lifelong Christian development

due to some unforeseen technical circumstances, the photos just can't seem to be loaded. many apologies! :(

On 21st May afternoon, about 40 young adults came for our YA Hanging Deep talk on "Lifelong Christian Development". We were glad to have new friends visiting and started off with great conversations over a sumptious lunch with the ever-popular lemon chicken and kangkong belacan. There was even a special dessert!

Our speaker Jimmy Yun first introduced us to the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) by giving us a brief description of its history and current projects. He then anchored his talk by defining what a practicing Christian should be, and thereafter highlighted the two key perspectives that we should have to exercise our gifts so as to influence others towards God's purposes.

Using these perspectives, he makes the point that leadership does not only involve Christians who hold leadership positions in church, but also all Christians who can and choose to influence others for Christ. Jimmy's talk raised important issues that challenge us to examine our motives in our actions, as well as to apply our gifts with the right mindsets.

We ended with some time of praying and sharing, and managed even to finish all the remaining food from lunch!

An outline of "Lifelong Christian Development"

A Practicing Christian is a person
- with God given capacity, character and responsibility
- who is influencing people toward God's purposes

God's shaping of our lives includes events and experiences, time, and our responses. God's shaping produces developments in spiritual, ministerial and strategic areas of our lives.

Some principles to remember:
- When Christ calls Christians to ministry, he intends to develop them to their full potential.
- Each of us is responsible to continue developing in accordance with God's processing all our lives.
- Effective leaders view present ministry in terms of a lifetime perspective.

As a Kingdom builder (David vs. Absalom), we should possess two mindsets:
1. Service Mindset: Serving the sheep, Shepherding the flock
- obedience to inner work of the Spirit
- becoming aware of others' needs
- acceptance of assignments even at personal costs
- ownership of the gospel: genuine interest in others' welfare

2. Follower Mindset: Leading is a temporary assignment, following is a lifetime calling.
- we qualify for leadership by first being followers
- "follow" me is the basic command to all of us

Key values: loyalty to another
- serve another's cause
- teach another's truth
- accept another's results
- await another's time
- dream of another's glory

post kindly written by Pak Shun and event organised by his CG.

thank you, folks! :)