Serving God's Purposes in Our Generation (Acts 13:36b)

Weird Christians I Have Met (or Have Been)

I am reading the book, Weird Christians I have met by Phil Baker (Senior Pastor in Australia). It is a fascinating book. I was struck by these words:There is a suble balance between normal Christianity, with its appreciation of diversity, and that which is erroneous, misleading and ultimately damaging. The authentic christian is one of the most attractive and compelling reasons for seeking the truth of Christianity. However, we are our worst enemy, for the inauthentic christian – the overly religious, fanatical or sidetracked believer – repels the seeking soul. Indeed, the number one reason why many people will not consider…

God is a God of Second Chances

I just came back from the first night of The Filling Station conference for this year. The theme is Grace. I know....what an amazing thing that is. The speakers this year are amazing. Tonight's message was from Simon Gau, a youth pastor right here from Whalley!I've heard so many messages on grace but it never fails to humble me every single time I hear it. A verse from tonight's message struck me so much that I felt I had to write this out.Micah 7 : 8, 9"Do not gloat over me, my enemy!Though I have fallen, I will rise.Though I…

Answer to the Point (Guarding Peace at Home)

In conversing with your spouse or vice versa, does this question sound familiar, “Why don’t you answer to the point?” I was planning to go to Operation Mobilization library to spend the entire day to study and write. It takes one-hour drive from my house or even more depending on the traffic. To me this journey is often hard, for it is a busy road and I cannot avoid pollution and traffic hassle. So as I was getting ready and informed my wife about my day’s schedule, she curiously asked me, “Are you coming back in the afternoon?” Boom! “What…

Plans Etc. . . .

By this time next year, I would like to...1. be able to support myself2. complete the social service worker diploma program3. obtain my life skills coach (training) certification4. apply for jobs in the field of social work5. apply to master's in social work programs6. having done 4 and 5, wait for God to point me in the right direction7. keep praying for indiaBenita Joy

Converting Out Of Christianity

Christians has been in the forefront of religious conversions. Many religious groups feel threatened by the aggressive missionary conversion agenda of the Church. Leaving faith is seen as betrayal of family, community, faith and nationality. Now a new fad in the ‘Christian’ West - renouncing Christianity by choice.A new faith renouncing ceremony has emerged. It is called ‘de-baptism’ and is a growing phenomena in Britian, a nation that send out Christian missionaries all over the world. See report in TIME and USA Today.Brits are not converting to any other faith, but are simply unchristianizing themselves or say converting to atheism.…

Unpublished Letter to the Editor of Financial Times – On Speculation

Unpublished Letter to the Editor of Financial Times - On Speculationfrom Mr. Prabhu S. GuptaraSir, How interesting that the Center for Public Integrity has now documented what we all knew anyway ("Subprime Explosion: Who Isn't Guilty?", May 6).What is widely overlooked is that the subprime crisis was the result of the inability of a mass of people to pay their mortgage premiums. However, those people had been paying their mortgage premiums regularly till something caused them to start being unable to pay. What was that something? Skyrocketing oil and commodity prices.So who is going to stand up to provide an…

On A New Ethic

Violence as seen in the Old Testament, was a part of God’s plan for the nation of Israel, but violence is abdicated through the person of Christ, his Cross, his message, and his body. Non-violence is the path of the Christian, and we must return good for evil and kindness for violence.1Death is but a byproduct of a sinful world. If then the Christ-follower is martyred, he rejoices for he is now with his Savior, and his life was given for the sake of him who sent him.True humility, true obedience, true love, true selflessness…does not consider oneself, but the…

Changing Childhood

Childhood is never the same. 10 years old girls are into diets, manicures and breast implants. See a report in Daily Mail and about Generation Diva in Newsweek. With the onset of puberty at younger years and constant bombardment of sexually charged images, preteens moving from childhood into adulthood, skipping important life stage of adolescence.Another recent survey, by a children’s organisation questioned 150,000 children and found that an astonishing 26 per cent of ten-year-old girls are obsessed with their weight and feel they’re not thin enough. More girls under the age of ten are being diagnosed with anorexia than ever.…

Bitterness

One of the major causes of human pain is the pain of not forgiving. "It has been three years, and I have not forgiven my brother. I never will," she burst out in anger."If I ever get a chance, I will repay him for what he has done. And nobody will ever stop me" remarked another bitter man about his previous employer."How many time can I taker her back? She says she is sorry; and then comes back and does the same thing to me." Bitterness is a problem of life, for we humans have an incredible capacity to wound…

Please Listen

When I ask you to listen to meand you start giving me advice,you have not done what I asked.When I ask you to listen to meand you begin to tell me whyI shouldn't feel that way,you are trampling on my feelings.When I ask you to listen to meand you feel you have to do somethingto solve my problem, you have failed me,strange as that may seem.Listen! All I ask is that you listen.Don't talk or do - just hear me.Advice is cheap; 20 cents will getyou both Dear Abby and Billy Grahamin the same newspaper.And I can do for myself;…

They Met Without Us

One of the coolest things happened this past weekend. Shainu and I were in Boston for the weekend, visiting our sending church, reporting on what God had been doing in the last eleven months. So since we were away, you figure we had to cancel our Sunday Gathering right? Nope. Seven Mile Road gathered for prayer, study, conversation, and community just like we always do. Nothing changed.Dennis led the gathering, Phillip led the singing, Jeremy did the teaching, Anne and Leena ran the nursery, Reny took care of the food, Winson helped count the offering, and on and on the…

Youth Not Keen On Serving Society

THE calling of God to His ministry was always clear in Rev. Paul Francis’ life. His parents, who were childless for a long time, had taken a vow to the Lord to offer their son to His work, when He gave them one. Years later, Paul then a post graduate in English literature, refused a lecturer’s job and decided to be a pastor. According to his own admission, his mother, one of the first women lay preachers of the CSI Church, was a great influence in his life. Her preaching and serving have left an indelible mark on his life…

Don't Worry . . . Be Happy

I think Indian people are great worriers by nature.  Just think about your parents for a second:  most Indian parents worry about their mortgage payments, car payments, household expenses, children’s expenses, vacation expenses, they worry about their job security, about their promotion opportunities, they worry about their wife/husband, kids, family in India/North America, and they worry if they’re being Christ-like examples to their kids, if the Church is growing...there are very few things Indian parents don’t worry about, and fewer things they aren’t afraid to tell their kids that they worry about those things!  And then there’s our generation we worry about our parents and all their worries, we worry about friends, grades, whether we’ll get into A university/college, then we worry about WHICH university/college we’ll get into, we worry if we’re living how God wants us to, if there are enough youth in our youth group, we worry about our jobs, our future careers, our future families, and then we worry about our future worries . . .

Strategies To Effectively Evangelize The Modern Urban South Asian Diaspora

With over 1.5 billion people in South Asia and about twenty-five million in the diaspora,10 people of South Asian origin play a major role in the world today.  Many multi-nationals companies see it as a powerful emerging market for a knowledge-based economy, a pool of resource talent and rich cultural ideas. The modern urban South Asian diaspora is significant, not only because it represents part of an evolving world culture and a cross-section of the world’s major religions, but a vast mission field whose evangelization will have a positive multiplier effect to the billions of souls in South Asia and beyond.



Living By The Spirit Or Loafing In My Spirit?

Speaking in tongues! Hearing the inward voice of God! Giving a word of prophecy! Experiencing spectacular guidance! Doing wonders! Emotional ecstasy! This is what Spirit-led life is to many Christians. But is this what all walking in the Spirit is? While I am not against all these manifestations, however, I have to honestly admit of witnessing sheer carnality among many who emphasize on being led by the Spirit according to the description given above.In our era of ignorance about the right understanding of Spirit-led life we need God’s word to remind us about what it is to walk in the…

Should We Believe the Propaganda About "Green Shoots"?

The correct answer is: No.However, let's be balanced or nuanced or generous - or something like that:There are undoubtedly some "green shoots" ... but a few green shoots don't equate to a healthy garden!If we are really near a recovery, the housing market (for example) would indicate that clearly. But the housing market shows no sign of that anywhere except in the Middle East - and that is hardly a typical market.Moreover, if global savings are of the order of $100 trillion, then consider that the twelve most industrialized countries in the world will have to issue at least about…

Say It . . . But Show It!

Read: Matthew 22:35-40 One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So he tried to test Jesus by asking, “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments. (Mat 22:35-40 CEV) Questions for Reflection 1.       What is this passage about?——————————- 2.     …

Please Listen

When I ask you to listen to meand you start giving me advice,you have not done what I asked.When I ask you to listen to meand you begin to tell me whyI shouldn't feel that way,you are trampling on my feelings.When I ask you to listen to meand you feel you have to do somethingto solve my problem, you have failed me,strange as that may seem.Listen! All I ask is that you listen.Don't talk or do - just hear me.Advice is cheap; 20 cents will getyou both Dear Abby and Billy Grahamin the same newspaper.And I can do for myself;…

The Missing Ingredient

The following is a post by Dr. John Kimball, Director of Church Redevelopment of the CCCC. At Seven Mile Road, we are working to move prayer from the periphery to a central place in our community. Dr. Kimball’s article is a timely reminder of what we’re getting at and why.“I don’t understand. We’ve done everything you’ve told us to do…” This godly man was frustrated and tired. He had such hopes for his congregation. And yet, the issues they had been facing for many years just wouldn’t seem to cease. The truth is, they had not done everything I instructed…

Changing Childhood

Childhood is never the same. 10 years old girls are into diets, manicures and breast implants. See a report in Daily Mail and about Generation Diva in Newsweek. With the onset of puberty at younger years and constant bombardment of sexually charged images, preteens moving from childhood into adulthood, skipping important life stage of adolescence.Another recent survey, by a children’s organisation questioned 150,000 children and found that an astonishing 26 per cent of ten-year-old girls are obsessed with their weight and feel they’re not thin enough. More girls under the age of ten are being diagnosed with anorexia than ever.…