This is my third YMLC and it's been 4 years since I last attended my last YMLC in 2008 & first in 2007 and yet again it's been another amazing time worshipping God and interacting with so many likeminded & passionate christian brothers & sisters from the different methodist church all in one same place!
Looking back, 5 years ago at my first YMLC, I was still this "radical" fresh young enthusiastic 18 yrs old leader just stepping up and serving in various ministries in the youth ministry in Wesley & in Campus Crusade on campus. And now today i'm actually serving our Lord full time as a youth worker in church. Something I have never actually imagine 5 years ago. And like what Ps Bernard chao said when I mentioned to him how he was my first YMLC mentor at this very same place at Holiday Inn exactly 5 years ago, he replied something like this "...how things seems to go one round back to you", and now I'm an assistant mentor of a group today.
Although I didn't get my call to full time ministry at YMLC, I can say that this year YMLC has definitely assured me of my calling again,especially in the specific area of the pastoral call in a methodist church after I responded to the call on the last day after a closing message by Dr Ed Pousson on "Remember your roots, remember your future..." .This conference just made me so proud to have been brought up as a methodist which such a rich heritage left of by John Wesley, more than 200 years ago. And now we are the generation to carry on that Wesleyan flame!:)
This is a note to my beloved GROUP 2...Like what Ps Shaun shared on how he got his call .. "who knows one day one of you all will find your name on someone's blog on YMLC and how it has actually played a part in you serving the Lord in full time minisitry too" :). So this is to all my group members, Ps Shaun Chong(Grp mentor), Guo Nian, Justin Ng, Alexander Benedict, Jolie, Isaac Tee, Jill Koh, Amanda Koh, Charlene Chew, Wan xian...Just want to say, I've been truly blessed and encouraged from the interactions I had with each and everyone of you. You all have reminded me of how I was when I was still around your age (to the more younger ones besides guo nian), just fresh stepping up, leading sub-minsitries or cell grps. And I do believe that God have great plans to each and everyone of you! And i've this strange gut feeling that maybe at least one of you here will be serving the Lord in full time ministry in the future too. And 5 years later you can write a reflection like what I'm doing today too. :)
Below is the Sermon & Workshop notes from YMLC 2012
1) 4 Plenary Session- Dr Ed Pousson.
2) Workshop 1- Hearing God Through Prayer- Lai Kheng Pousson
3) Workshop 4- Empowering the next generation of leaders- Ps Daniel Chua
Plenary 1- The Invincible Dream- Ed Pousson
Genesis 49:22-26New International Version (NIV)22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,a fruitful vine near a spring,whose branches climb over a wall.23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber,because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,because of the Almighty, who blesses youwith blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb.26 Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains,than the bounty of the age-old hills.Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,on the brow of the prince amon his brothers.
Genesis 37:1-11New International Version (NIV)Joseph’s Dreams1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Receiving God's dream
Resisting God's dream
Resilience of God's dream
Realisation of God's dream
Destiny
You are never too young...
Young people dream
Dominion
The robe Joseph wore symbolise God's authority & mandate given to him.
Deliverance
God desires to impart our dreams
Dream God's dream of deliverance for your generation
Division
- (v.4) When you dream God's dream & call. There will also be someone who doesnt like you.
-(V.11),Brothers were jealous of him
Only after reconciliation with his brothers the dream was fulfilled.
Delusions
We need to know who we are or what we are called
Reflections:
How has God visited your dreams?
What are some defining moments for you?
God visits every generations...
40 years ago, it all started in ACS clock tower...
Plenary 2-Resistance to God's dream
Genesis 37:17-20New International Version (NIV)17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
Sibling rivalry
Stripping of the coat
- At all times do not let bitterness take root in your life even how deep you are in the pit
Hebrews 12:14-15New International Version (NIV)Warning and Encouragement14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Difference between response or react.
React will make you weaker, but if you response according to the will of God you will be come stronger
The brothers are part of the dream too even though they tried to destroy Joseph dream, it was until they reconcile with Joseph which was when the dream can come true.
Pursue the dreams God place in your heart and be sensitive to the dreams of others
Sexual temptation
Gen 39:8 (Honoured his master)
V.9 (Honoured their marriage)
V.10 (Kept a distance)
V.12 (Fled from it)
Imprisoned, abandoned & forgotten
(The power of helplessness)
God remembers....
He remembers The Israelites, Jonah, Joseph, Moses, Jesus...
He remembers you!
Reflect & Pray
When we align ourself to God we become a target
God uses our suffering to test & shape our character
Romans 5:4-5New International Version (NIV)4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Others may meant it for evil but God meant it for Good. Joseph can say that from experience.
Your destiny is not where you are going but what you become along the way...
"Theres no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but knowing right now we are the pot of gold, when we get to the end of the rainbow we realised we become it."
Our Destiny is our character, Our Character is our destiny
God's strength on human weaknesses
How has God's dream pose a threat to others in your life?
Have you experienced a stripping of your dream coat?
How did you response?
How has God helped you?
God will always give us a new coat even if the old is stripped away...
Recall moments when you felt threatened by another person's dream, how did you response?
Plenary 3
Psalm 105:19Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the Lord tested his character. (NLT)In due time his prophesy was fulfilled, the word of Yahweh proved him true (New Jerusalem Bible)
When your heart comes true, your dreams come true
Patience
We hope we wait... Do we wait patiently, faithfully
Perseverance, endurance
Joseph hold fast to his dream
Hebrews 10:36New International Version (NIV)36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.Luke 18:1New International Version (NIV)18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Purity of heart
1 Chronicles 5:1-2
Reuben birthright was given to Joseph
Forgiving, forgetting
Genesis 45:4-7New International Version (NIV)4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a]
Reconcile with his brothers
Can you sincerely say to those under your care,
Come closer to me, I am your brother ...?
When people draw close to you as a leader, what do they find?
We only like a moon, we only reflect the sun... We are not the sun.
The goal of discipleship is transformation to the image of Jesus christ.
Have you learnt to forgive?
Faith & Faithfulness
The unshakable faith in the sovereignty of God
Faith in the providence of God
World vision ...
Bob Pierce... let my heart be broken for what break the heart of God
He did a lot for the poor out there but he neglected his own family...
Joseph did not neglect his family...
The main point of joseph is no matter how far he travelled away from his family, he never forgot his family...
Allowing God to Strengthen our character
What is character?
The quality of having prove oneself genuine through examination & testing
Joseph was really tested throughout his life...
Plenary 4- Remember the future
Hebrews 11:22New International Version (NIV)22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
A Covenant remembered
Genesis 50:24New International Version (NIV)24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
The dreamer dies, but the dream that is from God will never die.
What a way to pass on a spiritual inheritance when we die...
He stayed in touch with his roots as an Israelite despite his influence as an Egyptian in his time of service.
There are times when God intervenes and manifest Himself ...
V.24... God will bring you out of this land ...
400 years later.... God remembered this promise
They still had the roots that withstand the 400 years...
Remember your roots...
40 yrs the clock tower revival,
More than 200 yrs ago, John & Charles Wesley encountered God
Your life is a part of God's story
Acts 3:20-21New International Version (NIV)20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
Times of refreshing & universal restoration will come back.... The reset button will be pressed!
There will be seasons in refreshing ...
If we have deep roots we can live in the ordinary time ... He roots go deep into the fresh water....
But yet there are times for season of refreshing...
Still believe in it! That God still wants to come back again! To speak to our generation...
A charge given
V.25...Joseph still dreaming on his death bed, "When God comes to you , you shall carry up my bones from here"
Hebrews 11:22New International Version (NIV)22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
A picture of Biblical faith
His claiming the next generation...
Communion- remember the sacrificed, the atonement , the resurrection...
Exodus 13:19New International Version (NIV)19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”
They carries Joseph bones 400 yrs later into the promise land
V.26 a coffin unburied ...
Joseph last words past on...
Just one page across your bible to exodus...10 generations, 400 years of slavery has past...
Methodism will feed the world again & again because we have roots a heritage a legacy a promise from the past...
John Wesley fire will never be quenched, will you carry that fire & make a change in your generation...
To believe in God , you believe in the future...
Lamentations 3:21-24New International Version (NIV)21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.23 They are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;therefore I will wait for him.”
Remember your roots, remember your future...
Jeremiah 29:11New International Version (NIV)11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Workshop 1
Hearing God through prayer- Lai-Kheng Pousson
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| (YMLC Workshop 1- Lai Kheng Pousson - Hearing God Through Prayer (This is the exact workshop I attended by her too with the same topic exactly 5 years ago also at Holiday Inn, YMLC 2007) |
- Prayer is Relationship with God
- Prayer is Dialogue
For the year 2012...
Proverbs 20:12
"The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both"
We are this audio visual generation... God desires to redeem this...
How do we hear from God?
He is a multi media God... He speaks in so many ways
Isaiah 11
He is an amazing communicative God
1) The WORD of God
- The primary at God speak to us is the written word of God
- Don't let familiarity affect how God can give one new insight?
- e.g. God spoke as she read the prodigal son" Ask God what is He saying in this passage.......God spoke... "Europe is my prodigal son"... Left to do Secularism ..."he came to his senses" ...
Praying for the Muslim...
God reveals...
Genesis 21:14-20, Isaiah 41:17-20
Hearing God's heartbeat for his people... Sharing God's heartbeat... And pray for them. Intercede for His people...knowing that our prayers contribute to God's promises becoming a reality.
2) Visions
Hear from God in prayer is supernatural ...
(This is a para-phrase, vision she had from God..)
"Above seeing a golden oil spill across Singapore, from below seeing many oil vessel coming upwards, From heaven, holy fire coming down..."
2 kings 4- the widows oil...
- The oil seize when there is no more
Psalm 133- Praying in unity
Call the church to become house of prayers....
3) Dreams
An amazing dream an interpretation she had right after.
(This recording below is a para-phrase to the dream she had from God...hope I recorded it accurarely)
1994
- Are we doing church within the 4 walls. (The playing of golf within the small lawn of a coffee table is the limitations we place ourself within the 4 walls of the church)
- Then SM LKY say bring me to my golf range is out (The world out there)
- Rise above the problem & offer situation...
- Church without walls...
2004
- New Prime minister - National strategy for social concern.
- Church & state together to the worsening social issues
- Church of Singapore to come together to think national issues. Not just logically, but think KINGDOM!
There must be action to be followed after a dream.
4) Impressions, illuminations, interruptions
Once God just flashed like impressions on a PowerPoint in a taxi to her about someone.
5) Emotion, Burden & Audible Voice
Principles
- A Passion for God & His Honour
- An Intense curiosity
- A Will to Pray & Act
Workshop 4
Raising & empowering the next generation Leaders-Ps Daniel Chua
- People that you want to emulate
- Perception of people who looks to you for example are the next generation...
" Books that you read & friends that you keep"
-Those who seat at your dinner table, who wants to listen, are your next generation of leaders
Some examples...
- Joshua camping at the tent of meeting like Moses
- Elisha wanted what Elijah has.
- Jesus and his disciples
Those who want to be like you?
2 Timothy 2:2New International Version (NIV)2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
-Gospel is a movement
Paul- Timothy- to faithful men..
Christianity decreasing in korea ...
The pastors are the one that empowers the people ...
Ephesians 4:11New International Version (NIV)11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
Jesus was always expanding his ministry field...
12 disciples to the 70...
How can we raise & empower leaders
1) The Principle of the Mirror
- If you want to know how your followers will become 5 yrs from now, looking into the mirror.
- We will reproduce our own kind
- "Who is God is to you is God is through you."
- God is the ultimate lecturer , Mr theology
- Who God is to us, the bible will become to us... E.g if God is a lover, the bible will be a love story to you
- Have a right view of God, as we will replicate that.
2) The Principle of the Mould
- Don't feed the people we lead into our mould. Cloning will effect the diversity & creativity of what God has for you.
- Different people has different calling.... Some emphasis on evangelism, some on prayer, some on the scriptures
The Pioneers & the Builders
The church we know today, the pioneers normally looked outward... The builders build inward
It's not either its BOTH.
We look outward AND inward ...
The future of the church are in the minds of pioneers...
E.g 200yr ago hymns came from pubs, 40yrs ago it started to have drums ...People wld say they are demonic in the past, but now it's everywhere in churches too
John Wesley faced his fare share of criticism from the Anglican
Looked for the people in your ministry who are different
- Anoint the next generation as kings
- To see in spiritual eyes like how Samuel saw David.
3) The principle of the Map
- You can't bring people where you have not been
- Bring people places where you have been before.
- Lead people to an encounter of God
- A true encounter of God transformed lives!
" The altar is a place where we can e altered"
Lead them by example ...
"Only Intimate me in areas how you see me imitate Christ..."
"Be a thermostat not a thermometer..."
You never know how 4 simple words like, "I believe in you" can mean a lot
Lead in encouragement
- lead them by creating an environment for love & acceptance
- It's not all about processes alone...
4) The Principle of Movement
- Whatever we try to keep we will lose
- Letting go of our people when it God's timing to enhance other ministries
- Acts 13- releasing Paul & Barnabas
Wesley YM representatives at YMLC 2012
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| Wesley Methodist Church representatives at YMLC 2012 |
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