TWO MORE MONTHS TO D-DAY

Well..I have about 2 months to complete my written assignments and research project before graduation end of the year. It’s going to be a stressful months for me counting on the fact that I still have to preach, teach bible classes, facilitate bible discussions, write devotionals for the coming youth camp on the theme “freed to follow”, and run Saturday night services.

Anyone of you out there wants to help me please shout in my “comment” box. Will be grateful for that!

But the top on my list of assignment is a written project titled: “A study of the effect of postmodernism in the lives of christian teenagers in FGA Centre.” It’s just a research project paper not amounting to a thesis so the pressure is not that great. I have been reading quite a number of books out on the market on the whole subject of postmodernism, youth culture, popular culture, secularism and church and theology. I discovered that this subject of pomo (short for postmodernism) is very broad and there are so many definition to it or should I say that it is really difficult to define pomo.

Well…I have got hold of some books that is really helpful to give some sort of a loose and general idea of pomo and I think I am ready to tackle this subject, at least for chapter 1 of my project which is entitled “What is postmodernism?” – the distinctive features that are commonly agreeable with most of the advocate of pomo worldview. The most difficult of the research would be to formulate questions for a survey of teenagers in our church. I am really thinking hard on this area. If anyone of you do have some sort of ideas for some questions to ask teens that can help be extracts their “brains” with regard to how they think and make decisions please let me know. I will appreciate that very much.

Some of the books that I am reading right now are:

1. Youth Culture 101 – Walt Mueller
2. Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be – J Richard Middleton & Brain J. Walsh
3. The Postmodern Turn – Millard J. Erickson
4. Christian Apologetics in the Postmodern World – Timothy R. Phillips & Dennis L. Okholm
5. Christianity at the Religious Roundtable – Timothy C. Tennet
6. Christianity and the Postmodenism Turn – Myron B. Penner
7. Postmodernizing the Faith – Millard J. Erickson
8. A Primer on Postmodernism – Stanley J. Grenz
9. Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture – Walt Mueller
10. Postmodern Times – Veith, Jr., Gene Edward
11. The Challenge of Postmodernism – Dockrey, David S.
12. Telling the Truth – Carson, D. A.
13. The Post-Christian Mind – Blamires, Harry
14. Trilogy: He is There and He is Not Silent – Schaeffer, Francis A.
15. How Now Shall We Live – Chuck Colson & Nancy R. Pearcey

There may be other books that I have to take time to read. But for the record these books are great read. Do pick them up and get into it. Well…I guess I better stop writing the post and get to work on my assignments. But I am tempted to go and surf the net for alternative news to our Malaysian political situations tonight!!

Time Is Running Out On Me – Help!!

I have just received an email from the Academic Dean (MBTS) and I can feel the heat …. I need to graduate this year and all my assignments must be completed by end September. Wow…that’s really “hot” man.

I have to do a project paper (30 – 50 pages) on a study of the effect of postmodernism on christian teenagers in FGA Centre. That’s a tall order. I am trying to gather my thoughts together and trying to figure out how to start. On top of that I have to write a three 10 pages assignments on (1) Christian worldview in discipleship, (2) Pentecostal-Charismatics and the intellectual life of the mind (loving God with our mind), and (3) Pastoral Care and the issue of the problem of evil.

Now you can see why i am feeling the heat!! Well…that’s not all. I have to do the following:
1. Complete the reflection on christian spirituality and the reading of six books
2. Self-study on Spiritual Warfare and Evangelism (VCD study)
3. Self-study on Church History A & B (VCD Study)
4. Get cracking on Greek!!

If that is not all …. I still have teach bible classes, preach, and oversee the work on saturday. I think I am going to drown real soon. I must say that I am a little short these few days. Do you think I can finish the assignments end september? I have to take a long leave to do just that. Please whisper a pray for me whenever you remember my name.

Well…forgive me…i need to de-stress myself!!

Christian Spirituality in Today’s Secular Age

This one week was a hectic week for me as I was attending a course on “The Theology of Christian Spirituality” and the lecturer is Dr Glen Scorgie. I had a “spiritual feast” really but it was intense at the same time.

As Dr Scorgie was lecturing on the historical overview of Christian spirituality he quoted from the book, Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith by Richard Foster that generally Christians fall into these 5 category in their practice of Christian spirituality in today’s secular age:

1. Liturgical Christians meeting God in the Sacraments.
2. Contemplative and Communal Christians Focusing on Prayer
3. Evangelicals prioritizing the Word (Bible Reading & Preaching)
4. Pentecostals Celebrating the Supernatural Presence and Power of God
5. Liberals Cultivating Compassion and Passion for Justice

I thought that was some nice categorization BUT I think we cannot boxed people up neatly into these category. These are generalizations and I find it helpful to understand why some people like to prayer more than others.

All in all…the course on spirituality was exhilarating and invigorating. I got to enjoy the historical treatment of men and women through the ages and how they practice spirituality or indeed how they work out their christian faith.