Intro to Stepping Stones

Do you know who helped Billy Graham to discover his gifting in preaching? Who helped Benny Hinn to move in the supernatural healing gifts of God? Who was instrumental in shaping the life of Mother Theresa?

The three Christian servants are well known for their service to humanity. Billy Graham preached to millions and saw great numbers of salvations. He was used by God to stir up faith within the body of Christ to believe in evangelism. Benny Hinn preached salvation and healing. Many wonderful miracles were released in his meetings. He was an inspiration to many in the healing power of God. Mother Theresa was an icon of Christian love. When the world looked for an icon for love, they turned to the wrinkled face of Mother Theresa. She was well known to the whole world as a nun who served the poorest of the poor, those whose lives were least valued.

While these are the servants of God, I wonder if you have ever paused to think of the many who obeyed the prompting of God, and came to inspire them, to guide them, to affirm them, to correct them, to release them into God’s wonderful destiny for their lives. These are the unsung heroes of God in His kingdom. These are the many who served not in limelight but simply for His delight. These are the unknown faces of the multitudes, some who are now among the many witnesses in heaven cheering us on, some who are still here on earth, motivating us on to finish our race heavenward in Christ.

These, are God’s “Stepping Stones”.

They came to serve God by lifting us up on a higher plane so that we could see God and reach out for His destiny in our lives. They are happy just to be that step which we could step on to reach our higher destination. They are not known, not remembered, not around when we reach the next level. They could be our primary school teachers, our Sunday school teachers, our seniors, our parents and most definitely our youth pastors!

To many, the term “Stepping stones” is not a nice description to describe people who have mattered in our lives. It gives a negative connotation that they have been used for our selfish gain. But yet in a sense, every mentor, disciple-maker, youth worker ARE Stepping Stones. They came and allowed us to step on them to reach our highest potential (not selfish gain).

As I turn 40, after serving God for more than 14yrs in full-time ministry as a pastor, I feel it is time to pen down my thoughts to thank the many stepping stones of God in my life as well as those in the lives of many of you out there. They deserve our appreciation!

time to revamp my blog

i have been travelling a lot this past months.
i have been passing my article to be posted at MOLMAN.blogspot.com rather than here.

But soon...i will want to start a new series here just on this blog. it would be a book i hoped to publish when i was younger. it would be about my reflection on my last 20years on youthwork. i have entitled the book "Stepping Stones". And instead of publishing it on paper, i think blog would be the more suitable media for this new generation of youth and youth worker.

It is my intention to bless the youthworker of old and new about the challenges and blessings of youthwork.

Should you know someone who is a youthworker, you can invite him on my behalf to come and share this journey with me.
Intro
1 Why stepping stones;
a humble call to youth work; forgettable group of workers among church team. Youth worker does not retire they just fade away.
Youth Ministry
2 Why youth work? U
nique grace; openness to gospel, Holy Spirit and readiness for radical commitment. They are leaders of tomorrow but what kind?
3 Youth – leaders of today!
4 History of Youth work –
from incidental to intentional to integration
Youth workers
5 Youth worker is king-maker!
6 What really matters to the youth & youth development?
a. Research on adult leaders who has been impacted by youth ministry
b. Chronos study – why youth are where they are?
c. Felt needs and real needs
7 The challenging 20s, the restless 30s, the giving 40s, the covering of the 50/60s.
a. Challenging 20s; conflict of values
b. Restless 30s; esp upper 30s because of the need to exercise faith, experimenting ideas, exerting authority
c. Giving 40s; desire to give back to the next generation, need to create an environment for growth for the teens to 20s to 30s. guard the truth and provide foundation. Nurturing
d. Covering of the 50/60s; providing umbrella for the next generation to try new things, Encouraging
8 Parents and Youthworkers – parentsconnnect
The Bigger Picture
9 Evangelising Youth – a Singapore story
10 I HAVE A DREAM!

i will expand on all these in the coming months....please feel free to share your thoughts with me and other fellow youthworkers/stepping stones.

Psa 127:1 A pilgrim song of Solomon. If GOD doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks. If GOD doesn't guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap.
Psa 127:2 It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?
Psa 127:3 Don't you see that children are GOD's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Psa 127:4 Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth.
Psa 127:5 Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Flowing from the sermon from Sunday, I meditated upon the verses again and this is my reflection.
I noticed 2 very key words ie useless and giving.
It is useless to toil apart from God. All our effort would be wasted even if they yield some temporary results.
On the other hand, God gives. He gives rest and protection. There is no need to worry. Worry is a lack of trust in God. We need to learn to look beyond our perspective and see God. Thereby allowing ourselves to do what He does and not what more not less.
Burnout and every other stresses and failure come when we work beyond what God has for us.

Jesus said – I only do what I see My Father is doing in Heaven!

Faith or risk

Pastor Eugene shared an interesting insight about faith and risk. Faith is about God while risk is about us. Thus, if we are risk centred when we exercise faith..we are really focusing on what we would lose if the action failed to produce the outcome. On the other hand, faith in God is about obeying and trusting the outcome to God.
very interesting insight. we need to know and move by faith - because the righteous shall walk by faith.

Obedience

As i reflected more about this season of God's word...i felt that the key word is OBEDIENCE...only in obedience can we truly lived out Jesus as Lord of all in our lives. We need to know that only in obedience to the Truth that we are building our lives on strong foundation. Foundation is not built overnight. it requires true commitment to follow / obey His Word. Have you obeyed today?

Monday Church

I like the term "Monday Church". We are reminded that church is not meant to be only on Sunday. Instead we must live out our faith on Monday to Saturday. I want to encourage all of you to seek out the plans of God for your "Monday Church", the community you are in, and pray for wisdom to establish His will.

You can be another "Daniel" which brought about a change in his high school because he believed and acted with his faith. God can use another vessel who truly believed.

And for those of you who came forward to be commissioned....start praying...i will available together with my 12 to help you discern God's will and start your Monday Church. It is time to Pastor the City!

reflection at pre planning

we are reminded again about the need to pause and reflect on the sermon lest we, pastors, are mere "professional" without authencity. how can we be challenged about the Lordship of Jesus without making some changes in our lives; be it inner life or our manner in speech and action. so often we can justify our actions and speeches but when we come before His Lordship, the appropiate response should be repentance.
questions; who am i when no one is looking? why am i responding the way i am? how is Jesus reflected in my words and actions?
IS HE LORD?

My children, i pray that when u read this entry, that you too will allow the Holy SPirit to shine into the inner recess of your heart. Allow Him to show you where we have "fallen" whereby He is not given the reign in our lives.