Dear Frank and Lora,
I am glad to hear that Lora can teach in a Biblical Womanhood course, most sisters from Koinonia enjoyed this lesson back in Volgograd. In the previous e-mail, Lora asked, "Speaking of teaching and/or preaching, do you see yourself doing any of it sometime in the future? You really have a teacher’s and preacher’s understanding and passion. Never say never!!"
I am glad to hear that Lora can teach in a Biblical Womanhood course, most sisters from Koinonia enjoyed this lesson back in Volgograd. In the previous e-mail, Lora asked, "Speaking of teaching and/or preaching, do you see yourself doing any of it sometime in the future? You really have a teacher’s and preacher’s understanding and passion. Never say never!!"
I
do not denied that I have the desire in teaching, and hopefully
preaching. I enjoy presenting topics on medical theme since medical
school, and until now I still enjoy teaching in continue medical
education (CME) session in my department. However I haven't involved in
any teaching or preaching ministry in the church, because of a few
reasons:
(1) The prerequisite for serving is to be a
member, and I haven't become the member of the church I am attending, as
I haven't completed the Basic Bible Knowledge (BBK) course—which is a
prerequisite for membership of the church—due to the irregular working
schedule during housemanship. Even so now I am reluctant to complete
that course, especially when the elder sometime will take about KJV and
VPP (https://en.wikipedia.org/
(2)
In the church most teaching in Bible study was done by pastors or
elders. And personally I am not interested in teaching in Sunday school,
because I am not good in dealing with children.
These
reasons sound like excuses, maybe the passion is not really there when
the whole church hold fast to KJV-onlyism. However I am still trying to
immerse myself with more understanding in God and His Word, so that when
the opportunity comes, I will be fully equipped. I still haven't forget
that dream/vision that I had in May 2013, where I heard a voice saying
to me "Preach..."
I started to attend this annual
bible conference by KVBC (Klang Valley Bible Conference) since 2013, and
Joshua was the one who gave the recommendation. After reading D.A.
Carson's books and listened to preaching from Internet, it was really a
wonderful experience to see and hear from his preaching directly face to
face. I wonder how it will be like, when that day comes, when we will
see Jesus face to face.
* * *
Regarding little gift for the baby that maybe is not readily available in Malaysia, Lora you have made a very good observation, because there is a joke "God created heaven and earth and every living thing, and everything else was Made in China." Personally I will give a few suggestions:
(1) Baby clothing or stuffs with Bible verses
on them. I didn't active go and find out whether this kind of things is
available in Malaysia or not.
(2) I remember when Joel's
child was born and he requested for a baby dedication in the church,
Frank gave something in an envelope for the child to read when he is old
enough. So maybe you can write something, either a letter, or in a
special way, (eg. like the message you sticked behind the photo and gave
it to me when I graduated), so that when little Joseph grows up he can
read it. I am sure that this kind of gift will be precious as it will be
the one and only kind without the "Made in China" label on it.
* * *
I
have been reading this book The Case for Faith: A Journalist
Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity by Lee Strobel.
After finished reading this book, I can say overall the book is very
well written. The content of the book is structured in such as way as
below:
- Introduction: "The Challenge of Faith" with Charles Templeton
- Objection #1 "Since Evil and Suffering Exist, a Loving God Cannot" with Peter Kreeft, PhD
- Objection #2 "Since Miracles Contradict Science, They Cannot Be True" with William Lane Craig, PhD
- Objection #3 "Evolution Explains Life, So God Isn't Needed" with Walter L. Bradley, PhD
- Objection #4 "God Isn't Worthy of Worship If He Kills Innocent Children" with Norman L. Geisler, PhD
- Objection #5 "It's Offensive to Claim Jesus Is the Only Way to God" with Ravi Zacharias, D.D., LL.D.
- Objection #6 "A Loving God Would Never Torture People in Hell" with J.P. Moreland, PhD
- Objection #7 "Church History Is Littered with Oppression and Violence" with John D. Woodbridge, PhD
- Objection #8 "I Still Have Doubts, So I Can't Be a Christian" with Lynn Anderson, D.Min.
- Conclusion: The Power of Faith.
I
am not very persuaded with objection #4 and #6, regarding killing of
childrens (when Geisler mentioned about age of accountability) and
regarding hell (I am not clear with Moreland's view on hell). Maybe I
need to read this two chapters again. Otherwise the introduction,
objection #1, #5, #8 are really very well written, recommended for those
in doubt and also those mature in faith.
When
I just finished reading objection #8, I recalled a junior of mine in
Volgograd, who is a very strong and firm in atheism. He knows the
arguments and debates well. He can put up with all the intellectual
objection very well, he knows Ravi Zacharias, he knows the "liar,
lunatic or Lord" by C.S. Lewis. Yet Anderson in the interview put up a
very good question: "...people have a psychological need to believe—just
as some people have psychological need not to believe. I said to
her, 'What's the reason you don't want to believe? Is it because you
don't want the responsibility faith brings with it? Is it because of
despair over your own incorrigibility? Or is it because you don't want
to give up parties?' " Of course Anderson did recognized those with
genuine faith but in doubt when he made this statement. I remember my
classmate told me that this junior indeed has a bad memory with some
christians during high school. So it is not that the intellectual
arguments that did not convince him, but something else lurking beneath
those doubts that fueling his unbelief. Without surprise, objection #8
was finished with a conclusion of Mark 9:24 "Lord, I believe; help my
unbelief." Indeed this should be our attitude when we are in doubt.
Finally
the book concludes with the fact that Strobel was mailing the
manuscript of all his interviews to Charles Templeton. "How, I wondered,
would Templeton have reacted to my interviews with these eight expects?
Would he have been receptive to their evidence and argument? Or would
the inexorable advance of Alzheimer's have already robbed him of the
capacity to rethink spiritual issues anew?"
They said "do not judge a book by its cover" (this is the reason why I didn't read them when I saw them lying around in Koinoia, I judged them by the cover). This describes this book very well. This book is not just arguments about "The Big Eight" obstacles to christian faith. It is a story—to be more accurate, an account—of a journey of a journalist, embarked from an interview with preacher-turned-skeptic, and this journalist wanted to retell this person about his journey.
They said "do not judge a book by its cover" (this is the reason why I didn't read them when I saw them lying around in Koinoia, I judged them by the cover). This describes this book very well. This book is not just arguments about "The Big Eight" obstacles to christian faith. It is a story—to be more accurate, an account—of a journey of a journalist, embarked from an interview with preacher-turned-skeptic, and this journalist wanted to retell this person about his journey.
* * *
I
will be going back to KL again tomorrow (August 16, 2016) to attend
this conference, "50th Malaysia-Singapore Congress of Medicine & 3rd
AMM-AMS-HKAM Tripartite Congress incorporating the 1st Emergency
Medicine Annual Scientific (EMAS) Meeting" (http://50anniversaryamm2016.
I might write more after my trip to back to KL.
I might write more after my trip to back to KL.
In Christ, Kevin.
