This past June, Boon Church's English Congregation had the opportunity to do community outreach and evangelism. For the four Sundays every month, we went out in pairs after worship service to share the gospel in local parks around the area. Frequently visited were Kissena Park, the parks by P.S. 20 and I.S. 237 as well as Queens Botanical Garden. We were armed to the teeth with gospel tracts, gospel-sharing bracelets, copies of a book by John Piper, and "Religious Surveys" that were designed to gauge the religious experience of people we met on the street. Those religious surveys were key; they allowed us to segway into a gospel conversation by providing us with information about the people's perceptions of Jesus, God, Christianity, and the Bible.
After every trip, we rallied back at church to share our experiences, provide tips, relay any funny or interesting stories, encourage one another, and pray for the people that we met. For many people this was a first-time experience doing face to face evangelism with complete strangers. Some people found it incredibly scary at first, but found to their amazement that it really wasn't as bad as they've built it up in their heads. Read up as three people share their stories:
Brian Shu
My evanJunelism experience was an event I really appreciated and took to heart. It was an experience in which I learned a lot about not only the people I met, but the people I went with as well as myself. The idea of evangelizing and opening yourself up to new people is challenging. Putting oneself in a position of vulnerability and not knowing what to expect can be a fearful task. However, when actually going out and meeting all types of unique people out there that are willing to share and listen, you learn this step you take is well worth any rejections. God has already laid the path, but are we willing to take this leap of faith?
Andrew Shih
I’ve never done street evangelizing or any type of evangelism before. I had a preconceived notion that it was going to be really hard. I thought that people would be really hostile. I was scared to do it. The first week I went with Stanley but all I did was watch him. While watching him it didn’t seem that bad but my preconceived notion didn’t change. The next two weeks I stayed in to pray because I made an excuse that I was injured. It wasn’t until the last week when I went out with Kat that I actually got to talk to people. It was like ripping of a band-aid but once I actually talk to people it wasn’t so bad. I actually enjoyed it because the worst that happen was people shaking their heads no. Also the rest were willing to talk to you. I was able to share the Word and see where people are coming from. So I encourage the people that have the same preconceived notion that I used to have to just try it. Like Mushroom once said you really don’t know anything until you’ve done it.
Jenn Chu
I still remember the panic that set in the first week after Sunday service. There had been so much excitement leading up to evanJUNElism, but now that it was finally here, I was scared out of my mind. What if I didn’t convey the gospel effectively? What if someone asked me a question I couldn’t answer? All these thoughts were running through my mind as we split off into our groups. When the time came for me to survey a person, I was so terrified that I was actually half-hoping the person wouldn’t ask me any questions. I knew what I was supposed to believe – that it was a win-win situation, that God was doing all the work – but I still found myself terrified at the thought of doing street evangelism. As evanJUNElism went on and I came into contact with more and more people, I realized that there really was nothing to be afraid of. I wasn’t there to convert anyone; I was there merely to strike up conversations with people and get them thinking. Besides, the person answering the questions was the one that had to use their brain power. All I had to do was ask the questions, and God would do the rest! As I talked with these people, I could see God working in them by the way they seriously pondered the questions we asked. It was then that I saw that we really were His hands and feet. It's not our actions or words that bring people to Him, it is ultimately all in His hands. His power truly is beyond everything.
All in all, we found that despite our limited perceptions, God was really at work within the people of Flushing. We praise God that he has allowed us to be a part of his kingdom work and that we are witnessing the changing of hearts and the saving of the lives of many people.
Boon, continue to to work for the kingdom of God and the glory of his Son Jesus Christ!
Sola Deo Gloria
-Dan
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Boon Church Retreat 2009: Reflections
Three members of the English congregation share their experiences from the Boon Retreat:
Alex Chang
It was a very enriching experience, and I learned and bonded with fellow Boon Church members. I think it is a great experience that allowed me a weekend away from the busy and routine life, for a weekend of fun, fellowship and focus on God's word.
I learned much from the speakers at the retreat and learned how to improve myself to become more devoted in my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. Team oriented events such as the scavenger hunt, Jeopardy, solving puzzles, playing sports such as a basketball tournament, gave me challenges that allowed me to learn to trust God as well as bond with my fellow Church peers. It was a great experience, and I came away learning to improve myself in my walk in Christ, becoming closer to my friends and having a weekend full of activities and fun fellowship.
Chui Wong: God's Sovereignty
For the past month, I’ve been struggling because I felt God hasn’t been answering my prayers. Where is my God of comfort? If my God is so real, why doesn’t He hear me when I call? I already knew God doesn’t always answer us the way we hope He would, but I still needed to know He was there watching me and supporting me, despite all the troubles I’ve been facing. So, I asked God to reveal Himself to me daily, that despite whatever I’m going through, he would meet me somewhere that day and show me He is bigger than all my problems and fears. And, He has. Just not in a way I expected.
At Boon retreat, God revealed to me his sovereignty; He is bigger than all our problems, all our fears. During one of the nights, I felt God nudging me to talk to a sister and to make myself vulnerable. I listened her struggles and pains, and I was shocked. As I listened to her story, my heart felt heavy. It felt as if I was sharing in her burden, just as Galatians 6:2 says: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. I never felt more grieved, perhaps in part because the Holy Spirit was grieving as well, as he was revealing her heart. Though her circumstances were beyond my understanding and her control, God allowed everything to take place for a reason. Her struggles disconnected herself from others emotionally, but love bridges this gap that she created. As Christians, we are called to carry each others burdens because we love one another. Through this love for one another, we see Christ living in us.
On the last day, Pastor (Reverend?) Eugene shared with us Jesus’ promise: as the bridegroom, he is preparing rooms in his kingdom for his beloved, as was custom in the ancient Greek world for a bridegroom to prepare a home suitable for his wife. The message was powerful, but all I can ask myself is: How is his church preparing herself? IS she preparing herself? Is Boon preparing herself? Jesus claims he will come suddenly like a thief, with no warning. I again felt grieved because I feel the church has not been preparing herself as a bride would when her husband calls to claim her- what would happen? What can we do as a church to prepare each other? What else can we do to reach out to others who do not believe in Christ? I felt so overwhelmed with all these questions, but at the end of the retreat, the ultimate question is: how can we show Christ’s love for us in a radical way? God is already in full control. It’s not up to us to change our circumstances, but allow God to transform us, despite our circumstances.
Dave Lee: An Age Of Interconnectivity
While headed to my first Boon retreat, I really had no idea what to expect. So many retreats in the past, I can remember really chilly nights, dense forestation, large bodies of water and just real seclusion from the world. If I wanted alone time or one-on-one time, it’d always be easy to find a spot.
Driving up to the retreat site was quite a different experience for me. Only a few miles from the highway, a McDonald’s, a CVS, and as I look down...cell phone service! Not only that, throughout the whole weekend at Miracle Mountain, wherever I walked around and turned, there was always someone within earshot.
I remember waiting in line for food and Reverend Eugene suddenly starts talking to me. I was actually immediately taken aback. I've always thought of retreat speakers getting rest in their special room on the side during all the downtime or speaking primarily to more senior church members. But for both speakers to actively engage so many of us in the dining room was quite the testimony for me, speaking of a new style of leadership.
Finally when the last workshop rolled around and Rev Eugene talked about the hot topic: Facebook, Twitter, Talkbox and 5 billion other new media outlets, I realized we were in a true new era of Christian community. When he talked about looking us up on facebook prior to coming here, seeing what we've been up to, there's this realization that we're in a world of hyperconnectivity where really you can't escape from one or another. I immediately remembered my friends blogpost http://www.theotherjournal.com/blog.php?id=229&articleID=620 . I really wonder what Jesus and early church leaders would've been like what they had today. I can imagine instead of a Sermon on the Mount turning into a podcast. I look to the future and I can imagine we'll be so connected with each other that we'll practically be in each others faces at all times.
Sure, all this new media is great as a launching platform for deeper relationships in person, but I also think of it as a mode of inspiration. In a way, it can be used like having 500 support letters all the time, at the tip of your fingers. So many quick ways of instilling inspiration, vision and empathy (much like this blog).
And yes, after the retreat, I remember specifically why I enjoyed the Word so much and how much I can delight in each and every word. Granted following the Bible in a year pace, was not for me. But I'll share with you that I'm reading Joshua right now...for the purposes of rediscovering my youth...With all of these new avenues, we can encourage and inspire even if it's not so great for true accountability and transparency... The world that we live in...and as well as the cyber world that we take a part of...is truly a place of confusion.
And finally, one to one conversation is still quite efficient. With one simple story from Rev Eugene about a radiologist he knew who worked half of the year in missions, I was reminded of my own original passion and why I chose to be a radiologist. And even if I lose sight of that vision within the next 4 more years of my training, one quick look at a blogpost or just remembering him, will remind me once again.
-Sola Deo Gloria
Alex Chang
It was a very enriching experience, and I learned and bonded with fellow Boon Church members. I think it is a great experience that allowed me a weekend away from the busy and routine life, for a weekend of fun, fellowship and focus on God's word.
I learned much from the speakers at the retreat and learned how to improve myself to become more devoted in my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. Team oriented events such as the scavenger hunt, Jeopardy, solving puzzles, playing sports such as a basketball tournament, gave me challenges that allowed me to learn to trust God as well as bond with my fellow Church peers. It was a great experience, and I came away learning to improve myself in my walk in Christ, becoming closer to my friends and having a weekend full of activities and fun fellowship.
Chui Wong: God's Sovereignty
For the past month, I’ve been struggling because I felt God hasn’t been answering my prayers. Where is my God of comfort? If my God is so real, why doesn’t He hear me when I call? I already knew God doesn’t always answer us the way we hope He would, but I still needed to know He was there watching me and supporting me, despite all the troubles I’ve been facing. So, I asked God to reveal Himself to me daily, that despite whatever I’m going through, he would meet me somewhere that day and show me He is bigger than all my problems and fears. And, He has. Just not in a way I expected.
At Boon retreat, God revealed to me his sovereignty; He is bigger than all our problems, all our fears. During one of the nights, I felt God nudging me to talk to a sister and to make myself vulnerable. I listened her struggles and pains, and I was shocked. As I listened to her story, my heart felt heavy. It felt as if I was sharing in her burden, just as Galatians 6:2 says: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. I never felt more grieved, perhaps in part because the Holy Spirit was grieving as well, as he was revealing her heart. Though her circumstances were beyond my understanding and her control, God allowed everything to take place for a reason. Her struggles disconnected herself from others emotionally, but love bridges this gap that she created. As Christians, we are called to carry each others burdens because we love one another. Through this love for one another, we see Christ living in us.
On the last day, Pastor (Reverend?) Eugene shared with us Jesus’ promise: as the bridegroom, he is preparing rooms in his kingdom for his beloved, as was custom in the ancient Greek world for a bridegroom to prepare a home suitable for his wife. The message was powerful, but all I can ask myself is: How is his church preparing herself? IS she preparing herself? Is Boon preparing herself? Jesus claims he will come suddenly like a thief, with no warning. I again felt grieved because I feel the church has not been preparing herself as a bride would when her husband calls to claim her- what would happen? What can we do as a church to prepare each other? What else can we do to reach out to others who do not believe in Christ? I felt so overwhelmed with all these questions, but at the end of the retreat, the ultimate question is: how can we show Christ’s love for us in a radical way? God is already in full control. It’s not up to us to change our circumstances, but allow God to transform us, despite our circumstances.
Dave Lee: An Age Of Interconnectivity
While headed to my first Boon retreat, I really had no idea what to expect. So many retreats in the past, I can remember really chilly nights, dense forestation, large bodies of water and just real seclusion from the world. If I wanted alone time or one-on-one time, it’d always be easy to find a spot.
Driving up to the retreat site was quite a different experience for me. Only a few miles from the highway, a McDonald’s, a CVS, and as I look down...cell phone service! Not only that, throughout the whole weekend at Miracle Mountain, wherever I walked around and turned, there was always someone within earshot.
I remember waiting in line for food and Reverend Eugene suddenly starts talking to me. I was actually immediately taken aback. I've always thought of retreat speakers getting rest in their special room on the side during all the downtime or speaking primarily to more senior church members. But for both speakers to actively engage so many of us in the dining room was quite the testimony for me, speaking of a new style of leadership.
Finally when the last workshop rolled around and Rev Eugene talked about the hot topic: Facebook, Twitter, Talkbox and 5 billion other new media outlets, I realized we were in a true new era of Christian community. When he talked about looking us up on facebook prior to coming here, seeing what we've been up to, there's this realization that we're in a world of hyperconnectivity where really you can't escape from one or another. I immediately remembered my friends blogpost http://www.theotherjournal.com/blog.php?id=229&articleID=620 . I really wonder what Jesus and early church leaders would've been like what they had today. I can imagine instead of a Sermon on the Mount turning into a podcast. I look to the future and I can imagine we'll be so connected with each other that we'll practically be in each others faces at all times.
Sure, all this new media is great as a launching platform for deeper relationships in person, but I also think of it as a mode of inspiration. In a way, it can be used like having 500 support letters all the time, at the tip of your fingers. So many quick ways of instilling inspiration, vision and empathy (much like this blog).
And yes, after the retreat, I remember specifically why I enjoyed the Word so much and how much I can delight in each and every word. Granted following the Bible in a year pace, was not for me. But I'll share with you that I'm reading Joshua right now...for the purposes of rediscovering my youth...With all of these new avenues, we can encourage and inspire even if it's not so great for true accountability and transparency... The world that we live in...and as well as the cyber world that we take a part of...is truly a place of confusion.
And finally, one to one conversation is still quite efficient. With one simple story from Rev Eugene about a radiologist he knew who worked half of the year in missions, I was reminded of my own original passion and why I chose to be a radiologist. And even if I lose sight of that vision within the next 4 more years of my training, one quick look at a blogpost or just remembering him, will remind me once again.
-Sola Deo Gloria
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Boon Church Coffeehouse 2009!
Invite all your non- christian friends to come as this would be a great opportunity and way for you to introduce the gospel to them. Pray for this event that God may be glorified through it and that hearts may be open and receptive to God's word. If you guys would like to help or want more information please contact Mat, Dan, Ben, or Kat
Thursday, June 25, 2009
God's Strength
The following was originally a reflection given at Boon Church's Praise Night on 6/19/09
Hey everybody, so I want to talk to all of you about the God I believe in and focus on his strength. What’s so amazing about strength? To be impressed with strength is to witness someone accomplish something that you cannot do. Well, what did God do?
Here’s just a sampling, in Genesis God said “Let there be light”. When we think of light in the universe we think of stars. Let’s look out our modest star. In the day it’s a tiny dot, it is doesn’t look very threatening and just provides us with light and we like being 93 million miles away from it. But here are some scientific stats about our sun: it has a surface temperature of 5500 degrees Celsius, it’s heat and light are generated through massive fusion reactions from its core and it has the mass of 332,946 earths. Up close the sun is a ferocious beast! And there are even bigger ones in other parts of the universe. God created that. Can you make a sun? Thought so.
If that doesn’t impress you then God made Chuck Norris! My point is God is limitless and the universe and what we think we see is small in comparison.
What impresses me most about God’s strength is his spiritual and emotional strength, his ability to conquer death and love a creation that does not love him back. It says in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
For those of you who are here and curious about Jesus and Christianity, here’s the gospel message in a nutshell. We failed. We deserve death. Someone else took what we had coming to us. For every single sin the penalty is death. That penalty doesn’t change. It’s pass//fail. That’s God judgment and justice. Jesus Christ, God in the form of a sinless man, took that punishment for the whole world, every single person past, present, and future, over two thousand years ago. Since most of us are Asian here, let me play on a stereotype and introduce some math. Yes…math. Sinning once already equals death multiply that by the amount of people who have lived through all time and who have yet to live and then multiply that again by the amount of sin a person commits in his lifetime. How much punishment did our God endure? How many deaths? That’s waaaaay…over 9000! Or 9000 thousand-thousand!
Then to rise again and call to a world that does not even love Him back, a world that uses his name as a form of swear. The pain Jesus goes through to say “I love you” while knowing he may not hear it back. What kind of strength does it take to mean, and to say it to so many people?
This is the God worthy and deserving of our worship. Psalm 28:7 says “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” I’m telling you! Jesus Christ isn’t a chump and He can be your strength because through Him we find eternal life, we find everlasting love, and we see the limitless potential of the one true almighty God. We worship a God of strength!
-Tony Wong
Hey everybody, so I want to talk to all of you about the God I believe in and focus on his strength. What’s so amazing about strength? To be impressed with strength is to witness someone accomplish something that you cannot do. Well, what did God do?
Here’s just a sampling, in Genesis God said “Let there be light”. When we think of light in the universe we think of stars. Let’s look out our modest star. In the day it’s a tiny dot, it is doesn’t look very threatening and just provides us with light and we like being 93 million miles away from it. But here are some scientific stats about our sun: it has a surface temperature of 5500 degrees Celsius, it’s heat and light are generated through massive fusion reactions from its core and it has the mass of 332,946 earths. Up close the sun is a ferocious beast! And there are even bigger ones in other parts of the universe. God created that. Can you make a sun? Thought so.
If that doesn’t impress you then God made Chuck Norris! My point is God is limitless and the universe and what we think we see is small in comparison.
What impresses me most about God’s strength is his spiritual and emotional strength, his ability to conquer death and love a creation that does not love him back. It says in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
For those of you who are here and curious about Jesus and Christianity, here’s the gospel message in a nutshell. We failed. We deserve death. Someone else took what we had coming to us. For every single sin the penalty is death. That penalty doesn’t change. It’s pass//fail. That’s God judgment and justice. Jesus Christ, God in the form of a sinless man, took that punishment for the whole world, every single person past, present, and future, over two thousand years ago. Since most of us are Asian here, let me play on a stereotype and introduce some math. Yes…math. Sinning once already equals death multiply that by the amount of people who have lived through all time and who have yet to live and then multiply that again by the amount of sin a person commits in his lifetime. How much punishment did our God endure? How many deaths? That’s waaaaay…over 9000! Or 9000 thousand-thousand!
Then to rise again and call to a world that does not even love Him back, a world that uses his name as a form of swear. The pain Jesus goes through to say “I love you” while knowing he may not hear it back. What kind of strength does it take to mean, and to say it to so many people?
This is the God worthy and deserving of our worship. Psalm 28:7 says “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” I’m telling you! Jesus Christ isn’t a chump and He can be your strength because through Him we find eternal life, we find everlasting love, and we see the limitless potential of the one true almighty God. We worship a God of strength!
-Tony Wong
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints
It's a real long time, friends. For that I (Dan Shih) apologize. I dropped the ball shortly after finals began for me. But it is good to be back, and I hope that people will continue to read and contribute to this blog and the dialogue may be carried along to our face-to-face meetings as well!
Here's something to ponder about. This is a quote found by Jon Lee, concerning the church:
"Christian theology also speaks of the seriously flawed character of real Christians. A central message of the Bible is that we can only have a relationship with God by sheer grace. Our mortal efforts are too feeble and falsely motivated to ever merit salvation. Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has provided salvation for us, which we receive as a gift. All churches believe this in one form or another. Growth in character and changes in behavior occur in a gradual process after a person becomes a Christian. The mistaken belief that a person must “clean up” his or her own life in order to merit God’s presence is not Christianity. This means, though, that the church will be filled with immature and broken people who still have a long way to go emotionally, morally, spiritually. As the saying has it: “The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”
- Tim Keller, Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, copyright 2008, page 54
"The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints."
Sometimes it is so easy to forget that. I know it's been really difficult for me to bear that in mind in the last few days. Sometimes I take the failures of other Christians so personally even though it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the honor of the God that I serve. For that, I apologize. But perhaps we can all think about this and ask ourselves this question, "Do I treat my fellow church members as sinners who stand before God by grace, or do I expect them to be the Christ?" And for that matter, "What of my own failures; am I all that godly myself, or have I just forgotten to look at the plank within my eye?"
To be honest, I think for a lot of us, our view of the church can be at once too self-centered and not self-centered enough. We are self-centered when it comes to how the church ought to be serving us. We give criticism so generously. "This group of people never takes their faith seriously." "The pastor's sermon is not relevant to my life." "How come this group of people wasn't invited to that event held by church people". Yet we are not self-centered enough when the question comes up of how to change and improve the church of Christ. Do we ask this often enough of ourselves, "How can I be more servant-minded?" "Who can I reach out to; who do I know really need to be shown the love of Christ?" "I wonder if that guys needs help with all those dishes or if maybe there's something else in the kitchen that needs to be done."
Let me close with this quote before I turn it over to your comments:
"The Church is a society of sinners - the only society in the
world in which membership is based upon the single qualification
that the candidate shall be unworthy of membership."
- Charles C. Morrison
Sola Deo Gloria,
Dan Shih
Here's something to ponder about. This is a quote found by Jon Lee, concerning the church:
"Christian theology also speaks of the seriously flawed character of real Christians. A central message of the Bible is that we can only have a relationship with God by sheer grace. Our mortal efforts are too feeble and falsely motivated to ever merit salvation. Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has provided salvation for us, which we receive as a gift. All churches believe this in one form or another. Growth in character and changes in behavior occur in a gradual process after a person becomes a Christian. The mistaken belief that a person must “clean up” his or her own life in order to merit God’s presence is not Christianity. This means, though, that the church will be filled with immature and broken people who still have a long way to go emotionally, morally, spiritually. As the saying has it: “The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”
- Tim Keller, Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, copyright 2008, page 54
"The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints."
Sometimes it is so easy to forget that. I know it's been really difficult for me to bear that in mind in the last few days. Sometimes I take the failures of other Christians so personally even though it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the honor of the God that I serve. For that, I apologize. But perhaps we can all think about this and ask ourselves this question, "Do I treat my fellow church members as sinners who stand before God by grace, or do I expect them to be the Christ?" And for that matter, "What of my own failures; am I all that godly myself, or have I just forgotten to look at the plank within my eye?"
To be honest, I think for a lot of us, our view of the church can be at once too self-centered and not self-centered enough. We are self-centered when it comes to how the church ought to be serving us. We give criticism so generously. "This group of people never takes their faith seriously." "The pastor's sermon is not relevant to my life." "How come this group of people wasn't invited to that event held by church people". Yet we are not self-centered enough when the question comes up of how to change and improve the church of Christ. Do we ask this often enough of ourselves, "How can I be more servant-minded?" "Who can I reach out to; who do I know really need to be shown the love of Christ?" "I wonder if that guys needs help with all those dishes or if maybe there's something else in the kitchen that needs to be done."
Let me close with this quote before I turn it over to your comments:
"The Church is a society of sinners - the only society in the
world in which membership is based upon the single qualification
that the candidate shall be unworthy of membership."
- Charles C. Morrison
Sola Deo Gloria,
Dan Shih
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Game Over
“Heartbreaker, you got the best of me
But I just keep on coming back incessantly
Oh why, did you have to run your game on me
I should have known right from the start
You'd go and break my heart” – Mariah Carey, Heartbreaker.
A few weeks ago, a classmate sent me the YouTube video for Heartbreaker, alleging that, in most of his relationships with women, he either found himself running game on a girl or getting game run on him.* We then discussed his rationale for such limited variations in such relationships. To no surprise, he said, “you never know if you’re…sure. Like make sure she’s into you, you gotta do stuff to control, and you wanna know what else is out there, you know, you wanna keep your options open, but you kinda wanna keep the door closed.” Hmm, pretty standard answer for such an inquiry. But, why does this pattern persist? How do you gauge if things are real or if it’s just the game?
So I bring this up not to put my buddy on blast, but this benign conversation started to replay itself in my mind (I also watched the video a few times, and am watching it now). I mean, we’ve all experienced this, not just in romantic relationships, but with relationships in general. Got played? Well, yeah, maybe. Unsure of what’s going on with your BFF? Suspect her gossiping about you? Are you gossiping about her? How often do we wonder if there’s something else out there, if we’re sure that we’re being loved, or if we’re in control? How often are we the heartbreaker?
For me, Mariah’s been singing about my relationship with Jesus better than Hillsongs. I’m afraid He’s been running game on me, but I’ve been running game on Him. When I started school in the fall and felt like I was falling on the same bruise over and over again, I was certain that Jesus put me here just to stay thirsty and suffer through this decision. And yet, I ran game on Him, certain that I was going to fail, unable to accept the uncertainty of faith that He put me here not to . Like my classmate, I didn’t see any signs of assurance, I wanted to see other options, and I wanted to take control of the chaotic situation rather than see it as calmness in the storm. I failed because I let the vicious cycle of piss poor relationships without Jesus impact my relationship with Jesus. I wasn’t willing to truly accept His assurance to affirm me, or lose control…
This weekend, we celebrated what He did that no one can do. It has nothing to do with playing any games, or any heartbreaking, but filling our broken hearts that have been emptied from running the game.
"I find no basis for a charge against this man…He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." – Luke 23:4, 35
“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." – Luke 23:41-43.
*(Unfortunately or fortunately, none of them ended in a chick fight or cold soda poured on his crotch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKQOTnWb9GU).
[Note (to my dear philosophers out there): this analogy is not meant to offend and not meant to be taken to its absolute “logical conclusion”.]
-E.M.
But I just keep on coming back incessantly
Oh why, did you have to run your game on me
I should have known right from the start
You'd go and break my heart” – Mariah Carey, Heartbreaker.
A few weeks ago, a classmate sent me the YouTube video for Heartbreaker, alleging that, in most of his relationships with women, he either found himself running game on a girl or getting game run on him.* We then discussed his rationale for such limited variations in such relationships. To no surprise, he said, “you never know if you’re…sure. Like make sure she’s into you, you gotta do stuff to control, and you wanna know what else is out there, you know, you wanna keep your options open, but you kinda wanna keep the door closed.” Hmm, pretty standard answer for such an inquiry. But, why does this pattern persist? How do you gauge if things are real or if it’s just the game?
So I bring this up not to put my buddy on blast, but this benign conversation started to replay itself in my mind (I also watched the video a few times, and am watching it now). I mean, we’ve all experienced this, not just in romantic relationships, but with relationships in general. Got played? Well, yeah, maybe. Unsure of what’s going on with your BFF? Suspect her gossiping about you? Are you gossiping about her? How often do we wonder if there’s something else out there, if we’re sure that we’re being loved, or if we’re in control? How often are we the heartbreaker?
For me, Mariah’s been singing about my relationship with Jesus better than Hillsongs. I’m afraid He’s been running game on me, but I’ve been running game on Him. When I started school in the fall and felt like I was falling on the same bruise over and over again, I was certain that Jesus put me here just to stay thirsty and suffer through this decision. And yet, I ran game on Him, certain that I was going to fail, unable to accept the uncertainty of faith that He put me here not to . Like my classmate, I didn’t see any signs of assurance, I wanted to see other options, and I wanted to take control of the chaotic situation rather than see it as calmness in the storm. I failed because I let the vicious cycle of piss poor relationships without Jesus impact my relationship with Jesus. I wasn’t willing to truly accept His assurance to affirm me, or lose control…
This weekend, we celebrated what He did that no one can do. It has nothing to do with playing any games, or any heartbreaking, but filling our broken hearts that have been emptied from running the game.
"I find no basis for a charge against this man…He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." – Luke 23:4, 35
“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." – Luke 23:41-43.
*(Unfortunately or fortunately, none of them ended in a chick fight or cold soda poured on his crotch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKQOTnWb9GU).
[Note (to my dear philosophers out there): this analogy is not meant to offend and not meant to be taken to its absolute “logical conclusion”.]
-E.M.
Lessons From The Book Of Daniel
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained
Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" Philippians 3:12 - 4:1
Dears brothers and sisters of Boon Church - in the midst of the last final weeks that I have left to wrap up the spring semester of 2009: I urge you all to press on and finish strong. This may be hard to relate to if you are no longer in school - but the sentiment remains the same: just as Paul urged those in Philippians about his faith in order to press on towards the goal that Christ has called him heavenward, I insist the same to you.
In the things that I have learned this past semester - innumerable and nothing but one of God's many blessings - I would like to share a couple of things I have shared from my bible study on the book of Daniel. Unpacking this book of the Old Testament has filled me with a wealth of things I had never seen before. But one lasting thing I have learned about this book is the sovereignty of God in our lives.
The book of Daniel is something I remember back to my Sunday school days, yet the only thing I could ever remember were all the funny names: like king Nebuchadnezzar, or Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. But thankfully through the study of this book from the fall semester until now, it has been nothing but a blessing to pick apart this book chapter by chapter to pick apart all the things God brought Daniel through.
This is a book of a fiery furnace, lions, dreams, and double prophecies. The challenges that Daniel endured only built up a credit to his faith - they helped prove that he was trustworthy and steadfast enough to be blessed strange dreams. Of these dreams - Daniel was graced the the knowledge to interpret them. Something that did not always come with great ease.
Daniel 7:15-16 and 28 demonstrate Daniels' distress in trying to interpret these dreams.
Daniel 7:15-16 "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this."
Daniel 7:28 "This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."
After various dreams and visions, Daniel is given the interpretive power to distinguish what all of it means - and after picking apart this book chapter by chapter - it was surely no easy feat. It even distressed Daniel - and sometimes, even he did not know what it meant. The humility of Daniel floored me:
Daniel 7:28 - "I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding."
In the book of Daniel, I learned about double prophecies: (forgive me if I give a wrong interpretation) one that has already happened, and one that has yet to happen. It's strange that after reading through Daniel, all I could help but think and point out was how similar it felt to the end times of Revelation. Surprisingly, I wasn't too far off in my assumption - since the book of Daniel of course foreshadows what will occur in the end times.
A couple of things that I've learned through Daniel: I have learned not to dwell on the the unknown. Wait with something to hope for because God is a master of details; God keeps his promises. When we pray: God hears immediately, and even demonic forces can delay answers from God (Daniel 10)
All of which in the course of this study of Daniel has been nothing but amazing to learn just how God works and has a perfect plan. I hope in sharing what I've learned from Daniel will also serve as the same encouragement that I have received from this book. It has given me the focus that I lack because through Daniel's visions and dreams, he was granted with a small glimpse into a window of events that even he did not live to see. A testament to his faithfulness - and to mine as well, I hope that the things I've learned in Daniel and can share with you will also encourage you as well.
-Stephanie Yee
Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" Philippians 3:12 - 4:1
Dears brothers and sisters of Boon Church - in the midst of the last final weeks that I have left to wrap up the spring semester of 2009: I urge you all to press on and finish strong. This may be hard to relate to if you are no longer in school - but the sentiment remains the same: just as Paul urged those in Philippians about his faith in order to press on towards the goal that Christ has called him heavenward, I insist the same to you.
In the things that I have learned this past semester - innumerable and nothing but one of God's many blessings - I would like to share a couple of things I have shared from my bible study on the book of Daniel. Unpacking this book of the Old Testament has filled me with a wealth of things I had never seen before. But one lasting thing I have learned about this book is the sovereignty of God in our lives.
The book of Daniel is something I remember back to my Sunday school days, yet the only thing I could ever remember were all the funny names: like king Nebuchadnezzar, or Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. But thankfully through the study of this book from the fall semester until now, it has been nothing but a blessing to pick apart this book chapter by chapter to pick apart all the things God brought Daniel through.
This is a book of a fiery furnace, lions, dreams, and double prophecies. The challenges that Daniel endured only built up a credit to his faith - they helped prove that he was trustworthy and steadfast enough to be blessed strange dreams. Of these dreams - Daniel was graced the the knowledge to interpret them. Something that did not always come with great ease.
Daniel 7:15-16 and 28 demonstrate Daniels' distress in trying to interpret these dreams.
Daniel 7:15-16 "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this."
Daniel 7:28 "This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."
After various dreams and visions, Daniel is given the interpretive power to distinguish what all of it means - and after picking apart this book chapter by chapter - it was surely no easy feat. It even distressed Daniel - and sometimes, even he did not know what it meant. The humility of Daniel floored me:
Daniel 7:28 - "I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding."
In the book of Daniel, I learned about double prophecies: (forgive me if I give a wrong interpretation) one that has already happened, and one that has yet to happen. It's strange that after reading through Daniel, all I could help but think and point out was how similar it felt to the end times of Revelation. Surprisingly, I wasn't too far off in my assumption - since the book of Daniel of course foreshadows what will occur in the end times.
A couple of things that I've learned through Daniel: I have learned not to dwell on the the unknown. Wait with something to hope for because God is a master of details; God keeps his promises. When we pray: God hears immediately, and even demonic forces can delay answers from God (Daniel 10)
All of which in the course of this study of Daniel has been nothing but amazing to learn just how God works and has a perfect plan. I hope in sharing what I've learned from Daniel will also serve as the same encouragement that I have received from this book. It has given me the focus that I lack because through Daniel's visions and dreams, he was granted with a small glimpse into a window of events that even he did not live to see. A testament to his faithfulness - and to mine as well, I hope that the things I've learned in Daniel and can share with you will also encourage you as well.
-Stephanie Yee
Saturday, April 11, 2009
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”
Romans 6:1-7
When we accept Christ, we are not supposed to live in sin or partake in our old ways. For example, when a man decides to marry a particular woman, he is no longer in a relationship with any previous women because of this commitment. Similarly, when we accept Christ as our Lord, we are no longer in a relationship with Adam, who represents the sinful man. Of course, practically all of us still sin after we accept Christ, but the difference is that we don’t live in sin as we did before. Like a man who may still have some feelings for an ex, he does not dwell in these feelings because he is committed with someone else. The old relationship is over even though some memories, some feelings linger momentarily.
During spring/summer in upstate New York, dandelions proliferate and cover much of the green grass. It is possible to remove the weeds temporarily by pulling them out one by one. However, that task is tedious, and to remove an invasive species, you must remove the weed without leaving any of its roots behind, or else it would regrow. The problem with dandelions is how quickly they spread their seeds. In the process of pulling these weeds off, you’re more likely to spread their seeds than to extinguish the specie. The trick to getting rid of dandelions is not to pull them out, but to grow good grass. By growing rich, healthy grass, dandelion roots do not flourish so well and die. Sin is very similar to invasive species. A single dandelion may seem harmless, even pretty when its petals are still yellow, but when it matures into a ball of fluffy seeds, which can spread fast, it can be dangerous. Left alone, it can turn a beautiful lawn ugly very quickly. The best way to address the ugliness of sin is to grow good grass, or bear good fruit in its place so weed does not have a chance to grow. You can’t take off our selves, without having our new selves ready.
-Chui Wong
Romans 6:1-7
When we accept Christ, we are not supposed to live in sin or partake in our old ways. For example, when a man decides to marry a particular woman, he is no longer in a relationship with any previous women because of this commitment. Similarly, when we accept Christ as our Lord, we are no longer in a relationship with Adam, who represents the sinful man. Of course, practically all of us still sin after we accept Christ, but the difference is that we don’t live in sin as we did before. Like a man who may still have some feelings for an ex, he does not dwell in these feelings because he is committed with someone else. The old relationship is over even though some memories, some feelings linger momentarily.
During spring/summer in upstate New York, dandelions proliferate and cover much of the green grass. It is possible to remove the weeds temporarily by pulling them out one by one. However, that task is tedious, and to remove an invasive species, you must remove the weed without leaving any of its roots behind, or else it would regrow. The problem with dandelions is how quickly they spread their seeds. In the process of pulling these weeds off, you’re more likely to spread their seeds than to extinguish the specie. The trick to getting rid of dandelions is not to pull them out, but to grow good grass. By growing rich, healthy grass, dandelion roots do not flourish so well and die. Sin is very similar to invasive species. A single dandelion may seem harmless, even pretty when its petals are still yellow, but when it matures into a ball of fluffy seeds, which can spread fast, it can be dangerous. Left alone, it can turn a beautiful lawn ugly very quickly. The best way to address the ugliness of sin is to grow good grass, or bear good fruit in its place so weed does not have a chance to grow. You can’t take off our selves, without having our new selves ready.
-Chui Wong
Braveheart, Heroes, and the Bible
______So it was Tartan day this past Monday. Tartan day is a North American celebration of people of Scottish descent. It’s like the Scottish version of St. Patrick’s Day. My apartment-mates and I celebrated by donning kilts (okay fine, only my roommate Ryan had a real kilt) and watching Braveheart.
______I have to make a confession that will cause many men to lose their respect for me. I don’t really like Braveheart. I might as well go ahead and admit that I also love drinking Apple-tinis and I don’t know how to change my own oil. I don’t know what it is; it just doesn’t really do it to me, although I can see why it’s considered one of the manliest movies ever made. Mel Gibson totally whips a bunch of English oppressors who killed his family and the woman that he loved, all in the name of freedom (hmm, sounds like another historical fiction movie starring Mel Gibson…).
______I still wonder though, what is it about the character of William Wallace that appeals so much to both men and women? Is it the fact that he’s totally awesome in battle? Is it his sheer rugged good looks and sapphire blue eyes? Maybe it’s because he fights with total resolve, never once doubting his purpose, even to the point of giving his life for his mission.
______I think the last one is the reason we look up to people like William Wallace. Heck, it's the reason why heroes are heroes. We all love and admire men and women who fight and overcome massive odds for the sake of some higher good, be it love or freedom or equality. Think about it; half the movie industry runs on the concept of an individual (oftentimes a common, ordinary person) who rises up in defense of what he or she believes in. Some of my favorite movies demonstrate this principle aptly: Hero, 300, The Patriot, Coach Carter, Batman Begins, and Moulin Rouge (they fight for love).
______There’s another element common among all heroes and that’s the idea of sacrifice. In Disney stories like Mulan and Hercules, the hero, despite immense sacrifice, survives. But in all the best stories, the hero ultimately pays the greatest price for his mission. Why do we gravitate towards these icons time and again?
______“All men die. Not all men really live”. Mel Gibson gives this epic line as he explains to his lover why he must die; why he must be tortured; why he cannot beg for mercy, not even for the sake of a quick death. He knew that for him to truly be a martyr, to die for a reason, he had to take the difficult road. If he quit now, his entire life would pass in vain.
______I sat pensively with my apartment-mates as William Wallace gathered his last breath. With the last bit of his life, he yelled “FREEDOM!” and the ax falls. What could be a greater act of heroism than this? This man had just given everything he had for something he believed in. Or maybe he gave it for people he loved; his fellow Scots. But he had a stake in it. He was a Scot and he was fighting for his friends.
______Then it hit me; there is a greater act of heroism than this. See, there was once a man who lived and died for his friends, but also his enemies. The people that he loved and gave himself for, they didn’t love him back; in fact they hated him. But in order to save them, he was executed in their stead; taking upon himself their crimes and their hatred. This man was Jesus.
______Jesus is the ultimate hero! He came down to live among a people who did not love him. He showed compassion to them and fed them and healed their sick and raised their dead. In the end, these people murdered him! But he conquers death and is raised to life. In his resurrection, he gives hope and salvation for the very people that hated him. Jesus is everything that we look for in a hero, to the infinite degree. Every other hero we know is only a type, an incomplete, imperfect shadow that points to the real thing.
______Why do we all gravitate towards heroic figures? Because there is something otherworldly about them, a hint of the eternal in what they do. Heroic men and women die, but their deeds go on for as close to forever as we can get.
“This is how God demonstrated his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8). Isn’t that amazing? The Gospel story is the ultimate hero story; it’s the ultimate manly movie! One man sacrifices his all for the sake of those he loved, though they didn’t even love him. This is the God we worship.
-Daniel Shih
______I have to make a confession that will cause many men to lose their respect for me. I don’t really like Braveheart. I might as well go ahead and admit that I also love drinking Apple-tinis and I don’t know how to change my own oil. I don’t know what it is; it just doesn’t really do it to me, although I can see why it’s considered one of the manliest movies ever made. Mel Gibson totally whips a bunch of English oppressors who killed his family and the woman that he loved, all in the name of freedom (hmm, sounds like another historical fiction movie starring Mel Gibson…).
______I still wonder though, what is it about the character of William Wallace that appeals so much to both men and women? Is it the fact that he’s totally awesome in battle? Is it his sheer rugged good looks and sapphire blue eyes? Maybe it’s because he fights with total resolve, never once doubting his purpose, even to the point of giving his life for his mission.
______I think the last one is the reason we look up to people like William Wallace. Heck, it's the reason why heroes are heroes. We all love and admire men and women who fight and overcome massive odds for the sake of some higher good, be it love or freedom or equality. Think about it; half the movie industry runs on the concept of an individual (oftentimes a common, ordinary person) who rises up in defense of what he or she believes in. Some of my favorite movies demonstrate this principle aptly: Hero, 300, The Patriot, Coach Carter, Batman Begins, and Moulin Rouge (they fight for love).
______There’s another element common among all heroes and that’s the idea of sacrifice. In Disney stories like Mulan and Hercules, the hero, despite immense sacrifice, survives. But in all the best stories, the hero ultimately pays the greatest price for his mission. Why do we gravitate towards these icons time and again?
______“All men die. Not all men really live”. Mel Gibson gives this epic line as he explains to his lover why he must die; why he must be tortured; why he cannot beg for mercy, not even for the sake of a quick death. He knew that for him to truly be a martyr, to die for a reason, he had to take the difficult road. If he quit now, his entire life would pass in vain.
______I sat pensively with my apartment-mates as William Wallace gathered his last breath. With the last bit of his life, he yelled “FREEDOM!” and the ax falls. What could be a greater act of heroism than this? This man had just given everything he had for something he believed in. Or maybe he gave it for people he loved; his fellow Scots. But he had a stake in it. He was a Scot and he was fighting for his friends.
______Then it hit me; there is a greater act of heroism than this. See, there was once a man who lived and died for his friends, but also his enemies. The people that he loved and gave himself for, they didn’t love him back; in fact they hated him. But in order to save them, he was executed in their stead; taking upon himself their crimes and their hatred. This man was Jesus.
______Jesus is the ultimate hero! He came down to live among a people who did not love him. He showed compassion to them and fed them and healed their sick and raised their dead. In the end, these people murdered him! But he conquers death and is raised to life. In his resurrection, he gives hope and salvation for the very people that hated him. Jesus is everything that we look for in a hero, to the infinite degree. Every other hero we know is only a type, an incomplete, imperfect shadow that points to the real thing.
______Why do we all gravitate towards heroic figures? Because there is something otherworldly about them, a hint of the eternal in what they do. Heroic men and women die, but their deeds go on for as close to forever as we can get.
“This is how God demonstrated his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5.8). Isn’t that amazing? The Gospel story is the ultimate hero story; it’s the ultimate manly movie! One man sacrifices his all for the sake of those he loved, though they didn’t even love him. This is the God we worship.
-Daniel Shih
Saturday, April 4, 2009
How To Deal With Hair And Homelessness
More often than not, I find it easier to notice the characteristics that make people different from me-- whether it'd be in appearance or mannerisms. The act in itself isn't wrong, I don't think; It reminds me of God's creative hand. The line between being conscious and being judgmental is so thin though, because my thoughts soon go from "oh, look at her hair" to.. "OH.. LOOK at HER HAIR!!?!?!" (This makes a lot more sense if you read it out loud.) How often than not do we become judgmental of others just because they are different from us?
Cognitive psychology gives us reasons (excuses) for the way we react when something/someone we see/hear/experience is totally different from our schemas. But as a Christian, I should know better. As someone who claims to know a God who died on the Cross for all-- not just for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles, not only for the Wise but also the Unwise; As someone who claims to have joy overflowing, I should know better... But most days, I really don't. Most days, it's easier for me to (not) see the homeless man on the F train and ride him off as nonexistent, annoying, a druggie, or just mainly worthless. Other days, I'd rather pretend to be better than I actually am, pretending there isn't some part of me inside that is judging you. But I am... and I hate it. Or I don't even realize I'm doing it. Or I do realize I am and I love judging you (thanks to pride just being myself). Anyone feel me on this?
Thank God for God because last Friday we did a Bible study during fellowship... and there it was in Romans 14 (read it!). The passage is referring more to the 'disputable matters' that cause dissension and people to judge each other, but I think it could be applied to my issue here.
"For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "[a] 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way." --Romans 14:9-13
And so I ask myself (and whoever is reading this entry)... What happens when the person you can't stand sits next to you during service? What happens when a "mentally unstable" man sits next to you on the subway? How will I respond... how will you respond? What will our response be as a community who claims to know the living God ? The answer is obvious but, as always, it's easier said than done.
-Kat Cheng
Cognitive psychology gives us reasons (excuses) for the way we react when something/someone we see/hear/experience is totally different from our schemas. But as a Christian, I should know better. As someone who claims to know a God who died on the Cross for all-- not just for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles, not only for the Wise but also the Unwise; As someone who claims to have joy overflowing, I should know better... But most days, I really don't. Most days, it's easier for me to (not) see the homeless man on the F train and ride him off as nonexistent, annoying, a druggie, or just mainly worthless. Other days, I'd rather pretend to be better than I actually am, pretending there isn't some part of me inside that is judging you. But I am... and I hate it. Or I don't even realize I'm doing it. Or I do realize I am and I love judging you (thanks to pride just being myself). Anyone feel me on this?
Thank God for God because last Friday we did a Bible study during fellowship... and there it was in Romans 14 (read it!). The passage is referring more to the 'disputable matters' that cause dissension and people to judge each other, but I think it could be applied to my issue here.
"For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "[a] 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way." --Romans 14:9-13
And so I ask myself (and whoever is reading this entry)... What happens when the person you can't stand sits next to you during service? What happens when a "mentally unstable" man sits next to you on the subway? How will I respond... how will you respond? What will our response be as a community who claims to know the living God ? The answer is obvious but, as always, it's easier said than done.
-Kat Cheng
Why grow up when you can be a kid??
I remember when I was younger. Every week, one of the things that I always looked forward to was Saturday morning cartoons. Mind you, this is back in the day (man I sound old) when we had quality stuff on, none of the stuff that’s on tv now, that’s only on just because they want to make some sort of toy/game and have a cartoon to cause kids to scream at their parents to buy. Anyway, I would remember waking up early, getting some breakfast, and watching tv. I found great joy in those hours and as Monday and school came closer, I wished that the following Saturday would come sooner.
Looking back now, I wonder where that excitement has gone? Obviously, the Saturday morning cartoons aren’t as good anymore. I can’t watch these cartoons because I have worship practice on Saturday’s and also I’m at the age where I’m not supposed to watch these things (although if I still did watch them, I wouldn’t admit it to you guys…). However, it’s not the excitement of cartoons that I’m looking for. The thing I wonder about is the desire, that yearning, that joy and passion something to come around again. The happiness of knowing that just around the corner, regardless of how horrible the week has been, there is some light. When I think about those feelings, I wonder, do we ever feel that way when we think about church?
Every week, Sunday comes around and many of us go to church, go to a bible study or discipleship group. After that, Sunday service and then after that, we either fellowship, hang out, or go home. How many of us can say we look forward to church like we used to look forward to Saturday morning cartoons (or looking forward to a break for those deprived children who always had some sort of lessons, prep class, etc)? Where has all the passion and joy gone? Have we really allowed church to become some sort of chore or task that we’re expected to do? Have we become so jaded by things that church is only a place for us to meet people and hang out?
This is why I feel like I want to be a kid again. Not because I want to be a Toy’s R Us kid or anything like that, but I miss the innocence of being a child. As older people, we’ve learned so many things, we’ve become so jaded with how people act, become so much more concerned with the matters of the world, that we’ve lost sight of the simple joys of life, we’ve lost sight of the things that really matter. Just imagine if we had the joy of Saturday morning cartoons and applied that to our church lives. How great of a church would we be in? I think it would be AWESOME. The fact that everyone in church was excited to be there, forgot about everything else but God and the church, and wanted to spend as much time there as possible. Also, just think about how contagious the joy of a child is. When we look at Courtney and see her smile, I’m pretty sure most of us can’t help but smile. Imagine what that would be like if our church lives were like that. When one of us was happy or excited about something and the rest of us shared in that joy. How great would things be? I think this is why Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 18 that becoming like little children was the way to go to heaven. As children we’re not concerned with matters of this world, we aren’t about clashing egos and trying to outdo one another. As kids, most of us just sought the joy that certain things brought us. Toys, books, tv shows, friends, etc. We filled our lives with finding joy from these things. Just imagine if we could live our lives, seeking our joy like that from God? From church? How different would our lives be?
My hope is that we really can start to find joy in God, in our brothers and sisters, and in our church. That when the weekend rolls around, we look forward and are excited about church because we find joy in Him and share it with our brothers and sisters. So when we spend most of our lives trying to be adults, when the world tells us to grow up, I want to encourage you all then when we come to church, to just be a kid.
-Henry Huang
Looking back now, I wonder where that excitement has gone? Obviously, the Saturday morning cartoons aren’t as good anymore. I can’t watch these cartoons because I have worship practice on Saturday’s and also I’m at the age where I’m not supposed to watch these things (although if I still did watch them, I wouldn’t admit it to you guys…). However, it’s not the excitement of cartoons that I’m looking for. The thing I wonder about is the desire, that yearning, that joy and passion something to come around again. The happiness of knowing that just around the corner, regardless of how horrible the week has been, there is some light. When I think about those feelings, I wonder, do we ever feel that way when we think about church?
Every week, Sunday comes around and many of us go to church, go to a bible study or discipleship group. After that, Sunday service and then after that, we either fellowship, hang out, or go home. How many of us can say we look forward to church like we used to look forward to Saturday morning cartoons (or looking forward to a break for those deprived children who always had some sort of lessons, prep class, etc)? Where has all the passion and joy gone? Have we really allowed church to become some sort of chore or task that we’re expected to do? Have we become so jaded by things that church is only a place for us to meet people and hang out?
This is why I feel like I want to be a kid again. Not because I want to be a Toy’s R Us kid or anything like that, but I miss the innocence of being a child. As older people, we’ve learned so many things, we’ve become so jaded with how people act, become so much more concerned with the matters of the world, that we’ve lost sight of the simple joys of life, we’ve lost sight of the things that really matter. Just imagine if we had the joy of Saturday morning cartoons and applied that to our church lives. How great of a church would we be in? I think it would be AWESOME. The fact that everyone in church was excited to be there, forgot about everything else but God and the church, and wanted to spend as much time there as possible. Also, just think about how contagious the joy of a child is. When we look at Courtney and see her smile, I’m pretty sure most of us can’t help but smile. Imagine what that would be like if our church lives were like that. When one of us was happy or excited about something and the rest of us shared in that joy. How great would things be? I think this is why Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 18 that becoming like little children was the way to go to heaven. As children we’re not concerned with matters of this world, we aren’t about clashing egos and trying to outdo one another. As kids, most of us just sought the joy that certain things brought us. Toys, books, tv shows, friends, etc. We filled our lives with finding joy from these things. Just imagine if we could live our lives, seeking our joy like that from God? From church? How different would our lives be?
My hope is that we really can start to find joy in God, in our brothers and sisters, and in our church. That when the weekend rolls around, we look forward and are excited about church because we find joy in Him and share it with our brothers and sisters. So when we spend most of our lives trying to be adults, when the world tells us to grow up, I want to encourage you all then when we come to church, to just be a kid.
-Henry Huang
Monday, March 30, 2009
Corner of Bowne Street and the River Jabbok
Three thousand years ago, a distraught man named Jacob made his way across the barren
In an attempt to save his family, he sent his two wives and his eleven sons and all his possessions across the Jabbok river. There on the fords of the Jabbok, he was left alone with his thoughts. Suddenly a man appeared and began to wrestle him. They wrestled through the night until daybreak, neither one gaining the upper hand. Finally, the strange man realized he could not overpower Jacob, so he used his powers to dislocate Jacob's hip!
Later we learn that the man had been the Lord God, who had come down to rename Jacob. His name was now "
We learn from the rest of the Old Testament that over and over again, the nation of
Today, there are spiritual wrestlers in Boon church. I want this blog to be a place that we can share our thoughts and our ideas. Part of my hope is that this can become a forum of discussion and debate. If you have any questions about faith or struggles with doubt, please share them (of course, only if you're comfortable doing so)! If you have any praises, share them so that we may all celebrate and thank the Lord together! If you have any great insights while reading the Bible, please share them! If you feel convicted to address a pattern of sin in our community, please do so! If you have a song, or a poem, or a psalm, or a spiritual reflection, or a prayer, or a prayer request...if you have anything you'd like to share with us at all, please share them!
Ultimately, this space is yours, Boon church. Use it as you desire. My only hope is that it will become a place where we can build deeper relationships on a larger, community level. Therefore, respond to one another! Encourage each other! Disagree with each other! Just get the dialogue rolling!
Here’s how you do it. Anyone is welcome to post whatever they want, whether it’s an article or a prayer or a poem or w/e. Just email them to BowneandJabbok@gmail.com. We will update the blog every Saturday. Anyone, Boonie or nonBoonie, is allowed to comment and respond to posted blogs; we just ask that you be polite and respectful and include your full name.
In love and for his glory,
-Dan Shih
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