SAFETY ZONE
“For your own safety, please stand behind the yellow line” is a familiar recorded voice that we hear in the MRT stations. The yellow is about 2 feet from the edge of the platform. It is a safety zone. Even if one were to stand at the edge, technically it is still safe but will be in danger if someone were to push from behind. A safety zone is a buffer zone. It acts as a warning zone to be cautious.
These days, there are Christians who are casual in their lifestyle that always putting themselves at the edge of danger. One of the examples is the physical aspect of a guy and a gal in “romantic” a relationship or even in a casual one. How far one should go? God has given the mind to be a safety zone. No one commits murder or adultery without originating from the mind. Jesus said that one has cross the line of adultery when one has thoughts of having sex with a boyfriend or girlfriend. One has cross the line of cheating when one has decided to copy from his/her friend’s homework. One has cross the line……on and on and on. Thank God for conscience for it is our first line of defence. Don’t try to test the limit, it has proven to fail. When one thinks he/she is standing firm, the fall is about to begin. Having safety zones is an expression of not wanting to mess up the life which God has given.
WHAT IS JESUS?
Is Jesus a charismatic, traditionalist, conservative, radical,....? No. Jesus is godly. So the next time when you are asked what type of Christian you are, the answer should be "godly". That is a strong word, but isn't it what God wants every Christian to be?
BODY ENHANCEMENT
We are living in a generation where people wants "vital" parts of the body to be enhanced. Of course, this category comes out top with women. For guys, mostly is the hair loss problem and now there are pills to enlarge the male sexual organ! If Christians can understand what is involved in the resurrected body promised by God, they would not have spend money on man-made bodies enhancement that are not lasting. Before God gives the perfect body in the future, He is now more interested in enhancing in each Christian in the likeness of His Son. In short, perfect character in a perfect body. But these days, there are still many who are ignorant of God’s offer of total body enhancement programme. They only know how to make themselves look nearly good in the outside but have no clue how to deal with the rottenness in the inside. Where are the Kingdom’s sales personnel?
HORROR
Any horror scene tends to frighten people and cause them to move away. The horror scene of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ do frighten people. The horror of the level of wickedness what Mankind was capable off - killing the Creator of the universe. People don’t have to go to movies and be horrified by the power of darkness. Just look at our lives and be horrified that our sins will bring us to the eternal fire. With that in mind, the horrific scene of the crucifixion of Jesus will draw people to the Cross instead of driving them away. Jesus said that he will be lifted up (crucifixion) and he will draw all men to himself.
There is another kind of horror in today’s Christianity. The horror of people becoming a Christian for all sorts reason except the Cross. It could be the preaching, the music, the activities, the facilities of the church building, the hunks, the babes and so on.
When all these were stripped away, what is left? Jesus was stripped of everything, even his clothing, and what was left for Him? The Cross. The best way to find out whether we have the Cross is when we are stripped of everything. Jesus had the Cross in his heart and mind even before He was born and showed that He had it to the end. Do you have it?
IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR PROFESSION, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE?
In my younger days, I was once invited to join the Military Security Department of the Ministry of Defence. It was a dream come true to be in the Secret Service of the country. But after much prayer, I sensed that it was not the direction that God wanted me to go. So I turned down the offer.
I thank God for the opportunity given which showed that I had been scrutinised unknowingly and found to be a person of integrity. All credited to God’s transforming work in my life to be blameless before Him and before men. So I would like to be in the elite of people with the security of the country at heart.
But I am already among the many who are the elite in the Kingdom of God. Didn’t Jesus said that to be the greatest in the Kingdom must first be a servant of all. That’s what I am right now, serving the youth of this generation.
WHAT DO YOU DO AS A YOUTH PASTOR?
The word "pastor" in Greek means "shepherd". So the role of a pastor is to guide the youths under his care into greener pasture - to be fed with the Word of God and providing spiritual guidance as they make decisions in life that must be within the will of God. He is a voice of warning to sheep who are stubborn to choose to go their own way and also a voice of consolation when sheep realised their mistakes and return back to the flock. So the focus of a pastor is people oriented rather than programme performance oriented.
WHAT QUALIFICATION DO YOU NEED TO BE A YOUTH PASTOR?
First of all, love for people with the love of God. With that motivation, you will be motivated to be equipped all that is necessary to be effective in the ministry. In formal training, you are informed. The real training actually comes from the day to day informal involvement in the lives of the people which the classroom training and textbook cannot provide. Just like the Bible, you are informed who God is but you need to experience him and so conclude that He is real.
WHY ARE YOU A YOUTH MINISTRY PASTOR?
Firstly, I believe it was God who put a concern in my heart 11 years ago as I saw a quantum leap in the change of values of the then young generation from the previous one. As right now, the change is even more drastic as the many influence they received from the media. I want to make my life count in making a difference in the lives of as many young people as possible as I come in contact with them. My prayer is that they will know how to live life to the fullest in Jesus and that they will make an impact to their own generation and to the next. As the Bible predicts that wickedness will increase as time goes by, so is the challenge to capture the hearts and minds from the ungodly values that are seeping in a very subtle manner into the lives of this young generation. All I know that God is faithful and He will know just what to do with this circumstance at hand. On my part, I have to remain faithful to the end.
