Charge Up! Conference (CUC)

This is a God appointed training for me.

I knew this conference from 2 MMU students a day before the last day for early-bird registration. I remember I called up Choon Ean (the organizer) at 1130pm that night and ask her about the registration. I remember I drove my car (just got it then) here and there to look for ATM Machine at 4 different places at 12am (because every ATM machine that I went for flashed “Out of Order”). Then suddenly I realized that ATMs stop transaction pass 12, and after I went back worrying myself out, I found out that I can do it via online transfer at the comfort of my own room…)

Finally, I secured a place for myself and what I didn’t know, I also secured a whole bunch of new friends, and an open door to another world I have never knew existed.

Charge Up! Conference (CUC) is a media training conference. It is organized by Live Wire Media Ministry Network. Choon Ean, embracing the passion from God to serve Christians in media ministry as a body of Christ, founded this network and takes the lead in organizing CUC. Attracting 170 candidates from all over Malaysia this time, CUC has become an annual gathering for media talents from different churches, as well as a ‘charge up’ time for them. Having the mission “to link up God’s media talents and resources, to raise up a spirit of kingdom excellence in media, and to lift up the message of Gospel of Christ”, CUC has shown excellence in every aspect, and ‘Excellence for God’s Glory’ was what amazes me and pumped my spirit! (Ok, change back to ‘sharing tone’ instead of ‘reporting tone’)

Among the four tracks that CUC offers (Photography, VFX, Video and Live Sound), I chose Video track. Having serving fulltime in media for close to 3 years, I find myself very detached from the what is happening out there in the media world. This is a great opportunity for me to pick up new things! I certainly enjoyed every lectures, especially the ones on production, editing and production design.

Apart from skill, I am also very encouraged by the messages delivered by Pastor Sivinkit, senior pastor from Bangsar Lutheran Church, as well as the leader for “The Micah Mandate”. He used every possible ways to make the voice of Christians known in our society taking the advantage of the cyber world. He blogs, he tweets, he do successful campaigns, he joins NGOs… and so on! Despite of his busyness, I can see that he remains a simple heart for God – to glorify Him in all that he does. Being the theme talk “Power Up!” session speaker, he brought me to the fundamental calling: live in Christ, live for Christ. Nothing else matters if we never abide in Christ and let Him abide in us. It is not the technology that matters, it’s the story and the message, and they should point to Christ, not self! These are important messages to us involving in the media ministry. I thank God for Pastor Sivin.

The project I did with my team was ‘Hope’, and our hero for our shortfilm is a basketball. A lot of ideas and imagination sprang forth when I write the script, but due to time constrain and technical limitations, we have to drop some ideas and shoot a simpler version. I thank God that we have a mature team. We talked through the different ideas and compliment one another throughout the process. It turned out quite well! Praise the Lord!

The prayer I pray throughout the training was that God will give me the gift of creativity. I long to serve God creatively because His stories deserved to be presented in creative ways. I believe God will give it to me as I continue to work things out relying on His Holy Spirit. I have drawn out several projects for this year: training videos, testimonies and 1 short film. Please pray for me to be able to partnership with others, as well as involving new media talents in the production. Thanks

Choon Ean (Photo Courtesy: Ian Salang)

Pr. Sivinkit (Photo Courtesy: Ian Salang)

Learning production (Photo Courtesy: Melvin Teh)

All of us! (Photo Courtesy: Grace Tan)

The Production of our Group

The basketball was our hero

Shuwan (left) and Ming (right). Gifted people in creative media, former MMU students

fast & prayer retreat

The theme for this year is “Rest in God”. Thanks to the organizing committee, we did have a lot of rest, both spiritually and physically! This is by far the most enjoyable fast and prayer retreat I’ve ever joined since 2007!

We had 2 speakers, one was Pak Karel from Indonesia; another one was God Himself.

I’ve never heard from God so much before, and the amount God speaks can definitely beat the time Pak Karel spoke, and of course, God speaks through Pak Karel too

I enjoyed the every solitude moment spent with my Heavenly Father. I loved the way He speaks: straight to the point, heart piercing, comforting and encouraging. I cried, I laughed, I went into deep thought, I prayed… by the bed, in the bed; by the sea, in the sea. Those were moments where the silence is so loud, and the voice of the Father is so strong.

God brought several issues to light. One of it is the pursuit of holiness. God did a ground breaking work in my life last October after a series of serious prayers and ministry of Words. I finally breathe the free air of living a life that follows the Lord closely with nothing hold me behind, again. But somehow, along the process, I stumbled, and I fell. This discouraged me a lot, and I began to sense that the cause was because I turn my eyes toward myself rather than toward God.

God concerned about this. His conversation to me revolved around this matter.

He brought me to the seaside. While I sat by the sea, enjoying the breeze and feeling the sand with my feet. God asked: “Son, do you see the sky? the sea, and everything before your eyes?”

“Yes, Dad. I see them, they are beautiful!”

“I created them.” God said.

There was silence for a few seconds. I look at the marvelous sight in front of me, everything is perfectly and wonderfully made.

As the waves come, God continued “Son, if I am the creator of Heavens and Earth, do you think it is hard for me to help you in overcoming your failures?”

Now I know why God wanted to put that up. “…No, Dad. Definitely not…” My problem appear extremely small in front of the Almighty God.

God continued: “Son, what does my Word say about you?” The Spirit of the Lord reminded me clearly on Gal2:19-21: “^19bI have been put to death with Christ on his cross, ²⁰so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. ²¹I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!”

“Son, you are no longer the old you. The old you had been crucified with my Son Jesus Christ. Now wake up, and live out the new you, the life I gave you through the resurrection of my son.” God affirmed me.

“Thanks Dad, I needed that.”

Looking at the feet in front of me, I had a thought: I dug a hole at the beach, a hole big enough to bury my feet, and then in my heart I prayed. “Dad, these feet that used to walk in the sinful ways, ways that go against your will, are now buried and died. Thank you for these new feet: the new feet that I have now can walk on the path of righteousness, path that pleases You. Thank you, for what you have done on that cross for me!”

I moved my feet up after I said that prayer. As the feet emerge and sands falling off from my feet, I felt resurrection within my heart! The old has gone, the new has come. It is always comforting and strength-giving to embrace the truth that I am now having a resurrected life, a life that can defeat evil desires and walk on the ways of the Lord.

It’s such a great way to start the year embracing this truth! I look forward for more resurrecting works my Father have for me to experience.

The speaker: Pak Karrel and Ibu Emma

Privileged to host the Holy Communion service for the fast & prayer retreat

I’ve got a car!!!

Yes, and it’s simply a miracle!

Actually I’ve always wanted to have a car ever since I serve fulltime (more ‘full time’ than before) in media ministry in July. I foresee that I will need to meet people quite often, and sometimes I need to bring along gadgets here and there for production. Having a car will definitely help to give me more mobility and ease the travel.

In September, God linked me to an owner who wants to sell her car. I test drove the car and I loved that car. It costs about 7K (a 10 year-old Iswara Aeroback). It took me 3 weeks to get approval from the superior and get the money (Thank God, a sister-in-Christ agreed to borrow me that money). But as we were about to close the deal, the buyer had to go oversea for some other matters and she asked me whether I can wait until she comes back after 2 weeks. I said ok. When she came back, she called and apologize to me that her sister has sold the car to another buyer without informing her while she was away.

I was quite disappointed at first, but God comforted me with an assurance that He has something better in store for me. I then pray and waited for another car.

Few weeks later, a brother in the church called up and asked whether I am interested to take a look at his car and consider buying it. I showed interest. He let me test drive the car and asked whether I like it and I said I love the car and I am interested to buy it. He and his wife then decided to sell the car to me at a very affordable price (with one condition that I will not let anyone knows the price he offered). I was stunned when I heard this price from him in the car. I was almost crying and I was speechless. I wasn’t sure whether he meant what he said because it is too good to be true! We actually stayed in the car for another 5 minutes and I spoke a lot of non-sense stuff just to vent my excitement! (I even said I will pray for his family everyday as an act of gratefulness)

“Don’t see this as something from us, see this as the blessing of God to you!” That brother said this to me! Yes, it’s a blessing from God!

That’s how, and it’s a blessing of God! Without any hesitation, I dedicated this car back to God, and may He uses this car to bless people who is in need too! I can’t wait to see how God extend His arms to touch more people through this car

Car wash becomes a weekly duty for me now

Speaking in MMU Binding camp

It was a fun time more than a ministry time (well I did not say ministry time cannot be fun here ok..) Love hanging out with MMU students. They reminds me of a lot of sweet memories when I was a student in TAR College. I can’t tell what makes the MMU students so much like TAR College students, but there’s a strange chemistry that happened and made me feel, somehow, very familiar

I was privileged to spend 3 days 2 nights with 15 of them. Enjoyed the time we makan and main, as well as time for transparent sharing. I talked about Love of God, Love and Forgiveness and Life Purpose. Preparing the pulpit message itself was very beneficial to me personally. God helped me to revisit a lot of areas in my life that i missed out previously, such as my personal mission statement, my understanding of His love, and so on… I believe God ministered first to me, and that His message will be carried out in a more effective and ‘real’ way.

Here are the photos we had. Would love to share them to you

Cross over the barriers

The brothers, terribly energetic and friendly bunch of people!

Water rafting. We built the raft in 45minutes! Tough stuff!

All of us!

A moving experience

Yesterday afternoon, Bok Wan (my colleague cum housemate) and I was asked by a colleague of mine, Florence, to help a brother to hospital. He met a deadly accident that almost cost him his life 2 years ago. He is now basically paralyzed, wheel-chair bound, and could not relate to other people due to severe brain damage. What’s so coincide is that He is also called Daniel and also aged 25.

Our job was to carry him from where he and his mother is temporarily staying, a unit located in the 1st floor, up to the van, and off the van. It was an easy job, nothing hard about it. What I find hard was to hold back my emotions. It’s hard to see when a person, at my age, is suffering at such a state. I felt even worse when I happen to saw his picture on his identity card, he was such an attractive, bright and handsome man with very pleasant big smile! But now, he couldn’t even control his saliva from flowing out from his mouth.

This is life. Full of uncertainty. No one ever imagine that a mistake of another driver could bring such a tragic change to this man’s life and also his family member’s! Thank God, the parents are people whose hope is in God! I believe that’s the very strength that kept them in the past 2 years, and also in years to come!

What comforts me the most also is that he has a very loving and caring mother and maid. Their love for him made me see unconditional and genuine love for a person. Imagine, these 2 ladies, who are literally, weaker and shorter in size, have to carry a man who is about my weight (or lighter) up and down, in and out… His mother is a tough person, I didn’t see a clue of grudge in her. Instead, she companies her like she’s the only person who could bring him warmth and comfort. The maid was like his childhood kid, teasing him, comfort him and stay close to him all the time. They have demonstrated unconditional love, and they reminded me the love of our Heavenly Father. He loves us, despite of who we are.

We waited about 3 hours in the hospital to see the neuro-specialist, but it turned out to be a bad news: He will not be anyway better. He has reached the best condition he could possibly has. Frankly speaking, having anticipated for 3 hours (2 years for the mother), this news sadden all of us. But we are reminded that the Lord is the ultimate Healer, and He is the Lord of Daniel’s life. He knows what works best for him and his family! Thanks God we have such hope in God.

This experience reminded me to live my best at all time! God doesn’t give us a second life to make things right. We have only one life, and this life is full of unpredictable things, and it is also fragile. I desires to live a life with no regrets when I see my Lord one day. I desires to spend my life in such a way that will bring out the full potentials He puts in me and that bring Him all the glory- – while I am still able to.

The second thing that reminded me was God’s unconditional love. If love between a mother and a son could be so unconditional, what the more the love God has for mankind? God is love, and He is that perfect love that we need and we hope for! In Him I can say that I am safe, because His love is unconditional, despite of who I am and what I have done. Weak and fragile as I am, His love protects and comforts me in all the seasons of my life!

That’s the moving experience I had before Christmas this year, and I find it meaningful.

The Kairos Course- Timely course all the time

It’s been a wonderful 3.5 weeks learning with facilitators and believers who are passionate about the mission works in the Kairos Course. During the course, God stirred my heart as He challenged me to visit His heartbeat – the establishment of His eternal Kingdom! His heart is to see every tongue and tribe gather before His throne and worship Him. But are we taking extra efforts to work towards that to happen? Sad to say, no.

My heart cried when I see that there are still 6,900 unreached people group living on this face of the earth, die by thousands daily without knowing that their eternal destiny could be changed through faith in Jesus Christ. My heart was troubled when I see that His churches seem focusing on building own Kingdom with their own way instead of focusing on the frontier mission – evangelizing the 6,900 unreached people group! I felt ashamed because when we talk about the 2nd coming of Christ, more than 1/3 of the world population has no one consistently telling them about the 1st coming! “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations (peoples”). Jesus said it 2,000 years ago. Where do we stand today? Do we care what God cares?

God showed me that you and I have an active role to play as a Body of Christ to help fulfill the Great Commission. Unless we work together as one, and march towards the same direction, we can never shed the tears of joy when Christ finally comes that day, receive worship of every tribe and tongue on this earth. God desires to see His church do His will with the different gifts He entrusted and be effective in wherever are He wants us to contribute. I hope that messages from the Bible (highlighted in the Kairos course) will wake up the churches all around the world to see the remaining urgent tasks to accomplish- Evangelizing the unreached people group!

MAOL-Master of Art in Organizational Leadership (Lesson learned)

I felt like a college student again! Last 2 weeks (19-30 November) had been one of my highlights this year. Learning intensively for 2 weeks was quite tiring, yet quite fulfilling! Immersing myself in the Words of God is such a wonderful experience! I will never trade such joy and fulfillment for any things else!

I thank God for such a time to learn how to study the Words of God inductively: these are the new skills and knowledge I gained from the 1st week learning:

• Interpreting the Bible passage by studying the context and the content of the Bible passage

• Consult Bible dictionaries and concordances for clearer understanding on particular nouns or verbs.

• Feel what the author felt, see what the readers’ need.

• How to apply God’s Words practically into my life, and communicate such application to others.

The most important part was where I seek God for guidance in doing my personal Bible study. I was convicted to study on the Book of Romans (which my sister has been talking about all these while). As you know I’ve been dealing with personal issues like: Personal holiness, mortification of sins and so forth. I believe God has very personal message to me as I study. Share with you more as I go

As for another subject, spiritual formation, I learned:

• How to study the Bible contemplatively (with meditation, imagination and personal application)

• Learning the Christian journey from John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” (must-read and must-watch for every Christians!)

• Spot the spiritual blind-spots of Malaysia Chinese believers (including myself) particularly on issues regarding the attributes of God, and salvation and sanctification.

• Counterfeit those spotted err with the Truths of God • Rekindled the passion to have personal retreat and quiet time with God.

• Openness to God and to others

Another highlight of this 2-weeks course was the time spent with staffs, and our instructor, Kuya Rod Santos! It’s been wonderful time sharing, sight-seeing and makan together! I’m really blessed with friendships like such! Special thanks also for those of you who pray for me on the day I sit for the test (especially my CG Members from PJEFC, Terima Kasih banyak banyak!!).

Pray for me that I will continue to practice what I learn, and apply it to my life, and also communicate it with my friends around me.

Like what i posted on my twitter: MAOL has passed, but My-(the)Almighty-Orchestrated-Life is still going on, and going to be better!

Kuya Rod Santos, our dedicated instructor

Fellow classmates

 

With Kuya Rod's younger daughter, Bethel-Joy

 

 

Executive Retreat 2009

God is AWESOME! That’s all I can say!

The last weekends (25-27 September) had been a life-changing moments. More than one time, my spirit burst out joy and wonders as I hear people sharing the supernatural and life-changing stories God has done.

A former death-row inmate turned into a new-born pastor

A former drunkard, violent husband and dad, turned into a man who could shed tears of repentance on stage when he recap how bad he treated his children and wife

A former proud and dangerous military man who led a military havoc in Philippine year 2003 called “Oakwood Mutiny” turned into a humble servant of God

A hateful man whom brother is killed, turned into someone who is willing to forgive, and share the love of Jesus with that very man who killed his own brother.

A man who used to own almost everything a man wants in the world, yet lost it all over night, humbled, and decided to live right for God, surrendered to Jesus, and God lifted him up again.

Jesus changes lives! You may think that money, position, military power or any other human efforts can change lives, like the men I mentioned above, yet they failed. Now they understood: We can only live a new life in Jesus, and no where else. That’s why they are bold to stand up for Jesus, because they witnessed what Jesus did to them, and changed them

I thank God for every moments spent in Executive Retreat. I enjoyed working with influencing people who desire to know God, and please God and God alone in their lives. My heart is thankful as I see God is working in mighty and powerful ways!

Most of all, I am excited of journeying with a God whom no one could stop Him from doing great and mighty works wherever He wants, and that I am part of this wonderful plan.

Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Philippines to Scandavania (Norway, German and Iceland). Her conviction to be an ambassador for Christ touched me deeply. To me, she is more like a missionary than an ambassador. She always say that her job is to bring Gospel to everyone she come in touch with, and her "other job" is to be a diplomat. He life impacted me to see our primary calling as Ambassador of Christ, and secondly, our identity on earth.

Rev. & Mrs. Peter Tan-chi, the founder of Christ Commission Fellowship in Manila. Their humility and vital relationship with God tell me that the greatest asset a person can have is that genuine love towards God and towards people around them. His simplicity in delivering the messages of God also leave long-lasting impact in my mind.

Formerly a military man, notable professor in military school of Philippine, a would-be general of Philippine, laid down everything and follow where God wants him to be- -start all over, and be a full time missionary with Philippine Campus Crusade for Christ.

Geri/Geraldo Gembala. Don't undemine this physically small guy. He was former Philippine military man, fought 8 years of endless Philippine sounthern border war, and was the leader who led a group of 321 armed soldiers who called themselves "Bagong Katipuneros", held their country "hostage" for 24 hours on July 27, 2003, in an event commonly called "Oakwood Mutiny". He met Jesus in prison, and his life is transformed. My aquaintance with him was wonderful, and you can 'smell' the humility of Christ in him! He is now serving with PCCC Leader's Movement, as a staff ministering mainly to the military of Philippine, and worldwide.

These were only some of the people whom life had been transformed by Jesus Christ. There are more people who joined the Executive Retreat have met Jesus Christ in special ways too! Their lives are beautiful, and I was ministered by God deeply as I see their lives.

I too, want to live such a life that is worthy of God’s grace- – His transforming, freely-given and eternal grace.

An Interesting Illustration

Got this story from the forwarded e-mail. Author unknown. I was encouraged and thought it would be great to share it with you. Hope the truths in it give you hope and set you free to soar high!

The Value

A wellknown speaker started off his seminar by:
holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked,  
‘Who would like this $20 bill?’  

Hands started going up. 
He said, ‘I am going to give this $20 to one of you  
but first, let me do this.  

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.

He then asked,
‘Who
still wants it?’  
Still the hands were up in the air.  

Well, he replied, ‘What if I do this?’  
And he dropped it on the ground  
and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.  
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

‘Now, who still wants it?’ 
Still the hands went into the air. 

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.  
No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it  
because it did not decrease in value.. 
It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, 
we are dropped, crumpled, and ground
into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless.  

But no matter what has happened or  
what will happen, you will never lose your value..

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. 

You are special
-
Don’t EVER forget it.’

Count your blessings, not your problems.

‘And remember: amateurs built the ark …
professionals built the Titanic.

If God brings you to it – He will bring you through it!

Only One Lifetime

Finally, after 2 long years, I’ve graduated from New Staff Training of Malaysia Campus Crusade for Christ!

“Graduate? I thought you are working now? What do you graduate from?” you may ask.

Haha, sorry for confusing you (If I did). Well, to make you understand in an easier way: I am ‘working’ as a full time Christian Worker, where my first and foremost duty is to help people around me, and people I’m assigned to, to know the meaning of life, and the importance of having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In order to do that better, I need to be trained in various skills and knowledge. So this training is what we called “New Staff Training”. So this is why the term ‘graduation’ makes sense-  -I have graduated from the new staff training!

The graduation theme was 1 Dream, 1 Lifetime, 1 Generation. Our Theme song is Only One Lifetime. These speak exactly what has been in my mind for months. “I want to live to be your delight, Only one lifetime, only one lifetime, only one life to give you my all!”

God (well, He is also my Heavenly Dad, my boss, my lord and my friend at the same time) had been putting this quest inside my heart all these while: Live a life worth living for! I’ve been thinking: I am 25 now, if I can ever live up to 75 (Insya-Allah!), I have basically passed the 1/3 of my life span. Have I done anything significant? Have I been living a life worth living for? The Bible says: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 60:12) It is true. Unless we ‘number’ our age, we can never live rightly.

Imagine. All of the sudden, you now have the best car in the world (well, that’s it, that ‘best posh-car’ that appears in your mind now). It parks right in front of you. With the key and paper of ownership all in your hands (and of course the car works perfectly well!). You opened the door, jump into the driver’s seat, start the engine, ‘VROOOOM– VROOOOM’ as you test the car by pressing some gas. When you are just about to put down the handbreaks and release the car to freedom of running, you discover something: You can only drive the car using that tank of petrol in the car now. No refill is possible, because the petrol tank is totally ‘sealed’, no way to pump in any extra petrol.

Now, how would you use that car?

Would you put it right there and never drive it anymore? Would you drive to here and there with no purpose? Or would you plan carefully, and make sure you use the car to the fullest, that, when eventually, you finished the petrol in the car, you will say to yourself: I have the best meaningful times with this car, and I have no regrets owning it, even for just a while.

That’s exactly like our lives, isn’t it?

Now, how would you ‘drive’ your life? Have you done anything meaningful and significant?

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16: 26

As for me, I believe my life can be meaningful only when I do what my creator wants me to do. Because He understands what life is all about! I have no regrets to follow Him all these while, and I believe walking with Him is the best experience I can ever have.

Now, my concern is, what do you think that makes your life meaningful and worth living?

I love you my friend, and I hope that you will find true meaning of life in Jesus Christ, and willing to let Him lead your life now, just like what I am doing now. If you have not experienced how to live abundantly, please log on to (if you read Chinese) http://aibenfang.com/a/reallife.html and (if you read English) http://www.everystudent.com/my/features/reallife.html

The graduation was just a ceremony, though a very meaningful and significant one, but the most precious thing of it is this lesson that God has taught me

Thanks for being a support, a friend and a partner in this journey.  I hope that you will be benefited just as much as I have!