God's Soverignty & Prayer

Does our Prayer change God’s mind? A quick response by many would be ‘Yes!’, otherwise why did the Lord tell us to pray. On first thought, this response seems correct & logical, but is it biblical?

According to the bible, it seems that God’s does not change his mind because of our prayer. Prayer is one of the means by which God gets His will done on earth. "Effective prayer is, as John said, asking in God's will (John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”). As such, our prayer should be in line with God’s mind. Of course, we don’t know the specifics of God’s mind, but we can always pray “thy will be done” as it is what Jesus had taught us.

As God is not limited by time, it seems that it is also logical to say that our Prayer does not change God’s mind. In his Monologion, Anselm had argued from God’s immutability to his timelessness. Maybe God exists outside time and sees all events simultaneously. Thus, He knows the “future” totally. God does not have the human limitations of knowledge that would require Him to change his mind because of our prayer. Thus, different from Open theism, God does not take a risk in creation. God is not only omnipotent, but also omniscient.

Though God’s does not change his mind because of our prayer, our prayer affects the outcome. This is a mystery and difficult to understand with our fallen reasoning.

If God’s does not change his mind because of our prayer. If God works all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11) and that He is omniscience, then what is the point of praying that anything happen? To this question, I think we need to be reminded that the aim of prayer is not to change God, but to change our mind, change us. Through prayer, we learn to listen to God, to seek God, to change our self-centeredness. In our prayer journey, we learn to persevere.

May 24, 1738- What happened at Aldersgate?

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while the leader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.---- from The Journal of John Wesley, May 24, 1738

This was John Wesley's Aldersgate experience, it happened more than 260 years ago. It was 1738 and John Wesley was at the age of 34. On May 24, 1738, he attended an evening worship service in London which moved him deeply. In his journal, Wesley described this as his "Aldersgate experience". As I reflect on John Wesley's Aldersgate experience, it can be seen that God can use anything, including a preface to change a person's heart. ... truly amazing! To those who say that reading commentary make them fall asleep, I would say that without the Holy Spirit & an interest in the study of God's Word, regardless of what we read, we would fall asleep! ... this is not just a simple change, but a significant one. How significant? It is a turning point in Wesley's life. It was said that he was able to travel 5,000 miles a year, preaching about 15 sermons a week. Wesley's energy was simply amazing. The meetings were attended by thousands. However, Wesley had not been always successful in his preaching. From his journal, we know that his mission trip to America was difficult and discouraging. While he was doing his missionary work in America (which is before his Aldersgate experience), many things didn't go right. ... ... this caused John Wesley to question his faith. John Wesley returned to England discouraged and intending to give up preaching. However, God wasn't going to allow him to give up. In his time of distress, he met Peter Böhler, a member of the German Moravian Brethren, who encourage him to "Preach faith 'til you have it, and then because you have it, you will preach faith."

Indeed, John Wesley did. At his gravestone, we can see these words:

This great light arose
(by the singular providence of God)
to enlighten these nations.
Reader, if thou art constrained
to bless the instrument,
give God the glory.

May God give us strength & determination to serve Him as John Wesley did! ... in whatever walks of life we may be in. To God be the Glory!

Further Reading

Twentieth-Century Interpretations of John Wesley's Aldersgate experience: Coherence or Cofusion? [by Kenneth J Collins]

Spirit and Form in Wesley's theology: A Response to Keefer's "John Wesley: Disciple of Early Christianity" [by Howard A Snyder]

Be Discerning through Knowing History

"When you see this [The Da Vinci Code] as a historian," I asked Dr. Paul Maier, professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University, "what does that do to you?" "Well, I worry about the truth. I really do," Maier replied. "What happens if a majority of the readers of this novel will believe all the lies that are included in the second half of the book? Will this become the majority opinion? And will those historians who are really seeking the truth be crowded out in the future? Actually, I am far more furious at The Da Vinci Code as a professor of ancient history than I am as a Christian. The church has been attacked for two thousand years now. Well, what's new? But I cannot stand it when universally accepted facts of the past are falsified. This I cannot take." Then he gave the ultimate insult a college professor can offer. "If a student of mine had written something like this," he declared, "I would flunk him!" --- From Exploring the Da Vinci Code: Investigating the Issues Raised by the Book and Movie (Zondervan) by Lee Strobel and Garry Poole

“Can Jesus really be trusted as God incarnate, or was he merely a human pawn in the greatest scam in history?" --- From Lee Strobel, Exploring the Da Vinci Code (Zondervan)

Which came first?- The Bible(Canon) or the Church?

Do we need opinions/advices (experts'), miracles and/or reasoning to believe in God (hmm..., I'm refering to the one as revealed in the Bible!)? Maybe yes, but they certainly can't make us believe!

“Since for unbelieving men religion seems to stand by opinion alone, they, in order not to believe anything foolishly or lightly, both wish and demand rational proof that Moses and the prophets spoke divinely. But I reply: the testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason. For as God alone is a fit witness of himself in his Word, so also the Word will not find acceptance in men's hearts before it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit. The same Spirit, therefore, who has spoken through the mouths of the prophets must penetrate into our hearts to persuade us that they faithfully proclaimed what had been divinely commanded ... " --John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.7.5.

Thomas Watson also said something similar:

The Scripture is both the breeder and feeder of grace. How is the convert born, but by `the word of truth'? (James 1:18). How doth he grow, but by `the sincere milk of the Word.'? (1 Peter 2:2)

When we had this view of the order of how we believe in mind, it is clear that different from Catholic beliefs, Calvin knew well that the Holy Scripture has its authority from God, not from the church. Rather, the church is itself grounded upon Scripture. Calvin said that, if the Scripture depends on the decision of the Church. then the result would be that:

The truth of God would thus be subjected to the will of man.
It is insulting to the Holy Spirit.
It establishes a tyranny in the Church.
It forms a mass of errors.
It subverts conscience.
It exposes our faith to the scoffs of the profane.

In explaining that the church is itself grounded upon Scripture, Calvin said:

Paul testifies that the Church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets," (Eph. 2: 20.) [The apostles and prophets constituted the foundation of the church since it was through them that
God revealed and established the church. John R. W. Stott in, The Message of Ephesians, said "In practical terms this means that the church is built on the New Testament Scriptures."] If the doctrine of the apostles and prophets is the foundation of the Church, the former must have had its certainty before the latter began to exist. Nor is there any room for the cavil, that though the Church derives her first beginning from thence, it still remains doubtful what writings are to be attributed to the apostles and prophets, until her judgement is interposed. For if the Christian Church was founded at first on the writings of the prophets, and the preaching of the apostles, that doctrine, wheresoever it may be found, was certainly ascertained and sanctioned antecedently to the Church, since, but for this, the Church herself never could have existed. Nothings therefore can be more absurd than the fiction, that the power of judging Scripture is in the Church, and that on her nod its certainty depends. When the Church receives it, and gives it the stamp of her authority, she does not make that authentic which was otherwise doubtful or controverted but, acknowledging it as the truth of God, she, as in duty bounds shows her reverence by an unhesitating assent. As to the question, How shall we be persuaded that it came from God without recurring to a decree of the Church? it is just the same as if it were asked, How shall we learn to distinguish light from darkness, white from black, sweet from bitter? Scripture bears upon the face of it as clear evidence of its truth, as white and black do of their colour, sweet and bitter of their taste. --John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.7.2.

As to the question of "How shall we be persuaded that it came from God without recurring to a decree of the Church?", I think Calvin is saying that the Scripture bears its own authentication.

So, how does God enable us (this is not against our will) to believe in Him? Diagrammatically, I think a simple order would be this:

God ---> God's Word (Scripture) via apostles and prophets [together with the inward testimony of the second person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit]---> We believe ---> Formation/Beginning of a Church community

Rather than:

Apostles' and prophets' word (= God's Word [certainty??]) ---> We believe [on what basis?? No canon yet!!]
---> Formation/Beginning of the Church ---> Verify God's Word (Scripture)!!??

As I try to organise my thoughts (in the above diagram) as to how the Canon is formed, I found it very difficult to do so for the view that the Scripture has its authority from the church.

... ... just some random thoughts!

What is there to argue about?

The Story …

During the medieval period, many Christians called for simplicity in following the way Jesus taught. Friars Preachers (the Dominicans) squabbled with Friars Minor (the Franciscans) about going barefoot. When Wyclif saw this, he said disparaging that there are more important things to think about in the endeavour to follow Christ. [Wyclif, Sermones, Super Evangelia Dominicalia, Sermo III, ed. J. Loserth (Wyclif Society, London, 1887), vol. I, p. 24 ]

The Question …

Should we go barefoot? On most paintings, Jesus is shown barefoot. One reason maybe that it is a symbol of peace. In ancient times, shoes predominantly served as military equipment. Therefore Isaiah announced that “For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.” (Isaiah 9:5, ESV), or as the NLT puts it:

In that day of peace, battle gear will no longer be issued. Never again will uniforms be bloodstained by war. All such equipment will be burned. (Isaiah 9:5)

Jesus had also advised his disciples to go out for preaching the Kingdom of God without taking along shoes (Matthew 10:9-10). In 1999, during Pope John Paul II's visit to India, he paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi, in the place where the Father of Indian independence and herald of non-violence was killed on January 30, 1948, by a Hindu extremist. As tradition requires, John Paul II entered the garden of the mausoleum barefoot. Being ‘barefoot’ has different meaning in different culture and traditions.

… … But can being barefoot prove one is more godly? Before I proceed, I would consider the historical context behind the story first.

The History behind the story

In 1209, a sermon (on Mt 10:9) which Francis heard made such an impression on him that he decided to devote himself wholly to a life of apostolic poverty. Clad in a rough garment, barefoot, and, after the Evangelical precept, without staff or scrip, he began to preach repentance. St. Francis of Assisi founded the First Order Franciscans (also called Mendicants). [The First Order Franciscans is also called the Order of Friars Minor, or the lesser brothers.] These were the men who followed Francis into a life of ministry and preaching. Originally, they were sort of itinerant, living "in the world", and not in stable places such as monasteries. The friars were wandering preachers, they were known as the people's preachers. They lived an ideal of total poverty; they possessed nothing in common or individually. Forbidden to accept money, they lived from day to day by working and begging.

However, when Francis of Assissi died, the vision of Francis also ended. A debate on ‘poverty’ then ensued which involved the whole church. Some tried to continue Francis’s vision, but others were anxious to establish a more formal institutional structure, with the inevitable move towards involvement with property and bids for power. Francis’s ‘Franciscans’ [Today, the Franciscans are classified into 3 orders.] were divided in a bitter feud which drew the church in the West into a ‘poverty controversy’ lasting some generations.

In actual fact, this controversy about poverty which extends through the first three centuries of Franciscan history began in the lifetime of the founder. From the beginning, there were disagreements about the direction the order would take. The Franciscan minister general, Saint Bonaventure, sought a balance between the Conventuals, who wanted to adapt their poverty to the needs of the time, and the Spirituals, who wanted a strict poverty. The quarrel intensified during the 14th century when some of the Spiritual Franciscans, known as the Fraticelli, were condemned (1317-18) by Pope John XXII. Disagreements about the ideal of poverty brought about various splits and divisions in the First Order.

In history of the Franciscan order, we see that those who wanted to keep to the foundational principles of the Franciscan movement, and resist the acquisition of wealth and buildings and the adoption of the institutional structures which seemed to require such possessions, became the outlaws. Those Franciscans who found it convenient to become involved with property became respectable. Those who resisted were labeled as a dangerous fringe movement and ‘excluded’. From Church history, we also know the Benedictines became rich and often corrupt as they acquired more and more property. They ran great estates.

My thought:

1) From the sequence of events in the medieval period, it can be seen that there was a certain inherent tension in all monastic and religious life. Outlaws and outsiders are exactly the people Christ especially encouraged his followers to love. Christ urged his people not to reject strangers and outcasts; the stranger is a guest to be entertained (Matt. 25:35). (See Leviticus 19:10, 19:33-34; Exodus 22: 21-27. Maybe more on this in the future) Today, the very same thing can be seen, when outsiders (non church members), strangers and outcasts (poorer people & people who are not as well-dressed.) enter a church, the reaction that one can observe from church members is that of contempt. To the outsiders, strangers and outcasts, the church members’ expression is often one which says “you are unworthy of my notice”. When they walked past these people, they stare straight into the air. I would say this shows that they despise them. … and this happens even though we are supposedly called to be a witness. If this is how we witness, we need to repent and may God be gracious & forgive us.

So…, in the then medieval Western Europe, rather than being loved, the ‘outcasts for God’ were ‘contained’ in the religious orders. It provided a ‘safe’ and socially respected means of following Christ’s lead without appearing a threat to society by detaching oneself from wealth and a respect for material assets.

2) For the Mendicants, within a generation of their founding at the beginning of the 13^th century, they were already competing for the most prestigious professorships in the new universities and acquiring property and influence, all of these just to be ‘successful’ …!

… It’s no wonder they say good things don’t last. In both church history & contemporary church scene, the pursuit of wealth (prestige & reputation also) is prevalent among some of the church leaders and preachers (past popes, friars, health & wealth gospel preachers, preachers of Word-faith movement, heretics). Many of the church leaders and preachers (church-goers are not excluded also) wanted to be seen as respectable, to be ‘successful’ & to be seen as ‘successful’!! Both & church leaders are not immuned.

The Word-Faith teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, John Avanzini, Robert Tilton, Fred Price, and Benny Hinn (who authored the best selling Christian book in America, "Good Morning, Holy Spirit") are just a few that spew out this theological vomit. This is the group that would seek to convince us that Jesus and His disciples were rich, that to be poor is a sin, to be sick is a sin, and that faith is a creative force that we can use to shape our world just like God supposedly created this world and universe that we live in through His "faith"! However, upon close biblical examination, it could be said that the Word-Faith Theology within the Charismatic Movement has a cultic origin. … … but books by these authors are sold (easily found too!) in Singapore. May God help us not to be misleaded by them.

But, doctrinal errors are not only from the West. In Seoul South Korea, we have Paul Yonggi Cho, the "pastor" of the world's largest Protestant church (Assemblies of God). Similar to the Hagin & Copeland gang, Cho teaches that God promises healing and prosperity for every believer. In fact, he considers this as part of the gospel. The church's web site presents a 'five fold gospel' -- the gospel of regeneration, the gospel of the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the gospel of divine healing, the gospel of blessing, and the gospel of the advent. But to make things worse, Cho’s method is outright occult. His teachings are an idolatrous mix of a little Biblical teaching with a lot of occult healing, prophesying, visualization, sorcery, and pagan mind techniques. Cho teaches that Christians can get anything they want by calling upon the spirit world in the "fourth dimension" and envisioning (visualizing) their felt needs, no matter how crass and gross.

…. Coming back to the question of “What is there to argue about?”, we can see that what we have here is not exactly an argument of whether a Christian can/ should go barefoot. Rather, it is an argument that shows one’s level of contentment & reliance on God’s providance. …. …. if there is one question to be argued, it would be whether we have believed in the wrong gospel. Have we believed false preachers’ twisting of the bible to fulfill our wants (or greed!)?

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1, ESV)

How do the different religions view barefoot?

Many religions consider removing shoes as appropriate when approaching holy places. In Exodus, Moses had to take off his shoes before approaching the burning bush. Muslims must be unshod for prayer or to attend services in a mosque. Some Christian churches also practice barefoot pilgrimage traditions. In the Hindu religion, shoes are removed before entering temples. The preference to go barefoot elsewhere in India is in part due to the belief in cows as holy animals. (Source: Wikipedia, Barefoot))

A Biblical viewpoint?

Maybe we can start with the verse which motivated Francis of Assisi to live a different lifestyle. In Matthew 10:10, when Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles, Jesus told them to go barefoot, without a staff.

9) Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, 10) no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. (Matthew 10:9-10, ESV)

9) Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10) take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. (Matthew 10:9-10, NIV)

However, in Mark 6:8-9, Jesus told them to wear sandals and carry a staff.

He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.(Mark 6:8-9)

In comparing these two verses, we see a difference in what to bring along & what not to. In commenting on this verse, D A Carson said: “Do not take along” more likely means “Do not procure” (Acts 1:18; 8:20;22:28). … Matthew’s account forbids “procuring” even sandals or a walking stick (Mk 6:8). Presumably this account assumes that the disciples already had certain things (one cloak, sandals, a walking stick) and probed them from “procuring” anything more. The disciples needed to learn the principle that “the worker is worth his keep” (cf. 1 Cor 9:14; 1 Tim 5:17-18) and to shun luxury while learning to rely on God’s providence through the hospitality of those who would take them in overnight, thus obviating the need for a second cloak. (NIV Bible Commentary Vol. II, Zondervan, p. 48, emphasis in bold is mine)

I don’t think Jesus would mind what we wear on our feet. Being a Spiritual Franciscans (Fraticelli) is useless if we are still proud & thinks we are better than others because of the things we do (or habits we have). What we ‘wear’ on our heart is more important! Do we ‘wear’ a heart which rely on God’s providence? Do we ‘wear’ a heart of compassion (for the lost, for the unevangelised)? What we ‘wear’ on our face is just as important! Do we ‘wear’ a proud face? …Or do we ‘wear’ a expression of joy that shows our belief in the salvation that we have in Christ?

But never mind, if one likes to go barefoot, don’t feel guilty or bad, it actually makes you healthy! Hmm, it seems like Jesus do know a two about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Makes you healthy!

In certain parts of Singapore, we have reflexology paths. If we walk on them in bare feet, the foot reflexology points of our feet would be stimulated. We will get the same benefits as a reflexology massage. “TCM have long touted the benefits of stimulating certain points along the body that correspond to specific organs or body parts. Foot reflexology is based on this theory. The reflexologists says that the bottom of your foot is covered with points that correspond to various body systems and parts. Massaging these points, either stroking them or applying pressure, releases tension and blockages that prevent the flow of energy and stimulates the circulation of blood. Reflexology also helps crush small "crystals," or deposits of lactic acid, that settle in your feet. Once they are broken up, they can be reabsorbed into the body and the waste can be eliminated by the lymph system.” (Holisticonline.com-Reflexology) So much for TCM!

As for its other benefits, some physicians who espouse natural healing traditions recommend going barefoot as a measure against flat feet, varicose veins, and dorsal pain. They believe that the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks. Currently this issue has not undergone any peer-reviewed study, the standard for a practice to be accepted by the medical establishment.

Be careful though!

However, there are some health issues connected with being barefooted. For example, parasites that can enter the body through the skin or cuts on bare feet. For instance, the intestinal parasite hookworm may infect humans who walk on soil containing hookworm larvae (typically in areas of poor sanitation).

So, should I be barefoot or not … when at beach, playing soccer, … …? So frustrated! … … barefoot & emotions.... the connection? Yes, being bare feet is also a form of expression of our feelings & emotions. In stage performances such as dancing, theatre, and opera, bare feet often express emotions, fears, vulnerability, a down-to-earth attitude, and/or familiarity. It may often alleviate a performer's sense of nervousness or anxiety in such situations, as being barefoot tends to promote physical, and by implication, mental comfort. (Source: Wikipedia, article on barefoot)

… … Just some random thought. So, What is there to argue about? Being bare feet or not, it’s just a matter of choice & preference!

Reference:

Wyclif, Sermones, Super Evangelia Dominicalia, Sermo III, ed. J. Loserth (Wyclif Society, London, 1887).

Biblical Discernment Ministries- On Paul (David) Yonggi Cho

Prayer in the OT

"The mind and heart of the God are vulnerable to the pleas and the arguments of human creatures"-- Patrick D Miller, They Cried to the Lord: The Form and Theology of Biblical Prayer (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994), p. 126

Does our prayer make God change his mind?
Can our prayer cause a willingness in God to have a change of heart and turn God's anger to compassion?

What about the following bible verses?

Don't they show the trust Abraham had in regard to Sodom and Gomorrah, and of Moses in regard to the covenant people? Didn't God changed his mind because his people prayed?

So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. (Genesis 18:22 [Abraham Intercedes for Sodom], ESV)

Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. (Numbers 11:2, ESV)

And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. (Numbers 21:7, ESV)

Most often in the Genesis narratives, people speak to God and God speaks to them in term outside of the confines of liturgical times and places. More formal prayers, in the form of seeking God's guidance, is uttered by Moses during the desert wandering in a special designated tent, but even there it is not the apparatus of sacrificial liturgy that legitimates prayer. Most likely, ancint Israel always retained the notion that God could be called on by the believer, any believer, in prayer (cf. thestory of Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 1:1-2:10). Directness and bold speech marked in the Bible the imprecations directed to God.-- Johaanna W.H. van Wijk-Bos, Making Wise the Simple: The Torah in Christian Faith and Practice (Eerdmans, 2005), p. 51.

Since the time of Abraham & Moses, God has been listening to the prayers of his people, he is also doing it now. "outside of the confines of liturgical times and places" shows us that we need not go to a church to pray to God. God is not only in the church. He is ominipresent & he can hear our prayers. The fact that God could be called on by the believer, any believer, in prayer give us comfort. We know that in times of distress, even when there is no one to pray for us, God is always there & He hears us.He is always there & He is willing to listen. We can always be assured. Amen!

Possession-Self Identity

A Poll was recently conducted at the Channel News Asia website. The question asked was:

I would much rather pay more and buy a known brand because:

I need the after-sales service
I believe the product would be of better quality
I find the design and specifications are much better
I am brand conscious and can’t be associated with anything unknown

I voted (I believe the product would be of better quality) & viewed the result. I was surprised that the number of respondents who say they are brand conscious and can’t be associated with anything unknown is so low. So, I checked on the result again two days later. There were not much differences. In fact, there was a drop of 1% in the number of respondents who say they are brand conscious and can’t be associated with anything unknown is so low. Maybe the ones who visit the Channel News Asia website are not so brand conscious. We are smarter. … more concern about the design and specifications, after-sales service and the quality of the product. Hehe …Those who are brand conscious are too busy with finding money for their ‘wants’ that they have no time for concern on what’s happening around the world or locally. … or maybe they have so much money that they can afford to be always shopping for the newest brand name?!

23 Apr 2006 (6.54pm)

214 polled

I would much rather pay more and buy a known brand because:

I need the after-sales service (25%, 53 respondents)

I believe the product would be of better quality (54%, 115 respondents)

I find the design and specifications are much better (18%, 38 respondents)

I am brand conscious and can’t be associated with anything unknown (4%, 8 respondents)

25 Apr 2006 (8.27am)

248 polled

I would much rather pay more and buy a known brand because:

I need the after-sales service (24%, 60 respondents)

I believe the product would be of better quality (54%, 135 respondents)

I find the design and specifications are much better (18%, 45 respondents)

I am brand conscious and can’t be associated with anything unknown (3%, 8 respondents)

For me, I don’t believe in using brand to create a false self. If we really want to be image-conscious, we should be making sure we are concern about the right image. We should always remember that all humans are made in God’s image, how treat the people around us is thus very important. May the Lord Jesus help us to love those who are unlovable.

Aldersgate Convention 2006

Methodists will again gather around their Wesleyan heritage this month when the Rev Dr M. Robert Mulholland discusses the topic, “Shaped by the Word”, during the 2006 Aldersgate Convention from May 24 to 27. This service, which is always held on the same date, regardless of when it falls during the week, commemorates the anniversary of John Wesley’s experience of assurance in 1738. Past years' speakers include Rev Dr William Abraham, Dr Ajith Fernando, and Dr Thomas Oden. For the past years, I have been attending these talks, the attendance was not very good though. Maybe the publicity was no good. Maybe some of the speakers were too 'chim' (difficult to understand). Maybe it's the location (I find it a little inconvenient) ... ... or maybe Methodist are just not interested. ...hope this is not so. Maybe it was the language barrier. ... considering that Chinese-speaking congregations make up about a third of the total Methodist membership. But the attendance for lat year's Aldersgate Service was not bad. It was held at FM church. ... maybe it was the location after all. But I do had to admit some (portions) of the talks were a little too 'chim' (dificult to understand). For the one by Rev Dr William Abraham, I had to listen real hard to understand. Maybe I wasn't smart enough, sigh...! ... ... but I think it was his accent. In comparison, Ajith Fernando was easier to understand. As for Dr Thomas Oden, I tried to pay attention as I wanted to know how an evangelical theologian who teaches at a liberal United Methodist seminary would be different in his preaching. Not to be left out is, of course, the Bishop Dr Robert Solomon who preaches with conviction and passion. These speakers have greatly enriched and given me a different perspective to my understanding of the christian life and scripture. I pray that more would be able to come for these evening talks. This year, the topic is on “The Word”. From the brochure, it sounds really interseting. Lately, I have been thinking on the issues of biblical inerrancy, divine inspiration, preservation of scripture, ..., hope this series of talks would give me some food for thought.

Aldersgate Convention 2006

This year's Aldersgate Service will now be held at Barker Road Methodist Church, ACS (Barker Road). The Rev Dr Mulholland will preach at the May 24 service beginning at 7.45 pm.

Three Evening Talks

In addition to preaching at the Aldersgate Service, the Rev Dr Mulholland will deliver three evening public talks, also at Barker Road Methodist Church, on May 25, 26 and 27. Each talk will begin at 7.45 pm.

A leading exponent of “biblical spirituality”, he will offer a series of presentations on “The Word” for the evening talks. The talk on May 25 entitled “The Word: Became Text” explores how the church understands Scripture. God’s Word became text in a way that corresponds to the affirmation that the Word became flesh in Jesus Christ.

This is important to understand, according to the Rev Dr Mulholland, in light of the prevalent Enlightenment and postmodern ideas. There is an objective quality about the reading and hearing of the Word, not just some private, subjective experience open to anyone’s interpretation. As Christians, we do not merely read Scripture. It speaks to us.

The presentation on May 26, “The Word: A Place of Transforming Encounter with God”, will explore how Scripture is a place in which people can meet God in powerful, new and transforming ways. The Rev Dr Mulholland believes that one of the principal roles of Scripture is to destroy or “deconstruct” our "conventional worlds” of perceptions, meanings and values, and summon us into a radically alternative “world”. In other words, the Word sometimes confronts us in those areas that need to change.

The last of the three evening talks on May 27, “The Word: Becomes Flesh in Us”, probes the “incarnational dimension” of Scripture. Christians do not just read and study Scripture, but embody its meaning in their lives.

Besides sound biblical teaching, the evening talks will include choir music and congregational singing, as well as opportunities for questions and answers.

The Rev Dr Mulholland, a United Methodist minister, is a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

Christianity Explored: Sign up now

AS PART of Aldersgate Convention 2006, a full-day seminar will be held on May 27 for those interested in leading the evangelistic course, Christianity Explored, in their churches.

The seminar will be held at Sophia Blackmore Hall on the 6th floor of Methodist Centre in Barker Road from 9 am to 4 pm. The Rev Rico Tice, an Associate Minister at All Souls Church in London who developed the course, and Mr Barry Cooper are the presenters.

Christianity Explored is a 10-week programme developed by All Souls Church in London. It is similar to the Alpha Course.

The course is being introduced to local Methodist churches. The DISCIPLE Agency of The Methodist Church in Singapore is working with the London course project team to finalise the launch of the programme.

The registration fee for the seminar is $65 per person. Groups of 10 will be accorded the special fee of $50 per person. The fee includes lunch, tea, and handouts.

Registration forms are available online at www.methodist.org.sg

'Christianity Explored' materials are available at SKS Warehouse.