found by Kong Hee in Singapore. Recently Kong Hee was just sentenced for 8 years together with other five church leaders for abusing church fund for the music career of his wife Sun Ho under the Crossover Project.

Anyway, we did have a good time of fellowship that day. Sharing from each member, food (because we are Malaysians), and summary of previous week sermon from 2 Chronicles 20 (topic: what you should do when you are helpless, something like that). But some of the points in the summary doesn't sound very right, not say heretic, but just doesn't sound right.

For example, 2 Chron. 20:13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.

They said (or their pastor said), "stood there before the LORD means to do your part. We must do our part, then God will do His part."

Although I think what they meant is something like "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil. 2:12-13), or to put in John Piper's wording, "act the miracle", but the wording is very dangerous, as it sounds arminianistic, or if to the extreme, can be stepping on the path of work-based salvation. And in the first place, I don't see that verse in 2 Chron. 20:13 have anything too do will "doing our part".

Another example is when they said, "when you pray, not just simply pray, but pray in the way that you believed God have promised you the blessing." Eg. praying to get a child, praying to pass exam, praying for work.

Again it is not totally wrong, and I think they meant it in such a way as James described in James 1:6 - "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

But this can raised a million of questions. How should we know this is a blessing that promised by God? Is everyone blessed to have a child? Joshua and Jean tried very hard but they still haven't get a child? But Hannah prayed and God gave her Samuel. Is everyone blessed in their vocation? Will everyone passed their examinations? How should we ever know that the blessing that we think is promised by God is actually what God's plan for us? Deut. 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Many of the answers to those question is not made known for us.

Recently I just re-watch the movie "Facing the Giant", the protagonist and his wife have difficulty to conceive, yet the wife says, "Lord even if you didn't give me a child, I will still love you." Isn't that it suppose to be? We pray, and ultimately we surrender unto God.

The dangerous part of what they said is that it can be stepping on the path of prosperity gospel or Word of Faith movements. However the is an important point in what they said. We do have to believe in the promises of God, as written in the Scripture. Eternal life, salvation, "Never will I leave you not forsake you" are real and solid promises that God gave us, and these promises we do have to believe and hold firm unto it.

You might ask why I didn't raised all these question during the meeting. Firstly is time constrain. Second is that I don't want to be appear so hostile during my first appearance in their meeting. Thirdly like I said above, I don't think they what they said are wrong or bad, and actually it is a summary of their pastor's sermon.

They invited me to to their church, but I am really reluctant to attend a charismatic church.

Today is the Lord's Day. Instead of going that City Harvest Church, I went to Calvary Sibu Bible-Presbyterian Church, is sister church of the church that I attend in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. It is a small church, with congregation of approximately 30 members. Only chinese service is available. I am more comfortable with this church, as the is less likely to hear heretic or possible heretic teaching,

Sibu is a chinese-dominant town, hence most churches provide chinese service only, and this imposes a problem for Calvin. He can speak chinese, but not reading or writing chinese. And chinese terminology in Christianity is basically a foreign language for him. Not only in understanding the sermon, but imagine he will have difficulty to sign the songs, public reading of the bible, and some churches sing the Doxology chinese with another lyrics (same meaning but not the version that we sang weekly in Koinonia). So far he is only attending this english small group only, and to put in his own words, he is not "ethusiastic to go to these churches" due to language barrier. I am very sad to hear that. This reminded me the time we were in Russia, where language is a serious problem, and this is also the reason why Koinonia appears. I am still very impressed that Joshua stayed in those Russian churches for 3 years.

Anyway, I managed to ask around my friend, and found out there is church that provides english service, called Wesley Methodist Church. Not sure whether they have sound teaching (the sermons in their YouTube channel are private http://wesleysibu.sarawakmethodist.org/). I mentioned it to Calvin already. Maybe we should find a time and visit it, and hopefully it will rekindle Calvin's enthusiasm.

Still waiting for the renovation of the place that I will rent, hopefully it will done as soon as possible, so that I can move in earlier. Now still living in my aunt's place, like a traveler, as I cannot unpack my stuffs and bought new utensils and other things. Yet this reminds me that we are just travelers or sojourners, passing through this world only, as we have a better home prepared for us in His kingdom (now that is another promise of God that we have believe).

During the mission conference, Joshua reminds me that if I will have the burden or calling for mission (maybe not now), I should live in such a way that prepare me for mission. Live like a traveler, not to accumulate to much unnecessary asset, not to have to much liability like housing loan or car loan, even when looking for spouse, should look for those who has the same vision for God, who willing to follow the calling for mission (if not we will end up like William Carey, who was willing to "attempt great things for God", but his wife Dorothy was unwilling, and end up with mental breakdown.

Some photos I took in Sibu. Still remember those photos taken by Lora with bible verses.

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In Christ, 

Kevin.