Epistle to Hamers (2)

Dear Frank,
 
How are you and Lora? I am fine here. I just did my medical checkup which was required by government. I just finished the noun system for Greek. I am still not sure whether to continue with the verb system, or should stop for a while and resume my revision on medical stuff (it is quite hard for me to do multiple things at the same time). I also take a break from Martyn Lloyd-Jones commentary on Romans 1 (since I can't borrow that book from the library for a long time), and start reading There God Who Is There by Carson (as a "follow-up" study after the conference).
 
I went to the "Evangelistic Preaching" seminar and the "The God Who Is There" conference which were delivered by D.A. Carson. What I can say is that both are very rewarding. However it is sad to know that the organizer KVBC will be selling what they recorded in CD and DVD format without uploading them on the website. Since Joshua and Jean asked me to share we them what I have learned, I outlined the content of the seminar and I sent a copy to you too (see the attachment). I always though that expository preaching or exegesis is something like a "verbal commentary" that digs out the meaning of each word, but I am in a huge mistake. There is more in it. I guess this is the difference between sermon and sharing, preaching and testimony.
   

One lesson that I learned is that sometime I have asked questions out of a wrong motive (and I did it many times during my studies in medical school). Instead of genuinely want to learn or know something, many times I actually "ask questions just to score points or show off". Questions should be asked in the right setting.

 

I met with some unexpected people. First I met with a friend, Johanan, who studied dentistry in Volgograd and used to be in the Jesus Embassy Fellowship. Glad to meet him there.

But the more unexpected person is a sister (her name is Chiew) who used to go to the Bible-Presbyterian (BP) Church that I am attending now, She is serving as a helper in this seminar and conference, and she was quite surprised to see someone coming from Calvary-Jaya Bible-Presbyterian Church while sorting the registration slips.
  

She had attend this BP church for about 10 years, but few years ago she left this church together with a few brothers and sisters (less than 10). They are those who disagree with this KJV-only movement. No wonder everyone else in the church now doesn't seem to have any problem with this KJV-only idea, since those disagree it have left the church (or maybe other people just didn't voice it out?). She said there was a long history about this thing.
  

BP church is a separated entity from the mainstream Presbyterian churches, mainly located in Singapore, Malaysia, and some other countries in South East Asia. According to her, even the BP churches in Singapore was divided into different camps on this KJV-only issue. Sadly the churches in Singapore that support this movement have infiltrated the BP churches in Malaysia. She said "they shove down this idea into their throat forcefully".

One of the oldest elder disagree it, so he silently left the church because he doesn't want to split up the church. Initially everyone else thought that he was on working trip to Singapore. But as time passes, the truth started to surface. Chiew started to search about the history of this thing. Few of them contacted this elder and met him outside the church. Eventually these few brothers and sisters also left this church.
  

Kind of sad to hear about this story. But at the same time I am glad that I am not the only one feel the same way in this church. Chiew also mentioned that she was surprised to see someone from my church coming to this seminar because she knows that BP never support this kind of conference. For the BPs even people like Don Carson is in the liberal camp. No wonder no one in the church mention people like Carson and Piper. Even in the library I can only find the oldest edition of "Desiring God" by Piper and an old edition of "Now that's a Good Question" by R.C. Sproul.

I also understand why there is no announcement about this seminar and conference, even though my church is just across the street of the place having this seminar. I recalled the story that you mentioned to me about Carson (or someone else) came to Ocean City for a conference just across the street, and the people in your church still having meeting and practice at the same time with the conference. I guess I understand this feeling now.
  

Although small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, but if we start to build up unnecessary walls beside our eyes, our vision field is narrowed and we might miss out many blessings, which can be just "across the street".

One thing that make me quite depressed after the seminar and conference. These two months I have been trying to be active in the church, attend the service weekly, go to the bible study on Numbers, attend the Basic Bible Knowledge class (since it is the requirement to be the member of the church). I thought I have been feeding myself with spiritual food. But the fact is, after these seminar and conference, I felt that the food that I ate was very dry and lack of nutrition. Though they try to expound the book of Hebrews weekly, but the preaching doesn't make the text stings and sings, wounds and heals. If not because of the bible study with you, I will not see the flow of the whole book of Hebrews and the point that the author trying to make. Maybe the problem is because sometime other visiting pastor is preaching the text. The evening service, where they preach from Leviticus, is also quite disappointing. Example, the preacher fails to make a strong link between the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 with Christ atoning work. Maybe I demand too much from the preachers?
 
There is a feeling to leave this church (especially after meeting with sister Chiew, even though she have zero intention to ask me to leave), in view of the KJV-only issue which make this church very isolated from other churches, and the preaching. But as far as I know from some of the friends that I met at the seminar, other churches around this area is also didn't have strong preaching.
       

In Christ, Kevin.