Over the
past three weeks of visitations to various churches, colleges and social
service providers, speakers referred to the participants as the “future” on
several occasions. While it was encouraging to see the hopes church leaders
have for the current generation, it also begs the question whether the current
generation is well equipped to fill such big shoes. Have the current generation
considered the responsibilities that being the “future” encompasses? While assuming
leadership positions or entering full time ministry could be the calling for
some, being the “future“ goes beyond these roles. The church does not need
everyone to become a leader, preacher or pastor. Yet all Christians are told to
repent for the kingdom is near and at the same time they are reminded to love
and make disciples.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age.”
Matthew
28:19-20 (NIV)
The New
Testament church began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus,
where the Holy Spirit fell and the gospel was preached in its completeness for
the first time. As the gospel spread, churches saw different challenges and
needs as the times changed. During the
initial establishment of the New Testament church, the prevalence of false
teachings and prosecution was a pressing concern for the apostles. The Roman
Catholic Church also went through a period of “Dark Age”, where the gospel was
diluted by the surge of false doctrines and human traditions. Despite the
rejection, hardship and deviance faced, Christian leaders rose up as they saw
the brokenness of the world, holding on firmly to the things that mattered –
the true and complete gospel that has the power to save and heal.
The
Great Commission transcends across generations, and continues to call out to
modern day Christians. Today, the current generation faces a new set of
challenges that stems from comfort and the endless pursuit of excellence. Young
Singaporeans enjoy the fruits of the labor of our forefathers, and are blessed
with a safe and harmonious living environment. At the same time, the kiasu Singaporean in us constantly
propels us to work harder in order to beat the legendary bell curve that has been used to differentiate students since PSLE.
While everyone is scrambling to achieve the much-converted picture of success
the society has painted, what sets a Christian student of this generation
apart? The apostles recognized the gospel as a treasure so precious that they
were willing to devote their lives into protecting and preaching it. Do we
share the same passion about spreading the gospel, or have we too fallen prey
to the belief of this pragmatic society, that every man is for himself?
God made
each of us special, with different gift and abilities that could be used to
serve the different communities around us. Who then are the Jerusalem, Judea
and Samaria equivalent in the Singaporean context? Hannah and Sarah Seniors
Activity Centre provide a platform to attend to the physical and spiritual
needs of the aging population. Healthserve, guided by Christian values, lives
up to their mission of healing, inspiring and helping migrant workers integrate
into the Singaporean lifestyle. As students or fresh graduates, it would be a tall
order to initiate services of such magnitude or cast aside all things to be a
full time missionary. Besides so, in this hard-pressed for time society it
could perhaps be overly demanding to volunteer regularly at these organizations.
However, God has also placed us in a community to serve – the campus. No adult or
outsider could better understand and empathize with the struggles of students
other than fellow students like ourselves. Being a student is the greatest asset
God has given us to relate to and comfort the lost souls around us in school.
“A new command I give
you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love
one another.”
John
13:34-35 (NIV)
Christianity
is a reasonable faith with a personal touch that goes beyond spreading the
kingdom or spiritual salvation, but also physical and emotional healing. Gone
are the days where academic results were all that matters, the society has
grown to demand more from the raising generation. According to statistics,
majority of the youths happy and safe at home (64%). However, upon closer
inspection, a sizable percentage of youths experience loneliness and stress
(18%) at home. Moreover, despite having slightly more than half of the respondents
feeling happy in school, close to one-fifth of the students relate to their
time in school with stress. The needs on campus are plentiful and we all crave
to have someone who would hear us out and emphatise with how we are feeling. At
the same time, not many of us are willing to invest the time and effort into
lending others a listening ear. However, it is a conscientious choice on our
part whether or not we to spend time and set foot in the unpleasant experience
of others. To reach out to our neighbor next door is not about hard-selling the
gospel or a one-off street evangelism experience. Instead, it is about meeting
the matters of the heart with the love from God that is exuberated in
Christians. Spreading the gospel is the reconciliation of the word and deed, such
that the people around us see the consistency in what we preach and our
actions.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are
worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has
chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her”
Luke 10:
41-42 (NIV)
The temptations
of the world are real and as we attempt to reach out to the broken hearted,
there are times we would feel helpless and disillusioned. The call to know God
comes before the call to serve. The verse above provides a timely reminder
about the core of service – it is all about the sovereign Father in heaven. We
ought to first seek Him wholeheartedly, for if not for God and with God, all
works are in vain. Let us not be oblivious to the needs of the world; but at the
same time not let these needs make us lose sight of the Father above. Come
before God and know that He is King; and recognize that we are merely stewards
of the world. Before we tell others how great our God is, we first need to
believe that our God is indeed the almighty and only God. His words and
promises sustain us as we engage the community around.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished
the race, I have kept the faith.”
2
Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
Every
individual have their own definition for success, and each would spend the rest
of their life working towards this goal. As Christians, we are aware that our
dwelling on Earth is brief. However, how would this understanding impact the
way we lead each day of our lives? At the final chapter of our life on Earth,
may we declare with conviction just as Apostle Paul did, that we have led our
Christian life to the fullest – serving with all our might that His name shall
be glorified.
References:
Mattox
F. W. (1961). The Eternal Kingdom: A History
of the Church. Delight, Arkanas: Gospel Light Publishing Company.
Bonhoeffer D. (1954). Life Together: The Classic Exploration of
Christian Community. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Seah P. K. and Tang S. (2011). Singapore
Youth Resilience Survey: Examining the stressors, risks and resilience of Young
People. Beyond Social Services
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