East Asia School of Theology » Wailing http://www.east.edu.sg Developing Christlike Leaders for the Great Commission Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:32:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Journeying with the pre-believers http://www.east.edu.sg/2009/10/19/a-bittersweet-experience/ http://www.east.edu.sg/2009/10/19/a-bittersweet-experience/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:00:04 +0000 jaclyn http://east.edu.sg/?p=1096 Wailing (front row, 2nd from the right) with ISM staff & students

Wai Ling (front row, 2nd from right) with International Student Ministry staff & students

I am enjoying my ministry very much and often I feel that I am on a mission trip every week when I meet students of different nationalities. Missions is really right at our door step! I personally had the privilege of leading 6 Chinese girls to Christ. I am able to connect and relate to the Chinese pretty well but when it comes to sharing Christ with the South East Asia students I lack confidence. I realized that there is so much to learn in sharing Christ ‘cross-culturally’. I need to understand the background of these students and how they are influenced by their upbringing, cultural and educational systems. If I don’t understand their worldviews it would be difficult to engage in a meaningful spiritual conversation with them at the heart level.

Journeying with the pre-believers can be a bittersweet experience. I always see an instant change in the countenance of a new convert … from anxiety, struggle, skepticism or fear to relief, peace and joy. And when I get a chance to talk with these new believers weeks later I will be able to hear heartwarming testimonies of lives that are changed inwardly. On the other hand, we also meet people who remained firm in their unwavering stand that Jesus is not the only way to God, they have to earn salvation to gain entrance to heaven and there is no need for a God to lead their lives. It is sad to see that some are so close to accepting Christ yet they are so far because they choose to continue to live a life of passive indifference towards God. We can only pray that as they continue in their journey of searching, they will encounter God personally and place their faith in Him one day. As for the Christians, we pray that their changed lives will make a positive impact in our culture and society.

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]]> http://www.east.edu.sg/2009/10/19/a-bittersweet-experience/feed/ 0 To bare my heart before God http://www.east.edu.sg/2009/07/16/to-bare-my-heart-before-god/ http://www.east.edu.sg/2009/07/16/to-bare-my-heart-before-god/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:20:51 +0000 jaclyn http://east.edu.sg/?p=1041 Whenever I go for my personal retreat, I would usually have an agenda in mind on the things and issues I want to talk to God about; to process through those thoughts and to seek His guidance. The recent retreat was a few days before our International Student Ministry (ISM) staff planning. I was asking God to tune my heart to hear His direction for this ministry but God changed the entire course … He was dealing with my heart rather than my work. As I was listening to a song, tears kept flowing and I realized that I was going through a period of loneliness mixed with frustrations in my re-entry back to Singapore. My age and stage of life contributed to a different and unique set of needs I have. It was good to bare my heart before God and to allow Him to bring comfort to my heart. I still have my concerns but I feel relieved because I have left those burdens at the feet of Christ. There is one thing I brought home from the retreat — God is the STRENGTH of my heart. Please pray that I will be patient and allow God to teach me new things as I walk with Him in this transition journey.

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